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Ex-Girlfriend Club: Series review

Romantic-comedy series Ex-Girlfriend Club just wrapped this weekend on tvN, and despite being dealt a disappointing cutback that shortened the show by four episodes, the drama went out in much the manner of its run: sweet, understated, and feel-good. This was never a drama where Big Things happened, focusing more on everyday interactions and relationships, peppered with some seriously gut-busting comedy.

The official reason for the cutdown was to “keep quality high” through the end of the show, though I don’t believe for a second that it wasn’t ratings-motivated. tvN has been getting trigger-happy with low-performing shows (stop that, tvN!), and unfortunately the only episode of Ex-Girlfriend Club to break the 1% mark was its premiere; it ended on a 0.778%.

So it’s a little odd to say I’m glad that the show got cut, which never makes anyone feel like a success, but twelve episodes does feel like the right length for this series. It enabled Ex-Girlfriend Club to remain mostly brisk and humorous, rather than introducing angst that felt sluggish or mopey. (Then again, I often feel like most sixteen-episode dramas should be twelve, and twenty-episode dramas should be sixteen. Basically, a lot of dramas would be better with their stories tightened up.) It’s unfortunate for the production because a cut always hurts—it’s essentially a vote of no-confidence—but narratively I can’t complain.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Seol-ah – “무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다” (The rose of Sharon has bloomed) from the Ex-Girlfriend Club OST [ Download ]

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So, the plot. The gist is straightforward: A movie producer learns that the production company she works for is on the brink of going under, and has to put all of her eggs into one last movie basket—which is based on a webtoon her ex wrote… about his ex-girlfriends. Now she has to deal with warring personalities, conflicting agendas, and having her ex back in her life while trying to keep the movie project afloat.

The longer version: KIM SU-JIN (Song Ji-hyo) works in a small, struggling indie film company that has seen better days. Her projects are serious and award-winning, but these days her staff has dwindled to three—then two, once her debt-saddled boss skips out, leaving the company on the verge of ruin.

The one project still in the pipeline is a webtoon-adapted rom-com. Su-jin initially protested because a romance is too light and fluffy for her taste, but when it becomes their last shot at saving the company, she goes after it, only to realize that the webtoon writer is her ex (sorta), BANG MYUNG-SOO (Byun Yo-han).

I say sorta because Su-jin soon discovers, in mortifying fashion, that while she’d harbored fond memories of Myung-soo as her ex, he never considered them dating. At first, she’s so happy to see him again that you wonder why they broke up; after hearing him call her “buddy” and “best friend,” her initial excitement makes her situation all the more embarrassing. Cue sympathy-shudders of horror.

It’s actually this one point that hooked me to the show, which took about three episodes for me to warm up to it. Before the girlfriends won me over, before the zany comedy kicked in, it was sympathy for Su-jin in this moment that kept me going, because I just had to see how Myung-soo would come around. I wouldn’t say I necessarily needed her to get revenge, but I felt such pity for Su-jin’s confused one-sided feelings that it fired me up to see if, and how, Myung-soo would earn his way into her heart, and therefore also mine. (Spoiler alert: He did.)

Add to that the chaos that erupts when each of Myung-soo’s exes reappears, equally opposed to the idea of having their past loves splashed onscreen for the public to watch. They’re a formidable bunch, strong independently but downright fearsome when you put them all together. In the webtoon they’re represented as animals—the cool Cat, ferocious Lion, sexy Fox—while Myung-soo is a cheetah that constantly gets mistaken for a dog, to his chagrin. (Nobody wants to be the dog of a love story.)

The human versions live up to their cartoon counterparts: First Love Ji-ah (Jang Ji-eun, Gu-am Heo Joon) is the Cat, a chic older woman who left Myung-soo to marry a rich man she didn’t love, now divorced and still carrying a torch. Lala (Ryu Hwa-young, Today’s Love) oozes sex appeal and is a third-rate actress doing bad ero-melo films, sly like her Fox persona. And Hwa-young (Lee Yoon-ji, King’s Family) is the high-powered careerwoman Lion, she of the scary personality and crazy eyes.

When they get together… well, let’s just say that all the hair-pulling and screaming in the drama’s teaser wasn’t a metaphor:

Not that their opposition isn’t understandable: It’s their pasts that’ll be played out for audiences, sometimes for comedy’s sake, and what seems funny in a cartoon could come off a lot more unflatteringly when played out in live-action. Even after they’re brought round to allowing the movie to go on, they each want a say in the development, demanding rewrites and adjustments to suit their preferences. At best, it’s a headache. At worst, it’s a K-drama.

But among Su-jin’s more admirable traits is the talent for bounce-back, and she puts aside her chagrin to focus on the goal in front of her: Make this movie happen, or else. She’s even able to brush past that I’m-not-an-ex-girlfriend awkwardness, allowing for her former camaraderie with Myung-soo to return, and we see how well-suited they were as best friends.

Su-jin proves to be tough without being your typical drama Candy (the annoyingly downtrodden kind), and optimistic without seeming stupidly naive. It’s a great character for Song Ji-hyo, who hasn’t always connected with her characters (or her leading men) but comes through here to produce a likable, endearing heroine. (It helps that she’s allowed to smile here. All the time, in fact. Why are dramas so reluctant to let its characters be happy?)

And despite the potential for aggravation with the hero—he is the main reason everyone’s up in arms, after all—Myung-soo is a genuinely decent person, a point that all three exes and Su-jin recognize repeatedly. It’s a little unexpected for Byun Yo-han to have gotten a leading man role so soon after his breakout (Misaeng), but I so pleased that he got the chance to carry a story; he brings a genuineness and good spirit to the character that could have been lost with a different actor.

There are, of course, more complications. Su-jin scores an investor for the movie, only to find that Hwa-young (Lion) works at the company and is their liaison for the project. Stickier still, Hwa-young’s about to be married to a bureau chief at her company, and is dead-set on making sure he never finds out that she’s the Lion (who admittedly does some nutty things, as depicted in the webtoon). That means they have to keep her status as an ex-girlfriend a secret from the fiancé, which would be a lot easier if his pick for film director weren’t (1) his best friend who’s out to protect him, and (2) incredibly fast on the uptake and quick to read between the lines.

This kicks us off into a steady stream of comedy gags, which are surprisingly and often laugh-out-loud funny. For Hwa-young’s sake, everyone concocts an explanation for their acquaintanceship that avoids the ex-girlfriend question, which somehow turns Su-jin and Myung-soo into a current couple. An interesting development arises when instead of the fake relationship sparking new, never-before-felt romantic feelings, it instead sheds new light on old circumstances, adding a tinge of poignant wistfulness to the farce.

