El amor es un capítulo aparte (2019)

A Korean Version of the stateside show "Younger."

Are there changes? Yes!

Some of those changes are strengths versus the original. Some things don't change that probably should have. And some changes do not work so well.

Here our female lead has secretly been divorced for over a year. She is destitute, living in her abandoned home, that has fallen to ruin and is set to be demolished, yes in only a years time, shrug. She sneaks into her best friends house (Our Male Lead) for food and showers while he is at work, and secretly has hired herself to be his housekeeper for some steady income. Her daughter is off at boarding school and draining what little resources our FL has, since her husband has up and disappeared with another woman and left her to raise their daughter on her own. Though, our protagonist is a college educated, certificate wielding, and award wining Copy Editor, not a single company will give her an opportunity because she has been a housewife for the past seven years and is nearing forty. Too old, too educated, and too experienced for entry level work, yet biased against for leaving the work force for a home life and believed too long gone to understand the copy world of today and its markets she is refused substantial middle and management positions. As a wrecking ball finally makes her homeless, our FL is forced into erasing her credentials and past and pretend to be nothing more than a middle-aged high school graduate to land the most basic contract work entry-level gofer position possible. Hey it gives her money, and its at a publishing house, her life's love.

Sounds familiar yes?

While "Younger," as its name suggests, has the FL not only pose as an inexperienced beginner, it ALSO makes her pretend to be in her early 20's as an almost 40 year old. Far fetched, yeah, but the show mostly makes it work. Here, RIABB, recognizes it is unneeded and unrealistic and forgoes this while still covering all the ageist issues in full.

Other changes include taking the Lesbian Life Long Best Friend and the CEO of the Publishing house Love Interest and morphing them together into a single character that is our Chief Editor Male Lead. (Note the Lesbian still gets 2 cameos as a High-end Fashion store owner who used to date our ML. It is important that the show at least nods to this character and also normalizes her Lesbianism by the ML considering South Korea's openly known homophobia.)

By the show doing this character adjoining, it creates a lifetime best friends to lovers story, which is a fan favorite trope amongst Romance lovers. The show knows its audience. It also works well, and allows there to be a lot of screen time with the two leads together in cohabitation, as just like in "Younger," our FL is forced to live with her best friend.

The college student daughter is made mostly irrelevant as a Philippines boarding school living middle-schooler. This is one of those changes I can't get behind. The daughter is used in the beginning to show the financial strapped situation our FL is in, but once she gets the job, the daughter is all but forgotten. The fact that this woman is a mother is left to die on the vine. In fact, that there even is a daughter at all becomes superfluous. It would have been better to have just cut the never met child from the script and made the husband even more of a monster as in he wouldn't let her work as a woman, mother or not. Why not, it would have worked for the purpose of the story just as well and saved us from the odd dangling fruit that is this mostly forgotten daughter in the Philippines.

Our younger hip Brooklyn tattoo artist love interest (Yes the Triangle Lives!) changes into a younger, most sought-after, book cover artist and his beautiful dog. We can not forget this dog guys, its just not gunna happen. The character is tied to the story better and ends up with some secret backstory that deals directly with the publishing house and our ML. This change works well and is perfectly serviceable.

Yes, even the "frenemy" lady boss exists in both incarnations as CEO Go. Here she is displayed more powerfully and much sexier than in "Younger," but as a character I am still not impressed. The dynamic between our FL and CEO Go is exactly the same and I really wish they would have changed this up. Do we really need this to be how we address sisterhood in the workplace? Are we supposed to decide CEO Go really is a good person in the end? Should women expect this relationship, and be okay with this dynamic? Is there really nothing better out there? These questions could create a whole topic of conversation and arguments, but let's just say that for the purpose of the show, this relationship is one of the more complex on display even with its little screen time.

