Can This Love Be Translated?

Overrated and Messy Writting!

If I had to describe this drama in five points, it would be:
1. Messy plot and writing
2. Good visuals and color grading
3. A very good OST
4. An almost impossible plot to understand
5. “What is this story even trying to be?”

Can This Love Be Translated? is a drama that looks good on the surface, but quickly becomes confusing and unfocused.

However, the main problem lies in the writing and story structure. The plot feels extremely messy and scattered. It is unclear what the drama actually wants to focus on. Is it about romance? Family trauma? Personal healing? The show keeps shifting directions without developing any of them properly.

The subplot about the parents’ past feels unnecessarily heavy and, honestly, not very important to the core story. Instead of adding depth, it makes the narrative more crowded and harder to follow.

The male lead’s feelings are also confusing. It is never clear who he truly likes — Dorami or Cha Muhee. This weakens the emotional impact of the romance, because the audience is not given a consistent emotional line to follow.

Overall, the drama lacks a clear “issue pattern.” There is no strong central conflict that is developed step by step. Because of this, many scenes feel disconnected, and it becomes difficult for viewers to understand what the story is building toward.

Despite its strong visuals and excellent OST, Can This Love Be Translated? feels overrated. The messy writing and unfocused plot make it more confusing than engaging.

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Their translation of love was mostly on track but kept veering off course

I was really into every episode in the first half especially early on, but the second half fell pretty flat and I mainly just continued to watch because I was curious on the ending, almost felt like I was watching a different drama once it got to the midway point. The OST was super sweet on the ears and genuinely a treat, and the acting and chemistry between Seon Ho and Youn Jung was great; I really hope they get another project together because they showed that they bounce off each other really well. Their scenes were really sweet and sometimes bitter, but I loved watching their relationship slowly build, even if it took a while for them to actually translate their love. All the leads did really well, though I wish Hiro had been written a little better, felt like his character was never given the chance to shine despite having the best development in the show in my opinion but seems like they just wanted him to be the guy who would make Jin Ho realize his feelings and bridge the gap.

Plot-wise, again it had me hooked early and I looked forward to each episode throughout my week of watching, but around the midpoint it lost some direction and shifted away from the rom-com sweetness it was building toward to a more uneven drama that felt different every episode, again almost like I was watching a different drama. It wasn’t bad, just unexpected, which I think made the second half not feel as exciting but what did get tiring was the “will they, won’t they”. The back-and-forth between wanting each other and then pulling away happened a bit too often, especially with Ho Jin. Felt like he changed his mind 5 times an episode, while Mu Hui they would have Mu Hui continue to chase him. At a point felt like it should of been the other way around but felt like the writers didn't like that route i guess? Also for as much and long as they tried to build up the relationship, kinda surprised they barely gave them any time to be a proper couple before the story kinda abruptly ending. After everything they went through to understand each other, they really made them speed through their love phase which we barely saw any moments of truly developing after becoming a couple and were just left to instead envision it while they were apart.

Overall, it was still a nice watch with some nice moments that unfortunately didn't fully meet my expectations after the really long wait.

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The drama started on a strong note, and i really enjoyed the first few eps. However, as it progressed, especially in the middle, it began to feel unnecessarily stretched. By the final eps, i was honestly just waiting for it to end. This drama absolutely did not need 12 eps especially with 60-65 min runtimes, and one episode even running for 82 mins. Ideally, the story could have been wrapped up within 6-8 eps. The dragging added no real value.

If not for the forced misunderstanding created by the SFL, the story could have easily concluded by E6. The leads would have confessed by then and the conflict would already be resolved.

Although both leads were clearly in love, it took far too long for them to actually enter a relationship almost until E10. Multiple plotlines were running simultaneously: the alter ego personality, a love triangle involving the FL, ML and SML and yet another romantic angle from the SFL’s side. At times, it felt less like a triangle and more like a love pentagon.

While the production quality, acting, bgm and chemistry were all solid but overall viewing experience felt boring to me. I did like the Japanese SML, but his presence also seemed more like a tool to stretch the plot rather than serve a meaningful purpose. The SFL’s storyline felt equally unnecessary.

The FL’s traumatic childhood backstory, which explains the development of her alter ego, was another weak point. The alternate personality appeared and disappeared randomly, making it difficult to take seriously or feel convinced by it.

