The Practical Guide to Love

The Most Boring Watch Ever!!

You might think that this show is a simple love story where the female protagonist goes through blind dates & finds love, but it is not!!

The predictable tone of the show turns against it. We are looking at a female protagonist, who is most possibly in her late 30s. In the end, she turns to the tried & tested formula of finding love through blind dates. Her first date happens to be a boring, nerdy guy who wants to date with marriage as the endgame. The female lead is thrown off her plans, and decides to go on a second date with another guy- shockingly, the other one is strikingly handsome but arrogant. The storyline settles down in a boring tryst of the female lead evaluating both choices before settling for one. The romance seems mature, but the storytelling drags on and loses its substance midway. You are left wondering if it is worth spending your time watching a show that seems to have lost its purpose.

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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/04/06/the-practical-guide-to-love-series-review/#more-2371

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Decent start gone meeh

Another K that starts off really good but gets cluttered and drowned out by boring monologs and just a whole lot of nothingness... What started as a na 8 maybe even 8,5 ended up preachy and kind of meeh making me feel like they were trying to teach me about diffrent kinds of love instead of showing me it and making me fall in love.

There are several interesing characters in this, no annoying over the top characters and I dare say I liked each character in their own way... That said our male lead was not bad, but kind of dull, giving me slight SLS as the other guy would have been so much more interesting leaving me rather wanting more... I also would have wanted to see more of the intern and the other couples as all of them were more interesting than the lead couple, a couple carried completely by HanJi Mins charm until she got lost in the lad of monologs.

That said its a decent binge, one that could hav been a lot better, still worth the watch just mind the draggy ending.

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That double standard is hard to ignore.

What makes it worse is how the two male leads are written. The CEO’s behavior especially makes no sense. Why is he patiently waiting while she compares him with another man like she’s choosing between products? That’s not love — that’s evaluation based on “who gives me more value.” Real feelings don’t work like a value-for-money calculation.

If anything, genuine liking is closer to brand loyalty — like people who choose an iPhone not because it’s the best spec-wise, but because they genuinely prefer the experience. You don’t “compare and select” someone you truly like — you gravitate toward them.

The drama tries to present this as a mature exploration of choice, but instead it feels like it’s avoiding accountability and dressing up indecisiveness as depth.

And honestly, the most unrealistic part is this: both men just accept it. In real life, most people would walk away instead of waiting to be “compared.”

So for me, the issue isn’t whether she chooses passion or stability — it’s that the show is built on a dynamic that doesn’t feel honest or believable to begin with.

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A play on stereotypes; a hypocrisy - FL is a two timer pretending to be a good girl

This drama's concept is a play on stereotypes. The older slow and nerdy successful reliable solid CEO vs a young frilly charmer "live day by day" guy on a motorcycle.

But the execution of this concept totally flopped.
FL is written totally dumb and slimey and the guys are written naive and unrealistic.

FL two-times both guys and both guys know it and keep chasing her. **** ML kisses and holds hands of FL bc she invited him to do so. Then FL goes to hang out with SML...
THE FL IS WRITTEN AS A WOMAN-CHILD.
***** Any real guy would have QUIT her after ep 3 the latest.

This is one of slimiest and most mysogenic kdramas out there, and I dropped it at ep 8. I visited the episodes later to check on the drama, and it stayed with the FL as a woman-child and ML as a daddy to her.

The acting is poor too, esp FL actress is totally pathetic, ML actor is bored with his overly simple dumb role.
Only Ji Su and his mom are worth watching. Ji Su is actually a great role to watch.
The main problem is the cheap script.

This is a delulu drama for some loser women fantasizing about being wanted, although they are slimey flawed.

The younger guy was so immature, irresponsible and frilly and needed to focus on his career and growing up first - simple stuff like not leaving his job without notice or calling in to work to inform he is not coming to work!!!! -
and the older guy was a relationship material, but he was portrayed as so bland that he was utterly boring, and his hot pursuit of FL and his successes in kissing her, holding her hand, making her sweat and flutter, etc were just brushed under the rug.

The most astonishing thing was that so many in the audience could not discern between the two guys and immediately thought that "the guy with a prettier face" and the toxic immature "sexual poking" that teenagers do was automatically a better choice..... .
SO IMO THIS DRAMA REQUIRES A SUBSCRIPTION TO YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF STEPHAN SPEAKS, an excellent relationship coach for women.

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DETAILS
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The nerdy guy is stereotyped BORING and UGLY with glasses (stooped, stiff, moves slowly, speaks slowly, works a lot, responsible business owner, responsible for employees and his good friends, too shy to speak his mind - he behaves based on what FL shows, so he lets her do what she wants and she ... pretends they didnt kiss, held hands, etc.

