This review may contain spoilers
I rate this 15/10. Best K-Drama I've ever seen!
This story is so beautifully written. The actors performances make you feel every emotion. The music OST is a masterpiece. The story is a bit of a slow burn and well worth the wait. Small details in the story are woven together like a fine tapestry and the directors capture so much vibrancy of Cuba and Korea.The stylists are absolutely genius. I love the outfits the FL and her secretary wear the entire drama. The angst is real and I cried watching the sad scenes. Some of the characters are annoying and some are down right despicable. The writers definitely created believable villains.
This drama actually influenced me to plan a vacation visit to Sokcho (sp?) lol. I am rewatching it for the 3rd time. I highly recommend!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I wouldn't know if anyone told me the plot and general preview of the story, for it to be kdrama. When you Think of romance genre in kdrama, you'd Think of puppy love or hard core plotting. This has a Little of both, which makes this drama mature, yet not too mature for it to be hard to follow...OST
I wouldn't per say listen to it separately, but i like the mixture of Spanish, English and Korean. IT's nice to hear that type of songs, and they were well picked, to kind of tell the story of scene without having to make characters emphasize that's silently going on.
ACTING
I don't know much drames that Park Bo Gum acted in, but i loved how he potrayed the character in this one. You couldn't help but fall in love with him. I also loved the chemistry between him and Song Hye Kyo. She Oslo did an amazing job, and im not surprised since she's quite popular for good acting. Both actors made the characters réal, and made the audience feel their émotion. The side actors did well too, none of them did a bad job, and complimented the drama well.
PLOT
It would feel boring when told, but you'll find yourself loving it and being invested in it.
It basically tells the story of a lonely woman who's a CEO of a well known hôtel company. She goes to Cuba, and finds herself wanting to see a sunset from a picture she saw, in réal life. She has trouble sleeping so she takes sleeping pills but still goes, she gets lost and pickpocketed, but find the place where the sunset was shot, she there meets a man who saves her from falling, and they go around Havana... When she gets back, they both find out that the man is the employée of her company. They face hardships, and develop slowly but neatly, with other characters.
_________
I LOVED the romance, it's slow but it still makes you blush and smileys from their cute interactions. But at the same time it can take a mature turn, and make you worry. The romance, isn't dépendend on plotting, but the hardship of a famous and rich person, who's quite older, dating her employée. there are many romance side plots, and even a plot of her ex that makes him develop from trying to get her forcefully, to mathurins into someone that wants to protect his family.
It's a show, for someone who wants a bit more of slower romance, and romance that doesn't have cute and funny interactions.
Was this review helpful to you?
slow, serious show about romance/love
This is not a rom-com (which is what I normally look for), but a slow and serious (but not melodramatic) show about love. Song Hye Kyo and Park Bo Gum both did an excellent job. In most of the things I've seen Park Bo Gum in, there's always been something a little "off" to me about his acting. This role changed my mind. His acting in this was perfectly on point. When he was happy, you wanted to smile with him, and when he was unhappy it was heartbreaking. There was a slow buildup in their romance/love, and it made sense. His patience, and constant love for her was so wonderful to watch. I felt really drawn in to their relationship, sometimes I felt like I was a voyeur in their lives.Park Bo Gum's character was open and innocent. He seemed to look at life with joie de vivre, and that was an infectious thing. I couldn't help but smile, watching him. His love for her was so apparent, even though they were so different. Song Hye Kyo's character, on the other hand, was very repressed. Her life had been decided and planned for her, and she had never deviated from that plan. I enjoyed watching him bring her out of herself, opening her to new experiences, and living the way she wanted to.
I did feel that the breakup, though necessary to keep the story moving, was a little lame, especially since it was uncalled for and none of the circumstances that she was concerned about changed, so the breakup made even less sense. I felt that Song Hye Kyo's character was a little too weak in standing up to her family (the moms in this were all nightmares!). I also felt that, because of her reasoning for the breakup, her love for him wasn't as strong, and that was disappointing.
