Call it BEAUTIFUL
A slow burn romance to top most slow burn romances. You got 2 incredibly complex characters with incredibly traumatizing histories and they come together to create a beautiful love story.It starts out with our no non-sense badass but impulsive FL. She’s got revenge on her mind and she won’t stop at anything to achieve it.. until she meets our kind hearted and greenest of the green flags ML. However, she’s supposed to wreak havoc on his life as part of her revenge. So, what is a girl supposed to do? She fell in love.
It’s not a typical girl and guy fall in love kind of rom com. It’s about growing past your trauma, pain, internal conflicts, and allowing yourself to heal. I love that we get a no bullshit FL who’s not afraid to love, not afraid to protect those she loves and not afraid to love even her supposed enemy. Then, you get an incredibly warm and kind ML who’s slumped shoulders show a man carrying the weight of the world on him. What he needs is the love of a good woman. Here, enters our FL crashing into his world and coloring his blank pages. He also helps to bring colors into her black and white world. 10/10
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Call it… why, a biggo WHY
WHY would you cast the handsome Kim Young Kwang if you´re gonna use that UGLY pink filter throughout the drama?WHY would you cast the handsome Kim Young Kwang if you are not going to exploit his charismatic smile and just have him play a one dimensional depressed character? It was interesting and engaging in the early episodes, but it soon got old… to the point where I grew exasperated with him and that´s criminal. I watched the entire The Secret Life Of My Secretary with a big smile, even though it was a stupid romcom with a questionable premise I loved watching Kim Young Kwang. With him alone and his killer smile was so worth it!
WHY would you waste some potentially interesting cinematography with that UGLY pink?
WHY would you introduce great initial characters and midway just let them go to shit?
WHY in the second half of the series everyone took forever to get the words out of their mouths? Especially the leads in the last 4 episodes… my God what the hell happened, were they on Valium or something? Did I miss the part where they visited their psychiatrist and were prescribed a speech impairment drug?
WHY would you turn such a potentially strong, endearing and adorable FL into a wimpy FL?
If writers knew that they had 16 episodes to fill WHY did it feel like they ran out of material and they just went in circles the second half of the series?
WHY the pretentious and repetitive shots? Actors taking turns to eat side by side, actors taking turns to walk side by side, actors taking turns to look at each other from a few meters away, actors taking turns to look at the camera with a solemn face…. You get the point… repetition that made no freaking sense in a non beautiful way because of that UGLY pink filter.
WHY the bland ending?
I read some comments where viewers say that they were satisfied with the ¨happy ending¨ Frankly speaking I didn´t get it or by that time i was too jaded to appreciate it.
And then it got me thinking were they trying to emulate the ending in LOST or were they trying to emulate LOST the entire time? If so, they failed miserably. Actors take note: check out Ryu Joon Yeol and Jeon Do Yeon because that´s how you play a depressed person on the brink of despair. It does´t have to be boring!! In Lost the ending made perfect sense after the things that they had been through. In Call It Love, the ending looks like two slow and dumb people looking at each other, very stupid in my book.
So WHY did I watch this? Because I LOVE Kim Young Kwang and I liked the first half of the series to the point where I was willing to overlook the ugly pink filters.
Please Kim Young Kwang stay away from complex characters they are not for you or work with directors that can really use your strengths to build characters like in Mission Possible, Hello Me, The Secret Life Of My Secretary, The Guardians… playing those characters you were fantastic!!!
P.S. The OST, Flowers by Kim Roy was the true STAR of the series. Stunning!!!!!
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Healing, .love, and perfect chemistry
There are many characters in Korean dramas that I would aspire to be because of their fundamental goodness, compassion, empathy, and kindness. Han Dong-Jin, in 'Call it Love' might go to the top of that last. His steadfast love turned desire for vengeance in the female lead, Shim Woo-Joo, brilliantly acted by Lee Sung Kung, into love, forgiveness and understanding. This healing is transformative across all the characters, grudgingly perhaps by the villainess, but even she is able to wish Shim Woo-Joo a good life. It's rare enough for chemistry this perfect to exist among the male and female lead but here is carries over to all the couples. The transformation and healing wrought by love permeates this quiet but powerful drama, one that will melt your heart. The cinematography is rather special as well, highlighting the moods of the characters and I appreciate that the OST is not just a play-list of popular songs but uses orchestra and piano to help create and sustain the moods. Call It Love is one of the most soulful dramas I have seen and it will linger with me for a long time.Was this review helpful to you?
