No Gain, No Love

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❤️

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Calculated Risk and Nuclear Chemistry

I walked into No Gain No Love with a very specific agenda, and yes, it involved following Han Ji-hyun like a devoted disciple after she emotionally wrecked me in In Your Radiant Season. Pair that with Shin Min-ah, someone I already trust to deliver charm and chaos in equal measure, and the fact I was craving something light enough to make me laugh without shortchanging emotional depth, and this drama basically walked up to me like a perfectly timed blind date and said, “I got you.” And you know what, it did. From the very first episode, it understood the assignment in a way that felt almost… smug. Like it knew I was going to fold. A romcom starring an actress I adore featuring an actress I was actively following felt like the universe handing me exactly what I ordered, and what I found was a perfect combo of wit, heart, and a surprising amount of emotional depth that caught me completely off guard. What I didn't expect was how much this drama would make me feel in between all that laughter.

Shin Min-ah as Son Hae-yeong is the kind of character that sounds exhausting on paper but becomes magnetic in execution. She is calculated to a fault, someone who treats relationships like balance sheets and exits the moment emotional ROI dips below her threshold. But here’s where it gets interesting, because beneath that cold arithmetic sits someone deeply observant, fiercely loyal, and almost aggressively protective of the people she loves. Shin Min-ah plays this duality like she’s flipping a coin mid-air and somehow letting you see both sides at once. She is hilarious when she needs to be, disarmingly cute when she wants to be, and when the emotional gears start turning, she grounds everything with a sincerity that keeps Hae-yeong from ever feeling like a caricature. Also, her chemistry with Kim Young-dae? Ridiculous. Borderline unfair. The kind where you find yourself smiling before your brain even processes why. If this is how she acts when she's in love in real life, Kim Woo-bin is a very fortunate man.

Kim Young-dae as Kim Ji-wook surprised me in the best way. My only prior exposure to him in Dear X didn’t leave much of an impression, but here, he feels locked in. Ji-wook is written as someone shaped by the idea that his existence inconveniences others, so he compensates by erasing his own needs. That quiet self-sacrifice could have turned him into a passive character, but Kim Young-dae threads the needle beautifully, giving Ji-wook just enough emotional presence to stand his ground while still embodying that deeply ingrained selflessness. And when you put him next to Hae-yeong, the contrast creates sparks. The flirty banter scene in his rooftop room after they hung curtains together was so charged I half expected the screen to fog up. The chew toy callback, the smirking, the deliberate closing of distance while claiming to respect boundaries, all of it worked because these two actors understood exactly what their characters were doing to each other. Almost every scene with Hae-yeong and Ji-wook together made me smile before I consciously decided to, which is the romcom equivalent of a standing ovation.

Then we have Lee Sang-yi as Bok Gyu-hyun, our chaebol who somehow weaponizes awkwardness into comedy gold. Instead of the usual polished, untouchable archetype, Gyu-hyun feels like a man who skipped several key social tutorials in life. He’s competent as a CEO, sure, but emotionally? He’s fumbling, flustered, and completely out of his depth. And it works. It works so well because it pairs perfectly with Han Ji-hyun’s Nam Ja-yeon, who once again proves she has a direct line to my emotional core. Gyu-hyun started the drama writing hate comments about a web novel because King Sejong was apparently turning in his grave over it, and ended it singing a cappella outside a music bar to comfort a girl who just ran from her abuser's face in a parking lot. That arc alone is worth the price of admission. Their pairing really picks up around episode eight, and once it does, I'll admit they occasionally eclipsed the main couple for me. It was also through Gyu-hyun that I realized Lee Sang-yi has a truly great singing voice, which becomes a pivotal emotional anchor later on.

And Han Ji-hyun. Ok, I'm biased and I'm not hiding it. After Love Track and In Your Radiant Season, I will follow this woman into any role she chooses. Her portrayal of Nam Ja-yeon is the exact reason why. Just like her previous work, she plays Ja-yeon on two frequencies simultaneously, sunshine on the surface and deep trauma underneath, and she's impossibly good at holding both in the same frame. Ja-yeon is an adult web novel writer, which provides most of her comedic engine, but as the drama progresses you start seeing the weight she's been carrying behind that bright smile. The restrained smile while trying to hold back tears in episode 11's flashback scene made me weep before I even registered what was happening. And her first kiss with Gyu-hyun in a hospital room somehow managed to be both tender and passionate at the same time, which shouldn't be possible but they did it anyway. I woke up the next day still smiling about that kiss. She started acting in high school and she's already this good. I hope she gets more lead roles going forward because the industry needs what she does.

