This show contrasts different family types. The family that never talks. The family that always fights. The family that’s warm and chatty. Of course, we are treated to the show challenging those stereotypes and pushing these characters outside of their boxes. I LOVE THAT. There is also consistency – Mr. Choi always gets talked over even when it comes to the considerate Sun Woo. Bo Ra is still mean to Taek even though as a rule everyone worships Taek.

All the families are in and out of each other’s homes all the time. They borrow each others stuff and shared each others food. Surprisingly, they are a close knit community with few dramas between them. The drama demonstrates how everyone loves in their own unique way – in true Asian style of more actions than words. I really appreciated all the family love in this drama. This story is so relateable from the family fights to the stereotypical treatment of certain personalities. There’s Jung Hwan’s older brother Jung Bong who fails exams after exams. Yet he knows lots of things and is useless, harmless and pathetic. Also, after seeing this, I think my parents are still stuck in the 80s.

I really disliked the flash forwards to present Duk Seon and her husband. He was mean and they weren’t sweet with each other. They were just annoying and antagonistic and it made me sad.

Of the five friends, Sun Woo is the nice one, Jung Hwan is the scary one, Duk Seon is the girl, Taek is the quiet one and Ryon Dong is the troublemaker. The five of them together are really so precious when the meaningful moments of life come along to test them. There’s a satisfaction that even though it looks like they hardly get along they are the five because they are the five. And they have a sense of identity and belonging with being together as friends. Also, I find it hilarious how they spend so much time reading together. It’s the equivalent of everyone being on their phones all the time. They are also really free to discuss the things that the adults try to avoid. They’re so direct when it comes to facing each individuals’ life circumstances. It was strange to me though how they could all get along in a group and have fun but when it came to one on one interactions it was very different.

As the show goes on you get to appreciate the dynamics and the relationships. I really came to love the mothers talk time and how they complained and compared their lives haha. Their personalities are so strong and honest.

“I’m fine with someone with no money, but I’m not fine with someone who’s no fun.”
“What about my husband then?”
“No thanks. You can keep him.”

The fathers are so different from each other. Taek’s father is the most normal. The other fathers are more caricatures. The show demonstrates how dysfunctional can be functional. While the women might complain about their men and vice versa, they feel that they can’t live without the others’ quirks.

“No matter how much better others’ things may seem, they all have their faults.”

Sun Woo
This guy is sooo nice. Nice to his mother, sister, friends, and everybody. My favourite thing about him is that he tells his friends that he is playing with his sister as a legit reason that he can’t accompany them somewhere or do something with them.

Duk Seon
This girl is pretty typical.

Bo Ra
Bo Ra is the sister from hell. It was funny how even the adults were scared of her. And she has no manners for anyone. As the show goes on she is really quite a funny character. She gives advice to the neighbourhood kids that is wise beyond her years.

Jung Hwan
Jung Hwan’s story had a big focus on his parents. He started off being a typical teen and being all self-focused. But he had to realise that he needed to give back emotionally to both his father and his mother in a different way. It was such a mature and family-oriented take, I loved it. He also is nice to his brother and never judges him and his lifestyle choices. He supports his brother’s varying interests.
One of my favourite things about Jung Hwan’s character is that he braves through the awkwardness to show his loved ones his affection for them. He’s definitely an action man over words but he’s not a Daddy Long Legs. He owns up to his love.

Taek

“You can mess with anyone else but not with our Taek. Taek is our block’s greatest treasure. We have to protect him.”

Come on guys, it’s Park Bo Gum. I still can’t get over how unreal his face is. He is so freakin’ pretty. Taek is a cute little fella who is only good at being a genius and nothing much else. He doesn’t talk much, do much, or think much. He struggles in everyday life so people are quick to take over and do things for him.

“If someone doesn’t take care of him, he’s a like a corpse in his room.”

He’s a big baby but he’s also got a bigger income than anyone so it’s a fun setup.
Because he is played by the ever enticing Park Bo Gum – he gets away with some behaviour that I would’ve found unacceptable and dull on another actor. Taek is often half asleep.

Jin Joo
I love this little actress! Her character is portrayed so well as the docile personality of a child who has grown up with too many adults in her life. She is dutifully friendly, easily entertained by herself through media, and passed from adult to adult but still has her favourites. I didn’t like her at all when she grows up.

Romance
The main thing about this show’s romance is that it is tinged with sadness. Either because there is unrequited love somewhere or because everyone is so hush hush about it.