ltspada

A hidden gem - It's a solid romantic comedy with interesting elements

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 South Korean romantic fantasy television drama with 16, 60 minute episodes. Also known as Jinx's lover.

I will first provide a synopsis then review/comments after

Synopsis
Seon Seul-bi (Seohyun) has been shut away from the world along with her mother Lee Mi-soo (Yoon Ji-hye) for her entire 20 years. She lived in such isolation that she knows little of how the outside world works. The Chairman who is keeping Seul-bi and her mother isolated believes he is doing it to protect them and others from their negative energy. The women come from a long line of Shamans who used to advise kings but their history combines fortune and misfortune simultaneously. As such they, and those before them, have been both revered and feared. Mi soo has been no different, the Chairman has utilized her shaministic skills to further his business interests but has kept his distance despite having some romantic involvement. Seon Sam-joong (Jun Kwang-ryul), the chairman, is a redeemable villian and it is apparent there is way more to the story of his relationship with Mi soo and his reasons for locking them away. Gong Soo-kwang / Go Myung-sung (Na In-Woo) meets Seul-bi when she escapes into the city and determines he is her Prince. Something about the vulnerable girl sets off his protective nature. What can all these complex characters learn of and from each other? Is there a place in the world for someone that has such power or is the best for all concerned for the shamans to remain in isolation? What happened in the past and what does the future hold?

Review/comments

I loved Seul-bi as do most of the characters in the series. She has a child like innocence and yet is both highly intelligent and extremely caring and compassionate. In the first part, the parallels to the little mermaid were intentional and unmistakeable. Common objects were fascinating to her because she had never seen nor used them. I had a harder time with Soo-kwang because he was very harsh with Seul-bi. I felt like he would shower her with affection then turn his back on her for things that were out of her control. Some of it was cultural I know, the whole "sins of your father" angle, but I still had a very hard time with his emotionally abusive behavior at one point in the series.

*Spoilers. For the most part this was very enjoyable and I would have rated it much higher but for some aspects that I felt were unfinished or unnecessary. I really dislike the amnesia trope. It was a little more palatable in this one because using her power caused the amnesia. Still it felt like she was starting all over with all the relationships she had which made it feel like the first 14 or 15 episodes were a waste. Her mother died and, because she didn't remember anything, there wasn't a lot of mention of that. She had just developed a relationship with her father but he simply disappeared off the radar. Her relationship with the market people was different because she didn't remember the time they spent together. They alluded that she might be getting her memory back when her child said mom knew where all the characters were which is something from her past, but it wasn't definitive. The concept that the business had been built through the efforts of the female shamans therefor the only way to get rid of the "curse" and allow her to live a normal life was to dissolve that business seemed ike a complete waste. I also felt like, because she lived her first 20 years with no freedom, she should have had all the advantages of the wealth that had been accumlated to live the next portion of her life free and with the benefit of everything that had been gained from the sacrifice. It felt like the Aunt was just being spiteful over her sister's death in wanting the company to dissolve. We joked half way through when we suspected that she was actually the Chairman's daughter, and when her brother was expressing romantic interest, that there would be a Luke and Princess Leia like moment when they said something like "somehow I knew, somehow I always knew" and it was a bit like that. Her brother was like those feelings I had for you must have been because you were my sister. It was a bit amusing because the parallel for Star Wars fans was obvious. It was the only way I would have felt okay with her not choosing 2nd guy. Because he was awesome. Lead guy lost my support when he was blaming her for his mother's death and being so cold to her. I loved her abilities. She was a force to be reconed with but never used it in an evil way. So, I thought, for me a more preferable outcome would have been if all that negative energy nonsense wound up not being true in her case and that she was able to continue to help people. But they had to do away with the magic for some reason so she could be an ordinary person. I didn't hate it but it would have been even better for me if she had been able to retain her amazing abilities.

Overall I highly recommend this. There are a few detractors but the overall story is interesting, unique, and compelling.

