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A completely different show from what I expected
So basically, what I imagined how this show would be was as follows:FL is shooting a reality show with a Japanese actor and in order to understand each other ML has to translate. However, SML slowly falls in love with her and tries to swoon her over while ML has to watch. We did get a few scenes like that but I wanted more. Also I wanted the FL to be more swayed between the two men. I wanted Hiro to be bolder and clumsier to create funny moments and ML to be more tsundere but caring to catch FL’s attention. And I was hoping to see this kind of rom-com style in the form of an adventure across cultures.
Instead we got a psychological-romance 🤯 And no it was not done very well! Here are the reasons why I didn’t like it:
1. It irked me how a very serious mental health condition was treated in such a lighthearted, comedic way. It seriously gave me the ick! Well luckily they ended it well in the last episode, clarifying the reasons etc but throughout the whole drama I was just so confused and it was such a pain to watch.
2. The main couple’s banter was NOT CUTE NOR FUNNY! the constant push and pull was giving me so much unnecessary stress!!! In just ONE EPISODE they would go from fighting to making up and even promising to stay together and back to fighting and breaking up again!!!! I was so frustrated!!! People who find this romantic have a serious problem istg!
3. I didn’t understand why Hiro reacted so extremely negative towards Mu-hee, just because she didn’t know who he was 🙄
Other than his good looks his character was rather annoying…
4. Some scenes were SO CRINGE to me I was getting goosebumps 😖 For example when Hiro and Mu-hee were on a tv-show date in Canada and there was a musician playing music or sth and they were both acting “funny” but I was just getting second hand embarrassment it was so cringe how obviously fake it all was. There were some other scenes like that…
So basically the only things I liked about this drama were the beautiful travel locations that were filmed so beautifully, so props to the cinematographer, they literally saved this drama.
And I really liked the second couple a lot! They had much more chemistry than the main couple 🥲🥲🥲
This is it! I hope the rest of the upcoming netflix dramas will be better…
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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 pains me to write this
It literally pains me to write this for a drama that Kim Seonho stars as I am a huge fan of his. But this drama has disappointed me in so many levels... The original storyline from how I had seen it on the trailer seemed amazing! And the first episode also was incredible. After watching it, I felt like I'd found my kind of drama.I was quickly disappointed when the whole Do rami storyline was introduced. The drama changed rapidly after that. From a lighthearted comedy that I was expecting to watch, it became a psychological quest, in which I was wondering the whole time WHY is everyone putting up with the FL and not taking her to a psychiatrist from the first place. I found the side story very annoying and time consuming, ruined all the romance and the originality of the plot.
And even worse, when the FL started to understand that she didn't even remember a whole part of her day or when she was sure that Do rami took control she was completely unbothered, as if everything was normal. Really disappointing... Expected it different... Especially given the fact that I love the cast.
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As many languages as there are people...
I really loved the ear-piece scene in episode 1, seen again in episode 10. It’s such a powerful metaphor for how we hear what we want to hear. The message is conveyed through language but also through voice, espacially when it's about feelings! I wrote a deep-dive analysis about the translation aspect and the 'evil twin' psychology if anyone is interested: https://mariejoncquez.substack.com/Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent
This drama is excellent, the portrayal of such a serious mental health issue was done so well, and contrasted with the beautiful locations and the use of language. Very impressive. I have always liked Kim Seon-Ho so I was not surprised at his excellent performance, but the FL was new to me, I haven't followed her in any other dramas. I might now finally watch the second season of Alchemy of Souls.Was this review helpful to you?
Stunningly Beautiful Drama
What to say! The choice of Leads was astonishingly inspired. It is so great to see the wonderful Male lead back doing what he does best. Korean Netizens must be the worst followers on the Planet. They are deaddy and happily ruin creative successful actors without care. They must be really unhappy people. This drama is so brilliant. One of the best I have watched alongside 'Love Between Liness' so far this Year. The acting is memeorable. The story wonderful, the Performances superb. The settings are great, especially the Winery in Italy. The female lead also gave an outstanding performance. I cannot put my finger on, what exactly make the Male lead so appealing and lovable. His sensitivity is so attractive. Tgether with the Female Lead they have made an award Winning Drama. Hero is gorgeous too. I hope to see these actors again in more dramas. This is one out of the Box..Was this review helpful to you?
Foreign Language in Love and Life
There are two kinds of language in this world—one that can be spoken, and one that can only be felt. But what happens when a person isn’t fluent in either? How can the other truly understand?Can This Love Be Translated? tells the story of a language interpreter and a rising actress who encounter each other by chance while traveling. Despite working in a field surrounded by communication, they often fail to grasp each other’s feelings—and that’s where a seemingly straightforward plot becomes surprisingly layered?
The drama centers on people who struggle to express their emotions because of personal wounds: one dealing with the sting of unrequited love, another numb to her own emotions, and the last uncertain about the validity of what he feels.
Throughout the filming of a global dating show, the language interpreter, the Korean actress and the Japanese Heartthrob gradually uncover parts of themselves, learn to heal, and even begin to understand languages—both literal and emotional—that once felt foreign, even to themselves.
It carries many tropes I love: love triangles, travel, entertainment industry settings, fun and fluttering moments, good music, and gorgeous scenery—all woven together in a way that kept me engaged.
Interestingly, it also contains elements I usually dislike—family secrets, psychological angles, side couples, and a larger ensemble—yet they all work together surprisingly well, becoming as enjoyable as the tropes I favor most.
That’s what makes this drama different. I assumed it would be just another popular K-drama of today, but instead it turned out to be light to watch, comforting, and free of pressure. Even the things I thought I wouldn’t enjoy ended up becoming some of the highlights. I expected those elements to make the story harder to understand, but they actually helped me see the drama more fully.
No character overshadows the others. Everyone has a role. Every relationship has weight. Every word reveals a part of their story.
And in the end, I found myself able to translate the love they carried—and it’s those emotions that allowed them to love freely, to love themselves, and to love others.
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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?
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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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?
To think this was my most anticipated kdrama
Plot:- I thought it was gonna be a drama about unrequited love at first, but the plot took a really drastic and weird turn. The very definition of “we lost the plot”.
- The alter ego plotline really killed the romance for me. She even got more time with ML than real Muhee in Italy. Felt like he was babysitting.
- The concept of the show they’re filming reminds me of the old korean show “We got married”. Loved those.
- 2nd couple came out of nowhere. Ick.
Production:
- The music, setting, and cinematography were atmospheric. It was good.
Characters:
- Mu hee is such a fun and quirky character. I like her. But Do Rami is the reason the plot took a dip for me.
- Dont get her initial attraction to the ML. He wasn’t even nice to her and personality is so dry. Glad he got more palatable throughout though.
- 2nd FL had romantic relations with 3 men in the span of 1 drama. Cant take her seriously.
Casting
- I think the actors acted really well. I would cry whenever they would lol.
- So happy Kim Seon Ho is back on my screen. With pretty Go youn jung too. But he probably should’ve picked another script for his comeback drama.
- Hiro’s actor’s visuals really be testing my loyalty to Kim seon ho.
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I want to smoke whatever the writer of this drama was smoking.
Thankfully they released all 12 episodes together because people would have surely dropped this drama after watching the first few episodes. What was that ending? So much buildup regarding Cha Mu Hui's parents, and you finish it like this? I still don't understand why Sin Ji Seon broke up with her ex and just got engaged so soon with the other guy. How is he better than her ex-fiancé? I really want to know what the writers of this drama were thinking. With such a cast, soundtrack, and budget, you come up with this?Was this review helpful to you?
