1STORY
I Have A Lover felt more than just one drama, it felt like several dramas put together in the best way possible. The main concept of the show, even if it isn't very apparent at first, is Forgiveness! People will go around hurting you, is life worth spending trying to pay them back, or is it better to just let go? As someone who doesn't believe in forgiveness you can imagine how i felt when i realised what this show is about, but they managed to pull it off beautifully.
At the same time I Have A Lover, gave me the best, most intense and fucked up/twisted true love story i have ever watched in my life. The chemistry here is simply effortless and emotional beyond words, you can see the sparks around them while they look at each other, simply magical. The drama is worth watching because on screen chemistries like this one are hard to come by, almost impossible!
As i said IHAL brought several things to the table, the main premise is forgiveness but, separating the drama into parts, each part its own thing to present:
Part 1: Infidelity. The beginning of the show, the first 10 episodes, how can a marriage come apart at the seams, and at the same time the notion of how people react and get through tragedies, and how they expect the people around them to react. Get ready for some frustrating events the writting is realistic and brutal.
Part 2: Romance. Episodes 11-20. You will begin to grasp what the show is about here, whatever happened in the first 10 episodes, character-wise, will completely change, depicting how unpredictable human feelings are in the best and most natural way.
Part 3: Episodes 20-31. The story here stops being character driven ans becomes story driven. The focus shifts to the classic family-company drama that we all know. However it is dead-interesting even though it was the slowest part of the drama imo. The show tends to tell you things while the characters are unaware of them. Here the characters get to know them, and you just watch as they are shocked and try to cope with everything.
Part 4: Revenge and Forgiveness. Episodes 32-50. The pace gets accelerated from this point, especially the last 10 episodes were absolutely fabulous, and possibly the best of the show along with the first 10.
50 episodes and this drama never got dragged. It had a complex story, there are several backstories here, that help the story proceed. We have our everyone-wants-the-big-company classic sub story, evil characters, multiple love stories and love triangles and amazing well-rounded characters. It has illness, twin siblings, backstabbing friendships, constant turning tables between the leads, frenemies who scheme, revenge. I seriously have nothing bad to say, it was a wonderful ride, and i would have watched another 50 episodes seriously.
One thing that might set people off is the way the main love story gets told. We have a lot of set backs and back and forths. Yes, it is true, but the chemistry was so mesmerizing, so effortless, so real, that i didn't have any problem with it. I felt every moment of pain, every moment of backstepping, every moment of love and hatred. Best and most fucked up love story (possibly) ever!
ACTING
Standing Ovation for Ji Jin Hee and ESPECIALLY KIM HYUN JOO!
Kim Hyun Joo. The female Ji Sung of Kdramaland. She didn't pull off 2 characters, no. Her role felt like 4 characters if not more. I won't even mention that she has the BEST resting bitch face in kdramaland, i won't even mention that she ACED all her comedy scenes (her 2nd character is the main comedic character). But i will stand by the point that after episode 30 she is seriously giving the performance of her career, the way she manages to be BOTH a total raging bitch and a kind hearted girl at the same time was beyond me, she was leaving one personality and entering the other like it was nothing, in the same scene! She was amazing and flawless in every way and the show couldn't have worked without her. She WAS the show! I haven't seen any of her previous works, but i admired her a lot, and i doubt that she was ever better than here. I am looking forward to her next work!
Ji Jin Hee. His character was the easiest to hate BUT, his was so effortlessly expressing all his feelings through his eyes and facial expressions, that it was impossible for me to hate him. I kept rooting for him to be happy like my life was depending on it. Second best facial expressions in kdramaland after Kwon Sang Woo! He was luscious and sensuous, i loved his emotional scenes, he was indeed in love with her, i am not sure i have seen such *in love* eyes even in real life. Standing ovation for both of them. THEY MADE THE SHOW!
Lee Jyu Han. Obviously overshadowed by JJH, but it's ok, he standed on his feet completely, he was great i had no problems with his perforance, it was totally on point.