Overall, this was average at best for me.

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Beyond Fluff: The Quiet Depth of Can This Love Be Translated

Over the years, we’ve seen rom-coms get hijacked by murder-thriller plots, so genre-blending in romance shows is nothing new. Personally, I’m of the opinion that in a rom-com, offering only romance and comedy is simply not satisfying enough. Watching two people giggle, stare into each other’s eyes, argue, then kiss and make up over and over again for 12 episodes isn’t really how I picture myself spending my weekend.

That’s why I prefer it when another drama genre—almost as present as the romance and comedy—is included. Some shows, like Crash Landing on You and Goblin, manage to strike a suitable balance and incorporate these elements in interesting ways, while others, like Would You Marry Me, are not so fortunate. The point of this lengthy prologue is to say that I think Can This Love Be Translated is a brilliant example of genre-blending done right.

What impressed me the most about this show is Cha Muhee’s character writing. Sadly, complex female leads are hard to come by in dramaland, and even more so in the romance genre, so Muhee felt like a breath of fresh air. The bold decision to blend rom-com elements with psychological drama paid off, in my opinion. The result is a deeply meaningful, distinctly unique story about two complex individuals.

Our female lead is a deeply flawed woman, desperate to be loved in spite of her brokenness. The way her backstory is structured—and how it shapes who she is—makes it clear that the writers were incredibly intentional with every decision concerning her character. The same care is given to the male lead. Every choice our main characters make, though seemingly illogical at first, is actually a direct manifestation of their past experiences and inner struggles. Watching them confront their trauma and slowly realise that it does not define them is nothing short of healing.

This emotional depth is brought to life by the talented actors, who deliver layered, compelling performances. Their microexpressions convey emotions beautifully, and I felt every word they spoke. Kim Seon-ho’s ability to transition seamlessly between languages while sounding natural and fluent shows just how much effort he put into this role. His character’s yearning, restraint, devastation, and eventual surrender are all communicated through subtle looks and gestures.

Go Youn-jung’s dual portrayal of Cha Muhee and Do Rami is both fun and heartbreaking to watch. She is convincing as both, and you can always tell them apart—even when one is pretending to be the other. You always understand what Muhee truly wants, even when her words contradict her feelings. Her detailed performance, paired with excellent writing, makes Cha Muhee a truly memorable and unforgettable character for me.

The actors also absolutely delivered in the comedy department 😂. When this show wants to be funny, it really is.

Can This Love Be Translated is a deep, thoughtful piece of art, full of small moments that compound into an awe-inspiring, breathtaking experience. I went in expecting a light, cheesy, fluffy romance, and I’ve never been happier to be disappointed. This drama is a love letter to scenery. K-dramas are already known for their visual appeal, but this one takes it a step further—every frame is picturesque, even during the most mundane moments, like two people simply talking. The OST is memorable and elevates every scene it accompanies.

If I had to point out a negative, it would be my lack of investment in the second couple. Their romance started too late and too abruptly, ultimately feeling more like filler than something meaningful. Also, while I have no personal experience with dissociative identity disorder, something about its portrayal here felt slightly inaccurate. That said, the way it’s depicted is integral to the premise and plot, so I’m willing to allow some creative wiggle room.

All in all, I really enjoyed this drama. I’ve always felt that typical rom-coms aren’t for me—I didn’t enjoy King the Land, and I found Business Proposal to be a middling experience. Can This Love Be Translated does something entirely different. It abandons familiar tropes and forges its own path. It’s original in every sense of the word, and I truly hope to see more rom-coms like this in the future.

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9/10 from my alter (call them So-La Di-Da), but my brain and I (Toot), not so much.

I always come out of a Hong drama feeling like it was a guilty pleasure. I enjoy it at the time, but all the while, feel like I shouldn't. And "Can This Love Be Translated", is no exception. I find Hong dramas often address big issues, and complex philosophical themes; what higher ideal is there than open communication, understanding and acceptance between people. They ask the question directly in the title - can love be translated? But the Hong sisters are too wont to fall back on tropey, caricature-ish plot devices and populist imagery, to actually give us a convincing answer. That just makes me come away feeling dirty. I personally find the Hong sisters, as writers, are not clever, they're manipulative. And in the experience of watching a drama you have to ask yourself, "Why am I thinking more about the writers than the actual drama?!?"

