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Melting Me Softly: Episodes 5-6 Open Thread

This week in Melting Me Softly, our leads continue to acquaint themselves with the lives they used to live, and the fancy smartphones that neither of them know how to use. While not a lot happens plot-wise outside of the cryogenics experiment becoming public knowledge, the real draw is the burgeoning attraction (and mucho chemistry) between our leads. Bring it on! Because not much else is working for me at this point.
 

 
EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP

Last week we left our leads feeling their way back into their lives, and trying to fit back into the world they’ve been so long absent from. Episode 5 covers very much the same territory, with Dong-chan confronting Hyun-gi and company over how they covered up his disappearance to protect their careers.

He also confronts Ha-young on pretty much the same grounds. She knows she’s done wrong, but at the same time she hints that he has always been in her heart, since she never married. That’s sweet and all, but there’s not even an ounce of me that wants them back together, and Dong-chan is starting to feel the same.


Mi-ran’s story continues without moving forward as well — she meets up with her friends, chats with hoobaes on campus, and sticks out like a sore thumb with her old tech and fashion. Mi-ran also continues to haunt Byung-shim, who slowly pieces together her identity.

I know I should be tired of this storyline by now, but for some reason Shim Hyung-tak continues to crack me up. I might have actually snorted during the scene where he collapses on campus in the dead bug position, and his T.A. deadpans that it’s because so many students dropped his class after the first week.

Dong-chan has pretty much figured out the whole hypothermia issue by now, with the help of the completely unexplained research assistant character. Dong-chan and Mi-ran are sweating bullets all the time, and that’s one of the details of the drama which is very consistent. I’m also getting a major kick out of it.

The pair is forever underdressed compared to the people around them (shoutout to Dong-chan who is somehow able to make a wardrobe of polo shirts look suave). He and Mi-ran are also frequently shown guzzling cold water, surrounding themselves with fans, sticking their heads in the freezer — and Dong-chan is always stealing sips of Mi-ran’s ice water (I’ll never get tired of watching this).

Their body temperature is at 31.5 degrees Celsius since the experiment, and they have to keep it that way to survive (that’s 88.7 degrees Fahrenheit for people like me that can’t think in Celsius). This detail has two purposes in the plot right now.

The first is that they have the “suspense” of waiting for Professor Hwang to recover from his coma, remember them, and solve the problem. The second purpose is that their fragile physical state forces Dong-chan and Mi-ran to bond. Forget the cryogenics — their interaction is where the real magic of the drama lies.

It’s Ji Chang-wook and Won Jin-ah that drew me to this drama at the start, and really, they’re the reason I’m staying. Both actors are so great separately, there’s no way they can’t create something out of this rather ridiculous drama, right?

Well, we’re treated to some sparkly scenes between them this week, and it makes it all worth the while. Or, should I say, Ji Chang-wook looking at her with hearts (and amusement) in his eyes makes the six hours I’ve invested so far in this drama completely worth it.

I’m so glad/relieved that the plot is finally forcing them together, which should have happened from the start, but I’ll take it in Week 3 if I must. With their health, safety, and sanity at risk, I love the growing reliance between Dong-chan and Mi-ran. The banter and camaraderie is also a lot of fun, and when Dong-chan sets her up with all the biometric monitors and tells her she’s not allowed to faint without telling him first? Hah.

I’m looking forward to more of the relationship between our cryogenic couple, and honestly am so little invested in the wider political plot that I’m barely following that storyline (zzzz). The introduction of the two dopey bad guys to tail Dong-chan this week is just beyond — painfully dumb, almost.

And that’s sort of where I sit with this drama right now. It is painfully dumb in spots. Part of me wants to rewrite the entire script to be a different kind of story… but the other part of me is admittedly enjoying the dumb quite whole-heartedly. Melting Me Softly is as far-fetched as it is ridiculous, but there’s also a lot of hilarity, and great bits of comedic detail, that I would be sorry to miss.

 
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The only thing I like about this drama are the leads together, everything else is FF, the so-called comedy is not funny, the TV station guys are whiny, but not entertaining. Overall, I shouldn't be surprised, I watched the same way SWBDS and mostly slept through the last three episodes.

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I feel a bit sorry for the actress Yoon Se-ah who has an expression of having been taken hostage. Also, her character is downright tragic. Waited for 20 years for her man then when he shows up he's a jerk . Remember, in Dong-Chan's timeframe they had vowed their undying love just 3 weeks ago.