Overall, the show mostly functions as promised. Around episode eight it unfortunately devolves into a generic everyone falls-in-love romance with the entire cast pairing off. (THE ENTIRE CAST!) But, around episode 13 it pulls itself back into the better and stronger original story-lines that were laid at the beginning of the series and follows them through the last 3 episodes. However, because we leave the main story for so long, and because the show tries so hard to be just a typical love story for all, the ending does come on flat. The triumphs don't feel as triumphant as they should. The lows, aren't as low as we went in the beginning of the series, and characters become simply puppets serving the plot and attempting to make us feel warm on the inside as everyone finds happiness in the arms of someone else.

Is it worth your time, I'd say so. It was stronger than a lot of the Kdrama romances I have been sitting through. Is it amazing, perfect, OMG you MUST watch this, best love story ever, you will never be the same, add any other hyperbole or adulation that are carelessly thrown about on peer review sites? No, it is not.

RIABB has warmth, and a message, strong acting, and a great production. It moves steadily and smoothly though its tale without rushing. It is filled with superficial cuteness, and all the typical swooning beats and moments you've come to expect from these types of shows. Yet, it has a unique base story that keeps it apart from the pack. I gave it a 7, 3 1/2 Stars, B grade. Better than average and a solid watch but not great or a must see.

I do want to note, that I did also open a conversation on the MDL discussion board for RIABB about the ML of this drama. There are things that angered me, and issues that I am seeing repeated in Kdrama romances when it comes to the MLs in general. While, by the end RIABB's ML does grow and learn, and ultimately try to be a better man, the first 6 episodes find him doing some very questionable (Not sexual) things when it comes to our FL. It was hard for me to move past these plot points when it comes to ML's character as a noble human being and just put a really large blight on him from my point-of-view. I find him morally questionable, and if this was real life, I would very much be against him. Even if he is smart, handsome, rich, and successful, with a generally amicable personality, and over-all good natured, what he allows to happen and lets his company stand for in the beginning of the series and what he is NOT willing do to for our FL or stand up for what was right, really bothered me and I was unable to let it go. If you want to go a bit more in-depth or offer your own opinion on the matter, look for the discussion above the comments section for RIABB.

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Like:
- Well directing from Director Lee Jung Hyo, who is acclaimed PD in many dramas
- Screenwriter Jung Hyun Jung wrote exceptional dialogues, some are witty some are poetic. Many beautiful quotes can be retracted from this drama
- Mature love story with grown-up characterizations and relationships
- When the drama introduceds the ML, Cha Eun Ho is described as a "total eye candy" (English sub). Though it's cute, but I am wary that the production exploited Lee Jong Suk's fame and good look as the main pull for the story. I have seen many dramas using one actor/actresses who is good looking as the main draw but then the shows ended up bad. Fortunately this does not happened with this drama. All roles are played well by the respective actors and actresses.
- Actress Lee Na Young was wonderful as Dan Yi who fell into many hardship in love, family, career and personal life and her optimistic attitude and relentless attempt to go back to her feet, initially without Eun Ho's help. A great message for women's self-reliance.
- Actor Lee Jong Suk did a great job acting up the two sides of Cha Eun Ho: calm, wise, cold, refrained in public life and funny, jealous, romantic, caring in personal life.
- ML and FL have a great and natural chemistry during stages of their relationship: starting as best friends of 20 years, to awkwardness during the first stage of romance, finally to real lovers.
- I love the execution of the relationship dynamics between boss and employees and among employees.
- Side stories of other couples are beautiful and are given a good amount of screen times without overwhelm the main love story

Dislike:
- IMO the plot on the mysterious writer is unnecessary. I guess they want to add some mystery/secret/thrill/investigation spice into the show but unfortunately it is not connected to the main story. The revelation of the mysterious writer in the end while the drama is already in anti-climax and viewers already somewhat bored.
- A few episodes to the end the drama loses the steam when Eun Ho and Dan Yi finally get together and Seo Joon and Hae Rin get closer.
- I agree with other reviewers/commenters, what happened to Dan Yi's daughter? Since there are many female viewers definitely a story about a daughter who has to be sent away to the Philippines due to bullying victim at local school demands a story of her own. IMO she's just a filler, better not to have a story of Dan Yi having a daughter.

