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tsuyoi-hikari · 4 months
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Forever and Ever: Script & Visual Storytelling Review 🏮
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As usual, during my yearly holiday, I always opt to watch dramas that I already watched (in an attempt not to get addicted 😂) so this time of the year, I chose Forever & Ever during my trip to London & Wales.
Now I'm back, I want to write a review why this drama is very special in my book. For a starter, I'm not really a big fan of romance dramas in general but when it is done right, like this drama for an example, it will be special in my heart and I will rewatch it often as my comfort watch.
WHY IT IS SPECIAL?
I love how this drama portray 'soulmate' kind of relationship between the couple. They have one mind & one soul mentality that are portray beautifully in the drama. So, normal romance troupes such as misunderstandings, miscommunications, petty love games, noble idiocy or breakup are non-existence in this drama. Its all about them working together hand in hand facing the adversities together which is very refreshing to see.
LOVABLE MAIN LEADS
Zhousheng Chen is by miles my most favorite romantic lead in any media. He is shy and awkward and its funny to watch his antics. But he has this big heart that is full of love and kindness. I love his silent love the best -- Shiyi didnt know what he did for her most of the times since it is purposely written to be that way but Shiyi can feel his love in every part of her bones. Whether it is big or small, his love is selfless and did not ask anything in return. And I love how he handle his toxic mother with such a grace -- never disrespecting her but also never allowed her to mistreat his wife as well.
Shiyi probably the most high EQ FLs in Cdramas. She is beautiful and graceful and her understanding and coping mechanism is on another level. Like if there are conflicts, you will notice she will do things to avoid the awkwardness by offering foods or change the subjects or topics. Or any misunderstanding, no need explanation since her trust in her husband will give her answer to that misunderstanding. Or some secrets are no need to be told since it wont change anything. She is one of my most favorite FLs in Cdramaland without a doubt. Plus, she did all the first moves, how awesome is that?
INTIMACY
I love how this drama portray intimacy between the couple. Its fulfilling and natural and wholesome in general. Like one of the scenes, Shiyi will casually tuck her hand under Zhousheng Chen's armpit while hugging him. 🤭 And I think I have ever seen a drama where a couple smile at each other as much as they did to each other. They really sold the feeling of couple who are actually in love and just enjoy being in each other's companies. And what I like best is that we have no idea who actually love more since they both give and take equally in the relationship.
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SPECIAL LOVE GESTURES
Love gestures is what I called for all special love behaviors between couples that are not kissing or hugging. These gestures are special to only 2 of them and must happen a lot of times in the drama. While I usually struggle to find this in other romance dramas, Forever & Ever has really a lot of these love gestures. Like a lot, some will be repeated like 6 to 7 times since it is the couple's signature love gestures towards each other.
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Caressing Nose
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Holding Face
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Hands on Shoulder
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Holding Handbag
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Hugging While Sleeping
SLEEPING MONTAGE
I have never seen a drama which show sleeping scenes as much as this drama. 😂 But I love every single one of them. I love how they are shown sleeping separately and ended up in each other arms slowly. Or for comedic effects. All are done tastefully and beautifully.
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I LOVE YOU
Yes, they are one of the few couples in Cdramas that actually use I Love You: Wo Ai Ni (我爱你) instead of I Like You: Wo Xihuan Ni (我喜欢你). And we got to see this 4 times in the drama -- all at different occasions and evoke different kind of emotion each time.
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BEAUTIFUL VISUAL DIRECTING & CINEMATOGRAPHY
I love how the Director using frames a lot in the drama to display characters' thoughts and distance and how when they are shot in the same frame, its to show how both is at the same state of mind. And I also notice the drama used a lot of earthly colors like yellow, white and brown for soothing and warm effects and that is why you will feel the drama is very relaxing and healing. Or using shadows when the couple had their first night together which is one of the best directing I've seen for this kind of love scenes.
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Visual Storytelling Using Reflection
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Visual Storytelling Using Mirror & Shadow
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Using of Frames to Portray Distance
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Using of Frame to Show the Same State of Mind
COSTUMES
I also love how this drama will be using characters' outfits to tell a story or their motivation. I like how Zhousheng Chen & Shiyi will always wear same color with different shades before their marriage while same color with same shade (coupling outfits) after their marriage. Or how the antagonists in the drama will always wear black, literally, black all the time lol. Or grey character like Weixing will always wear black & white except after she died where she finally appear in flowery and colorful outfit in Meixing's imagination.
