More Than Friends 2020 Full Review

More Than Friends 2020 Full Review

Read Spoiler-Free Review

Series Details

Air Dates: September 25 - November 28, 2020

Episodes: 16

Where to Watch: Viki

Genre: Romantic Drama

Starring: Ong Seong Wu and Shin Ye Eun

Watch on Viki
The Story

 The story of a young woman who has spent the last 10 years with a crush on the same guy.  Twice she has gotten up the nerve to confess her feelings and both time she was rejected.  And yet, their lives have continued to be entangled and they have tried to maintain a kind of friendship.  When a new guy appears in her life, the dynamic in their years of friendship suddenly shifts.  Maybe he did like her all this time and just didn't know it.  Is it too late for them to have a romantic relationship?  Can he make it up to her for all the times he hurt her in the last 10 years?

The Leads

 Shin Ye Eun as Kyung Woo Yeon

Kyung Woo Yeon is a calligrapher who makes personalized items and sells them on the internet  She met Lee Soo when they were in high school together and has liked him ever since.  She has dated a string of other guys, but always breaks up with them once they confess their feelings.  When Woo Yeon meets Ohn Joon Soo, he immediately shows an interest in her.  Soo is immediately jealous, and realizes that he has liked Woo Yeon all along.  The two men fight for Woo Yeon's attention, and she is forced to make a choice.

Shin Ye Eun was good in the role of Woo Yeon.  Woo Yeon's character is portrayed in the beginning as a bit timid and eager to please.  But as the drama goes on, she begins to develop some confidence in her career and personal life.  Really there isn't much that is unique to Woo Yeon's character, except maybe her drunken habit of calling Soo's old cellphone number and rambling on some stranger's voicemail (Who turns out to be Joon Soo!).  Other than that, she could be any almost 30 something, trying to make a living and figure out where life is taking her.  For me, she was likeable but not that interesting.

Ong Seong Wu as Lee Soo

Lee Soo is a cool, good looking guy who works as a travel photographer.  He met Woo Yeon and her friends in high school but he moved away to study abroad.  He has always missed Woo Yeon but he believes those feelings are nothing more than friendship.  But when he moves home and runs into Woo Yeon again he is immediately drawn her her again.  And when she starts dating another guy, he is consumed with jealousy and frustration.  In a flash of understanding, he decides to fight to convince Woo Yeon that he is the one for her.

Ong Seong Wu plays the role of cold, withdrawn, and misunderstood hero well.  Lee Soo has struggled with relationships his whole life.  His relationship with his parents has never been easy and he doesn't seem to believe love is something that is even possible for him.  He turns down Woo Yeon's confessions because he thinks he is being honest with her.  But he eventually realizes his mistake.  Doing his best to make up for all the times he has hurt her already, Soo throws himself into a fight to prove that his feelings for Woo Yeon are sincere and that he understands the mistakes he made.  I found his transformation endearing and genuine.  Ong Seong Wu has grown as an actor and I thought this character did a nice job of highlighting his own professional transformation.  Oh, and his contribution to the OST was beautiful.  What a wonderful voice!

The Supporting Characters

Kim Dong Jun as Ohn Joon Soo

Lots of second lead syndrome with this one.  Ohn Joon Soo is a goodlooking, successful CEO of a publishing company who has a heart of gold.  His first true love ended up becoming his sister-in- law, and now with Woo Yeon, he is willing to give love a second chance.  Unfortunately his desperation to find love may be the thing that works against him the most.  He insists on supressing any anger or frustration because he is afraid of chasing people away. But Woo Yeon would rather have him be honest about his feelings.  Despite her telling him how she feels, Joon Soo can't bring himself to change.  In the end, that is the thing that drives Woo Yeon away, although it is pretty obvious that she is still in love with Soo, so it is probably for the best.

