No Gain, No Love (2024)

good watch!

I started this late while it was airing, around 4 days after episode 10 dropped. Within a day, I had already binged all the available episodes and as soon as episode 11 and 12 were released, I had finished it. It was hooking and addicting and I have that hangover feeling you get after watching a great drama lingering.

This goes over adult themes many kdramas don't mention which gives it a fresh charm to it. I really liked how open everyone was about sex!

There's many of the common cliches and tropes, but they're done well and still manage to entertain.

This I would say, is a TRUE romcom. The jokes are incorporated into the script well, and honestly it's all really funny. Many people said they were laughing every episode. Even though I wouldn't say I laughed EVERY episode, I did laugh in many of them! Moving on, the romance is there. Do not be deterred by the age gap between the ML and FL, because the chemistry is very visible. I even felt it. This pairing was amazing, they compliment each other so well. Shin Min-Ah is just absolutely an amazing actress with stunning visuals. I really liked her outfits, her hair and her overall appearance in this drama. She really is a star in comedy. Kim Young-dae was amazing here as well. Don't even get me started on his visuals! LOL. I really enjoyed his acting here.

The second-lead couple was also really great. It was nice to see Lee Sang-yi again after My Demon. Han Ji-hyun is new to me and I'll check out some of her other roles because I've grown fond of acting in this drama. This couple also got a lot of screen-time. Their trope is also sorta enemies to lovers?

The characters are pretty well fleshed-out.

This drama has pretty good writing, especially in the first half, and a great ost.

DISLIKES:

I do feel like the ending was pretty rushed in the last episode. For both couples. But the second-couple got more screen time than the main couple in the last episode. And they also get a spin-off, it was sort of disappointing. Nonetheless, it's still definitely worth watching this drama.

The killer plot is a bit unnecessary and the final episodes were not all that good. It felt underdeveloped.

OVERALL:
This was a great watch. The couples both had amazing chemistry, it was funny and it has an amazing plot, for the most part.

Read More

Best RomCom so far!

Love this series! If you're looking for a K-drama that's very light yet very warm, this is it! All the actors are excellent at portraying their characters. Kim Young-dae was so charming here; I fell in love with him right then and there. And Shin Min Ah, as expected, is always phenomenal at her acting. I laughed so much, and their story is realistic and relatable.
The only thing I could complain about is the finale. I wished they'd prolonged or added more scenes between Ji Uk and Hae Young. I would love to see more scenes of them being affectionate after reconciling, perhaps re-marrying again and building their family.
Other than that, I'm mostly satisfied. Oh, and didn't I say already that it's the best rom-com ever? You'll never regret watching it, I swear!

Read More

This series left me wanting more, I will watch it again! to satisfy my longing!

THE chemistry of the first couple, Shin Min Ah as Son Hae Young and Kim Young Dae as Kim Ji Uk is magnificent, the The way these two look at each other is simply fascinating! Most of all, I loved how the first couple's love blossomed. The same goes for the second couple as well. I just wish the last chapters had a lot more scenes of the main couple, I simply loved their romance! I loved this drama. I don't really have any complaints about this one, just praise, so I'll give it 10/10. Not excluding the beautiful OST of this drama. I loved them.
This series left me wanting more, I will watch it again! to satisfy my longing!

Read More

A fun watch with 3 fantastic leads :)

PLOT: The FL (girl who felt neglected by her mother - foster mother for childrens with issues), a hard-working and calculating woman, is held back at work because she's single. She ends up looking for a (fake) husband and chooses the part-time employee of the convenience store ("angel" ML) on the corner of her street. He disappears from her life a few days after the wedding, but reappears three months later at the company where she works. At this time, a close friend (FL2), author of erotic novels for women, has a run-in with the CEO of the company (ML2).

+++ Great cast with Shin Min-Ha (FL) & Kim Young Dae (ML) and Lee Sang Yi (ML2) => Remarkable !
+++ Well-written story, relatively realistic, with complex, well-developed, and endearing characters. Three FLs with very different personalities, which allow us to approach romantic relationships from different perspectives.
+++ Fast-paced production, with very successful effects and cinematography. The tone is generally comedic, even if some heavier themes are addressed.
+++ Excellent OSTs.

