Love in the Big City

Not a BL but worth every penny the taxpayer spent....

Of course this is not a BL, it's a drama about a gay man. We see a real depiction of gay life in Korea with all the harsh realities Korean society (and many other) offers. There is no pink-washing of reality, there is just reality in an unapologetic way. Of course we wished for Ko Young to have a happy life. But life is tough, espeically as woman or gay man. I am glad the Korean culture ministry spend tax money on this show, because it's an important piece of education too. And because it's not a BL, we don't get the happy end Ko so much deserves.

One of the best gay shows ever produced even when some parts of the story were not perfect or not expanded and explained in a way I wished for (mother/son for example). On the plus side is the great acting, especially for the MLs who never played a gay character (and went into it giving 110%), and the stunning visuals.

So overall I can only recommand everyone to watch this series, 400 minutes worth spending!

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Necessary yet Mostly Aimless & Long-winded

1. Intro
I have always believed that realistic (usually sad) stories are necessary. While they may not always be a joyful/exhilarating experience, they are important to open our eyes to the experiences of others to give us more perspective and empathy. However, I felt that this story was unnecessarily long. I don't think the point it tried to make was worth the eight 50-minute long episodes. It was completely exhausting and it could have been done in a movie or a shorter series length.

2. Story
Aimless. That was what I thought of the story as a whole. It introduced elements that didn't really go anywhere and didn't really influence much. The most striking to me was his mother, her health, death, and her sending Yeong away. Of course send him away would have effects on him, but it was never shown. He was, in many ways, untraumatized by the event. Her death barely affected him at all. The story just moved on to the next romantic interest. Why bother showing her at all? I'm really just bothered by the lack of cause and effect by much of the story.

I do, however, appreciated that the story had different arcs, that we were following his life as he moved through it. It wasn't just, "will he get the guy?" Of course, this wasn't a BL like many have said. It's a gay romance. More of just a drama if you ask me, but semantics. I like that we were shown his romance to the three earlier guys instead of just one guy like the BL's do. However, he doesn't really learn anything from each one unlike the story likes to imply. He is still the same unlikeable person he was. The only real time we see anything close to any realization is by the end when he said all he wanted was love and even that was an unclear, falsely poignant mess. The story tries so desperately to be deep when it really is just aimless, which irritated me.

Yes, a story doesn't necessarily have to involve deep (or obviously stated) growth in the same way the adventure genre tends to do, but the MC still has to go somewhere and his last lines felt far too late. It really did feel like eight 50-minute episodes were far too long to string the viewers along for a flat conclusion. Mind you, I liked that Gyu Ho did not return in his life to neatly tie everything in a pretty bow. I think stories where the romance does not succeed is as important as the ones that do succeed especially when the relationship/s are so obliviously toxic.

I think Yeong's effectivity as the MC whose central theme in uncertainty of one's self and one's goals is fine. He certainly showed how much of an "uncheerable" person he was because of his countless self-sabotage and lack of growth, but the story failed him. I feel like the story having more cohesion (the story elements showing more of its causes and effects on him) and not just "this is his life and we are watching it unfold" could have ended in a more satisfying resolution---him realizing how unsure he was about what he wanted in life.

3. Acting
The actors were good. They were believable. They didn't feel like friends who were just goofing around like some other shows.

4. Music
Nothing much to comment. It was fine.

5. Rewatch value
It's fine to watch once as it was a drag and well the main theme wasn't really expressed well enough.

6. Overall
To sum it up, the story could have been better if the story elements (MC's experiences) in previous episodes actually affected his actions later. It did not so it all felt pointless. And if the main theme was more reinforced by the story and was realized earlier (in a shorter format) it could have been better. It all just felt too flat. He realized he was unsure of his life. Ok.

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A raw and realistic depiction of a gay man's search for eternal love and himself

This is quite an emotional roller coaster of a story. I never read the novel and didn’t know much about the drama. I thought this might be your typical romantic-comedy but actually, this is a very realistic portrayal of a gay man searching for eternal love, and growing up along the way.

From the first episode, you know this is not your typical BL. The portrayal of the friendship, late night clubbing and hunting, and the drunken hookups are raw and real. “Love in the Big City” doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of finding love, and the difficulty compounds when you are a gay man in a conservative society.

