Esther S

'The thought of being saved by a knight in shining armour is too far-fetched for me to believe. I'd rather write my own life's story.' A beautifully written & directed drama. Kang Dani (handled with tenderness and care by Lee Nayoung) is a remarkably strong, heartening, and tenacious protagonist —— someone who carries herself with grace and resilience in the face of a society and a workforce that judges and discourages her at every turn. Her story (filled with the highs and lows of facing bigotry, preconcieved notions, and the patriarchy) was such a refreshing female narrative to be seen told in a Korean drama, and the other interwoven stories of the supporting characters around her were dealt with through artful storytelling. Where the storytelling, pacing, directing, and character development of the drama was deftly handled, the drama's OST was a particular and unexpected hidden gem. The inclusion of a song by 'The Black Skirts' in an OST was something I thought I'd never get to see, but Romance is a Bonus Book proved me wrong in the most delightful way through the use of the song 'SOMEDAY'. I could go on & on for days with high praise for this really incredible drama (the best I've seen in a very long time), but that'd delay your actual watching of it!! In sum, this heartening, intelligent, sometimes heartbreaking, but all-in-all wonderful drama is highly recommended.