### A few clichés, obviously intentional because they're meant to mock.

=> Good, short series, which relies on the interactions between the three leads.
********************************************************************
PLOT: La FL, (fille qui se sentait négligée par sa mère, famille d'accueil), travailleuse acharnée et calculatrice, est freinée au travail parce qu'elle est célibataire. Elle finit par chercher 1 (fake) mari et choisit l'employé à temps partiel de la supérette ( "angel" ML) au coin de sa rue. Il disparait de sa vie qq jours après le mariage, mais réapparaît 3 mois + tard ds la Cie où elle travaille. //t, une amie (FL2) auteure de romans érotiques pr femme, a des démêlés avec le CEO de la Cie (ML2).

+++ Super cast avec Shin Min-Ha (FL) & Kim Young Dae (ML) Lee Sang Yi (ML2)
+++ Story bien écrite, relativement réaliste, avec des personnages complexes, bien développés et attachants. 3 FL au caractère bien différent, qui permettent d'aborder les relations amoureuses sous divers angles.
+++ Réalis° rythmée, avec des effets et une cinématographie très réussis. Le ton est globalement à la comédie, mm si qq thèmes plus pesants sont abordés.
+++ Excellents OSTs.

### Qq clichés, visiblement volontaires car tournés en dérision.

=> Bonne série, courte, qui repose sur les interactions des 3 leads.

Read More

I looked forward to every episode as it aired. Great chemistry. Well acted. Enjoyable.

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy series with 12, 60 minute episodes.  Other titles are “Spice Up Our Love” and “No Loss in Love.”

 

First, I provide a Unique Synopsis then review. 

 

Synopsis

 

Son Hae-young (Shin Min-A) was an only child but grew up with her parents continually taking in foster kids and, as such not paying a lot of attention to their only child.  In the balance of life, she felt like she was constantly having what should have been hers taken away by others that may have just been passing through.  That early experience, and the resentment she still bears as an adult, has shaped her so she wants equity in every interaction.  At work promotions and many other opportunities are restricted to those that are married.  This unfair policy reminds her of her childhood which she felt was completely unfair.  When a competition opens at work that is only available to married employees, Hae-young makes a decision which would allow her to participate.  A fake marriage she determines is the only way to gain all the benefits she can at work. 

 

Hae-young has been in an ongoing battle with convenience clerk Kim Ji-wook (Kim Young-dae) who has gained the reputation of being an angel for his kind nature and selfless volunteer work.  So, it is out of character for him to be mean or petty but Hae-young’s over the top antics, which he observes as she frequents his store, have made him her anti-fan.  He pettily deprives her of her favorite snack insuring there is limited, or no stock, and she does stuff like mess up his store shelves.   But Hae-young is desperate for a fake groom and her rival in her mind is the perfect candidate because he dresses bum sheik and their conflict ensures no feelings will develop.  Ji-wook originally refuses Hae-young’s outrageous offer until he realizes Hae-young will choose anybody, including this con man he knows, to fulfill her plan.  Even with their cold war Ji-wook cannot stand to see Hae-young get hurt so he agrees to her crazy plan, pretending he is in it for the compensation and assurance of a quick divorce.  But things start to change when Ji-wook cleans up to above average handsome.  As the two work in partnership on the fake marriage, they learn things about each other that change their opinion. Maybe Hae-young’s heart may not be as safe as she thought it was. 

 

Review



 This was a super heart warming romantic comedy which I waited eagerly every week to air. I like both of the actors a lot and have enjoyed many things they have been in so was excited to see them in this one and I wasn’t disappointed. They had great chemistry and their romance was very believable. It was really fun in the beginning when they had this bit of a rival going, it made it very interesting. She was really unique and you could tell it was gonna take a lot to win her over and convince her that there were more important things in life than keeping a tally. I would watch it if somebody had it on I might even seek it out to watch it again. I highly recommend it to anybody that likes romance or any of the actors.



Spoilers



It definitely takes you an emotional roller coaster as I felt for him every time she pushed him away emotionally. It was so clear she really liked him and was just getting in her own way. I wish we had more of reunion in the end. It was really just the very last few minutes. We actually saw more of the second couple together.