Ko Yeong’s growth is shown through his different romantic relationships with a few men. You can see him grow from a fun-loving young man not believing in love, to realizing he might have lost the love of his life. Each relationship is unique and all have a very interesting start. This drama reminds me of the American TV show “Queer as Folk”. It might not be as daring, but daring enough to cause controversies in Korea.

When Ko Yeong met Nam Gyu, he was young and not ready to be loved. Nam Guy’s unconditional and persistent display of love did not end on a good note. When Ko Yeong was ready and met Yeong Su, it was the other party that’s not ready. It’s unfortunate because they had such a sexy vibe going on between them. Gyu Ho is the match made in heaven. They are both so adorable together and just click. At that time, they are both fighting real life’s challenges and unable to balance romance with career’s demands and reality’s tests of their love. By the time Ko Yeong realized what he had lost, it was a little too late. His meeting of Habibi is interesting and also somewhat of a half-baked story. I was having a hard time understanding Ko Yeong’s last message to Habibi. I thought it was just a fling without much deep feelings, but his message sounded more serious than I thought.

A highlight of the show is the friendship between Ko Yeong and Mi Ae. When you are an outcast, it’s really a blessing to have a friend like that through the highs and lows of your life. But as they grow older, such a friendship has to evolve as they get on with their lives. I had wished to see more of Mi Ae towards the second half of the drama, and not just that somewhat useless drinking scene with her sister-in-law.

I gotta give props to Nam Yoon Su for going all out in this drama. He really didn’t care for the criticisms directed at him. Not only was his acting great, he did not shy away from all the kisses and sexy scenes. In fact, I think he was a little too earnest like he’s going to someone’s face each time. I would have liked him to pull back a little on a couple kisses to show a more romantic side.

As I mentioned, the whole drama is about Ko Yeong’s growth through his relationships. Personally, I am not a big fan of this style of writing. At one point, I find it becomes repetitive when all we see is him going from one relationship to another. However, I am emotionally invested. I cry with Ko Yeong as he gets hurt and suffers through life. Throughout the drama, I was rooting for him to live happily ever-after, either with Gyu Ho or someone else.

I do recommend “Love in the Big City” but don’t go into thinking this is another fluffy BL. The strength of this drama is its realism and how Ko Yeong lives with the scars of each relationship and grows from them, and finds himself.



p.s. the drama synopsis doesn't seem to be 100% correct.


Completed: 10/21/2024 - Review #501

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A man who had overflowing oceans of love but was clueless of tides and still survived !

Love in the big city is a bold exploration from South Korea of love, identity and complexities of being queer in a society that often makes you feel at odds with itself. The series takes us through the turbulent journey of Go Yeong, depicting his struggles, with family and societal pressure and yearning for love that sometimes feels both profound and frustrating.

Go Yeong's journey is a mosaic of heartache, never-ending longing and resilience to push through. If you go with the expectations of neat resolutions and everything black and white from this drama, you will be disappointed. His growth is portrayed with a certain nuance and realism, unfolding slowly and frustratingly over time.
The pressure he faces doesn't magically vanish overnight and the show captures the tension beautifully. It portrays the burden of his mother's denial regarding his sexuality and the struggles that stem from it. Sadly we live in a society where acceptance is such a luxury rather than a given.

His journey left a bittersweet taste in my mouth that felt earned and true to life. Yeong was a man who was loved throughout, sometimes too deeply to make him drown and others or sometimes with superficial pleasures to make him realise that the chaotic, mundane affectionate bond he left behind now lingers like a soft ache, a reminder of what love actually once was.

The series addresses heavy themes but it also highlights that joy can exist even in the darkest of times. Yeong's camaraderie with his gay friends brought such a vibrant color to this gloomy tale. Their scenes together drinking and dancing was a good counterbalance from the serious moments.

Found family trope is one of my favourites and his friendship with Mi Ae captured it beautifully. Honestly, I want what these two had, to choose to stand with each other through thick and thin with unwavering support, providing a safe harbour to each other amidst their daily exhausting grinds. Their bond is a gentle reminder that home is where the heart is and family is where you feel understood and accepted.
Though their friendship was not the sole focus of the story , it was beautiful until it lasted and the way they portrayed how both of them outgrew that bond was heartwrenching but so realistic!

Although it does have pacing issues here and there but its realistic depiction of the struggles and messy portrayal of love makes me want to overlook the flaws.