That isn’t to say that DIRECTOR JO (Do Sang-woo, Legendary Witches) buys any of their act—to the contrary, his sharp, cynical eye pretty much guesses the true situation, though he humors the crew while working out the details, testing the lies at every turn. The ladies’ panicked shenanigans trying to convince Director Jo that their lies are true make for a constant reel of comic situations, which are played with manic energy by the actors and edited smartly to draw out the absurdity.

I’d say that Ex-Girlfriend Club has two primary points of success, and one is its comedic touch. Once we get past the initial setup, the drama isn’t particularly original, nor are the predicaments the characters find themselves in, but the episodes zoom by and deliver a dose of laughter. (I haven’t laughed this hard in a while, and the frantic energy of the acting reminds me of the shenanigans that fueled Marriage Not Dating. And there are a lot of shenanigans at play here.)

It doesn’t hurt that the cast has a pretty well-stocked arsenal of reaction shots and funny faces. I attribute a lot of the drama’s pull to the actors’ commitment—everyone is well-cast and well-performed, a rarity for dramaland.

The ex-girlfriends constantly find ways to show up unannounced, putting a perpetual crimp into the plans for our main pair. The pretexts are flimsy and we know it’s a plot device to gather everyone together, but the excuses are integrated into the plot well enough that they fit logically within the context of the story. For instance, if two ex-girlfriends are working toward a goal (say, preventing Myung-soo and Su-jin from doing something), a third ex-girlfriend pops her head in to do the contrary thing (say, calling in Myung-soo or Su-jin).

Always afoot, the exes insert themselves into gatherings at every turn, in general doing things that would make them pests if not for the fact that they’re cute and well-intentioned. I appreciate the drama’s approach to depicting the ladies as relatable women, so that even when they’re interfering, it’s not for malicious purposes. It makes them adorable complications rather than aggravating ones, which is a trade I’ll take any day.

The stakes aren’t particularly high, but the drama makes sure to remind us why the characters have to keep up the ruse: Hwa-young wants to get married without a fuss, her fiancé is their main investor, and if she can’t get married their own movie is at risk. A simple conflict, but it’s to the drama’s credit that these scenarios play out with good humor; some of these plot points are old hat, like the hero and heroine being forced to play a couple, but if I’m entertained at the hijinks that arise in between major developments, I don’t mind the familiarity of the story.

Better yet is the grudging friendship that springs up—between the three exes, and also between the exes and the current couple, Myung-soo and Su-jin. At first the exes are at each other’s throats, huffy that they’re lumped into the same group with each other. As the plot keeps throwing them together, they develop an understanding of each other that bridges the gap, even when they don’t want to admit it aloud. There’s nothing like being thrown into co-conspiracy to turn a reluctant truce into meaningful bonding, and when they suffer emotional setbacks, the ladies are there to offer up a place to cry, confide in, and in some cases, crash. You won’t get them to admit they like each other, but that comes across in their actions every time they fill in as friends.

I have to give a lot of credit to the drama’s director, PD Kwon Seok-jang, for finding the little moments that keep the show alive even when the plot, by all rights, was merely inching along—there are only so many steps you can cover between a film’s conception to production. But the show was never about the mechanics of the plot, and one look at PD Kwon’s resumé (Miss Korea, Golden Time, My Princess, Pasta) reminds us that his skill is in finding the human moments in everyday life.

It doesn’t hurt that this director has a direct line to the rock band Every Single Day, which has been heavily featured (sometimes music-directing) on his past shows. There’s just something distinctly moody about an Every Single Day song that stirs wistfulness in the heart, isn’t there? (I’ve also decided that Every Single Day should really not score more than a drama every year or two, lest that effect be dulled.)

There were flaws and gaps, of course, and the primary one that I’m glad I was able to get past was the emptiness of the opening. I don’t mean it was empty of plot, but I had difficult connecting with the story until the setup was well established, and I wonder if the drama wouldn’t have been able to maintain its initial 1% rating if it had found a way to inject that heart earlier, into the first episode or at least first week.

Also, the drama’s comic highlights are sometimes few and far between; when they hit, I found them knee-slappingly funny, but the show did sometimes feel like it was taking its sweet time getting to the point. I don’t mind the slower moments as a whole—there are lovely thoughtful moments that stretch languidly, and I wouldn’t give those up just to pack in more jokes—but I won’t deny that a teeny bit more plot would have been nice. These characters were endearing and a hoot when they were doing nothing but bicker with each other, but consider how much better it could’ve been if you’d given them more narrative lifting to do.

All in all, I’m satisfied with Ex-Girlfriend Club and pleased with a few things it left us with: I’m glad to see Song Ji-hyo being winning, for one, because I’ve always wanted to like her characters more than I’ve actually done. Byun Yo-han’s leading romantic turn may have been a mixed bag from a ratings/success standpoint, but I can’t think this show was a bad thing for his career—not when it let him be so cute and approachable and decent. I also loved to see a couple being healthy and supportive of each other, and how that didn’t preclude them from having conflicts and fights—but they found ways to resolve those points of tension with love and affection intact.

Mostly I’m happy to have gotten a drama that was, from start to finish, consistent and sweet, that had both humor and feeling. A drama that let its characters be nice people at heart, that depicted ex-girlfriends as women with more narrative value than just bitchy rivals, that showed the drama in life without sacrificing goodness.

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Love this drama...IT is funny & fun

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So cute. I've always liked Song Ji-hyo (even in bad movies like Codename: Jackal and least appreciated kdrama Emergency Couple) but I must say that her turn as Su-jin was more satisfying (because a lot of people appreciated her this time around).

I love Byun Yo-han and his exes especially Hwayoung (Lala) who is my new girl crush.

Thanks for the review. This show is worth recommending for rom-com lovers like me.

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have you watched my secret hotel? it's a really good rom com

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My favorite part of this drama was not the loveline, even though Myung Soo Jin was adorable, but every time the three ex-girlfriends hung out together. They were such a riot. Reluctant friends, yet they grew to care about each other. An added bonus was when all seven of them hung out together. That made for some great comedy, especially before Young Jae found out and Jo Geun kept threatening to out their secret. Ra Ra was hands-down my favorite character. I loved her, and by extension, I love Ryu Hwa Young. I hope this role propels Hwa Young's acting career because she was fan-frickin-tastic here.

I'm disappointed we never got to watch their movie. Not that it was guaranteed we would even get to watch their movie if "Ex-Girlfriend Club" wasn't cut short, but I was so looking forward to all of them walking the red carpet at the movie premiere and the exes criticizing the actresses playing themselves on the big screen, but most of all, their movie hitting it BIG. I want to see Soo Jin's company making money out the wazoo and laughing in the faces of the people who thought they would fail. Plus the bear! I want to see Myung Soo's next webtoon be just as successful with producers knocking down his door to produce it, which he all rejects because he only collaborates with his girlfriend.

