Romance Is a Bonus Book

Another drama that I watched in less than 24h

This drama has honestly all that I needed.

A "normal" storyline, just a cute love story between two friends, which was really well built throughout the drama. A side-story with a little bit of cliffhangers, and answers I was waiting for.

A lot of side characters with interesting development, and relationships, which brought so much to the story.

Some heartbreaking or heartwarming moments.

A hot ML (not gonna lie, I watched this drama for him, and I'm not desapointed), as well as a hot SML, with great acting skills.

Great OSTs, which made me happy or sad, and were all beautiful.

Basically a great drama that I'll recommend to anyone.

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This is my favorite Korean drama of all time. Kang Dani is so flawlessly written that I can't help but fall in love with her character and her determination. Cha Eunho, you are the perfect man and you deserve the best. He was so patient with Dani and was always there for her, supporting her every move even if it meant harming his own life. Their relationship is simply so beautiful that it cant be beat in my mind. Their noona to lovers arc gives them a different twist on a typical love story, especially considering that she is older than him. They didn't make Dani a helpless naive girl who needed saving, instead Eunho compliments her and helps bring out her best character. They shine so brightly next to eachother, yet can flawlessly transition to existing independently. As for the settings and plot lines; even more briliant. I had always wanted to have a career somewhere in the field of books/literature, but before this drama I had know idea what, and often times questioned my motives. This drama solidified what I want to accomplish and achieve in my career lifetime. I devleoped a love for publishing and editing like the characters had, and it I felt like I was apart of the editing team. I truly want to do what they do for a living. The ending of the drama touched my heart so much and I definitely cried. Haerin was also such a beuatiful supporting character that deserves all the love. She was always so invested in her job, and we know she was the best at it. She never let her jealousy get ahead of her, and she deserves someone that loves her. Overall, despite the slow paced and (maybe) boring plotlines, this drama has brought me great pleasure. I feel at peace watching it.

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A story about Love, Friendship, Companionship, Colleagues and a love for books

"We make books".
That's the motto of Gyeoroo Publishing.
"Romance is a Bonus Book" is a story about love, companionship, passion, and comfort - and shows that everyone is bound together in a book. In fact, it's up to us on how we interpenetrate this book which we've written. How is it that your favorite novel - which you've read countless times - somehow seems different the second time you read. How is it that amidst the quotes which used to be your favorite, you're finding new lines which you never bothered to look at before.
That's the story of Kang Dan Yi and Cha Eun Ho.
As a woman who once dreamed of pursuing her dreams and ambitions, Kang Dan Yi was compelled to marry a man at a young age, and leave behind the aspirations she once hoped to achieve. As a full-time housewife, and dedicating several years of her life raising her daughter and taking care of her husband, she got divorced.
In fact, that was the turning point in her life and career.
As an unemployed woman in her late 30's, it's hard for her to find a job in her expertise - despite her qualifications.
That's when her life gets tangled with her childhood friend - Cha Eun Ho - a Chief Editor and Co-Founder of a Publishing company, Gyeoroo.

What I love about this story is that isn't a mere romance. It's more than that. As viewers, we get to see the progression of Kang Dan Yi's life in the publishing company - and she teaches us many morals and life lessons along the way. In fact, I learned the in and outs of a book publication process through this drama, which is quite astonishing. A book isn't always about the story, but what makes the story worth reading. Seeing the behind the scenes and little celebration moments that the staff shared together after seeing their books get published is so wholesome and heart-warming. Outside of work, Gyeoroo Publishing is a huge family who've shared the ups and downs of life among themselves.

The romance. Ah, the romance. I was waiting to see Eun Ho's unrequited love for Kang Dan Yi being reciprocated, and it didn't disappoint me. They were so natural with one another, and every one of their interactions made me internally squeal. As childhood friends who've known each other for 20 years, changing their status from mere friends to lovers is difficult. Especially when you happen to be living together, and work at the same company. But these two are so adorably cute with one another, it's amazing. Their romance also highlights the fact that age doesn't matter when it comes to relationships - all that's necessary is a mutual love.

The side characters. I adored them. They added an extra fluffiness, humor and entertainment to the story - and it's so hard to let go of them (although we got a small glimpse of their epilogue :P). Ji Seo Joon began with being a love rival, but I soon came to love his character, especially after his interactions with Song Hae Rin (they're seriously adorable). And, Park Hoon and Oh Ji Yul's story was just hilariously cute! Those two never fail to put a smile to my face; seriously. I also loved that the drama implemented character's facing problems with their own love life too, like Seo Young Ah and Bong Ji Hong's divorce, and Go Yoon Sun's tragic history with her fiancee and her independent but lonely life.

Last, I loved the mystery aspect! It kept me so entertained throughout the drama. Even though it was a subplot, I kept trying to churn the gears in my head, trying to subconsciously figure out the 'mystery' behind Kang Byun Jun's novels and his career as an author. It was so well put together :)

All in all, I loved this show. 10/10 and would probably watch again.

(I loved the OST too!)

