Refreshing, touching and funny!
From the cast, to the humour, to the odd cringey bit, to the empathy, to the sadness... I loved this drama.There were times I pre-empted what would happen, but just didn't care... the delivery was spot on.
It was darkly funny at times and a bit eye brow raising at others.
Our FL has seen most of the women in her life trodden down. She doesn't hate men, but hates marriage, love and relationships, the things she sees as their downfall.
Instead she hooks up with men solely for one-night stands; or friends with benefits, nothing more permitted. She is hugely independent, stands up for women that are bullied by men and can take care of herself via sreet fighting style martial arts.
Our ML is a squeaky clean, handsome, polite, top romance actor, loved by everyone. Everyone except our FL, who hates him after overhearing him having a rant, when his views almost melted her ears.
Humorous events lead to them having to interact more and more, with comical and sometimes touching consequences.
The supporting characters are diverse, from the FL's parents (of a generation where women are subservient, not meant to have any, let alone strong, views), to her best friend who has a knack for falling for the wrong men; to the ML's bestie and manager (wonderfully played by scrummy Kim Ji-hoon), who is so free and easy with both men and women (he behaves in a way rarely seen in K-dramas), that I honestly think the writers wanted people to question... is he gay?.... Is he?... I'm not saying!
The actresses surrounding our ML and colleagues surrounding our FL, are sometimes stereotypical, but never dull (I loved the older actress embroiled in a bitter divorce).
We get action too, with some great (if not always very believable), fight scenes.
I really liked how this drama doesn't get too heavy, kept things mostly light-hearted, yet still manages to convey the imbalance in both the attitudes and consequences to, men v. women 'behaving badly' in the eyes of society; and that 'fans' of celebrities have far too high an opinion of themselves and their 'rights' in the lives of their celebrity crushes, which needs addressing, but never really is.
Also, that taking words and actions out of context, can cause unnecessary conflict and hurt.
With a great cast to boot, it ticked all my boxes and was far more enjoyable and funny than I ever expected.
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This review may contain spoilers
First of all I had to praise Yoo teo's acting He succeeded to deliver me every single feeling even by his eyes
The drama was fast with solid story,
Brilliant romance, and amazing acting
What I didn't like about this drama were two things
1st: the end, I wish it had traditional happy ending (marriage) for the main couple
2nd: the 2nd leads' story was too fast
This drama should be at least 12 eps
Highly recommended to those who loved rom.com as me
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This was good!!
I didn't think this was from 2023 at all. For some reason, I found it different from many other romance K-dramas I've watched. I really enjoyed this, even though it's kind of "problematic." The first episode was so boring and confusing to me. This is how many episodes a romance should be; it didn't feel dragged out at all. The kissing scenes between the FL (female lead) and ML (male lead) seemed so natural—they had great chemistry. I liked that the main characters communicated because, sadly, in most romance K-dramas, even recent ones, the main characters don't communicate, which is just stupid.The ending was fine; it's good that it was realistic. I felt bad for the FL getting bullied by his fans, but that's the reality. I liked the second couple so much! Both friends were so good! Writers, this is how you write supporting friends! There are many wrong things I could point out about this show, but I'll focus on the good ones and the fact that I enjoyed it!
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Finally a realistic adult relationship!
A very entertaining drama to watch! Beautiful people, loyal friends, great pace, a WL who is living in the 21st century with her love life and not some prude, “shy”,anti sexual cheek who can’t express any sexuality whatsoever!I mean, don't get me wrong, I don’t like American style shows with all the hard core sex scenes, but although I love Kdramas, it is totally unrealistic that they show couples engaging in endless conversations, when we all know that for a couple in love and especially during the first period of the relationship, intimacy is number one priority and need!
This show finally gave us a real and deeply in love couple unable to take their hands off each other! It was very satisfying watching them play together and loving each other with such respect also!
Both FL and ML were excellent!
Let’s not forget the super handsome SML! What a hunk!
Watch this show! You will definitely be entertained!
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Underrated GEM! Watch it NOW!!
Not sure why there hasn’t been much buzz about this drama online, maybe because the actors are not that famous. I myself have never seen the 4 main casts in any other kdrama. But you HAVE TO WATCH this.. it’s SO SO GOOD!! Almost as good as Business Proposal! :):)Why? Firstly, it’s hugely entertaining! Your FL is not any ordinary femme fatale, or damsel, or chaebol etc.. she’s a fighter!! And a feminist. She fights the men who treat their women unjustly- yes literally beat them up! Lol… and she’s a lawyer by profession. As the story goes, she meets our ML who is a very famous actor, and of course there is a prejudice and misunderstanding between them. She somehow gets involved with his life.. from enemies to fake lovers, to real lovers ;)
Secondly, it’s hilarious!! Yes the kind of humour that I can get with. It’s smart and witty and really enjoyable to watch. Unlike some Kdramas where the humour is too slapstick and too put on it gets annoying. This one is done just right.