I really loved Soo Jin's conversation with Jo Geun where she brazenly asked him if he liked her and he denied it. It was so sad not only because he was lying but also because everything came full circle. When she said, "I'm so embarrassed. This isn't the first time I've misunderstood someone liking me," us viewers knew just like she didn't misunderstand last time when Myung Soo really did like her, she didn't misunderstand this time neither as Jo Geun really likes her, too.

I loved the superior-subordinate relationship between Hwa Young and Young Jae. At first, I was really surprised how she could be his boss when he (his family) owns the company, but that was explained when Jo Geun said Young Jae's father demoted him to an ordinary employee. I'm happy they reconciled.

Thanks, javabeans, for the review!

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So do what I feel watching them! But, I dont know if any of beanies ever watched John Tucker Must Die, but it has the same storyline forsho. That movie was gold btw, and the part of the movie I love the most is the ending, where the main actress wasn't end up w/ JohnTuck, but end up w/ friendship bond she grew with the 3-exes. I hope it will be the same for this drama tho :))

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awww your comment said all I want to say.

the 3 ex-gf scene also my favorite, and rara too.
even though I didn't like her make-up but her face expresion was priceless!
I love when she's the only one who support sujin-myungsoo when the other 2 tried to separate them.

and myungsoo, how can you not love them? his 1000 megawatt smile >.<

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you said it all. Rara is hands down my favorite too!

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loved this drama to death! just finished watching it, to find a series review on dramabeans :)

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Yay. Thanks for the review. :) This drama is just adorbs. I liked Ji Hyo here more than in EC or it's just her character I didn't like much. AND, more of Byun Yo Han pls. K-Ent should look for more gems like him. I also loved the fact that the actor who played the director is kinda buddies with Yo Han already. :)

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Really? It showed. Especially in the fight scene in ep. 11. You can tell that they were finding it hysterical!

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I mean in real life, they're good friends based from Yo Han's recent IG posts.

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Did anyone else totally think Byun Yo-Han started laughing in the middle of the ep 11 fight? He stifles it really well, but those two were cracking each other up.

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I couldn't get past the 1st week. The 1st two eps killed it for me. They were insulting, to the 4 girls and to Ji Hyo's char in how they were made to behave. It took away their dignity as grown women. If the opening wasn't like that, maybe they could have kept up the 1% rating.
I also couldn't forgive them for taking a very pretty girl, Lee Yoonji, and uglify her by giving her a horrid hairdo.

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I was wondering about the hairdo too, but it may have been shaped to mane of a lion. No matter the reason, it looked horrid.

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I had the opposite reaction. I thought it was a cool throwback to the flapper hairstyles of the 1920s; and thought she wore it well.

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Same here. Actually I feel a bit ashamed about ignoring this show because I never really gave it a fair shake. A somewhat boring premier plus Producers and Warm and Cozy starting the week after did me in.

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Ahhh... Give it a Chance! ^_~

This is the Kind of Drama you have to stick to after premier week. I assure you after episode 3 you will change your tune, it will become a Delight, Laugh out loud Funny and the characters will start making sense.

It has a "Marriage Not Dating" vibe with characters that are relatable humans dealing with everyday life choices and awkward situations.

For me personally it was a treat, short but sweet.
I would recommend this for any one looking to watch a Down to Earth Rom-Com with strong female leads, LOL comedy and a Breezy Plot line.

P.S. (1+ Extra Point for the Music in this Drama, is Catchy, Original and Superb)

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+1! I also found it hard to get interested for the first couple of episodes, but it really grew on me after their "fake couple" act started redefining their "friendship".

There weren't a lot of ost songs, but they infused such energy into the show - and so true about the Marriage Not Dating vibes!

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Yeah, if your heart doesn't melt in the flashback during the fake couple moment-- when they tell the moment of their first kiss-- I don't know what will.

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@emi My absolute favorite part of the whole series! It was just so...mm...real? Not just what kdrama people would do, but actual, living people. Myung-soo lingering at that restaurant door - that hurt so good. Another nice moment was Soo-jin´s flashback, when Myung-soo gave her a piggy-back in the rain. For me, this drama worked best at delivering the wistful what-ifs, and considering that the PD was responsible for Miss Korea, then no wonder.

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Oh yesss on the music!!! I love how it makes funny moments turn into complete hilarity.

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Thank goodness there's a series review from DB coz I've been wanting to know what's your take on the drama.

Like what you said, it's textbook recipe which if it was tightened up a bit, would be even more satisfying. I started this drama on pure instinct and low expectation. I know nothing of the drama except for Song JiHyo and Lee YoonJi and I have never seen Byun Yohan...and let us all bask in the fact that there's another gem to drool over with cute face and awesome acting..and of course Do SangWoo! lol

The drama altogether had provided its viewers with laughter and warmth. It has less manic or makjang or twisted characters; HwaYoung may be the crazy lion, but she's also the reliable and capable person who is able to stir your heart. Each character is warm and likeable and I love Soo Jin's silent strength. She is the epicentre of the story-how she brought this about because it all correlated to MyeongSoo..she defies the ex-GFs just because she's more subtle and silent but explodes when provoked lol! Myeong Soo..is of course,the centre of all his ex-GFs who is decent,nice and cute.

I love how the drama wires them all together. When MyeongSoo and SooJin comes together, they are formidable, loveable and just plain sweet as honey together. I am however, sad that they couldn't squeeze in more flashback scene for the last episode. It wouldn't hurt if we get to see puppy MyeongSoo first saw SooJin and follows her around all day before finally knocking on her window to hitch for a ride to the movies. JiHyo was amazing and YoHan is awesome, the trio ex-GFs were great and basically, no character left a bitter taste in my mouth..maybe SooJin's sis..keke

This drama solidify JiHyo as my girl crush with YoHan as my new actor bias whom I will follow from now on. I will also keep out for Ryu HwaYoung and Do SangWoo's future works because they were awesome in this drama too.

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This was such a sweet drama from start to finish. With a couple whose natural affection for each other was never more apparent. I swear, I've never seen a couple in kdramaland who smiled so much! Whose daily interactions were just laid back, hanging out and having fun. Song Ji Hyo and Byun Yo Han make a really cute couple.

There were no bad guys in this drama, just people. I liked how conflicts between the best buddies were resolved realistically. And everyone ended up as friends in the end. By the end of the series, I found myself rooting for the second lead. I shipped him hard with Soojin in spite of the fact that I love Myeong Soo so much.

The actors appeared to be having a lot of fun on set. If you looked hard enough, even when they wore deadpan expressions they were secretly laughing.

Objectively speaking, I liked this drama much better than Plus Nine Boys, another slice of life drama, which tvN allowed its full run, though it cut this one short. I wonder why that drama appealed more to the local audience, whilst it appears that the International community preferred this drama.