For ratings purposes, I'm going to take a leaf out of this script and create an alter for myself:

Me, My alter, So-La Di-Da: ...I'm just here for the entertainment!
Story: 9/10 Committed to romance, beautiful locations, easy brain switch off visuals of both people and places.
Acting/Cast: 10/10 The cast is great. Across the board. PRETTY!
Music: 7/10 To satisfy the "I'm here for the entertainment!", part of my brain, The Dancer should have had more dancing but meh.
Rewatch Value: 1/10 Still not switching off that part of my brain.
Overall: 9/10 Good chemistry, beautiful scenery, interesting dialogue. In the moment, whenever I can switch off my brain to just "ENTERTAIN ME" mode, this is a charmer of a drama.

Me, Myself, Toot: ...if I'm investing all of my time, make it mean something
Story: 5/10
Acting/Cast: 10/10 Worked well with what they had
Music: 7/10 Is not notable, which is to some advantage in telling a story.
Rewatch Value: 1/10 except for going back to make sure they really did or did not say that! Or checking the translation is accurate and there's not...more...
Overall: 4.5/10 There are just too many issues we're expected to swallow whole. The Italy chapter being illustrative - He's savvy enough to know that her belief that she is unlovable, is a delusion. They've written those words into his mouth. It's therefore absolutely unconvincing and inconsistent with the character, that he would just go along with her psychotic episodes (as Do Ra Mi) and not seek medical help. What gets me to a five/ten is the attempts at witty banter between the characters, and the fact that the main characters do...generally... present as intelligent and caring human beings. No-one is fully a caricature, they are ...somewhat... believable, if not well realised. And I believe that's a problem of the script rather than the acting.

In order to illustrate what I mean, I'm just going to focus on the use of Do Ra Mi: The Dancer (as the Hong's referred to her or if you prefer, The Zombie) Cha Mu Hui's disassociated persona/alter-ego: We, as an audience, ALONG WITH the male lead character Ju Ho Jin, are expected to accept this characteristic, without question. And more importantly for Ju Ho Jin, without action. It is a very obvious plot device, dumped in to create story, but never directly addressed or explored.

The ML is highly educated. He is also very clearly and in his own spoken words, aware that she has a serious mental illness. ("The idea that you are unlovable is a delusion") He is kind and clearly has a highly educated degree of insight, in being able to identify her alter. He is also informed enough to recognise that her core belief structure is a delusion. It is not realistic that, having this kind of awareness, you would just go along with a person's full blown psychotic breaks, her clear displays of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), without seeking help or care for that person. It is a disturbing illustration of how NOT to deal with serious mental illness, but is wrapped up in a lovely romantic bow. The ML being written as the ultimate polyglot, with the ability to understand and communicate on so many levels beyond the norm, is just inconsistent with a character who would fail to seek help and medical care for the person they love.

And so for my little rant...
The existence of Mu Hui's alter Do Ra Mi, is realistic, in the sense that it's a protection from very significant childhood trauma. This is in keeping with DID. But tying her central belief - that she is unlovable - specifically to the fact that she was A WITNESS to a horrific act, is ludicrous. There's a perfectly reasonable rationalisation that she was an actual victim of multiple horrific acts. I won't spoil them all here... But why tie it to being A WITNESS rather than being A VICTIM? This could have been an excellent opportunity to explore how, as humans, we create layers of, often irrational, belief around trauma, in order to function in our complex world. But unfortunately, nope, they're just there as backstory, to create a facade of character depth, with no exposition at all. Looking further and accepting the Witness/Victim dichotomy as a believable trope, I also feel an opportunity was lost for developing this further, as an exploration of Korean Society. If we accept the idea that characterising yourself as a victim is harder to swallow that characterising yourself as a witness; and that being a victim or even a witness, makes you believe you are 'less than", and makes you accept that others will see you that way too... what does that say about a society?!? But alas, that was also not explored.

I come out of Hong sister dramas, always questioning whether these writers are just ignorant enough, to be unaware of what mental illness really is, or just clever enough to use mental illness to shine a light on a core SK cultural belief: That being perfect is a requirement. That being imperfect, damaged, filially rejected, traumatised or broken, and SHOWING those in any way, makes you a problem for, and at worst, worthless to Korean Society.