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fluffy romcom

I was looking for a drama that gave off the light-hearted romcom feeling but also something that wasn't your typical main leads. This drama was exactly that. I appreciate how they made the female lead so human, it felt more natural and realistic. Like a normal person, she struggles with her job, she has financial obstacles, and she is also incredibly open to new possibilities and meeting new people . Those are some points I really liked out of the FL. As for the ML, quite literally everything about him is pretty ideal, there's hard to find flaws lol.

Onto the plot...the flow was pretty good up until episode 8 ish. It started to feel really slow afterwards...the progression of the relationships between characters was fairly slow and at some point it felt like we only saw the tip of the iceberg. Cha Eunho and Kang Danyi are really good characters on their own however I just felt like the plot was getting lost after a few episodes. I really wanted to hear more about the backgrounds of the side characters and the other editors on the team as well. The chemistry between the two second leads came off pretty strong, almost stronger than when the two main leads were together.

Acting/Cast= 10/10 OST is amazing

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Decent 1 time watch

Though I liked watching this series , but it has no elements whatsoever to increase its rewatch value !

It was happy-happy series for me , with no negative or annoying characters at all ! There were few that will annoy you for some time like ji-yul , hae-rin and FL as well , but its quite temporary. They are all quite decent and everyday characters , whom you can connect with very well !

That being said , I was not very happy with the work ethics shown here .. The only people who looked and behaved like at work was the ML , Hae-rin and director Go ! I loved how dir Go's character was written , she was strict but not a bitch ! but then I had no sympathies with the FL at all . I mean she lied on her resume , she was bound to face consequences . The work culture is much more stricter than that , you cannot do emotional talks at work ! We have seen people go through much more than she did ! We have seen people working their heart out along with being mothers and taking care of their house hold ! I m not saying that its not tough , but I could not connect with her , since I have seen worst ! Also the obsession over her , at workplace , felt out of the place , I mean she was just a task support contractual employee ! and people were seen missing her , when the fridge was out of juices .. like seriously !! There should have been more real time scenarios , so that the audience could connect and miss her !

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I usually ration my TV viewing very carefully, but I watched 10 hours of this show at a go without a qualm. Lee Na Young, what a charming and sympathetic actor, in such a winning role. They laid it on thick for Kang Dan-yi and her no-good very bad horrible situation when the show opens, and yet she made you want to believe in it: the horror of the life into which she was plunged, as well as in her ordinary, everyday pluck and resolve as she went about trying to find a situation.

And then, boom: a knight in shining armour who's also a childhood best friend, and practically perfect in every way? Yet nothing about this was off-putting, seemed like it was going to sacrifice a balance of power on the altar of sweeping romance, or made Dan-yi and Eun-ho transform themselves drastically in the journey of their friendship. Was it realistic? Absolutely not. Was it believable? Strangely, yes.

The most sweepingly romantic thing in this show, in fact, is its love of books and publishing: an old-fashioned, stubborn refusal to see books as anything but the great consolations of our life. Regardless of whether they end up with each other or no, that's who Eun-ho and Dan-yi are to each other, we realise: the book in which you learn yourself anew every time you leave your world and enter its own. As romances go, I can't think of a nicer metaphor.

Props to Lee Jong Suk for being a lovely rest for the eyes and bringing restraint and poise to his role: even his slightly out-of-character methods of pursuing Dan-yi seem rational and in keeping with the character because he doesn't crank it up unnecessarily. The supporting actors were all delightful, and brought such warmth and affection to their roles and interactions with each other. And a shout-out to the set designers who created perhaps the nicest office I've ever seen on TV: an inspiration!

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Good story setting, could've been better!

I liked this drama with a few exceptions.