Pyo Ji Hoon (P.O) and Baek Soo Min as Jin Sang Hyuk and Han Jin Joo

Jin Sang Hyuk and Han Jin Joo are probably the sweetest and cutest couple of the 3.  Jin Joo is a hard-working prosecutor who's mother has always promised her that the perfect guy would just show up once she was successful.  Because of that, she has never has a boyfriend.  Sang Hyuk owns his own restaurant where the gang hangs out.  Like Woo Yeon, he has had a crush on Jin Joo since high school, but unlike her, he has kept it a secret from everyone.  He ends up blurting it out in a fit of frustration, while defending her from some creep who had taken advantage of her.  Once things start, they take off in a hurry and, of course, these 2 beat the others to the alter!

Choi Chan Ho and  Ahn Eun Jin as Shin Hyun Jae and Kim Young Hee

Shin Hyun Jae and Kim Young Hee are a difficult couple for me.  Unlike the others, they have been dating since high school, but Young Hee's difficult financial and family life have kept them from getting married.  Hyun Jae has stayed patiently by her side through everything, but she refuses to marry him until her life can somehow get straightened out.  When her mother gets cancer it is the last straw.  Young Hee breaks up with Hyun Jae and the 2 of them live miserably for a whole year until Young's Hee's mother's death and Sang Hyuk and Jin Joo's engagement bring them back together.

Things I Like

Wide Range of Jobs

We see a lot of office workers and the likes in Korean drama.  I appreciated the idea that all 6 of these characters from a similar background came to represent such a wide array of careers.  A prosecutor, restaurant owner, office worker, teacher, photographer, and calligraphy artist.  From the creative to the academic, it was a fun list of interesting careers.  

Seoul Neighborhoods

Even though we only got to see bits and pieces of it, I loved the idea of a book that showcased all the rejuvenated neighborhoods throughout Seoul.  I find the city of Seoul to be fascinating with painted murals and staircases and neighborhoods where houses are built right next to local businesses.  This concept of one person's home being another person's destination is unique and let us see some of the jewels hiding within Seoul's streets and alleys.

High School Friendships

I realized, as I watched this drama, that it is very unusual to have a whole group of friends who all knew each other since high school.  High school friends are not uncommon, but they usually bring in significant others who get added to the group after the fact.  I liked the fact that these 6 were together from start to finish.  That universal history gave their relationships a fun dynamic that I enjoyed.     

Things I Didn't Like

1 Year - All or Nothing

So, the only option for Soo and Woo Yeon was for them to either spend every day of the next year travelling together or they don't see each other at all.  They couldn't possibly find a compromise in there somewhere?  Surely they could have split their time somehow; Woo Yeon could meet up with him from time to time and he could take some lay overs in Seoul.  There has to be a better option than this all or nothing.  It felt extreme for a couple who had spent 10 years waiting for each other.

Soo's "Ex"

Honestly, the role of Kwon Yoo Ra seemed pretty pointless.  At first, it seemed like she was there to make Woo Yeon jealous, but that barely lasted 5 minutes.  Then it seemed like maybe she and Woo Yeon would be friends, which could be fun.  But other than one afternoon of shopping, they never interacted again.  They even brought her back for some 3 minute scene having a meal with Soo, which had no real purpose.  I just  don't feel like she added anything to the story.

Soo's Parents

It's not actually that I didn't like Soo parents, but they were easily the strangest parent relationship I have ever seen in a kdrama.  It's no wonder that there son is confused about what a healthy relationship looks like.  The only thing he can know for sure is that his parents are not the example.   It's not that divorced couples can never be friends, but not when they are still in love with each other.  I was happy that they eventually started to get their act together, but watching their confused back and forth just about drove me crazy.

