Sugar Baby’s Review Corner: More Than Friends

More Than Friends

Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Youth
Origin: South Korea
Episodes: 16
Air-date: Sep 25, 2020 – Nov 28, 2020
Starring: Ong Seongwu as Lee Soo, Shin Ye Eun as Kyung Woo Yeon, Kim Dong Jun as Ohn Joon Soo, Pyo Ji Hoon as Jin Sang Hyuk, Baek Soo Min as Han Jin Joo, Choi Chan Ho as Shin Hyun Jae, Ahn Eun Jin as Kim Young Hee

Ten years ago, Kyung Woo Yeon was as innocent and carefree as any eighteen year old might be. With dreams, ambitions, and a heart ready to love, it was only a matter of time before she fell for someone. And fall she did; for her friend, Lee Soo. Unable to hold her feelings in her heart, she confesses to him before he leaves and gets friend-zoned.
Seven years later, she tries her luck again only to be rejected again. She is determined to get over what she considers this curse of not being able to experience love. One lonely day in Jeju, she declares confidently that she no longer likes him and decided to leave him. He too leaves Korea having a heavy pang in his heart. She had tried every trick to get over this curse that she had, having almost 12 ex-boyfriends. Till one day, when she finds a guy, Joon Soo who offers to be her test man and help her determine whether the fault lies in her or the men she has dated.
Having been traumatized by the divorce of his parents in the past, Lee Soo always stops himself from love and choose to not start something so that it won’t end. After 3 years leaving Jeju island and his memory of Woo Yeon, Lee Soo comes back to Korea and find her with another man, but this time he hopes to face his feelings and not let his past overshadow him.
mydramalist

I have very strong feelings about this drama tbh. And it probably doesn’t coincide with what everyone else feels because no offense, but I am different. Nah, but seriously though I was positively rafting through emotions within this drama because of both the character behaviors and the viewer response. I cannot promise that this will be a coherent review but I will try.

As far as plot goes this is very much your average run of the mill, slice of life drama. This drama dealt with the ups and downs of relationships, be it platonic, familiar or romantic. This was something that I enjoyed deeply because relationships can be messy and I think a lot of viewers were turned off by this aspect of the drama. It was a realistic portrayal, albeit annoying, but realistic. I felt like the issues that this drama had was that it was 16 episodes which was too much. It definitely needed to only have been about 10 to 12 because it would’ve given a more concise to the point story. A lot of time wouldn’t be wasted on the fodder stuff that just felt like something to pad the run time.

The characters were a piece of work. If you enjoy flawed characters then this is certainly the drama for you because let me tell you that everyone and yes I said everyone sucks epicly. The only person who was worth a damn in my opinion was Hyun Jae. That was a KING and I need him in my life. Also lowkey because I saw myself in Young Hee, I really wanted to yell. I know there is an outstanding number of complaints that Woo Yeon was a doormat and should’ve stayed with Joon Soo, but like come on.. This girl loved that man for over 10 years why would you think that just because this other guy was treating her well she would go? I know it was shitty of Soo to decide that he liked her after seeing her with someone else, but he has always liked her, he just couldn’t deal with his childhood trauma and unpack his shit. Which brings me to my next tangent of how everyone was constantly making him feel like shit for not liking her back when umm you’re not entitled to someone’s feelings?? It’s the same way Joon Soo was clinging to her when she told him no, but no one was calling her a demon for that? Mmmm.. Kay… Listen, I’m not simping for Lee Soo, ~~okay maybe a little I am Ong Seongwu’s whore~~, I just get irritated by the hypocrisy of that situation.

A short note before I leave this review, HOLY HELL PRODUCT PLACEMENT. Listen, they were on 100 when it came to the non-subtlety of that shit. I will admit that even I found myself craving the coffee and bubble tea every time I saw a them at the Tiger cafe. The car was also not subtle in the least. It was kind of amusing to say the least.

Overall, this is not a terrible drama. I have definitely seen way way worse dramas. I do think this drama tried to be more nuanced and complicated that it needed to be. I was frustrated by some aspects that were left loose, but still I think it was a good ending for the drama. I think the outrage and hatred is not warranted. I have seen dramas with much worst plots be given epic amounts of praise.