A HIDDEN GEM
I watched it without any expectations, and just loved every second of this one!!! It's original, fresh and at the same time realistic in every aspect... Here I give you the reasons why I loved it so much:GENUINE PLOT:
This a mocumentary about relationships in wich the characters are involved between eachother but at he same time without knowing some vital info leading to many fun moments, misunderstandings and making the angst grow as the events unfolded... The storyline is something I've never seen before, and I've had my share of doramas, anime and series, it is quite diffiult to surprise me lately, but I have to say that I didn't see some of the events coming.
AMAZING ACTING:
Ji Chang Wook totally rocked the show with his incredible acting skills. I was already a fan but some of his last works weren't very brilliant (the script didn't give him much room for it either) but this one had just the kind of lines that can make his light shine. The rest of the cast is also really good and the chemistry between the couples is no joke.
COMPELLING CHARACTERS:
I felt really close to the ML, in many ways I've acted as pathetic as he did, and the situations were so stupid and intricated that made me think it culd have happened to someone for real. You can see how the characters grow and develop episode by episode, even if the series is very short it doesn't feel rushed or forced. Even the dialogues flow naturally and intelligently...
ADDICTIVE, HEART WARMING, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS PORTRAYAL.
And some sexy scenes add the spicy touch to the story that makes it all more interesting... If you know what I mean...
If you are wondering what to watch, give this one a shot, it's so short and dynamic you wont regret it!!
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Not your typical kdrama
I understand KJW' character here. She fell inlove with JCW but she was afraid that he might not accept her because she has a lot of insecurities and disappointments in life. However, JCW proved that there is someone who will accept you and love you, just the way you are.Excellent storyline, OST, cinematography and superb acting of the casts. I must say it is one of the best performance of Kim Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook. Their chemistry is also unbelievable.
To those people, who got bored and doesn't like this drama, don't assume that since you didn't liked it, doesn't mean it's not good. Actually, it's way better than I expected especially the outstanding acting skills of the main lead.
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A BREATHE OF FRESH AIR
When I first watched this drama, the first thought that came to my mind was this isn’t your typical kdrama. It used an interview format and the time duration is short (approx, 30 mins each episode) than the usual! While most people would say that the interview format was completely unnecessary, I think it helped the story telling to be more personal and entertaining. The interview format made me, as a viewer, feel like they’re communicating their story to me and because of that, it’s easy to be invested and attached to the characters and their individual stories.Their acting especially the main leads, Kim Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook is GOD TIER. I cannot emphasize on how they carried their characters so damn well and so effectively. Not to mention, their chemistry is INSANE. You could just feel the warmth, the love, the frustration, and the tension between them as a viewer and that’s one of the reasons why I got really hooked from the very start.
Each episode has a story of its own and just leaves you wanting for more in such a way that it really makes you wonder what will happen next because in this drama, you’d never really know what’s in it for you in the next episode, and that’s what I love about this drama cause it strayed away from all the cliches and embraced a refreshing way of telling a story. All characters are flawed that you’d find yourself hating them at one point but ultimately, you’d find yourself loving them despite their flaws because of how real they are. You’d really find yourself relating to one of the characters one way or another because of how realistic the story and characters are. One thing I don’t like about the story though is that it was a cliffhanger.
The drama’s OST and cinematography are brilliant beyond words. I have no words for it other than how sublime it is.
Overall, it’s obvious how much I love this drama. This is the first drama I watched while it’s still on going and I have no regrets about it. This drama holds a special place in my heart and I’m so honored to have watched this drama and I got to witness how it gradually unfolded. Having to watched Kim Ji Won and Ji Chang Wook is a blessing and I hope they can have more projects together soon because they’re just sooo perfect. Hope you’ll give this drama a chance and I hope you’ll love it as much as I love it ❤️
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I loved this drama...
I liked the style, the way the backstories unfolded, the different characters (especially Rini) and also the format with the 30 min episodes. I think that KD Dramas can be a bit long and sometimes include unessesary things (ususally in the last 1-2 episodes ) but here the pacing was perfect all the way through. I would even think another season would be great (and I dont usually like when series go on to more seasons like they often do in the American series) because I want to know more about Minhos character and how that develops, I wanna know more about Rini and also the writer (cannot remember his name now). So I would love another series (30 min episodes again) focusing on those characters.I was totally hooked and fully entertained and thats all I am asking for.
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"How do you love?"
This drama is set up as a web series that answers dating life questions and answers. I'd say it's quite mature, I would not recommend it for a teenager/young adult because this is a set up with real life and realistically flawed people. If you are expecting some fairy tale of a story, this is not for you.To me this drama is a cross between Because it's My First Life and Reply 1997. It's very slice-of-life with some sarcasm and comedy. Each episode is based around a specific dating question, like Reply 1997, and the story jumps around based on that question.