Overall, this stands out as an impactful drama where the MC is not a perfect man. It's messy but executed in a way where you want to sometimes knock some sense into him and sometimes just wrap your hands around him and tell him, it's going to be okay. It's not just a love story or your typical BL drama.
Recommended if you are looking for a thoughtful and emotional exploration of an imperfect character in a perfectly imperfect world.

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Heartbreakingly Beautiful

The story of our main character was so raw, it was a emotional telling of 4 loves that he had, the first being one he couldn’t reciprocate, the second being one that wasn’t reciprocated and the third being all he ever wanted but love wasn’t enough. I purposefully said 4 because to me the fourth love was that of his friends who were there for Go Young from the very beginning to end, they were the love that lasted.
I gave this show a 10/10 because of not only the dedication that I know the actors had to the project or the plot that felt like a roller coaster but because of the delicate nature in which the show handled sensitive topics such as the telling of the lead’s HIV diagnosis and depression. It is all too often that I see the media look at HIV as a death sentence, I’m so happy that in such a closed society this show decided to depict it as an inconvenience that the character would have with him for the rest of his life. This illness effects so many lives daily around the world but with proper treatment, all it truly becomes is exactly THAT an inconvenience.
His depression and attempt at suicide was such a real experience, the show let us see him hit rock bottom but also let us see him in his small triumphs that always seemed big because it was a stepping stone for Go Young’s progression to learning to love himself.
The story left an impression on me that I’m not so sure I’ll be able to shake anytime soon. I’m very thankful for everyone who was apart of the making and pushing of Love in the big city, it left me wanting more with that open ending but also with the understanding that it was open because Go Young’s life is still going.

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blended different tones very well - a must watch

Overall: there are very few series that manage to balance humor, romance, realism and sadness well, Love in the Big City is one of them. Based on the book Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park which I didn't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 50 minutes each. Aired on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40771c-love-in-the-big-city

Content Warnings: (2 major ones, see my spoiler comment and how the romance plays out), harassment, unwanted outing, homophobia, non/dub con turned consensual, conversion torture (off screen), punch

What I Liked
- acting/chemistry
- supportive friends
- blended different tones very well
- sweet moments
- intimacy
- character growth
- production value

Room For Improvement
- exposition dump to introduce his friends
- series covered 10 years, so voice overs were used to show passage of time
- odd that a certain aspect wasn't discussed in episode 5
- episode 8 jumped back and forth between flashbacks and the present

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I went to find love but I didn't know how and where to find this "love" in this big city.

But, do I know what "love" is?
 
This is a story of a flawed person finding love and happiness in things that motivates him to write an award winning novel.
 
After a long time I had invested myself in something that makes me "think" of the consequences of the choices I make. It touched my heart in every episode as it felt like I was watching a person live through their ups and downs infront of my eyes.
 
✓What I appreciated:
 
• I loved how flawed, raw and realistic each and every character was. While watching them I was sure I know such people who would act this way.
• Supportive friends that everyone deserves! They were with him in thick and thin. Their bond was unbreakable!
• The pacing of the storyline was perfectly synced with characters. Each and every character was given equal importance to show their potential.
• Nam Yoon Su is the perfect cast this story can get! He made Go Young alive!
• This story shows, life is not a fairytale as you see in the kdramas. Sometimes it's fulfilling; sometimes you're barely making it through the day. You cry, fight, and curse your destiny, but you don't give up; you live on, even if this big, cold city fails you a hundred times.
• I can't believe how much power this story holds that a nation was trying to take this down.

✓Room for improvement:
 
• I was dying to know about Gyu. But the story didn't allow us to know more about him after his departure.
 
✓Thoughts on the ML:
 
Go Young didn't want to settle for normal and always wanted that "fluttering" feeling. That's why he's been reckless all his youth. He's looking for something he doesn't know. He wanted love, but when he got that, he overlooked that for something else he doesn't have. From my pov, he only loved one guy; others just made him "grow" in life. They were his mistakes and life lessons as well. When he said, "I want to cry, but I can't squeeze tears," I felt that. I swear I'm not a crybaby, but up until episode 4, I couldn't stop tearing up. But after a while, just like ML, I got used to the sorrows.
 
Overall, it's a realistic queer story that will make you realise if you found love, then you're the luckiest person because someone in the world is still searching for that but hasn't found it yet.