Great Watch!
I just finished watching it, and even though in the beginning I thought I wasn't going to like this drama because of the serious undertone, I was wrong. It was a great journey that I didn't want to end. The characters grew on me at the end I loved the main cast so much. The relationship with the main leads was a real one built on authenticity and genuine care/love for each other. Many touching moments are great lines in this series defiantly has my mister vibe but with a more satisfying ending, in my opinion. Great watch for a nighttime drama think everyone should stick with it for 3 episodes it is not boring!Was this review helpful to you?
This drama completely took me by surprise. It’s slow, quiet, and emotional in the best way possible. The story isn’t about flashy twists or dramatic reveals—it’s about two broken people finding peace and healing in each other.
The acting is so natural and real. Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-kwang gave such subtle and powerful performances, and their chemistry felt deep and believable. The pacing might not be for everyone, but if you’re patient, it rewards you with a truly touching love story.
The music, the soft lighting, the way the camera lingers on small moments—it all adds up to something really beautiful.
If you’re into slow-burn romances with lots of heart and emotional depth, I highly recommend this one. It’s not just a drama, it’s a feeling.
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profound <3
personally I adored it.it was simple and beautiful from the first to the last episode, it was magically slow often, it was painfully heart-wrenching at times - it made me feel so many emotions. we’ve all experienced loss, anger, longing and sorrow and this drama depicts those feelings so well. 😭❤️
really wonderful acting from the main leads and very poetic cinematography - you cannot stop feeling all of the feelings thanks to both.
like most kdramas it was a little predictable at times but it doesn’t make it any less wonderful. The ost and support characters added charming touches throughout as well.
love is so many things at once. the main leads went through so much and them connecting was not without its load of pain but the healing that came from it was a wonder to witness. all these complex emotions were portrayed so well by the actors. thank you to everyone involved in Call it Love!!!
of course i highly recommend it - not everyone will appreciate this drama but if you do, i hope you feel as much as I felt.
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This review may contain spoilers
Strong start but dumpster fire ending...
I probably would rate the first half like a 8.5/10, the tension and angst were juicy and everything was choreographed so well, but the second half was unfortunately borderline painful to watch. There's a whole lot of nothing that happens - and it's just sad that a drama with so much potential could fumble this unique love story so badly.Going on and on about how they can't be together because of something that is literally 0% the MLs fault. I get what happened in the past hurt everyone. I also see that the FL is suffering and her family don't care.
The side couple was weird and forced. Every scene with the FLs witch of an older sister was a hard watch. Oh well. The acting of FL and ML was very good though.
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Call it Satisfying
When I finished Call it Love I I honestly felt like I was satisfied in a well that was a grand days work kinda way as opposed to oh my god im totally blown away kind of way. But yet i look back at this as time well spent it kind of grows on you and you go through a certain kind of coming to terns with whats happening along with the characters.At times this drama really had me moved and totally absorbed and at times I was feeling this is getting dull only for it to pull away from the edge and remain engaging and it makes you interested to hear what others thought.
Pros:
Some great chatacters and exploration of same and a sense of understanding them gradually in a satisfying way.
A really good fairly realistic story not OTT and well brought together. I genuinely felt any number of endings would satisfy me no anxiety re a happy vs sad vs open ending a few episodes out as the story was making sense to me (eventually) regardless.
The Secondary characters were all really engaging and not filler material and no really extreme characters (though some might say close to)
For a drama with virtually no comedy it was still not gratituosly depressing.
Some genuinely powerful moments.
The normalised and gentle treatnent of sister struggle with mental health issue, note not a central part of plot but nicely introduced and explored with subtlety and normality.
Cons
The leads at times were too monotonous and almost unable to express any emotions outside of a narrow range of stoic silence and underlying sadness.
The FL in particular some of her scenes were like oh come on say something, its actually getting weird now. Tropes were not rampant in this script apart from the miscommunication/no communication between leads trope which weared just a little at times.
The chemistry between leads lacked i felt I dont know if it was directing acting or both but it was a bit too low key to match where they get too in their relationship. However this may be because this was not just a story about romance it was that and a bit more so even the romance had to be in balance.