Park Han Byul. And we get to her. Her character was fundemental for the drama to continue. She wasn't bad, but we can only imagine what would have happened had a stronger actress given the role. During the midst of the show, she needed to express some hatred and her role needed her to be a bitch, but she couldn't, her acting felt mediocre like the least she needed to give to be acceptable. I think she would perfectly fit fluffy rom coms, this was too serious for her. If i wanted to be strict, the acting should have been a 9.5 as she just couldn't live up to her character's and role's expectations, but a 9.5 is a disgrace to JJH and KHJ's flawless performance as well as literally everyone's in the supporting cast. Thankfully in the last 15/20 episodes her role gets smaller almost insignificant and the rest of the actors do their thing.
At this point, the only thing i can do to praise the incredible and superb supporting cast is just write their names. Awards deserved!
Firstly, Baek Ji Won, why doesn't she get more roles? She was an amazing evil character and at the same time one of the funniest actors, she would fit comedy PERFECTLY, i am keeping an eye on her.
Gong Hyung Jin. He was the main evil character, and he pulled of his twisted role perfectly without becoming a stupid evil character with no soul. He was scary but funny when he was supposed to be. Overall, great!
Child actress, Kim Ha Yu. OMG how can a child actress be this good? Cuteness overload, amazing acting, effortless! My favourite kid actress!
Also, Na Young Hee, Dok Go Young Jae, everyone did a splendid job! Congratulations!
RECOMMEND/REWATCH
If the 50 episodes make you think and rethink before starting this, just start it already! I was afraid of the 50 episodes too, i ended up watching 40 in 1 week and then waiting anxiously for the rest of the show to be aired! You won't even realise as the episodes fly by, you will be sucked in instantly!
IHAL has something pretty much for everyone. If you like romance, this is totally for you. It has infidelity, it has revenge, it has constant backstabbing, scheming, blackmailing, plot twists, backstories, twin siblings, illnesses, identity swap. It has everything, literally it has everything, it is more than a drama, and it deserves to be watched!
50 episodes, and yes, i'd rewatch it, especially the first 10 episodes which were so shocking to me, completely filled with reality, shivering, chilling. And then the effortless heart-warming and simultaneously heart-breaking romance, and then the backstory, omg yes. This is an overall 10 show!
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Touching, moving, stirring, rousing, exciting: Makjang, yes. And Rom+/-Com. And more. Fabulous.
Truths just want to come out. Thus, sometimes they find quite miraculous ways."I Have a Lover" features Makjang. However, the KDrama also and above all offers an unusual love story over 50 episodes.
It also tells about the creeping drama of marriage after the 'point of no return', when secrets and/or feelings of guilt, disappointment and reproaches have long barricaded the couple's way to each other and marriage has become a stale shell or facade, with hardly any space for dear affection left. Eventually, with all those hidden emotions it becomes increasingly difficult to lovingly respond to each other. At last, it may seem impossible to pave a new way towards renewed trust, closeness and genuine intimacy.
Moreover, "I Have a Lover" tells about the trauma that couples as parents suffer from the loss of their child. This KDrama is about painful emotions not being shared, getting in the way of a trusting, loving, intimate relationship. In the most desperate moments the one you need the most seems the furthest away. Missing a comforting connection makes it even worse. Finally, the insincerity leads towards sadness, anger or even indifference and detachment regarding the hollow relationship.
Drawing human characters with their shadows and radiance, the KDrama tells of the whole range of emotions people have and share in intimate relationships. "I Have a Lover" portrays an extraordinary character development process. Will the couple thus be able to reconnect?
The side plots add to the sophisticatedly composed symphony of complex, conflicting emotional worlds. It's about pain and hope, disappointment and forgiveness, sincere love and betrayal, above all about romantic love, but beyond that about love in all possible facets. Family in its ambivalence as bonding and bondage, as an ambiguous place of trust and obligation, forms a creeping leitmotif that holds all the narrative strings together.
The scenarios effortlessly switch between different living environments. The focus is also on lawyers - those 'footmen' serving the elite big corporations and those 'upright' serving the little folks.
At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to follow an exhausting relationship between estranged spouses for 50 episodes. But it quickly became apparent that the story and its two perfectly harmonizing leads invite you to depart on a wonderfully refined emotional trek through the human emotional worlds.
"I Have a Lover" is touching, moving, stirring, rousing, exciting. It is Makjang, yes. It is Rom+/-Com, and more. Fabulous.
