The Interest of Love

Second time around hits different!

I had to come back and rewrite my review after watching this series a second time, because the first time around I totally missed the point. This second time i was more receptive and ready to digest the complexities of the characters and their situations.

The first time around I grew frustrated with the way the story was unfolding and the main characters that seem very passive drove me crazy with exasperation. But now I understand that they were living in a society full of prejudices and classism, so they had to behave and conform to what it was expected of them. They really had no choice, because all their choices had consequences. Like the moment that the FL stood up to her boss, at first she was seemed by her own coworkers as a liability until the ML who was regarded of a higher social status defended her did she get any sympathy..

Although many viewers found her annoying for being mad at the ML for his initial hesitation and later for trying hard to like the SML. I totally understand why she did that. So yeah, I loved the ending… it was really fitting. They had to go through all those experiences and headaches to end up right where they started….

It is truly a gem of a show…. the angst is so palpable. love it!!!

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We Were Definitely Robbed. More of a Stick Up Than Highway Though...

THE TRACK Wonder Why GIVES MY LOVELY SAM SOON!!! I love it so much, I just love Sam Soon lol. That track alone means I can never hate this drama.

The acting was phenomenal! Everyone played their roles so well. You love characters when you are supposed to love them and hate them when you are supposed to hate them. Beautifully done. Superb casting. Give the casting directing a medal.

Ha Sang-Su - This is my second drama with him as the ML. I was watching his new drama WTPR and ran out of episodes and then this was suggested. I saw MKY was the FL and was sold. He was very good at acting hesitant and ever so longing. It was very frustrating for me when he got with Mi-Yeong, I didn't know that was going to happen lol. The pushing and pulling we went through because our dumb main couple decided to go the long way.

Ahn Soo Young - Moon Ga-Young is such a good actress, and she played the role very well—a lovely and complex FL. Loved her in Tempted, although I dropped that drama, she should have ended up with Woo DoHwan. She has a very good poker face, she gives off the impression to everyone that nothing phases her. After everything went down with the fake-out she pulled, everything became too much and my girl needed a fresh start. After all the disappointments from not being promoted, all the nasty rumors, the harassment, the straw that broke the camel's back ended up being her not being comfortable hurting 3 people she cared about. So she decided to destroy everything and have them all turn on her instead. I was reluctant to see her leave since she had finally received the promotion she deserved but also happy because that company didn't deserve her. It was a great decision in the end, leaving that micro-toxic world in order to create her own was for the best. It really goes to show that the ones who look the toughest on the outside are usually the softest.

Main Leads Chemistry: OFF THE CHARTS! The chemistry was soooo good but they never ended up feeding us until we were full. I remember thinking, around episode 7 or 8, that once they get together I hope it doesn't get too happy since it gets boring sometimes in dramas when they do that. Little did I know they planned on making us suffer until the end. If their chemistry were not good the fact that the leads stay in a semi-awkward state the whole time would have been unbearable. They finally get comfortable and then BOOM, ASY pulls off her stupid little trick. We kinda get over that hurdle and BAM ASY disappeared and we were back to the initial hesitant and shy atmosphere the main couple called home. Fortunately for us and the director, the underlying tension between the leads spoke for itself. Episode 10. Nothing else needs to be said about their kisses except ELECTRIC! They have to pair together again for another drama because I need more of them!

Jeong Jeon Hyeon - Adorable. Annoying but still adorable. The initial happy phase with him and the FL made me even consider that they might just live happily ever after. Then his financial troubles kicked into high gear and I got tired of his shame after a while. There was only so much I could take. Like you chose to not give up, just buck up and understand that you have to lean on her and pass that flipping exam! Then that girl he was studying with was very annoying. Like even if he and FL don't end up together to get with someone so happy to flirt with you while you have a GF and who would disrespect that GF in front of you is crazy. His telling that girl that he only had fun with her still ticks me off. I am very happy he passed that test and became a police officer but the downfall of their relationship tired me out and I was ready for him to be gone lol. When he punched Gyeong-Pil I was surprised because I thought he was cheating with that study-group-girl lol, I was like "Oh, he does care" 🤦‍♀️

