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Why is Bad Love so bad?

I gave up watching KBS’s over-the-top melodrama Bad Love because from what I saw, it was horrible. And yet, part of me thinks it could’ve been a lot of fun to watch even despite — or because of — how ridiculously bad the series is. Alas I don’t have twenty hours to commit to unabashedly cheesy histrionics.

The viewers are also flagging for the Monday-Tuesday drama, which finds itself “unable to revive from its slump”; after its thirteenth episode, ratings are in the 7% range. What could be the reasons for its failure to catch on? A few possible reasons are offered up by Newsen:

First off, it’s behind the times:

Bad Love was planned with the ambitious goal to revive the languishing melodrama genre. The drama set sail aiming to become a new-generation melo, but has failed to capture viewer interest. …

The melodramas that swept the late ’90s and early 2000s have long since been on the downtrend. The “season” dramas [Autumn Love Story, Winter Sonata], quintessential melo series, ended in resounding failure and trampled pride with Summer Scent and Spring Waltz.

It’s because viewers have started becoming fed up with such tearjerkers. They aren’t entertained by these “Korean-style” melodramas with their obvious love triangles, or the lead characters with fatal diseases who die in the end.

It seems Bad Love has failed to captivate audiences because it has followed the footsteps and adopted the characteristics of these passé dramas.

Moreover, sources related to the broadcast station credit considerable audience distaste to the adulterous storylines used in the drama.

Secondly, the drama is unconvincing in its developments, and the characters are unable to convey emotion well:

Viewers by and large feel that Bad Love has lost believability. The four men and women’s lives connect and entangle in an excess of coincidences, and audiences find it difficult to focus on the story when its sense of reality is lost. …

They also point to the matter of the characters’ emotions. Kwon Sang Woo, Lee Yo Won and the other actors display their acting talents in strong performances, but that is insufficient to allow the viewers to connect with their characters’ emotions. The characters struggle, love, and break up, but some viewers still say, “It’s difficult to understand their actions.”

The article mentions that Bad Love was supposedly the dark horse, facing off against large-scale sageuk dramas like Yi San and King and I, but I think that point is overly generous — when you’ve got such outstanding flaws within the drama itself, you don’t really need to go looking at the competition for more reasons for its failure.

With only six more episodes remaining, Newsen wonders, “Will it be able to revive itself in its remaining episodes? Will Bad Love end up as Bad Ratings or Kind Ratings? The answers can only be given by the series itself.”

(I say: Don’t hold your breath.)

Via Newsen

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Bad Love OST – “중독” (addiction) [ zShare download ]

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can i just say..... that this comment....
belleza said-
ina: We can’t all be “Full House”.

IS THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE READ THIS YEAR.
I am STILL laughing! Well done!

oh yes - and your follow-up is priceless
belleza wrote:
I haven’t seen a love this powerful since Bobby and Whitney, Flavor Flav and New York. No couple has been more sorry to love each other than these starcrossed lovers!

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very disappointed wrote: "there is way way way too much running, even for a korean melodrama"
LOL!!! That was the same thing my husband said while watching his first and only kdrama (given to us by his friend's dad, who said he needed to know what he was getting into marrying a Korean woman). "Why is that woman ALWAYS RUNNING???"

I haven't bothered to watch this, even for the KSW & KSS eye-candy.

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I didn't realize my comment could be so funny.

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Well, to each his own... So far, I'm enjoying the drama. Plus with KSW there (who, incidentally, I miss so much! Hehehe =p) and KSS too... how can you pass up 2 cuties in 1 drama?! =D

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I love all type of Korean dramas and like many started with pieces like Autumn in my Heart but Lovers in Paris was my first one. I so don't mind melodramas but I realise the following during my watch with Bad Love....

1. It didn't matter if I didn't know what exactly they (they actors/actresses) were talking about (watched some on Veoh and You Tube) - because you sorta know what is happening and what they were talking about was like emmmm not important

2. It's story was rushed along....one minute thought about his chutsarang, next minute can fall for someone else - de? so fast one? Can someone switch loves so fast? (I think in this also someone (Thundie?) also remarked on THANK YOU being the same...but THANK YOU handled it much better someone and made it "believable" OR made it such that people could "forgive" that development and continue and accept the lovely drama that it was...