Ps:
The KDrama (despite the 50 episodes) suits for a rewatch, as many aspects and details might then become even more meaningful...
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The story centers around a ridiculously attractive couple played by Kim Hyun and Joo Ji Jin Hee. Their dysfunctional relationship ends up being the catalyst for infidelity, mistaken identity, family wars, business betrayals, and a lot of frustration (not a plausible plot at all, but still entertaining). Ji Jin Hee was great as Jin Eon (who I named "The Brat" because of his annoying tantrums), but Kim Hyun Joo was really unbelievable, and the MVP of this drama! I really thought of Hae Gang and Yong Gi as two completely different people. Even knowing that it was the same actress, I still felt like I was watching 2 completely different actresses who looked slightly similar. I started calling her "Orphan Black". Then there's Park Han Byul who played the young "homewrecker" who tests their relationship Seol Ri ( I started calling her "Young Ho" - inappropriate but befitting her character). I wanted to smack her in her head for most of the show, but that means she was really good. Then they added Lee Kyu Han as Baek Seok (who I named "Forever friendzoned"). Will he ever get the girl? I just watched him in "Can you hear my heart" and he is really the perfect second lead. I would totally friend zone a guy as cool as him, but I hope to see him as a lead (Does that drama exist?). In the first quarter, it's the dynamic between these four characters that drives the story, but this drama almost changed into a completely different drama several times before it ended. It's only the acting that really holds the whole story together.
I was really into the relationship story, then the show started to focus more on the corrupt family business, and that's when I started to slowly lose interest. Dok Go Young Jae, Baek Ji Won, and Gong Hyung Jin were great at playing characters you love to hate, but I just didn't care about that story line. Thankfully eye candy Lee Jae Yoon starts having a more prominent role (I called him Dr. Aspergers) and I started to wish that he, Kim Hyun Joo, and adorable Kim Ha Yoo had their own spinoff show. Soon I started to like them more than the main couple, who's antics became just too repetitive, but they weren't given enough scenes, and their story resolved way too early in the show. That's why, for the last few episodes, I was forcing myself to watch, because it seemed like a waste to drop it after committing so much time to it.
Would I rewatch this whole thing? No! I could definitely watch certain scenes again, strictly for the chemistry and attractiveness. The last few episodes felt almost like complete filler (so many flashbacks at the end), so watching those episodes even once was more than enough. I also didn't like the introduction of new characters at the last minute. It almost seemed like they had no idea how to resolve certain main character stories, so they just added random characters to make the audience feel better. I didn't feel better, I felt cheated.
What about the music? Ryu's "Years" is damn near impossible to get out of my head. That's probably because it was played so obnoxiously during every single tragically romantic moment. Once that drum intro started I knew Hae Gang and Jin Eon were about to have a "moment". It's a beautiful song, so having it as an earworm is forgivable. The rest of the soundtrack was good too, and I like how music played a part in reminding them about their daughter. Oh, and my confession about the Ryu song... yes I already downloaded it. The fact that i still wanted to listen to it after hearing it so many times during the 50 episodes, means I must like it a lot. I think I will play it while I finish writing this review, to set the mood *Cue drum intro*
Overall, This drama is good enough to recommend, but I definitely understand if people don't want to make the 50 episode commitment. I didn't feel that addicted feeling until about episode 10, and it didn't lose it's thrill until after episode 40. I'm personally not sold on watching dramas this long, but I have no regrets about watching. What this drama does really well is show the depths a relationship can go through, which I loved. This is a grown up love story that is sad, and sexy, and frustrating, and inspiring. I would recommend it, but suggest loading up on snacks, getting a super comfy spot, and not making any plans for a while.
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The ending was highly disappointing. The male lead is a selfish piece of trash that the female lead should have discarded a long time ago. Instead we are shown her forgetting what a cheating lowlife he is and falling into his arms again. I cant see their relationship lasting as he will never understand her the way the 2nd male lead does. He is always so self absorbed. All he cares about are his feelings, never mind that she too lost her child and is grieving in the only way she knows. In the end she becomes like all weak doormats who forgive their worthless spouses and go back into the same situation they had already left. A much better watch is the mega hit record breaking Korean drama TWOTM (The World Of The Married) and the Thai drama The Fierce Wife. First one gets a satisfactory revenge and 2nd one does the same but by becoming success in life and love without her ex.
