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Really Good watch
I honestly really liked this, there was a fairshare of misunderstandings but it tackled it all really well. Plus I loved Ep9 that one episode turned this into a 9/10 and then then ending made it a 10/10. I went in with zero expecations but I binged the whole thing in a day. The music is top tier, the actors did such a goo job, and the story is simple in a sense but it has fair share of complexties that extend beyound your typical rom com I really liked it for that.Was this review helpful to you?
Butterflies On My Stomach!
Still only on episode 4, and I have to say, the romcom is REALLY romcom-ing in this series!There’s Cha Muhee, a struggling artist who, almost overnight, like something straight out of a fantasy film, suddenly becomes famous and gets everything she never even dared to dream of.
And then there’s Joo Hojin, a multilingual genius interpreter (he can speak six languages!) who is neat, clean, and well-organized, his life is basically just… straight and orderly.
Like most good, cute romcoms, their meeting is organic and heart-fluttering, sprinkled with a sense of fate, following the classic from strangers to something trope. Hojin meets Muhee in Japan, they meet again because of work, and the rest is history.
Their push-and-pull dynamic is so engaging to watch. There are so many scenes that make you squeal, feel shy for them, or even burst out laughing. It’s truly a light, easy watch, yet filled with beautiful shots and stunning scenery across four different countries.
A must-watch if you’re a romantic comedy enthusiast! 🤭🩵🍀
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A promising drama that was dragged down by too many ideas
I was really hyped for this drama because I was excited by the summary and I love both the main actors. I was so happy by the refreshing first half but the story kept getting more and more chaotic and fell off at the end.Let's start with the positives:
1. The amazing cast- I knew the actors would deliver on their roles. Kim Seonho is an amazing actor and just shone on the screen. The rest of the cast also did well and I loved that they made the foreign cast speak normally in the native accent instead of the cringey accent they do in other dramas.
2. The cinematography- I've got to say, the cinematography was amazing. Some scenes felt like a nature documentary and beautifully shot
3. The dialogue- I actually liked how the dialogue wasn't overtly cringey. Like there was some cheesiness here and there but nothing too crazy
4. The runtime- I'm actually glad this is short with just 12 epsidoes. If this was any longer, I would've gone crazy with everything that was happening
Now let's move on the negatives/rant:
1. The convoluted plot- What the heck were the writers thinking?! It had such a great start and I was loving it but so many plot points got introduced in the middle that I felt like I was watching another drama. The pacing was all over the place and I started to get frustrated towards the end
2. The repetitive plot structure- I lost count how many times the same thing happened again and again in the story. It was like I was watching a rerun of the same drama in a different font.
3. The useless second lead- I don't even know why Hiro was given so much importance in the story. Honestly, I just found him cheesy (like a typical jdrama character) and started skipping whenever he appeared on my screen. He did have some great acting moments but they were overshadowed by the cringe potrayal of his character
4. The anxiety ridden relationship dynamic- I don't know why they labelled this as a romance when the romance part is so unsteady and unreliable. Because of the numerous sad scenes, I as a viewer kept feeling dread about their romance. Like even when they got together, i knew that they wouldn't last and something is going to happen which I don't want to see in a romance drama
5. The "too deep" concept- I get that the writers had a message to deliver but they were too philosophical or too deep about how they portrayed it. Like I could understand it but it was done in a way where it seemed too artsy or theatrical for the common audience. It started seeming forced and unnatural to the storyline.
6. Bad marketing- This drama is more like a melodrama than a romance. I think people might be disappointed because the marketing as well as the first few episodes promised a refreshing romance but it changed from the middle. It was just too different than what we were promised.