3. Using the FF button was such a foregone conclusion - antics of KSS's wife, all the accidental "meet" but "didn't meet" scenes aigooo!, and .....dear Kwon Sang Woos many many crying scenes...sighs...I pity the man, he must be one very exhausted fellow after every scene!

4. I can skip episodes intermittently and like didn't miss anything much and can guess what had actually happened in some episodes - and it didn't bother me one bit!

But despite all above, it did bring me back to my old fuzzy melancholic lovestruck feelngs of the old melodramas of yester-years that did swept me away much.. touched my heart so, especially Autumn in My Heart and even the very Cliched Stairway to Heaven....*shallow hoh* the OST, Major diseases, Amenesia and major 3 prong love triangles and all.... I think many amongst us had been swept away by Autumn in my Heart the classic (while crying out our eyes many times over!) but as I mentioned somewhere else, I don't mind watching Bad Love melodrama...but emmmmmmmm one a year would be enough! Don't make more in this genre KBS, one a year TOPS!...but by seeing how things are going (bad ratings) looks like one a year would not be even a reality in the future!..

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It's my 1st ksw series and i can understand why ppl say he's good and cute. He does look delish.

I havent watched all that many melodramas - i prefer the happy ones but i think i will stick thru this one. I can understand how others feel it is relying on a done to death formula. And i am hoping against hope injung and yonggi will be together in the end. but pls dun give me that iljuksa ending where the leads were " together " in death.

I am now at ep 7 where the hunky dory scenarios are falling apart - injung is gonna discover who yonggi's brother in law is and if i guess correctly, she'll just withdraw from yonggi without giving him the reason and break his heart. Maybe she'll die in the end (my mind keeps going back to the ep where she had a stomach ache or was it ulcers??) Sorry if i sound morose here, i am so hating this series. I look forward to it weekly yet at the same time don't want it to proceed because i know the upcoming eps will be heartbreaking (the title already gives a clue) Does anyone else feel like me ??

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You know, I don't mind melodrams. Ok, I admit it: I'm a sucker for them...but with a caveat. It has to have a good and strong storyline. Once again, we're faced with less-than-mediocre writing from the script writers and inane emotions used as "fillers" (remember "Air City"? I'm shuddering because I do.) This drama, like others, is melodrama without a soul. In other words, people are left wondering why they should care about any of these characters. Sure, they have it rough, but who doesn't? A tight and innovative storyline is what will make or break a drama and...wise casting choices (although in "Air City", that didn't help the muddled mess that was the drama. But enough about that). I didn't see ANY chemistry between LYW and KSW and the story was slow and weary (maybe I was supposed to watch it on a midnight dreary? [Poe] Sorry about that... ). And I have "miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep..." [Frost]

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I just started watching Bad Love after a long dry spell without any k-drama. I'm mostly watching it for KSW. I'm only on the first episode, don't know how "bad" it's going to get, but OMG, why is there so much SEX?! All this deep kissing in only episode 1? Where's the sweetness?

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i am at the episode 8 and i am still eagerly waiting for episode 9 to be available with subtitles online.

right to where i am watching now, i thought BAD LOVE was rather entertaining.
maybe because i thought Lee Yo Won is really pretty :)

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iz not that bad.....u juz have to understand the love b/w the casts....thiz iz deep...patience....

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I've watched up to episode 15 and its gotten interesting again. But I was hooked after the episode where KSW took his shirt off. Man, does he have a body on him!!

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I dont know I dont think its that bad but it just rips my heart apart I mean how bad can this woman's life get like seriously i wouldve commited suicide by now if I was her !! but i think that the story is good and no its not that bad its just heart aching and am still watching it and only hearing the ost depresses me :P

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iam a fan of kwon sang woo and lee yo won but i didn't really lyk d drama..

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its really a bad drama 4 me

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I dun get it...why is everybody slaying this drama??
The more I watch this drama, the more addictive it becomes =)
I simply adore Yonggi (aka Kwon Sang Woo!! Swoon!!) and Injung!!! Hope there's a happily ever after at the end of the show!!

