What Comes after Love

Rare Gem

First off I love melodrama! This made it onto my top 10 from story to production & cinematography to acting to ost. The actors did amazing portraying their characters, so much that I fell in love with both lead characters.

Reasons you should watch this drama:
1. Story - Mature and refreshing
2. OST - Beautiful music that fits well
3. Characters - Great acting, great chemistry between leads. No overuse of side characters as story focuses mostly on the lead couple.
4. Cinematography- Beautiful scenes with snow, cherry blossoms etc
5. Short series - Short and easy, not too drawn out, don’t feel like you miss anything or it was rushed. It’s just right.

Go ahead and give it a try! You won’t regret it!

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Is it just me, or was this just kind of okay?

Second-chance romances are not something I'm terribly familiar with, so I wanted to give this one a shot. Plus, I liked the general premise of a cross-country romance.
The actors' chemistry is undeniable, particularly in the flashbacks when they met in Japan. The drama sets up their relationship very well, and also does a good job of showing why they didn't work out. Tbh I am on the FL's side here... idk why he couldn't be bothered to text or call to tell her he was busy, but whatever. Anyway, what ultimately ended up not working for me was the present-day stuff. I think there was too much avoidance on the FL's part of the ML; not that that's unrealistic, but it was difficult to see their chemistry re-ignite in the present. They both were just kind of sad around each other and didn't have any meaningful conversations until the last episode. Maybe this drama could've benefited from more episodes? The ending was a tad underwhelming, as other reviewers have noted.
I'll give a shout out to the OST because it was truly very good. Normally I don't notice the music all that much, but it really worked here. The cinematography was kind of mixed, as it had a lot of scenes that were very dark and it was hard to see what was going on. On the other hand, there were some very pretty scenes.
Overall, it wasn't bad, but I wasn't blown away by it. I think it kind of has unfulfilled potential. I don't know if I'm just missing something, because other people seem to really like it, but it was just kind of okay to me.

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The Most Interesting Collab of 2024

Having been a collab between Korea and Japan, this is probably one of the most interesting dramas of 2024 (moreso than what meets the eye). This was a true collaboration in the sense that both countries were strongly represented both on the script and on the screen. There were both Korean and Japanese influences on how this story played out, taking common comedic cues from J-dramas and the melodramatic cues from K-dramas. While retaining the episodic (and POV switching) nature of Japanese web novels, the drama managed to stay engaging by adopting a more K-drama-esque pacing. In every sense, this was an exhilarating drama to watch because it demonstrates the potential of cross-country collabs. Amidst the stagnating creativity, I give full points for creativity and look forward to what will come as a result of this drama.

Historical significance aside, I do have my bones to pick with this drama. Lee Se Young did a phenomenal job as per usual and demonstrates her versatility as an actress. Most of her Japanese lines (if not all) were quite well spoken and did not sound unnatural to the untrained ear. She went above and beyond just taking a few classes to improve her Japanese. Her phrasing and expression was very natural, especially during their breakup scene where she switches between languages. Sakaguchi Kentaro became my unofficial new favorite Japanese actor. There are moments where he resembles a younger, dorkier Gong Yoo. While they share physical similarities in some angles, it's Sakaguchi Kentaro's lingering gazes that remind me of Gong Yoo. The subtle emotions, the gazes that linger a millisecond too long, the quiet softening of his expression that really speak volumes on his character's love for FL. Coupled with the movie style directing and color grading (again, bless whoever decided this was a good idea because it was), it reminded me of Gong Yoo, Goblin and how beautifully shot it was. Really really big fan of the color grading.

Now here come the bones. It still ended up feeling like a long movie rather than a complete drama. While it could be due to following the novel to a high degree of fidelity, there was a significant lack of ending and resolution that made this drama fall short for me. Many many many J-dramas and J-novels have great build ups but tend to lack a firm resolution or ending. It is seen historically that a more open ending or shorter ending is preferred. While in some situations, this is understandable, it can end up being a downfall. In this case, after spending 5 episodes of building up the story, having a quick resolution was a bit disappointing to say the least. Because there was a real lack of climax and resolution, the drama felt laggy and plateaued into this monotone ending. Not to mention there were some moments that felt a little like NTR to me, again also due to the ending.