#JinxedAtFirst
#seulbi
#NaInWoo
#SeoHyun
#TrueVisions
#Na-Inwoo

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Unique twist on famous and "ordinary" - I thought it was cute

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean romantic comedy with 16, 60 minute episodes

Reporter Lee Geun-young (Choi Soo-young) does not realize just how bad her night can get when she sets out to get a story on a top star. After meeting her boyfriend for what was supposed to be a romantic evening but turns out to be a birds eye view of his cheating romance with a man, a series of events leads her to getting on the bad side of top star, Hoo Joon (Choi Tae-joon). Forgetting how powerful and influential his opinion can be, Hoo Joon gets Geun-young fired. With a lot of time on her hands Geun-young sets out to let everyone know this not so charming side of Hoo Joon and proclaims herself his anti fan. A reality show finds the animosity of the two intriguing and a show is developed around this anti fan marrying the top star and the two living together. During filming both pretend to get along but when they think the cameras are off - the true hilarity begins. Can two people who got off to such a rough start learn the true nature of the other and will this anti-van become a convert?

*spoiler alert. I wondered how this could be depicted in a believable way that they would be in contact enough that they would get married. As I watched it and discovered how and why she became his anti-fan and that they were not really married but that was the premise of the reality show - it made a lot more sense. The romance that developed between the two was perfectly paced and very believable. The "side couples" those romances were not very interesting. The show editor/producers alluded to a connection they had before and that they were reunited in the making of the reality show. So they seemed to "fall into" a romance rather quickly and, since we did not see it develop, I had little interest in their connection. Those relationships could have been left out and would not have been missed. I think she had a talent for acting so it would have been nice to see her product after the reality show ended. I wanted to see her succeed. I enjoyed this start to finish and highly recommend it.

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Very good supernatural drama

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean, comedic Fantasy Paranormal television drama wit 16, 70 minute episodes.

Oh In-beom (Jung Yong-hwa). makes his living by conning people into thinking he is an academic paranormal researcher with the ability to utilize equipment to repel ghosts. He does not realize he has genuine supernatural abilities until he crosses paths with someone who uses her abilities for genuine business. Hong Ji-ah (Jang Na-ra) exorcises ghosts to rid real estate of ghosts in order to increase the value and sell otherwise untouchable properties for their customers. She also has the vengeful spirit of her own mother that is in her home/office which she has been unable to exorcise and hopes that In-beom's enhanced medium abilities will lead to her finally being able to send her mom on to the afterlife. While working current cases, Hong Ji-ah and Oh In-beom work to solve the mystery behind her mother and his uncle's deaths years ago.

Spoiler alert* I really like this as a fan of the supernatural genre. There were a lot of unique aspects of the vengeful spirit, exorcist, and medium that I have not seen in any other series. The medium had to be a virgin so that was an interesting aspect and foreshadowed that there might not be a romance. The Ji-Ah character reminded me of either Wednesday from the Adam's family or perhaps Morticia herself. She also reminded me of Ko Moon-Young from "It's Okay to Not Be Okay". At the same time, the character was uniquely different. She was strong both physically and mentally strong yet had some psychological trauma from an event that happened in her youth. In-beom started as a con man pretending to rid people of ghosts he had created. That is how the two crossed paths. However, once he starts working with Ji-ah he quit conning people and was revealed to be a very empathetic character. The cases themselves were very interesting and, like "6th sense", part of the process was determining what motivated the ghost to be vengeful. The mystery that tied them together was also intriguing and kept me guessing until near the end. As a romantic I really loved the synergy between the male and female lead's characters and was disappointed that they did not wind up together in the end. She also loses her power and goes on a "find me" one year trip to rediscover her power and I just find it unnecessary. Then she comes back and they go right back to what they were doing as if nothing had happened. It leaves it open for another season but, at the same time, I was disappointed not to get to see them together as a couple. But it ended well, with everything wrapped up to the point where it did not feel unfinished. It was very good and I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys the supernatural series.

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Much more depth to the story than I expected

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2020/2021 South Korean television drama with 16, 73 minute episodes.

Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young), feels like she was cursed as the only ugly child among her siblings. As somewhat of a self fulfilling prophecy her vision of herself and lack of confidence has led to bullying at school and less than kind comments even at home. Looking for a solution she stumbles upon internet makeup videos and learns to expertly hide her cosmetic flaws just Asher family moves and she transfers schools. The makeup enhances what is Ju-kyung’s underlying beauty and her new schoolmates think she is beautiful, like a goddess. Her newfound confidence is fragile and she is determined no one at her new school ever see her bare face. A mutual love of heavy metal type music and horror comics leads Ju-kyung and her extraordinarily handsome classmate, Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo), to cross paths when Ju-kyung is not wearing makeup. Ju-kyung is convinced that the difference is dramatic enough Su-ho will not connect the Goddess with the ugly duckling she thinks she is without makeup. It is not long though before Su-oh realizes it is the same girl and Ju-kyung strikes a bargain with Su-oh to keep her secret. Su-ho and his former friend Han Seo-jun (Hwang In-yeop) had a falling out over a tragic incident in their past. At first Seo-jun pays attention to Ju-kyung to bother Su-oh but soon discovers he also likes the beautiful and sweet
Ju-kyung. The boys grow closer as they rival each other for the girl’s attention and begin to learn about and resolve issues from their past. Will Ju-kyung realize her true potential and gain confidence even without makeup?

I absolutely loved this drama, every minute of it. The casting was near perfect as they looked so much like the Manga characters. There was a strong social message about bullying and the detrimental effects on self esteem. I liked how she found solace in the transformative power of make-up. I would have happily had her end up with either 1st or second guy. I loved her sister and her confident p, go for it, tomboy attitude. The way her little brother and her constantly teased, scuffled and irritated each other but, when the chips were down, they were the first to jump to their siblings defense. Su-ho was handsome and popular and seemed to have it all but his mother died at a young age and a misunderstanding had him estranged from his famous father. Su-ho and Seo-jun and Su-ho used to be friends but a tragic event caused a seemingly insurmountable rift to form between the two friends. It also explored the very deep topic of suicide and the lasting impact it has on the loved ones of the person who ended their own life. Love and friendship builds up Ju-kyung to the point she is no longer afraid of the bullies nor her unmade up face. I did not follow the web too but my daughter explained and showed me relevant parts. She said it was a perfect balance of following the Webtoon to capture what made it a success while departing, as needed, to make it work wel, in a shorter format. I highly recommend this wonderful drama!

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Slow in parts but still good

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2016 South Korean action drama with 16, 70 minute episodes.

Oh Yeon-Joo (Han hyo-Joo) is a resident physician with a famous cartoonist as her father. Yeon-Joo's father authors a very popular Korean webtoon titled "W". Many women are half in love with the dashing and charismatic lead in the webtoon, Kang Chul (Lee Jong-suk). Oh Yeon-Joo is not immune to the charm of the webtoon character and when she finds herself pulled into the webtoon world as the savior of Kang Chul, her interest in him grows. Kang Chul was an Olympic shooter whose entire family was shot in cold blood and he was the prime suspect and spent years in prison after being falsely accused of the crime by an overzealous prosecutor with political aspirations. He is eventually acquitted on legal technicalities and goes on to become the rich and powerful CEO of a company. He also fights crime through an organization he established during his quest to find the real killer of his family. The two worlds start to collide as the artist's tablet becomes a portal between the two worlds.

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Male lead is very flat emotionally almost robotic

7/10 is my rating. This 2017 Taiwanese drama spans 16 episodes. It centers around two teachers who are polar opposites in both their approach to teaching as well as life. They do not know it but they are tied by mysterious events from their past which left Wang Qiang Da (Yen Tsao) fatherless and the female lead, Wang Qiang Wei (played by Amanda Chou) an orphan. As their relationship develops and they come together on common ground - the circumstances of their past threaten to tear them apart

Spoiler 🚨 . I really wanted to like this one as it had all the elements I appreciate in Asian dramas - romance, mystery, love triangles, friendships, bromances but I just could not buy that such a vivacious and engaging character as the female lead would fall for a math teacher with about as much personality as some of the robots in the Star Trek series. I get the whole opposites attract thing and he did change both in looks and behavior over the series but she actually fell for him prior to that. It is not unwatchable - definitely had its moments, I just would not rate it very high compared to some of the more outstanding dramas I have watched.

