Drama Digest
Seo Hee Soo expects to be loved by her partner and fill the growing emptiness relating to her traumatic experiences. She aspires to be a lyricist and often hangs out with her friends Jung Si Ho and Park Se Jin. Yet finding a guy is hard for her. She considers that the campus belles have it easy when it comes to dating. A set of uneventful situations lands her in her house filled with hurtful memories. There she finds a mysterious notebook. Later she discovers that it has the power to make anyone fall in love with her for a month. Hee Soo begins her thrilling journey to make her dreams come true. But things take an unusual toll when her wishes get fulfilled.
The Feel-Good Part
The drama blends Hee Soo’s overflowing cuteness and high hopes in every relationship with the pity factor when she surpasses any length to fall in love. Si Ho’s secret concerns and growing jealousies for Hee Soo offer some toe-curling moments.
The Disappointing Factor
The poster contradicts the story of the drama. It doesn’t carry enough meaning and is rather bubblicious compared to the plot.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama carries a realistic approach of a person helpless to fall in love thinking it might be the solution to everything. The cringe factor in portraying such a woman shows the dark reality behind the popularity. She is always trying to replace herself as someone she’s not and imitating the idea of campus ‘belle’. The effect of childhood on this matter structures her character well. As a child blamed, hurt, and rejected of the slightest love, she grows inexperienced and eager to love. However, Hee Soo gradually understands the nuances of being popular through each relationship. It ventures upon several toxic and hurtful parts of relationships that none deserves. But these make her realize that love based on popularity bears politics, mistrust, and atrocious identities. Popularity doesn’t limit to relentless gains but asks for heart-breaking sacrifices. One might lose oneself in that venture.
However, the presence of Si Ho is proof of hope. Structuring him as the knight in shining armor seems unnecessary. The growth of Hee Soo is her own but putting Si Ho beside her highlights the ‘necessity’ of a ‘protective’ shoulder to ensure that she’s okay. Hee Soo has her friend Se Jin whom she can easily rely. She’s not lonely. The concept that every long friendship with a male friend bears the idea of fruition of love is problematic. He could have appeared in one of those relationships or stayed as a trustworthy friend. But the idea that he is someone who longed for her, yet for whatever reason, repressed his feelings is a problematic normalization used commonly in mainstream dramas. It evokes this fantasy that most male friends are symbolic of knights who suffered unrequited love. Yet eventually, they end up with the female lead, so why put this friend tag only to bring them together?
Star Power
Han Ji Hyo portrayed Seo Hee Soo beautifully, capturing the shifts in her character to varying lengths. As her close friend and onesided lover Jung Si Ho, NCT’s Kim Do Young showed great attempts as a rookie. Kwon Ah Reum as Park Se Jin lighted up her character pretty well. The supporting cast showed enormous effort in the drama.
Overall Opinion
The poster might deceive that the drama is a light-hearted, cheerful rom-com. But it portrays different aspects of the relationship and the story of a heartbroken woman.
