My Holo Love

A typical Netflix drama

I've been putting this drama on the back burner for awhile now and I finally decided to binge watch it.
I had seen it's trailer before and did not expect anything more than a light fluffy drama with a little bit of excitement to make the story interesting and this is the main reason for a high rating.
My expectations were perfectly met by this drama. It was interesting enough to keep me seated in front of the screen without skipping forward but not so much that I got emotionally invested in it (like the main lead characters could have had a tragic ending and I wouldn't have even cared). There were many asian drama cliches used in this one as well - childhood friends that got separated and met years later and fell in love without realizing who the other person was, tragic backstories, childhood traumas, etc.
There was one issue that I found with this drama as soon as I finished watching episode 1. That is it was unnecessarily long. I'll be honest, when I finished watching, it didn't feel like any of the episodes were a waste or anything but there was a bit too much drama at one point. It's pretty easy to figure out the story halfway through the episodes eliminating the suspense (I knew what happened to nando's mother by about ep 8 as it was quite obvious) . The FL gets the holo glasses and meets the ML in the first 2 episodes itself. In my opinion this could have been easily made into a movie if all the mystery was removed. The FL could have found the glasses, fell for the AI, then meet it's maker who was the one the AI was modelled after, make him fall in love with her and the end. That was all the story was for me stretched over 12 episodes.
Also for some reason this felt like the beginning of Terminator or Avengers age of ultron. I mean it showed that an AI caused a citywide blackout to save a girl and it was explained as the AI being in love with her. No matter how prettily it is wrapped, the point is that the tech was highly dangerous and therefore this drama is highly unrealistic.
So while I'll recommend this drama for binge watching when you are bored and can't find any better drama, I'll also ask you not to get too invested or have high expectations.

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I really didn't know what to expect from this. I don't generally enjoy anything AI related but I have a thing for tropes like prosopagnosia so I wanted to give My Holo Love a shot. I think AI stories can rarely make a 10/10 show; the debate around AI is too complicated, in my opinion. I went into it with a decent amount of suspension of disbelief as well, but even just the fact that we're not going to discuss how strange it is to entertain the idea of human/AI romantic relationships is where I was being lost. Not to say I didn't enjoy it because I really did! I thought it had a really satisfying ending, as well. 12 episodes was a great call; I think 16 would have felt too stretched out.

In terms of the acting, Yoon Hyun Min especially is really remarkable playing two very different characters and he just gets better and better as the series progresses. I also really enjoyed Hwang Chan Sung. However, Nam Myung Ryul was giving me cartoon villain energy at times, both in terms of acting and his character.

I really liked So Yeon and Nan Do but I somehow finished the series feeling like I wished there had been more of them. Perhaps because the conclusion is a bit short? I'm not sure.

The action in the last few episodes was top tier. I really enjoyed those moments, especially.

The one thing that actually bothered me in terms of the storyline is that one major flaw in Nan Do's backstory. I won't elaborate to keep this review spoiler-free but I hope I wasn't the only one confused.

Also, absolutely irrelevant but how gorgeous is Choi Yeo Jin? Wow...

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At first, I thought it was some typical sc-fi love story which stopped me from watching it. However, 6 months later (during our second lockdown) I wanted to give this a shot which I didn't know I'd binge-watch this within two half days, when I literally had an assignment coming up!! BUT it was worth it. The feels, their acting, the past story, the chemistry and complications... I loved it.

Story - 10
Love the extraordinary love story, especially from Holo and how humane/powerful he can be
Definitely not the typical love story I thought it was
The tragic past wasn't expected but that made the story more interesting for me
(proves that the bad boy always gets the girl)

Acting/Cast 10
Go Sung Hee is a beautiful actress - both visually and acting itself
Honestly didn't expect much from Yoon Hyun Min in the trailer but he really made the two roles appear soooo different!!
Maybe it was because YHM was finally smiling in the last ep, but he looked so much like Holo (he is now who he wants to be)

Music 7.5
It was pretty average. Didn't catch my eye or seem special to me. I wished they had a more diverse soundtrack tho!

Rewatch Value 9
I need to see more scenes between Nan do and So Yun. They were so cute caring for each other. It just felt as if Holo had more scenes.... (but Holo is amazing too)

Overall 9
Not rushed or draggy for 12 episodes. Definitely recommend watching it during the lockdown.
Still love how similar main leads were. I love how they care for each other. Also, I just realized how the main leads, incl CYJ and HCS are literally the tallest ones ahaha.
And one flaw: Holo's makeup is a bit too girly/artificial for my liking? Although, he is acting as an AI...

