Melo Movie (2025)

Flat

It's sad that such a great cast, wonderful cinematography and a fitting soundtrack can't guarantee a good drama.

Everything feels flat, aloof and shallow. The characters, the story, the dialogues. You can't stand on sand castles, you need a firm ground.

Every character feels like a plot device for a superficial life lesson. I felt like this is a story told to teach basic concepts to children. "People have secrets", "You'll never get to know someone fully", "Parents showing up means they love you", "There's labour parents or caregivers do in the shadows", "People should be supported by friends and family in hard times", "Honesty is one of the pillars of a relationship", etc.

What irked me the most was the character's unidimensionality. They're just one thing. ML is a people-pleaser, FL is mean to hide the softness she says she has, SFL is subservient, SML is selfish and the brother is depressed. Because the brother is depressed and people who are depressed lose interest in life, he's shown to have no personality and that's a very extreme way of telling a story, it's something typically done in children stories to help them learn basic concepts.

Kim Jae Wook is an extraordinary actor and could even breathe life into an empty corpse. He's, honestly, the highlight in this drama. His character is shown as the miserable one whose life only brings him down. At one point, SML says that Jun lived his life the way he wanted to live. No, Jun didn't live his life the way he wanted. He didn't exist in the drama prior to their parents died, kid ML doesn't reference him in his life, he knows nothing about him, and he got stuck with raising a kid at 20 years old. He didn't have a choice. He lived for that kid and was mostly glad to do it. Since he didn't seem to exist prior to their parents death, he just became a flat character with a black and white existence. No dreams, no aspirations, no words, not thoughts, as if living a hard life to survive turns you into a literal zombie with no life or a personality. He was there to contrast with ML existence and bring it to life. It's sad, such a possibly rich story could be simply a plot device for a mediocre kid with fear of abandonment as his only trait.

Being neglected as a child and/or losing a parent are very serious and traumatising issues. Throughout the whole drama we saw Mubi's father constantly showing up for her. He saw the love and care he had for her. As someone who grew up without a father and with a healthcare worker for a mother, I honestly can't see how that child - and especially that adult - didn't see her father's love. He even included her in his passion. I'm not sure if that's a failure of the writing or the storytelling.
I don't see a neglected child, I see an entitled brat who even disrespects her craft. Choosing a craft you hate out of spite is something else. She couldn't even understand the movie her father made. They painted him as talentless and pathetic loser just because he wanted to make movies. Not everyone is good at what they love but that doesn't make anyone pathetic, it makes them passionate and we can't live life without passion. Well, we can, but it's not as fun.

We also see that Mubi finds ML resembles her father a lot, we see the parallels drawing between them. Even if she loved her father and didn't resent him, why would she choose a lover that reminded her of her parent? He didn't just reminded her of her father, he reminded her of everything she hated about her father.

We keep being told that Mubi is cold because she's too soft but we don't get to see any softness. We see children's book type of kindness to show us she's a good person and we see her foolishness when she doesn't demand an explanation for being abandoned, when that's supposedly her trauma. She simply gets over being ghosted for 5 years without an explanation and an assurance it won't happen again?

We see ML struggle alone after losing the only family he had, only to have help from his girlfriend and his friends when he's already struggling beyond what he should have. No one extended a hand out to him, no one checked on him. No one cared. Yes, people who grieve need time to sort out their feeling but they also need support and a lot of it, so they don't fall into the darkness. Those people who were portrayed as kind left him alone when he needed the most.

His career change also makes no sense. He loved movies, it wasn't just something he did with his brother. Working at a travel agency because he wants to know the world is the same as working at a restaurant because you like eating out. Only in specific positions you get to see the world, mostly you are stuck behind a computer while arranging the same tours over and over again for other people to see the world.

Well, the result of this drama was just too little for all the means they had.



The movie critic said people should be harsh so we can get better media and I do live by that as well. I believe we should be honest and critic about the media we consume, I'm not doing this just to be mean, there's no purpose on being mean. I'm just being honest, like I am in every review I make.

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Feel Good Drama - Musical Hit - Visually Beautiful

I end up loving the second couple more than the main couple, and I got an open ending. :) This is my opinion: the 2nd couple's story is more powerful & deeper than the main leads. Even the main lead couple got father & brother sentiments in their love track, but the 2nd couple story provides a poignant counterbalance to the main romantic plot. Their story highlights the complexities of long-term relationships, personal sacrifices, and challenges of pursuing individual dreams while being in a relationship.
This The subplot of their story enriches the drama's exploration of love & personal growth. Lee Jun Young & Jeon So Nee give life to their lead roles, especially since this couple's acting & story in the last few episodes was an emotionally well-crafted story. Great acting from Park Bo Young & Choi Woo Shik.

