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Thrilling and Kept me Thinking! A good mix of Romance and Mystery
“Koi wa Yami” aka “Love is Darkness” is quite a thrilling crime mystery drama for me. This is not usually my go-to genre as I am more of a romance person, but I was captivated and engaged throughout these 10 episodes. I can only write and review based on my very novice perspectives.
I find “Love is Darkness” did a really good job incorporating romance into the serial killer murder mystery. I had a minor issue about the start of the romance. In true J-drama fashion, the romance happened really quickly and the FL fell hard. I was hoping for a more mature push-and-pull kind of romance with a little angst.
But as the story goes, I see that maturity in how they handle the mystery. The couple’s relationship ties into the slow reveal of the serial killer. Is it the male lead? All evidence and suspicions seem to point to him? But he IS the male lead, it can’t be him right? For most of the drama, I went back-and-forth as new evidence surfaced. I was not expecting the plot twist and what FL discovered when she finally visited ML’s apartment. I was quite surprised. But afterwards, I started to be able to guess how the story might go. There are still twists and turns all the way until the last episode, but I was not as confused! This drama also doesn’t shy away from showing graphic violence, blood and gore. Watch out!
This drama also dives into how news reporters chase after this serial killer story. It was interesting to see each reporter’s approach and style, but there are also things that I shook my head and wondered what the heck FL was doing. When did a news reporter become a police investigator? Where is that sense of danger when you know a serial killer is appearing soon? There are minor plot holes but it didn’t distract me from enjoying the drama.
The acting of the cast is pretty good. Shison Jun is so handsome that my heart melts when he smiles adorably and charismatically. However, if I am being strict about his acting, I’ve seen more experienced actors who can pivot from a smiley face to ‘that’ look in a more dramatic way. He’s still really good. But I think Kishii Yukino is fabulous. I might not like how she becomes a little lovesick girl (that’s the writing not the acting’s fault) in the early episode, but she has quite a wide range in showing different emotions. Her acting is distinct enough to show when she’s with her boyfriend, when she’s being a news reporter and when she’s going through a really hard time. 2ML and 2FL also did a good job. They are lovely characters that you really want to root for their happiness. Most of the characters are lovely, a few more eccentric than others. None annoys the heck out of me.
Overall, I had a good time watching “Love is Darkness” and would recommend this to romance lovers who don’t like pure crime thrillers. There is a good mix of romance, crime investigation, mystery, family and good friendships in just 10 episodes. If you are an experienced watcher of this genre, you might be pickier and rate this lower than me. I am happy to give this a solid 8.5 for my personal enjoyment.
Completed: 6/25/2025 - Review #595
I find “Love is Darkness” did a really good job incorporating romance into the serial killer murder mystery. I had a minor issue about the start of the romance. In true J-drama fashion, the romance happened really quickly and the FL fell hard. I was hoping for a more mature push-and-pull kind of romance with a little angst.
But as the story goes, I see that maturity in how they handle the mystery. The couple’s relationship ties into the slow reveal of the serial killer. Is it the male lead? All evidence and suspicions seem to point to him? But he IS the male lead, it can’t be him right? For most of the drama, I went back-and-forth as new evidence surfaced. I was not expecting the plot twist and what FL discovered when she finally visited ML’s apartment. I was quite surprised. But afterwards, I started to be able to guess how the story might go. There are still twists and turns all the way until the last episode, but I was not as confused! This drama also doesn’t shy away from showing graphic violence, blood and gore. Watch out!
This drama also dives into how news reporters chase after this serial killer story. It was interesting to see each reporter’s approach and style, but there are also things that I shook my head and wondered what the heck FL was doing. When did a news reporter become a police investigator? Where is that sense of danger when you know a serial killer is appearing soon? There are minor plot holes but it didn’t distract me from enjoying the drama.
The acting of the cast is pretty good. Shison Jun is so handsome that my heart melts when he smiles adorably and charismatically. However, if I am being strict about his acting, I’ve seen more experienced actors who can pivot from a smiley face to ‘that’ look in a more dramatic way. He’s still really good. But I think Kishii Yukino is fabulous. I might not like how she becomes a little lovesick girl (that’s the writing not the acting’s fault) in the early episode, but she has quite a wide range in showing different emotions. Her acting is distinct enough to show when she’s with her boyfriend, when she’s being a news reporter and when she’s going through a really hard time. 2ML and 2FL also did a good job. They are lovely characters that you really want to root for their happiness. Most of the characters are lovely, a few more eccentric than others. None annoys the heck out of me.
Overall, I had a good time watching “Love is Darkness” and would recommend this to romance lovers who don’t like pure crime thrillers. There is a good mix of romance, crime investigation, mystery, family and good friendships in just 10 episodes. If you are an experienced watcher of this genre, you might be pickier and rate this lower than me. I am happy to give this a solid 8.5 for my personal enjoyment.
Completed: 6/25/2025 - Review #595
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