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Great Slice of Life drama

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2017 South Korean television drama with 16, 60 minute, episodes.
Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) is a software application chief developer who is very talented in his field. He is practically emotionless - it would have been easy to convince me he was a robot. Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min) is opposite in almost every way. She is a hard working assistant drama writer who finds herself without a place when her younger brother gets a woman pregnant, marries, and takes over the house they occupied together. Ji-ho spends some time couch surfing until a friend tells her about someone in need of a housemate. Se-hee and Ji-ho do not, at first, realize they are opposite sex - there assumption was those that recommended the co-habit knew their gender and paired accordingly. Having completely different schedules it is some time before they realize and, given the conservative nature of the culture - part ways. Ji-ho finds herself in undesirable housing circumstances and constantly migrates back to the environment where she felt most safe - Se-hee's house. They develop a friendship of sorts and Se-hee approaches Ji-ho with the idea of a tenant/landlord relationship in the form of a two-year contract marriage. Their friends and family believe it to be real and soon the two start to develop real feelings for each other. But something in Se-hee's past keeps him from getting close, to anyone. Will their love find a way before it is too late? Ji-ho has two close female friends who also have their trials with life and love. Their side stories are as entertaining to watch as the main story.

Spoiler 🚨 When I first started watching this is was hard for me to understand why it rated so high on other sites. As the story developed I quickly understood why the story was so entertaining and compelling. As we lean more about each of the very complex characters, their behavior starts to seem much more real and genuine. The deep relationships that develop also make sense over time. I really liked this as a sort of slice of life of those in their 30s and 40s and the struggles that occur when life does not play out the way you envisioned.

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A cute, well acted, well written story

10/10 is my rating. This is a 2018 South Korean tv drama spanning 32, ~30 minute, episodes. It is also known as "Still Seventeen". Gong Woo-jin (Yang Se-jong) is a reclusive 30-year-old man who has closed himself off from others. A tragic event has left him unhappy and emotionally distant. Thirty years before he transformed from a happy teenager who easily smiled to a depressed and withdrawn person who no longer felt he had a right to smile. Woo Seo-ri (Shin Hye-sun) at 17 was a talented musician and a mystery girl whom teen aged Woo-Jin had a crush on. Seo-ri’. Thirteen years later, she wakes up from her coma. Her mental age is still that of a 17-year-old, but she is now 30-years-old. Gong Woo-jin and Woo Seo-ri get involved with each other and fall in love.

Spoiler 🚨 Everything about this was perfect in my book. The plot was believable and interesting. The love story was beyond cute and heart warming. And it ended really well. I would not change a thing. Highly recommend this wonderful feel good romance.

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One of my Top Favorites

My rating is 10/10. This is a 2019 South Korean drama with 16 episodes total over two, 8 Episode seasons. Run time is 45 min to just under one hour. It is also known as Because It Is My First Love.

Tae-O (Ji Soo) is in his 20s when his father allows him to live alone in his childhood home. The condition is no friends can stay especially female. That all changes when varying circumstances bring three friends to his doorstep in need of a place to live. They all know Tae-O has a big heart and lots of spare rooms. Song-Yi (Jung Chae-Yeon) has been Tae-O‘s inseparable friend since childhood. Her pride keeps her from asking at first but when Tae-O finds out she has been homeless for says he will not take no for an answer. Ga-Rin is a Chaebol but has ran away to have a life of her choosing. Hoon (Kang Tae-Oh) is a struggling actor he runs away after one too many beatings from his father. Di-Hyun (Jin Young) is Tae-O‘s friend and the only one who does not live at the house but a chance meeting with Song-YI sparks a mutual romantic interest. When his friends ask to stay Tae-O puts up token resistance then caves like any 20 year old who figures what dad doesn’t know... Thus begins a tangled web of friendship, life happenings, and love that was unexpected.