While being a tad too short and failing to deliver a suitable ending, "What Comes After Love" was quite a remarkable proof of concept. It was enjoyable till the end and is something that the industry should pay attention to. If more dramas of this quality can be produced in collaboration, it will have huge implications for the K-drama and J-drama industry.

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heartwarming love story in a foreign country with a touch of realism

I found the storyline to be very intriguing and I was very surprised by the cast line up. I think this is the first K-drama that i have watched with a Japanese actor and I was looking forward to it very much. Neither the cast nor the story line were disappointing. I was in a daze from the beginning till the end.
the story seemed to flow well from each episode, and I really liked the way they distinguished the past from the present, the storytelling of the past and the present at the beginning and at the end of each episode. They showed the love of the youth and also the struggles they had to face. it also highlighted the beauty of Japan (this drama really made me want to visit Japan during the cherry blossom season and spring season).
The cast did a splendid job of portraying all the emotions and made me experience them too. I could relate to her frustrations when she screamed at him in episode 5 and in the episode where she had to make her feelings towards marriage and her feeling clear to Min Jun was a masterpiece. it was done with so much soul. I still cry whenever I think of that scene. and when he said that the words I like you could hurt so much.
overall, it was well portrayed drama with beautiful cinematography and amazing cast.

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Slow paced love story full of regrets & realization

Not perfect, very slow paced despite the few episodes.. Tried to be more artistic..
Brilliant acting by Lee Se Young, hard to explain the flaws but something just felt off.

Don't understand why people are saying FL cheated, when she was completely honest and direct with 2ML. She was trying to move on for the last 5 years, she bottled up her feelings.. A surprise encounter is all it would take for such feelings to come back immediately.

It was clear from the beginning she was always looking at 2ML as a friend, maybe it was unfair for the 2ML but after he confessed his feelings to her after her being broken, maybe she needed someone by her side to push her to move on, that completely makes sense.

Furthermore, 2ML chose his career over her, despite knowing what she had gone through. He wanted her to move to US with her, which is basically going right back into exactly what she experienced before. A new country with no one she knows, and a resident probably has even less time than a part time worker to give to anyone. His promise of making her never feel lonely was never going to be true.

It was right for ML and FL leads to go back together, as it was clear they both never moved on, they were just empty shells reminiscing their old memories with nothing but regret. They would never be happy with anyone else in their life. The realization from both that they were both at fault for their break up is the main plot point of the whole story.

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Separation means a small death..

One of a kind, one of the best .
What a drama …acting, story line, actors, music, i don’t have enough words to say what i feel. T
Honestly, purity, disclosing feelings, going through a maturity process, being able to say what you really feel, insight, ability to admit “ mistakes” , knowing how to say or not say things. Life. Unfinished business, closing circles, everything is in it. I just didn’t want the drama to end..
Last part was so delicate, fragile, but so many emotions in it that it could burst into pieces, but wit of the leading heroes did it.
I saw a great end. Reconciliation, love wins and putting the past behind after closing it, understanding each other and each own feelings and giving a chance to continue- together!
Thank you .

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Not your typical Korean Drama

I've finished watching all six episodes of What Comes After Love. I should say I enjoyed watching it as if you were reading the book. I love the cinematography, love the musical scoring, love the direction, love the story, the screenplay was well written, and leads insane chemistry. Lee Se Young proved once again her amazing acting skills. It was refreshing to see her in curly hair, her big eyes that speaks without uttering any words. Her face is too beautiful that radiates onscreen. I rarely recommend any Korean Drama but What Comes After Love is highly recommended. It may take a while before I can get over it or can I get over it? It's 10/10 for me. Congratulations to everyone involved in this masterpiece. Good job!

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Silence can sometimes be loud.