The cinematography and the OST were both amazing as well. This show was beautiful to watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful Encounter
This is not one of those average cutesy romance dramas. It captures true romance. The leisurely pacing of Encounter allows the viewer to linger in that splendid feeling of love. The music, poetry, artwork and sincerity of communication bring you into those lovely feelings.The casting was fairly well done, but I wavered back and forth on whether I liked the ML actor for that role. I felt the FL was perfectly cast.
Please be patient and keep watching past the first episode. It lacks a connection somehow in the beginning. It progresses better after that.
By the end of this drama I’m a little emotionally tired, but it was a fulfilling ride. Hope you enjoy it too.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Tale of 3 children
A divorcee successfully revives and expands a dying hotel business which offends the previous owners - her ex in-law. For having the cheek to succeed, said ex in-law decides to punish and put the FL back in her place as a meek housewife. Colluding with the FLs ambitious mother, said in-laws attempts a hostile takeover of the hotel.This is a tale of 3 children
- a son who cannot escape his tyrant mother
- a daughter married off for the sake of power and prestige
- a mama's boy
All mothers portrayed had their own definition of what their children are only good for and took action to achieve such belief.
The kdrama trope of parents prostituting their children in order to achieve or maintain their social status always disgusts me. But the FL being able to obtain a second chance at making her own decisions made me want to root for her.
As a fan of noona romance, this series fits the bill and checks all the boxes. I loved how the story did not only focus on one person or one family.
- Unfortunately, I feel like the main leads didn't have enough chemistry. The ML looked like an ejjit smiling and grinning all the time it was creepy. Well I guess any boy would be if they met a noona like the FL.
- I also loved the OST and consider this to be a good example of a contemplative and atmospheric type of drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A modern fairytale - with a fairytale ending
Time will only tell if this drama will eventually undo the heaps of bad reviews and criticisms, especially from Korean audiences, about the plot's unlikely premise - a love affair between a female CEO and a male, junior employee who met by chance in Cuba, before he joined the company.I let the story take me where it wanted to, all the way to its happy, fairytale ending - and really loved it. Not only is Park Bo Gum a sensitive and fairly talented actor. I really believed in his chemistry with Song Hye Kyo, who plays the detached, emotionally distant female CEO, who has no friends and lives constantly in the shadow of her ex-husband's chaebol family.
Their story unfolds at regular, steady intervals, episode per episode, and conquers you with the sheer power of PBG's constancy of emotion. PBG's character Kim Jun Hyuk never let age, class, or public opinion sway him from his commitment to Cha Hyun Soo. He does, at some point, given to his family's reservations about her, illustrating his abiding love for his family - the kind of filial love that is the foundation of Korean family culture. You will have to watch till the end to see how this is resolved in the story.
I think the drama knew it was dealing with a plot many wouldn't connect with, so it tried to explore this in a smaller way through another pair of characters - Cha Hyun Soo's secretary (played by Kwak Sun Young) and the owner of the moon snails restaurant (Kim Joo Heon).
Korean's strict hierarchical culture disapproves of marriages that are unequal in class, power, or achievement (such as education). Encounter tries to point out that breaking out of these fixtures in their culture may be possible. I say may - because it's very, very hard to meet a man like Park Bo Gum's character in real life!!
Watch Episode 1, which was shot in Cuba. Please, please do. It's a masterpiece of photography and romantic plot exposition. If you give up on the rest of the story, Episode 1 is enough of an enchanting experience of movie-level production quality.
If you let it, Encounter may actually enchant you till the end. Just, well, try to ignore the one plot hole in this whole story - it is basically impossible today to carry on a romance like that in one company, without having to disclose it to HR and eventually watch one of them resign in order for the relationship to continue.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Beautifully Bittersweet Love Story – Encounter Tugs at the Heart
Encounter is one of those dramas that quietly pulls you in and stays with you long after it ends. Starring Song Hye-kyo and Park Bo-gum, it tells the story of two very different people from completely different worlds who cross paths by chance—and end up changing each other’s lives.Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo) is a reserved, elegant woman burdened by her past as a political figure’s daughter and the ex-wife of a wealthy family. Kim Jin-hyuk (Park Bo-gum), on the other hand, is a cheerful and free-spirited young man who sees beauty in the small things. Their meeting in Cuba feels like a dream—vivid, spontaneous, and full of warmth. But as their connection deepens back in Korea, reality sets in, and they’re forced to face the social and personal challenges that come with being together.