The Ending

More Than Friends has a nice happy ending, which always scores points in my book.  After their year of separation, Soo's mom convinces Woo Yeon to go see Soo's photography show.  Once she finally goes, she is able to see that he was sincere about his feelings and they reconcile.  Jin Joo and Sang Hyuk get engaged and invite the whole gang on an engagement trip.  Once there, Jin Joo dresses her friends in white dresses, that have the guys dropping their chins, and amazing tuxes, and they take their wedding photos.  Afterwards, the 6 of them go camping and Hyun Jae and Young Hee finally get back together and decide to get married.  Soo and Woo Yeon aren't to the marriage stage yet, but they are together and happy for now.  And they all lived happy ever after.

Should I Watch

I really loved this drama.  It has a great cast with amazing chemistry.  So much so that fans have had a hard time moving on now that it is finished.  This drama is strong all around.  There is plenty of romance, some political conspiracy, and lots of comical moments that lighten the mood and give depth to the characters.  The cinematography provides some beautiful scenery, from North Korea and Switzerland.  I guess it does ask you to suspend your disbelief from time to time, but the charm of the story makes it worthwhile.  Definitely give this one a try.  I think you'll be happy you did.  I give Crash Landing On You a 5 out of 5 ramen.

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More Than Friends 2020 Spoiler-Free Review

More Than Friends 2020 Spoiler-Free Review

Read Full Review

Series Details

Air Dates: September 25 - November 28, 2020

Episodes: 16

Where to Watch: Viki

Genre: Romantic Drama

Starring: Ong Seong Wu and Shin Ye Eun

Watch on Viki
The Story

 

The story of a young woman who has spent the last 10 years with a crush on the same guy.  Twice she has gotten up the nerve to confess her feelings and both time she was rejected.  And yet, their lives have continued to be entangled and they have tried to maintain a kind of friendship.  When a new guy appears in her life, the dynamic in their years of friendship suddenly shifts.  Maybe he did like her all this time and just didn't know it.  Is it too late for them to have a romantic relationship?  Can he make it up to her for all the times he hurt her in the last 10 years?

Should I Watch

There is nothing new or surprising about More Than Friends.  There isn't much comedy to this one, so if you are in the mood for fun and frivolous, this is not it.  It's your typical story of the kind and sweet girl who falls for the selfish and rude jerk of a guy.  If you have had it with this particular kdrama trope, then run now.  There is nothing here for you to see.   But if you like a heavy dose of melodrama with relational ups and downs  that drive you to the point of frustration, More Than Friends is your speed.  The strongest storylines come through the friendships that are heartwarming but also honest and realistic.  I'm giving it 2 out of 5 ramen.

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Mom Has an Affair 2020 Full Review

Mom Has an Affair 2020 Full Review

Read Spoiler-Free Review

Series Details

Air Dates: May 4 - October 23, 2020

Episodes: 122

Where to Watch: Kocowa

Genre: Family Melodrama

Starring: Hyun Jyu Ni and Lee Jae Hwang

Watch on Kocowa
The Story

A single mom has spent her life struggling to make ends meet to provide for her family, while hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a full time PE teacher.  So she is shocked and hurt when her children come to her and beg her to get married so that they can have a rich and handsome dad.  For their sake, she agrees to try, but things get complicated when a picky male lodgers moves into their room upstairs.  Though they don't get off to a great start, living together brings them closer and feelings start to develop for both of them.  But someone who needs lodging in their home is obviously not rich and will not pass the test for her children.  Or is there more to his story than they assume?

The Leads

 Hyun Jyu Ni as Oh Pil Jung

Oh Pil Jung is a single mom who dreams of becoming a full-time PE teacher.  Her life isn't glamourous, but she is content.  But one day a mysterious man forces his way into her home as a lodger in their extra upstairs room.  Pil Jung doesn't plan on falling in love with him, but that is exactly what happens.  Unfortunately, their past  history and the lives of their families are much more deeply entwined than either of them could ever imagine.  As secret after secret are revealed and his family does their best to break them apart, she can only rely on him and their feelings for each other to hold them together.

