This review may contain spoilers
Love as an Error in the System?
This BL was really good! Korea is really stepping up their game in BLs and I seriously enjoyed this one! This BL is a hit for good reason because it’s cute and has just enough plot with a nice pacing for the 8 episodes. It was an overall great watch!Seoham and Jaechan’s chemistry was so on point! Their dynamic worked great and their acting was pretty good. They fit their roles well and did a great job at portraying Jaeyoung and Sangwoo. Loved the fact that their friendship in real life is so cute too and that even before Semantic Error, Seoham already talked about in his v-live in wanting to treat the Dongkiz (Jaechan’s group) to some milkis back in 2020.
Side note: THEIR KISS IN EPISODE 7 WAS EVERYTHING. DAMN. THE CHEMISTRY AND THE TENSION WAS SIZZLING.
Another side note: I didn’t know at first that Seoham was 6’3!? I just thought Jaechan was on the shorter side, but he really isn’t (at 5’10) and Seoham is just a giant!!
Jaeyoung was such a walking green flag. He was mischievous at first, but he is really respectful and not the typical cocky popular guy on campus. I loved his flirtatiousness, playful nature, and his visuals were just freaking amazing (especially in his all black server uniform!!!!). The tension between him and Sangwoo was so entertaining to watch. I’m happy he accepted and was real with his feelings from the beginning. He wasn’t scared of being him and accepting what his heart really wanted. He was so bold with his feelings too when he told Ryu Ji Hye about liking Sangwoo and him bullying her to stay away from Sangwoo was so funny. His “If you’re thinking of being around him, you have to be ready to go against me” line was EPIC.
Side note: Jaeyoung wanting to give up going to France and his dream for Sangwoo was so touching
Sangwoo may have been someone who is calculating and aloof but he was also so adorable! His reaction to his growing feelings for Jaeyoung was both cute and funny. ESPECIALLY THE SHIBAL SCENE IN THE BATHROOM LOL. I also loved that though he’s more quiet and introverted, he wasn’t afraid to stand up for himself which led to his relationship with Jaeyoung. He and Jaeyoung really balance each other out with their personalities and their chemistry was just spot on. He was so adorable when he walked away after kissing Jaeyoung. Also, him saying “I’d die if it didn’t” when Jaeyoung asked him if his heart beat when seeing him was such a typical Sangwoo response that made me laugh so hard. His frankness was just hilarious. He took a bit longer to accept his feelings and be real with himself, but it’s to be expected given his personality.
Side note: the way he was willing to give up on his love and game just so Jaeyoung would go to DEX is so selfless of him :,)
Yuna and Hyeongtak were great friends to Jaeyoung and were fun to watch. Yuna being bi was a nice touch too (yes for more diversity in Korean BLs!)
Also thought that the whole preview, 2 week trial, and subscription thing that Jaeyoung did for a relationship with him was so funny. Really fits the theme of this drama. I like how he knows how to handle Sangwoo and that Sangwoo needs to do things a little differently.
Overall I loved this BL drama and enjoyed every bit of it! Even without a real antagonist, it was an entertaining watch. Hoping for a season 2 when Seoham gets discharged :-)
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Pleasantly surprised
As someone who was a fan of the manhwa for quite some time now, I was actually scared when they green lit it for a bl drama but when I saw the cast I was genuinely surprised and excited. Both of the main leads are perfect for their roles and I couldn't see anyone else playing them. They also have really good chemistry which makes it even better. I'm also quite happy that they stayed relatively close to the manhwa and the changes they did make did not take away from the story. Usually I am quite on guard when it comes to Korean bls as I usually find them lackluster but this really changed my mind for the better. I know Park Seoham is going off to the military but I do hope for a season 2 when he does come back.Was this review helpful to you?