Spoiler 🚨 If you are looking for a mostly light hearted romantic comedy drama with surprising depth then this is a must watch. I loved Tae-O’s character. He was the ideal friend and boyfriend. Song-yi was beautiful I do not think she had a bad camera angle or color that looked bad. To top it she was sweet to everyone and someone I could see as a friend. The other two roomies were boisterous and fun. Di-hyun was very serious and focused. At first I was all in for the relationship between Sing-yi and Di-Hyun they seemed like a great match. Tae-O started dating about the same time and I did not like his girlfriend for him at all. Cracks started to appear in both relationships and before I knew it I was rooting for a different outcome. It ended very well and I was happy that relationships that had severed were mended and the friendships stayed intact. I would not change a thing and highly recommend it.

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Cute and good but not great

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2011 South Korean romantic comedy also known as “Saving Up for Romance”. Run time is 114 minutes.

Chun Ji-Wong (Song Joong-ki) graduated college and despite going to many job interviews has failed to land a job. His mother has continued to supply him a modest income until a circumstance at her restaurant makes her unable to do so. Jobless and on the verge of being evicted, Ji-Wong meets Gu Hong-sil (Han Ye-Seu) who takes life perhaps a bit too seriously. She saves practically everything she earns unwilling to spend money on even life’s simple pleasures like dating, running heat or having television. She is very good at finding the smallest odd jobs to earn money. Having observed Ji-Wong from the adjacent rooftop apartment, she decides to help him learn the art of earning and saving money. In exchange she wants to deposit some funds in his name since she has reached a cap on her savings. As they each learn aspects of a happy life from the other can two such different people fall in love?

Spoiler 🚨 I liked this movie but did not love it. I wanted to see Ji-Wong find a way to really make it. I wanted Hong-sil to show evidence she had learned that love and enjoyment of life are even more valuable than money. I did not really see that. I was surprised that Joon-ki was the same actor that starred in “Empire of the Sun” because he played such dramatically different roles.

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Unique Story, Cute Romance, Likable characters

9/10 is my rating. This a 2016 South Korean Romantic Comedy television series With 16, 1 hr, episodes.

Shim Bo-nuI had lived a life filled with a series of tragic events. Looking for meaning she turns to a Shaman who tells her she is the epicenter of all the bad luck and gives her advice to take physical measures that make her seem odd to other people. She keeps many people at arms length for fear that her unlucky aura will cause bad things to happen to them. She keeps crossing paths with a cold genius CEO Je Soo-ho (Seol Woo-Byung). It has been years since her sister fell into a coma and doctors are encouraging Bo-nul to discharge her sister and care for her at home which is a likely death sentence. With years of unpaid medical bills and the diminishing possibility that her sister will ever wake up result in an urgency to the situation. Feeling powerless, Bo-nul once again turns to the Shaman for advice and he tells her she must sleep with a man from the year of the tiger to change her sister’s fate. It just so happens that the socially awkward and cold genius she keeps running into is year of the tiger. At the same time, Choi Geon-wook/Gary Choi (Lee Soo-Hyuk), Bo-nul’s childhood friend, returns to South Korea, after making it big as an international tennis star. He still has feelings for Bo-nul who was secretly his first love.

Spoiler 🚨 I really liked all the characters and the romance progressed in a way that was believable. It was even relatable how she became convinced she was unlucky and why she might try to feel in control by doing things the Shaman said would change an outcome. It felt a little frustrating at times when those around her point out how illogical some of her conclusions were she would stubbornly stick with her beliefs even when the outcome of events was overall positive. It came to a point where clinging to superstition was a way to shield herself from tragedy. It felt a bit cowardly at times and I found myself going from understanding to irritation because she hurt others by withdrawing lest her bad luck rub off on them. It was enjoyable overall well worth the watch.

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Sorry when it ended

10/10 is my rating. This South Korean tv drama aired in 2017 and spanned 16 episodes (45 minutes/episode).