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Me too! I love Myung soo to the bits and I ship him with Sujin, but that ship gets unstable whenever I see Jo Gun. Sometimes I just wish there was another Sujin to give to Jo Gun.

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Oh, I know, right? Poor lanky Puppy Jo!

What I miss most about the 4 cut eps is that they would have had a chance to explore his loveline a bit more, instead of a few moments in the park. Better luck next drama - fingers crossed that he'll eventually get the girl!

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I love this drama. But I agree 12 episodes does feel like the right length for this series. So I was fine when they were planning to cut it off, because I think they were going to keep the quality and gave us something great for the closing. But I dont know, I just dont feel like there's something special for the last couple of episodes. So, I really dont know how to feel wkwk anyway, it was a fun journey. So, It's fine with me.

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I don't know, but this drama had - something. That pull, that spark that made me wanting more.

I was upset it got cut to 12, but I'm content with the ending.

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Totally agree with your comment!

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Me too. Though, I'd have to say I've come to terms with the ending.

If I had to trade off a lack of traditional plot in this drama for the presence of an annoying or contrived one *ahem... Gatsby...ahem*; or one that doesn't have the courage to be different *grumph...Producers* I'll take this one.

There was just somethin' so very likable about it.

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I loved this drama too. It was great laugh-out-loud funny and it made me really love byung yo han because he was so cute. I still like jihyo more from running man than the characters she portrays but this was really a lot better than her previous works. I thought I would hate the exgirlfriends but their meddling was more comedic than harmful. All in all this drama really came as a whole for me with everybody's character in full flesh and I really loved it.

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Ahh, I'm so glad you decided to do a recap on this series! Thank you so much (:

Though this drama wasn't my favorite, it was enjoyable nevertheless; most of the time, the hour flew by quickly.

I loved the interactions between the ex-girlfriends. There were so many conflicts initially and it was nice to see the gradual friendship developing between the four. I only wish we got more of a storyline from Lala and Hwa-young respective relationships with Myung-soo.

Despite this, I absolutely love Song Ji-hyo here. She plays the character well. :) And Byun Yo-han! So lovable and adorable, I loved the petty fights he got into with his roommate and Director Jo.

Overall, the plot was lacking and a bit redundant, but I thoroughly enjoyed this drama and its hilarious moments and heartwarming scenes. Going to miss this!

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I had a feeling you'd do a series review for this, so I waited before I watched. And I guess I'm sold out! :)

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Thanks for the review Javabeans!

I am not a fan of Song Ji Hyo, nor particularly liked her character, the love story was okay at best but I'm glad I stuck to it because I loved, loved, loved the ex-girlfriends. The drama definitely finished a lot better than it started. They were annoying at the beginning but very soon won me over. I don't remember how many times I rewound and watched that scene where they scrambled to hide in the couple's bedroom and how much I laughed when one of the ex-girlfriends asked Su Jin "What are you hiding for? This is your room!" or when Myung Soo peeked under the quilt to find the fiance of the guy that's standing at the door in his bed! Love your screencaps of this scene Javabeans (those three under the bed! Haha) as well as all those faces. Also the scene where the guys were rolling on the living room floor fighting and biting.

I also loved their reluctant bonding (this from someone skeptic that such a concept could work after reading the initial synopsis), how Ji Ah's restaurant become the gathering place or brooding place when you are down, how alliances formed and reformed. And SPOILER*** that ending of the ex-girlfriends and Myung Soo working as extras in the movie (Driving the director crazy, ha!) and Su Jin introducing the ex-girlfriends to her sister as her friends was just perfect.

I found Byun Yo Han's character somewhat irritating in Misaeng but he won me over here.

The girlfriends were a hoot and it's worth to watch just for them if for nothing else. Ji Ah the Cat was very elegant and pretty, Ra Ra the Fox and Hwa Young the Lion were hilarious. I have a fondness for Ra Ra now, I'd like to see her in more things.

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Thank you so much for the review, Javabeans! I'm glad you gave us a series review of Ex-Girlfriend Club. I felt you'd like it, too!

Hurray for Ji Hyo, she's great in this romcom! The ex-girlfriends were all awesome in their own ways. I laughed a lot and smiled a lot. I love this show! I am hoping for more romcoms that are light, sweet and funny. :)

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I really enjoyed this drama and when I heard it was getting cut down I was really upset. But in the end I think everything worked out for the best and the show kept its lightheartedness all the way till the end.

The best part of the drama for me was Director Jo. I was just drawn to his character and by the end I just wanted him to be happy. I really loved him and I want to see Do Sang-Woo in more dramas.

Lee Yoon-Ji was also amazing, I have loved her since I saw her in The King2Hearts. There is just something about her that is just fabulous and I think she did a great job with her character in this.

Overall I enjoyed the drama, it made me laugh and I just felt good watching it.

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I’m still stewing about the cut, because screw plot, I’d take 4 more episodes of Myung-soo and Soo-jin just being ridiculously adorable together and nothing else. What am I to do now without my babies? :(((

This was such a lovely lovely drama that focused more on the things that really matter in life like relationships and friendships (and Myungsoojin couple, no matter how fictional they are) than most plots and twists and shocking revelations any drama could muster. It was beautifully understated and very much grounded in reality that it’s a terrible shame the majority could not see its appeal. The music choices were genius, the acting was strong across-the-board, and the directing had a deft hand in switching between tones and beautifully and tastefully lingering on important emotional beats.

Nevertheless, I’m still happy that despite the cut, the drama still ended strongly and organically (however it may felt rushed on some very minor points) and the characters I wholeheartedly loved all got their happy endings in the end, completely scored by that infectious happy song that initially sucked me in. Looking at the bright side, I now have a new bias in the form of Byun Yo-han, and a good 12 episodes of heart and fun to instantly pick me up when I’m feeling down.

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*joins you in the Byun Yo-han fanclub*

I was intrigued by him. He made MyeongSoo his and his antiques were just loveable. I mean, each time he demanded for an encouragement and SooJin adamant on teasing him.. Like what you said, the drama focused on what is important in life eventually, relationship that would pull you through the hardship of life and I am just so glad that MyeongSooJin found their way to each other eventually.

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Count me in...

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Did anybody know the title of the song played in episode7 when Myungsoo draw 'bear'?

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It was "Dreamlike" by Vodka Rain
youtu.be/FUV5ygcinTE

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Do you know a site where I can buy it. It's not on iTunes and can't find it via google...

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Here's a download link of the whole album of Vodka Rain which also contains Dreamlike. Chanced upon the link when i was looking for the song. Their album's good.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ryz9jzej8sazxxb/20101109vdkhrnfyntq.rar

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Thanks!

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You can buy it on itunes tho... I bought it there

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Are you in the U.S.? I searched for it and didn't get any hits. Maybe iTunes doesn't license it here? Weird.