review from a manhwa reader (includes a manhwa spoiler! but it happens at the first few chapters)
ok let me be honest. i LOVEDDDD the way the actors portrayed jaewoo! and yuna! i didn't like how they changed a lot from the manhwa tho, and how they didn't include that part where sangwoo totally didn't recognize jaeyoung three? or four times and even called him by the wrong name bc i think that played a big part in showing his character. their first meeting after the freeloading fiasco was also a bit disappointing bc,,, okay i'm not going to spoil this as the experience will be so much better if you read the manhwa without knowing. also, is it just me or did they really change ryu jihye's characterization a bit? it wasn't a good change, and i frankly got pissed when she and jaeyoung talked like that at the cafeteria bc that's not how she is in the manhwa, but i still liked what she did in the last episode. i just hoped they stayed a bit more loyal to the manhwa but oh well.THE ENDING WAS EVERYTHING! it was beautiful, i legit teared up at sangwoo's confession and at jaeyoung teasing him for his ppt making skills. overall the drama is worth watching! and hello??? even though the plot and setting is something cliche, HOW IS THIS STILL SO ADDICTING???
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a little gem
Honestly! I didn't expect much from such a short webdrama (just 8 episodes like what) but it's so good!!! The acting wasn't awkward at all, the chemistry between the main leads is INSANE I really felt like i was intruding in some of the scenes lmao and even the other actors, even tho they're rookies too, they did /so/ well (Song Ji Oh my beloved). One thing that really surprised me was the cinematography, the way they used colors and props to emphasize the feelings of the characters is such a nice touch, I'm such a nerd for these things so I appreciated it a lot! And also, the dialogues and the story felt very natural to me and as everyone is saying in the comments/reviews it didn't feel rushed at all which was my main worry when I saw that there were going to be just 8 episodes. Special mention to the OST, Romantic Devil is just so good lmao Let's hope we'll get a season 2 when Seo Ham returns!! Until then *kiss to the sky* for Choi Yu NaWas this review helpful to you?
What I like: the story isn't focused on the homosexuality but on human relationships. And for this aspect, thanks to the scriptwriters because it's exactly what I've been waiting for ages.
Sang Woo's character is one of the best written I've seen in a long time, he's really rooted in reality, some of us can relate to him. Most of the time he's unconcerned of his fellow man feeling, he's gauche in his actions and reactions and yet everything he does makes sense. I like his rationality, I like how he's confused by what he doesn't control and in the other hand he accepted to take measured risks to make room for his feelings . As for Jang Jae Young, he's the perfect match. The fact that he accepts Sang Woo idiosyncrasies and at the same time helps him open up is what we want from a partner. He's straightforward, stubborn when he needs to be and knows how to withdraw when necessary.
The writer really knew how to highlight the complementarity in their difference. This drama is the good definition of the word "normalization" if that word should be used in romanceland.
PS: The nod to Jang Jae Young and Choi Yu Na's exes is my favorite part.
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1Just so you know, there's a bonus scene after the credits of the finale ep
Watching BL dramas (I've only watched Korean ones) has been a never-ending source of disappointment. Even shows that are loved by regular watchers of the genre were merely average for me. I never connect with the characters. I find the plots to be lazy, the acting is subpar and the chemistry is mostly nonexistent despite what fans insist. In general, the directing and cinematography are immature like the creators are students still learning to make films, and the production quality is without fail really low. So I started Semantic Error with absolutely no positive expectations. I was ready to be disappointed, once again. So it was an absolute delight when Semantic Error turned out to be an exception to what has come to be a rule for me.Plot: Simple, sweet, and straightforward, there is not much complexity to the story. It follows an enemies-to-lovers story and since romance is the main incentive of the show, it was important that the development of the plot and the characters' interactions be in service of that end. Which they were. Most of the time, these BL shorts fail to have a plausible or compelling romance built up. It just feels like the mains get together because that's the genre. Here, however, the romance is really well-thought-out and it feels authentic that they are put together.