Park Mi-Yeong - A sweet girl. A bit annoying at times. She was so privileged but desired to work for the things she got, unaware of the fact that everything she was blessed with was handed to her. She was ungrateful to her father and resented him for his seemingly overbearing assistance, causing their relationship to weaken. The moment when she thanked him was very touching. She finally realized that he wasn't trying to buy her affection with the things he provided, he was trying to show his love for her in the only way he knew how. Mi-Yeong although full of herself, had her heart in the right place. She was definitely foolish to get into a relationship with a man who told her he was not in it 100%. I don't see her as a victim in that aspect. She saw many signs and ignored them. The power dynamic was tilted in her favor even though her feelings caused her to be the one at a disadvantage. Getting with a man who hardly likes you is risky business and I could never feel bad for someone who puts themselves in that position. If you turn his heart towards you, great you win, but if his heart stays on whoever it is, you only have yourself to blame and the hurt caused to your heart is basically self-inflicted. She's still my girl though, don't get it twisted.

Honorable Mentions:

Gyeong-pil - He's actually a pretty great friend, all things considered, lol.

The Two Moms: I'm glad they reconciled since their relationship was cute.

I don't get why everyone in the comments thinks this was an "open" or "unclear" ending. As far as I am concerned, the main couple is happily married with baby #3 on the way. Do you think they had that much chemistry, went through 4 years of no contact only to meet and be just as obsessed with each other and they didn't get together??? Tsk, tsk, tsk, not the brightest bulb are you huh? Lol, but seriously our OTP is living happily and well. If they had gotten together before the time skip the relationship would have probably been very strained and it might have ended badly. They both had ample time to collect themselves and improve and found their way back to each other even when they did not intend to.

A great drama where you can't completely hate anyone. Magnifique ✨😚👌

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More Hopes Dashed!

I started watching Kdramas several years ago after my brother mentioned he enjoyed them...and generally I have too, over the 100 or so series I have seen all or part of. About 6 months ago he told me that he had started watching the last part of a final episode first to help determine if he was going to spend 16+ hours on the series. After the last couple of series that I have watched I have arrived at the same point. (Just before Interest of Love I watched Misty and Record of Youth.)

As is common for me (and apparently many others), I started to get weary of the premise / storyline after the first 4-8 episodes. In this case it felt like they were just circling back (as explained in one of the episodes) back to the beginning, without much of interest (pun intended) being added after each lap. The slow pace was getting to me so I bumped the playback to 1.5 and made frequent use of the 10 seconds ahead feature. I binged the first 12 episodes over a couple of days before hitting the wall at the end of episode 12. Maybe I was just tired, but I didn't want to watch anymore, excepting part of episode 16 to see how this train wreck ended.

The memories collage in the finale lacked any joy for me as I felt cheated out a positive ending. True, most of the individual scenes were the best of what had transpired along the way and those segments AT THE TIME were satisfying to watch. I kept watching the remaining time display thinking "There is still enough time to salvage a good ending. Come on!" Alas, their last steamy-stares were left to be interpreted. Were they still in love? If so, what a couple of losers. I get that these Kdramas present what many Americans (or at least my Boomer cohort) would consider dysfunctional, immature, sloooooow-developing romantic relationships. Six or more episodes before a confession of liking someone or maybe agreeing to drop the honorifics or hold hands. Then almost immediately into a committed maybe-gonna-get-married relationship. Heck, back in my day we dated for FUN. I have to believe that these Kdramas do not represent real life in South Korea.

Yes, I'm rambling a bit, an early morning rant about yet another waste of my time on a series that COULD have been so much more enjoyable. As it was, one of the highlights was trying to figure out the product placements. (Is Volvo really happy to have their EV shown as needing a longer-than-a-gas-fillup recharge?) From now on I am following in my brother's footsteps and watching the ending first. If I wanted to see tragic relationships I could always just watch French films. (Or maybe just checking the reviews here, as clearly I am not the only to dislike this show's path and ending.)

