Pretty Visuals Carried
i really really wanted to love this show. like, i had my expectations so high because of i LOVE kim seonho and go younjung, butttt it was just so frustrating to watch.*the bad*
i felt that the psychologocal aspect of the drama really took a long time to be cemented into the show. muhee's trauma due to her mom felt more like a horror/supernatural element in the first half. the whole 2nd lead couple subplot felt so forced and unnecessary, guess it was just there to fill time. then there's struggle of a "language barrier" with hiro... girl just use papago. it was just so annoying. stop acting like you can’t communicate, it’s such a non-issue.
the pacing was genuinely terrible in half the episodes, just hour-long marathons of nothing happening. the chemistry was there, and it was good, but it wasn't *it*. i didn't get that spark or the tingle in my stomach i get from the shows i actually love. the ending was even cheaper because in the last 30 minutes, they reveal the truth about her parents, she flies to meet(?) them and we don't even get to see any of that? pfft. i wanted to love it so bad but i just couldn’t.
*the good:*
props to the leads!!! kim seonho, you are insane for those microexpressions. the yearning? the acting? he carried the whole thing. and go younjung is so cuteee, the way she made do rami and cha muhee feel like completely different people was actually so impressive. muhees character backstory is really good and her personality feels very real. the cinematography, scriptwriting and camerwork was gorgeous, the ost was really great, and that last scene of her translating "i miss you" into different languages was such a good stylistic choice.
*overall: 8/10*
the start and end were good, but the middle was such a drag. it’s pretty to look at but i guess my standards were just too high, but this definitely didn't hit the mark especially because it's seonho's big comeback :(
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A missed opportunity.
The best thing about that I can say about this drama is it was a missed opportunity, an opportunity to give us a drama as good and worthwhile as Crash Landing On You. I think the main fault must be with either the production house or the streaming service, because they restricted this drama to only 12 episodes. The reason I could give this drama 8 rating is because it was after a long time a drama this beautiful appeared from Korea. But it didn't live up to the expectations and waiting after they first showed the teaser. This drama has it all, a very interesting premise- the male is translating the love of another for the female lead, who he likes. This drama had all the elements in the making of a very successful drama. The first episode was superb. The storyline of the male lead in love with his brother's girlfriend added depth to the character. They could have taken this to the next level on emotional scale, that could have made the drama for generations to remember. And what they did was, not only did they didn't proceed much with this storyline, but they also completely ignored his brother's storyline with the second female lead. They didn't give much space to complex families of the leads, the emotional scars that those leave on the leads, everything typical for a Korean drama and what made them good, even though sometimes exhaustive if done too much. But not going there at all was a shock. And this lead to a completely shallow second lead storyline. Kim Seon-ho was charismatic. Go Youn-jung was cute and funny and relatable. The sceneries were beautiful. They shot at beautiful places. (why didn't they give a reference to Goblin when they shot in Canada.) They story had emotional depths, I could feel it. If only they gave it more time.Was this review helpful to you?
Weak landing... What a shame...
The opening is interesting. It sets up in a way that keep me curious. And even though the pacing leans toward a slow burn, it doesn't feel boring. There’s a steady momentum that makes me want to keep going episode after episode.For most of the series, I was fully on board. About 70% in, I’d comfortably rate it around an 8.5. It’s engaging, the dynamics work, and there’s enough emotional tension to keep things alive.
But then… the last stretch pulls the score down...
The series loses direction around ep 11 and especially ep 12.
In the last episode, the story suddenly introduces a new issue right at the end - something that clearly doesn’t have enough time to be developed, explored or resolved properly. At the same time, this “new opening” isn't strong enough to justify a second season. It comes off like a forced attempt to leave an impression, but instead it just drags things down.
Another thing I noticed - the ML’s laughter feels off. It's even more obvious in the last stretch when the story is heading toward a happy ending. His supposedly happy laughter with the FL feels dry and fake.
This is one of those shows that almost made it, but the finish is noticeably weak and leaves an underwhelming aftertaste.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
WHEN TWO PEOPLE DON’T SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE...
I was really excited after viewing the first episode. What a great idea! The clever Hong sisters base this series on both the literal and metaphorical idea that human beings “speak different languages.”The FL is a Korean actress–who speaks only Korean. She has a professional relationship with two potential love interests. Male lead No. 1 speaks only Japanese. Male lead No. 2 speaks Korean fluently (as well as five other languages).
