Destined with You

A good romantic comedy.

''Destined with you'', became one of the great romantic comedies that dramaland has, even though it is not as talked about as it should be, I believe that romcom lovers should try to watch it, as they will definitely like it.
I believe that this drama has aspects that can make you like and dislike it at the same time, but it wouldn't be a big reason to stop watching it.

In one part, the storyline about a past love and the curse cast becomes a little tiring, and if it could be resolved with obvious things (at least for viewers), this curse could have been lifted long ago and the drama it would have ended in episode 14. So much so that episodes 13, 14 and 15 were more about filling space than having any evolution in the development part of the drama.

However, it is still an interesting romantic comedy to watch, especially because those who like this mix of a fantasy world can be contagious :)

Weaknesses:
- Long and repetitive story.
- Failure to make the protagonist's ex-girlfriend become a big villain (unless that wasn't on purpose).
And that's it.

Strong points:
- Good performance by the main and supporting actors (especially the villain).
- Very nice OST's to listen to.
- Camera cuts and games are very smooth to watch.


The exploration of the romance of the main characters and even the secondary couple was what made me feel a little more comfortable to continue watching the drama, since in the end it made me a little lazy to continue because, as I said, the story is too long and carries a subject to fill episode.

For these reasons, I give the drama a 9.
Finished: 18/03/2024.

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very romantic tender story

This drama really cool and I liked it so much ! All ! Haha the scenes, music, acting... acting is an other things ! Actors played very good on high level! I felt so huge romantic while watching this series )) so much love and tenderness!..
But personally found only few moments I don't like ... about them later ,but at all, the series is pretty cool and warm ! I advice to watch it ! Also well added music which very harmoniously convey the feelings thro ...
Nothing wana say bad , the story is good and Shin Yu with Hong Jo have a real chemistry while playing together )) ( very good acted Rowoon ))) but ...why always good guy falls in a dumb girl ? Lol , she made many mistakes , she too loyal and naive and ain't that smart , she easily believes to anyone and getting in trouble then but Shin Yu falls in her ! This drive me crazy! Why dirictors always made that main lead smart character falls into a dumb girl ?! Or it's a trend in Korea ...? This is sucks , I think this is only one thing is sucks in that drama ! ..
Ps I understand that if a girl were there a smart maybe will not some kinda interesting to watch it bc will b so "ideal " but in same time I think that they can play with scenario to make it too cool with a smart female lead role ..
Also when Shin Yu got stambed a lil, Hong Jo jus looked at him and cried...while she can jus call for doctors quickly ! ..no logic here guys , u can cry when he die but while he didn't u must to save him first!.. this was stupid ...
Didn't like the scenes where Shin Yu jus played with Hong Jo's heart bc of his ideas about Na Yeon and Hong Jo jus .. easily accepted that ...idk what kind girl u should to be but .. normal girl will never "wait " untill the guy were there finish his games with one and comes to u ..no games guys , if u break up u break up ...if u can't handle with one why u looking for another ? That's unrespectable male behavior for a women and females dumbness.. ain't good at all ...
And Kwon Jae ..acted like she's a thing ..."if he didn't marry u, call me "... For me it's disrespectful also , it's like u choose a fruit in the market and if somebody will not buy it u gonna buy it then , ofcoz without really give a choice to the fruit bc the fruit is no soul ...
I understand his feeling too, he gave up but in same time he is not and still waiting for opportunity.. but for him better to forgot her ..like no chance there at all he must understand it ..
This Kdrama has for sure high rewatch ! Enjoy it guys !

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Possibly wrong title for this show...

Summary: This is one of the strangest romances I’ve watched. The movie poster and Netflix description don’t quite capture the essence of this thriller/mystery romance(?), which I thought would be like a cheesy ghost story comedy based on Episode 1’s preview of Lee Hong-jo’s encounter with Jang Shin-yu in the elevator. I almost think a different movie title like "Curse You, Curse Me" would have been more appropriate. lol. Warning that there’s dark elements of death, murder, and supernatural circumstances that can throw you off if you’re not prepared (and only sought to watch an actual romcom).

