This review may contain spoilers
Translated Well, Written Thin
“Can This Love Be Translated?” is a mixed bag for me. Some things worked, some things left me with question marks about the intent behind them. I kept oscillating between ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ) and ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;) ??
Overall though, I had a good time.
Story
It’s not a deep story. A struggling actress (FL) meets a polyglot (ML) abroad, gets smitten, and they part ways. An accident boosts her popularity, she signs up for a travel diary show with a foreign rising star (SML), lo and behold - the ML is hired as their translator. He is emotionally closed off, she is very openly interested, and after a lot of push and pull (plus some unnecessary secrets), they end up together.
Is there much substance? No.
Is it particularly engaging on its own? Heck, no.
Characters
Cha Mu-hee and Joo Ho-jin carry the drama. She’s insecure and prone to self-flagellation; he’s hyper-rational to the point of rudeness. She is smitten with him; he is not interested at all. This reversed dynamic is refreshing and a welcome change from the usual ML-chasing-FL trope. Both make assumptions, stick to them, and unintentionally fuel the conflict. Their flaws actually work for the story.
Hiro, unfortunately, is pure wasted potential. What could have been a genuinely compelling character is reduced to a forced love triangle that doesn’t even form a proper triangle. The third line barely exists. Everyone else, also unfortunately, feels undercooked. The secondary romance adds nothing, The emotional weight rests almost entirely on the leads, and the drama wobbles because of it.
Strengths
The biggest strength is the lack of tropiness. Refreshing, honestly. The cinematography and production are lovely, and the dialogue lands well even in translation.
Performances are solid. Go Youn-jung shines as Mu-hee, making her relentless pursuit endearing rather than creepy. Kim Seon-han’s Ho-jin is sharp and practical, and their contrasting personalities create charming chemistry (though Mu-hee carries most of it).
Weaknesses
Unnecessary plot points. Since there isn’t much story to begin with, the drama pads itself with twists and secrets to stretch across 12 episodes. The final twist is especially underwhelming. Ho-jin’s mother’s track isn’t irritating, but it begs the question: what does it actually achieve? And Ho-jin and Ji-seon’s confrontation toward the end…what was the point, other than ticking a romance drama checklist box? Eh.
Also, certain repetitiveness. It’s like they all have short term memory losses. The push and pull between the OTP as well as with Hiro, is the same rinse and repeat over and over again.
Overall
This drama wants to be thoughtful but settles for pleasant. It’s uneven, padded, and carried almost entirely by its leads. But as a laid back, low stakes watch for a lazy Sunday afternoon, it does the job.
Overall though, I had a good time.
Story
It’s not a deep story. A struggling actress (FL) meets a polyglot (ML) abroad, gets smitten, and they part ways. An accident boosts her popularity, she signs up for a travel diary show with a foreign rising star (SML), lo and behold - the ML is hired as their translator. He is emotionally closed off, she is very openly interested, and after a lot of push and pull (plus some unnecessary secrets), they end up together.
Is there much substance? No.
Is it particularly engaging on its own? Heck, no.
Characters
Cha Mu-hee and Joo Ho-jin carry the drama. She’s insecure and prone to self-flagellation; he’s hyper-rational to the point of rudeness. She is smitten with him; he is not interested at all. This reversed dynamic is refreshing and a welcome change from the usual ML-chasing-FL trope. Both make assumptions, stick to them, and unintentionally fuel the conflict. Their flaws actually work for the story.
Hiro, unfortunately, is pure wasted potential. What could have been a genuinely compelling character is reduced to a forced love triangle that doesn’t even form a proper triangle. The third line barely exists. Everyone else, also unfortunately, feels undercooked. The secondary romance adds nothing, The emotional weight rests almost entirely on the leads, and the drama wobbles because of it.
Strengths
The biggest strength is the lack of tropiness. Refreshing, honestly. The cinematography and production are lovely, and the dialogue lands well even in translation.
Performances are solid. Go Youn-jung shines as Mu-hee, making her relentless pursuit endearing rather than creepy. Kim Seon-han’s Ho-jin is sharp and practical, and their contrasting personalities create charming chemistry (though Mu-hee carries most of it).
Weaknesses
Unnecessary plot points. Since there isn’t much story to begin with, the drama pads itself with twists and secrets to stretch across 12 episodes. The final twist is especially underwhelming. Ho-jin’s mother’s track isn’t irritating, but it begs the question: what does it actually achieve? And Ho-jin and Ji-seon’s confrontation toward the end…what was the point, other than ticking a romance drama checklist box? Eh.
Also, certain repetitiveness. It’s like they all have short term memory losses. The push and pull between the OTP as well as with Hiro, is the same rinse and repeat over and over again.
Overall
This drama wants to be thoughtful but settles for pleasant. It’s uneven, padded, and carried almost entirely by its leads. But as a laid back, low stakes watch for a lazy Sunday afternoon, it does the job.
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