Thirdly- the chemistry!!! It’s only 10 episodes, so everything develops super fast!! We have a kiss at the end of Ep 4!! Both characters who previously hate each other start fake dating but as we all know, he’s already fallen hard for her ;););) Their romance evolved ever so smoothly and naturally, the way they joked around, teased each other etc..
Ending is a happy one. Felt a little rushed and I had hoped our ML could counter the cancel culture head on, but it wasn’t so. Nevertheless it was wrapped up pretty nicely. The second couple didn’t have thaaat much chemistry, but they were still likeable.
Don’t wait any longer! A very good and enjoyable watch!!
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Binge worthy
"Love isnt bad, it's the people who are badWhen in love we are the purest in state" - Choi Soo Jin to Yeo Mi Ran
I was waiting for this drama since I saw the trailer. I love the pairing as I can relate to their age group. I love how Mi Ran tackles and interpret her self as a feminist. It's not too much and not lacking. Also I love how the series showed their perspective regarding with women having a lot of men to date with. It's shows how double standard our society is. When men do that, "they're just sowing the oats, and what to do? they're men, it's typical for them to engage eih several women" but if a woman did that, then they will be casts aside and be called names such as "promiscuous" or "wild women" when im fact, women also should have a choice and have a say with it as they're the one who's gonna spend the rest of their lives with a man. Remember you'll never know someone's true nature unless you learn to live with them in a house.
The series is matured, funny, romantic and quit realistic on my part. It's just saddening that 10 episodes are not enough as some parts were rush, maybe 12 or 14 episodes would be enough.
Anyway, I love the series and the casts! They did a very good job!
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Practically Perfect in Every Way
10/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean Romantic Comedy Drama series. It has 10; 44-63 Minutes. It is also known as Love Battle.First I will provide a synopsis then a review.
Synopsis
Yeo Mi-ran (Kim Ok-vin) is an attorney who is an expert in martial arts and is not beyond rendering some street justice. Mi-ran vehemently dislikes men who take advantage of vulnerable young women and will seduce them in order to get close to expose their unethical and/or illegal activities. It has made her very jaded about men in general and she is convinced when she first sees Nam Kang-ho (Teo Yoo) that he is just another man looking down on and exploiting women. Mi-ran's long time friend and roommate, Shin Na-Eun (Go Won-hee) tries to moderate Mi-ran's thuggish behavior and is one of the reasons she is willing to stick with a new job that violates nearly all of her principles. The law firm Mi-ran works for, caters to celebrities, among them Kang-ho. Kang-ho's manager and friend Do Won-jun (Kim Ji-hoon) also has his hands full with his friend/client as Kang ho does not like manipulative women and has been on a mission to reform the spoiled actresses he encounters in his film roles. Both originally misunderstand each other and are thus on a mission to take each other down. However, the more time they spend together they come to realize each is not that thing they hate and are in fact among the few genuine people. As passionately as they hated each other in the beginning the two begin to love the other with the same intensity.
Review
The only very minor critique I have is it was a bit chaotic in the beginning of the first episode. I worried that the story would not come together and those confusing elements would continue. They do not. It quickly moves to a very engaging, entertaining, and comical story. The chemistry between the leads is very convincing. The reveal of the motivations of the main character is well paced. It is a heartwarming romance with a strong action and comedic element. 10 episodes felt perfect to tell the story and I am not one that normally likes series shorter than 16 episodes. This is one of the very few I could see myself watching again because I so thoroughly enjoyed it.
Spoilers*
The second couple, which was both of their best friends, was very cute and it was unfortunate that we did not get more time seeing their relationship further develop. However, they were a side couple so the amount of time spent on them was understandable.
I loved Mi-ran's relationship with her female client/aging actress who is divorcing her philandering chaebol husband. I liked how she won her over from being who she was and how they were such great advocates for each other.
I wish that Kang-Ho had told Mi-ran what exactly his ex-girlfriend had done to him but it was not critical to the story that he do so. It was actually part of of what was so wonderful about him that he did not totally out his former girlfriend. Mi-ran was so smart and good at investigating it is likely she would find that out on her own at some point anyway.
I liked how she gained respect and became friends with the male attorneys. I thought it was unfortunate how quickly the leadership of the law firm turned on her when the scandal occurred but that was necessary to maintain a plausible story line.
The "I don't need no man" fit with this story line. It was a bit more sexualized and risque than I am used to with Korean dramas. I worry some that the American influence could bring in elements of feminism and sexual promiscuity that has become extreme in American content and which I hope does not become strong in the content that is created or featured on American streaming services. I like Korean dramas because they are more wholesome and would not want to see them transform to a more American style.