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Maybe it's only available in Asia. I'm Malaysian, I bought that song last week...

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Not that one.. I already know that song. It's the other song. When Myungsoo wander around and taking photos at episode7. They use that song a lot in last episode too...

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OST4? Every Single Day by Waltz For You… But song in episode7 and song in last episode are two different songs. I'm searching for that episode7 song too!

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I can't believe this series has ended! 12 episodes seemed to have flown by, but I am glad everything was wrapped up so nicely! I was disappointed that the series was shortened at first, but after watching the last episode, I believe cutting it down was a good idea...although I wouldn't have minded more Soo Jin and Myung Soo! Oh my goodness! They were just the most ADORABLE pair EVER! They are one of the most natural and comfortable onscreen couple I have ever seen! I loved their interactions so much! A lot of their scenes seemed so natural and carefree and there was just a happy and cheerful aura every time those two were together! They looked good together and worked well with each other. Needless to say, their chemistry was explosive! <3333

I loved all the characters because they had unique personalities and everyone portrayed their characters just perfectly! There wasn't a character I hated, which was very refreshing. Although I may have gotten annoyed at some parts, it wasn't enough to hate any certain character. I loved Ra Ra! She was such a sass ball! Hope to see her in more projects! Hwa Young was perfect in her role! I think it'll be a while before I can get rid of her crazy eyes in my head. Lol. Director Jo was such a jerk sometimes, but he was witty and determined and I loved that about him! His bromance with Myung Soo was also beautiful! ^__^

I was so happy to see regular people working regular jobs and going through the struggles that most of all go through on a daily basis. This drama was so relateable and the problems/solutions were so realistic---which made the drama so easy to relate to.

I'm so glad everyone got along with each other at the end. It was so nice to see them all sitting and eating together. I loved how everyone just came together and became friends. Especially the three ex-gfs! They went from hair pulling to besties. I absolutely loved it when Soo Jin referred to them (the ex-gfs) as chingos at the end as well!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. It had excitement, fun, humor and most of all, heart! I will definitely miss it!

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I agree..MyeongSooJin might as well be my favorite couple..they didn't make me cry with their sappy love story, but they makes me want to actually have that kind of relationship-being in love with the person who knows you and love you best..I just love their interaction onscreen, their banter, their worries and their desire to defy all odds to be together..

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You said it perfectly! Loved them to pieces! :D

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Well said both of you!

The thing I liked about how Director Jo was played, is that the character could be a jerk but he never became off-putting. And in the end I was rooting for his happiness too.

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And the fact he backed off so honorably was the tip of the icing..He contained it really well and after episodes of being a jerk, he is actually a nice guy after all..I'm so glad that he 'expressed' his love to SooJin but still lets her go and maintains their ongoing work relationship professionally.

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This drama is super cute!! Yes it's really light fare, but I agree, it's not about smart plot or an intriguing mystery, it's really just about people being people. Ji Hyo has such a sweet smile, she just looks so PRETTY. Very suitable for her character.

I wonder what part of the story was cut off for them to have 12 episodes only.

And I'm so glad the actors seemed to be having fun! I saw a BTS of the filming of the teaser and they were having so much fun running across the stage set multiple times! It looked tiring but they were laughing so much and I think Ji Hyo actually did yank out some of Yo Han's hair. hahaha..

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This drama is like a warm pumpkin soups in a rainy days - nice, warm, and relaxing.

Agree with your reviews, javabeans :) the plot story itself isn't the storng point, however the other production value is.

Every cast in this drama is on point, that I enjoyed every scene of it. Big plus also, all of them is a decent people with flaw and their chemistry with each other is superb. I love their conversation and expression so much, I never fast forward which is a rare thing for me in drama-land nowdays.

The soundtrack is on point and the drama looks pretty. Their costume also suits the character well... I have no complaints at all for this drama. This will become my feels-good drama for a loooong time, I think.

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Thanks for giving this drama its due! I'll admit that all the hair-pulling/fighting kind of got old for me, but I enjoyed all the characters and the conflicts they brought to the table. I even like Soo-jin's sister and brother-in-law, and found them adorable together.

Plus, like everyone has said, the leads were winning, and all the cute kissing towards the end definitely didn't hurt! In the end, I guess I didn't really mind the episode cut, even though I didn't understand it (way worse dramas have made it through their entire run). I'm just glad we got to bypass all the cliche angst, and went off on a feel-good note. I'll miss these characters, but look forward to seeing the actors in their next roles.

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Ahhh, I'm so happy that you did a series review for this drama! I loved it a lot. I agree the most with what you said at the end - that what is so great about this drama, and what probably drove you to blog about it is how consistently sweet it was and how it portrayed all of its characters as very human and relatable. There were no moments where I wanted to pick up my computer and throw it across the room.

I think this consistent goodness from a drama is partially to the script's and the director's credits, but I think also from the basic setup about old friends who secretly liked each other but were too afraid to ever do anything more about it. This drama reminds me so much of 9 End 2 Outs and also the love-line between Se-young and Jin-gu from Plus Nine Boys (ha, I like how they both have 9 in their titles). These were both also about old friends who end up being together in the end. When the setup is like this, it just seems so natural to have the focus be on character development rather than on un-relatable 3rd party-ers. Anyway, that's just my take.

Such a sweet, sweet drama. I'm so glad you gave it some space here on DB. :)

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Byun Yo Han is soo cute here...arrgghhh...

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I love, love, love this drama. The beautiful friendship among the exes and of course between soo jin and myeong soo is such a delight to watch.
When the movie was certain to be in ruins, I cried with soo jin and when myeong soo loses the right to his own webtoon but still trying to console soo jin, I want that kind of bestfriend/boyfriend.
And yes, the music is lovely too, also loving soo jin's everyday casual style. I forgot that she's song ji hyo and he's byun yo han, there were only soo jin and myeong soo.
I wish rara and jo gun got more offers coming their way after this drama.

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i guess, im the only one who doesnt like the storyline of this drama. just not my cup of tea. i gave it a try, two or three episodes, but then couldnt handle it anymore. the comedy wasnt my style and even the acting of the actors were nice to see, but i stopped becuz of the storyline.

but im glad you made this article, so i could see, which part i missed the 'point'.. thank you :)

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I really enjoyed EGC. I became attached to every one of the main cast (the main pair, the ex GFs, the second guy and, kind of, his best bud). Like many others I got into the show for Song Jihyo, and also for Lee Yoonji. I still find her acting a little awkward when she acts sweet and vulnerable parts, but very natural with all other emotions.
Do Sangwoo made me cheer the (movie) Director on throughout the series. And him with his best bud made for some sweet eye candy when they were together, though unfortunately the best bud's motivations regressed into that of a little boy later on.
First time seeing Jang Jieun (cat) anywhere, and how pretty is she??? Played her role well, too, having made me love and hate her character as I did. I wonder why she hasn't been in more projects?
Lee Yoonji (lion) is always spot-on, and I'm always amazed at how well she plays her roles so no surprise there. What surprised me was Hwayoung's (fox) performance, since her fame so far has come from scandals and it's not like she was impressive as an entertainer either, so while I never disliked her, she never came across as particularly talented or anything. But she played the hell out of Rara. She /was/ Rara. I'm looking forward to her new roles so she can show us if she's versatile, too!
I've grown so attached with these secondary characters (Director and ex-girlfriends) that I would watch the hell out of spin-offs that show each of their lives play out with them as the main characters. I know it's impossible, but a girl can dream!

