I finished the drama like 5 minutes ago. I’m trying to compose myself from the crying session I just had. F*ck! I don’t know where to begin because I’m so emotional!!! 

My thoughts are all over the place, so bear with me. 

Pre-watching it.

I’m on a Hyun Bin binge, so I gave it a shot without expecting much from it. I had read negative reviews saying that after returning from the military his acting skills were no longer the same. So I figured his character was gonna be a bit dull. 

Watching the drama.

The first few episodes were not that exciting to me and I wasn’t sure where it was going with the story. I felt like the conflict was resolved too quickly, but little did I know it was filled with plot twists. 

Romance.

My main focus on dramas is the romance aspect and this drama was very different for me. Since the topic was the mental disorder DID, I was unsure who the protagonist was/who I should root for. 

It was so easy to fall in love with Robin. He was charismatic and simply the most adorable person. BUT for the majority of the drama…almost to the very end, I was rooting for Seo Jin as the love interest. I think for me its common to want the damaged guy. The one who’s brooding and going from jerk to passionate. And although due to the disorder, it was suppose to be the same guy…..in my humble opinion, I feel that Hyun Bin did a magnificent job portraying the disorder and making me believe it was literally two different people. 

Mental Health*

I’m very hesitant to go into detail regarding my opinion on how they handled the portrayal of DID, I don’t want to pull a Tr*** Pa*****. I will say that even though I do have a BS Degree in Psychology, and obviously took courses on mental health disorders, I’m not qualified or have training to evaluate or educate on that subject. From an entertainment perspective, I do feel like it was a much better portrayal than in some Hollywood movies. I liked how they did not make it seem like his alter was the evil alter or like their only difference was that one was nice and the other mean. Instead they were fully developed different people. 

That’s what I mostly commend Hyun Bin for. He had previously done Secret Garden where he had to also portray a female, but in this drama it was a bit trickier, and I feel like he did an excellent job. Of course the costume department helped out by having one wear glasses and a change of hairstyle to differentiate both. But Hyun Bin had very distinct facial expressions that to me it almost felt like it was two different actors. I don’t know, Hyun Bin was just so amazing! 

Spoilers/Ending.

I kept yelling at my screen throughout the series for both identities to integrate, but towards the last 3 or 4 episodes I started feeling more and more of Robin’s pain and his desire for wanting to be his own person. His last moments with Ha Na really hurt me and I was in tears for two episodes straight. Although I kept begging my laptop screen for Ha Na and Seo Jin to share a kiss despite her being in a relationship with Robin …towards the end, I felt what Robin and Ha Na felt. Like they were losing each other. It was so painful to watch. My husband walked in on me crying a literal river and made fun of me. 

Thankfully the identities did integrate and there WAS a happy ending…the ending that I wanted. But it still felt bittersweet. If there was something I could change from that ending, is giving the series a good 15 more minutes to truly elaborate and assure me that Robin’s soul was still in there. Seo Jin should have smiled more perhaps to reassure me. 

(Sporadic thoughts.

*Ha Na was supposedly a Circus Ringleader….and she had her whole team and everything….I expected to see at least ONE performance….NEVER happened. I get it, it wasn’t about that….but bruh….they couldn’t spare one itty bitty little 5 minute circus scene? Instead they wasted precious time on the jealous cousin -.-

*Its to be assumed that Robin and Ha Na consummated their marriage….if she had gotten pregnant, would she consider the baby to be Robin’s or Seo Jin’s since it was the same body and now integrated even though Seo Jin does not remember??? Hmmmm….

*When the doctor was kidnapped….was she allowed to lay down and sleep? How was it that her makeup was always on fleek? Did she get to shower and do her makeup?

*—the scene where Ha Na recreated the memory for Robin that he wanted to keep f****** destroyed me!

*—when Seo Jin said that Robin kept/took the wedding memory with him…..i…… )

Final thoughts.

This drama was AMAZING!!!!!! And very unique to any other K drama that I’ve watched. Would I watch again? Probably one more time and cute scenes here and there. I’m still not sure where to rank it in my overall dramas. The romance overall for me was VERY different. It didn’t allow me to completely be satisfied or head over heels when Ha Na would kiss him. The chemistry was definitely there, but I felt just as torn as Ha Na did on what relationship to love. My heart and chest are still aching :( 

I plan to watch ‘My Lovely Sam Soon’ next week, and I’m not sure if or which other Hyun Bin dramas I should give a shot as well. Some look pretty old and kinda boring so I don’t know. 