The chemistry between the two main leads was off the charts and my heart was palpitating hard at their every romantic moment. I knew a drama with Ji Chang-wook and Kim Ji-won would be amazing and I couldn't be happier. I was also loving the other characters, their backstories and their chemistry but I agree with some other reviewers that their stories could have been tied up more nicely. Although I was in it for the two main leads who were the definite focus of the drama. I love how their story came about, how it flowed, their focus on the positive and negative. How they dealt with each other and each others flaws. It was amazing and I can't critique anything related to them.
I will say it ended abruptly. I was expecting more but I suppose it kept to their "web series interview" style, sort of. As I said this is not a clean, well laid-out fairy tale story with a start, middle and end. It's about the modern view on dating and different dating styles.
I loved it and was not expecting it to end any time soon, I think I watched the whole thing in 2 days. So now here I am reminiscing and wondering what other good dramas are out there that I could possibly watch after this one.
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I love the topics they raise in each episode cos they're very relatable to me. And they're not frivolous topics. They're real questions you would ask when in the relationship. I think this interview format and snippets of their relationships works very well for the 30 mins timeslot. It's clever. You capture of the essence of their relationship and you see the question answered from different POVs.
The cinematography is excellent and is able to enhance the story-telling. I was surprised how much details are shown in just 30 mins. A lot of feels for sure!
The ML and FL are a tad troublesome but then again, it is interesting for me cos I wanna know how their story will end up. My favorite couple is Kyung Joon and Rin Yi. They are so cute!
Very impressed by this production and will definitely recommend. To those who don't understand the story and keep questioning the development, I suspect they haven't fallen in love. There are usually no right or wrong in a relationship, it's always different perspectives. Just cos you don't like how someone behaved in the drama doesn't mean it cannot happen. Love can happen very quickly cos it's a feeling. It can also end very abruptly. True story.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Fun Mockumentary
This one this a gem, besides episode 17, which was a bit confusing to me :DSo what you need to know beforehand. This drama has 17 episodes, but only 16 are related to the key story, while the last episode seems to tease a second season with new main characters or something like that. It is possible they only did that for could because the main character was Shinees Min-ho, but whatever. I genuinely liked that the episodes were quite short.
The story focuses more or less on three couples and switches between past and present time of their relationships. We get to witness how they get together, maybe break up and experience their lives, some trying to get back to one another. All the characters are related to each other somehow. We have three best friends, lovers, cousins, etc.
The series has a Modern Family type of vibe since it is a Mockumentary. The characters are participating in a project, where people talk about their past and ongoing relationships. The other participants can read about the stories of the others, but don't know who they are. This leads to them commenting on somebodies experiences and falling into a discussion.
The acting was AMAZING. I am usually not a massive fan of Ji Chang Wook but here he was very good. His character slightly going insane, the screaming, the mad eyes. It was hilarious to watch. Kim Ji-won really made me hate, like, love and understand her all at the same time. She was truly mesmerizing. For the other 4 roles, they choose a really great cast. At some points I wished we would even get more insides into their lives, but the amount increased as the story developed.
I really enjoyed watching the different developments of relationships and in what direction they were going. I understood why characters hesitated or made their decisions in that way. Furthermore, I also liked the cinematography and the way they included oldies music. I wanted to be a part of this cool group.
In the end there were quite some strings open or rather just opened, and I hope they will produce another season. For one couple, I did not completely understand why they chose to not be together, since they communicated about liking each other.
But overall the drama was fun, serious and full of tension at the same time. As I am writing this now, I genuinely want to rewatch it. (I completed it around February.)
You will see some new sides of Korea and many beauty shots. (a bit cringe but also cute :D)
The last episode was a bit throwing off since I did not know the content was a different one. I thought I would get answers to my questions, but no...
I don't remember them at this point, but anyway :D.
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There is a fine line between a love story and a toxic relationship
The drama has bright tones, cute songs, hopeful stories, and needless to say AMAZING CHEMISTRY. Amaaazing chemistry omg. Ji chang wook's acting is on point too, he really uses all his parts to convey feelings. The female lead was one of the best choices.BUT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS INREDIBLY TOXIC TO A POINT THAT IT WAS ANNOYING. Oh my god it should have been a feel good drama but the only way I would be satisfied would be ML not taking the female leads bullshit anymore. If people think that just because she had some hardships it would give her right to treat like shit to people who loved her, well, there is always an a*hole out there for you to love. Main Lead was weak af too, just like us when we were the victims of an abusive relationship.
I'm going crazy by just thinking it, ugh. Pain and anguish layered with fluffy bunnies.
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Great characters and I was surprised by how several that I found really irritating and/or unlikable, I ended up rooting for, as their real personalities and reasons for behaving as they do, emerged.
The cast were excellent (all favourites) and I totally fell in love with all 3 main guys and a certain shining Police Officer ;)
It was also an absolute joy to have couples behave naturally ~ no gawping eyes-wide-open females in the numerous kiss scenes. No reactions on hand holding that would be more fitting to being groped! Realistic bed scenes (doesn't need nudity to portray sex) and almost all experiences and issues being pretty representative of the highs and lows of falling in and out of love.
I only found 1 character's reaction to breaking up somewhat overdone. A particular scene where a dumped boyfriend was humiliated in public, was a step too far. I absolutely hated her at that point.
