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Just Between Lovers korean drama review
Completed
Just Between Lovers
0 people found this review helpful
by vampbunny
Dec 15, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0
This review may contain spoilers
A cute, fluffy romance that quickly became a favorite and comfort of mine. The drama follows 2 people who were caught in a tragic mall collapse years ago, each losing someone important to them and being trapped themselves, dealing with the rebuilding of a new structure on the same land. If you're looking for a slow burn, a troubled male lead who comes to terms with his emotions, and a great female lead then this is for you.

-- Spoilers Below --

Lee Kang Doo is a young man who has a trouble streak and an "I don't care" attitude. He doesn't have any close family, just his sister who he financially supports to be a doctor, and lives with a friend he had made. His father was in the mall collapse years ago and ended up losing his life, which his dad was not even supposed to still be in the structure. They were supposed to go to a soccer game after, but work got in the way. He was waiting in the mall and got trapped with Ha Moon Soo and a boy she was supposed to meet at the time. As he learns they are rebuilding a new structure on the same plot of land, he begins obsessing over what happened again and begins working for the construction company. There he begins having PTSD flashbacks of the boy who was trapped and struggles with being a survivor of the tragedy while others died. Kang Doo falls hard for Moon Soo and they eventually begin a relationship. It is one of the most obvious things in the drama, but I loved them together regardless. Towards the end though, I felt that the drama was just pulling him through the ringer for no real reason other than drama itself and to keep the storyline going. After dealing with the loss and grief of losing the grandmother figure in his life, we learn that Kang Doo's liver is failing and he needs a transplant or he will die. This leads to them realizing that they can't live without each other and ends happily with him alive and well.

Ha Moon Soo was also in the mall collapse years ago, leaving her star sister on the lower floor as she went to meet a boy. Her sister ends up dying in the collapse and Moon Soo holds a great deal of guilt over this because she feels she is partially at fault for leaving her sister. Her mom and dad separated after the death, grieving in their own ways, and Moon Soo grows up isolated. She has a best friend who she met in the hospital while recovering and spends most of her free time with her. She works as an architectural builder. Making models of structures that are going to be built and making sure they are up to safety code. Moon Soo is one of the people working on the project for the new structure where the mall once stood. Instead of working on the actual structure itself, her and Kang Doo are put in charge of making a memorial for the collapse victims. This brings her and Kang Doo going door-to-door to victim's families and loved ones, gaining memories and pieces of them along the way. They design a beautiful park and together learn how to deal with their grief of losing loved ones and surviving themselves.

Seo Joo Won is Moon Soo's boss, and although he was a huge side character, I didn't care for his story line as much. His father was involved in the building of the mall and he was the one who was blamed for the collapse and deaths of hundreds. Due to being the companies scapegoat, he ends up taking his own life and leaves behind Joo Won. He follows in his father's footsteps and becomes a builder as well and is taking on the task of building the new structure where the mall once stood. Joo Won struggles with the grief and secret of losing his father and this comes out in many ways of him being extra cautious with every part of the building process. One of the things I didn't care for was his liking of Moon Soo. It added in a drama element of a possible love triangle, but wasn't needed because he knew Kang Doo and Moon Soo liked each other and he had his own girlfriend on the side. He eventually learns to get over his grief as well, accepting that his father's death was not his fault, but due to the negligence of the company.

All in all, I loved this drama from start to finish and a huge part of that was the 2 main leads and their friends. The story line with Lee Jae Young, her webtoon best friend, and her enemy to lover boyfriend. Plus you cannot forget about Kang Doo's wonderful "brother" Sang Man. Every character has such a good side to them that makes it hard for you to not like them in some way. A great romance drama that can quickly become a comfort/binge show.
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