God, am I tired of being excited about the first eps of a drama only to be then absolutely disappointed a few episodes later. This has happened too many times this year.

The drama has some spectacular cinematography and Shin Hye Sun is as usual VERY good in every scene... and then the lovely Cha Chung Hwa! But there is really not much else. In the last two eps I have rolled my eyes way too many times.
First of all I find the male characters absolutely boring and useless. It's all about their trauma. Okay, Ha Do Yun has so little space that one cannot really say much against him. But Seo Ah has no life in him. It doesn't help that in every single scene Ji Eum is popping up and doing her crazy act. Seriously girl... enough! I can't stand her talking to him like he is still a little kid. It is not romantic and not helpful at all. Cho Won I can't stad her either. She has little space too so she is just supposed to be cute... but she is not. Both females leads are irritatingly persistent. Back down a little, girls. Imagine a guy being like that. We would call them stalkers. I won't comment on the usual drunk stupor because enough has been said in other comments.
But the real problem here for me is the poor dialogue. Characters are thrown together and they exchange some weird dialogues that make no sense. Why are they saying such private stuff when they don't know eachother? Why they are talking about secrets when they have never met before? And so on. Random stuff, randomly cut, happening for random reasons.

And seriously, am I supposed to feel anything about the plot twist with the uncle being the murderer? He has been in something like two scenes.

I could go on but I'll stop here. I'm going to finish this just because it's only 12 episodes. Gah... such disappointment!

I love reading all of your comments. They have persuaded me to try watching this again. I’ve gone back to watching it again even though despite my liking for SSK, I don’t like aspects of her portrayal but have loved Park Soyi as Jieum’s younger version. So so much. I also love watching Ha YoonKyung, Ahn Donggoo (he has some range. To my disappointment, I didn’t immediately realise he was Oong’s manager in “Our Beloved Summer” !🥰) and of course the always wonderful Cha Chunghwa. And, an honourable mention goes to the ever-adorable Ki Soyoo!

I can definitely see that there are parts that don't quite gel, but the episodes always fly right by and keeps my attention, so it's been an entertaining watch. Will I forget about it after it airs - very likely, but I'm having a great time now and look forward to each week's episodes!

I do feel a bit claustrophobic with this drama since there are a lot of indoor and/or nighttime scenes. And for a hotel setting and for trying to revive the hotel, Seo-ha isn't really out there doing anything. I feel like that goal sort of got lost.

The kiss could have been better timed, but I was just glad that Seo-ha is actually doing something that isn't him being mopey or looking like he's out of his depth. Though I side-eye his - to my eyes- experienced kissing skills for someone who has been a loner.

I'm glad she's finally telling him since we're already at episode 8 out of 12 and he was so wracked with guilt (and he had already been feeling guilty for over 20 years) and shock. Hopefully, hearing Ju-won's true thoughts about that day will lessen some of his guilt.

Hmm, for some reason, I feel less enthused after this week's episodes. I like the leads and characters, but I just don't have a huge obsession with them and their story. Maybe because of the typical plot points/conflicts. Maybe the parts about the accident don't interest me much. Right before I watched EP 7, I realized the uncle was the culprit. I've seen this actor play shady roles before. I should have known sooner. xP

I liked the kiss scene. Not too intense, but still quietly emotional. Comforting. And both were mutually into it.

Min Ki has been frustratingly unhelpful. From the few flashbacks of the first life, I'm guessing: Ji Eum and Min Ki were close, but not lovers. He was killed so Ji Eum mourned her loss. Now he's back to reunite with Ji Eum. The other way would be Ji Eum and Seo Ha were lovers back then, but Min Ki liked her too. He got killed, Ji Eum doesn't know by who. But the tragic twist is Seo Ha was the killer so Min Ki is hellbent on revenge now. I have not read the webtoon btw. These are my wild guesses lol. I don't think the story will have such a shocking twist by making Seo Ha a bad guy though. He's already suffered enough.

Now it seems like 12 episodes is not enough to tell the story in a fulfilling way.

I agree. The kiss did not feel right. I wanted both of them to take a step back in that moment.

The murder mystery is overshadowing our past lives mystery, and I'm here for the past lives mystery. As soon as Ji-eum told Seo-ha that she was Ju-won, I wasn't shocked about him finding out, but my first thought was, "Oh no, now Seo-ha's going to die!" Min-gi is shady, so I understand him not telling Ji-eum, but for Seo-ha's own reincarnated mother to not tell Ji-eum, "Do not tell my son that you are Ju-won or else you will kill him" makes no sense.

I know that Beanies don't like Min-gi, but I like him because Ae-kyung loves him like family, and it's nice for her to have someone around besides Ji-eum. When Ae-kyung said, "I don't know why you're always out and busy," I was surprised that she had noticed and thought that she would say, "but you know that you can come to me for anything," but instead, she told him not to skip his meals. Aww, our Ae-kyung deserves the world.

I'm disappointed that Ji-eum and Min-gi don't know each other in their past lives like in the webtoon. Min-gi being an archaeology professor is amusing. Not only is he younger than his students, but when does he have the time to work at the restaurant?

Ji-eum and Seo-ha's romance and the kisses were just fine. I never felt strongly about them either way because it was a given that they would get together, so there was no will-they-won't-they.

I still love Cho-won and Do-yoon's romance and how matter-of-factly he admitted he likes her. His "We're even now" headpat was swoon. I loved when they talked on the phone the morning after with Do-jin interrupting.

Thanks a ton for the recap, @DaebakGrits!

It’s always interesting to read the Beanies’ comments.