Hyun Jyu Ni fit this part well.  She is kind, even to those who don't deserve it.  It is admirable that she rarely takes time to wallow in self-pity and manages to stay positive, no matter what rotten things life throws at her.  She even makes the transition from sweatsuits and track clothes to business attire look easy.  Her character isn't especially unique but she is consistent and easy to emphathize with.

Lee Jae Hwang as Kang Seok Jun

Kang Seok Jun is the second son of the chairman of LX Corporation.  While he grew up in a wealthy family, his life hasn't been easy.  He has always been favored by his father as the best heir for the company, but his mother and brother both hate him and want his older brother to inherit the company.  He originally moves in with Pil Jung's family to convince them to sell their house to LX so they can put a new building in it's place.  But as he gets to know all of them and understand their reasons for wanting to stay in their house, he tries to find a way to help them save it.  Never one to examine his own heart, it takes him awhile to realize that his feelings for Pil Jung and her family are more than just pity.  Now he wants to protect his father's company and Pil Jung from his mean-spirited brother and greedy mother.

 Seok Jun is a stable, loyal kind of guy.  There were times when it felt like he could have made things a lot easier if he wasn't so determined to please everyone.  I did appreciate the way he stepped up to act like a dad for Min Ho and Min Ji.  Their interactions were sweet to watch.  I also like the fact that no matter how shocking a secret was revealed, he never let it come between him and Pil Jung.  He took everything in stride and always stayed true to his promise to stay by her side no matter once.  And it definitely wasn't always easy.

The Supporting Characters

Kim Hyung Beom and Moon Bo Ryung as Kang Seok  Hwan and Lee Eun Joo

 Kang Seok Hwan is Seok Jun's older brother.  He meets Lee Eun Joo after standing her up for a blind date and falls hopelessly in love.  These 2 are scheming and terribly all the way through.  All they care about is making Seok Hwan the chairman.  They manipulate every situation, including each other when needed.  I guess they did their jobs as the villains because I had no problem hating them!

Seo Hyun Suk and Nam Yi An as Lee Tae Woo and Oh Sun Jung

 Oh Sun Jung is Pil Jung's younger sister.  She has lived with Pil Jung and helped her raise her family since Pil Jung's husband's death.  She is gutsy and has no problem fighting the system to get what she wants.  She falls in love with Eun Joo's younger brother, which infuriates Eun Joo.  These 2 manages to rise above all the drama of their families and stay fair and grounded through it all.

Gil Jung Woo and Hong Je Yi  as Park Min Ho and Park Min Ji

 Min Ho and Min Ji are Pil Jung's children.  Min Ho is the middle-school son who actually isn't her biological son, although he doesn't find out until much later.  Min Ji is the daughter Pil Jung was pregnant with when her husband died, so she has never had a father.  It's easy to understand why she would be jealous of the other kids in her class who all have dads.  The 2 have a good relationship, so their scenes together are fun to watch.  But I do feel sorry for their mom on occassion, when the kids get an idea into their heads and refuse to be denied.

Things I Like

Rock Steady Guys

So, Seok Jun's character was not bad.  But let's give a shout-out to 2 of the male characters who never wavered in their loyalty and support.  First off, Lee Tae Woo, was always there to defend Sun Joo from his mom and sister.  Without causing a lot of drama, he would step in and support her.  I really loved how mature and calm he was through everything.  It's unusual, especially in such a long drama, to find a character that doesn't mess things up at least once.  When Tae Woo and Sun Joo first moved in with his mom, he was a little slow to catch on to what was happening and I was afraid he might blow his great track record.  But once he figured it out, he stepped right in to fix it.

Second is Wang Gi Beom, Seok Jun's friend and eventually co-worker.  Again, at some point the friend who knows all the secrets usually falls for some trap that causes the lead trouble.  But this guy knew it all and kept everything to himself all the way through.  It would have been easy to gossip with his other co-workers, but he kept quiet and was an amazing friend from start to finish.