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Before Marriage (same color with different shades)
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After Marriage (same color with same shades)
CHINESE ARTS
If you happen to love Chinese arts in general whether its poetry, painting, calligraphy or music, then this drama is a treat for you. I love the many poems they used in this drama whether to console, to express feelings or to break ice. Or I love how Zhousheng Chen communicate with his mother through painting as well since he is not really good with words. All are done effectively and get the point across and not just done as filler scenes. Since both of them are well verse in this area, it also part of the reasons why they connect to each other as they did in the drama.
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Zhousheng Chen imitates Shiyi's similar painting from before to send message to his mother.
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Shiyi wrote Shànglín Fù poem on the wall just like Shiyi in One & Only. And she left it unfinish too, for Zhousheng Chen to finish it later.
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Zhousheng Chen wrote Shiyi's favorite poem on the wedding lanterns along the corridor aside from the handwritten 3,000 wedding cards that he wrote one by one.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this drama is great if you love to watch good love story with a lot of details and easter eggs from One & Only. They also did a lot of love message using numbers all throughout the drama like the 1 Yen coin from year 2011 (2011 means 'Love You Shi Yi', and the 1 Yen refers to how she's his one & only) love confession made by Zhousheng Chen to Shiyi or the message on their crocs.
And while watching the drama at London, I totally can imagine Zhousheng Chen will be holding Shiyi's handbag if they ever did their shopping at Notting Hill flea market. 😂
TDLR: The drama is a visual fest aside from the good script it possessed. It is also very healing and wholesome! ❤️
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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Zhousheng Chen, I love you.
I love you, Shi Yi.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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Shi Yi, I always love you.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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Zhousheng Chen... I love you.
I love you too.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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Zhousheng Chen, I love you.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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Fan Xian, My Love! :D
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tsuyoi-hikari · 1 year
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tsuyoi-hikari · 3 years
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[2018] Kom Faek
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tsuyoi-hikari · 3 years
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[2020] My Husband in Law
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tsuyoi-hikari · 3 years
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[2020] My Forever Sunshine
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tsuyoi-hikari · 4 years
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tsuyoi-hikari · 4 years
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‘’Around the world, who is a more perfect couple than we are? I should love you and not waste a happy opportunity In the face of love, you and I are too humble Who would dare to oppose love? Around the world, who know my tears better than you? I should love you to become a couple that others envy Holding your hand, advancing and retreating in the sea of people Facing everything with a smile..’’
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tsuyoi-hikari · 5 years
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Memories of the Alhambra Review & Ending Explanation
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I really love this drama as a whole. I love how groundbreaking and interesting it is that each episode seemed like its only 15 to 30 minutes long. I love how unpredictable it is like literally, you cant guess whats coming and I love how it is structured to make you speculate and ask questions. The editing was made to show the future first and later flashback scenes will follow aka Christopher Nolan’s ‘Momento’ kind of storytelling. You know that a story is great when it can evoke you all kind of emotions and this drama is exactly that. It made you care for the characters, only to play you around and makes you wanting for more. And I salute the writer for her ability to engage the viewers like she did in this drama.
Aside from that, I really love the writer’s little clues here and there. She did a looooot of foreshadowing in this drama. It sure raise a lot of questions but you know whats coming with that. I mean, we after all can predict Jeong Hun’s death the moment Jin Woo asked Jeong Hun to join him at Granada (as in the train flashback scene, Jin Woo is alone and not with Jeong Hun). We also know right away that Marco is the one who hunt Se Joo the moment he made his appearance in the drama (as a blue checkered guy is the one who shot Se Joo). We also know as early as in Episode 2 that Jin Woo’s leg will be injured but his limp is cured the moment he’s playing the game. The dynamic of Jin Woo and Hee Joo’s relationship is also foreshadow since in the earlier episode on how she’s sitting in front of Jin Woo in the rain is making him feel protected and safe. Hee Joo didnt kill the enemies like Jeong Hun would (since after all she cant see Hyeong Seok's NPC), but her presence and existence is like a buffer between Jin Woo and the game and that particular scene perfectly show what would her role be in Jin Woo’s life in the future. 
