Semantic Error

시맨틱 에러 ‧ Drama ‧ 2022
Completed
Stefania
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 22, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.5

Feel-good Enemies to Lovers Romance

This series stepped up the game of Korean BLs. From plot to production quality, to acting, it charms, touches, and entertains, while managing to avoid clichéd tropes, misogynism, and toxic relationships.

The whole cast delivered brilliant performances. I usually notice weak acting quickly, and I cannot overlook it. This is why I am impressed that in no scenes did I feel like any of the actors is lacking.
Park Seo Ham deserves special praise. Watching him was such a satisfying experience for me. It is rare that I see actors pour their whole hearts into their role, but it is obvious that Seo Ham has done so. Kudos to him.

The plot of this series shows that you do not always need a unique storyline to hold the viewers' interest. Jae Young and Sang Woo's story is a typical high-school enemies to lovers romance. However, the way in which it is told distinguishes it from similar stories.

The characters are likeable.
Jae Young breaks the stereotype of a popular student. Although he teases Sang Woo relentlessly in the beginning, he is not a playboy or a bully. He is a kind person and a talented designer, who quickly wins the viewer's heart.
High-achieving students might see themselves in Sang Woo. Focused on doing his best at school and pursuing his dream of becoming a game developer, he has not spared time for human relationships and has remained emotionally immature. His character development conveys an important message. As much as he has trained himself to think and act like a computer, Sang Woo learns that always prioritizing your ambitions over the good people who are there for you paves your way toward a lonely, miserable life.

The romance is sweet, realistic, and healthy. Despite the misunderstandings that they have to deal with, they both work to resolve their conflicts instead of acting illogically to create more drama. Kudos to the scriptwriters.

The highlight of this series for me were the OSTs, though. It is rare for a BL series to have such great, catchy songs. Romantic Devil became a favorite of mine. I still listen to it, although I watched this series months ago.

Overall, Semantic Error should definitely be on your list if you are into well-written BL romantic comedies.

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Completed
Kraxzygal
1 people found this review helpful
Jul 6, 2025
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Enemies-to-Lovers, Campus Love, Artist x Coder

So first of all — when I saw Semantic Error, I felt like I was home 😭
It was actually my first Korean BL, and I was surprised. My mind wasn’t even thinking about Korea doing BL like that, so I was shocked in a good way.

Now let me tell you how I see it ✨

When Chu Sangwoo came in, especially in Episode 1, I was like, “Oh, he’s the serious one. The loner. The one that likes peace.” I already knew this was going to be a very interesting drama. At first, I actually thought it was just a bromance — I didn’t even know it was BL! But then around Episode 5, I realized, oh this is getting deep 😩🔥

And then there’s Jang Jaeyoung — his hyung. The way he started disturbing Sangwoo, teasing him, getting into his space… whewww 💀 From Episode 4 to 5, I could tell Sangwoo was already falling. Because let’s be real — those strict, quiet ones? The moment someone breaks their routine and gets in their head, they’re DONE 😭

Chu Sangwoo always had his schedule, his plan, his little routine life... and then boom 💥 Jaeyoung entered and just messed everything up. Suddenly, when he doesn’t see Jaeyoung, he gets anxious. Crying, spacing out, acting like a confused baby 😭 Like??? This man was so cold before, now he’s out here melting!!

I LOVED their slow-burn chemistry. The tension was subtle, but when it hit — it hit hard. I especially love how Sangwoo, who never shows emotion, was the one who ended up chasing his hyung in the end 🥺💘

It was a perfect balance of:

🧊 Cold x Chaotic

😤 Enemies x Tease

🧠 Logic x Emotion


Honestly, Semantic Error gave everything I didn’t know I needed. I want more. Give me Season 2. Give me Jaeyoung in another BL. Give me Sangwoo in chaos again 😩

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Completed
Rainbowed My Ass
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 2, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

does it give away the same vibe af the manga?

from the perspective of the manga NO cause the manga seems a lot more rought with thoughts and actions.

BUT the series give away a more soft hearted story of what the manga contains

In the manga chapter xx(I think 12) and serie episode 7 there's a scene where Sangwoo is looking at jaeyoungs arm or more specifically his tattoo and jaeyoung ask if he can draw on sangwoo where he says yes.... well in the manga he draw a forklift on sangwoos upper arm but in the serie it's the veggie character on the wrist.... same concept but it gives away a more soft hearted version

BUT to make sure it still also gives away the mood swings as the manga contains... well this very scene from the manga aligns pretty much with the serie: episode 7
[Sangwoo share a kiss with jaeyoung and afterwards it's like Sangwoo is trying to escape the situation he kind of puttet upon himself while jaeyoung is trying to make it clear to sangwoo that he should also take some responsibility for his actions]


their acting is definitely not bad since I keep coming back to watch this serie over and over and the story in it self is just a fun story about a "picky eater and a cook who makes sure the other person gets to eat food" if you know what I mean...

