Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo

Kicks and Quirks: A Drama that Lands the Right Punch

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is another refreshing addition to the scarce list of Korean BLs this year, a category that has increasingly leaned toward coming-of-age narratives with romantic undertones. Much like its contemporaries (The Trainee and The On1y One), the story remains impactful even when the romantic elements are secondary, proving that a well-crafted journey can stand on its own.

The drama’s simplicity makes it easy to consume, yet it never sacrifices depth. Starting with familial conflicts and transitioning to themes of personal, societal, and romantic growth, it delivers a balanced narrative arc. It does not overwhelm but rather harmonizes these elements beautifully, leading to an emotional and satisfying conclusion.

After Do Hoi left, the plot seemed to focus on Ju Yeong’s personal growth, but as the story unfolded, it shifted toward Do Hoi’s personal baggage and the complexities of their relationship, including the involvement of Hyeon Ho. While handled lightly, these arcs still packed a solid emotional punch.

The scriptwriting particularly stood out, with lines that resonated deeply. For example, Do Hoi’s emotionally charged exchanges with Ju Yeong — including the unforgettable “We’ve found love that others take a lifetime to find. That’s a big deal” — showcased the strength of the writing, evoking genuine responses from viewers.

The directing, helmed by the genius behind To My Star, Blueming, and Where Your Eyes Linger, elevated the material to artful levels. Combined with Korea’s trademark for excellent cinematography in BL dramas, the visual presentation was nothing short of breathtaking.

However, there were some shortcomings. Certain scenes lacked emotional weight, undercutting their potential impact. The editing was uneven at times, with abrupt cuts and poorly-timed transitions disrupting the narrative flow. Familiar tropes, such as the stereotypical “abusive father” and the overused “I bullied you because I like you” antagonist, felt predictable and underwhelming. Additionally, the Taekwondo element, while relevant to the characters’ growth, was somewhat scattered in execution.

On the brighter side, the romance was delicately and genuinely portrayed, with intimate moments that felt both authentic and moving. The leads, who communicated profound emotions through their eyes alone, delivered stellar performances. Their chemistry was palpable, particularly in their non-verbal exchanges, exemplified by lines like “Everything that was obscure is now clear to me.” Small Easter eggs, such as the reappearance of To My Star 2’s Ti Aspetto location, added a nostalgic charm.

One criticism raised by some viewers is the seemingly anticlimactic ending. While it might feel understated, not every drama aims for a sequel-worthy cliffhanger. This series chooses to conclude on a sweet and genuine note, encapsulated beautifully when Do Hoi sees Ju Yeong’s search history as they begin opening up to one another. It’s a tender moment that speaks volumes, perfectly summarizing their journey of understanding and connection.

Ultimately, the story’s most resonant theme was the idea of having someone who supports and celebrates your growth as their own. It’s this deeply human connection that elevates the drama beyond a simple BL romance, making it a heartfelt watch. While not overly complex, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo delivers an emotional payoff that lingers long after the final scene.

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too realistic and rustic, literally made me cry for 7749 days

I hate it when it's not recommended to summarise the story, because it's too beautiful to not talk about.

- As for the story, I personally regard it as slow enough to catch up with, with the later episodes (4-7) gradually resolving the issues one by one. The first knot was the reason they lost contact 12 years ago, and the second knot was their life within those years without each other. Each knot was solved gently through compassion, understanding and resilience. The ending was a relief and overall satisfying for me, not developing anything further but emphasising its philosophy that went through every episode of the film. Characters' buildings are absolutely stunning as well, with Lee Do Hoe's incredibly realistic characteristics of someone who lived with his violent parent. Some may not like Do Hoe's behaviour and manners, but I myself totally empathise with what he did because of the trauma and self-torture he suffered from. Anyway, it's not something unusual for someone to be a little bit selfish and regretful. The supporting character had little impact on the story; he's just some school bully whose main goal is to separate the main couple. Yet his role was meaningful when he decided to accompany Do Hoe as a friend and had some emotional lines, which created complicated relationships between characters. Their dynamic characteristics also add to the diversity of the story. The whole plot was generally a bittersweet story, with some kind of emotional roller coaster.