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LOL, that's an interesting way to describe Yoon Se Ah's expression. Hapless and almost resigned but not quite. 🤔

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That's what didn't go well me as well..How he started to like Mi Ran sooo fast considering like u said that for him it was a matter of weeks not years and his big love vanished sooo fast...The cynical in me would say that in real life why would u believe a man like that,that he won't do the same to Mi Ran...Also how freaky is that both son and father are now crushing on Mi Ran,at least the son,Ji Hoon is sweet unlike the creep of father...

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I have this weird feeling we're going to get some kind of "epiphany" from Dong Chan later on about how his feelings for Mi Ran might've been there "all along". Like he'll end up re-watching footage of Mi Ran in all his previous experiment shows and all of a sudden he'll be all like: "oooooh riiiiiight, that's why she was always there, front-center in all my shots... hmmmm.... heart heart heart"

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Don't give them any ideas... They might just inject a childhood-long-lost-love in this and really there's only so much cliche one can take. JCW beautiful face on my screen is all this is doing for me ;)

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Maybe reincarnated childhood friends from the Joseon era.

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"Taken hostage", god that's so true.
She's an amazing actor but all she has to do here is stand around looking pensive while her fiancé makes googly eyes at another woman ten seconds after their breakup.

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Actually her part here reminds me of her City Hall role: calculating, ambitious, full of cool efficiency, graceful poise, and beautiful tears shed when no one is around because she is the Spurned Former Love.

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I stopped watching last week, but I think I caught a glimpse of crap-she's-old look from Dong Chan when they first met. I am not surprised he moves on quickly. She was the one who's into him first. I do feel bad for Yoon Se Ah for getting a crappy character who I cannot get nor sympathize with.

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It would have been interesting to have seen what the writer of 'Melo is My Nature' could do with this premise. A third of the storylines in that series were about struggling to let go of an expired (literally and figuratively) love.

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There's so much potentials for the setup (even if we need to suspend our belief on the technological stuff) and what the writer could do with it. The show just doesn't do any of that. The leads woke up 20 years later and just picked up their life like it's no big deal. Fine, if you're going to go with that, then at least be consistent and don't make the male lead already made heart eyes to a woman who is not his fiancee!

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"but I think I caught a glimpse of crap-she's-old look from Dong Chan when they first met." Funny but true

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"I think I caught a glimpse of crap-she's-old look from Dong Chan when they first met." I did a spit take 😂😬

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I actually sympathize with her the most of all the characters. He's the love of her life returned from the dead but he's keeping an arm's length distance from her. Instead of a proper reunion they only meet across cafe tables in public places and have stilted conversations.

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Same thoughts! Dong-chan is such a jerk. I understand he's mad at her because she didn't look for him, but considering how career driven he is/was himself, I suspect he'd have done the same thing in her shoes. And just like that she's out of the picture! And he's all of a sudden almost beating up Mi-ran's god-awful ex! I enjoyed the scene, but...

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I think Dong Chan's action is normal. How can he continue be in a relationship with his gf when that person didn't even bother to put any effort to find him when he's missing for 20 years. She chose her career over him. That's it. He accepted it but he just couldn't be with her anymore. It's like a betrayal. It's quite consistent with his character in the drama. Plus, he needs to react fast considering how much time he had lost and he might die any time for as long as he knows. I don't think we can expect a very understanding man in this situation. That's just how I see it, you can disagree with me.

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I need liquid courage, fortification with horlicks since I don't drink alcohol. Maybe I need to overdose on chocolates.... They melt more than this drama does.....
If anybody recalls my momentary delusion where I thought Thaw Me might have found its soul in ep 5? Mission abort ppl. If you're soldiering on & watching this, a cookie 🍪 for you.

I couldn't digest the romance.... It felt so sudden & just wrong. It should have worked but it didn't. His high handed manner with her.... I had to take deep breaths & remind myself... 90s man Shayri, 90s man.... He was borderline controlling & coming off as a chauvinist to me. Even his goooey eyes. No just no.
___ One second he's telling the ex that this is how I am going to protect the woman I loved, & not even a minute later you're talking about umyeong with Candy?

The fashion - sticks out how? They're both wearing pretty normal clothes. They stuck out in the 90s, not now. She did look like the odd one out with her 90s periphernelia, & habits.... But that's it.

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I totally agree with you. The romance is so sudden! At this point I'm only watching to see Wookies face!

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Honestly, we were more concerned that you liked episode 5.

I hate this OTP so much, man, I have no words - which is a problem for someone who committed to write something about it weekly.

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I'm beginning to be repulsed by JCW's face. I want to shake candy, but then I have that feeling often while watching TV/dramas etc.