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i suggest kwon sang woo try out another kind of film which don't require him to cry, run and fight. hey but what else can he do? it's hard, though...whatever, just stay away from melodramas, they're like so-yesterday!

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i've seen the finally uploaded ep 9..
and im saying , im still FOR this drama..
dono if it will get draggy or not later on..but right now, i still think the drama is okay.
not absolutely fantastic.
but worth your time.you can feel how depress InJung gets.i think the actress and actors did well. :)

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I think the drama is fabulous !!!! just the girl who playd not really emotionally attached with the characther but overall its a nice nice and very nice scene. Its nicely taken, good actors,good costume not tacky !!! not like a lot of other korean dramas!!!!
I think what newsen was saying was totally wrong!! I am a vry detailed person and of all the lorean dramas I wathced only 4 remain in my memories: wndless love, winter sonata, lovers in paris and queen of the game !! and the last and the best is BAD LOVE !!!!! So no one acab say bad thing about KSW and specially bad love cause I love love love love love love and love this drama !

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I seriously don't think anything wrong with this drama...i think it's been pretty good. i just wish they would end it already....it's been dragging too long...( got to watch to ep. 15 )...i will save my final judgement depending on the ending...hope it's at least happy...( highly likely...after all...how can something like this end happily? ) and honestly...KSW is definitely worth watching...who cares if it drags..sad..or whatever....I just enjoy watching him....so i give it a thumbs up....( hope they don't kill him off in the end...)

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i kinda find the movie fine and at the same time so overall its okay as lee yo won my fav. actress

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Totally agree with sptuen. On the dreadfulness of the storyline and to some extent, the acting. KSW really disappoint. The lady is unbelievably wooden. Bad love was really, really bad.

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a great site!

Bad love was BAD, I agree. Characters' psychology was far beyond reach for the audience. The female character who relentlessly sacrified herself and her own happiness for good of others is also becoming an unpopular banality in Korean dramas. Women viewers seem to prefer seeing strong, assertive women characters like Samsoon and Dalja.

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Can you believe that "Bad Love" won Drama of the Month in Facebook's "Korean Dramas Rock" group? I can't really wrap my mind around it. It irked me. I thought it was okay for the first two or three episodes, then I thought it was major shit from then on. There were too many coincidences to count. It's a good thing that I'm taking economics and learned about sunk costs, or I might've actually wasted over ten hours of my life finishing the series.

At least "Hong Gil Dong" won for March, although I've never really liked the idea of an unfinished drama winning a title as being a great drama.

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my husband was really excited when bad love was advertised on kbs. you see, we are what you call "regulars" of kbs. i was also excited because i am an avid fan of KSW but after watching several episodes, i got tired of it. its like, its ok even if you will not see the other episodes and still get what will happen next. i agree that most of the characters are entangled unbelievably. talk about coincidences... it's really SAYANG because the actors are really great but not effective. they don't have the chemistry shown by the leads of coffee prince. i remember one time when KSW was interviewed in Entertainment Weekly, he said something like his new series will revive the ratings of kbs... i wonder...

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i am still struggling to finish the series.
i dislike pretty much every character on the show. whenever there is a lame musical montage i fast forward.

the only reason i continue to watch is for kim sung soo. am i supposed to hate his character? he is the only one i can stand!!!

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I actually liked the first couple episodes but later on they went downhill, although I did manage to finish the entire series with tremendous efforts and lots of skip-forwards.

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okies, I actually managed to finish it all with ALOT of fast forward just reading the subtitles from episode 3 onwards. Reason? I was totally captured by Kim Sung Soo from episode 1 so I just finished it to watch him really! Watched bits and bits of him on Full House, Stained Glass before. He has matured so much since then and exudes all his manly charm in Bad Love. However nothing like him here! He was so drop dead gorgeous and his acting so convincing. My heart went ALL out to him and KSW just PALED in comparison to him in this show here. The drama started real good but went totally down the drain after the 1st 2 episode. The plot was soooo stupid and ridiculous after that. They should have found In Jung going back to Soo Hwan after some struggle like that. To me In Jung seemed like a senseless hard hearter b**tch whom despite knowing that Soo Hwan had to give up their relationship years back in order to save his mum from going to prison felt nothing at all and only cared abt her LOVE with Yong Gi. Tsk Tsk!

