I Love You Hater (2018)

My January 2026 recommendation

Watched this for my Recommendation Challenge from 𝑵𝒐𝒊𝒓𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. Let’s talk movie…

The story follows Joko and Zoey, who work as personal assistants for Sasha, a powerful digital media mogul.

Joko is a young man trying to help his family survive, while Zoey is an ambitious woman hoping to prove herself to the world. An opportunity arises when Sasha is looking to hire a new personal assistant.

Joko’s family is drowning in debt, so when Sasha offers a position with a huge salary, Joko immediately applies. However, there is another candidate with the same determination—but with a very different motivation.

Zoey, an ambitious, driven young woman who is seeking validation from her estranged father. She sees Sasha as the pinnacle of success. To work closely with her is not just a job—it’s a stepping stone to building her own name. And beyond career dreams, she hopes it will finally earn the approval of her estranged father.

To stand out from Zoey, Joko makes a desperate, split-second decision: he lies. He tells Sasha he’s gay—thinking it will make him more memorable, different, hirable. And it works. But instead of choosing one, Sasha decides to hire both of them—with one condition: they must compete against each other for her final approval.

At first, their relationship is pure rivalry—clashing personalities, sharp words, constant tension. But as Joko and Zoey go through endless tasks, their initial rivalry slowly turns into a deep connection. They begin to bond, share personal stories, and eventually develop feelings for each other.

However, behind their growing closeness, Joko’s lie continues to loom over them. Everything starts to fall apart when emotions become tangled with deception. Zoey struggles with her feelings for a man she believes is gay, while Joko cannot admit his true feelings for her—or reveal the truth—without risking his job and Sasha’s trust. This is especially dangerous since both Zoey and Sasha despise liars.

So now the question…
? Will Joko’s lie finally catch up to him?
? Or will he find the courage to tell the truth—no matter the cost?
? Will Joko’s family be free from debt…
? What will Zoey do when she learns Joko lied from the very beginning? Can she forgive him? Or will the hurt be too deep?

And the biggest question of all:
? Will they be able to set aside their differences and find true happiness and love in the end, or will pride and fear keep them apart?

That's pretty much the story without giving the spoiler. Now what I like and don't.

What I like:
+ Sasha is the real deal. She’s someone who is the same both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. You won’t find her being nice in public but ugly to her staff.
+ How Joko in the end faces his nightmare & consequence.

I Love You, Hater explores ambition, insecurity, and the cost of pretending to be someone you’re not. It shows that true happiness only comes when we stop hiding and start being honest—with others and ourselves.

Overall this was a fun movie, full of message, but for me personally really added nothing more…

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