As a veteran kdrama watchers, I perhaps lose the kind of passion to defend or critique a drama. These days the basis for my watching a drama is one simple criterion - is it watchable? On that, I consider this drama highly watchable, bringing something new and fresh with a very good cast. It lives up to my expectation. Comparing to many we’ve been seeing in the last few years, this is certainly a 4 out of 5 to me.

While watching ep 8, I had a thought (I hope it wasn’t a bleeding obvious one (to the rest of you)): As Jieum told Seoha, the tune she played for him was composed during the Japanese Occupation but the composer was never identified so it makes sense that it was her riksha-puller reincarnation who composed it as he played guitar in one of his few scenes.

Work has been busy and I couldn't summon energy to watch this until today - took an hour off work and watched through dinner time so I can make it for my bedtime at 830pm.

It's a lot to unpack for 2 episodes. I am too "feeling a bit whiplashed from all the confessions, revelations, and tribulations" but we only have 4 more episodes after this, so I am really interested to find out what's happening next. Perhaps we finally get the bad daddy have a more meaty role in this show!

My favourite scene - that white buckwheat flowers field.
My favourite expression - Min ki/ Min gi's disappointed face.
My favourite moment - that drink session with 3 ladies.

So ... I just want to add this. Glancing through most of the comments, most people (1) seems to be here for the romance and (2) asking a lot of "logic" questions too like why are they doing this and that.

(1) Honestly, I don't mind a romance, but I am more interested in the story, so romance typically play a supporting role, and I fast forward kissing scenes (i'm sorry for those gushing about the kisses but i caught that kitty crossing the road too) but I'll watch for those emotional moments.
(2) For the "logic" questions, why ask now because the whole story hasn't even unfold. I understand your frustrations, but just relax and enjoy the show? If by now the show isn't working for you, don't force it, just come back to the show another time. And yes, I'll skip reading the comments in future.

Peace out.

I really need to watch Shin Hye-sun in a saguek. Your screenshot choice for the last screenie is on point @daebakgrits .

I'm having no issues with the main romance. My only tiff with the other sweet secondary romance is Do-yoon and his actions. I love people who have control over their emotions. I mean, had he not toughened himself I don't know how he'd handled Seo-ha's father. But not being able to separate himself this one time but instead projecting on Ji-eum was a bit jarring and a tad unpleasant. Somebody else should be the recipient of that negative critical cautionary vibe, not Ji-eum. The one thing I'm loving about his character is watching Cho-won call his bluff. If anything, he's about to have a taste of Cho-won 1.0 - the first and last of her kind.

Seo-ha's father is not the cause of the accident. OK, fine! He remains a douchebag in my books though.

And to my OTP - I'm feeling all the vibes. And please, let the assassin have no strings whatsoever attached to Seo-ha, both past and present.
It'll be especially full circle if that song known only to Seo-ha and Ji-eum is what bells the cat. I thought there was no need but I think it's wise of SYIM19L to make Seo-ha fall in love with Ji-eum, to the point of being smitten but also having moments when her semblance to Ju-won seeps through that he picks up and hence leave him confused but not conflicted - like two lives fusing into one. And with the reveal, it won't be that he's falling in love with Ju-won, he'll be falling in love with Ji-eum with the full knowledge that a full piece of Ju-won lives in her and not that he's loving Ju-won through Ji-eum.

Hmm...not trying to be confrontational, and always I appreciate all the comments and different viewpoints here on Dramabeans (which are usually fun and/or interesting to read, and where we can agree or disagree respectfully), but I feel like the people who haven't read the webtoon are getting all their info about the webtoon from the one poster - whose interpretation (which I'm not saying is wrong - there is no right and wrong when it comes to interpretation) of the webtoon differs a lot in some aspects from what I (and other webtoon readers I've come across online) think of the differences between the webtoon and the drama. I am definitely also disappointed by some of the changes, but tbh I don't think that some of the drama readers' complaints would be in any way made better by reading the webtoon - I had many similar complaints about the story when reading the webtoon (for example, why Ji Eum is to set on Seo Ha, even though she's lived 18 lives). I also don't think there is fundamentally anything different about Do Yoon's reason for turning Cho Won down in the webtoon vs the drama; the only difference is that we spend more time with these characters in the webtoon, so it probably makes it easier to embrace their story. To me, the webtoon was quite superficial at times in how it handled some topics, so I don't feel like the drama ruined "what could have been" (except for the first life storyline...I am quite angry about that one ahaha). I would love to delve in more detail about what I, as a webtoon reader, think the drama is doing well vs what it's completely messed up, but I don't have the time atm, maybe I'll do it in the next recap. But I just wanted to add my two cents, especially just to point out that not all webtoon readers have the same perception or interpretation or lenses when it comes to the differences between the drama and the webtoon.

Btw I also want to mention that I agree with posters like @Kurama and @indyfan on the kiss - I think by that point he was well aware of his feelings and it felt more like him seeking/reaching out for comfort rather than Ji Eum just taking advantage.

It's not just that his uncle *should* love him, but that he has many fond memories with his uncle. Which I suspect he doesn't have with his dad.
I suspect maybe we don't know who his real dad is, or something along those lines. Someone "fixed" the brakes.

I really like this show. I like that it is different and that the relationship between the leads is different. I liked the kiss also, it didn't originate as a pinnacle of romance, but that's life. Sometimes, you want to feel something else. Their relationship is not healthy, Seo-ha is in dire need of professional help but I rather like that the show is going there. One does not always make smart choices. The only thing I really can't get behind is why the child connection was so special, it was so normal. They played together, has her 17 lives been so sad that she's never had a playmate before?