I watched on YT so thank goodness i didnt have to drag myself through the whole 50 episodes. Lots of fast forwarding.
Not one I'd ever rewatch or recommend.
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Central to this story is a love quadrangle involving the lives of four people. Except for Baek Seok who is the penultimate goody two shoes who can do no wrong, the other three (Hae Gang, Jin Eon and Seol Ri) are flawed characters, all dealing with their own personal struggles. This love quadrangle is sure to take you on an emotional tailspin.
What made me stick around is the performance of Kim Hyun Joo. She’s the star of this show hands down. She’s such a great character actress, playing three entirely different characters in one show: the high and mighty, win at all cost Hae Gang, the amnesiac confident Mother Theresa Hae Gang, and her unsophisticated, simple-minded identical twin, Yong Gi. Her performance is breathtaking that one keeps forgetting she’s in these multiple roles. Her ability to emote a variety of emotions, love, sadness, anger, indifference through her facial expression and eyes is simply unbelievable,
The second reason I keep watching is the amazing on screen chemistry between Kim Hyun Joo and Ji Jin Hee. It is impossible to deny the effortless chemistry and deep sexual tension between Hae Gang and Jin Eon. The sparks just fly when the two are together. The eyes say it all making it so hard for me not to root for a reunion.
Running parallel to the love conflict is the saga of Hae Gang’s twin. In hiding to save herself and her child, she’s quirky, naive and almost comical. Mother and daughter find refuge in the unlikely brother of her enemy. This is a heartwarming part of the show. Kim Hyun Joo having conversations with herself in the two roles is nothing short of perfection. Throw in little Woo Joo. She’s got to be the cutest kid on k-ent. Sweet and endearing like no other, she’s unassumingly charming as Hae Gang’s niece and Yong Gi’s daughter.
And there’s always the trusty sidekick. Hyun Woo as Jin Eon’s best friend, confidante, matchmaker and errand boy, he gives us the candid humour and lighthearted moments.
Unlike other melodramas, the casting of the antagonists were a tad soft in my opinion. Jin Eon’s father doesn’t come across as evil or sinister. Min Tae Seok, the serial murderer is mild compared to other villains in kdramas. I thought the role of Seol Ri was appropriately cast. Park Han Byul is very credible as the beautiful and young seducer. She succeeded in making me hate her for most of the show.
For the most part the characters are all well written, multidimensional with many layers which make this show realistic and unconventional.
This is mainly a story about human relationships and the bonds between husband and wife, between brother and sister, between parent and child and between friends. The other storylines are secondary and only serve to complement the love quadrangle theme.
My only gripe is that at the end, the show tries to tie everything up too neatly for each of its leads which takes away some of the edge. Other than that it is an engaging show well worth my time.
The OST is excellent and very memorable. As for rewatch, not likely at 50 episodes.
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Oh boy.Rating this one is super difficult for me. I'm going to say this ends up about 7-7.5 STARS (for me). ⭐⭐⭐
If I could ignore the final two episodes all together or pretend they were tweaked to be written in a way that didn't absolutely destroy the last bit of like/respect I had for the Main Male Lead, then this rating would be at least 1 point higher.
The GOOD:
⭐The acting. I loved ever single actor/actress. They did such a wonderful job!
⭐The unique storyline. For "base" of the story, it was nice and enjoyable and fun to watch unfold.
⭐The mature look at romance and all the complicated feelings that comes with, dealing with tragedy, and living with guilt.
The NOT-SO-GOOD:
⭐50 episodes. This show ONLY became boring because the storyline was super super stretched out over 50 hours of episodes. This show would have been phenomenal at 24 episodes, 30 MAX!