Acting: I believe this show was the roaring success that it was thanks to good directing and good acting. The main actors were a rare treat with truly good, sizzling chemistry and performances that were not wooden or too obviously scripted. Park Seo Ham, in particular, shines. In addition, the supporting cast, Kim Noh Jin and Song Ji Oh, were also good. They animated these characters with some level of finesse and it just made the whole show feel real and alive.
Music: The end credit song is really good and the background music is not overwhelming or irritating, which is always a blessing.
Production: This show actually has a production worth talking about. It's clear that the creators cared and put a lot of thought into set, light, and costume design. The rooms are not miserably empty or filled with mismatched and random garbage. Each character has a space that defines and highlights their character. The play with light was symbolic of the character arcs, and the cinematography was more complex than setting a digital camera on a table and filming two actors talking at each other. We had close-ups and angles and everything. I was so impressed.
Rewatch value: Yes! It does have a rewatch value. It's short, enjoyable, and complex enough to have something to offer through a rewatch.
Negatives and Overall: So why is this not a 10/10? Well, because there's still so much room left for improvement. I would love to someday see a queer drama with a full-hour template and 16 episodes. A show with complex plots and a few subplots, and more than the bare minimum of supporting characters. Just a proper show. Semantic Error shows that with more dedication and care, it's possible to have BL dramas that are not just hyped because viewers are settling for them and that there is room for us to demand good quality productions. I really liked this show, despite the fact that the beginning didn't immediately impress me. It was a show with creators who cared and that caring came to fruition because they strived for perfection. I hope in the future we will get more shows that follow in Semantic Error's footsteps.
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An excellently paced drama that is worthy of a watch.
One of my 'palate cleansers' of this month, I absolutely loved every minute of Semantic Error. The storyline is not uncommon, but I was amazed by how each episode was shot.Considering that it only has 20 minutes per episode, the pace never falters -- we clearly watch the characters, Jaeyoung and Sang Woo, develop their hate to love relationship and I'm impressed by how nothing seemed rushed or unconvincing.
I admit, I grinned like a fool whenever something happened. It had the perfect mix of comedy and romance. (Guess this is going to be a guilty pleasure watch for sure.)
A shout out to the script writers and the actors without whom this drama would've definitely landed somewhere in my 5 - 7 scale.
I adored the lead characters and Jaeyoung's friends in particular. Their presence was necessary to highlight the extraverted Jaeyoung's emotions. Sang Woo, being the loner, handled all his emotions himself. (Or tried to... the first 10 minutes of episode 7 will forever remain iconic to me.)
It's highly enjoyable. Not a masterpiece, but not a completely average drama either.
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Watch it
Semantic Error is a 2022 Korean bl drama starring two idol actors and it is really good. It's based on a manhwa with the same name but, since I have not read the manhwa, I won't be commenting on the accuracy and what they changed.Story:
Semantic Error follows the classic enemies to lovers troupe and it's really well done. They don't hate each other for no reason and it's not too drawn out. I would also like to say, does anyone else get neuro divergent vibes from Sangwoo? As a neuro divergent person myself, I saw a lot of what I have in him. Maybe it's just me but I feel like he was autism coded.
Acting:
Jae Chan and Seo Ham do an excellent job portraying these charecters and they have such good chemistry with each other. The side actors were also good and played their roles well.
Music:
Good. It wasn't the most awesome soundtrack I've ever heard in a kdrama, Doom at your service will keep that crown, but it is good and it fits the show. I wonder if Jae Chan or Seo Ham did it.
Rewatch ability:
Yes, it's very rewatchable. I will probably rewatch it anytime I'm really hoping for a season 2 or need something to watch but nothing good is out.
Overall:
Please watch it. It's really good and deserves all the praise it is getting.
