3
8
1
A Good Storyline With a Somewhat Dull Romance Line
Let me start by saying that I genuinely enjoyed the overall concept of this drama. It tackles burnout from work, how even small, everyday situations can spiral into overthinking, and highlights the importance of communication and mental health. Those themes felt realand relatable, which is something I really appreciated.
PROS
1. Unique Storyline - If you’re in the mood for something that isn’t cutesy and instead leans into more realistic, adult issues, this drama is worth checking out. It doesn’t shy away from showing emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and the messiness of navigating life when you’re already worn down. That alone makes this stand out.
2. Acting - While I wouldn’t say the acting across the board was perfect, credit definitely needs to be given where it’s due. Kano’s actor did a very strong job portraying grief, anxiety, stress, and relief. His performance was very good, and it made it easy to empathize with his character and understand where he was coming from at every stage.
CONS
1. Romance and Intimacy - Sigh… I really thought we were past the era of dead-fish kisses and painfully awkward NC scenes in JBLs, but unfortunately, this drama proved otherwise. Even during their supposed intimate scene, it felt like someone physically pushed their lips together and called it a kiss. Ogami’s actor clearly tried to sell the chemistry and intimacy, but the issue is that scenes like this require both actors to be equally engaged. Kano’s actor was stiff and uncomfortable the entire time. It was obvious there were no proper workshops or rehearsals to help improve this, and as a result, the scene came off less like mutual affection and more like Kano was being coerced into it. It had no chemistry whatsoever. That completely killed the romantic impact any of the previous scenes had. Honestly, I would've just preferred seeing a forehead kiss. That could've still kept up the romantic vibe for me.
2. Lack of Character Depth for One of the Main Leads - Kano, as a character, had fantastic depth. I understood who he was, what motivated him, and why he reacted the way he did. His journey was clear and well-developed. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Ogami. We barely got anything about him aside from a small POV toward the end. Because of that, I honestly don’t understand why he likes Kano in the first place. The lack of development made his feelings feel a bit unconvincing.
OVERALL - Love Begins in the Word of If is excellent as a character-driven drama that explores mental health and emotional burnout, but it fails when it comes to romance. The strong themes of the drama carry the show. However, the weak chemistry and lack of character depth for one of the MLs . I still really enjoyed this for the main theme of the drama. If you're expecting something super romantic, then this is not for you. However, if you're interested in watching something that's focused more on the character growth with a side of BL, then I would highly recommend giving this drama a go.
PROS
1. Unique Storyline - If you’re in the mood for something that isn’t cutesy and instead leans into more realistic, adult issues, this drama is worth checking out. It doesn’t shy away from showing emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and the messiness of navigating life when you’re already worn down. That alone makes this stand out.
2. Acting - While I wouldn’t say the acting across the board was perfect, credit definitely needs to be given where it’s due. Kano’s actor did a very strong job portraying grief, anxiety, stress, and relief. His performance was very good, and it made it easy to empathize with his character and understand where he was coming from at every stage.
CONS
1. Romance and Intimacy - Sigh… I really thought we were past the era of dead-fish kisses and painfully awkward NC scenes in JBLs, but unfortunately, this drama proved otherwise. Even during their supposed intimate scene, it felt like someone physically pushed their lips together and called it a kiss. Ogami’s actor clearly tried to sell the chemistry and intimacy, but the issue is that scenes like this require both actors to be equally engaged. Kano’s actor was stiff and uncomfortable the entire time. It was obvious there were no proper workshops or rehearsals to help improve this, and as a result, the scene came off less like mutual affection and more like Kano was being coerced into it. It had no chemistry whatsoever. That completely killed the romantic impact any of the previous scenes had. Honestly, I would've just preferred seeing a forehead kiss. That could've still kept up the romantic vibe for me.
2. Lack of Character Depth for One of the Main Leads - Kano, as a character, had fantastic depth. I understood who he was, what motivated him, and why he reacted the way he did. His journey was clear and well-developed. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Ogami. We barely got anything about him aside from a small POV toward the end. Because of that, I honestly don’t understand why he likes Kano in the first place. The lack of development made his feelings feel a bit unconvincing.
OVERALL - Love Begins in the Word of If is excellent as a character-driven drama that explores mental health and emotional burnout, but it fails when it comes to romance. The strong themes of the drama carry the show. However, the weak chemistry and lack of character depth for one of the MLs . I still really enjoyed this for the main theme of the drama. If you're expecting something super romantic, then this is not for you. However, if you're interested in watching something that's focused more on the character growth with a side of BL, then I would highly recommend giving this drama a go.
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