Though the show was still good with moments of sweetness and comedy and an ending with closure for the main characters, there were still some loose ends that remained untied as far as storyline and character backstories, and left me a bit disappointed. Also, the last episode dragged on a bit and ended with a location that had nothing to do with the rest of show. The not-so-subtle advertising for sponsors was also a bit awkward for me, like frequently visiting Goobne (which is not even near my area) and saying, “Mmmmm, this chicken is so good every time I come here…” Ugh.

Details: At the beginning of the movie, I felt annoyed by the male lead’s stoic manner and conceited attitude towards the female lead, saying some pretty mean things to her. The female lead’s aggressive and impolite attitude towards the male lead was also unattractive. They also didn’t look like they went together (was hoping for the second male lead) but made more sense when the storyline unraveled in the past (hint: involves period references), in which they look better together as a couple. However, the sudden change of behavior in one of the main characters was off-putting and didn’t draw me into the supposed love story between the two. I’m not a big fan of heavy color-processed hair on Asian folks (preferred the female lead with her darker, more natural looking hair) but I get if it was meant as a visual divider between different time periods.

Eventually, a lot of the characters evolved and became more thoughtful people. All the actors were great and the leads portrayed the characters’ pain so well. Towards the end, I was annoyed by the female lead’s ignorance by going into scary places alone and not telling the key people in her life about it, after they kept telling her to communicate with them. But it’s also classic dumb hero/heroine behavior in many movies/shows.

Some unanswered questions I had were:
- whether the ‘ceremonies’ conducted by the main characters really worked or not (there’s no further explanation later in the series), which makes me question their supposed ‘destiny’; the answer to that situation is KEY to what caused the sudden behavioral changes in the main characters that led to “love”
- what the significance of the supporting characters in the past was (otherwise, what’s the point of showing them other than more screen time?)
- how child Lee Hong-jo (past period) got sick and what brought her to the temple in the first place, as well as where the heck her parents were in all of that
- why the shaman lady (past period) got punished by the noble in charge (no further explanation later in the series), as it seemed like a pointless part of the storyline
- WHO really put the curse on the noble (past period); I think it was the villain but it was never explained later in the show
- why the villain had similar powers to one of the main characters, which was also never explained later in the show

For the gaping holes in this storyline, I probably would not recommend this drama to others. The acting is good but the show is better as a rainy-day, bored-out-of-mind watch, in my opinion.

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Worth it!

I must admit that I was hesitant to watch this drama due to my dislike for Rowoon, but after giving it a chance, I was pleasantly surprised. His character was incredibly charming and quite funny, which made it difficult for me not to adore him. The chemistry between the main leads was the highlight of the show for me, as I loved watching their playful bickering turn into something more.

However, the unnecessary love triangle left me with a few unanswered questions. When did the second male lead start liking the female lead, and why? It was not clear to me, and he never confessed his feelings. Perhaps I am biased because I did not find him attractive.

Despite this, I would still recommend this drama to others. It may have followed a familiar plotline, but that should not stop you from giving it a chance. Jo Bo Ah's performance was exceptional, and you could tell that she had a lot of fun playing her character. The chemistry between the main leads was undeniable, and it kept me invested in the story.

Although I would have preferred if they had taken a risk and made the second male lead the villain or the main lead's secretary, the show's choice to go the safe route was not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, I believe that this drama is worth watching, and I encourage you to form your own opinion instead of solely relying on others' opinions.

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Started with magic, ended with... meh.

I really wanted to like Destined With You — the setup was unique, with curses, old books, and a magical romance that felt fresh at first. But somewhere along the way, it just... lost me.

The pacing is painfully slow, especially in the middle episodes. Scenes drag out, the plot gets repetitive, and the romance, which should’ve been exciting, starts to feel forced and awkward. I kept waiting for a big moment, a twist, something to pull me back in — but it never came.

The visuals were nice, and the actors did what they could, but even strong performances couldn’t save the writing. It’s one of those dramas where you keep watching just to see if it’ll get better... and for me, it didn’t.

If you enjoy slow-burn romances and don’t mind a plot that moves like molasses, you might enjoy it more than I did. But personally, it just wasn’t worth the time.