#LovetoHateYou
#LoveBattle
#KimOkVin
#TeoYoo
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1000/10
I love this show so much i love that it has the enemies to lover troop and the fake dating troop . I liked how the show showed their relationship growth and how his feelings grow for her and how there were trying to seduce each other first. This show had comedy and romance and in eps 9ish had all the combined scenes of them seeing each other was my favorite part of the show. But what i most hated about this show was how she embarrassed him at his own press conference about there relationship When he asked her to marry him then rejecting him publicly was so embarrassing and sad to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
In the world of damsel in distress, the badass FL is a breath of fresh air (well almost)
In a landscape flooded with past lives, murder mysteries, and childhood trauma-filled rom-coms, Love to Hate You is a breath of fresh air. If you're tired of the typical damsel-in-distress tropes, this drama gives you a badass female lead who takes no prisoners and actually makes you want to root for her—not just in romance, but in life. Finally, a leading lady who’s strong, smart, and doesn’t need saving!The premise is fantastic, and the show does a great job of balancing pure chemistry and comedy between the leads, creating that perfect rom-com energy. Really loved the fake dating plot. It’s lighthearted, entertaining, and hits every checkpoint of the classic trope with style and charm.
However, not everything is perfect. The whole ‘justifying dating around’ and the constant misogynistic undertones felt a little too heavy-handed. It kind of detracted from the otherwise strong, progressive vibe the show was going for and that took away all the woke points the story was trying to gain. Also, the second lead’s storyline didn’t do much for me. It lacked the depth that could’ve made it a truly compelling subplot, and at times, made me use the "fast forward" option like a ninja when they had screentime, which I'm usually not a fan of.
I would've loved to see more depth to the characters. For example, FL issues with men probably originated from her father’s treatment to her mother, The male lead’s issues with women seemed to stem from his mother/ex but they did not seem to deep dive on it. Same with FL's friend's character as well FL's mother's character, I wished their character had a development arc of being independent/separated from her husband.
But overall, Love to Hate You nails what it’s supposed to do—fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and a badass heroine in a short 10 episode length which works out well for them!
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An All Round Good Drama
I was drawn to watch this drama after reading all the other good reviews. Not disappointed at all. I liked the fact that the leads are in their late 30's and their roles had lots of strength in character which is a nice change from the fluffy and cute ones. Needless to say, Kim Ok Bin rocks as 'Mi Ran'. She is pretty, emancipated, her taekwando in all her fighting scenes is to precision, she is opinionated. Women like these are normally not on top of men's list for a life partner but Yoo Teo as 'Kang Ho' is equally matched and is drawn to all her strengths, not at first but eventually through the progression of their relationship circumstances. Their characters do come with baggage of past hurt and insecurities but through their interaction, much is found and understood, moving them forward in a most delightful way.The drama did a good job in relating that women should not be judged differently as men in the eyes of society. When women are being loved and respected, one can enjoy the quality of the person in a fulfilling way. As for the men, Kang Ho's character showed the substance of what men should be made of. Responsibility and accountability.
I just love this drama. It has all the elements of maturity, fun, comedy, action, hugs, kisses, Leslie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, celebrities in relationship...... and so much more in just 10 episodes.
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I. Love. This. Drama!
I normally do not write reviews anymore on dramas that have a truckload of reviews already… but I just have to for this one! This was so cute! I laughed (and cried a bit) through the entire drama! It was really good and very well done!Storyline - was perfect! Well written and well executed. Could not have been better… at least for me. It was funny and had some heart to it. I did not skip a thing! I loved that they made the FL tough. Not some wimp who gives into everything and what people say. The only time she did that was…well not going to tell you. You’re just going to have to watch it for yourself!
Acting/Cast - I loved them all right down the the silent director! He was funny! But I really liked the FL. She did a great job. Ahh what am I saying… they all did. Just watch it!
Rewatch - duh! It was one of the best kdramas I have seen in a while. At the top of my must watch again list.
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Loathsome female lead. Lacks romance. feministic point of view
6 episodes in & the female lead's character is really loathsome. She ridiculously jumps to conclusions & has an overwhelmingly obnoxious personality. The fact that she is a "tramp" , casually sleeping around ALOT, makes it hard to accept her as a romantic partner for a super relationship shy male lead. In fact The male lead is the only one creating any chemistry. Either the actress, her acting or the script are lacking but it is very lacking.By Ep 9 & it's so hard to believe the female lead is sincere in her affections as She was ready to jump into bed with anyone (even after she met the male lead!) , so it's really unromantic when she makes a move on the male lead. We are given no reason at all to believe that she is doing more than playing with him & it's really pitiful when he confesses that she is unlike any other female he has known because they were all manipulative, selfish & wanted to use him for their own gain. As that exactly describes the female lead, who insists on relationships on Her terms it's hard to want them together.
The reason for her prolific dating comes to light & they try to make her into a sort of hero, but dating is one thing, "dating" with the definition of sleeping together is really another. The Female lead has no intention of getting married & the male lead wants to get married & have kids. They present marriage as a woman being tamed by a man. Whoa ! this is the happy ending we are given? agh !
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