This review may contain spoilers
Something new and different
Love Begins in the World of If follows Kano, a former technician turned salesman who struggles with anxiety. Whenever he becomes overwhelmed, his anemia acts up, forcing him to eat something sweet to stabilize himself. This small but telling detail immediately grounds his character and sets the tone for the story, one rooted in vulnerability and quiet struggle.
Ogami, Kano’s batchmate, initially tries to help him after Kano transfers to a new workplace. However, after a certain incident, Ogami comes to believe that Kano doesn’t want his support. Respecting what he assumes are Kano’s boundaries, Ogami distances himself and lets Kano handle things alone.
One night, everything comes crashing down. Kano is about to lose an important client, so he stays late at the office trying to fix things by himself. That same night, Ogami returns from a work trip and finds Kano still working. Wanting to quietly support him, Ogami gives him a special chocolate he brought back and offers advice that quietly changes everything: “Don’t shoulder everything by yourself, it will only drag you down.”
Later that night, under a full moon, Kano’s condition flares up as he walks home. Thankfully, he still has the chocolate Ogami gave him. He stumbles upon a small shrine tucked away on a quiet street and decides to rest for a moment. What he doesn’t know is that the shrine houses a magical mirror, one that claims, “Those who gaze into this mirror will see the person they wish to become, and one day, they will truly reach that form.” Feeling hopeless and worn down, Kano makes a wish. Unexpectedly, he is transported to another world! An alternate universe where the version of himself he’s always envisioned is finally thriving.
This raises the main question of the drama: Will this world truly give Kano what he’s been longing for, especially when it comes to love?
This drama is a refreshing take on fantasy within the BL genre. At first, I was unsure how the story would unfold, but everything came together surprisingly well!! It felt new and different from most BLs I’ve watched before, it's memorable in a way that lingers after watching it.
I’ll admit, I hesitated during the first two episodes. I assumed it would follow the same tropes, and once Kano was transported to the alternate universe, I thought I could predict where the story was going. To my surprise, none of my predictions came true lmaoo. The plot consistently took turns I didn’t expect, which made the experience far more engaging.
The acting was top notch! which wasn’t surprising given that both leads have appeared in well known projects before. Special mention goes to Kotaro, who played Kano. He portrayed Kano’s self doubt and low self-esteem with incredible nuance. Every emotion felt genuine,, you could truly feel his anxiety, his internal battles, and his quiet desperation, almost as if you were standing in his place.
Ogami’s actor also delivered a strong performance really. He embodied Ogami exactly as Kano perceives him: charismatic, smooth talking, and occasionally distant. What impressed me most was how clearly he differentiated between the two versions of Ogami. In scenes involving the alternate universe,, especially when Ogami appears at the shrine, you can immediately tell whether you’re seeing the real world Ogami or his AU counterpart. That distinction was handled remarkably well. While some flirty scenes felt a bit artificial, and the chemistry occasionally fell short, it didn’t completely undermine their performances.
As for the ending, this is where the drama faltered for me. The final episode felt too rushed and, honestly, a little disappointing. After carefully building tension through jealousy and misunderstandings, I expected more emotional development. Instead, the conflict was resolved almost immediately in episode 6, followed by an intimate scene that felt unearned. (which personally, I skipped, not because it was bad, but because I didn’t feel the emotional connection had fully matured yet, but maybe it's just the hopeless romantic side of me lolll). But timing matters everyonee!!
I appreciated getting Ogami’s point of view in the final episode though, but I wish the drama had been given more room to breathe :( With better pacing during the falling action and resolution, the ending could have been far more satisfying.
Overall, Love Begins in the World of If is a refreshing addition to the BL genre. While it may not be the strongest drama due to its rushed ending, the actors’ performances more than make up for it. Their portrayal of emotionally complex characters elevates the entire experience, making this drama well worth watching.
Ogami, Kano’s batchmate, initially tries to help him after Kano transfers to a new workplace. However, after a certain incident, Ogami comes to believe that Kano doesn’t want his support. Respecting what he assumes are Kano’s boundaries, Ogami distances himself and lets Kano handle things alone.
One night, everything comes crashing down. Kano is about to lose an important client, so he stays late at the office trying to fix things by himself. That same night, Ogami returns from a work trip and finds Kano still working. Wanting to quietly support him, Ogami gives him a special chocolate he brought back and offers advice that quietly changes everything: “Don’t shoulder everything by yourself, it will only drag you down.”
Later that night, under a full moon, Kano’s condition flares up as he walks home. Thankfully, he still has the chocolate Ogami gave him. He stumbles upon a small shrine tucked away on a quiet street and decides to rest for a moment. What he doesn’t know is that the shrine houses a magical mirror, one that claims, “Those who gaze into this mirror will see the person they wish to become, and one day, they will truly reach that form.” Feeling hopeless and worn down, Kano makes a wish. Unexpectedly, he is transported to another world! An alternate universe where the version of himself he’s always envisioned is finally thriving.
This raises the main question of the drama: Will this world truly give Kano what he’s been longing for, especially when it comes to love?
This drama is a refreshing take on fantasy within the BL genre. At first, I was unsure how the story would unfold, but everything came together surprisingly well!! It felt new and different from most BLs I’ve watched before, it's memorable in a way that lingers after watching it.
I’ll admit, I hesitated during the first two episodes. I assumed it would follow the same tropes, and once Kano was transported to the alternate universe, I thought I could predict where the story was going. To my surprise, none of my predictions came true lmaoo. The plot consistently took turns I didn’t expect, which made the experience far more engaging.
The acting was top notch! which wasn’t surprising given that both leads have appeared in well known projects before. Special mention goes to Kotaro, who played Kano. He portrayed Kano’s self doubt and low self-esteem with incredible nuance. Every emotion felt genuine,, you could truly feel his anxiety, his internal battles, and his quiet desperation, almost as if you were standing in his place.
Ogami’s actor also delivered a strong performance really. He embodied Ogami exactly as Kano perceives him: charismatic, smooth talking, and occasionally distant. What impressed me most was how clearly he differentiated between the two versions of Ogami. In scenes involving the alternate universe,, especially when Ogami appears at the shrine, you can immediately tell whether you’re seeing the real world Ogami or his AU counterpart. That distinction was handled remarkably well. While some flirty scenes felt a bit artificial, and the chemistry occasionally fell short, it didn’t completely undermine their performances.
As for the ending, this is where the drama faltered for me. The final episode felt too rushed and, honestly, a little disappointing. After carefully building tension through jealousy and misunderstandings, I expected more emotional development. Instead, the conflict was resolved almost immediately in episode 6, followed by an intimate scene that felt unearned. (which personally, I skipped, not because it was bad, but because I didn’t feel the emotional connection had fully matured yet, but maybe it's just the hopeless romantic side of me lolll). But timing matters everyonee!!
I appreciated getting Ogami’s point of view in the final episode though, but I wish the drama had been given more room to breathe :( With better pacing during the falling action and resolution, the ending could have been far more satisfying.
Overall, Love Begins in the World of If is a refreshing addition to the BL genre. While it may not be the strongest drama due to its rushed ending, the actors’ performances more than make up for it. Their portrayal of emotionally complex characters elevates the entire experience, making this drama well worth watching.
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