Zogitt
Australia
A kiss is never just a kiss
Once again, j-drama delivers a short, sweet, heartfelt romance with conviction. Our leads share great visuals, and you can sense the attraction between the two which translated to oodles of chemistry. Of course, it would not be a drama if everything is smooth sailing, but we are fully onboard for the ride.
Consider the short run-time of this drama, I am pleasantly surprised by the depth in the leads portrayals. They feel well nuanced and fleshed out. The vocalising of their inner thoughts allow us a great deal of insights into their psyches. It is an effective and impactful tool. The pacing is spot on. There is never a dull moment, but the show doesn’t feel rushed either.
The writer-san played the SML and SFL card intelligently. They are not used as the token antagonists to create tension and angst. Their intrusion into their bubble reality forced the leads to examine their true feelings and confront some uncomfortable truths.
There are three particular aspects that I really liked. Firstly, the FL is not the usual bubbly, giddy stereotype. She is a well-respected professional in her own right, but she is naïve in love. This vulnerability endears her to us and this extends to the ML when we find out more about him later in the show. This brings us to the second point; I think it is very clever of the writer-san to flip the perspective between the leads. We get a chance to feel his confusion, excitement and pain which is usually hidden behind the professional demeanours. Finally, while their meet-cute sets them up as friends with benefits, their skinship is not egregious. It is an integral part of their relationship and eventual growth. It is handled thoughtfully and delicately. There are some seriously swoon worthy moments.
The acting from our leads is on point and with a lot of heart and deft touches. There are good performances from the support cast as well and I’m definitely getting second lead syndrome vibes.
The ending is poetic and perfect. I love the kiss motif being used at both ends of the show to signify the final breakthrough in their relationship.
I have no problem recommending this show. It will lift your spirit and restore your faith in love.
Production value is good. OST is well integrated.
Consider the short run-time of this drama, I am pleasantly surprised by the depth in the leads portrayals. They feel well nuanced and fleshed out. The vocalising of their inner thoughts allow us a great deal of insights into their psyches. It is an effective and impactful tool. The pacing is spot on. There is never a dull moment, but the show doesn’t feel rushed either.
The writer-san played the SML and SFL card intelligently. They are not used as the token antagonists to create tension and angst. Their intrusion into their bubble reality forced the leads to examine their true feelings and confront some uncomfortable truths.
There are three particular aspects that I really liked. Firstly, the FL is not the usual bubbly, giddy stereotype. She is a well-respected professional in her own right, but she is naïve in love. This vulnerability endears her to us and this extends to the ML when we find out more about him later in the show. This brings us to the second point; I think it is very clever of the writer-san to flip the perspective between the leads. We get a chance to feel his confusion, excitement and pain which is usually hidden behind the professional demeanours. Finally, while their meet-cute sets them up as friends with benefits, their skinship is not egregious. It is an integral part of their relationship and eventual growth. It is handled thoughtfully and delicately. There are some seriously swoon worthy moments.
The acting from our leads is on point and with a lot of heart and deft touches. There are good performances from the support cast as well and I’m definitely getting second lead syndrome vibes.
The ending is poetic and perfect. I love the kiss motif being used at both ends of the show to signify the final breakthrough in their relationship.
I have no problem recommending this show. It will lift your spirit and restore your faith in love.
Production value is good. OST is well integrated.
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