Her friend/sister was in some polyamarous relationship and I just think that’s odd. I’ve never known anybody other than swingers in that kind of relationship. I don’t know why they felt the need to include that and I didn’t really like it, but it wasn’t a big enough part of the story to ruin it for me. I liked her long time boyfriend and liked it when he wanted to be exclusive and was willing to accept the baby even if it wasn’t his. Their relationship actually wound up being pretty cute. I just didn’t think they needed that part where they each had another partner and that she wasn’t sure who the babies’ father was. Again just seemed completely unnecessary and actually a departure from why I usually like Korean shows where they’re much more wholesome typically. So I think that was a Prime effect rather than anything. Korean writers would’ve typically done.



I wanted to reconcile with her mom and understand more why she did what she did with the foster kids, but they never really took it there.



It was good that the brothers were starting to come together. I would’ve liked to see more of their relationship develop because they were both lonely in a way and needed each other. I also wanted to see him get to know his dad a little bit.



While it was cool that she started her own business and took the secretary with her. It would’ve been a step cooler if it had been highly successful and she wouldn’t have had to go back to her previous boss for a loan. I mean the interaction where he sort of tease them and then end up giving it to them anyway and called them. Traders was cute, but I still would’ve liked to have seen her being really successful on her own.

 

#NoGainNoLove  #SpiceUpOurLove  #NoLossInLove   #KimYoungDae   #ShinMinA

Read More

Must watch rom-com series

Superb rom-com series. Actor and actress played their character well. Also the 2nd lead actor and actress too played well. The ending was so sweet. Rom-com lovers will surely love this series. Just like love next door this series is too lovable. Also the total cast was nice. Other than the main lead actor and actress i do like 2nd lead actress, she is so cute. If you complete the series then do watch sipce up our love too. Because it's the spin of no gain no love, which the 2nd lead actor and 2nd lead actress are the main characters in this drama. So don't forget to watch spice up our love after watching no gain no love. I will give 9.5/10 for this drama (my opinion)

Read More

The best of 2024

God I can't express how much I'm enjoying this show with words. I don't pist reviews that often but lord I couldn't hold it in. I freakin love the plot and story-line. The thing that I enjoy the most is how much it's relatable and realistic, like the relationship between hui seong and her bf. Some parts of it set a good example on people like the CEO and the hate comments.

The comedy aspect is on FIRE. I barely laugh when watching show but this one is really good, it keeps you entertained throughout the whole episode. I'm the type of person who has the habit of skipping so many times but with this one I insist on watching the whole epidose from the start to the end without skipping a bit of it.
The acting and chemistry is soooo on point. Y'all Shin Min-Ah is eating and leaving no crumbs, And the ML is hot and funny as well. Things aren't dragging too much and I love how things are moving with an on-point pace, not too fast not too slow. Your brain has the time to function and think about stuff happening. It keeps you on hook and gets you excited for the upcoming episodes.

The story... I've never seen this type of concept before and I'm here for it. the writing is geniussss. The idea is not like something you've watched and seen in other kdramas it is fresh and full of suprises.
And I love how Son haeyong is honest with her feelings, and not acting cringe, I enjoy how mature her character is.

If you are looking for a kdrama with a non cliché story, this is right for you❤️

Read More

A great start but ended up not so satisfying of a romcom.

Upon finding out his ex-boyfriend was two-timing her, Hae Young (Shim Min Ah) pursues a fake marriage with a convenience store clerk, Ji Uk (Kim Young Dae), to surpass her ex's position at work and to ensure her financial security. Surely, everything goes as planned, until their feelings grow and their past unfolds…

I really like how this drama introduced our leads, Hae Young (Shim Min Ah) is a wild desperate noona, ambitious to win against her ex, while her contract groom, Ji Uk (Kim Young Dae) is a realist and very kind-hearted gentleman. I was entertained by their funny banters, butterfly moments and sweet smiles …while it last. Unfortunately for me, their backstory kills the fun of their romance. Also, I’m not on board with the second lead couple, the second male lead especially, was annoying in the beginning and I didn’t buy his character development. I felt a lot of cringe and forced swoon moments. However, I like her portrayal as a talented romance writer but often struggling with her drafts. I think anyone who’s also a writer or likes to write can find her character a bit relatable.