I just love this serie so I would gladly recommend this serie to others since it's a soft hearted serie

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Completed
noob
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

Honestly should be a longer series but pretty perfect like this too

Yes! Exactly what I was looking for, a very fresh, lovely, short burst of cuteness.

From hate to love setting, starting with a bit of a weak reason for it, but it's lighthearted enough that you don't need more.
The writing and acting is excellent, no cringe, awkwardness, cheesy slow motion, or crap like that.
Very innocent, very honest, and feels very natural, just what I like.
The side characters are quite fun but they have just enough screen time they could afford with the short series.
Camerawork, music, sounds are all completely fine and quite a pleasant thing to experience that a show can nail everything and it doesn't stop you from enjoying a every moment.

Very decent series!
Not much depth, very little story, but the setting and the characters make the show very alive and lovely!!

/Also I think probably very good first BL if anyone is sailing out for the first time! Very modest and innocent~

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Completed
milo
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 25, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Semantic Error Review

A very cute show. Simple writing and plot, but it worked and never got boring. story was well paced and everything resolved pretty well and made sense. Easily rewatchable.

I really liked the real world tie-ins to the main characters' personalities changing over time (like how Sangwoo stops drinking the vending machine coffee to show that he is becoming a less "bitter" person). I love the acting, I thought the characters were portrayed really nicely. I really loved the side characters as well. The use of classic BL tropes were definitely there, but nothing ever felt too forced or cringey.

Overall very cute and enjoyable, and easy to digest!

8.5/10.

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Completed
SaltySeaDog
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 20, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A perfect, concise must-watch BL. The new standard for BL

Stop reading this review right now and just go ahead and watch it. At 20 minutes and only 8 episodes you could finish the series quicker than reading this full review.

I think what makes this show so great is that they basically don't do anything new, all the same old BL ploys are utilized sure but they simply use the ploys correctly. And we have all sat through too many terrible BL series to know what I'm talking about. Enemies to friends - Check, Is he or isn't he gay - check, Random fight 2/3rds of the way in - check, Randomly sexually ambiguous friend - check (shout out to the girl best friend in the series she is actually one of the best characters!), random hurdle at the end preventing the Bs from getting their L on - check. Yes this is exactly what happens in every BL series .....but fear not! Semantic Error takes a fairly refreshing approach to all of these common ploys and a I dear say you'll not be disappointed!!

One ploy not utilized in this series (thank god!) is the random secondary BL couple whose relationship progresses at lighting speed and seemingly exists to show the audience what the main couples romance could be like if they just got their act together.

Ok so lets get into it, first of all can we talk about hot hot hot! The ultimate ship to set sail on! Not inventing the wheel here very clearly/ typically seme and uke archetypes used in this series (which in 2022 can be a little tired at this point....)but I don't care...their chemistry could set a science lab on fire. By Kdrama standards....those boys over delivered in the kissing department and I'm not mad.

Refreshingly older characters - university aged. Meanwhile can we have more adult-ages BL ...let's not pretend most of us watching are already over 30 and live in the real world. If you're watching BL...you're probably a low-key perv...and if you're a low-key perv you wanna see the business...none of this high-school level angst...wow they held hands....anyway I digress. The point being...thank thr BL gods these boys are not in high school ...snore ...save it for anime...

The acting is great. The series is chic and stylish. The timing is perfect. The music is decent. The side characters are lovable. 10/10. In true BL style...please make a sequel that is terrible and all fan service and nobody likes just coz $$ I'll watch it.

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Completed
Faimac
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 4, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

I LOVED THIS ABSOLUTELY

THE POTENTIAL KOREAN BLs HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have greatly improved and this one did not DISAPPOINT!!

“Semantic Error” is the most outstanding turning point in this year so far. Alongside "History 3: Trapped", this series would be my first choice to recommend to somebody if they asked me about good series including the love of two men. The story is quite interesting and cool, I like how it wasn't focused on a guy struggling with his sexuality or any of that drama, but they knew what they wanted, and they went for it straight.

We kind OF went with the popular trope of bad boy and rebel who falls in love with the upright, top of the class, quiet kid. And I am not opposed to it because they executed it and I think part of it is tied down to the acting and the actors who really had great chemistry together. Loved the pacing of the series because it didn’t feel too rushed, While one of them is a famous and Wandered extrovert, the other one is an anti-social and overseen introvert who cares a lot about a systematic and calm daily routine. Jang Jae Young‬ and Chu Sang Woo‬ are as different as one can be. They are incomparable but still such an exciting match. The gradual change in Jae Young and Sang Woo relationship was simply delightful to watch. We could see what moments were the turning points, what led to them, how they influenced the main characters. It was a well written and presented progression, and while the characters were falling in love with each other, I was falling in love with the show itself.