The younger guy is stereotpyped EXCITING bc his face is more handsome and he wears more fashionable clothes and keeps sexually teasing FL. He is a frilly charmer guy on a motorcycle, vibrant, energetic, speaks his mind freely, keeps on physically barging into personal space of FL and she too barges into his emotional space and patronizes him - so they UNOFFICIALLY KEEP GOING ON DATES WHERE HE CHASES HER AND SHE PRETENDS SHE HAS NO CLUE - but she keeps barging into his private and emptional spaces and leading him on.

The audience automatically stereotypes these two guys, regardless of what they ACTUALLY show on the screen. SML walks out of his jobs or doesnt show up,

FL TWO-TIMES both guys and acts very confused, flippant and silly - too prude towards ML and too open and without boundaries to SML. FL is unaware of her own feelings and what she wants, and she is irresponsible, flakey.....
The main issue is that FL is unaware of how she is driven by her hormones and unwilling to accept it - she denies that part of herself... So... the end result is that she strings two guys. SML for just attention and ML as a genuine like.

FL uses SML as a frill pill and hangs out with him without any intention to officially date, and likes ML, kisses him, and promises to go on dates with ML but stays out of getting too close - and keeps the company of SML without any obligation.

And, if a man did that to two women, we would be protesting. This drama (as well as Climax, etc) is on one hand showing gender equality under evil, that both men and women are equally nasty; and on the other hand, a sly invitation to have female epsteiners, therefore, there is no need to release epstein files bc everyone is free to do what they want.

The drama is inviting women to be as bad as men have been for thousands of years, to make it official that ANYTHING GOES, instead of moving all of us into a new better age. Very Hollywood foundation, keeping us all stuck in muck.

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ML has never done anything unless FL was open to it - which often caused a stallmate when she pulls back - and he does not dare to call her to the carpet - and she pretends that her hormones and thoughts of marriage do not exist -
and SML barges into her space and pokes her, totally oblivious to her liking the ML and totally confident based on his long standing success as a charmer for women.

It is already ep 7 and the character flaws of all 3 are still glaring and playing out. FL is playing the SML because she still has not figured out what she wants.

There is nothing wrong with using SML for a hot and steamy SHORT relationship *** if *** the FL wanted that. But the problem is, she is supposedly not really interested in that, and already deeply likes ML So, instead of going on hot steamy dates within a LONG relationship within a stable marriage, she choses to stay confused and use the SML for attention.

The FL two times and plays both guys. The guys are emotionally incapacitated, cannot talk things through, and do not call her to the carpet. So she keeps stringing both of them.
THE PLOT IS UNREALISTIC. In real life, both men would be gone by ep 4.
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The problem is not about weighing options. The problem is the LIE. *** FL is DELUSIONALLY PRETENDING she is a good girl. ****

We had 7 episodes of a 36yr old woman-child who does not even know what he feels and what she wants and has not put ANY effort to find out - except ONCE asking her mommy to tell her.

THAT is not interesting to watch

I think I documented well why I dropped this drama

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And I dont want ML to end up with FL. She is not good enough for him, she is too sleazy . He is too zipped up and closed up, and he has to change, but he is an honest guy and at least he deserves an HONEST woman. So I want ML to find some good woman asap.

FL IS A HYPOCRITE LIAR. SML is very immature. So - THEY ARE A PERFECT PAIR.

At this point, I vote for FL and SML to have a hot romance bc both want that, and we all know how that will end, they will both get majorly hurt and quit in about 3-6 months. If they last more than that, I will give you $1.
FL-SML relationship is based on SML constantly chasing her and kissing her as#. I wonder how long that COULD last. Sure, go ahead and BURN. Learn your lesson the hard way then.

I dropped at ep 8 bc it was like the rest. As a dedicated kdrama fan, I did my best to try to watch this charade of lies, but nuff is nuff, I ain't watching trash.


FL behaves like a dog in heat and keeps TWO-TIMING, seeking SML for fun dates and going on official dates with ML, both with physical contact. Yet the drama and FL uphold this hypocrisy that FL is supposedly NOT trying all the options bc she is a prude good little girl. The fact is: FL is a two-timing player. Let that be clear. Like in Our Universe.

The drama is not honest about its intent. If it is about a woman whose hormones are active and seeking action, then make it clear - it is ok to have a character like that! such women exist!!!!! - instead of WASTING 7+ EPISODES ON FL PRETENDING TO BE WHO SHE IS NOT.
FL should have decided already so that we can move on. THE DRAMA IS STUCK.
And that is what bothers me about this drama. It is hypocritical and wastes time.

ML has a personality/hobbies/interests and GOOD FRIENDS too He is also responsible and handsome and hot. BUT HE IS TOO SHY TO SPEAK UP and he is too gentle
and too clumzy - he should have called a cab for his mom, he should have scheduled the next date

Also, ML actor is super thin and he lacks any s.x appeal and energy. That is sad.