Of course, we haven't reached the end yet, but it's clear that this drama is completely an adaptation of a book. I haven't read the book, but I'm almost certain that the story closely follows its original flow. This series isn't suitable for those with traditional expectations of drama. That said, it wouldn’t be accurate to say it's entirely free of clichés. For now, it's exciting to see how this quickly igniting romance will end. However, based on the way the story is presented, I can say that they don't have to give us a happy ending. We can somewhat understand where their passionate and enthusiastic love is headed. Especially their discussions about what "eternal love" means and their eagerness for it show us the inevitable from the very beginning.

As for the characters, we have a more introverted male character who keeps his thoughts to himself, contrasted with a female character who is much more energetic and has a stronger expectation of love. However, I'm finding it quite difficult to empathize with the female character; I still haven't figured out what her problem is.She moved to a foreign country with her friend, defying her family, and we thought she was quite brave—at least that's what was shown to us. She quickly settled in a culture that was unfamiliar to her, found a job, and fell in love. She moved in with her boyfriend, got along well with her coworkers, and everything seemed fine in her education. So, what’s the problem? Why does she feel so foreign and alone? I couldn't understand that. For these reasons, she left her boyfriend and is still very angry with him even after five years. But why??? Yes, the male character might be a bit reserved about sharing his thoughts, but he was always open about his love for her. She could have built a social circle in the country she moved to, but she chose to cling to Jungo and be alone with her, effectively shutting herself off from the outside.

Now, she's about to marry someone else with whom she shares friendly feelings, yet she’s still in love with the man from five years ago. I’m curious to see how the lack of communication from their separation will play out in the final chapterAside from that, the cinematography and music are amazing. Despite all these dead ends, it has become a drama worth watching for me.

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You probably haven't seen anything like this before

It's one of those dramas that really makes you want to start the next episode as soon one ends. For this it uses a nice motif at the end of every episode (except for the last one, and tbh, even if I am one of those looking for happy endings, I actually feel it would have worked better if the last episode would've ended on the same note as the previous ones).

It's romantic, it's mature, it's delicate. It makes you hurt a bit.

Yes, the ending (maybe because it deviates from the book?) feels underwhelming, but sometimes life is like that, even on a great day.

It's a beautiful melodrama. Watch it.

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Um drama que tem cheiro de livro e clima de inverno.

Honestamente? é um drama, com uma energia melodramática e monótona, que vale a pena assistir.

Toda a narrativa é baseada no envolvimento amoroso dos protagonistas, não há nenhum gancho que explore o lado emocional ou o passado do Jungo ou da Hong. Logo, todo o foco narrativo é sobre os desdobramentos da separação do casal e as expectativas que se criam em torno disso. É um drama curto, apenas 6 episódios e que, apesar de durarem em médio 1 hora, acabam muito rápido. Não é uma série cativante, mas as atuações de todos os personagens, principalmente do casal que lidera a história, é surpreendente e realista. Voce sente, mais do que assite, que o Jungo e a Hong, cada um a sua maneira, sofrem bastante com o que se torna a relação dos dois.

É uma narrativa sobre perdas e desencontros, sobre como a falta de diálogo e as expectativas que colocamos no outro, distrorcem a nossa percepção da realidade e leva ao caos. É sobretudo, amadurecimento. É perceber que ao longo da vida, as pessoas que nos conectamos moldam a nossa visão de mundo. Tanto a Hong quanto o Jungo, ao se amarem, amadurecem e percebem o quanto somos capazes de amar alguém e ao mesmo tempo ferir essa pessoa. A personagem da Hong, é muito mais cética em relação ao amor do que o Jungo e acho que por isso, quem assiste, percebe que há uma atmosfera que poderia não ter um clichê genérico como final.

Apesar de tudo, é um drama clichê, ele não tem uma estética mais comercial e apelativa, é algo mais intimista e poético, mas como todo bom romance que se preze, tem a sua pitada de clichê.

Além disso, gostei desse intercâmbio cultural que serve de pano de fundo para a história. Devido a toda questão histórica entre o Japão e a Coreia, é importante ver como o drama surge de forma neutra em relação as questões entre os dois países.

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