Lee Sung Kyung shows some of her best acting prowess in this drama; the way she unleashes her pent-up frustrations at how life dealt her hand, how the father she loved betrayed their family, how she has to hold back some of her emotions for the sake of her sister and brother, how she defends her actions as justifiable, and how she grapples with her growing feelings towards her sworn enemy.
The rest of the cast also pull their own weight in this mostly character-based drama, with the plot being secondary as a background. The events that unfold showcase how humanity or lack there-of can play in the decisions of some, like how some people are repentant while others are not, despite numerous chances given. We learn in this drama, that while some people are just plain horrible, it does not necessarily mean that their off-spring will be the same. Some just lack the basic human decency of treating others with respect and continue to become trash, but we should not be painting their relatives in the same brush because they can turn out to be really decent human beings with an unfortunate excuse of a mother.
If you are expecting a light-hearted, fluffy romance drama, this is not it as Call It Love meanders its way along the excruciatingly long road of life.
Was this review helpful to you?
Be patient
I loved the two main characters and I felt invested in their outcome. The reason I lowered the score has to be the directing.A lot of the shots are muted, almost as though gauze has been added to the screen and like the opening scenes of shadows the story is not too clear.
Yes there is an easily understood revenge from a girl who was heart broken when her father left the family for another woman. Her pain is exacerbated when she tries a confrontation at his funeral and then, as details are revealed, she becomes obsessed with payback revenge.
Unfortunately her target is the woman's son and the story gives a good build up to how he is being targeted by her and a very viciously jealous ex boss.
The complex cultural need to lump a families wrong doing onto other members of the family is hard for me to fathom. The gap of a year before her sister lets drop the information that the man our FL has fallen in love with has actually been accepted by her mother beggars belief. On that note why does the ML also not share this gem of information but instead wanders off for a year?
I was exhausted by the last episode as the director dragged out the slo-mo movements and ML leaving then coming back with flowers. It felt too contrived and less logical.
Was this review helpful to you?
Most beautiful slow-burn romance I have ever seen but so much than that…
I did not think I would love this show so much when started. It was finally a slow-burn done right! This how you do it, ladies and gentlemen…The story was simple but the characters were very well written so that is what made it compelling to the end. FL and ML very carefully thought out, the actors were amazing and directed very well. I loved the micro expressions and complex feelings they transmitted. I especially loved that Sim Woojoo was not the typical FL, she was though and conflicted, but honest. On the other hand Han Dongjin might just have became my favourite ML character. It is so hard to write characters that people honestly root for, and he was like that. He started to smile more starting from the 10th episode and he was truly happy in the final episode, it was such a joy to see him enjoy life finally after all tha hardships. Shim Woojoo on the other hand, I realized it only at the last moments of the 16th episode that that was the first time we actually saw her with a real wide smile on her face.
Excuse my chaotic review, but I just finished this drama and feelings are still all over the place. If you want a perfect slow-burn romance with beautiful character development, I can’t recommend Call it love enough!!
Was this review helpful to you?
BEWARE B4 U SPEND 16HRS ON THIS !!!
I am a BIG Lsk fan and so decided to try this out after so many 10/10 reviews. I have very painfully completed the series but there is very little enjoyment I have got out of it. Seeing all these reviews makes me wonder if its just not my cup of tea. But seriously I failed to understand the subtelty of showing everything in slow-mo with the characters wearing a blank face most of the time. They dont talk...they just sigh and look at each other. Are they DUMB? . I understand that things are sad but I feel they dragged this thing too much. The ML and FL might have good chemistry but its not explored at all ......they hardly talk with each other. They just stare at each other and silently walk. I can understand the initial shyness but this just goes on. On top of that they have very little screen time." SO THERES NO ROMANCE YOU SAY? The other things are good right? RIGHT? " NO ITS NOT!! ITS WORSE. The story premise about the house is good and innovative but IT GETS DRAGGED ON LIKE HELL . Everything was dragged on tbh. The GF arc , the president shin arc and these were not even that good of a story.
TLDR:-
>> The premise and first couple of episodes are good.
>> Without the slowmo and filler scenes this is hardly a 4 hr drama.
>> I had to skip those silences towards the end cause it was getting tedious
>> The main lead romance is not good at all. (IMO)
>> Theres a lot of camping business BS that i didnt get. Good luck to you.
>> Good for you if you like seeing people walking from A to B and having noodles 100s of times.