I didn't like ep 5 per say.... But it was the least worst one so far.... I'd rate it 5.25/10 while the rest of the series has been a solid 3.5-4 for me.

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*hands over the liquid of your choice*

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🤗😘

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Thank you, @missvictrix, for sacrificing yourself. I just refuse to watch this ridiculous show, but I'm glad to catch the moments between Ji Chang-wook and Won Jin-ah from your weecap.

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I don't hate this, but it is the drama I put on while I'm doing other things. The storytelling is messy and the pacing is really off, but the leads are really bringing this together.
I loved their freezer interactions while kidnapped 😂

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This brings up the topic of *What's the worst K-drama you've ever seen?*
Some bad K-dramas have excuses, like when the writer died during production of 'Secret Hotel'. 'Revolutionary Love' had a solid enough premise but the execution was appalling (you've got to blame the director for that one). The ghost drama 'Lovely Horribly' seemed to do everything wrong, including dressing Song Ji-hyo as an unattractive slob for 30 of its 32 episodes. what were they thinking?

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This one might take the cake. My 2nd contender would be Trashdal & Something in the Rain - it single-handedly ruined itself with its awful choice of English osts.

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About Time is the one we usually cite, mostly because the actors looked like they were about to throw up signs saying "Help Me" during the filming.

I did hear Lovely Horribly was awful but didn't watch it because of its not-so-lovely horrible lead.

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Oh my god! How could I forget about time! That was the one I hated so much with its listless expressions & no logic story.... Rowoon & the FL's bff were the only cute thing about it.

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Playful Kiss. I usually drop bad dramas early, but I finished this one due to my love for Jung So Min. Nothing is good about this drama...

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I humbly submit Manhole for the committee's consideration.

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THIS.

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everything aside can the writer make the love line between the leads come out more natural?? i wanna keep watching this because ((Ji Changwook)) but the writer keeps making him look bad because suddenly he doesn't love his girlfriend anymore and quickly moving on to another girl.

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Ok, I know that there is a lot of fast-forwarding going on here because this show is so really really bad (and in all the bad ways), BUT - did anyone else cracked up at the scene that starts around the 7th minute of the ep. 6, while Dong Chan's family is "reaping" his fame in front of their restaurant, with huge banters with his face on them, and his brother singing that hit song about pork-ribs, while Dong Chan is trying to have a meaningful conversation with his mother? :'D :'D :'D I almost cried from laughter because that song and the entire scene were a masterpiece of comedy to me :D Is it just me???

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No, ever so often this show will make me laugh, too - it's as if the writer is doing whack-a-mole with characters and plot lines and jokes, and once in a while something works but most of the time it is just scattershot, surface junk. And in trying so desperately to make something work, the writer makes poor decision after poor decision: for example, having Dong Chan be madly in love with one woman one episode and suddenly madly in love with another one the next. So I might get a laugh here and there but nothing rings true, either. What a waste.

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People like me who can't think Celsius! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I am just the opposite, I cannot think Fahrenheit!
Anyway, thank you for the recap, @missvictrix.. thank you very much, since I am not watching, but I want to know briefly how it develops.

And honestly, just by seeing those Wookie's pictures, I wish I would be watching, at least the scenes where he is, because he will never do wrong, he is so gorgeous good looking!!!!!!! It makes me rethink the possible good opinion I could have for men in general... Ok, let's say it, few of them are really truly beautiful to look at. And I know even fewer are good, but that is another story.
Whatever! Thanks for recapping.

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Here's my serious "I am definitely not losing my mind" post for this week.

I realised what the very worst thing about this show is. I keep saying it’s “not about anything” and that’s because there’s no narrative arc for our leads. None.

She’s a 24 year old student who gets frozen for 20 years and when she comes out she goes back home to her loving (now rich) family, her University lets her pick up her studies where she left off, she blackmails her way into an internship at the same broadcasting station she was working at, and then starts hanging out with all her old friends while her dumb ex is an idiot around her. NOTHING’S CHANGED. Where’s her arc?

Meanwhile, apart from his family being "reduced" to owning a very successful restaurant and his father dying, nothing's changed for I'm either. He lives with his loving family, goes to work at the same place. His entire arc is “oh my fiancé wasn’t very nice, guess I better date wide-eyed Candy instead. She's so comparatively uncomplicated!”. How is that an arc?
Also, he's a jerk. Couldn't the show be about him overcoming his jerkiness?