The strongest aspect of Semantic Error are the characters and the palpable chemistry between the lead actors. Both Jaeyoung and Sangwoo are incredibly likeable characters, which is always a good thing in a romance drama. If I don't like one of the leads, it's just hard to get invested and root for their relationship. Our lead actors seemed to have fun playing these roles, and it felt like they genuinely wanted to tell this story. I also particular loved the friends and they stood by him, especially the chick her comebacks were always on point. The supporting cast may have not been fleshed out like our leads, but we got some memorable additions to the cast. for Semantic Error, since we usually got fun banter or meaningful conversations whenever one of the side characters showed up. Apart from the characters, I really enjoyed the dialogues and humor in this show. It never felt forced and enhanced the lighthearted and fun atmosphere.

Overall: This is a really good BL Drama and a quick binge watch, so I would definitely highly recommend this one to any one who enjoys a BL, and the fact that its Korean is a good plus for me!!

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Completed
Lihas
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 2, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Addictive like a gameplay

Semantic Error's strongest forte is the insane chemistry that Park Seo Ham and Jaechan have on screen ( maybe it is thanks to offscreen chemistry too?). It almost feels too addictive as if you are obsessed with something, but it is a good kind of obsession.

Even though it uses the most repetitive tropes of college dramas, the romantic duo suck you right in with how much tension, angst and even cutesy love you see between them.

The only regret you would be left with is that you hope for the episodes to be even longer and the overall series to be more mainscale production. With a meagre set scale and lesser production value ( a fact well known as major production companies in Korea still don't want to focus on funding for BL series ), Semantic Error has proven that the audience is attracted to not star power or grandeur but to how well the series for its value is.

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Completed
kaydenxxx
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 26, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

A good starter for Korean BL

It's a sweet, cute story. Definitely light drama :) The visuals were damn attractive.
Actually, it contained common tropes; enemies to lovers, college, popular guys liked the nerdy guy. But the story telling was interesting enough to tolerate these common tropes.

Have I mentioned the visuals? They're really hot. Damnit, it was a good casting lol maybe that was one of the reasons it got so popular between female.

Recommended for those who's new to BL world because the kissing wasn't that aggressive.
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Completed
itflirt
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

short but cute

i’m surprised this drama is the most popular amongst the other k bls.. but i get it.

it was good but to be honest, i felt like it needed more. the plot was interesting and i loved how their characters developed. definitely recommend this drama to whoever is bored and needs something quick to watch.

their chemistry was okay but a little confusing at times. maybe they could’ve added more drama to spice things up a bit.

umm anyways i recommend you go watch "sing my crush". it is so goooooood but so underrated :(
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Completed
Chatriel
1 people found this review helpful
Oct 18, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

So good!

I've watched this 3 or 4 times already, and more when you consider how many times I rewatched scenes and clips. I absolutely love this series! Idk why I haven't reviewed it yet....but the more I watch it, the more I like it. The music has me bopping along to it without me realizing it. The sweet kisses makes me smile. I love that there is growth within both the main characters. All the characters are portrayed really well in my opinion.

I swear, my favorite scene is when Jae Young walks around the corner in a leather biker jacket and winks at Ryu Ji Hye. I think I'd have had the same stunned reaction that the 2 girls did! LOL

So lets talk about what I don't like. Park Seo Ham has a really good complexion. So why do they have to put so much makeup on him?? As good looking as he is, there are times when he reminds me of a corpse because of the heavy makeup they use. That's not cool. Also, the last episode is a little rushed in my opinion. They could have given it 5 more minutes and it would have been fine. And...um....I think that's about it. I think there's nothing else I disliked.

If you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth watching.

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Completed
Shelfleigh
1 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Cute & Short BL Romance

When computer science major Choo Sang-woo calls out Department of Design's Jang Jae-young for not helping him with a class project, Jae-young decides to get even by making his life a living hell. This was a really cute and short LGBTQ romance - 30 minutes long with eight episodes total. The actors had a ton of chemistry with plenty of fun banter and sweet romantic moments. They have their fair share of miscommunication, like any other show in the romance genre, but it never detracted from their story. I adored the friendships they have (or develop) throughout the story. While I would have liked it to be a tad longer to flesh out some of the story or characterization, I do appreciate that it didn’t overstay its welcome. If you ever have an afternoon free and you are looking for an opposites-attract romance with semi-steamy skinship, this show may just be what you ordered!

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Semantic Error poster

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  • Score: 8.2 (scored by 57,383 users)
  • Ranked: #1577
  • Popularity: #139
  • Watchers: 83,794

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