Overall, i felt like this was a spiritual successor to "It's ok to not be ok" in terms of how it tackled childhood trauma, mental health issues, and complex family dynamics with a kooky, quirky concept. If they had marketed this properly, people would have set the right expectations. But still, i enjoyed this drama and might even rewatch it again. 8/10
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Cured my drama slump it was that good!
i can say this drama hooked me from the start for these reasons: cinematography, location, soundtrack, and casting were top tier for me 👌🏽 and don’t get me started on the acting! for me what really solidified the characters was the eye acting and how natural the chemistry felt between mu hee and hojin. you could feel that push and pull between them that brings longing and yearning for one another, it was palpable and really invoked so many emotions in me; their romance was so well developed and had me kicking my feet so often esp seeing how hojin was trying so hard to hold back but they both were clearly so in deep for the other 🤭 my favorite line is when he said to her “i barely managed to calm myself and you came to shake me up again” it was just peak writing. i love hojin as a ml he was always so thoughtful, didn’t beat around the bush and always defended mu hee with sincerity and was a genuinely kind person. mu hee’s character isn’t hard to love either, she’s extremely flawed but wanted to be loved and went through many horrible things and i wanted to hug her so many times. one of the best dramas i ever watched in my book cause it cleared my drama slump and reminded me what REAL romance is. kudos to the writer for writing such good dialogue and being able to create these two characters that were opposite in personality, careers, and emotional maturity yet them working so well together and bringing so much chemistry to the screen and being able to touch the heart of the viewers. when they finally got together i swear i was screaming sm cause the buildup was worth it!!! this was an easy 10/10 for me 🫶🏼 i hope the actors reunite in another project someday because they worked so well together and they acted their butts off in this drama, i can’t imagine anyone else playing hojin and muhee~+ i wanted to add that i love the message the writer wanted to bring (at least how I interpreted it) is that there is no such thing as a singular definition for love, it can be expressed and felt in many different shapes, forms, and languages ; hence the term “love languages” i believe hojin’s is being a gentle yet passionate and understanding lover. even when he didn’t understand mu hee, why she was afraid and tried to run away from him at times despite wanting her love to be reciprocated he could see she was a person who had gone through so much pain she was afraid she’d be hated yet she still loved him even when he didn’t feel the same at first and when he came to understand why she was insecure he embraced her for who she is instead of loving her out of guilt; he loved cha mu hee as she was, flaws and everything, even when she became do rami and that was beautiful to me. i love them so much as a couple cause they are opposite in many ways yet they’re made for each other (and the fact they kept meeting each other in different countries??? SOULMATES).
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It’s been a long time since I had a top-tier K-drama.
Just 10/10 overall for me.I don’t know why the ratings are like this, but Can This Love Be Translated is on the same level as QOT and LR.
People likely thought it would be a full-on comedy because of the genre, but Queen of Tears wasn't purely comedy either.
What makes this drama special is how it handles communication. It’s not just about language barriers, but emotional ones. The characters don’t just struggle to express love—they struggle to understand it, which makes every misunderstanding, hesitation, and confession feel meaningful instead of frustrating.
The chemistry between the leads is subtle but powerful. Their moments together feel natural, like two people slowly learning each other’s rhythms rather than being forced into romance. The silences, the small looks, and the awkward pauses say more than long dialogues ever could.
Visually, the drama is soft and intimate. The cinematography and soundtrack match the tone perfectly—quiet, warm, and slightly melancholic, making every scene feel like a memory.
Even though the ratings might not be explosive, this drama is on the same emotional level as Queen of Tears and Lovely Runner. It’s the kind of story that stays with you after the episode ends, making you think about love, timing, and the things we fail to say.
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What a pleasant surprise!!!
I hadn't watched a Kdrama for a long time, and this drama just brought my spirit in a snap, just like when I first started watching dramas in 2021. This drama has made the cut for my favorite K-drama list, which I have maintained till now. I have a similar list for other dramas in other languages (I will share someday). Now let's jump to the review.I don't have that much experience or patience for a review, so please bear with me. I may not be able to describe the drama in words but can in numbers.
