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Elvis Han is the only thing "Mr. and Mrs. Chen" has going for it. I like seeing how he outwits his opponents, and the initial scenes were intriguing but that's about it. The "romance" is also pretty meh. And you're spot on about the story being more about rival factions vying for the upper hand than it is a true espionage drama.

"Ripe Town" is on my list! The reviews on MDL seem pretty positive, so I'm hopeful it'll be a good whodunnit.

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Oct 26, 2023Liked by 40somethingahjumma

With the introduction of Lee Chung Ah’s character, I’m having a hard time accepting the makers rely on a jealous “other woman” angle to the story for the main leads to come together, coz that is not what My Dearest is. A catalyst to fuel the yearning. That has been the trend in Kdrama storytelling and I was expecting a certain novelty in this drama. I hope there’s more to her than meets the eye. Yet.

Greed, I feel, is a reason why Gu Won Mu can’t accept his wife’s truth, despite having known about the existence of a man in her life before marriage. Was his character analogous to a young Gil Chae’s who wanted the best of the lot? Did he pursue her since she was the prettiest (I do not think he has the brains to understand her wit) of them unmarried ladies? Nevertheless, I strongly feel he is just somebody who helps develop the arc in Gil Chae’s and Jang Hyun’s character development.

Also, it’s episode 14 and I’m still waiting for Jang Hyun’s past revelations. Does he have a connection with the royal family? Does he actually not know how to read and write? Or was he pretending to be known as an illiterate to not stand out amongst the crowd?

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I too am in eager anticipation of finding out who Jang-hyeon is. Every time there's a flashback related to him, I pose the question in my head.

It is true that the Manchu princess seems to be a bit of a tropey inclusion just to create that one more obstacle before the leads get their reprieve. Since there's another 6 episodes to go, it's possible she hasn't left the building yet.

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