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I would think the show will be much more interesting going the other direction for Dong Chan. What if this is a story about his journey to become the ultimate jerk in dramaland by using the female lead? I'd watch that. ;)

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Well...I personally love this show. I stayed up all night watching all the available episodes and it was definitely worth my time .it was so funny that i ended up falling off my bed. Can’t wait for the new episode. As always Ji Chang Wook is killing it with his eyes ❤️

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I don't love it, but I'll watch anything for JCW.

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I don't like ep 5. It's slow and the ex-bf's imagination of a frozen-about-to-die MR is plain stupid and serves no purpose for the plot...well, other than showing what sort of a goofball he is.

But I don't think DC is falling for MR yet. I get the impression he's protective over her cos he feels obligated over the 20 years of her life. He needs to make sure she's well.

Yes, there maybe some attraction (actually more from her) but I don't really see so much in him yet. We'll see how they develop in ep 7.

Frankly, not feeling the chemistry between the 2. I prefer to watch DC's silly family.

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Hmm does anyone think Won Jin-ah’s acting is a little over-the-top or trying too hard here? While I don’t think it’s too bad (yet), I also don’t feel her acting on a deeper level.

And the romantic developments in this episode just left me scratching my head, they just came out of nowhere.

Was excited by Ji Chang Wook’s return, but the scriptwriting for this drama has been a major letdown. Too much potential which weren’t tapped. Probably gonna just watch for some rom-com shenanigans.

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I do. She's overacting. She's best when she's interacting with her family... Those mellow scenes. She's also pretty good in scenes with her college hoobae&friends... But overall she's trying too hard to come across as cute & energetic.

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Didn't see that cute college guy could turn out to be her ex-boyfriend's son! ^^ Wookie being jealous never gets old. That slap fight at the police station is hilarious.

I just couldn't get over the fact that these two could adapt to smart phones and keyless cars in such a short time! Not to mention the internet lingo! It took me a week just to adjust using an Android from an iPhone.

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That's because they are geeeeniuses, of course! Korea seems to have plenty of those. I am sure they have one for every profession.

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Now that I think about it, they even have perfect ice cream scoopers. General Dong in A Korean Odyssey.

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Oh they're from the Hardy 90s generation.... They have wonders & tricks & can absolutely change rapidly with a changing world.... The whole scene with casette player/Walkman was just a blip for the FL.
Uri Dong Chan understood cryogenics after studying them for just 4 days, what are 21st century gadgets compared to that?

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Sadly, the chemistry between the 2 leads are really lacking for me. Up until ep.6, I couldn't invest myself in the developing romance just yet. JCW has proven to be a great actor in his past dramas. But here, just felt that he was "conscious" with his acting knowing that all people on and off cam thinks he's good looking. He really is, undoubtedly! But the characters - even his grown up sister is at awe by his looks. (I feel bad about her sister because she was really pretty 20 years back and made her look unappealing 20 years after) Similarly, he feels awkward around his sister. I find that weird coz usually Korean dramas have very close family ties and siblings are no exception. I got to remind myself that this is a comedy more than a romantic drama. But comedy as it may be, even with his natural charisma, maybe Im still not ready for a JCW comedy after all.

While Won Ji Nah befits Mi ran's character, I can't feel the connection between her and JCW in spite of his staring eyes (even off cam they are aloof, or maybe its just my faulty observation). JCW's more serious characters in healer, K2, and SP were far better and did not hold back with his acting skills. Although Im a little dismayed almost halfway through, Im still watching this with the hope that its gets better soon.

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I share some of your thoughts. Been thinking JCW should just do action and melos cos he's credible in intense scenes and he emotes really well. He has comedic timings but I feel it's not his forte.

Well, hope he'll land on a really solid drama/movie offer soon.

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The chemistry is good for me. I'm looking forward to see more in the following episodes. I think JCW is also quite good in comedy, some of his expressions (subtly) are quite refreshing unlike others. After more than a decade of kdrama watching, I came to believe that most korean actors came from the same instructor. They have the same facial expressions and gestures for certain comedic situations, but JCW adds a bit of something to make it his own. I'm currently struggling to find any current kdrama interesting but this one somehow is keeping me entertained so far.

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yeah the show doesn't seem to be greatly written with much thought into character arcs and whatnot, but it might be better to watch the show from a light-humour perspective. i haven't taken any of the episodes seriously and it's not a bad show for killing time.

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I came for wookie only....but its hard to continue watching.... maybe i will come back to it if I miss watching wookie.

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you didnt mention the hilarious part when she beat up her ex boyfriend after he said he wanted to get back together also the police station scene was great.

