There is plenty to appreciate in this drama, but it won't appeal to all audiences. It is driven by beautiful cinematography and a wistful, moody ambiance. The actors are gorgeous. But the pacing is deliberate and the slower side, and the storytelling could disappoint those looking for something more dynamic.
It's a story that follows the torn feelings of an earnest and hardworking college student who moves in to a home occupied on the first floor by the titular former kpop star, Doona. She is sassy and out of his league but irresistible. The plot thickens as he reunites with a longtime female friend who attends the same college. Bonds form and feelings clash as they grapple with their pasts and futures.
This drama is for those who love the aesthetics within the first few minutes and fans of the actors. But the series is not groundbreaking in its storytelling. I give it kudos for exploring the pain and sacrifice of celebrity figures.
--- Edit 2023/10/22, adding spoilers and discussion of ending
I'd like to add that the language is mature and romance, more intimate for a typical kdrama. I also couldn't help but notice some male gaze/voyeuristic shots. The lingering shots of Suzy's feet seem almost fetishizing.
Regarding the ending, there's some controversy among viewers. The ending is probably bittersweet for most, but there's ambiguity leaving it to interpretation. Some are referring to the intro and vignettes to point to a happy ending, pointing out that the scenes from the intro are scenes that take place after the final conversation between the leads at the end of the series. The intro includes scenes of the sharehouse group at the beach on the "field trip" that Jinju promised to Doona, which is not in the drama itself.
There's enough to interpret either a happy ending or a star-crossed love. Near the end of Ep 1 as Doona enters Wonjun's class, she repeats the words from his texts she first reads in the final episode, saying: "You once said to me that you and I are from different universes. That though we had been living in completely different universes, we found ourselves sitting side by side at the same station purely by chance." (The train station vignettes/intro further this theme.) Then she says, "Even though you may be right--I was happy that it was you." This last expression could be interpreted as nostalgia, not necessarily that they rekindled their relationship. At the same time, there are clearly scenes showing they had additional encounters after their final conversation of the drama. Perhaps the ending is intentionally ambiguous, reminiscent of jdramas with a wistful, dreamy tone.
Finally, I find it amusing they teased webtoon readers when they showed Wonjun sleeping over at Ira's home!
It's a story that follows the torn feelings of an earnest and hardworking college student who moves in to a home occupied on the first floor by the titular former kpop star, Doona. She is sassy and out of his league but irresistible. The plot thickens as he reunites with a longtime female friend who attends the same college. Bonds form and feelings clash as they grapple with their pasts and futures.
This drama is for those who love the aesthetics within the first few minutes and fans of the actors. But the series is not groundbreaking in its storytelling. I give it kudos for exploring the pain and sacrifice of celebrity figures.
--- Edit 2023/10/22, adding spoilers and discussion of ending
I'd like to add that the language is mature and romance, more intimate for a typical kdrama. I also couldn't help but notice some male gaze/voyeuristic shots. The lingering shots of Suzy's feet seem almost fetishizing.
Regarding the ending, there's some controversy among viewers. The ending is probably bittersweet for most, but there's ambiguity leaving it to interpretation. Some are referring to the intro and vignettes to point to a happy ending, pointing out that the scenes from the intro are scenes that take place after the final conversation between the leads at the end of the series. The intro includes scenes of the sharehouse group at the beach on the "field trip" that Jinju promised to Doona, which is not in the drama itself.
There's enough to interpret either a happy ending or a star-crossed love. Near the end of Ep 1 as Doona enters Wonjun's class, she repeats the words from his texts she first reads in the final episode, saying: "You once said to me that you and I are from different universes. That though we had been living in completely different universes, we found ourselves sitting side by side at the same station purely by chance." (The train station vignettes/intro further this theme.) Then she says, "Even though you may be right--I was happy that it was you." This last expression could be interpreted as nostalgia, not necessarily that they rekindled their relationship. At the same time, there are clearly scenes showing they had additional encounters after their final conversation of the drama. Perhaps the ending is intentionally ambiguous, reminiscent of jdramas with a wistful, dreamy tone.
Finally, I find it amusing they teased webtoon readers when they showed Wonjun sleeping over at Ira's home!