What I liked
• As a book lover I loved that the drama was set in a book publishing company. I enjoyed everything related to publishing. It was quiet interesting to see how much hard work goes to launching a book.
• The support characters were all entertaining and had their own stories.
• The SFL and the SML were likable and not the typical annoying over-the-top jealous type.

What I didn't like
• The main couple was not to my liking. I have watched and liked dramas with noona-love but this couple didn't have the depth or passion to their romance. They lacked chemistry but had a good friendship.
• The sudden omission of FLs daughter was unrealistic, I mean the drama started with the FL struggling to meet ends to take care of her child, so where is she?
• Difficulty to understand how the ML didn't have a clue about his best friend of 20 years being divorced and homeless. How didn't he know what was going on if he ended up at her place everytime he was drunk? I mean did he not get drunk for a whole year?

What could've been explored
It would have been more interesting to have explored the relationship of FL, Ms.Go & Ms.Seo plus a few scenes of the ML as an actual author and a professor would have been great. More backstory for the characters could've been added instead of unnecessary fillers in the second half of the drama, like more about FLs daughter, SMLs childhood or SFLs etc.

Conclusion
That being said I enjoyed this light weight drama excluding the main romance, those parts were skipped. For the main couple it felt like the writer didn't have much to say after a certain point. It was bland. But the story of the publishing company was enjoyed. The day to day tasks of a publishing house was interesting.

At the beginning it felt like the drama was going to show us a courageous FL with a strong willpower tackling the unfairness of life, but it soon went all Cinderella with the young and rich ML being there to save the day. The FLs character was selfish and always had to play the sympathy card and never apologetic.

So overall, without the romance parts this drama was a good watch. If you are interested in publishing and love books this could be enjoyed.

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It's a story that focuses on the relationships of the characters.

I started watching this drama mostly for the Older Woman Younger Man trope. Jongsuk being in it is just an added bonus.
In my opinion and based on the summary, the main plot or major plot of the series is of Dan Yi's struggle coming out of a divorce after years of being a housewife. Personally I would consider them wrapping up the major plot right at the start of Episode 2 with Dan Yi getting the job. That solved her major plot problem which is money.

After that all you have left to watch from the series is how Dan Yi and Eun Ho will get together, who Park Byeong Jun is, and Danyi and Seo Jun's interest with one another will develop.

I love the characterization for the characters in the series. Eun Ho and Dan Yi's relationship is so lighthearted that it will keep your worries away, Seo Jun and Dan Yi's relationship is comfortable and budding, while Dan Yi and Hae Rin's work relationship is just immculate. These relationships is really what kept me watching the show.

What I particularly loved in this series is how Song Hae Rin's. Her relationship with Dan Yi never changed even after she found out about Dan Yi and Eun Ho. She never become a hysterical crush, she never treated Dan Yi disrespectfully in their workplace because of her affections for Eun Ho. And that particular bit is so refreshing because we've all been bombarded with poorly written female characters that go ape shit because male writers suck.

Ms. Go's perspective for Dan Yi also didn't become overacting. She's meticulous and very career oriented. Her decisions are correct and is never against Dan Yi.

All in all this series gave me a few surprises, like the lesbian ex of Eun Ho, Song Hae Rin's great character, Eun Ho and Seo Jun's bromance. Unfortunately Dan Yi's personality failed to uphold til the end, that or I'm just expecting something different. I was expecting a little bit more struggle between Eun Ho and Dan Yi. But they never tackled about Dan Yi's daughter anymore after the first few episodes. I also get it why Dan Yi accepted Eun Ho's love right away, as she have that no nonsense attitude with love given her reaction to Seo Jun's attraction, but still it felt too easy.

In one of the scenes I expected her to be doing something on her own, but I was deeply disappointed to see that it was only motivated by the change around her.

This is not an female independence series that I was expecting it to be. I'm a bit disappointed but still would consider this series as a comfortable show I will watch if I want to feel something lovely in my dead cold heart.