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One of the best series on Netflix, but not a typical k-drama

I want to be very clear: this is a superb series for whomever is looking for a westerner, social + romantic, full of very very interesting ideas type one. However, the problem is that k-drama watchers are mostly the ones watching it, so the rating is low because of this: they expect a nice bubbly story, with all kind of hidden relations that are going to be revealed in the end, full of romantic, unexpected turns, so of course, for them this is going to be boring. Again, the series is superb, depicting perfectly the social segregation, power abuse, difficult to reach relations, but the final idea that a relation should be stopped after an amazing climax has been reached is stunning (and it's so very difficult to stop...) despite there are counterexamples when two people live happily ever after (yes, you can count them on the fingers of a single hand, but... there are!!). An excellent director, who used picturesque effects to show a large variety of feelings on the screen. It's absolutely everything else but boring!

Long time ago, when I was a teenager, I was discussing a lot with my best friend about a climax in love and the meaning of marriage after that. The truth is that a relationship can go only down from reaching a top. Everyone knows that all marriages have problems, misunderstandings, etc. Why continue something that was extraordinary, just to drag it to trivial? My ideas changed while aging, but the questions are still there. I guess this is the only show which bluntly treats the same problem in the same way. That's why I loved it. Of course, I am subjective, but this show impressed me a lot.

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Do introverts mate? Not in this drama

This is another one of my hormone-driven viewings (I am seldom proud of them) I convinced myself to undertake with the sole purpose of reliving the strong feelings Yoo Yeon-seok elicited in me during Mr. Sunshine. I was hoping for a modern Dong-mae and, predictably, was disappointed.
Sadly, no character in this drama is supposed to be charming. Also, do not be deceived by the word "love" in the title. It may lead you to believe this drama is about the birth of a love story when in fact it is about an aborted one.

We have two introverts that start liking each other and, as tortuous and difficult as their path toward a relationship is, it's not interesting enough to fill 16 episodes.

All the things that are said about introverts and their problematic approach to reality are true, though.
To the unsuspecting eye of an extrovert, the behavior of the characters, the female lead in particular, may seem senseless if not cruel. However, an experienced introvert, like myself, knows that 99% of her choices derive from the fact that she wants but can't let the world see that she does because she thinks she's not allowed to want. So she tries to be content and devotes herself to the next best thing and all her actions hinge on the subsequent guilt and bullheadedness that chains her to her choices. At the same time she is not able to kill the hope of getting what she truly wants and can't lie convincingly.
The male character is just as cowardly and twisted, of course.
Obviously, this is all very toxic for the people involved yet it is not senseless.
These characters' motives are clear to me, which speaks volumes about my mental sanity.

I think this drama gives a realistic, albeit depressing, point of view on adult relationships (romantic relationships as well as workplace relationships). Nonetheless, it gets boring to watch this asinine mating dance of adult insecurities and emotional damage.

I guess the performances are good, yet not outstanding. I remain a devoted fan of Yoo Yeon -seok.

The ending is as lukewarm as the rest of the series. I don't think there's any true character's growth except maybe for Jong-hyun who manages to find his self-worth and build on it (and Soo-young is a bit responsible for this growth despite the mess she made of him).
There is no real take-home message here save only for the fact that the interest of love might be just as burdensome as the interest on loans. (I wanted to end this with a wise adage or something, but I came up with this cringe motto. I guess it goes well with the realistic and depressing tone of the drama...).

Female Empowerment Score 3/5 : the women here try to help each other in a difficult, chauvinistic, work environment.

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The Trouble with The Class System

Having watched the 8 episodes and the preview to episodes 9 the writers have done a masterful job in depicting the wrongs and hardships living in a "Class" based society. The rich and powerful are revered and honored receiving what they at times aren't even qualified while the poor, no matter how hard they try will always be overlooked and held back simply because they are who they are.

The misunderstanding between the FL and The ML is not that they don't have an attraction for each other but rather the FL has made the assumption that the ML is part of the upper class because of where he lives, the college school he went to and some of his friends he associates with. She holds a resentment in that she was his superior when he entered the bank and three years latter he is her superior. Her hard work and efforts are continueously overlooked , while her looks are what her superiors deem worthy.