But yes, at least the soundtrack was good. My favorite was "Oh my love from MAC". It made me feels Soo Hwan's pain. Kim Sung Soo has me as a new fan :)

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i actually loved most of this drama:) although it was extremely sad, i still enjoyed it.

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2 reasons for me watching this bad drama... KSW & KSS! and they were THE ONLY reasons! the story line & the character developments were so bad i was cringing everytime i watch an episode!

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When I first heard about this drama of my fave K-actor KSW I couldn't wait to watch it but after a few episodes I lost interest as well! His acting was very good as well as the other actors but the storyline wasn't enough for me to pull one kleenex after another -- although I'm a melodrama lover I love those tearjerkers such as Winter Sonata, Spring Waltz, & other Kdramas with love triangle & all that -- those are my kind of dramas & like some people they get tired of it & I'm not one of them! Matter of fact, I wish Korean dramas would stay producing those type of dramas that you can emote with the characters. Lately, Kdramas are gearing more on comedy/romance type of thing & I hope they continue to produce more substantial storylines as they used to. I still love Kwon Sang Woo inspite of the Bad Love bad ratings!

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Bad Love was my first kdrama ever so i enjoyed it a lot. Well i followed KSW after watching My tutor friend, but actually got hooked after watching KSS from the first two episodes. Hes so good looking and i could feel the pain for the character he portrayed. KWS wasnt so bad himself either, i admired his crying and the greatest love he had for the girl. However, I find the girl really annoying with such lil expression and emotion. Maybe shes a good actress or what not, but her character annoyed the hell out of me! There were some draggy parts and i wish it could have been shorter than 20 episodes. I cried watching KSS at the end, so sad boo :( after what happend to KSS, the series was pretty much over for me. I suppose its a happy ending series; but honestly, it didnt really touch me seeing them together at last. All in all, i love this series because of the two hotties and i love the soundtracks so much because they're so saddd. My fav track was also Oh my love from MAC, it reminds me of Lee Soo Hwan (KSS) everytime i listen to it, puts a smile on my face :)

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I saw the first 2 chapter on cable in Singapore. I was hooked. I went online on a Bad Love marathon and finished watching it in 2 days.....sleeping only 4 hrs.
I guess the genre is well received outside Korea.
:)

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I liked it - i know there are many others who cannot stand it and I can understand why the ratings bombed. there was TOO MUCh melodrama.

One man's meat in this case predominantly women) meat is another man's poison, I suppose

One of the reasons I can think of why it won drama of the month on the Facebook poll is because it ended well. Many were expecting it to go the way of Autumn in my Heart, etc.

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After finishing all the episodes (well most of it, till ep 20), I have to say that the start got me pretty much hooked all the way till 13, when the female lead In Jung started to get very very annoying, and the relationship she had was fluctuating with her own emotions.

It started becoming "i like you, but we can't be together because I have no confidence" circumstances, and things get really annoying. It was totally depressing for the viewer, and I thought drama was supposed to get you to actually love the storyline and actors.

I really liked the show, but it got too depressing at the end till I had to fast forward the whole thing. Sad to hear it has bad ratings.

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We love the drama esp the 2 main actors - their acting are great!!
Thumps up for KSW and KSS. We will not giveup on you!!

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im watching on singapore's cable tv as well. just finished 12? or sumthing
hhaha i totally agree. omg i duno what are they doing hahaha.

but im watching for KSS!!! as well. hahaha
ive seen him in full house b4, but omg the 1st 2 episodes of bad love make me like KSS so much. xD

after he left the woman, everything seems so sian oredi.

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ehh... this was totally a lost drama...

i dont mind the adultry, i mean, just look at the wife.. plus the guy, KSS, is hot!!!

but i hated the fact that he, KSS, told her not to be with her new bf, KSW, because they will be in-laws and it cant be like that, etc etc... Boring... hahah... well, we know that he just said that coz he wanted her for himself, shame that he died early...

while many watch this drama coz of KSW, im wathcing it cos of KSS.. heee...