But No. 2 doesn’t understand the FL’s emotional signals. In fact, he has communication problems of his own, which she doesn’t fully appreciate at first. Nevertheless, he’s the person who touches her heart.
We find out gradually, that the FL is mentally unstable. She suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), a real condition, thought to be triggered by a severe childhood trauma.
She’s also in the middle of a prolonged film shoot, which takes place intermittently in various picturesque locations. Other people’s livelihood, and her own self-worth, depend on her ability to tough it out and finish the job.
This drama gets a lot of things right. The settings, the symbolism, the music, and the atmospherics are all effective. The day-to- day life of the film crew is something you don’t often see in K-dramas, and I liked that.
The dialog, especially between the FL and the second ML, is confusing. The FL keeps laying her heart on the line, but he keeps rejecting her. Is he afraid of getting hurt? Is he misinterpreting her? And she also has communication problems with dude No. 1. This drama is a bumpy ride, and the plot doesn’t altogether make sense. Everyone seems to be working way too hard to get it right, and, unfortunately, the effort is showing.
Still, this is an extremely original drama. But it may be that the premise is stronger than the script.
Was this review helpful to you?
A new fairytale from the Hong Sisters
'Can This Love Be Translated?' is the third drama I've seen written by the Hong sisters. It's once again a fairytale story (as the lead actress, Go Youn Jung, has rightly noted in interviews), set in our own reality. However, unlike 'A Korean Odissey' and 'Hotel del Luna', it doesn't feature any fairytale characters. The fairytale feel was more due to the stunning beauty of the filming locations: in addition to the colorful landscapes of Canadian lakes, mountains, and parks, I especially enjoyed filming in Italy, a country I love and have visited many times.Go Youn Jung is back as the character similar to the one I've seen in 'Resident Playbook'. Cha Mu Hui is an unfortunate child been forced to adapt and pretend starting from childhood to not only be liked but also to survive. A very useful skill for an actress, right? Especially in SK.
Childhood trauma runs deep within her, embodied in the character Cha Mu Hui played before falling into a coma and waking up to become famous. The writers walk a fine line, making a personality disorder caused by profound trauma seem almost normal. Every time I watched Ju Ho Jin play along with Cha Mu Hui while she imagined herself as Do Ra Mi, I couldn't understand how come he was not terrified of interacting with someone with a clear mental disorder. A girl like that shouldn't have been invited to dinner; she should have been sent to a clinic, and not to that nice guy in a white coat.
It's clear that this is a way to draw a parallel between translation from foreign languages, which allowed people to communicate and understand each other, but it was truly eerie upon closer look. This in no way detracts from Go Youn Jung's charm and her brilliant performance as the two-in-one role. She's rising higher and higher in my personal ranking of actresses, and I eagerly await her new roles.
Well, Kim Seon Ho was pure love. Anyone who couldn't get enough of his wseet Park Cheong Seop in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' was fully rewarded in this drama. Well-mannered, well-educated, handsome, stylish, and very sensitive, Ju Ho Jin is a dream! He has a house with a huge library, he speaks several foreign languages, works as a translator, loves good music, has excellent cooking skills, and wears stylish coats. Could you resist? I couldn't.
Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung formed a beautiful and harmonious on-screen couple, but the 'third angle' was lacking: Kurosawa Hiro had every chance of being a worthy rival to Joo Ho-jin (and, admittedly, I would have rooted for him with all my heart), but Fukushi Sota was given a poorly developed character who never was a threat to the main couple. From a complete ***hole, Hiro suddenly (!) transforms into a compassionate wise man, and I saw no motivation for this change, because the viewer's attention was always focused on Cha Mu Hui and Ju Ho Jin, and Hiro's arc came off as very, very complimentary.
Overall: I liked the drama, but credit goes to the stunning scenery, Go Youn Jung's lively presence, and Kim Seon Ho's beautiful eyes, rather than the incredibly engaging plot. While there wasn't much intrigue, it was a beautiful fairy tale the Hong sisters are so good at.
Was this review helpful to you?
The concept of this drama?
I really loved the concept of the ML being able to speak many languages. I think it's so fascinating.I loved the concept of "understanding the souls rather than the verbal language".The drama was going upwards but i felt kinda bored and distracted when the FL's doppelganger showed up and they messed up the story there (i feel)
I mean the psychological part got really messy here.
Otherwise, the drama was so GOOD as it sets a whole different standard for LOVE!!