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The 2 comedic characters, His junior and tv boss are so over that it cringes to watch. I’ve appreciated many korean drama comedic figures (eg. Do bing soon) but just not this. Director totally missed it.

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The best thing about the drama is Dongchan's family. I always love how the younger sister called Dongchan as Oppa 🤣

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Love you ji chang wook😘😘

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One (possibly) good thing to come of this show is its sent me looking for the 2015 series 'Healer' which I've been avoiding but everyone else seems to love. The biggest treat for me so far in that series is seeing Min Mi-Kyung in something other than her usual 'mom' role

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I hope you like Healer (the show) as well as Ahjumma!

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Reading everyone's comments can ruin this drama for a girl 😂. I'm watching this purely for the pretty JCW and his "God I'm in love how can someone be so amazing-im falling in love " eyes and the humour. Story wise they could give it a 360 and I wouldn't care.

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I don't know if it's a thing in Korea, but in the U.S., chewing on ice is often linked or joked about as sexual frustration.

So all the angry ice chewing is a comedic add for me that's likely not intended given some of the moments they happen, but my past teenage self peeks out with giggles every time anyway.

I've been trying to remember which kdramas are from the 90s to compare how the "typical" male lead acts towards the female, and honestly...I think even from some of the early aughts shows, the male leads ALWAYS drove me up a wall with their bossing around, wrist grabby, and general being a jerk natures.

I think his almost obsessive "you are my responsibility now" really spiked with the warning about the temperature danger.

Although this week I did feel a bit more of "yes, yes, we know this is the OTP" moments going on, I think after he went into "responsible male" mode, most of his over protectiveness is just that. Whether it's driven purely by guilt or whatever, I don't see the pairing development being as heavy handed yet as some seem to feel it is.

What I do wish there was more of was scenes between the female lead and her brother. They spent a lot of time with them in the beginning, and now it feels like he only shows up because the writers don't want us to forget he exists.

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For those dithering on To watch or not To watch MMS .. read on. Mild SPOILERS.

(I have collated below Missvictrix words - sentences in her review for you to decide if you want to watch JCW in his COMEDIC GLORY.
He took the crown effortlessly.)

My Comment: I HEART _ HUG _ SNORT_GUFFAW_ROFL_and go all fluttery warm and crazy with the TWO leads whose chemistry was like poetry.

This is my first watch of JCW as a total goofy - hilarious - WITTY - Short tempered but adorably COMIC ROLE.
SO SO SO polar opposite to what I have seen earlier in HEALER and K2 and Empress Ki.

The ONLY JCW movie I dropped was K2 .. and NOT because I didn't drool over his Je Ha character .. but because it because torturous to watch Anna written in as his love interest when a large majority (those who dropped it like a hot potato) was rooting for the STEAMING HOT vibes that developed between Je Ha - Choi Yoon Ji. I have cussed the writer-director-producer-casting of Yoona as Anna in K2 related comment sites where I found fellow disappoints,

I HAD to collect MissVictrix's HILARIOUS review highlights which 200% reflected my thoughts and feelings as I watched the show - all nighter binge-mode.
So below .. BOWING to MissVictrix prose :
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- While not a lot happens plot-wise outside of the cryogenics experiment becoming public knowledge, the real draw is the burgeoning attraction (and mucho chemistry) between our leads. Bring it on! 

- That’s sweet and all, but there’s not even an ounce of me that wants them back together, and Dong-chan is starting to feel the same.

- for some reason Shim Hyung-tak continues to crack me up. I might have actually snorted during the scene where he collapses on campus in the dead bug position, and his T.A. deadpans that it’s because so many students dropped his class after the first week.

- Dong-chan and Mi-ran are sweating bullets all the time, and that’s one of the details of the drama which is very consistent. I’m also getting a major kick out of it.

- Dong-chan is always stealing sips of Mi-ran’s ice water (I’ll never get tired of watching this).

- It’s Ji Chang-wook and Won Jin-ah that drew me to this drama at the start, and really, they’re the reason I’m staying. Both actors are so great separately, there’s no way they can’t create something out of this rather ridiculous drama, right? Well, we’re treated to some sparkly scenes between them this week, and it makes it all worth the while. Or, should I say, Ji Chang-wook looking at her with hearts (and amusement) in his eyes makes the six hours I’ve invested so far in this drama completely worth it.

- The banter and camaraderie is also a lot of fun, and when Dong-chan sets her up with all the biometric monitors and tells her she’s not allowed to faint without telling him first? Hah.

- Part of me wants to rewrite the entire script to be a different kind of story… but the...

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