Their relationship also gets the luxury of Spice Up Our Love, a two-episode spin-off that acts like a dessert after an already satisfying meal. It didn’t have to work as well as it did, but it somehow expands their dynamic in a way that feels both indulgent and earned. It leans into their quirks, their humor, and their emotional beats without overstaying its welcome. It's pure fanservice and the plot is delightfully nonsensical, but it works because Han Ji-hyun and Lee Sang-yi's chemistry carries it effortlessly. Honestly, more dramas should do this. Normalize giving second couples their victory lap.

The supporting cast floats in and out with varying degrees of impact. Lee You-jin’s Yeo Ha-jun brings a chaotic, love-hate bromance with Gyu-hyun that consistently lands its punches. Go Wook’s Ahn Woo-jae, on the other hand, sticks around longer than necessary, like a guest who doesn’t realize the party ended an hour ago. Jeon Hye-won as Kwon Yi-lin is functional as the HR officer and wife of the ex, giving nice flair to scenes like the wedding tuxedo reveal but otherwise operating as effective set dressing. Joo Min-kyung’s Cha Hee-sung is the one that leaves me wanting more. Her story hints at a completely different emotional texture, something quieter and more grounded, but it never gets the space it deserves. It’s not bad, it just feels like a subplot that got trimmed for time.

At its core, No Gain No Love is a romcom and it knows it. There are scenes that made me laugh out loud, the kind of comedy that lands clean and doesn't need laugh tracks or exaggerated sound effects to tell you when to smile. But what elevates it is the way it layers in emotional weight without suffocating the tone. The trauma here doesn’t feel like a cheap plot device. It’s integrated into who these characters are, shaping their decisions, their fears, and their relationships. When it hits its emotional peaks, especially around episode 11, it doesn’t feel like the drama suddenly got serious. It feels like it was always heading there. Hae-yeong grew up sharing her mother's love with foster siblings, and that scarcity shaped how she approaches relationships. She runs every partnership like a business transaction and breaks up the moment someone hits lower than her emotional break-even point. Ji-wook spent his childhood being treated as an inconvenience, so he learned to pour care outward without ever expecting it returned. Watching these two people, one who hoards love because she knows how it feels to have it divided and one who gives it freely because he never learned he deserved it back, slowly run out of reasons to pretend they weren't already oriented toward each other, that's the real story this drama tells underneath all the laughter.

The chemistry here is ridiculously good, not just between the leads but across every relationship web in this drama. The sisters, Gyu-hyun and his assistant, Ha-jun and Ja-yeon as old classmates with unspoken history, Gyu-hyun and Ji-wook as two people whose pasts collide in complicated ways, all of it works. The carecore is grounded, funny, and believable. Against my personal romcom rubric, this drama passes every check. No forced love triangles, no random serial killers, no pointless side trauma, all leads are likeable solo and together, the carecore feels earned, the resolutions make sense, and it delivers a happy ending. It's exactly what the genre promises when it's done well

The OST selections deserve their own paragraph. Falling Into You by Kim Jae-hwan and Only For You by Colde handle the sweeter romantic moments beautifully. By Your Side by Bang Ye-dam, My Side by Hui, and Someday by Kassy bring the bright comedy contrast. Possible Love by Sondia caps it all off perfectly, because is it even a romcom if Sondia doesn't show up? But my personal favourite isn't technically part of the OST. It's Breathe by Lee Hi, sung a cappella by Gyu-hyun in that parking lot scene to comfort Ja-yeon. The song is about sitting with someone's pain without fully understanding it but staying anyway, and it fit Nam Ja-yeon's story so perfectly that it went straight into my Spotify rotation.

That said, it’s not flawless. The second half wobbles a bit. You can feel the narrative trying to juggle too many threads, and for a moment, it loses its rhythm. It doesn’t collapse, but you notice the strain. Some arcs feel rushed, others feel slightly overextended, and the overall direction gets a little hazy before it finds its footing again. The narrative gets jumbled, succession drama mixing with abusive fathers mixing with corporate politics mixing with nursing home goodbyes, and you sense the compass got a little wobbly. It still worked somehow, making me laugh and cry in equal measure, but the tightness of the early episodes doesn't quite hold through to the end. The saving grace here is the cast. Their chemistry, their timing, and their ability to carry emotional beats keep the whole thing afloat even when the writing stumbles. But unfortunately, Hee-sung's love story got devoured by the other two couples when it deserved more space to breathe.