What makes Encounter stand out is how subtle and emotionally honest it is. It’s not packed with dramatic twists or intense cliffhangers—instead, it focuses on the slow, meaningful development of the characters and their relationship. The chemistry between the leads is gentle but powerful, and the cinematography (especially those scenes in Cuba) is absolutely stunning.
It’s a slow-paced drama, so it might not be for everyone. But if you enjoy quiet, heartfelt stories about love, freedom, and personal growth, Encounter is definitely worth watching. It’s not just a romance—it’s a story about finding yourself and choosing happiness, even when it’s hard.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
judging by the sypnosis i never expected this drama to be as realistic as it ended up being. a slow paced but never too slow masterpiece that is as beautiful as the art at the beginning and end of each episode.story; a very simple story which helps the drama rather than hinder it. it can focus on the two main characters and allow the story to just be their growth after meeting each other.
everything makes sense, every action from any character seems justifiable which is something that i found so refreshing from other dramas and other shows in general
characters; both mains couldn't be more different, on the one hand you have cho soo hyun a big ceo, always in the public eye , someone who was never allowed to truly live her own life in any way. on the other hand this free spirited, always positive man who doesn't back down from his love while also being respectful and understanding of cha soo hyun's situation at all times. who would've thought they'd make up this perfect couple after all
side characters give good comedic relief, it would've been nice however to see more of their backstory as only a few's past have been brought up throughout ( like kim soo jun's marriage), but it's not a major gripe.
acting: both cha soo hyun and kim ji hyuk have this almost perfect chemistry from the first episode on, one while already being near perfect just gets better and more intimate with each passing episode and damn near feels very real at numerous points in the story. if i didn't know better i would've thought those 2 were actually dating, were actually in love the way they were able to convey these heartfelt emotions in just their facial expressions alone. i believe if this was a silent film these two would've done as well if not better.
ost; i'm usually not one to actually listen to OST's after a show or outside of a show but the songs on here are very well crafted, fit the mellow mood of the drama and are just overall good songs to listen to. the two renditions of take me on feel so very different despite essentially being the same song and the way they are placed throughout the episodes (saya's version being the more hopeless, saltnpaper's version being the more hopeful version) makes for excellent and emotional viewing
overall; probably my new favorite drama, i mean it even made me wanna spend time writing a review so that really should say it all. definitely a must watch during these down times
Was this review helpful to you?
This is not just a drama...This is an experience!
I had to create an account on MDL to write this review.What an experience it was to watch this drama. Every OST, every facial expression from both main leads, every interaction between the main leads was an absolute pleasure to watch and listen to.
Most of the reviews rave about the male lead's acting in this amazing Kdrama, and I agree with them. However, I am taken in by Song Hye-Kyo's acting. Every facial expression was priceless, and the way she carried herself throughout the whole story was so graceful to watch. The love and respect the main leads have for each other in this story is remarkable.
I did not want this drama to end. I was invested in the two main leads and experienced withdrawals once the drama ended. However, this story left an impression on me and is definitely on my top3 list.
Was this review helpful to you?
Absolutely beautiful
If you want to watch absolutely beautiful people in highly aesthetically pleasing settings, this is the show for you. Park Bo-Gum, stop making me fall in love with you! After just watching you as Choi Taek, it was such a treat to see you grow up before my very eyes.The sweet/cute moments were perfect, but the obstacles got tiring at times. Thankfully, the most angsty parts were short-lived — you just need to endure ~2 episodes or so. This story was like a more consistent Something in the Rain; the highs weren't QUITE as high, but the lows NEVER reached the depths of frustration and despair I felt from SITR.
I did have a few gripes with this show. One was the chemistry: people often tout "negative chemistry," and while I don't think this show was atrocious in that regard (I also wasn't actively following during the whole Song-Song media storm at the time), it wasn't exceptional. Another was the side characters: beyond our two leads, most of them were pretty flat, and I never cared too much what happened to them. Many were awfully black-and-white as well, and the spoken explanations by people like Chairman Kim came too little, too late. Finally, one aspect of the message: an 11th hour change of heart is absolutely common in these types of dramas, and while I fully anticipated it, I think it negatively impacted the narrative. One of the most important parts of this story was the idea of a steadfast love. The whole 11th hour flip-flipping just made me frustrated, and made me question what one of the leads even SAW in the other lead to begin with (seriously, what made that person so appealing to make the other lead willing to endure such pain?!).