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The positives are many, but so are the negatives, chief among them being the forced togetherness of women who, really, would have spent exactly zero tine together if each had her druthers. At least initially.

If that is the plot, then we have a cause for what feels were artificial and zany - i.e., let's throw indirect competitors on the predator food chain together and see what happens when they float in and out of using korean honorifics. Hey I laughed a lot but like a sugar bomb cereal, the high lasted only til mid morning.

Then you throw in completely unbelievable characters that acted like tools for no reason. Just... nobody would act like that. That is what made this drama a debbie downer for me. I needed antagonists and what I got were directionless characters that had no reason to act in the way that they acted except.... they were in a kdrama? If that is the reason, then shame on the genre for forcing ridiculous extremes in fathomless behavior - the chaebol director with an axe to grind and forced into villiany, the asshole never take no for an answer second lead. If this were a sharper drama, I would have laffed at the intended targets (the viewers), but this drama was much too innocent for that.

So there it is. What killed this drama was the lack of a sustainable conflict. And no fan service either - what does Myung Soo's movie as a finished product look like? Nope, can't tell you... nobody knows.

This had some of the funniest moments Ive watched in a long time but one cannot live on sugar cereal alone.

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It's possible we might have seen more of the finished movie if the series hadn't been cut. It wasn't planned to be 12 episodes. The third act is usually when K-dramas get more serious, and most of the third act is missing.

I didn't feel like the exes were predators. Just women like me who couldn't help having opinions about the new woman in their ex-boyfriend's life. Even when we know it's none of our business, it's hard not to have an opinion or compare yourself to the new girl. And director Jo didn't look like a villain to me, just a guy with a crush.

The actions in this series were always exaggerated and played for laughs, but the emotions were straight out of my life. I could remember times I've given up too easy like Myeong-Soo, or fallen for a friend like Soo-Jin, or walked away from a crush for the right reasons, like Jo Geun. For me the pleasure was in seeing characters I could relate to, which is rare in a K-drama.

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I absolutely agree with all your comments! I found myself comparing my everyday interactions with the characters in EGC because they hit so close to home. <3

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But wasn't it essentially a comedy of manners about dating?

Artificial plotting? Check.
Stylized characters? Check.
Reliance on banter? Check.
Epigrammatic scenes? Check.
Plot subordinate to atmosphere, dialogue and commentary? Check.

The only departure I see is that the humor was warm rather than satirical.

Just curious, if you looked at this drama as though it was a comedy of manners would your opinion change at all? Or do you think the genre doesn't fit?

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I just had a hunch JB will have this thread.
This drama sometimes gave me feel of 'Soulmate' (could be music), which I loved. And Byun Yo-han was such a cutie pie. The best part for me was when all guys and girls hang out together (friendship) bickering each other and stuff. Of course MyungSoo and Director's petty fight was just joy to watch~~

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Love, love, love. This will be my new rainy day drama--the charm of the show and the chemistry between the cast will be hard to beat.

It has flaws, i know. But (please allow me to tweak one of the show's memorable lines, hee hee): My love for the show won over those flaws.

My sole this-could've-been-epic gripe?

If they *SPOILER ALERT* showed actual flashbacks of Myungsoo following her that afternoon! :)

Imagine the possibilities... My heart would've melted (even more) right on the spot. But I guess we can't have it all--especially when we're 4 episodes short.

Despite the cut, I still want to thank Dramagods for this wonderful, wonderful show that made me a happy camper for 6 consecutive Fridays and Saturdays (and javabeans for the equally wonderful series review).

*goes back to lurking*

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Yes!! Nice twist at the very end, about who fell in love with whom first!

I also would've liked to see more of the actual moment when Myung Soo first saw and fell in love with Soo Jin - especially as the show was based on the premise that they were just "good friends,nothing more."

I guess he wasn't kidding about stalking her with 300 text msgs a day!

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Exactly! :)

Will forever wonder how that fateful film fest unfolded from Myungsoo's perspective...

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True...my only one issue with the ending..coz when SooJin answered that she fell in love with him the moment he knocked on his window(the moment that we know she had liked him since then) I was sure there he couldn't beat her to that, but when he confessed that he had follow her around all afternoon..gosh I melted.. those sincere eyes when he said that and SooJin's realization was..just perfect..

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Hello javabeans! this is my first time commenting here. and my reason to comment is particularly bcs of this drama.

Thank you for your nice and fair review. i couldn't agree more with every single thing that u said about this series.

Personally, I think, the first 4 episodes has a great storyline. I anticipated many things very much...until the cut-off news broke. I'm kinda frustrated and stop my anticipation already. Just enjoy the show purely because I always love Song Ji Hyo (she's my ultimate bias. im her crazy fan-girl), I love to see how Myeong Soo is confident and firm with his feeling to Soo Jin, their sweetness and cuteness, and to see Director Jo's fate.

Quoting your statement - "(Then again, I often feel like most sixteen-episode dramas should be twelve, and twenty-episode dramas should be sixteen. Basically, a lot of dramas would be better with their stories tightened up.)" - I wish everyone would have same thinking like us.

Overall, in my POV, the series ended well and beautiful, even we can feel some minor fast forward scenario. It just would be nice if they can have show us how Myeong Soo has been following Soo Jin around the whole day before asking her a ride, how Director Jo started to have feeling for Soo Jin - is it bcs of her award-winning documentary or any other story behind it, and i wish we could see 'future' of the movie & Myeong Soo next webtoon. but still, the series wrapped nicely.

Every single actor in the drama is doing really great. They are so natural in portraying their character. Because this drama is not that typical chaebol-man-who-loves-poor-girl story. It's a commoner everyday story. That's why i dont see major awkward-acting. Song Ji Hyo & Byun Yo Han are 100% OTP of the year (can they just date in real life??). All the 3-exes are crazy, funny & lovely at the same time. Director Jo is one of my favorite 2nd male lead, Head Director Young Jae is a nice man, Soo Jin's sister & Jin Bae ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST! haha! They're annoying and crazy, but their appearance spice up the drama to it's best.
Songs that featured here also well matched with every scenario. I now listened to 'Dreamlike' and 'Waltz For You' everyday!