Choi Yoo Kyung

Choi Yoo Kyung did a terrific job as Dr. Choi's daughter and Pil Jung's student.  Her character started out rough and I wasn't sure, but I see great things in the future for this young actress.  Yoo Kyung's support of her dad's love life was very cute.  I also enjoyed the friendship she had with her coach and Min Ho.  I liked that even though Min Ho had a crush on her, they focused on them as friends and left the budding romance to the adults.  She handled the role well and showed maturity in her acting.

No Yo-Yo Break Ups

With such a long drama, it is amazing that Mom Has An Affair managed to avoid the kdrama trope that includes a break up and reconciliation every few episodes.  Each couple did experience a near break up, which is necessary to keep the drama plot moving, but it wasn't a continuous cycle like many others.  This also meant that they needed to find other plot twists to tell the story, which kept things interesting.  It would have been easy to fall into that kind of cycle, so I appreciated their effort to offer some variety to the storylines.

Things I Didn't Like

Lee Eun Joo

I already said above that Lee Eun Joo played her role of villain to perfection, which made me hate her character completely, but I really got tired of her scheming evil facial expression straight into the camera to end every scene.  Whether the expression was complete with a snickering smile or a shocked panic, it was always the same and got really irritating as time went on.  In a drama that tended toward overacting anyway, she was way over-the-top.

A Practice Marriage

The solution of Tae Woo's mom to have Tae Woo and Sun Jung live together as if they were married but promise not to get married for a year made no sense to me.  Does that really work?  What would make her think that was a good way to break them up?  It just seemed bizarre to me.  And, of course, she ended up pregnant.  That doesn't seem like much of surprise to me.  I've never seen a show use this strategy before and I thought it was really weird and irrational.

Dr. Choi

I thought Dr. Choi was good as a friend who supported Pil Jung through the school stuff, but I just didn't buy him as a second lead love interest.  I know that he and Pil Jung have kids who are a similar age, but he seems so much older than Pil Jung and there really was no real chemistry between them.  This storyline was a dead-end for me and it felt like a waste of screen time.

The Ending

The ending of Mom Has An Affair was pretty good. First of all, it was happy to see a show where justice actually wins in the end.  There was no last minute redemption or change of heart. Seeing Seok Hwan, his mom, and Eun Joo all end up in jail was strangely satisfying.  Even with all of their efforts to change the outcome with the police, in the end, each of them was left to face their own actions.  Both Pil Jung and Sun Jung ended up with a happily ever after.  Min Ji finally got her dad and Min Ho made peace with his dad before he was sent off to prison.  And Seok Jun's dad will have Pil Jung and her family to fill his empty house, now that everyone else has been locked up.

Should I Watch

It should go without saying that these long family dramas are not for everyone, and the 122 episode version in particular.  I grew up watching American style soap operas with my mom, and these feel very similar.  Mom Has an Affair features long drawn out plots about birth secrets and double identities, overly dramatic acting and facial expressions, and in between it all, a star-crossed love story.   Maybe it's the feeling of nostalgia for me, but I enjoy the ride, long though it may be.  I also enjoy getting to know a whole family at one time.  It gives some variation to the storylines, which is nice.  If you have the patience and enjoy a longer format, Mom Has An Affair was a good story with some good characters and some hateable villains. I'm giving it 2 out of 5 ramen.

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Mom Has an Affair 2020 Spoiler-Free Review

Mom Has an Affair 2020 Spoiler-Free Review

Read Full Review

Series Details

Air Dates: May 4 - October 23, 2020

Episodes: 122

Where to Watch: Kocowa

Genre: Family Melodrama

Starring: Hyun Jyu Ni and Lee Jae Hwang

Watch on Kocowa
The Story

A single mom has spent her life struggling to make ends meet to provide for her family, while hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a full time PE teacher.  So she is shocked and hurt when her children come to her and beg her to get married so that they can have a rich and handsome dad.  For their sake, she agrees to try, but things get complicated when a picky male lodgers moves into their room upstairs.  Though they don't get off to a great start, living together brings them closer and feelings start to develop for both of them.  But someone who needs lodging in their home is obviously not rich and will not pass the test for her children.  Or is there more to his story than they assume?