⭐Because of the above (too many episodes) the great story began to wear thin quickly. After all, the plot was very specific, the bad guys were pointed out early. The things that needed to happen to "clear things up" also all happened within the first 26? episodes. After that, it was much of the same thing. Characters scheming ways to "stop" from getting caught and characters scheming to "make the bad guys pay" and also the hours and hours of angsty "I love you so much I'm willing to suffer in silence for you" plot point that was literally beaten to death in the show. Take out half of that and 10 hours worth of filming could have been trimmed. *shrugs*
⭐The twin sister. I wanted to love her. I didn't. I also didn't love her relationship with the Dr. because it was awkward in a weird and not cute way. I also HATED how they kept making a comparison of her to her "pretty" sister. -_-
⭐This one was blatant and annoying, but... We all know ALLL these characters were flawed, but our FML did not deserve HALF those slaps NOR half of her bowing her head and apologizing to people, ESPECIALLY to the girl who stole her husband. ICK.
⭐The FINAL & WORST to me was two-fold. I always rooted for her hubby to win her back, but by the final two episodes, I was actually unhappy with her going back to him. Why? (1) Because the 2nd male lead had to point out SO many times WHY the ML was being an asshat and HOW he was misinterpreting his WIFE. How he wasn't really "seeing" his wife's pain or heart. and THAT tells you, my friends, that her never REALLY knew his wife to begin with. Not like the 2nd male lead did within those 4 years. (2) In the 49th episode the male lead is an asshole. After all his talk of never letting go of her hand again and protecting her and loving her no matter... the first time she does something she NEEDS to do, he fucking drops her and is so petty as to not visit her for a year and treats her like literal dirt for the whole episode. I HATED the episode. I HATED how she basically just put up with it and it destroyed everything I had been rooting for for FORTY-EIGHT episodes ?The WORST OF THE WORST being that he KNEW WHY she didn't tell him. For. Him. For his familial relationships. For his heart. And he still... UNGH!
Anywho... I enjoyed it and even loved it for about 24 episodes. I trudged through the rest because the acting was so strong and I hate to quit, but those final two episodes were like a slap in the face EVEN WITH the "Happily Ever After".
(but don't get me started on their argument the morning after their reunion in the finale.) *gives nasty side-eye*
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Oh No!!
MAJOR SPOILER (Do Not Read If You Are Planning To Give This Drama A Try)______________________________________________________________________________________
Just finished watching this lengthy drama in this day and age, in year 2020. My first 50 episode drama, and hopefully, my last. I did not get the overall satisfactory enjoyment expected of this show and it has left me with an irked/irritated feeling over the story line and the script that went with it.
The female lead character was played by Kim Hyun Joo (Do Hae Gang) whom I have to confess, is a beautiful woman. The comfort of looking at her face was settling and I can see how her husband played by Ji Jin Hee (Choi Jin Eon) was so madly in love with her. Then comes the script where Hae Gang begins as an ambitious, cold, heartless woman, then the divorce, then to a fun caring person when she loses her memory, back to a spiteful, angry, revengeful woman full of resentment when she recovers her memory. Her mind and emotional games keep coming and going throughout the entire show using her beauty and the fact that she knows her ex-husband still loves her very much and is apologetic of his past affair. At times, she can be quite a tease. As a woman myself, even I am tired of watching this character. Drained the life out of me! As one of the other reviews wrote, I agree that the drama should have ended, clean and happy at Episode 24 or 25, instead of dragging us though the agony of 50 episodes.
However, the script of Jin Hee as the husband/ex-husband was relatively acceptable. If I had to live with such a cold, ambitious and heartless woman, it would not be hard for a man to walk into a pair of warm, caring arms. To have that peace of mind for even a little while would have been welcoming for his character. The sincerity of his love for his wife showed throughout the drama, holding on, believing his heart is with her until the very end, even though his ex-wife had him twirled around her finger, becoming hot and cold, caused by the "Joan-of-Arc" syndrome. So-called sacrificing her love to protect her husband, keep him from harm and hurt, which got the poor man even more confused, feeling guilty, lost and emotionally detached. Phew.... and he still loved her till the end.
For seasoned K-drama viewers, I do not think you will be interested to give this drama a try. No matter how good or bad the characters are, it is important that the story is believable and that we can accept the characters played out comfortably especially in melodramatic series or dramas. I took a few days off at episode 45 and had to continue to the end after that, so as I could do justice to my time committed to the entire drama.