Look, romcom is my safety genre. I came into No Gain No Love knowing exactly what I wanted and it delivered. There's nothing I'll say here about the formula that I haven't already covered in my reviews of King the Land, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, or My Dearest Nemesis. But what elevates this one above pure comfort viewing is the human trauma story it hid behind lightsaber fights and web novel jokes. Some of the best scenes in this drama involve carecore between characters that has nothing to do with romance, sisters loving each other sideways, promises kept in the dark to mothers with dementia, people choosing presence over understanding. The chemistry between leads is so strong that even when the narrative stumbles in the back half, the characters and their actors hold everything together perfectly to the finish line.

I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I cheered for both couples in a way I haven't done since Business Proposal and Twinkling Watermelon. This is a fun watch. It's safe, hilarious, swoon-worthy, and grounded in genuine human connection underneath all the comedy. I recommend it for anyone who needs a good laugh but still wants to feel something real. Just don't expect narrative complexity beyond the genre's borders. What you get instead is something warmer. The best slow burn romances aren't about two people falling in love. They're about two people who were already oriented toward each other long before either of them had the language for it, just gradually running out of reasons to pretend otherwise. No Gain No Love understands that completely, and it's exactly why it works as well as it does.

Pair it with Spice Up Our Love for the full experience, because that extra serving of the second couple feels like a well-earned victory lap. It’s safe, it’s funny, it’s heartfelt, and most importantly, it knows how to have fun without losing its emotional backbone. If you need something that feels like a warm blanket with occasional emotional gut punches, this one’s waiting.

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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.

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Corporate perks meet fake love... and one very real dildo duel

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.

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Off-Putting message/Sweet love story

If you like fluffy but mature office romance, noona romance, enemies-to-lovers vibes, a very devoted male lead (he fell first and fell harder), and a drama that’s beautifully edited and easy to binge, then you’ll probably enjoy this one.

I honestly didn’t expect to like this drama as much as I did — and that surprised me. Despite my frustrations, I had a really good time watching it. The pacing overall was fun, the chemistry was there, the production was clean and modern, and I love a good office romance, so this already had a lot going for it.

That said… this drama also annoyed me a lot in some very specific ways.

LIKES
The male lead’s devotion. He was loyal, steady, emotionally available, and clearly all-in. I love that kind of ML.

The noona romance was done well. The age gap didn’t feel weird, and the chemistry worked.

The second couple absolutely stole the show for me. Their chemistry was amazing, their buildup felt natural, and the proposal was genuinely one of the sweetest moments in the drama.

The drama was funny, well-edited, and visually pleasing. Fashion, music, and setting were all on point.

I loved the office romance + light thriller combo. You know I like a little twist.

It was genuinely bingeable. I thought I had way more episodes left because I was having so much fun watching.


DISLIKES
The Western ideologies were extremely distracting and frustrating.
Abortion being pushed as the “solution,” polyamory being casually introduced, and the overall anti-family messaging really pulled me out of the story.

The hate-comment lawsuit plot was ridiculous. The way it was handled felt extreme and unrealistic.

The breakup was awful.
Breaking up with him at his foster mother’s funeral — after everything he had already endured — was unnecessary and cruel. It felt like drama for the sake of drama.

They dragged the breakup way too long and then rushed the reunion. I hate that trope.

Some content was not appropriate for the rating.
Sex toys, moaning/panting scenes, and explicit novel excerpts do not belong in something repeatedly labeled 13+. That honestly shocked me.

You can clearly feel the Amazon / Western influence, and not in a good way. It made the drama feel more Americanized than Korean, which I really dislike.


FINAL THOUGHTS

Despite everything that frustrated me, I still enjoyed this drama a lot. The romance, chemistry, acting, and overall vibe were strong enough to carry it. I especially stayed for the devoted male lead and the second couple, who were honestly perfect.

I’m giving this an 8/10 because while I loved the romance and had a great time watching, the messaging and unnecessary breakup knocked off at least two points for me.