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This review may contain spoilers
Rushed storyline & cringe lines
The story seemed extremely rushed. I felt like the 2 main casts did not manage to spend enough time together to develop their feelings. It seemed like Jae Young suddenly fell in love with Sang Woo for no apparent reason. Jae Young seems to be bi (from his past relationships), but Sang Woo seemed to be straight before he met Jae Young, so to fall in love with Jae Young without having some sort of realisation or conflict seems unrealistic and strange. The two also weren't even dating, or had only realised their feelings for a week, before Jae Young had to leave for this seemingly important 'Dex'. (which was not explained at all throughout the film. Is it a job offer? And could Jae Young actually leave right now for the job if he had yet to graduate?) At that point, I dont think it is very logical to sacrifice your future for someone that is not even your boyfriend.As a CS major in Uni, I think certain parts of the script were really cringe and difficult to listen to, as they had forcefully added some CS jargon that I had never heard in casual conversation before in all my years in Uni. Things like "I think you are an error". Things like the resolution of the last bug (in the last episode) were also very cringe -- Sang Woo mentioned that "It was because of the wrong return value" -- which is a really careless/stupid bug as it is a very simple fix, so he should have been frustrated at having been stuck at that bug for so long, instead of acting cool. (Also, where are all the laptops + chargers in the Software Engineering class??) I am also slightly disappointed that there weren't any scenes which showed them actually coding or creating the game. I think more research could have been done to make the scenes more natural.
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Phenomenal Show.
As someone who loves the BL genre this show excelled in so many different aspects and it just left me begging for more of them, at first I wasn’t much of a fan of the MCs but as time went on I slowly fell in love with them and soon realised the endless amounts of chemistry and talent they had, their acting was phenomenal and you could really sense the emotions and the chemistry between them, the overall story of the show was somewhat different but also somewhat very similar to quite a few BLs but regardless of that it excelled at being a BL, I would rewatch this show and most likely will in due time to get a new feel and perspective on it, and see how it is the second time round, whether I enjoyed it just as much, maybe more or maybe less, overall I can’t find many flaws with this story, the characters are mostly likeable once you get used to them, the chemistry is definitely there and the plot/story is quite good and unique in its own way, only problem is that I wish there was more and I wish it was longer.Was this review helpful to you?
The impact of Semantic Error in my life can be seen on this long review.
Writing this review in the middle of crying because I just finished the most impactful show I’ve ever watched. I am so attached to them, I don’t even want this to end. Semantic Error beat up other shows from my favorite list and made its way to the top. I love this show with all my heart! It always took me 1-2 hours to finish a single episode with a 20+ minute duration. I keep pausing to take screenshots, replaying every single scene, screaming internally, and anything that makes me release my happiness. You know it’s a great drama if you always feel the urge to watch the next episode after finishing the current one. Waiting for days really tests my patience to its limit.Everything about Semantic Error is a masterpiece; the excellent acting skills of the actors, visual element and cinematography, poetic filmmaking, well-suited lyrics of the songs along with its high quality of arrangements, fine storyline, the unbreakable chemistry, and more. There’s no dull moments and every single episode is worth it! Both Park Seoham and Park Jaechan are super duper handsome who can act naturally. Their height difference is extra adorable and their pointed nose when facing each other is so visual material.
The story begins when a junior student Cho Sangwoo, removes the names of his seniors who left all the tasks of their group project to himself. Then, the ERROR came to him as Jang Jaeyoung starts messing up his well-disciplined life. Their silly and childish pranks are so cute; wearing a full red outfit to irritate the other since it was his most hated color, taking his favorite seating spot in the room by entering the school early, and buying all his favorite black coffee in the vending machine. Jang Jaeyoung spends too much effort just to annoy Cho Sangwoo. The OST “Romantic Devil” by Coldin is well-suited for Jangyeon’s mannerism and action towards Sangwoo.