Fortunately I am cognisant that my opinion is mine and is valid, in that all opinions are valid if you can justify it. When you write something and release it out into the world, your own interpretations of your words, remain only yours. You invite multitudes of interpretations when you publish. So whatever you intended to portray, is only secondary to the audience's reception. I think that what makes me cross about the Hong Sisters' writing is that they cause me to question THEM. I should be able to forget about the writer when I am watching a drama. But they can't seem to commit. They try to be populist - they try to write for the masses, using obvious and lazy tropes (Meet/Cute, love at first sight, destined love, childhood trauma as plot device), but at the same time, try to make grand statements about social issues and the human condition. There is something...a certain amount of finesse that is missing. In trying to be clever, they can sometimes come off as stupid. And I just really don't want them to be stupid. It's a dilemma because either they are clever but they think we (their audience) are stupid, or they are stupid, and therefore so are we, for enjoying their dramas.

Truly, for me this drama might be enjoyable in some moments but afterwards, when your brain turns back on, it has an unpleasant post show ick. I admire the central idea of addressing the question of translating love, I am disgusted by the use of childhood trauma and DID as a plot device, and a form of audience manipulation.

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Just a kelp in water

This has nothing but full of desktop wallpapers to choose from.

The anticipated romance? the sizzling chemistry? It's there but not there. It is bleak. Cha Mu Hee's personal trauma took over the whole plot that the writers forgot to actually write a proper development in the romance and give a chance for chemistry to actually spark. Instead it became an accessory for the sake of the promised romcom genre.
The only time I actually enjoyed it was the dynamic between Joo hyo jin and Do Ra Mi. Do Ra Mi's character has a better compatibility with Joo Hyo Jin's attitude. Yet with Cha Mu Hee, it's bland.

Overall the drama gave me nothing, it has a lot of potential to be interesting yet it didn't became anything. The writers threw away a great premise just to fall back into something generic.

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The Most Frustrating Drama

This drama had everything to work and ML still managed to make it bleak and unbearable.

The female lead spends half the story sharing her inner monologue. the messy, vulnerable reality of her present life. That is not small. That is not casual. That is a gift. She literally narrates her thoughts. And yet he treats it like noise. Later, he even says she is “the hardest thing to interpret.”

He knows she has past trauma. He knows she struggles with closeness. He knows she becomes shy and awkward around him — not because she’s narcissistic or manipulative, but because she loves him. but oh yeah poor guy doesn't know thats how far emotional constipation can go he showed it.

Her pattern is clear: she tries with everything she has, then retreats out of fear of rejection — insecurity shaped by childhood wounds. Instead of recognizing that and reassuring her, he responds with confusion and something worse: hope.

He gives her hope.
She comes closer.
He hurts her with his words.
Then he gives hope again.
Then withdraws again.

That cycle is the most frustrating part of the entire drama. Not just rejection — but the repeated granting and snatching away of emotional safety for no clear reason other than his own inability to handle what’s in front of him.

What makes it worse is that he only seems to understand her when things are already collapsing — when it was clear long before. the main lead’s biggest flaw: emotional incompetence, with moments of quiet cruelty.

The female lead carries the story with raw honesty. The male lead calls her difficult to interpret when the truth is simpler:

She was transparent.
He was unable to see.

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Less really would have been more here

Can This Love Be Translated? is a tricky one to review. It was marketed as a rom-com, but rom-com it was not. What it was, however, is one of the most visually beautiful dramas I’ve ever seen. From Canada to Italy to Japan to Korea, every location was stunning, and by the end of the show I was ready to book my plane ticket to Banff, Canada ASAP. The use of so many international locations made the show feel fresh and different, especially after watching countless dramas that recycle the same office buildings, apartments, and parks. Nostalgic? Sure. But also boring. This drama definitely stood out visually, and I genuinely enjoyed the entire cast.

As for the main couple, I actually think they worked well together, but the romance often felt stagnant because of the story choices. The pacing of their relationship was all over the place, sometimes rushed and sometimes completely stalled, and while that may have been intentional, it wasn’t always enjoyable to watch. That said, the FL’s quirkiness was often very endearing, and Go Youn-jung really shines in those types of roles. I also have to give credit to Kim Seon-ho, who was genuinely impressive with the amount of language learning required for the role.