I scored 8 for Acting as the actors played their part well to the point that I managed to get myself so frustrated. I think, even the lead actors had a laugh or two by the characters they had to play, especially the episode where Hae Gang invites her husband for a perfect evening, grocery shopping, promise of a 'together night', cooking for him and over dinner says she wants to 'break-up' again with him!
I scored an overall 4 as the drama was good to watch until Episode 24. After that all my eyelashes dropped off one by one till I could breathe again on the last episode which was finally acceptable. Honestly, Episode 50 should have completed the series as Episode 25. The the drama would have very good reviews with this arrangement.
Sorry everyone for the detailed spoiler. I feel a lot better and can move on. Cheers!
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My friends had been gushing about this drama and I was initially hesitant to watch it due to the numerous episodes. (Thought it would be dragging unlike the average 16-20 ep of other dramas).
I am definitely glad I watched this!!!! Best drama I've ever seen so far. I loved that the lead stars already had a relationship as they were husband and wife. I believe this makes the story show more depth. It's not the typical lovey-dovey relationship which can sometimes be non-sensical.
I will definitely re-watch this!
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Just give it a chance--worst case scenario, you'll drop the drama and move on
As a viewer watching this in 2021, I have to say I really liked this drama. It was addicting, and the story really picks up after episode 9, so if you don't like the turmoil and blood boiling in the initial 9 episodes, I'd say it's safe to skip around those episodes to get the background info, and then continue watching from episode 9.I personally found the main story entertaining, and it kept me around for all 50 episodes. I did skip some plotlines, but the main story with the main couple was a good watch. Prepare for a lot of cheesiness, and really good chemistry between the leads.
The music is really good, and I've already listened to some tracks from the OST. I liked the OST so much I ended up making a music video for the drama (lol); so I guess this shows I liked it enough to make a fanvid. Here's the link of you're curious, but there's spoilers so watch at your own risk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDLtu_rk8JA
Regarding rewatch value, I've already gone back to watch some scenes. The acting is well done by the main leads, and just going through the drama and watching their scenes will be worth it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Just disregard the reviews and give it a chance so you can judge the drama on your own. I almost didn't watch this due to the reviews, but I'm glad I did. I wanted to write this review so maybe those who are doubting whether to watch it will be able to decide for themselves.
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Superb
Superb good looking main couples, superb theme songs, superb lines, superb acting.I have watched this drama three times, about once a year, all instances starting from episode 10, as the beginning is too depressing and too painful for me to watch. But don't worry, they would replay the important bits later on.
The female lead is so stunning. And what a great actress. She plays a role of twins here, and it's hard pressed to tell the twins are played by the same person.
I love the character Baek. His character is so witty, kind and caring. He's the ultimate perfect second lead. Also male lead's best friend, he has all the funny lines too.
The male lead is very immature when it comes to romance. So immature that sometimes I feel like screaming, oh come on!!! His character has had a child so it's unbelievable that he acts like that . This leads to the main couple bickering at times, some are really childish. I let this pass because they have a really good chemistry with each other. They played as a couple in another drama before this, also after this drama they also played as husband and wife.
The background musics - love them so much!!!!
Cons:
1. The male lead's hobby is to stalk the female lead. I'm talking about big time stalking!
2. Male lead's dad, I find the actor playing him to be unconvincing.
But I will overlook those cons and still give this drama a 9 because I really enjoyed watching this drama every single time.
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You need to appreciate the people you love before it's too late
I watched this drama 2 years ago and it was exactly what I needed, now I'm rewatching my favorite couple's scenes.I know that many people were angry with the husband and liked the lawyer more but thank god it wasn't the case for me or else I wouldn't enjoyed this drama at all. The lawyer wasn't perfect either.
In real life, I would never forgive the husband or ever think of giving him another chance but I guess what was different here is Ji Jin Hee's acting, I could see the pain, regret and love for his wife just by looking to his eyes, he is a wonderful actor. Also Hae Gang did so many bad things while they were married, that doesn't mean that he can cheat on her, but he had the right to divorce her, they both were in too much pain that they didn't know how to handle. Anyway, I couldn't resist their chemistery, they are so good together. It was nice to watch even the evil couple of his sister and brother in law
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