To put it simply the acting was anazing to capture a certain tyoe of mood or moment which was then repeated a lot so while many fekt the acting was great i felt it was within a narrow range and not mind blowing sorry.
The use of the split scene then flash back was done really well except maybe a bit too often esoecially where verbal communication was sparse it was at times a long wait to find out what was actually said when.
Overall I feel like this is really really a great watch but maybe not all in one go. I have a fulfulling sense of satisfaction even though at times i was not sure what to make of it. Somehow this drama didnt neccessarily always go they way I wanted and yet i never felt cheated or had an oh i hate this type of story moment. I still havent settled on a no for my rating im curious what people feel.
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looking for a soul healing journey? BINGO
Call it Love is a beautiful Kdrama that tells the story of three sibling that couldn't be any more different. The main themes are friendship, romance, hardship, grieve and revenge.The three siblings taught me many things:
Rely on yourself but don't go through all the hardships alone.
Don't be afraid to be alone and learn to appreciate your time with yourself.
Always pursuit your dreams. Never give up.
The writing is excellent, with character development and plenty of heartwarming moments that will make you smile. The show also touches on deeper issues such as family and societal pressures, which adds an extra layer of depth to the story.
The supporting cast is also exceptional, with each character bringing their own unique personality and quirks to the show. The soundtrack is also fantastic, adding to the overall romantic and lighthearted vibe of the show.
Lastly I want to say
Goodbye pink filter
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Lee Sung Kyung shows some of her best acting prowess in this drama; the way she unleashes her pent-up frustrations at how life dealt her hand, how the father she loved betrayed their family, how she has to hold back some of her emotions for the sake of her sister and brother, how she defends her actions as justifiable, and how she grapples with her growing feelings towards her sworn enemy.
The rest of the cast also pull their own weight in this mostly character-based drama, with the plot being secondary as a background. The events that unfold showcase how humanity or lack there-of can play in the decisions of some, like how some people are repentant while others are not, despite numerous chances given. We learn in this drama, that while some people are just plain horrible, it does not necessarily mean that their off-spring will be the same. Some just lack the basic human decency of treating others with respect and continue to become trash, but we should not be painting their relatives in the same brush because they can turn out to be really decent human beings with an unfortunate excuse of a mother.
If you are expecting a light-hearted, fluffy romance drama, this is not it as Call It Love meanders its way along the excruciatingly long road of life.
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Be patient
I loved the two main characters and I felt invested in their outcome. The reason I lowered the score has to be the directing.A lot of the shots are muted, almost as though gauze has been added to the screen and like the opening scenes of shadows the story is not too clear.
Yes there is an easily understood revenge from a girl who was heart broken when her father left the family for another woman. Her pain is exacerbated when she tries a confrontation at his funeral and then, as details are revealed, she becomes obsessed with payback revenge.
Unfortunately her target is the woman's son and the story gives a good build up to how he is being targeted by her and a very viciously jealous ex boss.
The complex cultural need to lump a families wrong doing onto other members of the family is hard for me to fathom. The gap of a year before her sister lets drop the information that the man our FL has fallen in love with has actually been accepted by her mother beggars belief. On that note why does the ML also not share this gem of information but instead wanders off for a year?
I was exhausted by the last episode as the director dragged out the slo-mo movements and ML leaving then coming back with flowers. It felt too contrived and less logical.
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Most beautiful slow-burn romance I have ever seen but so much than that…
I did not think I would love this show so much when started. It was finally a slow-burn done right! This how you do it, ladies and gentlemen…The story was simple but the characters were very well written so that is what made it compelling to the end. FL and ML very carefully thought out, the actors were amazing and directed very well. I loved the micro expressions and complex feelings they transmitted. I especially loved that Sim Woojoo was not the typical FL, she was though and conflicted, but honest. On the other hand Han Dongjin might just have became my favourite ML character. It is so hard to write characters that people honestly root for, and he was like that. He started to smile more starting from the 10th episode and he was truly happy in the final episode, it was such a joy to see him enjoy life finally after all tha hardships. Shim Woojoo on the other hand, I realized it only at the last moments of the 16th episode that that was the first time we actually saw her with a real wide smile on her face.
Excuse my chaotic review, but I just finished this drama and feelings are still all over the place. If you want a perfect slow-burn romance with beautiful character development, I can’t recommend Call it love enough!!
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