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This show hates all the women in it

The writing hates the female lead and all the other women characters too, even the men to a much lesser degree. Hong Jo starts off dealing with work place bullying with an unfair amount of work assigned to her and that is absolutely all her teammate's fault. I know it's a cultural thing for the team to eat together or get drinks together, but these people are not obligated to spend time with her on their breaks and after work with her, especially if it's not on the company dime. Her constantly trying to make friends with these truly mean spirited, shallow, selfish people is really pathetic. None of her work co-workers do anything meaningful that redeems them by the end of the show. The show treats the two women getting gossip about Hong Jo's office scandalous relationship or imposing on Hong Jo to skeeve on Jae Kyung as heartwarming "friendship". She's also later falls for Shin Yu who also treats her with near the same level of disdain. Hong Jo herself is a walking red flag, literally putting a weird drink to make someone unknowingly consume without their consent. The security officer had footage of it, but no one was watching or was concerned that some weirdo is pouring liquid into the glass from her own thermos before the meeting starts.

Jae Kyung after learning about this was fine with it, but this is much after he's gotten time to know her and more of his personality has been shown. Jae Kyung and Hong Jo match each other's freak, while Hong Jo and Shin Yu enable the annoying parts of each other. They are either annoyingly arguing or just doing lovey dovey moments later. They don't get to know each other as people like Hong Jo and second male lead Jae Kyung do. They actually balance each other out, bringing her cartoonish over acting down to being a real person while you can see his introvert layers peel back the longer they know each other, bringing out his warmth and quirks. Her moments with him are the only time she gets to have a personality. They build an organic relationship throughout the series. It made sense he would reject her confession when he had barely met her a few times and gradually fell for her once he actually gets time to know her. He's always there for her and never forces his feelings on her. It's a bummer that this is the healthy relationship that can never happen in this show. Jae Kyung is also the only one that has the most complete and interesting arc in the show, with him seeming like he's tempted to corruption which seems to be confirmed when it shows his role being a court enforcer chasing down Hong Jo's past self Aeng Cho. Jae Kyung turned out to be collection information as a whistleblower all along and brought down the corrupt mayor and he moves out of the house for a better life. Good for him.

This series also undercuts every single one of it's good or interesting ideas and doesn't bother to develop the main characters nor their main romance, choosing to brute force with tropey moments rather than build the connection, leaving a hollow feeling every time Hong Jo and Shin Yu are together. There was such potential to the work place bullying storyline when Manager Ma comes back to work and shuts down that behavior from all of the team members, but then totally annihilating her cool character by making her and the head bully Seo Gu be in love with each other and she ends up fighting another otherwise very capable leader whose brains are also scrambled by Seo Gu for no reason. He forcefully does a public proposal to Manager Ma who kept saying she doesn't want to marry and ends up marrying him. This creepy guy also felt entitled to drink from Hong Jo's thermos that she brought to work, just like the murderous stalker did. I hate how this show hates women having agency so much.

Of course Shin Yu happens to be dating Hong Jo's school bully Na Yeon who slaps Hong Jo for messing around with Shin Yu. And Hong Jo 100% deserves it for making both Jae Kyung and Shin Yu drink that nasty homemade liquid, intentionally to roofie a man without consent. Shin Yu fighting the effects of the love curse was a pretty good illustration of how creepy it is at first. She had the gall to be annoyed at him from being upset. Deserved more slaps. They make Na Yeon to be cheating (as well to what the main couple is doing) to try to lessen to how absolutely awful Hong Jo and Shin Yu's magically co-erced and stockholm syndrome relationship is. The spell work suddenly stops and never plays into anything that gives Hong Jo power or agency to help herself at all, it's only the impetus to force Shin Yu to be obsessed with Hong Jo. The set up where she offers the get rich spell to her co-workers goes nowhere. Hong Jo has zero survival instincts, choosing to open the apartment door because someone out of frame of the door video rang the bell even though she was strangled through the second floor window grates like an hour before, then choosing to go to the trap set by her stalker knowingly to "catch him" but with zero plan to incapacitate him and nearly gets murdered by him before she's saved like the useless damsel she is. They randomly let her have a backbone in the last episode, standing up to Na Yeon for the school bullying at the reunion, which again also had to be the guy in the situation to film and leak the video for Na Yeon to truly receive any repercussions, just to have her willfully put her own life in danger so male lead can be the hero. They didn't even let her shoo off the playground bullies on her own. They could have just had the male lead observe and be proud, but nope.