Jin Woo has become one of my very fave Kdramas’ lead characters ever. And I have to give credit to Hyun Bin for that. He played Jin Woo in such a depth that you literally feel his pain just by looking in his eyes. I have watched Hyun Bin for the past 15 years and I have to say that this is simply his best role to date (although Hyun Bin's Robin from 'Hyde, Jekyll, Me' is my soulmate :P). Its been a really long time that I’m this emotionally invested in a character and Hyun Bin portrayal of Jin Woo made me feel Jin Woo’s soul. Aside from his outburst in Episode 1, Jin Woo is actually a really nice, humble and level-headed guy. Its evidenced with the way he talk to other people despite their status – he actually use a polite language (instead of Banmal) to everyone even to his low-level workers. And not to mention that despite his trouble with the game, he still treat people with utmost respect and care despite he himself is facing a real life and death situations.
Now regarding the romance part of the drama, I thought it was done very tastefully and slowly -- in a mature kind of way. You could see clearly why Hee Joo falls for Jin Woo. The mixture of Jin Woo kindness (still giving her the full amount of the contract), to him touching her soft spot (playing guitar), to him still taking care of his ex-wife (despite he didnt need to), to him facing real & death situation when he falls at her hostel, to her taking care of him and Jin Woo asking her to stay... And later when she realised the length Jin Woo went through to find Se Joo. All this small details contribute to why she loves him. And as for Jin Woo, its obvious that he falls for Hee Joo's kindness and strength. He was impressed with her ability to feed her family and was also taken back by her kindness (the length she is willing to go to help him either in interpreting to taking care of him when he's sick), to her quirkiness on how she explodes when she's mad. Plus, the most important of all is how her presence made him feels safe -- even when Hyeong Seok NPC is in front of him (during the rain scene). Hee Joo is like a buffer between the game and Jin Woo. He just unintentionally ask her to stay by his side since he is just too scared to be alone. He didnt understand it either but later, he realised that he likes her for her sincerity -- the one he never get from Su Jin or Yu Ra. And he actually smile and laugh when she is around him which he never did the whole 1 year after their last meeting at Granada when the game make him question his sanity. That is why he had the urge to see her before he completed the final mission since she is someone important in his life. IMO, the romance part was dealt with many minor details and mature way thats why I ended up really liking how their relationship grows despite the horrible situation they're in -- its not too much nor too little. When you are deal with real life and death situation, your feelings intensifies which explain their relationship perfectly.
All in all, I give the drama 9.5/10. It is not perfect but it was interesting as hell and full of unpredictable plots. I would love it more if the writer actually explain how the characters die because loss of blood when they were killed in the game but I guess she just lump sum it up as part of the 'fantasy and mysterious’ part of the game when Emma made the reality and game world collide when Marco stabbed Se Joo with real knife. But aside from these minor details, this drama has become one of the most nerve-wrecking Kdramas in my book. Its rare for me to have palpitation when I watch Kdramas but this drama is one of a rare case and it will always be special in my heart because of that. :D
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Explanation on the Ending:
ITS OBVIOUSLY A CLEAR CUT HAPPY ENDING. WHY?
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I know that many people are really dissatisfied with this drama’s ending. I personally thought the writer trying to be creative with her ending but kind of backfired as many people got confuse with the game concepts and thought that the bug cycle was repeating themselves over and over again now that Jin Woo is still stuck in the game. 
On the surface, the drama ended with a bittersweet note with a glimmer of hope at the end. However, after a second viewing, I have to admit that it is after all a clear cut happy ending. I realised many small details that the writer gave to us – that it was clear that despite the ending is ambiguous, the writer aimed for a happy end to both of our main leads. First of all, lets clear the confusion regarding the concept of the game world.
1. At first, I thought that Emma, while one of her features is to delete bugs, is a bug itself as she’s the reason why the game world and the reality world collide when Marco stabbed Se Joo with real knife. I mean, if she’s not there, the whole mess of the game become real wouldn’t happen as Se Joo will just bleed after the stab and probably recover after he go to the hospital. Jin Woo wouldn’t be in that mess and the only one suffers is only Se Joo with the stab wounds on his stomach. 
2. Marco is Se Joo’s bug thus he do not need to be deleted for Jin Woo to reset the game. Plus, Jin Woo can't see Marco anyway unless he made an alliance with Se Joo. Bear in mind that Se Joo is the one who create this game and he set the rules. Among the rules are those who gave Fatima the Key to Heaven will win the game and become the new Master. And he also put one of Emma’ s features is to delete bugs and once bugs are deleted, the game will reset. And that is exactly what Jin Woo did; level up, get the key, kill the bugs and hand over the key to Emma and Emma reset the game. Now, why Jin Woo is a bug and need to be deleted? It is because he played the game while the game is in error state. Had other testers of the game made a duel and killed their opponents like Jin Woo, they will be in the same position as Jin Woo as well.
