I’ll admit this drama has its share of unlikely events and ridiculous plot points, but the core story is interesting and the characters are so likable (plus the music’s amazing) that I’m more tolerant of its shortcomings.

One of the overarching themes is the struggle of growing up and figuring out who you are as a person while dealing with others’ expectations of you. It shows the meaningful difference it can make to have people you can rely on in your life and how much harder things can be without that support. Another important recurring theme is learning to admit your mistakes and trying to make amends for them.

While the drama’s tone mostly avoids getting too dark, it does deal with the subject of bullying and illustrates the serious repercussions it can have. I hesitate to critique such a sensitive issue, but from a narrative standpoint I feel like they could’ve done a better job portraying its effects in the beginning. More specifically, I never felt like the female lead had reached the mental place required for the major turning point early on before it happened. Aside from that one exception, the subject is handled remarkably well.

Whatever gripes I may have with certain things, the entire cast did a great job and probably could’ve handled even more if the script had allowed it. Not only does every character seem engaging and believable, but the relationships between them are interesting to watch unfold. To highlight a few of the supporting ones, I like how comfortable Eun Byul (/Eun Bi living as her) and her two female friends are with each other and appreciate how they navigate rocky points in their friendship by generally trying to stay understanding of one another’s feelings. It’s also entertaining to see the antagonistic dynamic between the class delinquent and the second male lead, primarily because it comes across as strong annoyance rather than deep hatred. The main teacher’s relationship with his students is always a bright spot, as well.

Focusing more on the main cast, the actress for the twins probably had the toughest job of anyone since she had to portray two separate characters, but she pulled it off excellently and each one feels like an entirely different person. The male leads are both genuinely likable and adorable in their own way, and their actors effortlessly conveyed each character’s struggles and emotions. I also deeply appreciate how both male leads generally respect Eun Bi’s autonomy and don’t try to force her to choose them, which helps make her evolving bond with each of them one of the biggest strengths of the drama.

Among the supporting cast, the most memorable and impressive to me is Eun Byul’s mother. The actress was exceptional as a devoted mother and some of her scenes are especially poignant. The stubborn and scheming bully, on the other hand, is a fitting antagonist with a sobering arc. The class president also deserves mentioning, as he has some of the most compelling development of any character.

As for the music, every song is amazing and I’m pretty sure this was the first drama where I specifically looked up the soundtrack after finishing it. …And proceeded to listen to it on repeat for who-knows-how-long. Honestly, it’s still one of my favorite OSTs.

All in all, I actually really like this drama and have rewatched it several times. The entire cast is talented and the fantastic music is a cherry on top, and despite some dumb moments the overall story still holds up. It also ends on a strong note, devoting enough time to show how the myriad relationships and characters are fairing with things playing out in a mostly satisfying way. That said, I’ll admit that I considered dropping the drama about halfway through the first time I watched it because I was so exasperated with certain plot contrivances, but I decided to keep going and didn’t regret it. Now that I know what to expect, I just enjoy the ride whenever I rewatch it.