It turns out it was Shin Yu's past self Mu Jin that killed Aeng Cho and didn't even bother dying with her as it's revealed he's very much alive and fine burying the Aeng Cho's spell books in a scene at the end. It follows through to his current life where he doesn't let her choose how she wants to do, he just makes that decision for her and his current life follows that pattern of being that macho guy who will withhold information, be territorial, put her down then love bomb her echoing how his father treated his mother etc. The show tries to have it both ways with his self admittedly unhinged behavior caused by the spell and later having the characters suddenly come to a conclusion that the spells were fake even though we see that the magic is real, so his unhinged obsessive behavior is just him then if the magic is not real. The show also has her messing up the curse breaking spells and Seo Gu never being obsessed with her. The show should just have a clear stance on whether they want it to be real or not.

The other healthy and cute relationship that could have been was Shin Yu's bestie Lawyer Kim with Shin Yu's mom Yun Ju who was sick of years of being belittled and mentally put down by her husband which legally constituted the verbal abuse grounds for divorce which she has consistently wanted for a long time. She even says she kept having to postpone it for various things happening to her family and ultimately she gets back with her husband after he love bombs her into staying and she gets pregnant, which will most likely impact her career that she just re-started again. She was happy and free with a lot of commonalities with Lawyer Kim who respected her as a human being first and foremost. This drama is really terrible at actually seeing what is a good ending or how to get there except by accidentally Jae Kyung, though he also doesn't get to be with the woman he's got fantastic chemistry and genuine connection with.

The show feels like it was just weakly built around the striking initial imagery of ghostly dirty and bloody hands groping the male lead, without any connective tissue to give it a heart or soul.

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Leaves a lot to be desired

Not sure how to feel about this drama. I didn't think it was THAT bad. I mean, it was watchable. The writing was just insane, the plot just went all over the place and the last half felt like it turned into a completely different drama. It was like the writer completely forgot about the curse and fantasy plotline, just dropped it (literally had the characters say several times "it doesn't matter if the curse was real or not" with no real closure whatsoever) and turned it into a run of the mill past life connection romance. The OST is quite honestly one of the worst I've ever heard in a drama.

Rowoon impressed me, at first I thought his acting was starting out pretty stiff but then in the last half his acting became really good...again, not sure what the change in the middle of this drama was about. Either way he has a new fan.

The FL was annoying as heck, and I'm sick of the past life connection trend in dramas already. But the makeout scenes toward the end were super hot and their chemistry was good, I think mostly thanks to Rowoon.

Overall not really one I'd recommend but it had potential.

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A little gem of romance & fantasy, with a great great CL (｡◝‿◜｡)

I really loved this catchy romantic and fantasy series, with Rowoon as handsome as ever (((´♡‿♡`+))) and Jo Bo Ah, who combines liveliness, sensitivity and shows a touching vulnerability. It's a little masterpiece, as Korean directors know how to make.

PLOT:
A brilliant young lawyer, rich and subject to a curse, owner of a ruined sanctuary, meets FL, a city hall employee responsible for park management. During the demolition, they discovered a box that belonged to a shaman 300 years earlier. This box can only be opened by the FL. The duo will little by little discover their common past, and try to build their future, despite the multiple obstacles, from the past and the present.

PROS:
+ A CL that causes sparks to fly! Rowoon did well to focus on his acting career: he is magnificent, expressive, extraordinary in this drama. The chemistry with Jo Bo Ah is great and it has some pretty hot scenes ( eye candy for the viewers).
+ The story is solid, coherent, well written. Some commentators say it's confusing, because the storyline is not linear, but I don't agree at all ಠ益ಠ), we follow the plot without difficulty.
+ An almost perfect production: superb cinematography, balance between dark, tender and humorous scenes, well-conducted and well-placed flashbacks,... and a soothing ending (｡◝‿◜｡)
+ great OSTs, notably "it's you" by Park Won (in my playlist), which accompany and accentuate the emotions of the moment.

CONS:
- I can't stand the character of FL2 (the classic supposedly super beautiful pest of many plots) and I don't understand why the protagonists nickname her "goddess". She is nowhere near as pretty as the FL.
- Here again, Korean makeup artists have a problem with lipstick, always too obvious, on male actors!
- product or brand placements are TOO obvious.