3. Jin Woo made sure he killed all of the bugs and also sacrificing himself in the process to end the game’s sinister elements. Since he already do this and reset the game to zero, there are no more evil cycle of one has to sacrifice themselves to save the others. Once Emma reset everything, it is a new game without bugs/errors/glitches. J One lost all the data and build the game back from scratch that is why it took them another 1 year to release the new game as they have to rebuild everything. The good thing about the whole thing is that is game is finally safe to be played unlike Se Joo’s original game which mix game world and the real world. The writer made it clear that the evil part of the game was buried once and for all when Jin Woo sacrificing himself at the end. 
4. It was obvious that Yang Ju finally delete Emma from the new game when we hear that he regretted of keeping Emma where Emma in the end reset the whole game and delete all their hard work for the past 1 year. So no Emma, no more error in the game. There is no more Emma so the features of her to delete bugs and reset back the game is no longer there as well. 
5. Regarding whether Hee Joo can see Jin Woo or not, she can see him as she is wearing lenses. All game users can see Jin Woo if he made an appearance that is why the guy at the restaurant insisted that Jin Woo is not NPC but an advanced user. But why there's no name for Jin Woo in the new game? It is because Emma has deleted everything including Jin Woo's game name 'Zinu' that is why he is without name. ‘Instance Dungeon’ is to make one become invisible from the enemies and hide themselves. Se Joo did hide himself for 1 year as Marco is there to hunt him so he keep using the instance dungeon feature to remain safe. Jin Woo in the other hand just use the feature to save himself from getting deleted by Emma. So if he didn't use the instant dungeon feature, other game users can see him. The problem is getting him out of the game and I believe that is Se Joo's task to do that. 
And now the for ending, the writer purposely tell us about the 'Instance Dungeon’ and how a user can use it to hide themselves. And later at the end, it is shown that Jin Woo after all did use that feature to save himself. But why is he helping in killing low-level NPCs for other game users just days after the game was released? It is not actually a 'Master’ task to do that and he knew the game is now free from bugs and no one is getting killed for real. But he did it anyway. Why? He did that as a call of help to alert everyone that he is after all still alive but somehow still stuck in the game. He clearly let them know that he is still alive by helping the other game users. Now that Hee Joo knew that he is alive and hidden, it is only a matter of time for him to be saved just like how he saved Se Joo the year earlier. So, technically, it is only a matter of time before he can get his happy ending. 
I am pretty much disappointed with the ending but upon second viewing, it wasn’t really that bad like I initially felt. The writer for surely aimed for a happy end, it just that, its not in-your-face type of ending like other dramas.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 6 years
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Hyde Jekyll, Me Review
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Have you ever watch a show that is good but you are puzzled why it is not more popular? Have you watched a show that you literally want to share it with everyone else because how it affect you emotionally? Have you watched a show that you find it hard to finish each episode because you keep rewinding your favourite scenes over and over again? Have you watch a show that you can literally start again just after you finished it? And have you watch a show where it satisfy you through and through? This is Hyde, Jekyll, Me means to me. I wanted to rate it 8 (due to some of the drama's imperfectness) but the show seriously connect to me on spiritual level (lol) so it deserved an 8.5. I literally cried the whole last 2 episodes since its really too sad for me. I cant believe how good and addicting is the drama. It had interesting plot with brilliant ending and I like how everything come like a perfect puzzle at the end. Great character developments and the twists was revealed in a nice and smooth way.