- The acting was speechless??? I was gobsmacked to know this was Lee Sun's first acting role since he did so well; the way he depicted an energetic, adorable and tolerant Shin Ju Young was so great. Considering Nu Rim's part, this boy really immersed himself in Lee Do Hoe, and he was the real-life Lee Do Hoe. Their facial expressions, chemistry, everything was perfect. The maximum score for this was 10, but their acting deserved 1000/10. The realistic description of each character combined with their impeccable acting really took my breath away.

- I usually don't care about drama music, OST or such and such, but some pieces of music in certain scenes are appropriate enough to create intense emotions.

- Overall, my all-time favourite thing about this drama is how it literally depicted something so realistic and "life-friendly", not something flashy like the story of a CEO or someone who has a big impact on the world. They are just normal people with not much in life, but they are willing to partner and stay by each other's side. The last sentence is just for fun, but I still mention, "If this couple breaks up, I'm not believing in love anymore."

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I Finally Finished This Masterpiece!

Whelp, I started watching LFTCOTT about six months ago and was totally sideswiped by the jarring time-jump that happens less than midway through. I was really put off by the time-skip and the change in the nature of the relationship between the two leads. I stopped watching, realizing that it was good enough that I would probably go back and finish it one day but feeling a bit peeved by what felt like a betrayal by the writer/director.

Finally this week I started it again at episode 6. And boy am I glad I gave it another chance. Having some distance from the pure sweetness and tragedy of the earlier episodes I was able to fully appreciate the complexity and depth of the relationship in the later episodes. And episode 7 had me in tears for almost the whole watch.

In truth, I should have known better and trusted in Hwang Da-seul. She's never let me down and she didn't with Let Free The Curse of the Taekwondo. The acting, the soundtrack the cinematography were all signature Da-seul and it was unbearably lovely. I highly recommend watching this and not letting the jarring time-jump stop you from finishing it. I still think the length of time was a mistake but it is minor at the end of the day and the show as a whole is wonderful and filled with sweetness.

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Finally a Korean Adult BL

Wow, Korea has stepped up the game. Although it starts in high school it quickly becomes an adult BL. I love that it doesn't shy away from skinship, whether it be kissing , or just an open knowledge that these characters are having sex. It is real Finally, it showcases the complexity of not only being gay but how to navigate life with dealing with pretty much abuse from all angles. Not only does it show how different each character deals with abuse, it also shows how you can adjust and overcome just about anything. Lee Soon s character upbeat, fun but emotionally available & willing to accept people for who they are no matter the circumstances. Jang Yeon Woo beautiful to look at but played such a flawed character. Kim Nu Rim the centre figure of the drama , was just beautifully played in every aspect. It really showed how a child is affected by continued abuse . He was such closed off character. This will not be a forgotten Drama. Beautiful written directed with the correct actors able to convey the amazing range of emotion in the drama A must see for sure

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Amazingly confusing lol

I think the story is good but the execution is far from good, the actors are so great, but i'm quite confusing with the story, so many plot holes, 8 episodes is too short

The story begin with sweetness and joy typical of highschool romance, when you watch episode 3 and the time leap begin, it makes me headache lol, there's something missing, the story is kinda fast, so many questions. Why Dohoe act so weird, what happened to him and juyeong, and why dohoe can be together with his bully, we don't get the story what happened in the past 12 years, between all of them, the trauma that haunted dohoe, it seems so rush, but after all it's so unfortunate, the story is great also the actor, but the producing is so messed up

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good except writing flaws

The pacing of the story is a tad bit too sad and heavy with emotions to be rewatched for fun every once in a while

it’s interesting to see how Ju Yeong also has violent tendencies when angered (u can see it when he fights back + when he talks to hyeon ho). Lowkey feels like the saying the cycle always repeats come true for Do Hoe. It doesn’t happen in the story but this just goes to show an interesting part of psychology.

Other than that I literally can’t side with Ju Yeong.

Do Hoe’s dad was absuive, made living hell for the people around him yet he forgave him? and that too he had no right to. He knew him for less than a year. This is like when people say I’ll be friends with someone because they don’t do ME wrong. Continously bringing Do Hoe back to the past when it was traumatic and didnt need to be brought back was crazier. Do Hoe did it in the name of love but what did Ju Hyeon do it for. Why did he constantly being Do Hoe back when he could see the panic attacks and anxiety Do Hoe was getting from this.
Maybe he felt going back would bring closure but this felt like a gamble. This is a story so all will be well in the end of course but a lot of hidden questions were left unanswered in the series, I do think better writing could have solved this.

