strawberryeuphoria

When I watched the first episode of "Romantic Anonymous," I knew I was in trouble. Just looking at the 8 episodes, I knew it wouldn't be enough, and the nervousness carried me through the whole time I was watching it. Indeed, 8 episodes were not enough for such a great drama.

**Plot**
This captivating story follows Hana, a talented chocolatier dealing with social anxiety, making it incredibly challenging for her to even make eye contact. She works as an anonymous chocolatier for the renowned "Le Sauveur". However, everything changes when the shop’s original creator and her mentor pass away unexpectedly. The business is taken over by a large corporation, and Sosuke is thrust into the role of head of "Le Sauveur". The staff is initially resistant to his arrival, seeing him as a threat to their beloved shop. Yet, unbeknownst to them, Sosuke is also battling his own social anxiety, struggling with germophobia. By a twist of fate, Hana and Sosuke discover they find comfort only in each other's presence.

*May contain spoilers*

I've been thoroughly enjoying the recent wave of Japanese-Korean dramas; they are refreshingly unique and deeply engaging. A huge shoutout goes to Han Hyo Joo! I barely recognised her and was thrilled to discover she’s the same actress I admired in "Happiness." Her portrayal of a Korean girl navigating life in Japan was outstanding, and I was genuinely impressed by her fluency in Japanese. It felt like she truly embodied Japanese culture and manners.

The male lead, played by Shun Oguri, is known for roles in Gokusen and Gintama. What can I say except He's like fine wine, ageing beautifully! Pure eye candy! Dashing and magnetic!!
Trust me, when you see him in this drama, you'll understand what I mean! He is so MANLY! he embodies masculinity in a way that's truly irresistible. I didn't expect to be swept away by his charm, but wow, he is exceptionally handsome. And let’s not overlook Jin Ashina, who is pure "HOT STUFF " in every scene, and was simply captivating. He's a feast for the eyes!


In terms of acting, I can't point out any flaws; these are seasoned actors and actresses who have been doing this work for over 30 years. It's really nice to see them come together in this drama. Props to whoever made the casting decisions because I could never imagine anyone else playing these characters.

The cinematography was probably the first thing I noticed when I started watching this drama, even before I realised it was a mixed Japanese-Korean production. As usual, I never read anything about dramas or movies I watch because I like to keep myself a little surprised. While the settings are distinctly Japanese, the colour palette leans heavily toward the Korean aesthetic, offering a unique visual experience. I don’t know if others would notice the same thing, but it felt unique to me. Maybe it's because I've seen so many Korean dramas that I can recognise the subtle changes in photography and cinematography.

Another interesting aspect is that throughout the drama, we get both his POv and her POv in terms of scene framing. For example, we would see what he sees with his eyes on the screen and at the same time, what she sees with the subtle changes. It's very subtle, but it made the whole drama more purposeful. I think this really did justice to the characters, as both of them suffered from social anxiety, so their perception of the situation was different. It was beautiful to see how each one of them experienced moments through their own eyes. You don’t see that very often in dramas or movies; we usually get a general panoramic view, but in this drama, that attention to detail was quite artistic. It felt like decoding a painting.

I also appreciated how the male characters in this drama were men who respected women and accepted them for who they were, and they were willing to listen to them and not just impose only their needs. Often in dramas, we see long close-ups of the female lead's lips or eyes, showing the male lead's desire toward them, which gets glamorised and romanticised. But in this drama, you can actively see how these two male leads are respectful and attentive to details, but they don't overstep and project their desires. Therefore not looking at them with lustful eyes but the eye of someone who is in love.
Take Hiro, for example. He often finds himself abandoned by Irene due to her fear of love. Yet, he remains patient and tries to understand her. Even when she pushes him away, he notices that her refusal stems from a place of love and fear, not indifference. He could have walked away or imposed his needs on her, but instead, he accepted her feelings and tried to create a safe space for her.
The attention to detail from these male leads was truly refreshing. Sometimes, they caught nuances that even the viewer might overlook. Like when Sosuke takes Hana to see the scene from her phone wallpaper, something that I didn’t even register while watching, yet he picked up on it. This kind of attention to detail is genuinely romantic because it feels natural rather than made up just for a drama. It highlights the importance of recognizing those little things about a person when you really see them. If you know what I mean, it's about truly understanding someone on a deeper level.

And let’s not forget about the soundtrack! The OST is nothing short of mesmerizing. It's been a long time since I heard a soundtrack this captivating, and I can’t seem to shake the song “Confession” from my head. I never thought I would be motivated to rewatch a drama so soon after finishing it, but here I am, longing for more of this enchanting romance.