Send me recommendations please!!

Drama overall  8/10
My personal rating 8/10

Reviewing SOME Hyun Bin Kdramas

I spent 80 days in quarantine and watched 7 Hyun Bin Kdramas!!! He was my quarantine buddy. I’m so in love with him. 

I had previously reviewed Secret Garden,Memories of the Alhambra, and Hyde Jekyll Me. I finally finished the last three that I needed but I had so much going on that I didn’t get to review them…and since they are no longer fresh on my mind I’m just going to do a quick summary of the main things that I remember.

My Lovely Sam Soon

• I LOVED this drama. I really thought I wasn’t going to because of how old it was. Literally the oldest one I’ve watched. But it was good!
• I really wanted to do a post dedicated to this drama but I would never finish at this point.
• First Hyun Bin drama where I was SOOO mad at him!!! I wanted Sam Soon to leave his ass!!!
• I was upset that they made the second female lead likable and sweet. Under other circumstances, i would have wanted her to end up with Hyun Bin…
• I was shook that he literally slapped a woman…..i do not understand that at all! maybe because it was a different time…idk.
• I hated that Sam Soon begged him…thats the trope that i detest!!!! I only like the guys to beg -.-
• There were lots of cheating elements that people might HATE and therefore hate Hyun Bin.
• This drama is one in which you’re either going to LOVE it or f****** hate. I watched it on viki with the comments on and damn the comments were completely divided! 

Snow Queen

• I was originally not going to watch it because I read a review saying that Hyun Bin was dull in the entire drama and cried the whole time. So I came in with the lowest expectationsever.
• Overall, I did like it.
  
• I think he did cry at least once in every single episode, but it fit his character and he was NOT dull! I felt his emotions and he was so lovable. 
• The story was cute and simple…and so unfair!
• It was those kind of destiny dramas… where they have to end up together but suffer.
• If you watched ‘A walk to remember’….then expect the same thing. 
• It was beautiful and effing painful.
• Only watch if you feel like suffering.
• Ps: I lived for his scruffy face

Worlds Within

• As opposed Snow Queen, I came to this drama with high expectations…so i was let down for the first half. I was bored to death and kept skipping and not paying attention to anyone else’s dialogue because I didn’t find it relevant..and at times I didn’t even understand.
  
• The second half of the drama (starting on ep.9) got really interesting and I finally started caring about the side characters.
• The overall concept was good though….kdramas within a kdrama.
• But the romance was soooo refreshing...it was SOOO real and straight to the point.The moment they started dating they had s*x and i was like YASSSSS!!!!
• Right away they talked about marriage and kids and I was here for it! They had a beautiful relationship.
• At some point they break up for the stupidest reason so that was annoying… and that trope that I hate occurred….she embarrassed herself begging for him back -.-
• The ending pleased me though! I was so content with it. Not a perfect ending like Secret Garden…but it was perfect for the story they told.
• I did enjoy the meta jokes they had in which they made fun of the kdrama tropes we see all the time..so they tried to stay away from them which made it more realistic but still with that kdrama spark.
• Overall what stood out was the great chemistry they had. One of my favorite romances ever.

Continuing my Hyun Bin Binge.

I’m watching the last Hyun Bin drama that I had planned to watch: Worlds Within/ The World that they Live in.

This is the order I watched his dramas in:

Crash Landing on you

Secret Garden

Memories of the Alhambra

Hyde, Jekyll, Me

My lovely Sam Soon

Snow Queen

I’ve yet to review the last two…but since I’m currently watching Worlds Within, i might as well say some quick thoughts:

This is the only drama that has BORED me to death! Hyun Bin is EXCELLENT in it, but I don’t care about the rest of it or the people….HOWEVER, that was only for the first half. Literally in the beginning of the second half it started getting interesting. I’m finally caring about the other characters and it finally has conflict that I care about. Hyun Bin’s character by the way is 100% boyfriend goals in a way more realistic way than all his other dramas!!! 

I’m still debating whether or not to watch ‘Friend, Our Legend’ since it doesn’t appear to be a romantic drama. I do love Hyun Bin so much that I might give it a shot ….idk. In Ireland he’s the second lead so unless I have nothing else to watch…..in a couple of years…then I’ll potentially watch it. 

Anyway, once I watch the Worlds Within I’ll do my Hyun Bin Drama Rank!