As a super minor note, this show is susceptible to quite a few kdrama tropes. It's nice and fresh for newer viewers, but a little tired otherwise. Think wrist-grabs, predictable plot points, and ridiculously shoehorned PPL. Another way of looking at it is "tried-and-true," and I came to embrace all the highly out-of-place discussions people had while eating Subway.
At the end of the day though, this show delivered on several key fronts — the eye-candy, acting talent, witty dialogue, a banging OST, and absolutely stunning cinematography. The heart-fluttering moments were far more frequent than the hair-pulling ones, and that made this show a worthwhile and fulfilling watch on balance.
Was this review helpful to you?
Made my heart flutter
Wow! Either I'm getting old or this is one of the most beautiful dramas I've seen to date! It's become a frequent occurrence that since getting into Kdramas I've missed my late father so much - none more than while watching this Encounter. I can just hear him say with a tear in his eye "she suffers so much for other people" 😅Please go watch this beautiful wholesome love story - stellar performances from Song Hye Kyo and Park Bo Gum - their love for each other is so genuine and the journey that Song Hye Kyo's character goes on is truly heartwarming. When she smiled, my heart fluttered! Park Bo Gum plays to his strengths and is great.
The supporting cast are great, and the wicked mother-in-law is suitably evil. There are very few plotholes and if I have to pick a negative then I would have loved a few more episodes, but only because I didn't want it to end and would be nice to see a bit more of the relationships of the supporting cast develop.
Once my heart recovers, I will be rewatching this several times! GO WATCH IT!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I've just finished watching this amazing drama. I have lots of reasons why I love it, and a few reasons why it wasn't a 10/10 for me.1. THE MAIN CHARACTERS
The storyline aside, the lead characters were quite unique. Park Bo Geum's character was my favorite male lead characters of all times probably! The personalities of male leads are normally quite similar to each other: they can be rich and cold hearted amazingly handsome, or the most skilled person in the field of whatever is their profession. Anyways, I love that Kim Jin Hyuk was just a normal guy, that fell for this beautiful and lonely woman in his own way.
As for Song Hye Kyo's character, I loved how it's showing a different side of a rich career woman. It's focusing more on her loneliness and hardships she had in her entire life instead of being a classic bitchy boss. Even though she had a really difficult life, her heart still remained as soft as it could be, and I love how she puts Kim Jin Hyuk before anything. She chooses him over her career that was her everything so many times without thinking about it twice. I love how bravely she is embracing her love.
2.THE STORYLINE
I think the writers did a very good job with this one. The love between the two characters start and develop very naturally. I loved the gradual development of their relationship: they went from being friends that are attracted to each other to a pre-relationship phase, then they start the relationship and in the end their love exceeds everything else. I think this part of the show was written very brilliantly
3.ACTING
I mean the show has Song Hye Kyo.. In my opinion she is one of the best actresses in Kdramas. She can deliver all the emotions with her eyes which I love. I also love love love her drunk scenes where she becomes just so funny. For me she is the star of the show for sure. Park Bo Geum is also one of the actors that I admire. He really made a great job especially towards the end of the show.
4.CHEMISTRY
This one for me is the only reason why I can't rate this show 10/10. Even though I love the characters, and I love their story which was so beautiful, I couldn't sense a very strong chemistry between SHK and PBG. It wasn't because of their acting or anything, because both of them gave brilliant performances. But it was just lacking a good chemistry I guess. Perhaps the love story of this show is better compared to the Descendants of the Sun, but I still can't get over the chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Song Jong Gi. I mean yes they got married in real life which meant they had chemistry in real life too when they were shooting. But still on-screen chemistry can be very strong even when the couple isn't dating in real life (ex: Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum, Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won, Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Hyo Jin and any korean actor ever, and the list goes on and on)
Overall, I think it's definitely a drama worth watching!
Was this review helpful to you?
