Initially, I avoided this show because I thought it would be like Start-up. Fortunately, it turned out to be a funny fake identity/fake relationship show though it could do with a snazzier title.
Ha-ri
Kim Sejeong is excellent as Ha-ri, and Ha-ri is very likable as a wonderful daughter, friend and colleague. She is such a sunny and cheerful person, the perfect foil for Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyeo-seop) and his stuffiness. Sejeong brings out all her drama, maturity and loving heart, and she is especially impressive as the role-switching Ha-ri scaring off Young-seo’s (Seol In-ah) suitors! The humour tones down after Ha-ri stops pretending she is ‘Geum-hee’ but her emotions swing in from then.
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| 'Rachel and Samantha' 😂 |
Other than that, Ha-ri has such toxic friends. The girls look down on her and only treat her better when they are taken by how Tae-moo fawns on her. Min-woo (Song Won-seok) obviously likes Ha-ri so I don’t know why he is even dating Yoo-ra (Bae Woo-hee), who is worse than awful.
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| 'I am her boyfriend.' |
Worst of all, her best friend is Young-seo.
I think she is supposed to be cute but I just couldn’t like her and Seol In-ah cannot do cute or funny well. Young-seo is selfish, immature, impractical and what has she ever done for Ha-ri, really? Yet, Ha-ri and her family love her. She is such a user, making Ha-ri go for the blind dates on her behalf. The complications that arise are her fault and she should be the one apologising to Tae-moo’s granddad, her own father, Tae-moo and Ha-ri. Yet, she has the cheek to ask Tae-moo to apologise for sending Sung-hoon to inform her cousin he won’t turn up for their blind date?!
The worst part about her is cutting ties with her father just like that because he doesn’t approve of Sung-hoon. What an ingrate. Obviously, she is where she is because of whose daughter she is. How does she think she has enough money to start her own business? This girl is impossible.
In contrast, her cousin Yoo-jung (Seo Hye-won) is an absurdly comic character who made a far greater impression on me. The way she throws in English words here and there is priceless.
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| 'You know I have no chingu!' |
The guys
For a cold, awkward, serious grandson of ultra-rich granddad, Ahn Hyo-seop’s acting is alright. That screeching archaeopteryx icon coming out of Ha-ri’s phone whenever he sends a message or calls is funnier, though.
His granddad (Lee Deok-hwa!) is also alright and can be funny – addicted to the daily TV drama and using his facial mask!
Sung-hoon is a rather bland character so I don’t think Min-kyu had to work that hard to play him, and we forgive any plain acting on account of his dimples.
The relationships
While Ha-ri and Tae-moo gradually build a relationship, Young-seo and Sung-hoon ‘fall in love’ the first time they see each other, then fall into bed when they next run into each other, and before you know it, they are a couple! Relationships can grow out of practically any circumstances in dramaland, of course, but what kind of relationship is this? Yeong-seo doesn’t ever try to understand why Sung-hoon is not so expressive. With him, she is exactly as she is with Ha-ri – self-centred, childish and a user. Yet, he invests a whole fortune in her company and acts like her lackey! Their supposed-to-be funny scenes aren't funny. Also, why doesn’t he advise her wisely on her relationship with her father, since he gives Tae-moo such useful suggestions?
Well, obviously, not everyone thinks like I do as Min-kyu and In-ah also won the ‘best couple’ award. Sejeong and Hyo-seop worked a lot more in the show. They were funny, cute, sweet and solid as a couple, so it is a bit of a travesty that they share this couple award with the other two.
Love, Maybe
Also amusing to have Choi Byung-chan of Victon say he likes Melomance! (Victon has 'You Are Mine' in the OST)
On Byung-chan, finally gets more speaking lines as Ha-min but I wonder why he doesn’t go to college or work like Ha-ri and is just doing deliveries for the restaurant.
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| I'm excited to see Melomance too! |
I loved the Melomance concert scene and how it was a turning point, when Tae-moo discovers Ha-ri’s sadness and tries to comfort her, although he doesn’t know how to. Love, maybe.
Acting within acting
First, there is Ha-ri putting on her foxy persona at those blind dates. Then, she makes up a fake name for herself before she realises that ‘Geum-hee’ is too much of a known name! And then, there is fictitious Be strong, Geum-hee!, so funnily infused into the show as a melo-family drama that granddad and people at the Shin restaurant are following.
Show’s end
The messy last part of the show made it seem like the last couple of episodes were written by someone else altogether. It is annoying how Ha-ri is blamed for everything when it is obviously Yoo-ra’s plot to get her into trouble. Min-woo and Yoo-ra practically disappear after this without a meaningful apology. Why doesn’t Tae-moo, who proclaimed he would do everything he could to protect Ha-ri, protect her? Just make Min-woo and Yoo-ra admit the truth and the scandal would be resolved, no?
Then, Tae-moo and granddad also disappear and in their unnecessary year in the US, he inexplicably lightens up. Gone are his prim, serious suits – he suddenly wears a yellow shirt and when he returns, a lighter printed suit! What happened?! And why doesn’t granddad come back as well instead of giving his approval by proxy?
Ha-ri is superbly gracious to remain optimistic and kind to everyone, even after living through all this. Her delightful personality and Sejeong’s extraordinary acting give the show much of its enduring charm.
12 episodes, KBS
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