INDEED this drama is about a woman player who is two-timing. AND I HATE IT. I think the drama is super sleazy. And yes, if a man did that, we would all be very upset. I am upset at FL too. I dropped.... . I am sorry to miss Ji Su actor acting, but I saw him enough in 7 episodes.

I vote for ML, **after** he learns he should send his mom away on a cab, and to schedule the next date at the end of the current one
ML script is not written properly, he still too zipped up uncommunicative and I would not receommend him
ALSO, I DO NOT WANT ML STUCK WITH FL, SHE IS UNWORTHY OF HIM, SHE IS TOO SLEAZY IMMATURE.

The drama ends with ML taking care of FL, who is completely incopetent to handle her own life. It is the same old kdrama sexism where the man dominates the relationship as the stable, smart, reliable, problem-solver, caretaker, protector, .... in short - a DADDY - and the woman is just DUMB WEAK IMMATURE. woman-child.

Overall rating is YUCK!!!

I have written a much longer review but it exceeds 10000 characters so I put it into my Feeds.

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I think this is the first drama I didn't like one single thing

Things I loved

1 I thought the premise was good and of course due to the promise and the blurb that it would be romantic, funny, original, full of tropes in a good way, basically a decent rom com. How fool I was.

Things I disliked

1 The 2ML. I didn't like that he fell for the FL. Why? I didn't see a single thing that could make me believe he was in love with her. She didn't do anything that was remotely interesting or smart or anything. Of course, people can fall in love with dull, stupid people in real life, so why not in a drama? You got me there.

Things I hated

1 The outfits of the leads, but especially the FL. What on earth was that? I'm okay with wearing whatever you want, but in a drama, what you wear has to be meaningful. So, I'm curious what was supposed to convey the way she dressed? That she was a 35 years old ready to take the vow? That she had a job that required for her to be dressed as a nun? That she wanted to convey an image of a pure soul? Whatever the heck they wanted to show it irritated me non stop seeing her dressed like a 70 years old grandma.

2 The acting of the FL. Even when she tried she was incapable to convey any feelings. She cried, I didn't care. She laughed same thing. She played the happy in love person, it left me cold. She managed one thing though. Every time she put her hands together in her lap I wanted to scream at her. Kudos for that performance. It was consistent all the way.

3 The ML. I've never seen a more dull, uninteresting, old fashion, boring male lead. I feel bad to trash both leads since they probably are good people and maybe also good actors, but in this drama they failed miserably.

3 The misleading poster, title and blurb. I was expecting a rom com or at least a lighthearted romance. I got two leads who don't know how to act other than boring. A script that had no reason to exist. What was the point of all this? There was no humor, there was no chemistry between the leads, there were dramatic moments that were more laughable and without any development, conflicts without any flavor, and the list goes on.
Honestly after having watched dozens of dramas I cans ay that this one could win the trophy of the most boring hands down. It's unfortunate, but the Koreans don't know anymore how to write a rom com or at least a fluttering romance. Even when they have the premise right, they ruin it with the cast and the directing and of course the plot.
I watch in parallel a Chinese rom com Legally Romance, and the contrast is so big, it hurts. I laugh every other line, my heart fluttered ten times already and I'm only in the fourth episode. The leads have so much talent and chemistry, I just can't get enough of their interactions. Where was all this in this drama? Nowhere.

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Practical guide to watching a forgettable drama

The story follows a woman who finds a mature love. Based on the title and the opening episodes, it seemed like we were about to go on a journey exploring just how difficult it is to find love but that expectation was a bit misleading. Instead, what we get is a calm, laid-back drama centered on two adults simply being in love. Life happens but nothing ever shakes up their love life, which makes the pacing feel slow for most of the show. The dramatic and emotional parts all fell to the second male lead who seemed to be leading a whole different drama.

The two main actors did everything right individually, but I didn’t fully believe their chemistry. These are very talented actors who I have seem in various projects having palpable chemistry with other actors so it really was strange that they did not feel well paired.

I did appreciate the absence of some overused tropes no childhood connection and no white truck of doom. However, the return of kopiko (product placement) made me laugh every single time it appeared on screen, even though it clearly was not meant to be funny. Overall its well acted and beautifully shot, with my biggest qualm being the unengaging story line.

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Not terrible but not great either

I had high hopes for this drama based on the fact that Han Ji Min was the lead and she stars in some of my all time favorite dramas (Familiar Wife, One Spring Night, Love Scout). It's not the worst drama but it definitely wasn't the best. The only word I can think to describe this drama is bland. I really wish they would've leaned more into the love triangle. I usually don't like that trope, however, in this drama with her meeting two guys around the same time that she liked, I think it could've been interesting. Anywho, if you want a filler drama to watch while you're waiting for something better to air, this drama may be for you.