Life and love happen to long time friends Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-joon) and Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won). Dong-man is a formerly famous martial arts fighter who fell from fame Choi Ae-ra works in a department store but dreams of much bigger things.

Spoiler 🚨 The descriptions and ratings do not do this show justice. It is one of my favorites and I will definitely be watching it again and recommending it to everyone who will listen. I can't think of anything that I would change. It reminded me a bit of "Rocky Balboa" but just a bit. It was it's own special and very unique story. If you are an Asian Drama Fan and like great story lines, sizzling chemistry, friendship and character growth - you don't want to miss this one. These two actors now top my list and I will be looking for other things they are in.

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Surprisingly good

Also known under the title you are my pet. This is a 2017 Japanese television series. It has alternate titles “Tramps Like Us”, and “Kimi Wa Petto”. This romantic comedy has 16, 45 minute episodes. It was a remake based on a popular Manga entitled “Kimi wa Pet” by Yayaoi Ogawa (2000-2005).

Although a beautiful and successful career woman, Sumire Iwaya (Noriko Iriyama) hides a painfully shy, socially uncertain and self-effacing nature from all but her close friends. Having both attended Tokyo University and Harvard she is considered elite in terms of a marriage prospect. Expecting a proposal from her current boyfriend, he instead breaks off the relationship after telling her he cheated and has fathered a child. Iwaya is devastated and gets inebriated to drown her sorrows. After staggering back home, she opens a cardboard box to discover an attractive young man who is hiding from the jealous partner of a current romantic interests. He looks up from the box at Iwaya and his wide eyed look reminds her of her beloved pet Momo. The next day she wakes up to find this young stranger, Takeshi Goda (Jun Shison) in her bed. When she tries to kick him out and he says he has no place to go. So Iriyama issues a challenge and says he can stay but only if he will act as a pet. Surprisingly, he agrees. Iriyama finds comfort in her new pet, Momo and can talk through her many concerns and worries with him. Things get complicated when Iwaya’s long time love, Shigehito Hasumi (Seiiche Tanabe) returns from oversees. She must hide her unusual pet from friends and family. Who will she choose? The young man seems to understand her like no other but her lost love is back and just as handsome and charming as ever.

Spoiler 🚨 I was a bit surprised how well I liked this. I have known people just like Iwaya who are beautiful and people assume their lives must be perfect. Really attractive people must develop a tough shell as people have very high expectations and are often less forgiving of mistakes and flaws in persons they deem that lucky. Her vulnerability is what made the situation more plausible. Momo is also understandable as he is in desperate need of a place and also is drawn to Iwaya’s kindness and vulnerability. Momo constantly builds Iwaya up and helps her to overcome her fears. Takeshi loves Iwaya but is willing to help her relationship with Hasumi if it means she will be happy. There was a female rival after Hasumi, Shiori Fukushima (Wakana Sakai), and evening if Iwaya and Hasumi did not wind up together I did not want to see him with Shiori because she went about it in a very catty way. But it became clear that love often has its own ideas. It ended perfectly all the way around. Noriko Iriyama is genuinely beautiful so it was easy to see why so many men would be interested despite her somewhat awkward nature. It is a fun, feel good watch.

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Loved it the whole way through

This is a 2012 South Korean Historical Medical Fantasy Romance television drama with 24, 1 hr episodes. It is also known under the title “Faith.”

When the queen is mortally injured General Choi Young (Lee Min-ho) is sent through Heaven’s door to the land of the Gods to find a doctor to heal her. First doctor he encounters is a plastic surgeon, Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun) but there is no such distinction 700 years in the past so he abducts her to take her back to save the queen, Queen Noguk (Park Se-young). Seeing her skill and the medical tools she brought with her, the people believe she was trained by no other than the legendary Chinese surgeon Doctor Hwata. Soon all those currently battling for rights to the throne believe that having her as their royal doctor will tip the scales in their favor. As love grows between the doctor and the captain of the royal guard, he must battle not only for the young king he has come to respect but also for the woman doctor he has grown to love. He also must keep a promise to her, on his honor, to return her to her world.

