This review may contain spoilers
Brother Trap Or More Like Akari’s Trap
First of all… who chose this title? Because it’s incredibly misleading. The poster doesn’t help either, it suggests something far more different (and suggestive) than what the drama actually delivers. If anything, this story should’ve been called Akari’s Trap, because most of the chaos comes from her choices.
Plot *
The story follows Akari, who starts developing feelings for Naruse Izumi a younger guy, only to discover that he’s the younger brother of her high school ex-boyfriend Naruse Yamato. Predictably, things get awkward. The older brother is still in love with her, but somehow decides to step aside simply because his younger brother likes her (make it make sense).
The story itself is… okay. Since it’s adapted from a manga, I can see how this kind of pacing and logic might work on the page. But in live action, it’s hard not to constantly question what is going on in the female lead’s head. Akari spends most of the drama assuming things, misunderstanding situations, and jumping to conclusions. Honestly, she comes off a bit… frustrating. If there’s one real theme here, it’s "moving on "no matter how messy, awkward, or emotionally shallow that process might look.
The characters are wildly inconsistent. When the story reveals that the older brother still has feelings for Akari, it feels like the drama might finally gain some emotional weight but that hope disappears quickly when he just… lets her go without much resistance (???). As for Akari, she originally broke up with the older brother due to a misunderstanding, and when that misunderstanding is later cleared up, she reacts with a shrug and a “whatever” attitude. No depth, no reflection, no emotional consequences. (??)
That lack of emotional weight really holds the drama back. Moments that should feel impactful barely land, and everything resolves far too easily.
This drama isn’t terrible compared to some others, but it’s also not particularly memorable. I debated for a long time whether to give it a 6 or a 7, and in the end, I settled on a 7—mostly because it’s watchable even if it never fully commits to emotional depth or consistent character development.
If you’re curious and don’t mind shallow drama logic, it might be worth a casual watch. Just don’t expect the title or the story to mean much more than what you see on the surface.
Plot *
The story follows Akari, who starts developing feelings for Naruse Izumi a younger guy, only to discover that he’s the younger brother of her high school ex-boyfriend Naruse Yamato. Predictably, things get awkward. The older brother is still in love with her, but somehow decides to step aside simply because his younger brother likes her (make it make sense).
The story itself is… okay. Since it’s adapted from a manga, I can see how this kind of pacing and logic might work on the page. But in live action, it’s hard not to constantly question what is going on in the female lead’s head. Akari spends most of the drama assuming things, misunderstanding situations, and jumping to conclusions. Honestly, she comes off a bit… frustrating. If there’s one real theme here, it’s "moving on "no matter how messy, awkward, or emotionally shallow that process might look.
The characters are wildly inconsistent. When the story reveals that the older brother still has feelings for Akari, it feels like the drama might finally gain some emotional weight but that hope disappears quickly when he just… lets her go without much resistance (???). As for Akari, she originally broke up with the older brother due to a misunderstanding, and when that misunderstanding is later cleared up, she reacts with a shrug and a “whatever” attitude. No depth, no reflection, no emotional consequences. (??)
That lack of emotional weight really holds the drama back. Moments that should feel impactful barely land, and everything resolves far too easily.
This drama isn’t terrible compared to some others, but it’s also not particularly memorable. I debated for a long time whether to give it a 6 or a 7, and in the end, I settled on a 7—mostly because it’s watchable even if it never fully commits to emotional depth or consistent character development.
If you’re curious and don’t mind shallow drama logic, it might be worth a casual watch. Just don’t expect the title or the story to mean much more than what you see on the surface.
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