To better understand the series and the characters a breif discription of each would be necessary

The ML is the basic good guy who has a hard time talking about himself......... he lets his actions speak for themselves. Raised by a widowed mother whose husband's actions placed the family in hardships they couldn't imagine. The ML became the devoted son that didn't whine and cause trouble for his mother but rather worked hard and helped by not getting in trouble, getting scholarships to elite schools and being liked by everyone that comes in contact with him.......... He is a good and kind man.

The FL is a beautiful, talented and very driven girl who only wants to be recognized for her efforts and not her family background. After her brothers death that she idolized.......... she blamed her father for his death and distanced herself from them, leaving herself to be all alone in the big city. With her efforts and hardwork always being overlooked she appears to project herself as cold and aloof and jumping to conclusions if she would've taken a breath and just listened........ Her biggest problem in dissing the ML that truely cares fore her.

The SFL is not what she appears to be......... she is the spoiled rich girl who is use to getting everything she wants. Working as Assistant Manager as her father says working for "Jump Change" she loves the attention of the lower class and is willing to use them to achieve her goals. From day one transferring to the Bank........ she resented that the FL was considered the " The Goddess" ......... that was unacceptable for a vain spoiled girl like her. Everything she does for the FL in the name of frienship is only done to make the FL feel even more inferior than she already is.

The SML is also a good guy, but not in the realm of the ML. He is a dreamer that has accepted his place in the class system making himself feel good with his dreams. This was seen in how quickly he wanted to return to his former life after a setback. The FL though she wanted some form of attachment to allieviate her loneliness quickly realized that ML is the one even though she still refuses to admit it.

What I found interesting each week is how the previews to the next episodes are deliberately shown to misdirect the viewers attention. How the the romances will revolve ....... It is my opinion they will come about once the parents of each have their say.
The mother of the SFL has become besties with the mother of the ML ......... that friendship will come to an end because she can't have her daughter marry the son of someone that washes her feet. The parents of the FL will give praise to the ML lead in how often he takes the lead in helping whenever he is in the restaurant.

The Next 8 episodes should be rather interesting in that the misdirection that was shown in the first 8 episodes will slowly unwind. If It doesn't pan out that way I will have fun in making it happen in fan fiction.

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Real Love Isn't Always Pretty

~~Before you read: I read a lot of reviews about this drama once I finished it. Most were talking about how the main characters are red flags, toxic, & blah-blah-blah, categorizing the drama as "bad/cheap/trash." Honestly, all the opinions are valid as they are subjective, but in my opinion, this drama is not that bad. I think it needs to be watched as a social criticism of modern love. I understand perfectly that we don't want to watch "realistic" love; we want to watch a romantic and platonic representation of love—something to heal us and give us a chance to keep falling in love.

Also, since the drama is based on the novel Understanding of Love, I want to think that it's probably based on the writer's personal experience and/or expectations.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

For the first 3–4 episodes, I really felt it was a bit boring. Since it is a slow-burn exploration of relationships, mainly focused on the emotional struggles of its characters, it’s a drama that many might drop, and I was really close to dropping it myself.

I honestly hate Ahn Soo-young [Moon Ga-young], not because of the actress, but because, in retrospect, I felt represented by the character. It happens—we tend to hate the characteristics in others that we don’t want or hate about ourselves.

Of course, I also hate Ha Sang-soo. I want to punch him because he complicated everything too much and caused harm to the lovely characters.

Most of the characters' decisions felt frustrating, and I wished for more growth in their arcs. (Also, I want to protect Jeong Jong-hyun [Jung Ga-ram]—this character is as pure as fresh air.)

Anyways, the acting was good. The main characters delivered heartfelt performances, perfectly capturing the emotional turmoil of their roles. Even in the silent scenes, the look in their eyes said a lot about how they felt, and you could perfectly notice it.

The soundtrack complemented the mood well, though it wasn’t particularly memorable. The bank setting added an interesting perspective to the story. I worked in an office (I know it’s not the same), but I can say that it highlighted the pressures of balancing work and personal life in this kind of environment.