Cinematography & Visuals & Art—10/10

OST—SOUNDTRACK—10/10
Every track is pure melody 🎧 in the daily listening category.

Some disappointments.

No big scope for brother sentiment, and yet I loved every moment of the brother story; ep 7 was great, and it had a good emotional touch. But that's not strong enough for Jun's role to be written off. Need a standalone episode between them, not 10 to 20 minutes of screen time, to portray a strong emotional touch. To be honest, Jun's role doesn't have many lines except for a 20+ minute standalone screen time of his backstory. But Kim Jae Wook's acting is great even with a less dialogue role.The main couple's story in the last 2 eps feels like nothing, just going with the flow.

Feel Good Drama :) no boring only butterflies

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Melo Movie: A Beautiful tale of Love, Loss and Healing.

This drama was a perfect Valentine’s treat. Park Boyoung’s script choices never fail and she proves it once again.

Melo Movie follows two couples who reunite five years after their breakups. Though their journeys lead to different conclusions, it all feels natural given how their story arcs unfold throughout the show.

The main couple, Mubee and Gyeom have a storyline that is sweet, healing and humorous, while the second couple Ju A and Si Jun, navigate a relationship fraught with angst, miscommunication and misunderstandings. Each storyline explores different struggles that couples face, addressing them in a thoughtful and meaningful way, ultimately leading to satisfying conclusions.

Mubee and Gyeom come from vastly different backgrounds, Gyeom who has always been cherished by his brother Jun, longs for his brother to prioritize himself for once, whereas Mubee who has spent her life being ignored by her father, desperately craves his love but never receives it. Despite their differences, they share the same deep pain of losing someone dear. Their love story revolves around healing and the way they help each other mend their wounds is the heart of their journey. The execution of this theme is truly exceptional.

In contrast, Ju A and Si Jun’s story is more turbulent. After being in a relationship for over seven years, Ju Ah suddenly breaks up with Si Jun without offering an explanation. When she reappears in his life, viewers may initially resent her but as the story unfolds and the complexities of their relationship come to light, it becomes easier to empathize with both of them. Ju A had been sacrificing her own happiness and identity for Si Jun, slowly losing herself in the process. Her decision to walk away is portrayed with nuance making it one of the most compelling aspects of the drama. At first, i disliked her but as her perspective became clear, i couldnt help but feel that she and Si Jun were never meant to be together even though i wished they could have found a way. Their ending while heartbreaking was beautifully fitting.

Beyond the romance, i really liked how the drama explored grief, loss and the journey toward healing. Ko Gyeom and his brother Ko Jun’s storyline was especially moving. Until E7, i saw the drama as lighthearted and easygoing but from that point forward, it took a more serious turn, tackling profound emotional struggles. Ko Jun burdened by inner sorrow, lived solely for his younger brother which made his story all the more heartbreaking.

The performances were outstanding across the board. All four leads delivered compelling portrayals, and even the supporting cast shone in their roles. I particularly hope that Lee Junyoung gets more diverse roles beyond playing villains, he truly deserves greater recognition for his talent. Likewise, Cha Woomin, who played Jeong Hu, childhood friend of Mubee, excelled in this lighter role and i would love to see him take on more such characters rather than continuously being cast as a villain in his recent projects.

Cinematography and OSTs were top notch, elevating the drama’s comforting and relaxing atmosphere, making it feel like the perfect summer watch.

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fresh, heartwarming, emotional, and funny

the leads are exceptional in their roles, the nods to cinematic styles and directors adds an artful beautiful element, and the story has depth and sincerity that is hard to find in your typical kdrama. really grateful for this gem and can’t wait to rewatch and savor its sweetness (and sadness). I laughed and cried with them all. If you’re looking for a series about friendship, love, family, and film, this one has combined all of those parts equally into a solid ten episodes. Also major props to the visual director and stylist—the colors, textures, and details were a main character of their own to me.

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There were certain touching aspects...

The drama is relatable and beautifully captures nostalgic feelings, as well as regrets about things we may have done or left undone in the past. The subtle message is conveyed through a series of relevant and artistic scenes. I appreciate that the character development is thorough and realistic. To me, the drama is relatable, weaving a rich tapestry of nostalgia that evokes a bittersweet longing for moments gone by and the regrets tied to choices made or overlooked. Its subtle yet powerful messages come to life through a series of meticulously crafted and visually stunning scenes, each imbued with an artistic flair that engages the viewer's senses. The characters are developed with depth, and their personal transformations are rendered in a thoroughly realistic manner that captures the intricacies of human emotions and relationships. This rich attention to detail allows audiences like myself to forge deep connections with the characters, making their struggles, triumphs, and growth resonate on a profoundly personal level.