Would I rewatch it? Yes, but probably selectively.
Would I recommend it? Yes — with a disclaimer.

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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 …

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Comedy meets heartfelt lessons in this fun twist on fake marriage and newfound family

‘No Gain, No Love’ is an amazing rendition of a rom-com done right. The classic trope of fake marriage is explored from a fresh, new perspective. Originally formed out of mere convenience, as the episodes run on, the leads’ relationship satisfyingly slips into what can only be labeled as a bright, bubbly romance. This transformation allows the leads’ true personalities shine strong, and reveal their most vulnerable and beautiful sides. The series manages to balance serious matters and romcom in perfect harmony, using this blend of genres to bring its hilarious and heart-touching plot to life. It offers its fun spin on fake marriage all while staying true to its core message: that family is not determined by blood, but is determined by the heart.

Inspiring, heartwarming, and brought to life with formidable acting, the characters are full of life, and their psychological growth is unarguably a significant part of the series’ forte. It is both refreshingly perfect and realistic as can be. Though the main characters’ true values and motives in life essentially stay the same throughout the 12 episodes, their decisions reveal that their mindsets have evolved into something much stronger, giving them the strength to find confidence in the actions they choose to take. The difficulties they face only strengthen their bond, making the chemistry they share even more appealing to the audience. Enhanced with mature romance, the leads’ relationship forces them to endure trials that make them step out of their comfort zone. Each difficulty they endure together allows them to see each other under a new light and gives them the opportunity to learn about one another in different contexts. Over time, they harbour strength and love in each other through these hard times, causing a strong and genuine connection to form—slowly but surely.

Though the plot is filled with events, the pacing of these exciting and enthralling happenings is perfect, though they could benefit from better closure. Each one of the storyline’s twists and turns all add up in creating a shift in the leads’ personalities, contributing to their growth. Once individuals who had fallen deep into the bad habit of letting their flaws dictate their everyday lives, they learn to free themselves, and the series ends on an inspiring note regarding this matter. Son Hae-yeong and Kim Ji-uk’s relationship is what fosters this growth, as it allows them to stray from the path of their everyday-life routines. Essentially, their initial connection is not only the start of a touching love story, but it also represents the commencement of their own exploration of self. The qualities they bring out of each other allow viewers to grasp a hold on their true personalities, and their depth crafts a sense of realisticness out of the unique relationship they share. This furthermore deepens the series’ essence, proving that love knows no boundaries and can be harbored out of even the most inconvenient situations.

The leads are depthfully crafted, with flaws made clear from the very start. Kim Ji-uk, the male lead, has a low esteem of self and undervalues his worth. This feeling of inferiority he has manifests itself through his selfless actions, his obsessive oath of keeping promises, as well as his nature of always setting his own priorities in accordance to those of the people around him. His relationship with Son Hae-young breaks his usual demeanour. When Son Hae-yeong enters his life, he lets her break into his bubble, and allows himself to crumble away from the strong and lighthearted posture he usually wears. For the first time, he lets someone bear the consequences of his presence, abandoning his fear of being a burden to others in a life where he feels he is only troublesome.

As for Son Hae-young, her long-time fear of suffering losses and consequently missing out on things in life subsides. The principles she had set for herself long ago don’t apply to Kim Ji-uk, who becomes the center point of her attention. Rather than weighing her loss when faced with situations, she starts making decisions for Ji-uk’s sake, acting in accordance to his own needs. This shift in her priorities represents the first time she puts someone, other than her own self, first. These steps that both Son Hae-Young and Kim Ji-uk take toward becoming better people simultaneously push their relationship forward. It may not be evident in the male leads’ case, but sharing your burden with your partner is more than self-liberating. It’s a healthy practice of care, because by voicing your struggles to your significant other, you are lending them your heart and growing your trust in them.

Through the side characters, ‘No Gain, No Love’ also explores the lives of orphans. With ease, the series manages to balance its lightheartedness with seriosity; showcasing the journey of individuals who try to navigate their life despite their past traumas and experiences. It highlights their determination to surmount their difficulties, as well as their will to make decisions that can be benefitted from rather than bring hell into their lives again. The series’ integration of these characters amidst its comedy invites an exploration of various themes; such as parental abuse, parenting, and tests common conceptions of both familial (with the orphan 'sisters') and romantic love (with a polyamorous relationship).

