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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Don't Dare to Dream" Episode 12

"Don't Dare to Dream" is more than a love story; it's a story of friendship. Nothing made that clearer than this episode. Jeong-won and Hwa-sin are so endearing in their friendship that I wish we had more of them throughout the drama. The romance is compelling, but not in the way their friendship is.

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Even when fighting pangs of sharp jealousy, the two gentlemen are more concerned about whether or not they're still friends than who won the fight. Jeong-won worries about calling Hwa-sin; Hwa-sin advises Na-ri about Jeong-won's preferences. Despite loving the same woman their friendship prevails. It's a wonderful quality in both men. There are several reveals that the show is banking on and one is the moment when Jeong-won learns of Hwa-sin's cancer. The secrecy is not only isolating Hwa-sin's pain, but throwing a wrench in his utterly delightful friendship with Jeong-won.

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As for the relationship between Na-ri and Hwa-sin, it's been a bit muddled. She seems to be completely over him, but the concern she showers upon him tells us otherwise. His dating status doesn't seem to bother her, but his health and happiness does. I think she's resigned herself to not having him, but still loves him in her way. Perhaps now that she knows he returns her affections the dam on her emotional floodgates will open. Or perhaps Jeong-won will be enough to seal it shut. I doubt it, especially cause Hwa-sin is posed with her in the promotional posters.

Another set of relationships I don't quite understand is that of the chef and the two mothers. It's humorous, but he has had so little character development that I find the whole thing puzzling. The two mothers are playing a constant battle of one upsmanship and it fits that they'd fight over a man, but the chef has no such motivations. The story suffers from circling around the two mothers, the chef, Ppalgang and her friends, and never truly developing them. The camera touches upon them occasionally, but gives them little else.

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Na-ri is turning into quite the fun character. She never gives into Jeong-won's childish question of "who do you like more?" She shows her feelings openly and her earnestness is what lures and captures the heart of Jeong-won and Hwa-sin. She is quite the charming character. Admittedly, her behavior is very hard to read, especially on Hwa-sin's part. She needs to be more careful. Perhaps the writers made her that way for the sake of comedy.

In any case, we got a sizzling love triangle on our hands and we need more episodes to figure out how it all plays out!

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

"Don't Dare to Dream" is directed by Park Shin-woo, written by Seo Sook-hyang, and features Cho Jung-seok, Kong Hyo-jin, Go Kyung-pyo, Lee Mi-sook, and Park Ji-young.

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