I appreciate this drama for addressing not-so-mainstream topics, like poly-relationship, foster sisterhood and jealousy of mother’s love. These aspects are woven into the story without drag, but they get too dramatic when their past incidents and trauma get involved. I still enjoyed it, but for sure I would enjoy it even more if we get more moments of our lead couple being passionate, enjoying their happy married life.

Read More

Noona romances are one of my favorite sub-tropes, and thankfully this is one of the better ones. I’m not really a fan of Shin Min Ah, though I’ve watched some of her dramas and I’m lukewarm towards Kim Young Dae; but in this drama, I think they work and look good together, despite comments to the contrary. I find Shin Min Ah’s portrayal of a woman, who is very calculating by nature, in the sense that is not evil or manipulative, but she measures her life in pluses and minuses. Her enjoyment increases if she thinks she’s ahead in life and decreases when she suffers a setback. So when she finds out that the company gives better perks to married employees, she takes advantage of this by hiring someone to pretend to be her husband.

Enter Kim Young Dae as fake groom Kim Ji Uk, who cruises in life despite his wit, seems to be satisfied with working a low-paying blue-collar job, rather than being a corporate slave. An animosity seems to exist between our main characters, perhaps due to a clash of values or some unforeseen circumstance that will be revealed much, much later. But on the get go, the beef between these two hate-birds was so fun to watch.

The only people who are privy to this facade are Hae Yeong’s foster sisters, Ja Yeon and Hui Seong. Each has their own opinion on the matter, but they have their own problems to deal with. Frankly, I couldn’t care less about these two. Sorry, not sorry. And neither was I really invested in their love lives. Although Ja Yeon’s story might be more interesting, only because of the hilarity surrounding her hidden identity as a popular web novelist who writes smut. And coincidences of all coincidences, Ja Yeon encounters one of her detractors who happens to be boss of so and so, who happens be the son of so and so, and she happens to be friends with so and so, who happens to be the secretary of so and so. You know, typical small world.

Speaking of small worlds, Ji UK’s sudden presence at Hae Yeong’s company shocks her. Despite her efforts of keeping a distance from him, Ji Uk turns out to be a quasi-Peterella, wearing all fancy clothes, driving a sweet ass car, living in a snazzy apartment. The scenes of both Hae Yeong and Ji Uk avoid suspicion are funny as heck. And even more so are the instances where misunderstandings pile on other misunderstandings between Gyu Hyun and Ja Yeon. Then there’s a scene where most of the main cast gathers at Chairman Bok’s table, and we slowly see the faint dots connecting each other. Could it be that the already small world could get smaller?

The second half of the show explores this complicated relationship among the characters, with further plot twists thrown into the drama. You would think that by throwing fruit into a veggie salad and it will taste better. Not only we get mistaken identities; we get countersuits; we get a murder mystery that’s not really a mystery; we get polyamory; we also get a Mother who lived in a shoe, She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.

And whew, I just got exhausted from that, so imagine watching it snowball into a dildo fight. Yes, you read that right. I’m not exaggerating this time. Then, the rollercoaster ended suddenly...wait a minute...is this a joke? They inserted the very dreaded TIMESKIP, because they do not know how to tie a neat bow without it. What the ever loving duck did you do to me???? Who does that??? Then, as easily as they pulled the plug, they just like flicked the switch and said, here you go, here’s your short happy ending. This is like somebody showing me the laborious way they baked a cake for twelve hours, only to just have me taste a smidge. This is definitely NO FAIR, NO LOVE.

Read More

Good watch !! Could have been great !!

This started out amazing !!!
I absolutely loved all the imaginative scenarios with our leads.. 😂 The cast delivered 100%..

Then gave lots of angst in the middle (things got crazy & we sort off lost the rom/com part) and finished up just okay… Almost like they gave everyone a deadline and they could barely meet it, so they decided to just wrap it up !!

I didn’t like the ending, feels rushed and just bland.. could have ended better honestly .. you know give us some extended & extra sweet moments, comic relief to ease us from the angst … but nope, jumped from angst to “ok, everybody makeup now, smile for the camera” the end !! If that makes sense … 🙂‍↔️😂 Even if they didn’t want to make it more than 12 episodes, at least extra 20mins …

In total i still enjoyed watching … but could have ended better …

Read More