Story -> 10/10
Acting -> 10/10
Cinematography -> 10/10
OST -> 10/10
Rewatch value -> 10/10
The chemistry between the leads is very endearing, and for the first time I didn't dislike the 2nd lead; moreover, I enjoyed their interaction.
And lastly my love for Go Youn Jung ....🫠🫠 Just how pretty can one person be!!!
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Go Youn-Jung's Make Up Team
Go Youn-jung's makeup team needs to be replaced. Go Youn-jung's makeup in recent dramas has been truly awful. The powder is too white and unnatural-looking. Her eyebrows are too thin, as if she doesn't have any eyebrows at all. Go Youn-jung's beauty doesn't come out and instead looks like a pale mannequin statue.Was this review helpful to you?
But let’s talk about Go Youn-jung. I’m honestly blown away by how she handles her character’s duality. Playing a "double role" (Cha Mu-hui and Do Ra-mi) requires immense subtlety to make the nuances land, and she nails it, jumping from one facet to another with such natural ease. The dynamic between the leads is electric and feels incredibly organic.
The international addition of Sota Fukushi is a masterstroke. His presence brings a different energy, and his chemistry with the rest of the cast feels very fresh. On top of that, the scenery is breathtaking; the cinematography takes advantage of every location, making the series feel like a constant visual journey.
In short: A tender story, visually flawless, and a cast overflowing with charisma. If you’re looking for something to leave your heart feeling warm and your eyes mesmerized, this is it.
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A Bunch of Nothing Wrapped in Beautiful Visuals
✧✦ This is just my personal view on the drama. We can all agree to disagree✦✧I usually finish Netflix originals in a single day but this one took me three days and that alone says a lot.
✦Let me start with the good, because there are good things. The cinematography is easily the biggest highlight of the drama. It’s consistently beautiful. Cha Muhee’s outfits were another win and Dorami completely stole the show for me. I think I liked Dorami so much partly because I wasn’t invested in the main love story at all and Go Youn Jung absolutely nailed the role.
✦Now, the things that didn’t work for me.
This drama suffers a lot from mis-genre issues.
The drama is labeled as a rom-com but the comedy is almost non existent and I’m not even sure the constant push and pull between rejection and pursuit qualifies as romance.
In the first half, It felt like the same thing happened in every episode: the main leads having the exact same conversation, the female lead trying to court the male lead, the male lead rejecting her and then a goodbye at the end of the episode. As irritating as that was, at least the male lead still felt somewhat relevant to the story during this phase.
The second half is where the male lead completely faded for me. He wasn’t doing anything remarkable or even necessary for the plot. He felt like background noise, so much so that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if he’d barely appeared. Ironically, I enjoyed the second half more simply because Dorami had more presence. Go Youn Jung once again proved her range by slaying the dual role.
If you strip away the cinematography and the pretty actors, I honestly don’t know what’s left of the story. It feels like many things are happening, yet nothing is actually happening. The main love angle was repetitive and painfully boring.
Personally, found the second male lead–female lead dynamic far more engaging. Hiro wasn’t perfect but if his character had been properly developed as the main lead, the drama could have been much more entertaining.
A story about a Japanese actor and a Korean actress, carrying childhood trauma, unable to understand each other’s language, starting off as enemies and slowly falling in love sounds far more aligned with the rom-com genre they were supposedly aiming for. Dorami being dynamic and Hiro matching her energy would’ve made so much more sense. Hiro wasn’t some flawless green flag character either.He had his own issues and I don’t mind imperfect characters at all. My problem with the male lead is simply that he felt repetitive and stagnant.
✦I rated the drama 6/10 and here’s why:
2 points for the cinematography
1 point for Go Youn Jung
1 point for Go Youn Jung slaying a double role
1 point for Go Youn Jung’s outfits
I’m not blaming the actors. They did what they could with what they were given. Visually, the drama was engaging and easy to watch but when it comes to storytelling, it ultimately fell apart.