Good job EGC team! Fighting!!

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Hi...it's my 1st ever comment in this forum (even though I've read Soooo many things here)...this time I finally decided to chip in because I just love EGC drama a lot and I 100% agree with your comment :) all of it..ananyaz...reading your comment just like reading my mind out...hahahhaha

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Ah, so nice to read this review! I am very glad someone had the idea of making this drama, even if they didn't actually complete the thought as far as the script. It was still cute, but towards the end, they were making things up as they went along. That cookie scene? Did you spot the actors cracking up? I know they just gave them the cookies and said, "Action!"

Imagine if instead of the stupid set-up with the bad pres, they would just have STARTED in panic mode and in debt. It could have been a phone call where they said good-bye to their money. Maybe the audience would have stayed.

Yes, BYH. All the time. Doing anything.
I loved the actress who played Rara, and her age surprised me. I thought she was 27 playing someone who was pretending to be younger. She's a '93-er! I cannot wait until her next show, too.

Very glad to see a SJH I liked. Remember Fujitive of Joseon? Same actress? How is that possible? She and BYH seemed to be having so much fun, too. 12 eps was perfect for the story. I will have to satisfy myself with BTS to see more of them, though.

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omg, wonderful! Thanks so much!

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Thanks jb for allowing me to rave/vent about this show!!

The show kept its quirky tone until the end - I liked the little touches like Soo Jin and Myung Soo's frustration that the people around them kept insisting they looked like great buddies and couldn't see their potential as a strong romantic couple! (btw, did the bossy, annoying sister and her hen-pecked husband remind anyone of an Austen novel?)

Everyone laid it on the line and wasn't afraid to lose their dignity or show their vulnerability - for me, this is where Song Ji Hyo and Byun Yo Han truly excelled.

Got a shock when I realised Ep 12 was the finale - it was a deja vu Surplus Princess feeling, and they could've have explored the Ex-Girlfriends' Club concept a bit more, but ... they had such cute couple moments that I can't really ask for any more.

Ultimately, even though Myung Soo threw some fits of petty jealousy, I agree that he's a really decent guy, and that's what allowed this unlikely group of exes and "some" kinda relationships to develop into friendships (okay, even though it does stretch the imagination - how many people end up chaperoning or match-making for your ex?) I can actually see Director Jo and Ji Ah and La La remaining friends!

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Thanks for a great and rather succinct review JB! You mentioned in your 'About' that you try to be brief, but I feel you got it just right. :)

It was a light and enjoyable show with characters that really did start to grate on me in the beginning and made me stop watching for a while, but when I decided to continue, I found myself shouting with laughter. I like how the characters, although they had to be played a little overboard with their hilarious expressions, became sympathetic and more real and lovable.

The last episode I felt, seemed to run out of story but it meandered to a close with one of the sweetest, most honest romances, with Song Ji Hyo being most natural and 'ffffff' and with one of the 'darling-est' of boyfriends I've come across in kdramas. He was not afraid to say what he felt about his girlfriend working with his rival, and yet he was finally willing to trust her and let her continue doing what she loved. And best of all he was not shy about asking for lots of kisses or making the cutest, kissy lip faces!!!

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" I also loved to see a couple being healthy and supportive of each other, and how that didn’t preclude them from having conflicts and fights—but they found ways to resolve those points of tension with love and affection intact."
That's it. This is one of the stronger points that made me love the show, and is the reason why I decided to drop Warm and Cozy. Lately I've been having zero patience to root for couples with dysfunctional relationships when the author are writing them to be romantic and swoony, when they are nothing but. I can't deal anymore with rude jerks around dramaland that can be sometimes sweet and caring, which should make it okay but it doesn't. So yeah, it was really refreshing to see the romance in Ex-girlfriend Club unfold.

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Agreed!

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I'm so glad you commented on this series, JB! I do agree that shorter is often better, but if they were going to make a 12-episode series, they should have done so from the beginning. I enjoyed the final episodes, but I'll always be curious what we lost when most of the third act was axed and we skipped to the denouement.

In May, when I got bored watching Producer and Warm and Cozy, this was the show I continued watching. For two reasons: 1) I could relate to these characters more than most, and 2) at the end of episode 2, that revelation from Myeong-Soo forces us to rethink and re-examine all the couple's interactions in the first episodes. Suddenly MS looks less cute, and more like a player. But also, the feeling of heavy emotion in the air when they meet again doesn't entirely make sense. What are they not telling us?

Then, each subsequent week provides a little more info about the past, giving a new shading to the "friendship" three years ago. The complicated emotions in episode 1 start to make sense. At the end of week 2 and week 3, I had to rethink what happened, using the new info. Why were SJ and MS only friends three years ago? Why didn't they go out? One week it looks like Myeong-Soo's fault, another week like Soo-Jin's fault.

The sudden change in episode count was accompanied by the disappearance of this narrative device. We don't get another game-changing piece of info until the last 30 seconds of the series. But it's a doozy. And it makes it perhaps even more poignant that they didn't go out three years ago.

Perhaps the series never meant to tell us any more about the past. But in the original series, I'd like to think we would have at least learned why Soo-Jin's sister hates Myeong-Soo. The sister and brother-in-law started out as an interesting contrast to the other relationships in the series, but then they kind of disappeared. We'll never know if that's because of careless script-writing or the episode cut.

I appreciated Marriage, not Dating, but didn't get really into it, and I didn't much enjoy Song Ji-Hyo's character in Emergency Couple--even though both shows offered some smart commentary about how romance happens in the twenty-first century. Exes Club kept up this commentary but by telling the story without any chaebols, by keeping the emotions very familiar and everyday, it put a refreshing spin on the old question about whether men and women can be friends. Turns out for this couple, even when they thought they were friends, they were also something more, depending on how you tell the story.

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Your post reminds me of why I like Dramabeans.

In addition to the insightful recaps and reviews, there are so many interesting and well thought out perspectives here in the comments section. Well done Odessa.

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I love your comment. Yes, it struck and stuck with me even today, it gave me an impact stronger than Marriage Not Dating, maybe because of the organic, natural feelings it all felt-let it be between friends, foes, colleagues or just your other half. It compelled me so much that I am actually out of my shell to comment on DB.. I barely do this to my ultimate bias drama haha

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I really liked this drama at first but then it got a little repetitive and boring so I'm kind of happy they cut it.

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This was the summer drama I've been waiting and hoping for!! Ever since Marriage Not Dating went away, I've been yearning for something so light and fresh. (For me, this summer's drama selection has been lacking the cute and easy series.) The Girl Who Sees Smells almost took me there but not close enough. Ex-Girlfriend's Club is the prototype for a summer romance drama and made me appreciate tvN so much more for it. While I would have loved a few more episodes, I'm very grateful for the reduction. I don't think my heart could have handled seeing these characters go through turmoil and angst. It just wouldn't have suited any of them so I think it was really for the best.