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are u kidding.
i love this drama

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I have watched many Asian dramas but this is my first Korean one and i love it!! well right now i'm on episode 4, but after 7 does it really go down. I hope not

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i gave up watching it coz the main lady character was too pitiful, she wouldnt fight back for pretty much anything she would just let stuff happen to her...its like sh didnt know how to take a stand always being swayed an all...anyway thats just my opinion...

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the story outline is really bad. I watched because of KSW but gave up cos this drama is really unbearable but the OST is great

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hahahha. i truly agree with this post. bad love is real bad. so bad that i couldnt bring myself to watch it again after the first episode. hahaha

this drama gets stuck in the old concept of "melodramatic" stuffs. maybe they want to bring back the old glory days of kdrama where all of the dramas are real tearjerkers with at least one of the characters end up dead from cancer (most popular is leukimia) or even lose his memories.

but people are already tired from all of those tears and they want some realities, at least one or two. and bad love definitely has no sense of reality in it. it's better if kwon sang woo finally gives up on the girl and leave her and lee yo won stops making such a fuss over an adultery! it's not like its the end of the world. and kim sung soo, in my opinion, is like a guy who's trying too hard in everything (he's like any second guy in kdrama who never ends up with "the girl")

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When i first heard about Bad Love I was so enthusiastic cause KSW is one of my favorite Korean actors, and I couldn't wait till I see it. I was very disappointed seeing the middle of the drama, if not for KSW I would've stopped watching then when I finished watching a friend asked me how was it & if it was worth buying the DVD, I said flatly, not this one even if you gave me the dvd, I'll decline! It's one of the worst Kdramas I've seen, I usually enjoy watching 99% of all the Kdramas I've seen but this one was a big disappointment! It's too bad cause I like Kwon Sang Woo very much! I didn't like the leading lady as well!

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wow...people actually didn't like it?!?!?
im seriously SHOCKED!
i WATCHED IT TWO TIMES ALREADY!!!
& IM GOING TO WATCH IT AGAIN!
ALSO I WAS LOOKING TO BUY IT ON DVD SO I CAN
PLAY IT EVERYDAYYYYY (^_^)
its my FAVORITE drama of all time!!!

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I liked it. It wasn't too sad, since you saw the death of the character coming about a mile off, and were glad when they stopped dragging along that storyline. But I hated the ending. I went through all this pain and suffering, and I don't even get a darn kiss? WTH!!!?! It was cheesy, but in a way that you could laugh at while enjoying it, not cringe and hate yourself for taking the time to watch it. I recommend it for people who started watching Kdramas after all the other melodramas went out of style.

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I'm also really really like it
even if i'm not LIKE melodrama like Autumn Tale (really booooring)
but KSW really good actor, he make me keep watching his dorama Bad Love ^__^

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oh my god !

this BAD LOVE movie is ... REALLY BAD !

The story line is boring

and the main actress is dull and ugly

KIM SUNG SOO is the only actor that I like

THIS MOVIE IS SO FUCK UP

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It's the first time I've watched KSW and he got a strong performance going on here. But.. the plot is really so passe. Newsen is right. I am on ep. 17 right now and will hang on just to enjoy the acting of KSW and Kim Sung Soo. Great actors, good acting depth. Too bad the plot can't contain it. Still, it does not harm to watch sexy actors with good acting hehe.

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i must be one of a many few that actually watched Bad Love and enjoyed it. I agree with many of you about it being behind its time and that the plot is not as strong as it should be but nevertheless it was good. Go KSW!! i like KSW and enjoy watching dramas with KSW in them. He is really the main reason why i had stayed and watched Bad Love to the end.

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Coincidence? too much? Excuse me 99% of the dramas are coincidences isn't it? U are watching " fiction" remember. I must defend the drama, it has its very good points, abt how true love can sacrifice and persevere, letting go, and how the family (KSS) come together when he is diagnosed with the illness. The 2 men are just fantastic, no doubt about it. They are the ones that save the plot, the other lady, Cha something is terrible, not that she acted her " nasty" role well, but just plain irritating, if not for her, I would def. say I gtruly enjoy the melo-drama, their superb acting is what stays with you and thei drama's OST are just fabulous. Go check out the instrumental version and KSW's " bathroom singing" so sincere...

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