>> Good if you can read facial expressions and need no talking. ( I cant ,sorry )
>> Sit with loads of coffee if you wanna stay awake.
>> I am ranting at this point. Have a nice day and I hope you enjoy this drama. I SURE AS HELL DIDNT.
Was this review helpful to you?
A weapon that could even turn the deepest revenge, you ‘Call it love’!
When someone is yearning for love, it means that they are lonely. Because love means care, affection, something with which your every pain, sorrow, happiness and joy is shared. When there is no love, you are lonely, even when a million things exist around you, you are lonely. That’s why the story opens up, “to understand the loneliness of others, for me, it’s the beginning of love.”Han Dongjin and Shim Woo Joo, I don’t know if they were yearning for love at the time they met but they were definitely two lonely beings bearing with the timeless and indefinite unwelcoming fate that’s inter tangled up between them without their littlest acceptance. She spent her days wanting to ruin that woman and he passed those same days wanting to repair those ruins of that same woman.
Hell must be angry on itself for what it has done to the two of them, so it tried to reconstruct the web, this time with love. The woman who made them enemies, is the women who’s the reason who made them mates, is the woman who made them strangers, is the woman who’s the reason who made them soul mates.
Soul mates indeed! His back looks sad and her eyes look gloomy. He never goes down and she gets up every time she falls. They say opposites attract, but Dongjin and Woo Joo aren’t exactly like that or at least, it’s not the reason they get attracted to each other. They are not each other’s missing puzzle piece rather two puzzled up puzzles themselves, who for a long time of their lives, tried putting their own pieces together until they meet each other, now trying to put pieces of each other with their own perspectives, still summing up to be complete. However, both are surviving the present, picking shattered bits of the past with a hope to mosaic a fine picture in the future. She is a 10 but she thinks creating havoc can settle things. He is a 10 but he thinks bearing everything will settle things. Both wrong but a right together.
This is probably still a lot less which explains the emotion that ran through my soul throughout the drama. For it is rather felt than said.
I would only say one thing if you are here and searching the reviews to watch it or not. Do you like a Slow-burn? No? Skip. Yes? You will be here writing your heart out after you complete watching this!
Both Dongjin and Woo Joo’s characters are very unconventional. Not your typical bubbly female lead and the hot CEO male lead. These guys are built different! More human, less k-drama. The story might be, to some extent, unrealistic but these characters aren’t. Fresh air of reality.
Dongjin and Woo Joo breathe air through Kim Young Kwang and Lee Sung Kyung. They hold all of Dongjin and Woo Joo’s emotions in the heart. Eyes speak. Speech conveys. Actions felt. Not one time did I feel what’s reeling isn’t real. I was always a fan of their works, now I’ll be even more.
Joon, Hyesoeng, Jigu, Sunwoo, Minyoung, Heeja, Hyunjoo……. Characters not left but travel together with the story. Simple yet complex, chaotic but pleasant, not the whitest whites but the less greyer greys and the more greyer greys. Not just there but heard, felt. All the actors who played their respective parts, didn’t just play but pleased.
The direction, story, screenplay and cinematography…. One word- Nonpareil. Like no other was, is, will be. They just deepened my love for slow burn shows.
The OST’s wrapped all the beautiful parts of this drama carefully like flowers in a bouquet. Isn’t a necessity but beauty. Beauty that makes you wanna make it a necessity.
Although I might have been too poetic praising it, it still has its flaws. The slow, at sometimes, feels slower. Every so often, I wished I could get in and push a few. Some towards each other and some from the hill! So I bet people who are not interested in the slow pace will be skipping this away from the first episode. This drama is a love story but not your typical one. It is a revenge story but not your typical one. It has the family element but not your typical one. So if you’re looking for some typical stuff, you are on the wrong side of the track.
Anyways, now that you’ve read this much, it means you wanna watch it. So, WATCH IT AND CALL IT OFF AS LOVE!
Was this review helpful to you?
Angst done well
Excellent on all fronts. Didn't expect to like this drama as much as I did but I did. This one's a bit of a slow burn -- lots of stretches of silence and meandering shots -- but it hits hard emotionally. Best of all, the angst completely makes sense.Especially enjoyed the writing. Every character is a little bit annoying (some more than others) but also a little bit of a joy to have around on-screen. Everyone just feels very human. Really appreciate how the writer wrote every character's misery with care.
Also, really really love the fact Woojoo and Joon were completely platonic.
Was this review helpful to you?