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I'm glad i give it try to watch this show even first week it kinda a bit slow. But i continue to watch because i really like the leads. Agree with JB this drama give a sweet and good feeling that we rarely see on big 3.
Never really like Jihyo character before but she play Soojin very well and make her character endearing. What can i say about Byun Yohan, he always excellent at execution. Good actor indeed.
What i like about this show that all actor play well their character and make me care each of them. The story line is simple-ordinary people who going through their everyday life. The things i like the most is cinematography and OST is absolutely outstanding. It gives good feeling like remembering those sweet old memories. I don't know about this, but most of tvn drama give same vibe everytime I watch j-drama. Maybe because the story about slice of life which is most j-drama plot centered with it. Overall this is solid drama with secure most of the factors that should had on a drama -storyline, acting-wise, directing and ost. Definitely one of the best k-drama this year, at least for me.

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I enjoyed reading the comments on this post.

I LOVE this drama. Tbh, I watched this for SJH and BYH but the whole cast won me over.

What is great about EGC is that for once we don't get a "Candy" and a Chaebol couple. They are not opposites. We were introduced to a really relatable couple who does real couple things minus the overdramatic fights and dialogues. We got to watch a couple who doesn't get tired of smiling and having fun.

The exes are also very good. It's the egos of the exes which made me laugh real hard. One unforgettable conversation was when they were talking about the standards of Myeong Soo's "next" girlfriend because that is something real people (who share a past with someone) talk about.

Thanks for this review JB and I hope that a lot of people will watch this refreshing drama.

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Oh! And one more thing. The indie OSTs for this drama were AWESOME! I've seldom enjoyed OSTs more. Anyone know where I can find a list of the tracks played for this drama?

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Ditto. And where you can buy them...

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I'm looking for a list as well, but in case you didn't know, the first couple of eps use Belle & Sebastian-- tracks from the album The Life Pursuit. I'm a big B & S fan.

https://youtu.be/vlHbKTYyM-I

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Just finished watching! I was actually happy that they cut this drama into 12 episodes. Honestly, there's not much plot so it was good that they didn't stretch it. Ji Hyo is really funny while she's in Running Man but I never felt for her characters from her previous works. I wasn't expecting much from this drama but it gave me so many things. Finally, I loved a character played by Ji Hyo! Byun Yo han is just awesome. And the exes are wonderful! If I didn't know Hwayoung from before, i would never think she's an idol. She's really good. I really hated Director Jo's actor when he played GHJ's ex in IOIL but I love him here~~

Well, one drama down. Excited for Oh My Ghostess! Thank you for the review, javabeans!

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I love this drama!!! Mostly because of the girls! I LOLed so hard every time they're together! I only knew Song Jihyo and Lee Eunji!! and I love them to bits!!! It is so fun to the other 2 girls interact with them. goah they were a hoot! though these 4 girls were mostly the reason I love this series as much I do, the romance part was also cute to watch. heheh. Nice job over all!!!

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Such a shame this drama wasn't watched in Korea. Makes you wonder sometimes what kind of taste people have because it was delightful. Fun, great comic acting from everyone. Great chemistry between everyone. Just a light fun show with a darling personality.

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Finally the drama ends, oh so sad! I purposely delayed watching the last 2 finals shows coz i just don't want this to end. And plus because of the episode cut, I just get unsettled watching and wondering, was that the way the character supposed to behave, or did they make him/her do that just to suit the shortened story? I hate, hate, hate episode cut!
I started this because of Song Ji Hyo (running man foreveer!), but I can't stop laughing since episode one and get hooked bad. Somehow, the vibe of this show reminds me of Friends, I mean, Myung Soo can be Chandler, Joey & Ross rolled into one :D All the characters has great chemistry with each other. Amidst a bunch of hilarious moments, there are some amazingly poignant moments too.
Am glad the show ends well, but wistful of the missing 4 episodes, wondering whether they will explore more about the ex-gf stories and of course Rara & Gun-ie Oppa...

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Oh I'm glad so many love this drama than I thought. Personally I wasn't impressed by the first 2 episodes...but by episode 3 I was hooked. I'm glad I started late and had 10 episodes to watch when I did. But it did damper my enthusiasm when they cut it short. Although I do admit I'm not a fan of angst. Gawd knows how many dramas I've dropped because of the angst. So if shorter means skipping the angst, I'm kinda glad. Really love every character here. And nice to have a rom com with no villains. Not every love story has to have a villain! This is a love story that is understated and sweet. A great rainy day pick me up kind of story. Definitely something I would rewatch with no fear of being aggravated by angst lol.

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I never knew many people loved this drama. :) I agree with a few others saying this has the same feels of Marriage Not Dating and it's actually the main reason why I got hooked on this drama. Myeong Soo and Gi Tae were such boyfriend goals. Although I'm dissapointed with tvN cutting their shows, I have to give them the credit for their quirky romcoms which I do not see much in big 3.

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Thanks for the review! My love may fade with time, but while it was airing, I probably would have said it was my favorite show...ever? Idk why it hit me - maybe for all the reasons you and all the lovely comments mention. It was zany and light, but also felt real and heartfelt. It's the first show I've ever watched twice while it's still airing - once without subtitles, just because they were so cute even when I could only understand a fraction of it - and again with Eng.
It was the first drama that SJH seemed natural in, and BYH absolutely killed it. They made a great combo. And I can't remember the last time I walked away from a drama sincerely liking all the characters.
Twelve eps was probably right for this, and it wouldn't bother me if I weren't sad for the cast and production, particularly for BYH in his first leading role. I'll be looking forward to whatever he does next.

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Same here and I even watch the episode again from the start while it was still airing-from different sites so that I don't get myself mixed up with the different subtitles.

My love for this drama is still strong-it will take a long time till MyeongSooJin fades for me..or even the other characters,they're all genuine people who aren't malicious, just snarky and vulnerable when poked but comforts you because they are just so funny.

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This drama was so good. And I csn only imagine hw much better it would've been had it really gone the whole 16 eps. But life is life, gotta geg passed that. The last 2 eps were as fun as the first 8. It remained itself til the end despite the cut. Each character got into my heart and that's really a feat in kdramaland. Gonna miss this nw that its over. Hopefully I can see the cast elsewhere? Who knows? This one made it to one of the top dramas for the year, tho I hav to take the cut into consideration.
But I won't stay down for long. This is the kdrama industry ofc. There'll always b more to watch. But ExGC really made the impression on me. Looking forward to more of this writer's work.
Lesson learned tho: avoid tvN dramas. Then I can avoid the heartbreak.

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