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Nice melo movie

The OST was one of the best I've heard. In other dramas, one or two songs might stand out, but I liked every, single song and the music really stood out, rather than being unnoticeable in the background.

The story started as a sweet love story with some stumbling blocks, and I liked it even as it was at that point. Park Bo Young and Choi Woo Shik are each adorable on their own and even better together. The casting of the child actors was on point, as the children really resembled their adult counterparts.

Then, the story went deeper into the characters' pasts and we got to see them work through some of the issues that had burdened them for years. Ko Gyeom's relationship with his brother, Jun, was the most poignant, especially that last scene of theirs when Ko Gyeom was drinking Jun's bottle of liquor left behind at the bar. Their interaction here was perfect. Right behind that was the realization Kim Mubee finally had about her father and, moreover, her mother.

The second couple's story, while fine, was not really needed. There were some life lessons and goals attained, but I think too much time was spent on their relationship. *Spoiler alert* - I was happy that the producers had them move on in the end, rather than trying to tie everyone's stories into happily ever after packages. This allowed the characters to develop and grow independently of one another.

Finally, Ko Gyeom's philosophy after wishing the years away that every moment he experiences makes his life last longer, so now he is going to live every moment to the fullest. This just had a satisfying feeling.

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Great cast, not a masterpiece but it has something that can take you throught a boring day

I liked the drama, it is one of those dramas that is not a masterpiece, but is capable of hooking you and making you see everything in one day, the romance its quite good, It is a light romance without toxicity, even though i didn't especially liked the chemistry between the leads, i stil enjoyed the couple, The relationship between brothers was very moving, I think it was the best part of the drama, the acting was good, I liked the scenery and the vibes too.

If I have to say that I didn't like something, was that the second female lead (character, not the actress) i said it before in a comment, she was selfish, a little twisted and had a victim complex, although she was not involved in a love triangle or anything annoying, I still hated her character with passion, she improved a little at the end at least. I saw people saying that the second male lead was selfish, i think thats totally wrong, for me, he was not selfish, but he was totally clueless, thats not a sin, and even more so when that is enhanced by your partner's lies, I felt sorry for him, he was thrown into psychological torture for years without having any idea why.

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Love Actually

This drama was a lovely breath of fresh air with its storyline and artistic energy. It filled me with such warmth during the rather cold days of February. In a nutshell, it was full of relatable moments that takes you back to your youth. Back to those days when you saw your first drama episode and found a whole new world.

It's no surprise that the avid drama watcher that I am felt an especially strong connection with our cute movie lover boy. The main characters deliver the full rainbow of emotions with such ease that I was crying hard by the time episode 7 rolled around. I really recommend digging out those tissues before it's too late. As I marathoned the latter half of the show, my sleeves were extra moist by the time it ended.

The solid acting really made this show for me. Kim Jae Wook especially pulled at my heartstrings with his role as the devoted older brother. Jun truly cared for Gyeom with all his might (*sniff* someone is cutting onions here *cough*). Choi Woo Shik did a great job acting as the goofy and bright younger brother with hidden depths - it was a very different role from him, so the novelty improved my watching experience considerably. As a huge fan of Park Bo Young, it was interesting to see this slightly less bubbly performance from her. Her character's story was good even though our main guys, Mr. Kim and Choi, really stole the show for me this time. My personal favorite drama brother duo of 2024-2025 so far!

I really recommend this to my fellow drama fans who fell in love with dramas at an early age and watched so many they can't even keep track anymore. This show made me understand myself slightly more. Still waiting for my one Movie <3

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Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Melo Movie '' is a drama about young people chasing their dreams despite their traumas.

The drama is quite slow-paced, with impressive cinematography and a nice soundtrack.

It also has some strong performances by all the actors and actresses of the cast, but, especially, the main leads, who also had strong chemistry to boot.

However, and despite the slice of life vibes that were spot on, and the strong family drama, the series had a scattered plot, which it didn't handle quite well, as to produce the right emotional impact when it was needed.

So, overall six out of ten.

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More than just a Melo

I had high expectations for this drama and they were exceeded!!!
So first of all, the term “Melo” seems to have a totally different meaning in Korean than it does in English. In English it refers to a subgenre of drama usually based on the plot of romance or family problems, involving exaggerated expression of emotions and characters. In Korean however it seems to just refer to classical romance movies. So before watching this drama, this should be made clear.