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The Most Beautiful 400 Minutes of My Life

As someone who is apart of the queer community I was very impressed with this BL, typically the BLs I watch don't go in this much depth or show the emotions of a queer person or portray the struggles they have in the society. The drama was filled with laughter, tension, and sad moments that make you feel deeply. Ko Yeong the main character shows the struggles of a queer person as you follow him on his journey on finding love. No Yeong Su shows how the environment where your raised impacts your societal beliefs, he was a character experiencing internalized homophobia because the people around him kept telling him that it was wrong and because of that he was never able to love Ko Yeong with all he had. BUT not to forget about Mi Ae she was casted beautifully even though she didnt appear as much in the later episodes, she brought laughter and it truly made me happy and I was able to relate to it as I have a very close friend of mine whos a girl and the dynamic between Mi Ae and Ko Yeong is exactly the one between me and my friend.


Truly Love in the big city is one of the few kdrama BL's that I felt truly displayed the struggles, the life, the identity, and the ups and down that a queer person experiences not just limited to a guy. The drama is filled with love, and laughter but also melancholic scenes that make you go for a loop. It truly portrays the life of a queer person accurately, and what happens in the brain of one. One of the best kdramas this year and the best BL ive watched this year, its worth the time. And SEASON 2 PLEASE!!

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BEST KDRAMA OF ALL TIME

From the beginning until the end, I was amused and amazed in this series.

There were no dull moments in every episodes. The story portrays a life of a gay man living with HIV who actually seeks a genuine and eternal Love at the end. My empathy in this series is very high. Mostly those scenes I experienced it like trusting other people so much, guillable in love, loving someone who is already married and many more flashbacks in my life after I watch this Kdrama.

I hope this will be the eye opener to end the stigma of HIV, proper communication in a relationship, and just reciprocating receiving LOVE.

I love this series, the story, the cast, everything is a masterpiece. The best. This must be the best KDRAMA I'D EVER WATCHED! Rewatch worthy!!! Hoping for a continuation of the love story of Gyu Ho and Go Young.

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Queer chronicles of a gay guy living and loving in the big city of Seoul : a raw and poetic journey

This is clearly one of the most qualitative BL that I have seen so far, not necessarily one that I would easily re-watch but one that really left a strong impression on me. It is drastically different from what I have seen in the genre, as it provides a deep dive into the life the central character of the story, almost like a chronicles of his life. It can be seen as a slice-of-life with a lot of dramatic elements put in a realistic but at the same time poetic way.

The main character is a writer who in a way narrates his life to the viewer, which really give it a different flavor to most series. His relationship with his mother as well as with Kylie were central pieces of the story to me. The romantic interests in the series were more like passing boats into the hero's life, not the main focus but bringing up so many thoughts as he evolved through the various relationships. The ending felt bitter-sweet and made sense given all that happened to the hero and the way the storytelling was built from the start. I would not have minded an additional episode to better round it up tough.

Casting was very solid overall with the main actor clearly being the strongest part of the series. I really hope to see him in other works because it is his performance that elevated the watching experience and made me care that much for the character he portrayed. The cinematography was pretty good: the apartment of the hero was a character in itself evolving with him as he went through various life events, the OST was also very fitting to the drama and there were quite a lot of very memorable scenes that were filmed super impactfully.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a different kind of BL story. It is more of a chronicle of a life rather than a standard romance. Of course, I have nothing against fluffy and butterflies romance or angsty tales of passion but here it is a different proposal both in terms of content as well as storytelling. The good writing, the very deep topics relating to what's happening in real life as well as the interesting arc of the main character arc strongly resonated with me and make it worth your time. If you enjoy BL such as 'I Told Sunset About You' and 'The Eighth Sense', I think you should give it a shot.

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Love in The Big City Series

I really love this drama.

Raw, honest, and exquisitely crafted in both writing and direction. I've rarely seen a Korean drama capture realism this authentically. It feels like a snapshot of life-its highs and lows, the connections we build, the love we chase, and the way we drift apart.

The storytelling was masterful, following Go Young as he navigates through the complexities of the world around him, capturing the sense of belonging and alienation we all sometimes face. The narrative is heavy yet beautifully simple, a quiet reflection of what it means to be alive. I found myself laughing, yelling, feeling joy, peace, sadness, and despair. The bond between Go Young and Gyuho left me shattered.

Nam Yoonsu's performance was magnetic-it's hard not to be captivated by him. The entire cast delivered outstanding performances. I sincerely hope more shows like this are made.

And I need season 2 please.

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