Hyun Bin is really great as both Seo Jin & Robin. I'm surprised to read that some people thought playing 2 characters are too much for him. Both Seo Jin & Robin are literally two very different person in mannerism, tone, vibe and speech pattern -- it seemed like it is played by 2 different actors -- thats how good he is. I thought he did an outstanding job when he had to act as one personality trying to pretend to be the other. You can see how the other personality is struggling and Hyun Bin did it with you knowing exactly that. Only great actor can do such a thing and Hyun Bin did exceptionally well here. Robin had me at hello so he will always be special in my heart (yes, he's my soulmate lol!) while Seo Jin's arrogant and cold personality to coat his vulnerable side made him so attractive. Han Ji Min is really lovely as Hana and imo they did everything right with her character and it made sense why both Seo Jin & Robin falls in love with her. Now regarding the issue that many people has problem with this drama. I personally thought many people seemed to misunderstand the message that the writer trying to tell us. BOTH SEO JIN & ROBIN IS THE SAME PERSON. Hana didnt settle for Jekyll because Hyde and Jekyll happen to be the same person. The writer keep highlighting in the ending note in each episode on how the two of them will become one; 'The silent moment when I become you, and you become me.' 'The more I keep trying, the more 'me' I end up discovering.' 'Somehow, you and I have become us.' Even Seo Jin realised that Robin is after all him when he saved Hana at the warehouse. Usually, all DID related movies/dramas just removing/letting go all the different personalities at the end and but this one it combined them together because they are the same person. Seo Jin created Robin as a defense mechanism to cope with his self-blame and cowardice. And for years, he hated and wanted to destroy Robin. But it later changed when he realised that Robin is after all him. Aside from getting Robin memories one by one, Seo Jin's mannerism changed and he become happier and gentler just like Robin as he is receiving his feelings as well. Robin is just like a dream that he cant remember. And Hana is the cure of that when she made him remember all those dream when he was Robin (like he told her in the end). The dissatisfaction that many people have towards the different treatment between Seo Jin and Robin should not exist as they are one person at the end. The way to see this drama is that you should not be jealous of one part of yourself as you are the same person. That is what Seo Jin decided to do at the end. He accepted Robin as he knew Robin is after all him -- you can see that Seo Jin no longer sabotaged Robin & Hana's relationship because he knew that Robin is him. Memories are what makes a person. Without memories, a person will be empty. Seo Jin having all Robin's memories and feelings (note how he even tear up suddenly at the bridge) at the end indicates that he is after all Robin. Robin is Seo Jin and Seo Jin is Robin. They are the same person. Now regarding the criticisms that Hana is getting from many viewer, Hana has always like Seo Jin -- she will never go that length to protect him just out of pure compassion and she definitely didn't settle for Seo Jin because Robin is gone. Like Seo Jin said, she is in love with Robin but she also love him as well which she didnt deny. The writer go through a great length to prove that Hana is also attracted to Seo Jin so I really wonder why many people seemed to missed that part. I find it absolutely ridiculous how people said she is greedy and selfish. She is actually the opposite of that and she handle the 2 personalities with such class and kindness. How is she undeserving of Seo Jin when she practically protect him since they are kids (heck, she watched over him for 1 whole year afraid that he might commit suicide), she risk her life to save him plenty of times, she overcome her fears to help Seo Jin find Dr. Kang, she suffers multiply abusive words from him, she cares for him when he's sick, she cooked for him, she stopped Robin from going public, she stopped Seo Jin from destroying his life, she's mad at him for deciding not to cure his illness and the list go on. I mean, she literally an angel that cure his DID -- the one that made him realise that he and Robin is one person. Yet, she get all of this shit just because he happen to fall in love with the good guy (first time in Kdramas that a girl actually fall for the nice guy). I find it absolutely ridiculous that some viewers mad at her for being a loyal and kind just because she didnt happen to fall head over hills with the main guy. However, despite she is in love with the other personality, not even once she allowed Robin to compromise Seo Jin's life and position knowing Seo Jin is the main personality. And the writer cant make her having a relationship with both Robin & Seo Jin cause that will make her a player. And she only decided to love Seo Jin in the end because she realised that Robin & Seo Jin is the same person. She didnt know that they started to become one after the warehouse incident and she only know it when Seo Jin told her that he has all Robin's memories. For Seo Jin to have Robin's memories, talents as well as feelings (as Seo Jin even feels what Robin is feeling -- his love, fears & sadness), it means that he is Robin as well. She loves both of them. And at the end, she got the best of both world when they become one person. The writer was very adamant in letting us know this so I really wonder why many people seemed to missed that. I know the drama is not perfect but it certainly didnt deserve all the hate that it is getting. I'm glad that I give this drama a try without reading any reviews. It makes me able to appreciate the drama as it is. Hyun Bin is definitely fantastic in here and it sadden me that he never properly reward for his performance in this drama.
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tsuyoi-hikari · 6 years
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Yes, Robin had me at Hello~~ XD
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tsuyoi-hikari · 6 years
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tsuyoi-hikari · 6 years
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