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sad? feeling down? watch it, cry a bit, feel determine to overcome the difficulties in life ......

i am currently rewatching. it is such a lighthearted and warm series! the lady has acted with such a grace! her expression in sad is heart wrenching. even though the story is not anything out of the box, but the simple story acted by lee jung suk and others was just something u need when u are feeling down. it is gonna make u cry in the frst episodes and then in the later ones u will feel the friendship, love and the affection u imagine to get from your friends, loved ones and the workplace people. the songs are pretty good. the view of lee jung is as usual heart stopping <3

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What A Wonderful Surprise!

While waiting for more episodes to drop in a new drama I want to watch, I decided to try Romance Is A Bonus Book...and oh my what a wonderful surprise this magical drama is! And a "bonus" for me because the story takes place in the world of book publishing where I worked for many years as a book designer it was also fun for me to watch and remember what life in the publishing world was/is like!

Bravo to how well Korean Dramas portray the May/December romance stories...stories like Something In The Rain, Encounter, Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, and She Would Never Know, etc., were all truly satisfying dramas dealing with the younger man older woman scenerio with such poise and class. And now I have one more to add to this genre...Romance Is A Bonus Book really tells a beautiful love story between 2 people regardless of age and circumstance. And it is a story of love that develops and endures through years of friendship .

Cha Eun Ho, wonderfully portrayed by Lee Jong Suk is a centered calm mature-beyond-his-years young man who has known and loved Kang Dan Yi, a mature woman who has maintained a childlike forthrightness and wonder even through some pretty harrowing life experiences, for many years. She is played beautifully by Lee Na Young. They truly are a perfect foil for each other...a perfect Yin/Yang, each complimenting the other...so satisfying to watch them come together as a couple.

There is just enough realistic angst to keep you interested and cheering for the many couples in this drama without rolling your eyes in frustration.

Definitely a drama I am so very happy to have discovered and will absolutely rewatch many times...

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A Beautiful Show for Book Peeps

I am a writer and a reader, so the storyline of this show touched me deeply. Seeing all these people bonding over a love for books as they discovered a love for each other made me all warm inside. It's probably my favorite drama right now. I never grew tired of it.

Practically, the pacing was rather good, especially when it came to introducing and exploring the stories of side characters. They all felt like real people with realistic lives that were not always over-the-top, allowing you to relate to them. Of course, the chemistry between the main two was to die for (and I died for it with every little look they exchanged), so that was a strong glue that held the show together. Basically...

I loved it! I loved it! I loved it!

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A soft story that hugs your heart.

Romance is a Bonus Book is one of those K-dramas that captures you with a simple story, told with such warmth that you end up completely hooked. Set in the world of publishing, this drama beautifully blends romance, personal growth, and a love for books in a comforting and charming way.

The lead actor, Lee Jong-suk, delivers a mature, subtle, and deeply charismatic performance. His character, Cha Eun-ho, is not your typical K-drama heartthrob. He’s sweet, intelligent, patient, and wonderfully human. Jong-suk portrays all of this with such natural ease that you fall for him from the very first episode. His chemistry with Lee Na-young, who plays Kang Dan-yi, is so organic that their romance feels heartfelt and real.

The plot doesn’t rely on excessive drama or forced twists. Instead, it flows like a good book—letting you savor every moment, every glance, every quiet but meaningful scene. It also tackles important themes such as career reinvention, self-worth, and the dignity of starting over—especially from a female perspective.

It’s the perfect drama for anyone looking for a calm yet emotionally rich story, with well-written characters and a comforting atmosphere. And for book lovers, it’s a true gem.

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Standard melodrama and is predictable. Good actors though.

Good story, premise, and actors; but it has a lot of the same melodramatic stuff going on when it comes to the triangle relationships. It is so predictable and I could guess exactly what was going to happen once a scene started. When i saw her pet the lost dog at the park i knew the SML was gonna show up LOL. Your standard melodramatic drama, but the premise is different so it was worth the watch. Wish they included her kid in the story more instead of just having her living in the Philippines and just mentioned as a part of her backstory. The leads do not get together til late in story like normal, but they do have a lot of nice moments with the build up. The ML is a genuinely nice guy who cares a lot for the FL who of course never saw everything she did for him until it all culminates and slaps her in the face. Even after he confesses she does not accept it...after everything he has done for her which would not be a problem, except she does have feelings for him so why reject him? Yeah there are superficial reasons you could say but that is your standard melodrama for you. To be frank the ML is kind of a simp which is normal for these melodramas i guess. He has unrequited love for decades while the FL marries and has a kid with someone else. He stalks her whenever he gets drunk. They make it romantic but it is all just melodramatic repetition.

Good drama, but i am kind of getting tired of the same romantic tropes being overused, but that is not this dramas fault and more my bias. I am kind of upset I did not enjoy this drama as much because it is actually very good. I think i need to take a break from melodramas.