Story-wise, the first six episodes were solid, but episode seven marked a noticeable shift, and not for the better. I usually don’t mind mental health themes in dramas, but the way this one was handled didn’t sit right with me. If Do Ra-mi had remained more of an inner-voice concept, that could have worked. Instead, the show seemed to introduce something resembling a multiple personality disorder, which is a complex and serious condition, only to treat it in a way that felt rushed and oddly flippant.

That said, there were moments where the portrayal felt more thoughtful and artful. Some of the visual and symbolic interpretations of her internal struggle were genuinely interesting and well done, and they hinted at a deeper, more nuanced exploration that could have worked beautifully. The problem was time, or rather, the lack of it. The female lead is clearly not okay for several episodes, then literally says goodbye to Do Ra-mi, and suddenly… she’s kind of fine? That’s not how that works. I’m no expert, but reducing something this serious into a few conveniently resolved episodes ultimately felt unsatisfying and underdeveloped.

And then there’s the ending. Yet another ridiculous one. Was it necessary to reveal, within the final 30 minutes of the entire series, that her parents were alive this whole time? No. Absolutely not. And then, to “heal,” the female lead simply disappears for an unspecified amount of time and magically returns cured. Nope. No. Not buying it.

What’s frustrating is that this drama didn’t need all of this. I never thought I’d say it, but the show would have been better if it had just stuck to a quirky female lead (which this actress does so well), the love triangle with the Japanese actor, and the male lead dealing with unresolved feelings from his past relationship. And I’m someone who loathes love triangles!! But honestly, that was more than enough. Less really would have been more here. There was no need to cram a poorly handled, overly complex mental health storyline into a drama that already had plenty going for it.

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A MASTERPIECE with a UNIQUE plot, Cinematography & Acting is in on next level, Must Watch

You will surely fall in love with the cinematography & this unique plot, so different from other kdramas. Not only romance, but also a little mystery & thriller vibe included. A slow-burning romance with great acting, FL did a great job with her acting. I can feel her emotions deeply in this drama. This drama is more realistic. Not only the FL, but also ML & other actors did a great job. Production is so good & I love the very unique plot. I love how they captured nature to showcase the cinematography. A masterpiece, you never wanna skip 10 seconds in this drama, it's really interesting & enjoyable with a happy ending. I love the music & songs included in this drama. A Must Watch.

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Amazing Vibes with Messy Writing

I’m honestly torn about this drama, because on one hand I did enjoy watching it and I was invested, but on the other hand… the writing frustrated me SO much that I can’t pretend it didn’t affect my overall experience.

Let’s start with the good.
The biggest saving grace of this drama is the actors and their chemistry. If their performances were even slightly weaker, I genuinely don’t think I would’ve finished this. The way they look at each other, their expressions, the comedy, the emotional moments, all of those felt real and natural. When things were good between them, I was smiling and enjoyed it quite a lot. The cinematography and overall vibe also really worked for me and gave the story a charm that I just couldn’t let go of, even when I was annoyed.

Now… the writing. Yeah. This is where my problems start.
I was fine with how they were building up their connection, the tension, the almost-lovers phase, it was nice. You root for them, the chemistry is there, the emotional pull is there. And then… instead of letting that naturally develop into a relationship when it naturally feels they should get into one and showing us growth while they are together, the story keeps blowing everything up with misunderstandings and emotional back-and-forth that felt forced and unnecessary.

They honestly became the biggest villains in their own love story. I’m sorry but their emotional timing was NEVER aligned and it made their journey more frustrating than satisfying.

Honestly, I really think they should’ve gotten together around ep 6 and after that the drama could’ve explored healing, past trauma, and how they grow as a couple. Instead, we got episode after episode of miscommunication, and by the time they finally became a couple, proper couple content we got felt like crumbs. Their chemistry didn’t even get time to fully shine before the story moved on to past trauma arc and side plots.

The conflict dialogue often felt weak to me. In important emotional scenes I sometimes couldn’t even fully understand what the characters were trying to express or why they were reacting the way they did, it just felt messy and tiring instead of feeling emotionally clear.