Should I Watch

It should go without saying that these long family dramas are not for everyone, and the 122 episode version in particular.  I grew up watching American style soap operas with my mom, and these feel very similar.  Mom Has an Affair features long drawn out plots about birth secrets and double identities, overly dramatic acting and facial expressions, and in between it all, a star-crossed love story.   Maybe it's the feeling of nostalgia for me, but I enjoy the ride, long though it may be.  I also enjoy getting to know a whole family at one time.  It gives some variation to the storylines, which is nice.  If you have the patience and enjoy a longer format, Mom Has An Affair was a good story with some good characters and some hateable villains. I'm giving it 2 out of 5 ramen.

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Lonely Enough to Love 2020 Full Review

Lonely Enough to Love 2020 Full Review

Read Spoiler-Free Review

Series Details

Air Dates: August 11 - October 13, 2020

Episodes: 10

Where to Watch: Viki

Genre: Romantic Drama

Starring: Ji Hyun Woo and Kim So Eun

Watch on Viki
The Story

 

For the young, single person who spends the majority of their time working long hours, lonliness is a serious issue.  Finding time to make friends and try to start a romantic relation is a real struggle.  Which is why Happy Together was started.  A share house for young people, so that they could feel connected by sharing meals and common areas.  But living together in such close proximity is bound to create some lasting friendships and even a few romantic sparks.

The Leads

Ji Hyun Woo as Cha Kang Woo

Cha Kang Woo is a quirky psychiatrist who lives at Happy Together.  He is calm, insightful, and always willing to go the extra mile for his friends and patients.  He meets Na Eun by accident, while doing a psycho-drama with a patient where he is pretending to be an abusive boyfriend, so Na Eun immediately misunderstands him.  But Kang Woo falls for her instantly, and eventually he is able to clear up their misunderstanding.

Ji Hyun Woo is very charming in this role.  He is balanced and honest, and his character feels very genuine.  Whether he is treating his patients in his office or just offering free advice to his roommates, Kang Woo is portrayed as understanding and loyal, even when it's a friend who likes the same woman.

Kim So Eun as Lee Na Eun

Lee Na Eun is a struggling author who makes money editing other writer's manuscripts, while she waits for her big break.  She ends up at the share house after her apartment is condemned.  Her best friend, Hyun Jin is taking a vacation with his girlfriend, so he offers to let Na Eun stay in his room at Happy Together.  While she is sure that Kang Woo is a violent jerk, she can't help but be drawn to him.  And the share house offers the perfect material to start an online diary about the fascinating residents.

 I have been a fan of Kim So Eun since Boys Over Flowers, but I have to admit this was not my favorite role for her.  Ne Eun had the potential to be a hard-driving, aspiring author on the verge of discovery, but instead she came off as desperate and careless.  I would have liked to see her stand up to all the creeps who took advantage of her along the way instead of just bemoaning her luck and diving into the next disaster.

The Supporting Characters

Park Geon Il as Kang Hyun Jin

 Kang Hyun Jin is a traditional second lead.  He has been best friends with Na Eun since they were in school and he has never confessed his feelings to her.  He is a pilot who is successful and respected on the job.  In typical fashion, he waits too long to tell Na Eun that he likes her and misses his chance.  In my opinion, he was not the best match for her and their friendship will continue on as it always has, so no harm.

Things I Like

Dr. Cha's Office

It wasn't a large part of this drama, but I loved all the great toys and interesting treatment techniques in Dr. Cha's office.  Seeing him stay up at night to build kaleidescopes and other gadgets gave an interesting dimension to him as a doctor.  I looked forward to seeing how he would use his gumball machine and stuffed animals to help connect with his patients.  Usually psychiatric offices are shown as minimalistic and a little sterile, so it was fun to see a different approach that seemed to give some warmth to his approach.