The casts acting was top notch. The cinematography was magical and I found myself taking notes for the next time I shoot.

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Phenomenal

I searched the tags for a love triangle BL and came across this. This was not really what I was looking for, but it was better than what I hoped. There's very little campiness in this drama so don't expect so many lighthearted moments like the usual. It gets pretty heavy, in a realistic way, not even makjang "things are so out of control I can disassociate" way.

By the time I was clicking for episode 5 I felt annoyed it was ending so soon because I was fully sucked in. This drama has great rewatch value too, because there are many flashbacks as the show progresses and you realize things about the story that weren't revealed when first shown.

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two smiles can trap your soul

Romantic, spontaneous, comfortable. That’s how I’d describe the relationship between DoHoe and JuYeong. A pure feeling, slowly blossomed from smiles and silent support. Their story is sure deep and challenging, the themes are heavy, their emotions leap off the screen. I was firstly hesitant to start this series. I have been hearing about it for some time and people were excitedly sad toward it. The bar was high and I was a bit scared to feel disappointed. Also, I’m particularly sensitive and emphatical over this kind of plots. Basically, I cry a lot. I decided to watch the first episode and, after about two weeks, I saw the second and finished the whole show.
What catches me is how genuine and pure and kind this love is. The neatness makes me cry. I want this. This kind of tenderness is what I’m searching for myself. Everything feels calm and right from the beginning; there is a clear path. Their expressions, their body language have a precise direction. All the things that surround them disappear: that’s how it should be. Their life is not good but, when they are together, all the problems become dust in the wind. Simultaneously, they fight for their mutual happiness. The contrast between external and internal sensations is crystal clear: cold and warm, peace and war.

Stunning, marvellous: the plot is moving and I mean it. It shakes something in me.

The writing is amazing and charming. The conversations are true, properly deep and heavy (for example the discussions about why they separated), but also light and bright (for example them chatting while going home). The dialogues are mature and perfectly portraits the gradual evolution of the main relationship. Few more words about the 'main issue' would have been nice though. I understand what happens but still. The visuals and the cinematography are pretty fabulous as well. In particular, I love the colours and the photography. Furthermore, in my opinion, the direction is another expression of the main contrast of this project: there are lively, animated scenes (for example the taekwondo ones) that represent the chaos, the excitement, and static shoots (for example some of the ones at home) that stan for the harmony and quietness the main characters taste while being together. Even I feel at ease watching and hearing them interact. The show should be sad but it’s so well done that you forget about crying.

Not only the actors are handsome and look so good together, but the characters are both wonderfully recorded and portraited. The acting performances live up perfectly to the writing and the story.

In particular, the taekwondo scenes are amazing. Both Kim Nu Rim (DoHoe) and Lee Sun (JuYeong) do so well. I even thought there were two stuntmen, but I believe it’s not the case since I didn’t find any names in the cast. Moreover, the looks, the glances, the eyes, the kisses, the touching. Natural, authentic, everything is felt for real. And their smiles…they completely trap you. It’s difficult to explain. You just feel. A lot. There is only one take, someone is crying and it doesn’t seem that spontaneous (no spoilers). But just this one thing.
Finally, the music adds a further delicate touch to the series. It seems to match the atmosphere and to represent both the comfort and the sadness. Like a tender melody that makes you cry, it amplifies the emotions the characters pass down. You know that moment you feel down and decide to listen to sad songs? It’s the same.

An important personal consideration: the sensations I felt through this show are the same ones I had watching ‘Banana Fish’. I don’t know if you are familiar with the anime/manga. The themes are heavy, nevertheless everything is so well done that it’s impossible not to like it. So, without further ado, I highly recommend you to watch this series.


Thank you for reading <3

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Hwang Da Seul does it again...

Oh the intricacies of life that are brought so achingly to the screen in such a brilliant way. This was masterfully executed, as expected from Hwang Da Seul. She continues to provide us with compelling and beautifully acted stories and she definitely didn't fail us here.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a series of growing up and fighting with the expectations that are set forth and how we can break from those cursed chains that try to destroy us down to the bones. Or, what one is pushed to do just to survive, even if it means leaving everything and everyone you know behind. Not only does this story pull us in and keep us invested, but it gives us flawed characters and challenges us to understand (and still love) them.

All in all, this series was a solid work of art that deserves the high praise and a rewatch or two.

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