.
Also plsss i wanna talk about HIRO😭 the second malee leadd.Guysss, he had the charming prince vibes and the looks??omygoshh shuttuuppp.And the fact tht, he learned a whole new language just for the FL😭🙏🏼 His eyes were full in love and the morals we got to realise is unmatchable!!!!
.
JUST GO AND WATCH THIS ALREADY
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A lot of good ideas but an awful development
It seemed like they wanted to put in use every single idea they had, the whole story is a waste of potential. The romance is cute at the start but ended up being tiring, in my opinion the girl could communicate more with the guy that speaks japanese than the one that speaks the same language as her. Also, she had a very complex background that wasn't well explained, there were a lot of plot holes, the end was rushed and the resolution not satisfying. I gave points for the actors, music and scenery. The concept of this drama is really amazing so it was really disappointing at the end.Was this review helpful to you?
I never expected in a rom-com.
I watched this rom-com series between 3 and 4 March 2026. If you are bored of typical romantic stories, then you should try this one because it also includes some psychological drama.Story: The story starts with Joo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), who is a brilliant multilingual interpreter and can speak around four to five languages. He meets an unknown actress, Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), in Japan and helps her there. I will not write more because it may become a spoiler. But the twist that comes suddenly was something I never expected in a rom-com.
Overall, it is one-time watchable, and I give it 7 out of 10.
Content Type: Web Series (K-Drama)
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama, Psychological Drama
Writer/Director: Written by Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran. Directed by Yoo Young-eun. Produced for Netflix.
Was this review helpful to you?
Lost in Words, Found in Feelings.
Expected a light romcom about language, but it turned out to be more about emotions, misunderstandings, and unspoken feelings.What I liked most was how it showed miscommunication, emotional distance, and the tiredness of always adjusting yourself for others.
That part felt very real and relatable.
However, the story and romcom moments were quite predictable, with a few gaps in the plot.
Honestly, it would have felt better if they had shown more romance between them and added 1–2 extra episodes, but it is what it is. 👀
Hoping we all find someone who truly understands and speaks the language of our love. 🥹
Was this review helpful to you?
*MILD SPOILERS* More cons than pros?
Overall, I did enjoy watching this K-Drama, but it missed the mark on a few things. So, I'm going to review with a list of pros and cons:)PROS
1. The cinematography! It was absolutely a beautiful watch.
2. The actors did an excellent job, especially with the script given to them.
3. Some of the "plot twists" did have me shocked by the end.
CONS
1. Despite the great concept of a story, it's not always greatly executed. They also continue to repeat some of the same issues/miscommunications, and it gets tiring eventually.
2. Papago. It's literally the nickname of the male lead, as he can speak/translate so many languages. The female lead uses the app at the start of the K-Drama before she meets him, and she uses it just a couple of times after that. Most of the time, she and the second male lead, who is Japanese, don't utilize translation apps at all to communicate. So, A LOT between them is lost in translation. I genuinely don't understand at all why they couldn't use an app to communicate when they wanted to.
3. The genre is confusing. Initially, it feels like a quirky rom-com, but, by the end, it was like kind of more melodrama (although it technically has a happy ending).
4. The way the mental health issues were handled did not sit right with me. *SPOILER* One character has PTSD and dissociative identity disorder. At first, it was portrayed to be alarming and disturbing. By the end, it's almost like a "cute" romance plot device because it brought the leads together. In reality, this person needed therapy, not a relationship. On top of that, but the character goes to meet the person who is responsible for the trauma that gave her the PTSD and DID. They never show us this. The character just goes away and comes back totally fine after all that...doesn't talk about it.
Was this review helpful to you?
I get it - see he's a translator but he has trouble communicating! Irony! But, I just can't with this type of miscommunication. No one says what they mean, mobile/cellphones go dead constantly no one can ever be reached at the key critical moment. When one character tries to say something explicitly, the other one responds in riddles, and vice versa.
Cha Mu-Hee and Joo Ho-Jin circle each other in a classic push-pull, anxious-avoidant style, only opening up once the other is pulling away. I found this massively unenjoyable.
The only reason to watch this is 1) the cinematography is gorgeous, befitting a travel plot, and they went to real locations! 2) there's a whimsical intrigue in the hallucinating element
Otherwise this plot is interchangeable with many over the years, just two people emotionally immature and stunted, fumbling and missing, trying . . . and failing to connect.
Was this review helpful to you?