It is a clever implication of visuals when the amount of irritating red color on Jaeyoung’s clothes decreases as he gets to know Sangwoo more and more, until he wears nothing read in the fourth episode. The same with Sangwoo who stops wearing a hat when Jaeyoung told him that he is more handsome without it. The sophisticated fashion styles are worthy of praise, perfect for the role of the character! Another roller coaster of emotions that I was not prepared to see on the next episode. The way Jaeyoung ran off from school to go back to his apartment and visit Sangwoo who lives next door to him because he thought that the reason why he is absent is because he was sick. Worrying is a big sign of love. Then, a new set of walls was built once again within them because Sangwoo has now experienced an unusual kind of desire. In the manhwa and animated version, Sangwoo had an erection the moment Jaeyoung whispered and asked him if he wanted to watch a movie. Jaeyoung was confused and mad at the same time because he didn’t know the real reason behind Sangwoo’s sudden change of attitude. Funny that he remembers Sangwoo's nickname and heaps his anger onto his friend who is eating lettuce that time. But the way he fixes the bike even after saying that he will leave Sangwoo alone is so cute. Jaeyoung be like: “I am mad at you, but I still cared a lot for you.” One of my favorite parts from this episode is when our befuddled boy stalked Jaeyoung’s Instagram account and began to orally comment silly words to his post then took several screenshots from his feed. This made me crazy madly in love! Sangwoo began to realize that deleting Jaeyoung in his life is not the best thing to do since it affects him so much. Then, he decided to visit Jaeyoung part-time place and the last part left me hanging. Sangwoo called Jaeyoung “Hyung” and told him to hang up the phone since he had something important to say.
The scenes from Episode 6 are so fluffy and surely sent a huge amount of butterflies in my stomach. Such a bomb episode that heated the fire for the start of their flirting stage. From Sangwoo reconciling with Jaeyoung and asking him to work together in his game to Jaeyoung being whipped by Sangwoo’s sad facial expression when he saw the drawing he left in his proposal from their first meeting. He can’t help but to feel weak and admit his defeat hahaha cutie! Love can really make one smile as we saw several smiling moments from the both of them. Sangwoo’s once in a blue moon smile was reserved for Jaeyoung’s silly and romantic actions. With the additional new OST “Can You Stay” by Coldin, everything is perfect. The lyrics are so relatable to the characters’ bloom of romance. I laugh so hard at how they saved each other’s number as ‘Freeloader 3’ and ‘Worst Boss Ever,’ but feel lovely with their phone conversation. Little touch means a lot. The patting of their heads romantically executed. Never seen so many actors who perform a simple yet full of emotions rolling in their glares by just touching the toppest part of their partner’s body. The cute love triangle is also the best. There’s no big drama coming from the two rivals, both of them are playing fair to gets Sangwoo’s heart. Jaeyoung respects Sangwoo’s personal boundaries on touch by grabbing a part of Sangwoo’s bag instead of a part of his body. Then it comes to Jaeyoung’s studio when Sangwoo is being bossy to let Jaeyoung clean the trash in the room. He even made a comedic rude approach to Yuna hahaha. I lost control of myself when Sangwoo initiated to steal a kiss from Jaeyoung who was pretending to sleep or awaken by his kiss that time. That 4 seconds of their first kiss was being replayed by myself more than 20 times.
That intimate, blistering, passionate, and alluring exchange of kisses was the best! I am lost for words. I just keep rewatching the scene, silently screaming with a wormy-like action because my stomach is fully loaded with butterflies. The running and chasing moments were so cute. Sangwoo taking his feeling as an error is understandable since he is a man of logic and never felt that kind of emotion before. I adore the way Jaeyoung handled the situation by -initiating to have a deeper talk about their relationship carefully; suggesting a week/s of trial of dating; giving Sangwoo more time to think about his feelings; and the consent that has always been applied. I need time to breathe for every exchange of lines coming from them. It was so sexy and delightful to heared. The cinematic purple color was used by the Director to express the couple’s feelings, Sangwoo is blue and Jaeyoung is red, when they start falling for each other the color starts to mix and turn purple. From the healthy rivalry of Jaeyoung and Jihye, I almost collapsed the moment Jaeyoung told Jihye that he likes Sangwoo and threw several compliments to describe how likable Sangwoo is. He set a boundary because he knew that he had a greater chance to win Sangwoo’s heart better than anyone else. On the other hand, Sangwoo asking Yuna for love advice particularly Jaeyoung’s past relationships was so cute along with both of them agreeing to call each other by a particular nickname. The Veggie Man that Jaeyoung’s draws to Sangwoo’s arm was another cute moment. Then, outside of a romantic night sky view, they hold hands and embrace hugs. Every little physical touch in this show is caressing and heartwarming. Jaeyoung embracing Sangwoo like a baby in his broad body is tremendously comforting to watch. His sincere love is noticeable.
