Breezy and cheerful
This one is strictly for fun - breezy, cheerful, and playful. A bit of mind candy for anyone who needs a break from the soul-draining rigors of romance.It's such a relief to see a female lead who uses her powers to right the wrongs suffered by damsels dating dastardly dudes.
OK, it was a bit over the top. The FL's fighting chops were on a superhuman scale, and the second couple's courtship was so abbreviated I barely had time to register it.
But thanks again, Netflix, for giving us a female-centric story with a strong lead (mostly) devoid of victimization, weepiness, and heartbreak. Loved it.
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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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A romcom that makes you want to fall in love
Love To Hate You will likely be in my top 5 (if not number 1) of 2023 dramas. Honestly, romcoms are usually not really my thing. At most, the jokes make me smile a bit and the romance is often sweet but at times a bit toxic. In contrast, Love To Hate You made me laugh out loud at many scenes, and it features a mature relationship between adults who respect each other - something more dramas should aim to portray. Watching this drama made me think, "This is the kind of relationship I want", and it made me want to go out and find someone. My heart is a puddle and I think I need to go and recover now, it'll be a while until I find another kdrama this good.Was this review helpful to you?
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Light, Girls power
I’m definitely enjoyed this Drama mostly because was light easy to fallow. It. The female carácter was very independent and with a great selfsteam which to my view teach the new generations of girls the basic points o being truthful to your self and mostly used your brain and work hard will take anywhere . I got that great message!!!The love plot was easy “ boy don’t like girl, girl don’t like boy” however at the end loves wins no matter what !!!
As per the actors I’m sure the have fun making this Drama, production ok and writing and photography ok everything basic.
Perhaps my critics goes to a profound and the importance of being beautiful at the moment to choose the love of your life, beauty does not last, I don’t condemn people who defiere of my point of view however I’m sure some ugly people ( hard to define ) have achieved great in life.
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The play girl and the man who only loved once.
Love to hate you was a quick and easy watch. No heavy crying here:)It was a perfect combination of a funny, amazing cast, and a well-written storyline.
Characters: The girl is the epitome of a strong independent woman AT EVERY POINT. This isn't the type of drama wherein the girl is strong at first then when she gets together with the male lead, she just somehow ends up in situations she can't handle on her own. No no no. Amazing woman from the start till the end. As for the guy, he's not the type to be all macho, cold, and all that which we usually see in dramas. You'll see the bromance between him and his best friend which I think is a great addition to the drama to battle toxic masculinity in society. However, he IS (indeed) very distant from the entire female population. haha
Romance: All I can say is, a mature type of love. It was so easy for them to discuss things like how the guy admitted that the other girl was indeed his first love and how that girl was trying to rekindle their past relationship. There isn't unnecessary jealousy between them even with the fact that the guy is closely working with his first love (and mind you, it was his first and only love back then). On a different note, I love how they can calmly sit down and intently listen to the person talking about their concerns and why they wish to take things slow (aka. take a break).
Watch it so you'll know what I'm talking about then tell me if you also noticed it HAHAHAHA
To be honest, this is one of those dramas wherein both leads feel safe and secure in and with their relationship. They know that if it was up to them, there would never be a reason for them to break up. All in all, it was an amazing leisure watch. Comedy, action, story, and oh! Beautiful OST :) But then again, it's a kdrama. When has there ever been a Korean drama with uncompetitive music?
Last thoughts, I love how recently, there have been more and more dramas about idols and actors/ actresses. It somehow closes the distance between you and your idols. At first, you'll never imagine how a famous person gets into a relationship, but I feel like the recent trend of dramas about idols and actresses/ actors can be an avenue for fans to be more supportive of their idol's relationship.
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.
Not knowing what to watch, I ended up starting this series — and to my delight, it turned out to be quite an enjoyable one. It’s a classic rom-com, brimming with love, friendship, and all the usual ups and downs of modern relationships.You can find more of my reviews on Instagram. :D See my homepage about my Instagram account. Some of my reviews are under five hundred words so I can't post them here. (*^▽^)/★*☆♪(*^-゜)vThanks!
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What's there to love? To hate?
The first episode was a little weird, but it also felt nice when the FL gave them a lesson. It didn't take me long to get addicted! The second episode's misogyny was bizarre. When she requested more, only one woman was called in! The sound effects were good and added to the humor. It reminded me of the old-school romance K-dramas.
I read a comment that someone made and I couldn't agree more, I felt like the last 2 episodes were rushed. We didn't need a scandal near the end!
I really seemed to love the two main leads, because of how head-strong they were. But when they opened up, they were also nice and sweet!
What could've been better?
I really hated the sad reality that was shown after one scandal, most didn't want to be seen around that person without knowing the full details. Hate the negative news; there are or will be some people in your life who thrive on negativity, and I got the impression that those were the guys. It seemed like we didn't know much about the background of the second male lead; we only learned later who exactly the woman was who had suggested getting married if he would still be single in his 40s. Honestly, I hated the boss of that firm, because of favoritism when FL was announced to be dating the VIP client he started acting so kind towards her but when things didn't go as planned, he bashed FL.
Why not 9.5 or 10? Because I believe there were K-dramas released in 2023 that were better than this one, but it doesn't mean this one wasn't amazing. I felt that K-dramas normally only show 1 kiss scene, 1 date, then marriage and kids(optional), but this one showed more chemistry between them which I enjoyed very much! It was great, something I haven't seen in a while!
Should you watch it? Up to you!
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