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Romance is Just A Bonus

As the title says, romance is just a bonus in this show. If you're expecting some cheesy and fluttering romantic scenes, then you won't find a lot here. The romance is quite mature in this show, since this show is about an older woman and younger man couple. The story is quite heartwarming, about a woman who never gives up fighting for her life even with age disadvantage. They create a great couple, who is always there for each other in every hardship. The comedy is also good here. And since the romance is calm and mature, the comedy scenes are more powerful in my opinion. It doesn't appear frequently though, since it's not the main genre.

Although the summary above is quite heartwarming, the biggest problem in this show is nothing more special of that. It's just about a woman struggling to find a job for living, then after she finds it she still struggles while doing it, then she finds someone who is willing to be there for her, that's all. It's like the romance show that you can find on TV every week. The soundtracks are somewhat great. I personally like the screenwriting style with book-alike type like what the do at the end of each episode. The visualization of unrealistic thought like when Dan-I dances at the first episode is also seems interesting. However, these styles are not consistently applied and only come occassionally.

Unfortunately, I am kinda dislike the ML character. While chasing Dan-I as well as competing his feeling with Seo-Jun, what Eun-Ho mostly does is nothing. He looks like a coward who just sit down and wait until the universe serves it for him. Dan-I is a super caring mother to her daughter, but after she becomes together with Eun-Ho she suddenly forgets about her daughter. Everything outside this complicated relationship also seems too much, for example the Kang Byeong-Jun mystery. Though some of the additional tropes are more enjoyable.

With 16 episodes on this show, I think it's too long. Maybe it'll be better if it's shorter and more focus to the ML and FL. It's still good for rewatch, but in my opinion there are a lot of better rom-coms than this for rewatch.

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A good read.

I think the title of this drama kept me from watching for a while, but eventually I dove in. Overall, it was a solid watch. I don't think I'll intentionally watch it again, but I think I could enjoy it if it came up in the future.

This was my first drama with Lee Jong Suk, and that confident smile of his was so appealing. However, the highlight of this drama was the ensemble cast. I think everyone was was well-chosen and played their roles wonderfully. The new-hire fake couple: the way he told off her mom was great (until the crying started); the CEO: somehow likeable in spite of all his quirks; the divorcees: their (over)reactions were amusing; the Ice Queen: she's got a talent for shutting people down and her club reveal was pretty funny; Eun Ho: treats the CEO with love and care, but also...realism? He also was fantastic during the emotional scenes. Episode 9 hurt my heart. And the FL was...vanilla I guess.

I don't remember anything about the music, which means it wasn't inspiring but also not annoying. I noticed some great wardrobe choices for the ML and 2ML; FL not so much. And by not so much, I mean maybe one in every five managed to look presentable.

A few comments from specific episodes:

ep5
Smoking? Really? I was shocked to see that happening. How long has the surgeon general been educating us?

ep6
ML: "You have me. You keep saying you have nowhere to go. Stop saying that. I'm your home. You can always come to me."
FL: "Girls don't like lines like that."
Me: "What is wrong with you?? This girl loves lines like that!"

ep7
The 2ML's reactions to the triple bomb drop were fantastic. The ML's glee during the retelling was better. That whole scene should be required watching in film courses.

...and then we come to this
Idiot. Why did you let him stay in your car? And then why didn't you drive him to NK? Or at least drop him off at the wrong house? Or the police station? And now you're just bringing him in? I'm just hypothesizing, but this may be a reason you still haven't gotten your girl after all these years. Oh I see- you're going to HELP him get together with your girl. How about you go pull something from the garbage and swap it out with the plushie before you hand-deliver the key to your future heartache?

ep8
I knew he knew she liked him. Scumbag. Don't act like that and get her hopes up when you have no intention of fulfilling her dreams. Don't smile at her like that. Don't tease her. Don't spend time alone with her. Don't sit on her desk having time together that she will find significant when it means nothing to you.

That face- grape jelly! How can she breathe when he's got that casual smile on his face while he puts the necklace on her? He should not be allowed to give anyone but his wife that look. Aiyah! Also, why do I keep seeing people share earbuds? That is so gross. And a random observation: The dog's name is Geum-be, and there's is a gumby looking thing holding folders on her desk.

ep9
Okay, on the one hand, that was a beautiful and sincere acknowledgement of her feelings. But on the other hand, how is she supposed to get over a guy like that? If he had been rude or cavalier, at least she would have been able to get mad and get over.
Also, I think he's going to regret the necklace and roses. Too soon. Let her process. Give her more of those "personal space invader" things like the necklace fastening to think about.

ep11
In line with the literary theme of this drama, there have been some very apropos uses of prose scattered throughout. For example, the words being dictated for the typed translation here. In addition, I have been noticing that there are some beautiful words that fly by during the first part of the credits. Just now one of them was something about it being okay for the other to take longer to discover their feelings- the first's love would just grow deeper. And by far the most beautiful moments in this drama were, "The moon is beautiful." and "The snow is beautiful."

ep12 or 13
I LOVE the seatbelt move. Every. Single. Time.

I liked how Eun-ho makes the other guy provide the lodging, then also moves in for the night to keep Miss Cucumber safe.

Yes, I also grab my sneakers when I'm heading to a fancy restaurant.

And finally, Crazy girl usurping smitten boy from his place? Priceless.

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