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Underrated

It is my own opinion and it seems to be quite a minor opinion if we look at the global critic but I think it is very underrated. It is flat yes but flat doesn’t mean boring. The end might be disappointing but pretty much like a lot of romantic dramas. And the end to me doesn’t matter because that is not the message or the directing approach or storytelling the director wanted to tell (I think). There are beautiful quotes. tenderness, a lot of love sent to the viewers and you can identify yourself to a lot of situations… one sided-love, loving someone the society says you shouldn’t, loving someone for a long time and not saying it and so on, being in a relationship with no spark… and the letter (you know which one I am talking about) is like a big hug, for me and all the people who felt “why don’t you love me while I have so much to offer to you!” “what do they have which I don’t have ?” “how can I stop loving you, you who doesn’t deserve me”

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this drama really has a warm & cozy feel to it. It's definitely the type of show that you can sit under the covers with a cup of hot chocolate and just watch. From the beginning you will instantly sypmathize with Dan-i. I like how the drama show the audience how hard it can be for a middle-aged woman to be going back to the workplace. I had no idea how difficult that could be. story is sad and this drama really emphasizes how positive and of a woman she is after everything she's gone through. Even after all her hardships she never loses hope that things will turn out better.

I thought the relationship between eun-ho and Dan-i was cute. For people who like skinship and lovey dovey couple moments, you'll get a lot of that once they start dating but not too much to the point where it's cringy.

The whole childhood friend trope gets boring to me but I like the way this drama did it. It gave the main leads more of a connection to each other. I liked how dedicated eun-ho was to making sure Dan-i was happy and how he always put her first. he had always been looking out for her even during the years they grew apart and he stayed by her side throughout some of the most difficult times in her life. You really feel that he cared for her.

I actually really liked the supporting characters. I really enjoyed the banter and conversations between the coworkers at the publishing company( I love the whole theme of the book publishing company. It really shows you the work that goes into making and publishing a book. If you're a reader then you will probably enjoy watching the process :)) After a while, I found myself getting more invested supporting characters than the leads.

Overall I think this was a really good drama. To be honest I started getting bored the last few episodes but I stuck it out to the end however I definitely don't regret watching this. Definitely give this one a try. I give it a 8/10

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I think this drama tried to focus a lot on the publishing company, and didn't really focus that much on the main couple at all. Jong Suk and Na Young had some chemistry, they had a pretty cute relationship, but I really didn't believe how they came to date. I think they kind of tried to create a slow burn romance, but then hurried them being together. I think the plot was pretty boring to begin with, but it later on grew more interesting which surprised me, so it's a pretty good drama to watch while you eat. It's not exciting enough to keep you hooked, so if you want an okay drama to entertain you for a bit, I recommend it.

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We are beautiful books of all kind

I have finished this drama with a warm heart and my chest full of emotions turning inside.

First of all, it is very well written. Everything evolves slowly and coherently.
The actors, i just loved every one of them and character they played as it fit them properly i may say.
Their acting was amazing.
The music, oh, I loved every song I've heard and "shazamed" them to know about the beautiful voices behind them.

The book enviroment felt good. Indeed, I love books, reading novels and poetry and I write too. Seing people as books is a beautiful thought as we all bear our stories from birth to death.
I agree with Dan I when she says that when re reading her book she underlined sentences and discovered new ones and when Seo Jun says that the book does not change but the reader, it explains it all.

At different season of our life, it does not taste the same and more precisely when we start seing what only used to watch without aknowledging it.
I felt every bit of this drama and it makes re think about self and the life one lives.

Beautiful drama that shows the way to life fully, authentically no matter what. The path to writing a good book.
Romance is the bonus here indeed with all one goes trough and experiences, a beautiful romance that seems to be like an Albatros that cannot fly because of his to big wings but who finally discovers how to take of and how pleasant and beautiful it is and feels to fly with such powerful wings.

It's smooth, it's full, it's deep and it touches straight to heart genuinely. I felt in love with it.
Another lesson learned from it.

Thanks to eveybody in this drama.
Thanks for this beautiful realisation.
감사합니다!!!

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