I was afraid this would be just another historical drama. Should have known better with Lee Min-Ho involved it has both fantasy and sci-fi time travel mixed in. His role is so dynamic. Not only is he a intelligent military strategist and strong warrior but his ethics and moral code are truly impressive. It is the first time I have seen this female lead and I just loved the role she played. She was smart and forceful yet completely feminine. Very pretty both in her behavior and appearance. I thought Lee Min-Ho was a great couple with Park Shin-Hye and he was but I thought these two were even more perfect together. Looked up to see if they dated and seems she was married. That is how great their chemistry was. There was good and evil a bit of a mystery and lots of suspense. Lee Min-Ho shines in action scenes. He puts so much emotion into his acting I suspect he is an empath and probably deeply feels his roles I would imagine he is exhausted when he finishes a drama. I greatly admire his talent and knowing he is in something greatly influences whether or not I watch it. spoiler alert** I was a bit worried at the ending as it seemed they might not wind up together. Things ended well I just wish there had been a bit more screen time when things wrapped up happy. Still very good and a must see if you like the genre or either of these very talented actors.

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Explosively Blows Up a lot of Kdrama Canon (not in a good way)

My rating: 6.5/10

Dynamite Kiss starts off with a bang—literally, thanks to that explosive first kiss between Go Da-rim and Gong Ji-hyeok on Jeju Island. The opening episodes are full of charm, sharp chemistry between the leads who bring real spark, funny banter, and that classic rom-com energy that hooks you right away. The setup feels fresh and fun, with the fake-relationship trope flipped into something workplace-adjacent after Da-rim's desperate job lie lands her in Ji-hyeok's team at the baby products company. I would've easily given the first two episodes a 9/10—they had me convinced this was going to be a standout lighthearted K-romance.

But unfortunately, the show loses steam after that strong start. It shifts away from the breezy, feel-good momentum and piles on contrived misunderstandings, rushed developments, and choices that feel out of step with typical K-drama portrayals of relationships and social norms. The pacing drags in the middle, and while there are still sweet and funny moments (the leads' chemistry carries a lot), the later episodes feel increasingly unbelievable and frustrating. It's watchable and has highlights, but it falls apart enough that I wouldn't rewatch it personally. If recommending it to someone, I'd do so with major caveats—mainly that the early episodes shine, but expect some eye-rolling logic gaps and tonal shifts later on. (And yes, spoilers would be needed to explain why it doesn't fully deliver.)

One point that stands out even more on reflection is how the fake-marriage element was handled. The job was specifically for the "Mother TF Team" at the baby products company (Natural BeBe), targeting working mothers. Another team member was a genuine single mom who got hired around the same time, so yes—Da-rim could have plausibly applied as a single mother without needing to invent a husband. Pretending to be a single mom would've kept the lie smaller and more believable (single parenthood is tough but not unheard of), and it would've avoided layering on the extra moral weight of faking an entire marriage.

By making her pretend to be married, the show amps up the stakes unnecessarily—Ji-hyeok's internal conflict becomes about pursuing a "married woman," which feels heavier and more taboo in K-drama terms. A single-mom pretense would've let his attraction develop with less guilt (he's not breaking up a marriage, just navigating her having a child), potentially making the romance feel less fraught and more organic. Instead, it piles on extra angst and misunderstanding that drags things down later. This choice contributes to why the show shifts from charming rom-com to frustrating for many viewers, including me.

Spoilers

As a long-time viewer of Asian dramas (over 400 under my belt), I have a solid sense of the moral frameworks and social norms that K-dramas usually uphold—even if they're dramatized and not always 100% reflective of real Korean culture. This show really deviates from those in ways that made it hard to stay invested.

The core issue starts with Go Da-rim's initial lie: she pretends to be a married mother (with her childhood friend Seon-u, the single dad photographer, posing as her husband) to get the job reserved for moms. I get the desperation—financial pressures from her mom's health and other issues—but it's tough to fully root for her when she's portrayed as someone who's struggled with jobs due to skill or consistency issues, not just bad luck. Then suddenly, she's excelling at marketing, advertising, and sales in the workplace? It doesn't quite add up why such talent went unnoticed before.