It’s just as Mubee says at the end: her life with him felt like a movie - sometimes a family drama, an action comedy or a melo (aka romance). And thats exactly how I would describe it too (minus the action).

Basically this drama shows people and their dark sides, how they grow together, their relationships with each other - whether family, friends or lovers. It’s about love, sadness, death, grief, self-doubt, loneliness, pursuit of love, and most importantly the love for movies and how movies can bring people together in life.

I loved this drama so much it is hard to decide where to start and end. I cried AND laughed a lot. Choi Woo-Sik is such an amazing actor! I loved all his roles so far! And then the actor who plays his brother!!!! OMG!!!! While I was watching I felt like he seemed familiar… and it is the “Japanese” guy from Coffee Prince!!!!! Aka my favorite part of that annoying drama 😅 And then he had yet another amazing role!!! omgggg his scenes with Gyeom made me cry the hardest!!! He was such an amazing character and I was DEVASTATED when he dieddddd 😭😭😭
Then with Mubee I liked her first, then I didn’t know how to feel about her, but in the end of the drama I liked how she turned out. I just mostly couldn’t relate to her (which is often my problem with most female leads in kdrama that i cannot relate to most of them).
My favorite female character however was Ju-A 😍 I loved her and even tho her relationship with her ex seemed toxic at times, I was curios about them and how they would end up. Definitely a unique and unexpected twist that they decided to go seperate ways. I felt really sad for the ex too as he cried so much and felt hopeless and like a failure… I am glad he got a good ending.

Other than the topics of romance and comedy, I was actually surprised to see a lot of themes revolving around the topic of death. First it came with Mubee’s father’s death. Then we heard director Ma talk about it. And then very unexpectedly Jun’s suicide attempt!!! At the beginning I didnt quite understand whether it was suicide attempt or some illness that caused the accident. But there should definitely be a trigger warning before the drama starts.
Then we also hear Mubee and Gyeom talk about their secrets. That was one of my favorite scenes. I think it showed human vulnerability and the hardships of life very well!

All in all I totally recommend this drama! Loved the soundtrack too!

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A Cinematic Love Letter

* Review Update *

As the name suggests, this is a melodrama—expect heartbreak, abandonment, conflict, imperfect romance, and disappointment. This isn’t a sweet romcom with an idealized love story; instead, it delves into the flawed nature of people—their selfishness, their questionable choices, and the messy realities of relationships. The beauty of this drama lies in its rawness, in showing that people are imperfect beings who hurt and get hurt, sometimes without justification. It’s about learning to forgive, to move on, or to simply live with the scars. If you're looking for a story where a perfect, handsome hero swoops in to save a damsel in distress, this isn’t it.

At the center of the story is Gyeom (played by Choi Woo Sik), a young man who grew up in a movie rental store with his older brother. His life has always revolved around films, and he dreams of becoming an actor. However, reality takes him on a different path. Enter Mubee (Park Bo Young), an aspiring director with a painful past. Their fates intertwine on a movie set, leading them on an emotional journey of self-discovery.

The drama is not just about romance, it explores the struggles of youth, ambition, and past regrets. Second leads, Gyeom’s friends, played by Lee Jun Young and Jeon So Nee, add depth to the story with their own personal challenges. The second lead couple’s story is equally compelling. Si Jun and Ju A, once in love, meet again years later. Si Jun, struggling with low self-esteem, is torn between his career and the possibility of rekindling their love. The drama does an excellent job of portraying how second chances don’t always come easy, and not everyone is lucky enough to have their first love work out.

Visually, Melo Movie is stunning. The cinematography captures moments of longing and introspection beautifully, while the mellow soundtrack enhances the emotional weight of the story. Each episode is narrated from a different character’s perspective, adding a unique touch. The dynamic between the characters—such as Gyeom and Woo JoengHui (Cha WooMin), Gyeom and Director Ma, and Mubee and Ju A, is engaging and fun to watch.

A special mention goes to Episode 7, which focuses on Gyeom and his older brother, Ko Jun. The episode is filled with tear-jerking moments as the brothers confront years of bottled-up emotions, showing how even adults can be shaped by their younger, more vulnerable selves.

To balance the heavy emotions, each episode ends with adorable epilogues that leave a lasting impact. Just when you think the story has settled, the drama throws unexpected twists, keeping viewers hooked.

Melo Movie is a must-watch for anyone who loves heartfelt storytelling, layered characters, and emotional depth.

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