This review may contain spoilers
A story about what it means to fall in love
This is what a perfect K-Drama looks like. Delivering on all expectations AND exceeding them, Boyfriend on Demand creates the perfect balance between entertainment and meaning. Somewhere between lavish dates with a chaebol and a seemingly monotonous office life, a story of what it means to fall in love, especially in today's age, blossoms and takes on surprising depth.The best part about this drama is that it is, at its core, a story about love, dating and romance, and it never detracts from this. Every building block, you will come to realise, feels intentionally placed to serve the drama's message. Workplace friendships and office life don't distract but instead embellish; side characters don't overpower but make you want to root for them. The virtual dating reality concept is given full justice, offering the swoon-worthy and immersive scenes as promised --- but that too, is one of the moving pieces in this drama's genius, a part of the bigger question at its core: what does it mean to fall in love?
With each episode, you realise the writer has an impeccable understanding of relationships in the modern age, and especially from a female point of view --- the disillusionment with the current dating scene, how easy it is to get swept away by fictional characters, how hard it is to open your heart in reality.
The drama also doesn't shy away from showing the potential consequences of getting too invested in a VR reality dating simulation like this one, exposing how makers artificially induce reliance on the virtual characters by encroaching insidiously into the main character's life. It's a poignant reminder in today's age, where idol culture and reliance on AI has become worrying.
The drama does not ever go too "over" on a character or a plot point. Questions such as whether it is right to get into a relationship with a fictional character are handled in the most tactful manner, showing you the merits of both arguments. Ji-Soo's relationship with her ex is explored in a heartaching way but it doesn't unneccessarily complicate her future relationship, at least not in the way you would expect. The virtual boyfriends are absolutely swoon-worthy and one comes very close to giving you the equivalent of a second lead syndrome (Eun-Ho I'm looking at you), but it doesn't and you will see why.
I guess the main question for us, K-Drama watchers, is this: when a fictional story can portray love with such realism and depth, what stops us from using it as a substitute for our own love story? If you're able to come up with an answer, I think this drama has succeed in its message.
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