I watched this while waiting for new episodes of A World Of Married Couple to rolled in but strangely, I am hooked. I felt the same as you, I don't really feel there's much development in each episode, yet I still tuned in, episodes after episodes, to know what will happen to the ill-fated lovers, however slow it's gonna be.
I liked how seamless they weaved the past into present day. It doesn't feel jarring. And I am so far liking the chemistry between the two leads, both present and past.

I do like how beautifully interwoven the current timeline is with the younger timeline. Especially the younger timeline, everything is just to pretty and romantic, and I agree that the young actors are doing very well in their roles.

However, this is probably a matter of personal preference, but as the episodes go on, I find the reversion back to the use of super aged K-drama tropes getting a little too much for me, whether in the younger timeline or in the current timeline. Perhaps I've been spoilt by recent trends in Korean dramas which get the plot and storyline going well even without resorting to exaggerated or unrealistic chaebol or candy tropes.

Another point which bothered me was Ji-soo's and Jae-hyun's (seeming) lack of care and concern for their children. While their children may be off at boarding school and hence the parent-child interactions are understandably more distant and infrequent, they seem to be more self-absorbed in the "great love, loss and sadness" enveloping them, than their children's well-being or trying to be more involved in their children's lives even after major incidents (from the perspective of the children) had happened to their children at the boarding school. It actually seemed like Se-hoon cared more about their son than Ji-soo, in that he bothered to actually look through his son's textbooks to see the torn pages etc (albeit through slightly questionable methods), even if their son would understandably and "maturely" not let his parents worry about him being bullied in school etc. Showing concern isn't just about sending messages to ask whether her son has eaten etc, it seems as though Ji-soo isn't putting in more effort to be more involved in her son's life to find out what may be affecting him, his slipping grades in school etc. She's only belatedly reacting to situations when they happen to him in school. Jae-hyun too - he did not seem to do anything to educate his son or instill the right values even after he knew that his son had been bullying Ji-soo's son in school.

I get that Show is about the romantic love between the 2 leads, but Show's premise is also primarily about middle-aged people finding their way back to each other - a grand romantic love between them, which ignores their responsibilities as adults and parents towards their children at this age - this point really bothers me.

I love this drama a lot, it isn’t flawless and sometimes they go too far but I am invested in love story between the couples!
I wish Ji-soo would let Jae-hyun to overcome the difficulties himself instead of trying to protect him! I know it comes out of her pure love and that’s what every person would do for their loved ones but she knows he isn’t a weak man.

“I’ve never met a drama that has done such a fine job matching up young/adult cast members. And I don’t mean their looks, but what each actor is able to capture in their individual performance, and then tie into a single character.“
This should be written everywhere!

I feel that this drama is about what you're willing to do to protect someone and which choices you're going to make.

The way the drama shows these alternatives are sometimes a bit obvious (for example, Ji-soo gives Jae-hi up instead of letting him go to prison, whereas his wife lets him go to prison instead of giving him up) but I still find it interesting.

I hope that what the drama is going for, is that of course those choices are utterly false and a trick by the person posing them. Will Ji-soo's son really be happy if his mother gets back with his cheating father (he seemed very defensive of her, so I still think there was more going on there) Was Jae-hyun better off staying out of prison but being without Ji-soo?

I'm hoping that Jae-hyun will show Ji-soo the way out of those dilemmas: take down the person blackmailing you into making impossible choices.

I was never a fan of Adult couple dramas but this one just stood out. It just keep on making me want to get more and more in deep and the way the editing is done, the sorry is woven between their youth and during their adult life and the pain in their eyes, and the love and yearning which is still alive, i just can't seem to stop it. It really has a very deep impact!!

sigh! star-crossed lovers never were more star-crossed than this couple. my heart really does go out to Ji-soo and everything she's experienced in her life till this point... but her tenacity is also very admirable. agreed on the young/adult cast member matching too, though i do find myself comparing Jinyoung and Ji-tae oppa's eyes and going hmmm........ haha. but that's just me. i also probably laughed at 2 makjang moments this week too. looking forward to the next eps!

we're tracking locations for the show here on KDL!

Thanks @missvictrix for the recap. Honestly this show is the most enjoyable I am following this time around (I am pretty enjoyed dissing The King: PPL Monarch, and A Couple's World maybe the best of all 3, but it is too tense).

"The other development around Jae-hyun this week is the fact that he might be lobbying for control of his father-in-law’s company — or maybe just trying to take down the corruption?"
About this, allow me to do some speculations?