Because of the limits they confined themselves to, the growth of their relationship blossomed quickly and naturally. They convinced themselves that the love they shared wasn’t real, which let them sink into their vulnerability together without the fear of losing each other because of prejudices or judgement. Their fake engagement gave them the opportunity to explore what they truly seek in the world and how they want to seem through the eyes of others. As they spoke about their struggles openly without humiliation or embarrassment under the pretense of being a fake couple, they gave each other room to open up about their true desires in life—their desires that lay bare underneath the cover of their personalities that were crafted by their sad pasts.

Overall, the series is bright, though it ultimately tells the story of broken hearts and forgotten bonds. Interestingly, despite South Korea’s conservativeness, it didn’t steer away from delving into rather delicate themes such as abortion and modern-day femininity, and what this means in the context of marriage. These elements contributed to its depth, and helped shape ‘No Gain, No Love’ into the amazingly entertaining story it is.

12/13/2024

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really fun, really heartwarming

this is so good, but i'm so sad to say that the biggest flaw was that it's 12 episodes long. the acting is great and the characters are complex and interesting. the plotline has the balance between fun and dramatic and i love it. but there are so many interesting stories that seem to be not well solved by the end of the drama... it's kind of frustating to be fed with so many interesting characters but don't get an apropriate end for them. also WHERE ARE THE CUTE MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS OF THE MAIN COUPLE? them getting together at the last second.... UGH but it was really cute...

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Picked it up to have a good laugh, stayed for the secondary romance

A very fun, but also very forgettable contract marriage romance. As I feared, Kim Yong Dae is once again too lifeless for my taste, but props to the show for writing his character in such a way that it doesn't really impact the story. Shin Minah is hard carrying the main romance, and she's helped by a wonderful direction. The plot is okay, but it's trying a bit too hard to be modern and trendy for my taste. I feel like the writer did a better job with the contract marriage in Her Private Life, but that one had the huge advantage of having a very strong couple of lead actors who tend to elevate even mediocre scripts. In truth at a point I kept watching this one mainly for the secondary couple. Their story was way more interesting, and they had lots of chemistry. On that subject, their spin-off Spice Up our Love was a bait and switch, not as sexy as promoted, but it was still very entertaining. Overall No Gain No Love is a good pick if you're missing laugh-out-loud romances, but you can find much better in Shin Minah's catalogue.

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No Gain, No Love Review - ZyKuu

"A fake marriage that benefits both parties" - The story was unique with a bunch of twists and turns that were unexpected. There were moments where I was left confused as some parts of the plot felt forced but overall it was an interesting route taken. One thing I noticed was the amount of sexual talk and innuendo throughout. I appreciated the show for stepping out of the typical comfort zone to talk about such topics whether it was for entertainment purposes or whatnot. The cast was amazing, and upon research I was actually mind blown to discover that the main lead Hae-young is 40 years old in real life. She is very pretty and looks very youthful in the show. Her acting is superb and I can tell she is a true veteran of the industry. I did enjoy the other cast members such as Ji-uk and Gyu-Hyun as they were great in their respective roles and I found them as key components for the comedy aspects. Ja-yeon was a character that I think did spectacular, and her romantic journey in the show was a doozy to watch. The OST is superb, but surprisingly I only began to appreciate it after the series was over as I barely noticed it during the show, which is odd for me. Anywho, this show does not scream out romcom, although it does do enough to be classified as one whilst being entertaining. Therefore you must check it out!

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Interesting, comedy and romance ?

Son Hae-Young (Shin Min-A) is the type of person who doesn't want to lose money under any circumstance. When growing up, she had to share her mother's love with others. She often found her partners in relationships below her break even point. Now, Son Hae-Young faces the possibility of missing out on a job promotion at her workplace. To avoid such a loss, she makes a plan for a fake wedding. She recruits Kim Ji Uk (Kim Young-Dae) to be her fiance. Kim Ji Uk works part-time as a cashier at a convenience store. He is the type of person who can't ignore people in need and tries to do the right thing. He is smooth with every customer at the convenience store, except for one person. That person is Son Hae-Young. When she suddenly asks him to become the fake groom at her wedding, he somehow accepts her offer.

Honestly I think this drama was short but interesting to watch. It has everything comedy, romance, suspense. The plot of the drama was interesting, it will make you interested. The cast was good. Every actor acted which was good to watch.

You will also get to see family affection in this drama even if you are not related by blood.

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