I wanted more Chemistry between the Leads
Subjective Gut Rating - 8.25“Call It Love” is a melodrama through and through. The pacing is slow, the conversations are meaningful, and the romance is slow burn and quiet. South Korea really likes its revenge drama in all genres. However, what differentiates “Call It Love” from other revenge dramas is that love, healing and forgiveness are more central to the plot, than revenge itself.
I had high expectations before I watched this drama. Kim Young Kwang was the main attraction and he did not disappoint. What a versatile and amazing actor he is! From an adorable and sexy CEO in “The Secret Life of My Secretary”, to a psycho serial killer in “Somebody”, and now a lonely and sad CEO, he was just perfect for the lead role. Han Dong Jin (ML) is a man of few words and walks with a sad and slightly crouched posture. He exudes loneliness, yet his caring side shows when he’s with FL. Kim Young Kwang is able to portray subtle facial expressions and looks/eyes that can convey all he wants to say without actually speaking the words.
On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about Lee Sung Kyung’s portrayal of Shim Woo Joo (FL). I am happy to see her venture out of the rom-com genre and challenge herself to play this role. Shim Woo Joo is another sad and depressed character. However, I find Lee Sung Kyung’s acting one-note throughout most of the drama. She often maintains that one facial expression - a sad and bland look/gaze. I actually like her character in the first ⅓ of the drama. Woo Joo speaks her thoughts with no filter and no reservation. I like her no nonsense approach and doesn’t care what other people say. But then, she seems to lose that straightforwardness and barely utters a few words.
Another reason I want to watch “Call It Love” is because I was craving some angst and melo-romance. I thought this drama would satisfy this urge of mine but I am disappointed. The first few episodes reminded me of “My Mister”. When the romance starts to slowly build up, I was hoping for the angsty, sizzling chemistry similar to Mr. Gu + Yeom Mi Jung in “My Liberation Notes” or Lee Boo Jung + Lee Kang Jae in “Lost”. Unfortunately, I did not feel that tension and longing in Han Dong Jin and Shim Woo Joo. I do like how honest and open they are with each other (in their own introverted way). I enjoy the depth of their conversations. Without really having long conversations, they are able to speak their minds succinctly. But they don’t move me. I wasn’t sad. I didn’t cry for them. I didn’t pray that they could live happily ever after. The chemistry was not bad, but did not live up to my expectations. I am sure many feel very differently and am in love with the leads.
“Call It Love” does explore the message of healing and forgiveness. I do think the drama does a good job by showing the effects of the father’s betrayal and the mistress’ calculated scheme. Oh yeah, I hated ML’s mother but I’ve seen worse parents in K-dramas. However, the secret was so long drawn out. At times, I wanted ML to know the truth already, so we can deal with the aftermath and damage control. On another note, I like the somewhat dysfunctional Shim family and the love/hate sibling relationships. I love what Shim Hye Seong (eldest sister) said to ML that, their family doesn’t know how to comfort each other, and feels awkward consoling someone, thus, they went out to karaoke and party hard instead.
Love triangles technically don't exist in this drama and I’m glad a couple friendships did not turn into unrequited love. Men and women CAN have platonic relationships. I’d rather see more of the bromance between ML and his fellow CEO buddy, than the lukewarm secondary romance. I find Shim Hye Seong (sister) a little annoying in the beginning but I understand why she acts that way once we get to know her. Once the forced smiles are gone, she becomes so much more tolerable. Yoon Joon (pharmacist 2ML) is a great and loyal friend to FL, and I’m glad to see Sung Joon plays this role after being introduced to his handsome guy in “I Need Romance 3”.
Many commented on the pink tone and the use of different colored filters. It doesn’t bother me, nor does it add to how I feel about the drama. It just doesn’t matter to me, but it might to you. I also quite enjoy the OST.
Overall, this is a good melodrama if you are in the mood for a very slow burn and slow-paced romance. I just wanted more in the chemistry department to give this a solid 8.5+ rating.
Completed: 4/18/2023
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When revenge & love mix…
A young woman whose life was destroyed by her father’s mistress decides to get revenge by targeting the woman’s son. But when she gets to know him and learns all her beliefs about him are wrong her feelings turn from hate to love. Society and their families would never approve of them being together, so how could these lovers ever get a happy ending?I began this drama without knowing what I was getting into. And honestly, I think that’s the best way to watch this one so I’m not gonna write a very long or detailed review. Everything needs to be discovered by experiencing the joys and pains of these characters right alongside them. So I’ll keep this brief and encourage you to push play if you’re in the mood for a melodrama.