The Jeju Island fling is another sticking point. That "dynamite kiss" is intentional and passionate, and they nearly sleep together—without extreme intoxication or buildup that usually excuses bolder moves in K-dramas. Da-rim is surprisingly casual about it, which feels off for the typical morality portrayed (first kisses are often accidental or tentative in these stories). Then she bolts the next morning without explanation after her mom's emergency, leaving Ji-hyeok confused and hurt. Later, she's baffled when he's distant? In K-drama logic, that level of intimacy (especially the almost-sex) would basically mean they're dating now—she owed him at least some communication about why she vanished. An apology even. I mean that level of intimacy is considered a big deal.

Ji-hyeok's side has inconsistencies too. He's supposedly engaged (or headed toward marriage) to another woman, but it barely factors in. His pursuit of Da-rim focuses almost entirely on her being "married," with little internal conflict about his own commitment. In most K-dramas, cheating or pursuing someone attached is a massive moral red flag—yet here he shrugs off his own engagement. No big societal fallout or media scandal for someone of his chaebol status, which doesn't align with how engagements of that caliber are usually handled (public, high-profile, scandal-prone).

Then there's Seon-u, Da-rim's longtime friend with implied unrequited feelings (longing looks, subtle comments). We expect a second-lead angst triangle, but he barely makes romantic moves. Instead, he spills her big secret (that the marriage is fake) to Ji-hyeok's fiancée, whom he's just met—supposedly to clear things up for her attraction to him. Violating a 20-year friendship like that for someone new? It feels wildly out of character and unnecessary.

The fiancée's quick pivot to pursuing Seon-u (a single dad) is another norm-breaker. She becomes interested in him and finds out pretty quickly he's a single dad. She pauses briefly when she thinks he's married, but as soon as she knows he's not, she's right back in romantic pursuit. This doesn't make sense because she should be considering her own engagement—yet that never seems to factor in. In K-drama canon, single parenthood carries heavy stigma—characters usually wrestle with biases before accepting it and the older generations still look down on it a lot. Here, she doesn't even miss a step or hesitate; she doesn't bat an eye once she learns he's not actually married, pursuing him aggressively without any apparent concern for the social implications of dating a single parent. That level of instant acceptance feels too dramatic a shift from traditional portrayals. And, just a few scenes before, she was trying to get Ji-hyeok to kiss her to test the chemistry. Her behavior toward him implied she was, and had been, interested in a romantic relationship with him. Her past behavior would lead one to think she should be thrilled about the engagement. But not so much. She sees Seon-u, and it is suddenly like never mind.

Adding to the things that just didn't add up: Ji-hyeok's sister wants him to fail because she obviously wants the company and doesn't want her brother to get attention. But some of the things she does wouldn't have been about the company's success—she could've made him fail in ways that wouldn't have damaged the company's reputation. For her to sabotage him in ways that did harm the company doesn't make any sense, as it undercuts her own potential future gains.

Everyone in the show comes across as practically shallow, just like the little kid (Seon-u's son). He likes Ji-hyeok's fiancée because she's pretty—not because she's nice or anything else—but simply because she's pretty, and he wants her to be his dad's girlfriend only based on that. Even though he's supposedly had some relationship with Da-rim where he was almost treating her like a mom at one point, he so quickly forgets that because of this pretty new possibility. Him so quickly deciding that the fiancée should be his dad's girlfriend because she was pretty... I mean, it matches a little kid vibe in a way where everybody’s looking for the "pretty mom" or whatever, but he had an emotional connection with the main character. A motherless child is going to be more interested in a motherly figure than a pretty face.

It is just a series of events that break K-drama canon. Characters that are shallow and annoying lies. I dropped it after completing episode six because I read other reviews and knew it wasn't going to come together well, somehow all be excusable and make sense, and end harmoniously.

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