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My Holo Love is a little out of the box compared to the usual dramas in Korea. It actually reminds me a lot of Western TV Shows. The technology, the action and pacing is very much like that of US tv shows such as Person Of Interest. And it blends that style perfectly for typical K-Drama ideas and tropes such as the romance elements of the drama plus the prosopagnosia story - which I've never really seen outside of Korean tv. The 12 episodes makes My Holo Love a very exciting series that doesn't waste time in character development or plot. It's a very easy watch.

Yoo Hyun Min has two roles to play in this series, Nan Do and Holo and he does a really good job at portraying both despite the vast differences in personality and mind-set. He has great chemistry with Go Sung Hee, as So Yeon. The romance between So Yeon and Holo is very sweet but when it comes to the more prickly Nan Do, it's just even better at times. Even outside of the romance, emotionally and action wise, it's on point. The side characters are all good and while the main focus is on the main leads and the plot, they do add some depth with their actions. Chan Sung is torn between his father and his love for Yoo Jin, Nan Do's sister, Detective Nam wants justice regardless of who, even if our leads commit crimes but he is gentle and understanding. Same with his younger partner. Just a strong backcast that supports everything else in a small way.

Very good series. Would watch again.

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Predictable yet enjoyable

From the description, it seemed to be a serious drama but it was light throughout. The pacing was very good and within a few episodes, a lot had happened. Even though the story is quite predictable and you know what is going to happen within a few episodes, still I didn't have to skip any episodes which is rare with a predictable story. It kept me entertained. The cast is good and production is also good. I may watch it again when I want to watch a light drama with a solid story. There are a lot of plot lines that could have been explored in depth but they was just touched and resolved. Character growth was touched and not explored with great depth which worked for the atmosphere set in this drama. So, sad scenes were not too sad, lonely scenes were not too lonely. Despite that, I had a fun ride. I was also enjoying the scenes of the FL with the human ML and thought that they could be more than what they were. Everything was wrapped up by last episode, all questions answered.

Overall, had a nice time watching it.

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Holo, Your Personal Therapist ?

Okay, this drama was pretty over-the-top at points and required some serious suspension of disbelief at times (like I'm Not A Robot), but ultimately had a lot of heart and even some thoughtful commentary on the interactions between humans and technology (in a very nonscientific, Kdrama sort of way 😅).

I've been curious about this drama since noticing it's one of the few decently rated Kdramas with the ML (loved him in Tunnel), but I saw mixed reviews and was a little worried about the direction they'd take the AI relationship stuff. I'm happy to report it was handled with care, and not made weird or gross or uncomfortable. It did a good job working on a fairly seamless transition for the FL from Holo to ML and while the drama had a lot of other flaws, this was not one of them.

This is a story about how deeply humans need connection, and the way technology can be used (poorly or well) in the journey of growth towards connection and closeness with others.

In fact, I saw this drama as a hopeful take on AI, in the sense that it follows the path of some old sci-fi that confirms AI is not nefarious, but PEOPLE can be. Holo highlights people's greatest weaknesses (whether that's exposing their loneliness, revealing their greed, ambition, fears of connection, insecurities, etc.). The drama does conclude the world wasn't ready for Holo, and I think that's interesting social commentary.

I also saw the difference between what the FL experienced and the concept of "dating AI" that we're hearing about today being that, unlike people in these situations who are escaping their pain and loneliness and not pushing for real healing, Holo helped the FL face this pain instead of escape it (and she had the integrity to realize this tendency in herself, as she noticed it didn't TRULY give her what she wanted, deep down). Also, the FL had people around her (including Holo) who pushed her to face her insecurities and fear of being abandoned or rejected because she was different and seek the actual connection she was craving with REAL people, people who would be there with her and for her through all the ups and downs (the ML had to learn this, too, in his own way).

This drama probably gets the award for shortest FIRST DATING ERA in a drama EVER (cause you know how there's always a separation or misunderstanding or timeskip, etc. before a reunion and second (usually final) dating era? Well, this drama is no exception), but I still the enjoyed the leads together and thought they did well. The FL is not the most memorable, but she does well, and I thought the ML did a great job. This does have similar vibes/themes to I'm Not A Robot and Are You Human, Too?, so, if you liked those, most likely you'll like this

There were some outlandishly unrealistic moments in this, but you know what? It feels extremely KDRAMA that way (think of endings of dramas like Doctor Stranger or The K2, but happier), and that gives you a flavor of the way this show resolves the threads of our plot.

Also, a lot of people complain about love triangles in Kdramas, and of course, this drama has one. But it's the most amicable love triangle you'll ever see in a Kdrama (if you watch, you'll see what I mean).

It was fun, and while it took me an episode or two to get into it, I enjoyed it!