What is essential is a dialogue between Jae-hyun and his steelworker father in Ep.6, in there he believed Jae-hyun is doing the right thing, but he felt shame about it, because what he did can't make the world turn. This is also when he was shouting the slogan in a protest one time, he suddenly stopped when he saw his mother. I guess his intention after getting into this chaebol group's hierarchy--although he probably gets into the corporation by chance, because you really can't force a chaebol daughter to fall in love with him naturally, and Seo-kyung does love him--is because he was sick that he can't change the world by simply protest, but to destroy it from the inside?

Just a thought ...

I've just finished watching the episodes and I have to say this: what an amazing cast, what fantastic casting, such an awesome directing... and the cinematography... I love the warm colours of youth against the colder colours of maturity. I love how everything in the show tells a story. A story we're just partially being told. Please, show, keep it this way.

I love how characters are not black or white, well maybe JiSoo is the whitest one... but even I can feel how the characters that are supposed to be evil have some warmth in them: SeHon really cares for his son, he wants to know why he wrote that note and he behaves like a dad, not scolding him, but trying to understand. Same thing with SeoKeyong: she cares for his son, she's cared from minute one, and she wants to have a family and the love she's never really received from anyone but JaeHyun.

And JaeHyun is conspiring agains his in laws (or so it seems), and has forgotten his youth ideals (or so it seems). Young Woo confessed he was the one who inform about JaeHyun, leading him to prison and away from JiSoo.

Regarding the story. I agree not much is happening, but I love how it is being told.

I most confess I swooned that JH remembered about the guitar he promised JS and was so eager wanting to give it to her. Also I am finding Joon woo (JH driver) very cute helping out JH.

Even though there is some typical character characteristic there is more depth to them witch make them interesting. But seing how JS and JH getting cornered by other people in the past, and in the present make me root for them. I mean who do not want a second change when we can see how much they long for each other and the fact that they got separated by extended force.

Drama PD have talked about the drama message witch I think give a good reason for it not being very plot driven drama, but more about the characters present situation.
“I want to convey the message that since everyone has beautiful and difficult times in their lives, ‘right now’ is everyone’s most beautiful moment in life.”

Hello missvictrix, what an excellent review. I am looking forward reading your recaps for this drama as much as watching it. Thank you for your detail analysis by breaking the story down into small bits of information and then zooming it out to see the big picture, and also by referencing back and forth with the past. I read with great pleasure each of the points you made and agree 100% with each of them.

I agree. ...The entire cast is fabulous in this drama, ...I’ve never met a drama that has done such a fine job matching up young/adult cast members. And I don’t mean their looks, but what each actor is able to capture in their individual performance, and then tie into a single character.

JInyoung! My oh my, am I impressed. When I first saw the stills for this drama, I was disappointed that it wasn't the other Jinyoung - the one who acted in Moonlight by the Clouds. I didn't think this Jinyoung had the looks or the gravitas to carry out the role. But, boy was I wrong. With each passing episode, I love his character more and more! Frankly, although I came to watch the drama because of Yoo Ji-tae, I like the younger version more. And Jinyoung is nailing the role. He's manly and yet sweet and swoony. I'm going to look out for this actor more in the future.

I wanna Know if they are having an affair cos if they are, I'd support them 100%. Anything that'll take them away from their spouses is good for me.

Feeling like this drama is going to end on a sad note. Its like they'll love each other again as adults but won't cross the line because jisoo will always choose something else to protect jaehyun. I may be wrong tho but let's see. I'm enjoying it

Thanks for the recap.

Thanks for the weecap.

What a great little show. I agree, Jinyoung is standing out in my mind as well. Loved how he is able to portray a young person in love and also the heartbreak of breaking up. He’s stupid good in that scene.

However, everything else is excellent too. I love how we have time to digest every conversation, how each actor is not just there for drama’s sake, but integral to the story—even our “friend zoned” second lead, in both time lines.

Enjoying the ride.

Every single aspect of this drama is beautiful and each episodes breaks my heart a bit more. I cannot voice how much I despise the ex for using his son as a bargaining chip, and yet there are people in the Viki comments saying he's the better parent?? While my heart goes out to the main couple, I'm honestly worried about the kids. Ji Soo's son needs some happiness in his life and burdens lifted from his shoulders. The other boy could be so much nicer if he had more influence from his dad. His mother obviously taught him no humility or empathy. Neither of roads are going to be easy for either kid :/