=> A little gem of romance and mystery, which I devoured in one sitting and which I will certainly rewatch with pleasure.
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J'ai adoré cette série romantique et fantastique, accrocheuse, avec Rowoon toujours aussi beau (((´♡‿♡`+))) et Jo Bo Ah, qui allie la vivacité, la sensibilité et montre une vulnérabilité touchante. C'est un petit chef d’œuvre, comme les réalisateurs coréens savent le faire.

PLOT:
Un jeune avocat brillant, riche et objet d'une malédiction, propriétaire d'un sanctuaire en ruine, rencontre la FL, employée de mairie chargée de la gestion des parcs. Lors de la démolition, ils découvrent une boite qui appartenait à une chamane 300 ans plus tôt. Cette boite ne peut être ouverte que par la FL. Le duo va peu à peu découvrir leur passé commun, et essayer de construire leur avenir, malgré les multiples obstacles, du passé et du présent.

PROS:
+ Un CL qui casse tout ! Rowoon a bien fait de se concentrer sur sa carrière d'acteur : il est magnifique, expressif, extraordinaire dans ce drama. L'alchimie avec Jo Bo Ah est géniale et on a droit à quelques scènes assez hot.
+ L'histoire est solide, cohérente, bien écrite. Certains commentateurs la disent confuse, parce que la storyline n'est pas linéaire, mais je ne suis d'accord du tout ಠ益ಠ) , on suit le propos sans difficulté.
+ Une réalisation quasi parfaite : cinématographie superbe, équilibre entre les scènes dures, tendres et humoristiques, flashback bien conduits et bien placés,... et une fin apaisante (｡◝‿◜｡)
+ des OST géniales, notamment "it's you" de Park Won (dans ma playlist) qui accompagnent et accentuent les émotions de l'instant.

CONS:
- je ne supporte pas le personnage de la FL2 (la classique soi-disant super belle peste de nombreux plots) et je ne comprends pas que les protagonistes la surnomment "déesse". Elle est loin d'être aussi jolie que la FL.
- Ici encore, les maquilleurs coréens ont un problème avec le rouge à lèvres, toujours beaucoup trop évident, chez les hommes !
- les placements de produits ou d'enseigne sont TROP évidents.

=> Un petit bijou de romance et de mystère, que j'ai dévoré d'une traite et que je regarderai certainement à nouveau avec plaisir.

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No depth despite 16 Episodes

Since Rowoon was so convincing as ML in "She would never know" and "the kings affection", I expected a lot. The story line around the love spells would have provided many opportunities, but it was not clear to me when or when not, why or why not they were effective. What was left was a lame love story with no chemistry, in which the ML struggled to find emotional depth without succeeding at least in parts. The dialogues are cliché and miss any opportunity for real engagement. Clichees can play an important role in a story, but this opportunity was also missed. The story, the characters and their motives did not become plausible. I know "100 days my prince" from the screenwriter, which I liked. The cast with the supporting actors has already proven how good they are in many dramas. Too bad!

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Destined With You: Everyone's cheating so it's fine :)

What the actual fuck happened. This drama managed to totally crash and burn in the 11-12 episodes. The breakup saga was so toxic and it WAS cheating no matter how you gaslight me. No matter how bad his gf is, it doesn't erase the fact that he did in fact cheat.

This could just as easily be a cautionary tale for women to not be a side-chick, ever. The leads had like negative chemistry. The second lead guy was a god tier catch compared to the douchebag ML. Unless they make him evil in the later episodes which idk I have zero interest now. Like do you expect the FL to have telepathic powers and read your mind??? And when she gets angry you try to KISS her?? Like wtf-- Kisses don't solve anything, if anything it's a manipulation tactic.

It felt so gross and toxic.
I'm not continuing this ever.

There was no explanation about the spells. The plot was left in the back burner for like 4 episodes. Then the Joseon arc was thrown in our face without any explanation or preamble.

And I really don't care how cute it was or whatever. A love spell is wrong. If it did work everything was wrong. So fucking gross. It didn't feel romantic at all. 🤮

I've wasted 12 hours of my life and I will not be wasting anymore.

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