One last note on the childhood connection trope (done well here, I think):

**SPOILERS**

By all means, if you're going to go the childhood connection trope route between the leads, then do it like this.

Instead of these ridiculous plots where the ML and FL meet each other out of nowhere as children or teenagers for like 20 seconds and then "remember each other" after they start dating? Nah, ridiculous.

If you're gonna do it, commit wholeheartedly and connect them through some traumatic event (like in While You Were Sleeping or I Can Hear Your Voice, or Castaway Diva and What Happened To Secretary Kim?). This drama delivered in that department, and I realized these kinds of "childhood connections" I can get behind. It gives context/reasons/basis for the seemingly random connection of the leads when they first meet, and actually makes the plot feel more realistic, ironically.

So, I kind of like the way this drama just goes full-bore Kdrama on the tropes. 😅

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Hooked from the first minutes!

One of the best Kdramas I've seen. I got hooked from the very episode, from the first minutes to be honest - and finished the series in less than days. It has very well written plot, even with cliches, makes it worth while and the diverse modern touch to it. Nan-Do is one of the best layered characters I've seen, the painful past that was revealed in flashbacks, the way you grown into him, as well to Holo, and want to see both of them happy. And the plott wist you don't see coming, wrapping the end with the post way possible, making you cry tears or joy and sadness at the same time. I totally recommend watching. And I will totally be rewatching this series.

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...

the production was good, I can't complain .
I also say that the performance was incredible, it would be a sin if I complained.

I love the actors, I loved the characters.

Of course, not everything is perfect, I can't lie, but what a drama that doesn't have a single flaw.

So in conclusion, I recommend...

I say it's worth watching, maybe it's bad for some, but for me it was good.

This is just my opinion, you better watch it and have your own opinion.

I don't know what to say, because I think everyone has their own opinion.

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This kdrama is soo good.

My second time watching My Holo Love. Amazing drama and I enjoyed watching it just as much as I did the first time. The storyline is unique and refreshing. It is suspenseful with romance and sci-fI elements to it. I would have preferred if the language wasn’t dubbed in English. I like reading the subtitles while listening to the voices of the actors even though I cannot understand the words. Despite the dubbing, the production team still pulled it off well as the presentation seemed more natural than other dubbed productions. I recently saw the lead actor in A Beautiful Mind. He was really good in the role of a righteous doctor. All the actors in My Holo Love were great. I highly recommend this series to others.

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Un drama bonito y... holográfico xd

Ha sido un drama que he disfrutado, en general, aunque a partir de la mitad se me ha hecho un poco aburridillo, sobre todo porque es cuando comienza a cobrar más importancia la trama "informática/holográfica/hacker" y dramática. Los primeros capítulos me atraparon por lo adorable y bueno que era el personaje de Holo; lo cómico y malote que aparenta ser Nando (vestido de negro siempre, con aura misteriosa JAJA); y lo tierna que es la actriz que interpreta a Soyeon (que por cierto, se me hace que tiene gran parecido con Chaeyoung de Twice, la amo).

Me ha gustado bastante la actuación de los protagonistas. Yo sí veía química entre ellos, aunque debo decir que estoy un poco decepcionada porque la explotan más con las escenas en las que aparece el actor como Holo que con la versión humana, Nando. Y en general, todos han actuado bastante bien, han hecho un muy buen trabajo.

La trama tediosa que digo que me parece más aburridilla incluía además el típico cliché de que los protas se conocen desde pequeños, y que la protagonista tiene un trauma...
Sin duda, me quedo con la historia de amor entre los protagonistas, que son demasiado tiernos. Me ha gustado la resolución que han dado al triángulo amoroso que era Holo-Seyeon-Nando. No obstante, me ha faltado eso, que explotasen más la química entre Nando y Soyeon y que me hubiesen dado más escenas cutes y en ambiente relajado para así creerme que de verdad están bien y han pasado página... Es que básicamente su romance se desarrolla en el período de crisis.

Ahora, ¡el OST me ha parecido muy bueno! Y, de igual manera, me ha parecido también muy buena la producción y los efectos que han empleado para crear esa ilusión del holograma y el mundo informático. En ese sentido, un 10; calidad de la buena.

En conclusión, la historia estaba buena, pero el típico cliché y el drama informático no me ha gustado mucho. Luego, los actores me han gustado mucho: el protagonista realmente parecía personas diferentes dependiendo de si hacía de Holo o Nando; y Soyeon me ha parecido muy tierna.
No volvería a ver el drama entero, pero por supuesto que de tanto en tanto buscaría alguna escena de ellos por Youtube porque eran muy monos, jeje.
¡Mi puntuación final es un 7.5!

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