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3
1
1This review may contain spoilers
a bit was lost in translation
I think pretty spoiler free, but I will put the tag on since it just aired.Went into this for the premise but stayed entirely for Kkon-jeong (maybe Do Ra-mi). The show works hard to be a standard romance while she is busy turning her characters into something far more detailed... She doesn't just play dual roles. I really think she anchors them so hard that the rest of the production feels secondary. The Do Ra-mi scenes are the absolute highlight for me. She takes her acting up a notch in those moments. The visions are the only time the drama actually breathes. It is where the chemistry finally starts feeling like an actual ache instead of just a concept.
The shift around episodes 7 and 8 is a genuine high point. Definetly adds so much needed depth that was really missing over the first half or so. Watching Kkon-jeong finally break under the situation just makes things better. It shows the potential for a sharp narrative that the script almost reaches. I feel like they could have leaned much harder into the dialogue between herself... it really could have leaned itno the tension and the premise.. so not doing it felt a little bit of a miss. That is where the weight of the story should have been. Instead of generic plot filler those episodes needed to focus on the two sides of her and show some real issues that would create. It would have added much more psychological gravity and helped drive the show toward a conclusion that felt a little bit more earned.
It is bizarre how the family just accepts the the situation at this point without a single question. They just roll with it. Even worse is the ML. He just accepts that she is acting as Do Ra-mi and treats it like a normal Tuesday. No one reacts with actual human logic. They just ignore the consequences to keep the plot moving. So, it is a bit jarring, but sure, I will give it the kdrama pass.
Seon Ho isn't a bad actor. He has those nuanced eyes that sell a lot of unspoken weight. But Kkon-jeong just dwarfs him. She is operating at a frequency that he just can't hit here. It is telling that he only really seems to come alive when he is with the Do Ra-mi persona. When he is with Mu Hee the spark is barely there. Honestly the second couple has more chemistry anyway. Sota did okay, for sure. He is just a green-flag guy who actually understands boundaries. No possessive second-lead BS. He is fine but that second couple definitely feels more balanced than the leads.... and they were really not given much screentime. I am not saying they stole the spotlight... I just believed their feelings more.
The final thirty minutes is just bizarrely tacked on. They added a reveal that was not needed and did not add a single thing to the story. If you are going to drop a twist like that you need episodes to unpack what it introduces. Instead the entire resolution to that reveal is completely off-screen. We see none of it. NONE. It is just handled and done without any screen time. It is a lazy shortcut that just feels added on at the last minute.
Still the script makes it most of the way through. It never quite soars but it holds together enough to be solid for most of the run. Still, Kkon-jeong makes it worth the time.
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Watch it for yourself and Decide
TBH I have been in a Kdrama slump all last year enjoyed Dyanmite Kiss bec it was a siĺly fun to watch drama, so Ibwas waiting for this expecting the same but OH Boy what a surprise these 2 main leads match each other in everything and Go Youn Jung again and again shows how good of an actress she can be the snap between her persona and alter ego had me at Wow....it b is a Must watch for me and for many reasons. Ppl that watch dramas fastforwarding this is not for you, you need to pay attention not an ordinary fluffy prince charm and damsel in distress drama.Highly recommended 👌!
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That hopeful melo fairytale
Do we understand even when we communicate?🩷 Nuanced romance
💛 Timidity vs spontaneity
❤️ FL falls first ML falls harder
🧡 Slow-burn but heartfelt
💜 warm and sad and surprising
This was an ingenuous take on language, translation and how we comprehend others based on whats said but what of those left unsaid. And our leads, both Mu Hee and Ho Jin spoke plenty with just their eyes.
Though the story haf some dip in energy but it was carried through by the strong performance of the actors. They made you believe when 2 beings who approach life very differently found attracted to each other. The tension. The mood. That yearning for love and romance. The scenery, the breathtaking aurora. All made for a very cinematic and memorable watch.
Excellent production. May we hope more of this calibre from Netflix.
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