This drama gives both pain and comfort. It makes you hurt for all the Leads have endured at the hands of their parents. It shows how much the children suffer from the adults choices. It also shows how you can’t just assume someone’s life is all hunky-dory by viewing it from the outside. We all face pain, we’re all going through stuff. We all need a friend, a confidant, a person who’s on our side no matter what comes.
We all need to love and be loved.
The siblings are lovely. Though they don’t share with each other their daily struggles, they know when the others need them and they step up without fail. They speak in the silence without using words.
The Leads are so good together. They do an amazing job with their gazes, their body movements, their tones. There’s so much being said when neither are speaking. Truly talented cast!
Yes, I would’ve loved to see them more as a couple, but that wasn’t the point of this drama so I can be content with the happy ending we got. Their smiles say it all 💗
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
.
…
….
……
The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- F(r)K : 12💋
- 2G : 12 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BU : 14 💔
- B2G: 16 ☀️
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
profound <3
personally I adored it.it was simple and beautiful from the first to the last episode, it was magically slow often, it was painfully heart-wrenching at times - it made me feel so many emotions. we’ve all experienced loss, anger, longing and sorrow and this drama depicts those feelings so well. 😭❤️
really wonderful acting from the main leads and very poetic cinematography - you cannot stop feeling all of the feelings thanks to both.
like most kdramas it was a little predictable at times but it doesn’t make it any less wonderful. The ost and support characters added charming touches throughout as well.
love is so many things at once. the main leads went through so much and them connecting was not without its load of pain but the healing that came from it was a wonder to witness. all these complex emotions were portrayed so well by the actors. thank you to everyone involved in Call it Love!!!
of course i highly recommend it - not everyone will appreciate this drama but if you do, i hope you feel as much as I felt.
Was this review helpful to you?
the art of getting by
a beautiful depiction of two ordinary people with an entangled, complicated history navigating hardship. i particularly found the ML's portrayal of loneliness so well executed and quite relatable in some aspects. screenwriting was BRILLIANT; both main leads truly understood one another with such quiet intensity. docking a star and a half as the satisfaction following their separation sequence doesn't really pay off as much as i would've liked, and i felt as if the FL lost her spark and spunkiness toward the end of the drama, but i HIGHLY recommend this drama to anyone who enjoys a mature, slow-burn romance!Was this review helpful to you?
Teaches you that revennge is not always the best option
I have this on my playlist for awhile and readin reviews,it gave out "My liberation notes" which is also on the list.If you want something fast and furious drama,this is not your drama.its one of those quiet,slow burn,with a melo music
The storyline is beautiful,the characters are recovering from the sins their parents commited
one is out to revenge the other is runing away from the past and they meet in the middle and it turns out to be an epic
journey that leaves you at the edge of your seat.
I loved the growth of both characters,one made the other come out of his shell and the ML made her heart soften
It was really a match made in heaven.
To be honest I dont have much to say about the cinematography and the OTC cos i was so emmersed in the story that
I hardly noticed.. That's how deep this drama was.
Was this review helpful to you?
Is there pain that is at the same time unbearable and subtle?
Oh what can I tell about this drama except that it is fully exhausting the meaning of the word "subtle". It is almost as if its purpose is to establish tempo of dull pain with each episode maintaining the intensity just right... And by the end of the drama you do not feel easier or burden lifting. You still feel pressure that makes you realize you have been holding your breath. And after you release it... You still feel something inside you ache.Everything in this drama feels heavy with meaning but all is said in little words.
Han Dong Jin on one hand seems predictable and flat, but on the other so thick and comforting. A partner we should choose but do not choose. False expectation of masculinity. The actor did a marvelous job.
As for Sim U Ju, I love Biblee, anyone knows it. She seemed so different here. She almost has not smiled at all. I did not relate to her character and thought the chemistry with the lead was not as strong as it could have been. But perhaps her intensity was lowered due to demands of overall vibe of the drama, which was never dramatic or too much.
The OST absolutely shattered my heart into pieces. Roy Kim, do I say thank you, you bastard? Absolute stand out and perfect accompaniment.
If you liked the melancholy and "background noise" grey vibe of My Mister, you will definitely love this one.
Ahh, I hate how much I can feel it still.
Thanks, for reading.
Was this review helpful to you?
