I see the appeal, but it wasn’t fully for me.
A Love So Beautiful is one of those dramas you hear about very early if you’re entering C-dramas. It’s popular, it’s loved by many, and at this point it’s basically a classic high school romance. You don’t even have to like it to admit its status.
For me, though? It was more of an okay-ish watch than a favorite.
Let’s start with the main dynamic. The male lead spends a huge part of the show acting cold, distant, and emotionally unavailable, while the female lead is relentlessly, almost aggressively, in love with him. At first, I didn’t mind it — it felt like the usual setup. But as episodes passed, I started getting serious secondhand embarrassment from how hard she kept chasing someone who shut her down again and again.
And I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the trope where the guy’s feelings only show up through jealousy after treating the girl poorly for half the drama. I know it’s meant to be romantic, but sometimes it just made me frustrated.
The time skip is another thing I’m conflicted about. Was it necessary? Probably not. But weirdly… I liked the characters more after it happened. They felt more mature, more aware, and the reunion had a sweetness that the high school portion sometimes lacked.
Now, positives — because there are some.
The drama absolutely maintains its vibe. It has that nostalgic, youthful, slice-of-life feeling that makes it comforting even when you’re annoyed. And I really loved the second lead and a part of me genuinely wished she would end up with him — he deserved better. I liked the second couple. Their storyline felt fresher, cuter, and even more engaging than the main romance.
I also have to admit, whenever the main leads were actually good together, they were really nice to watch. Those moments reminded me why people love this drama so much.
In the end, I understand why A Love So Beautiful is considered iconic. It captures young love in a way that sticks with people. It just didn’t always work for me personally. Still, I enjoyed parts of it, and the later versions of the characters — especially after the time skip — made the journey feel worth it.
For me, though? It was more of an okay-ish watch than a favorite.
Let’s start with the main dynamic. The male lead spends a huge part of the show acting cold, distant, and emotionally unavailable, while the female lead is relentlessly, almost aggressively, in love with him. At first, I didn’t mind it — it felt like the usual setup. But as episodes passed, I started getting serious secondhand embarrassment from how hard she kept chasing someone who shut her down again and again.
And I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the trope where the guy’s feelings only show up through jealousy after treating the girl poorly for half the drama. I know it’s meant to be romantic, but sometimes it just made me frustrated.
The time skip is another thing I’m conflicted about. Was it necessary? Probably not. But weirdly… I liked the characters more after it happened. They felt more mature, more aware, and the reunion had a sweetness that the high school portion sometimes lacked.
Now, positives — because there are some.
The drama absolutely maintains its vibe. It has that nostalgic, youthful, slice-of-life feeling that makes it comforting even when you’re annoyed. And I really loved the second lead and a part of me genuinely wished she would end up with him — he deserved better. I liked the second couple. Their storyline felt fresher, cuter, and even more engaging than the main romance.
I also have to admit, whenever the main leads were actually good together, they were really nice to watch. Those moments reminded me why people love this drama so much.
In the end, I understand why A Love So Beautiful is considered iconic. It captures young love in a way that sticks with people. It just didn’t always work for me personally. Still, I enjoyed parts of it, and the later versions of the characters — especially after the time skip — made the journey feel worth it.
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