Honestly, the love triangles weren’t even the main issue (as I initially thought they'd be). The real problem was the leads and how badly they communicated with each other. On top of that, the side ML felt poorly developed and emotionally flat, so he ended up just pushing the plot instead of adding meaningful emotional tension.

That said… despite ALL of this, I still can’t say I disliked the drama because when it was cute, it was REALLY cute.
When it was funny, I laughed. When they were soft with each other, I felt it. So yeah, my heart enjoyed it more than my brain did, all thanks to the actors.

In the end, I gave this an 8/10, not because I think it’s a perfectly written romance, but because the actors, chemistry, atmosphere and emotional vibe were strong enough to keep me watching and emotionally engaged until the end. It’s the kind of drama where I’m glad I watched it, but I also know it could’ve been SO much better with stronger writing and better pacing of the relationship. Would I rewatch it? Probably not. Did I enjoy watching it the first time? Yeah, I really did (even while yelling at my screen).

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A Slow Convoluted Burn

I want to preface this by saying that my experience with this show might've been drastically different if this were one of my first kdrama experiences. But considering that I've been watching dramas for a while now, what could've come across as unique to others has turned out to be pretty confusing/jarring for me.

So I loved the first 5 to 6 episodes. It felt like I was finally watching something I hadn't before. It had all the tropes I've always wanted to see but seldom ever done well, if at all. The slow burn, the FL falling first, but she isn't manic or clingy about it. The ML is actually kind to her and respectful. Kim Seon Ho as Hojin simply standing and staring at Muhee as she has her big talk show moment alone convinces anyone how much of a goner he is for someone he wants to only see as a stranger he met on a trip. These small moments are what define this drama for me.

Cha Mu Hee is such a lovable, endearing character. She truly makes you root for her, even in her embarassment. Even in her desperation to be loved and accepted by everyone, there is an innocence and sincerity that is hard to ignore. It's why her paired up against someone completely practical-minded like Hojin feels so thrilling, because they're bound to have chemistry simply because of the difference in their approach to life and living.

Hojin is everything I like about a male lead. He knows what he is and wants but doesn't hokd that against anyone else.

I loved this exact dynamic of a struggling actress who met a man on a trip and fell in love with him, a man who doesn't reciprocate her feelings but wholeheartedly chooses to root for her and support her from a distance. Someone who chose to be kind to a woman who never had it growing up. Of course she would fall for this ahndsome good hearted stranger!

There was so much potential in this dynamic alone: A successful actress still pining for a man who knew her before she got all the fame and appreciation she wanted.

I guess this is the story I thought I was getting from those first 5 episodes only for the second half to turn into a completely different dissection into mental health and dissociative identities. Something like My Liberation Notes meets Bad and Crazy (two dramas I LOVED individually but would stay far away from if they were made into one...if you get what I mean...)

Now it's not even the dissociative idenitites part (that I've come to find repetitive in dramas/movies/literature at this point), but the main issue with this drama being that Muhee becomes a patient that Hojin needs to "fix" for them to be together. Thus going back to the eternal trope of fixing someone to be with them, instead of giving them the free agency to figure it out themselves while the partner supports them.

In fact Muhee's lack of agency goes back to around ep 5/6, even before the genre shift when she kisses Hojin, thoroughly breaking his boundaries btw, and magically, that is the moment when Hojin decides that he will finally start thinking about moving on from the fantasy of his first love. Now sure, he most definitely could've had feelings for Muhee the whole time after their first meeting, but I wish her kiss didn't become the catalyst for his change of heart and urgency. It truly felt completely insincere to both Muhee, and the tone the first half of the drama set up.

I also found that the chemistry between the leads sort of just fell off after around ep 7...

Dorami as a character and even altar are all great creative choices but it felt like they didn’t belong in the same font as the first half of this drama.

Aside from the writing and themes, the making of the drama and the performances of the leads stands out. Go Youn Jung and Kim Seon Ho have great screen presence and truly make their characters compelling to watch and root for. But it's tough to keep up with a plot that's trying to be 10 different things in 10 different fonts at once so I wouldn't put that on them.

The OST is beyond memorable and I will be thinking about that aurora scene for a long, long time...

I think I'll have to rewrite this show in my head from that point onwards just for myself...haha!

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