There were moments of raw vulnerability that felt relatable. I went through something similar about 10 years ago—I had been in love for 8 years (at that time), and the man I fell for was also interested in me, but... we didn’t even try because we were idiots too („• ֊ •„)੭.

So yeah, guys, it happens.

After 16 years of being in love with the same man, I can tell you that real love works more this way than we want to admit. We can mess up our own relationships or miss the opportunity just because we’re scared of losing someone if we fail in the attempt. Then, you find yourself wondering what would have happened if you had taken risks or made different decisions, and you learn to live with those noisy thoughts that come up in your mind from time to time.

That doesn’t mean you can’t fall in love again with someone else and live happily with that person. Most real relationships are based on the "easy" options—being with someone who provides you with peace and calm instead of the insecurity of wondering if it will work.

Maybe it’s because being in a relationship that doesn’t feel too significant is better for our mental well-being—if it ends, it ends, and nothing would really happen.

I think that is something really well portrayed in this drama. Even after everything changes, they try with someone else—someone who feels more aligned with their lifestyle or background, someone who loves them for who they are and not for what they could become. They try to fit into their "pattern" in society, adjusting themselves to social standards.

Since Ahn Soo-young feels inferior to her colleagues, especially to Ha Sang-soo—even though he is not in a particularly privileged position due to being raised by a single mother (something that seems unfavorable in Korean society, according to the drama)—she decides to give Jeong Jong-hyun a chance. I think it’s because, on one hand, he is really sweet and gentlemanly toward her, and on the other, he is closer to her "lower class," making her feel a bit more at ease with him than with Ha Sang-soo in that regard.

In the end, you can watch the drama as a good way to improve and take notes about yourself. It could lead you to grow and analyze yourself in a certain way. "Are you being honest in your relationships? Are you communicating, expressing yourself, and your needs properly?"... That’s what really matters. The drama is not just a time consumer; it can be a valuable learning resource with the right critical perspective. You can avoid the feeling of regret if you learn from others' experiences.

If you’ve come this far: Thanks for reading. ( ˙ᗜ˙ ) ♡

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What did I just watch?

Ngl, I am so confused with this k-drama. Read mixed reviews, before watching it, thinking people are being too harsh on it. But for me, the 'quality watch' ended with episodes 9/10. It honestly just goes downhill from there.

From the start, I liked the idea, that finally, a kdrama is normalising couples living together without getting married, and talking about people's previous relationships etc., but oh boy why would fl ruin so many lives without any deeper motive? If the writer's main objective was to make people think about the consequences of their actions and to bring as much controversy as possible, then well done... But I wouldn't say that was the right way to do it.

Maybe I am not understanding something here, and there are some hidden meanings behind it, but overall I would end watching this drama at episode 10 - a tip for everyone who doesn't want to get confused and disappointed with the plot and main leads' actions.

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It's too too too complicated

No one can understand Ahn Su Young not even she can understand her own feeling. She is the most complicated character in kdrama, I guess 🙄.

And how does Han Sang Soo finds Ahn Su Young everytime? Does he has tracker on her?🤪

The first 8 episodes are quite interesting as storyline is quite different from the other dramas that I have watched but Awfully stretched out at the end 😒 At the beginning showing realistic characters and their emotions was nice. I really like the chemistry of Moon ga young and Yoo yeon seok. Moon ga young is so different from True beauty which is impressive . Yoo yeon seok is becoming one of my favourite.

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Flat ending

This drama had an interesting start. I wanted to watch a drama that focused on "real" people and not the high luxury lives of chaebols. Having worked in a bank myself, I wanted to see how they would navigate office romances.

Truly wanted to like this drama but that ending was just What the???!!!

Mentally going through each episode, it really boils down to the lack of communication between the leads. Too many things left unsaid left room for doubts and suspicions which could have been prevented if they were more open with each other.
I saw the ML in Mr Sunshine and dr Romantic, so it was refreshing to see him portray a different role. To be honest, he was more likeable than the Fl. He was just that Real.....

The only other plus for me would be the OST. That was something I really enjoyed.

Overall, I don't think I would recommend this drama. The frustration that builds up every episode ending was just aggravated by that ending

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