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It's cute!

This drama is something simple and stress-free to watch, which can be a great thing! I watched this drama for Park Sung-hoon (one of my favorite actors lol). I loved his character and grew to like all of them towards the end.

While I am not a huge fan of love triangles, I would argue that it actually is not a huge part of the plot. I expected her to make her choice in the finale episode, but she chose who she wanted in episode eight. Additionally, in my opinion, it was obvious who she was going to choose.

That being said, I do think the wedding could have been better. The two exchanged rings, which was a sweet moment. But I almost wish we had a time skip to their wedding. I think that would have been a better way to wrap up the show and bring all characters together a final time.

If you want a simple, sweet, and easy plot-wise story, watch this drama! I thought it was great!

Note: discard rewatch value rating (I have not rewatched the show from start to finish yet)

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Seriously Boring ?

i felt the frustration of dating and stress being in Korea society where status, income and family matters more than compatabilty and companionship.

The script and dialogue was boring and often awkward. the overall feeling of the drama seemed meloncolc (not romantic comedy). Was it just the acting by leads Han Ji Mn, Park Sung Hoon and Lee Ki Taek and others or the script?

FL Han Ji Min seems to play angry, sad, arrogant, immature, stiff and uptight roles. This was the same personality type as in Love Scout and Behind Uour Touch. She seems incapable of having chemistry with her costars even in a happy situation she has a fake laugh and forced smile. At 40 + this is not good acting.

ML Park Sung Hoon’s character was also a bit strained but he knew what he wanted. But who goes on a blind date and at the first meeting talks about marriage? unrealistic. furthermore who sits back and waits while the person he likes goes on multiple blind dates and several dstes with another man. Does this ever happen. I’m not one for jealousy but seriously he acted like a door mat. I’m sure this was how the script was written’cliche’ triangle romance. But seriously this was not acceptable.

The second leads were happily ‘in love’ but they split up because 2FL was on a dating spp??? Scenario was opposite to first leads and it felt like conservative moralising, which became a real turnoff.

Meeting the mum was excrutiating !!

The best bit was the end. scenery of Seoul in background was beautiful.

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Boring with a capital “B”

I don’t need chamomile tea to fall asleep, since watching this drama makes me fall asleep. I’ll speed through from episode 8 to see how it ends on last episode., because I can’t stand this Kdrama anymore. The FL is lacking in this. 43 yrs old and acts like a clueless high schooler with the two men she’s dating simultaneously. The ML is stable and has cute ways. The young guy, he’s 12 yrs younger and too hot to be stuck on this 43 yr old — maybe he’s just looking for a “mommy” replacement. The second FL, is so irritating and annoying but I like the second ML. Found him more interesting to watch.

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Boring

That was terrible, and I'm very disappointed, specially with this cast, so you have a super fantastic Actress in the lead role and you give her that character?? Really?? Such a wasted potential.

And I only mentioned the FL cause Han JiMin is so versatile and even her bad dramas are good, but nothing can save this show!!

The thing I hated the most was how the FL behaved with the two MLs, like she was so indecisive and childish, like why do you even go to blind dates? What's the point, you literally don't check them at all!! And you don't even give them a proper No or Yes or anything, instead you just wait for them to do the next step, even with one of the dates when she wanted to cut him off, she literally asked her friend to do that for her, and when that friend didn't deliver that message for whatever reason, she went along with the second date instead of telling him that through a phon call or something, and I know it's not exactly great manners, but if you don't like someone be honest! At least stand by your choices!!

The ML was so direct, right from the beginning, but they made them take a tiny step by step, they even kissed without making anything clear! I mean, I'm not saying once they kisses it's a done deal, they can get caught in a moment or something, but when the SML directly and openly pursues her, she didn't tell him she is considering the ML, nor did she care about his effort, she just went along!! Even after she started a vague relationship with the ML she went to a date with the SML, just why? You started a stable relationship with a guy who adores you, why two timing?

I won't dwell much longer, long story short, the characters are just bad, and the FL was my least favourite if I ever had a favourite ~

Definitely not recommended ~~

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Congratulations, I Hate It Here

There’s absolutely no chemistry between the female lead and the male lead. They’re holding hands, kissing and still nothing. Their conversations feel boring, awkward and completely dull.
Meanwhile, the second lead is so much more interesting. Even his storyline and the way he met the female lead have more depth. The way they look at each other… they haven’t even kissed, yet you can feel everything.
He’s always been there for her when she truly needed someone. The male lead, on the other hand, feels like he just wants a wife and the female lead happens to be a convenient option.
At this point, the writers need to give the second lead some flaws 😭 Make him lie, cheat, be too aggressive, something. Give me a reason to move on. Redeem yourselves!
Because right now my heart hurts, and I just know that years from now I’ll still be thinking, why did she choose the male lead?

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