The OST is great, the locations varied (surfing never looked so appealing) and even the ending was good... true to life, which is rarely neatly tied up.
I don't feel a second series is needed, but they could easily make one, featuringing the characters whose love lives weren't concluded and maybe a couple of new ones to fill in those that were; I'd definitely watch it.
Very enjoyable and hard to turn off (binge addicts like me, beware).
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Deserve a higher overall rating
I started this drama with low expectations based on its reputation, never actually read the summary or any detailed reviews. However, Lovestruck in the City got me hooked since episode 1 and the hype has not stopped ever since. I understand that the beginning episodes might be repetitive and boring for others, but it was never the case for me. I thought it has got an okay pace, and love the interview format as well -- a small factor but manages to lighten the atmosphere.As someone who is quite picky on K-dramas, I started thi drama as as a break from all the mysterious, thrilling dramas with betrayal and murders on air right now -- not that they are bad, I just prefer romance. Lovestruck in the City quickly became one of my favorites.
The acting is great. I fell in love with Yoon Seon A on the beach, the actress' charm and voice truly suits this image. Episode 2 already got me obsessed with the romantic scenes, and it's been a while since I have watched those scenes without having to skip for the awkwardness and lack of natural chemistry. Though I don't really like how Ji Changwook's character is quite similar to his other works and that this role is a bit underwhelming to his acting career, I still enjoyed the actors in general.
Two really important factors that made me adore this drama even more: The comedy and the music. I love the songs used, especially 'Kiss me kiss me' by BeetleJuice. After searching like crazy when I heard it for the first time, I could not wait for the full version to be released.
In conclusion, such an underrated drama and this rating is way too low. I also tried to watch True Beauty, which has got a much higher rating, but to my disappointment, I could not continue it. I'm really glad I stumbled upon this drama.
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Had me lovestruck watching this!
I have to be honest. I would have never watched this K-drama. The cover and the title didn't pique my interest, but I ended up watching this due to my boredom and desire to explore. Well, you've probably heard the saying, "Never judge a book by its cover". That's how I feel about this K-drama, to me, it's a hidden gem, and I hope more people will fall in love with it just as much as I did.The story is unique, it has multiple love stories, but they are all connected to some extent. It delves into many aspects of love, including the ability to love oneself and others. To be honest, I don't think I've ever sobbed so much over a drama before. Love is truly complicated.
The acting was great. I might sound weird saying this, but I feel like some actors carry a vulnerable, sad vibe, and they happen to be amazing at acting out those feelings. They selected such a talented group of people, in my opinion, to portray emotions that some people could find difficult to express or comprehend.
The music was.. different, I can't put it in other words. It had many unique songs, and they were played at the right time, which captured the moment perfectly. It made the scenes feel real, as if I wasn't just a watcher but there with them. It made me connect with the feelings they felt. Which is fascinating!
Have you ever watched a K-drama that was boring? In my opinion, Lovestruck in the City was the opposite of boring, it was entertaining. I never got bored watching this. Oftentimes, K-dramas include long, pointless scenes. You've probably come across scenes like.. the main lead staring into the ocean for 5 minutes with no lines and no emotion, which is pointless! But this one had me captivated, I was so interested in how the story would progress.
What stuck with me the most was the light-a-candle scene, it's my favorite. Where the best friend Rin-yi gave comforting words and encouragement to Eun Oh. It melted my heart. And it made me realize that we all need a friend like her in our lives.
It would've been a 10 for me if the last two episodes were different. I feel like they (Rin-yi and Kyung Joon) shouldn't have broken up, and we didn't need a new relationship involved. I hoped that they would focus on the main couples. It was a bit out of character, I was taken back during the last episode, where we suddenly got a new couple, and that mainly brought down my enjoyment.
I usually don't write reviews because I'm not a master of literature and I don't have the sort of fluency a writer does. But I felt like writing a review. You know... I only write reviews of K-dramas if they impact me a lot. They have carved out a space in my heart, and I want to express my feelings about it to everyone who reads this. Even though I might not be great at it, I hope that someone finds this useful. If someone is reading the reviews and is unsure if they will like this, I suggest you try watching the starter episodes. If you don't like it, you can immediately switch it off. And if you end up liking it, then that would be amazing! :)
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READ THIS IF YOU'RE UNCERTAIN ON WATCHING THIS DRAMA OR NOT
I think the drama brings out a new type of genre/story for K-Drama, after asking around, a lot of people dropped drama due to the "weirdness" of how the story of the drama unfolds (most of them dropped the drama in the second episode).A lot of people aren't ready with this kind of concept yet in a drama, they expected this drama to be like another simple lovely love story. the love story in this drama is the closest thing to reality.
People are confused with the interview IN the drama, and since the drama has approximately 30min/episode, they find it hard to understand (for the on-going viewers). but after I suggest them to keep watching, they started to understand how the story goes, appreciating the uniqueness of the drama, and they ended up loving the drama. so if you want to understand how the drama goes, just keep watching, and I promise you, you will end up loving it.
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