Kang Woo/Hyun Jin Bromance

I can't think of another drama where the solution to being jealous of your girl spending time with another guy was to move in together so she has her own space!  Kang Woo and Hyun Jin were friends and neighbors before Na Eun moved in, and I was glad they didn't ruin that.  Seeing the two of them cuddled up in bed together was hilarious.  Rather than fight each other and put Na Eun on the spot to choose one of them, they gave each other room and allowed Na Eun to make her own choice in her own time.  Kang Woo and Hyun Jin's scenes together were fun and I enjoyed seeing them interact.

Jung Hoon and Bo Ra

As individual characters, these two didn't have much storyline, but I really loved their relationship.  In the beginning, Bo Ra spent all of her time flirting with him, so when she figured out that he didn't actually date women but preferred men, I thought it would lead to lots of begging and attempts to change his mind.  So, it was so refreshing when she shrugged it off and decided they would just have to be great friends.  And then she actually made good on the promise by spending time hanging out with him and supporting him.  This could have been a very cliche and boring story but they turned it into a heartwarming story of friendship and acceptance.  I love that!

Things I Didn't Like

Na Eun's Trauma

Everyone has been hurt and has their own emotional baggage, so it made sense for Na Eun to come to Kang Woo for a free "session".  But I just didn't see anything in Na Eun's character that would make me think she had any deep-seated issues.  She seemed entirely too naive and trusting to be someone dealing with issues of trust or betrayal.  I just didn't get the sense that she was someone struggling with some intense emotional trauma, even though her psycho-drama session seemed to be saying she was.  It felt like a part of the plot that came out of nowhere and then disappeared just as quickly, never to be brought up again.

Female Characters

None of the female characters in this drama are particularly relatable or likeable.  All of them seem shallow and petty.  The male characters definitely fared a little better, but by and large the women are shallow stereotypes who are uninteresting and forgetable.  There was potential, but I wish they would have been able to bring more depth to these characters.  Maybe it was because they wanted to include too many characters into too few episodes, but these women deserved better.

Cliche-driven

Lonely Enough to Love relied a lot on cliches.  I can forgive a lot because there are some cute kdrama cliches that always make me smile, but this drama really overdid it.  Especially in the earlier episodes, it seemed to be one cliche after another, and even I have my limits.  Whether Na Eun was falling down the stairs, trying to reach a high cupboard, or too drunk to walk home on her own, she seemed to be one walking kdrama troupe after another.  A little bit of originality and character development would have gone a long way in making this drama more interesting.

The Ending

The ending of Lonely Enough to Love was okay.  There was love for some of the supporting characters that seemed happy and appropriate.  Na Eun's friend Ji Ah and David are happily expecting their first child together.  The owner, Dong Seok, finally finds love with the cafe owner, Ah Reum.  Jung Hoon has kept in contact with Hyun Jin as he pursued his dream of becoming a travel writer.  And of course, our main couple is still going strong.  Na Eun has finally achieved her dream of being a published author and her boyfriend, Kang Woo, provided the illustrations for her book.  The gang all gathers at Happy Together to celebrate Na Eun's success.  And though he is late and looking decidedly world weary, even Hyun Jin comes home to see everyone and congratulate her.  While there were several stories that didn't get resolved, all those that did had happy endings, and, for me, that is a good thing.

Should I Watch

If you are looking for a fun, binge-worthy drama this one is pretty good.  With only 10 episodes, there isn't a lot of time for prolonged, angst-filled relationships.  Things are presented and resolved pretty quickly.  There's nothing groundbreaking or unique about Lonely Enough to Love.  It's just a good story, if you are looking for a quick fix romance.  I will say that I didn't expect much from such a short drama, but I did feel like I got to know a little bit about each of the characters and by the end, I was invested in their stories.    I give Lonely Enough to Love a 2 out of 5 ramen.

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