I therefore conclude that I am literally gay after watching the finale episode. I want someone as loving as Jaeyoung and as cute as Sangwoo. On the first day of October at 12:10am, a hot suitor personally greeted his lettuce baby and presented him a cute yet messy (blame the pen) little cake. Sangwoo humorously calling out that he is not one of those idiot main characters from a romance novel that let his partner prioritize love over dream is a good breakthrough of norms. I am also grateful that Jihye’s one-sided love has given a warm closure. She even followed Jaeyoung order to call Sangwoo as Mr. Cho hahaha salute to this girl. Also, the breaking point of Sangwoo’s realization is when he kept staring at the fading Veggie Man pen-tattoo. That leads him to cycling and running to find Jaeyoung's whereabouts. Our robot finally gained his confidence and told Jaeyoung three times that ‘he likes him’ and stole a kiss once again. The romantic scenery of them exchanging hugs and kisses outside and transitioning the lovey-dove act of love inside the workplace was another special moment to be remembered. The way they smiled after each kiss was so pure, that shy smile from Sangwoo when Jaeyoung referred to himself as his boyfriend was the cutest. Then Sangwoo proved that he has an ISTJ personality by having an organized file folders for Jaeyoung’s photos. This scene is so funny! I can feel Jaeyoung’s joyful heart. Cuteness overload! Sangwoo and I are both ISTJ and I felt the sudden connection hahaha and the best pair for an ISTJ person based on the MBTI match on the internet are people who are ENFP which also Jaeyoung’s MBTI characteristic. Sangwoo and Jaeyoung are indeed a perfect match! Their adorable sofa fight was too much to handle, my heart exploded from extreme happiness. The way they end the finale from the laptop indicating the text “Semantic Error” to “Clear” is the most satisfying ending knowing that Jang Jaeyoung and Cho Sangwoo finally fell in love with each other.
After watching each episode of Semantic Error, it affects my enjoyment from watching other shows. The standard set by this show is outstandingly great since I felt nothing except absolute boredness when watching other BL shows that aired at the same time. Semantic Error replaced Light On Me as my favorite all time K-BL series. Both are absolutely great dramas, the power of WATCHA! There’s no other K-BL that made me feel the same kind of addiction I have while watching these two masterpiece shows from Watcha.
It is so sad that we have to say goodbye to this show and at the same time send Park Seo Ham to the military. We will be waiting for Seoham’s return and possibly a second season of this show. To Park Seo Ham and Park Jae Chan, thank you for giving us the best Jang Jae Young and Chu Sang Woo. Your chemistry is a god-tier. The power couple of the year 2022. Gonna miss the sweet moments from the promotions, behind the scene moments, IG interactions, and on-screen scenes. To all of the other cast, director, crew, to Coldin who sang the two best OSTs from the show, and to everyone who’s been part of this amazing show, we are all so grateful for all of you! Thank you so much!
Semantic Error, you will always be my favorite show. I love you with all my heart.
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At first I was worried because this is a great story, and I didn't want them to ruin that in the drama but it turned out really well. The last episode was beautiful too. I liked everything from where they started and where they are now!
Acting: I would give their acting a 9.5, it was really good for beginners like Jaechan, they did well. The role suited them perfectly and they executed their feelings very well.
I'm giving this a 10/10 and it is a must watch if you're a BL fan ^^
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