This drama is a simple romance. Nothing more. Nothing less
Don't expect the most original of the stories, don't expect a gritty, edgy tale. The story is as simple as it can get. And cliché too. Really cliché.
We have our aloof rich dude, Ji Soo Ho, and our candy girl, Song Geu Rim. We have our controlling evil mom, Nam Joo Ha and the love rivals, Lee Kang and Jin Tae Ri. However, althought there ARE a lot of clichés, I was pleasant surprised by how most of them were desconstructed. The characters feel like they could be real people. Each has their flaws and virtues.
Yoon Doo Joon was so good as the cold Soo Ho. You could see the façade he put, you could feel how deeply he was hurting inside. And despite what many think, I didn't feel turned off by his gap with Kim So Hyun, they had a nice chemistry and it didn't really feel like I was seeing a younger girl and an older man (although both are still young in my opinion, YDJ not so much)
Talking about KSH, I really liked her acting and character as well. She was different from most candy girls, more down to earth but still being a shameless optimistic. And like many other of her works, KSH has such a natural way with acting. She feels genuine and you can't help but like her. She did great with her first "adult" role.
I also really liked Yoon Park as Lee Kang haha I'll admit that at first I didn't recognize him at all, so I was all like "hmmm I've seen him somewhere" but it wasn't until I checked the cast I recognized him fully lol Back to his acting...he's clearly the second lead. The funny part is that you can't really figure out if he's a romantic rival or just a weirdo who is very touchy feely. And that's the good in his acting: he kept me trying to guess his character even though it was so clear who he was. His actions were unpredictable, and his behaviour funny in a very twisted way.
I saw some complaints about Yura and her acting, but honestly in my opinion she was okay (?) I mean, she was so underdeveloped that for me it wouldn't make a huge difference if she was part of the drama or not. Her character could be easily removed and it wouldn't change anything. Although I have to admit I liked what they tryed but failed to do with her character.
Being an ex-journalist, I used to work with radio as well, so obviously I was at least a bit excited to see how they would portray it on TV. The result didn't deserve my hype.
The first episode had me like: "WTF?" all the way through. Seriously, and the way the drama portrays doing radio is romantized to say the least. No, there's no such thing as describing the sunset on radio. Radio is highly scripted and the DJs are supposed to talk as clearly and objectively as they can. Maybe it can vary from country to country, but I would like at least a bit of more research on how everything works. I found it really strange how they talked about how radio was so great but didn't bother to at least show some of it's story. C'mon, we are talking about one of the oldest communication devices here.
I didn't need a whole description, but some mentions would be good.
Also, would it hurt to be less cringy? Whenever I saw a slow-mo I had the urge to roll my eyes to the back of my head. The cheese was real on this one. Like I said, it's romantic to the core, actually to the point of giving you cavities. However, being a fluffy sucker like I am, I can kinda forgive haha
The pacing seemed strange sometimes too. I mean, sometimes it was too slow, then too fast. Then in the last few episodes every piece was put together but it still felt a little rushed to me. Some consistency wouldn't hurt too, because without it we really don't know where the drama is really going to. Is it purely about romance? Are they going to focus solely on radio? Is there a mystery at all? Everything ended up being confusing.
And even though the characters were quite pleasant to watch, some felt a bit too underdeveloped for me. It lacked some more story. If you're going to present a character that has depth, then show me WHY instead of only giving me glimpses of what could've been. And even if you, don't rush it like this drama did. Because I ended up liking more the idea of a certain character, the potential they had, than what I was really shown. Soo Ho's mom and Tae Ri are great examples of this, but I would love some more work on the others as well.
The music was cute. Just that, I didn't really care nor paid attention. Actually, the music that had my attention was actually the background music rather than the OSTs haha Whenever they were at an event, shop or store and I heard music like "Peek-A-Boo" or Bruno Mars' hits, I would get all excited. Which is also a negative since the OSTs are supposed to be one of the highlights of a drama. Music matters too.
Rewatch value? Hmmm, maybe yes because I'm a shameless Kim So Hyun stan haha But for those who like romance and some good moments, it's worth watching again after some time.
All in all Radio Romance was, like some said, mostly a "filler" drama. It had good acting, some good moments, emotional moments too but also plenty of flaws. In the end this is just an average drama that you watch to pass time. But being average doesn't necessarily means it's bad, it's just that this drama clearly has a target audience and it didn't get out of it's comfort zone. So if you're a fan of romance, then give this one a try, but watch knowing you won't be seeing the next great epic romance, just a cute little romance.
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That was the one part of this show that I really did enjoy - seeing Soo Ho blossom and become his true self under the care of Geu Rim. I like that Geu Rim was the mature and stable person in this show. She didn't have really any character growth because she didn't need any. She was calm and forth-right. She always had the perfect response to Soo Ho's (and PD Lee's) childishness. There were no huge conflicts and no noble idiocy, just a pure and sweet romance (the radio part of the show was almost an after-thought after the first half of the show and seemed to take a backseat instead of being anything major to the story.) Soo Ho could be very possessive and jealous, but because he was so child-like, cute and innocent about it, I really couldn't muster up any indignation over it. I was happy that Geu Rim was a woman that didn't let the men (Soo Ho and PD Lee) get away with bad behavior without calling them out on it.
Here is where the not so great part comes in. The story-line was problematic. The side characters really didn't have much to do, and their parts in the story were too shallowly developed to bear any weight in the story. While that made things very comfortable and easy for our lead couple, it also didn't give them any true conflict to resolve, which bored many viewers. I was ok with riding along this easy river of romance because I liked the leads honesty with each other and their resolute determination that they wouldn't let things come between them. The 'villains' that the show set up just sort of petered out about 3/4 through. Towards the end, they decided to make these thorns more sympathetic and less troublesome. Most things were resolved in neat little bows for us, very tidily and quickly. And the rest was sort of just let go. If the pacing had been better, I think they could have written a stronger story that would have been more compelling for us as viewers. Instead, they weakened out their own plot and it was already thin to begin with.
I wasn't bothered by the age difference between the actors as some people were. I am well aware that an actor doesn't have to be the same age as the character she plays. I had no issues at all with the leads that they cast for this. Now, I do have to say that the first several episodes, I wasn't thrilled with the styling choices they made for Soo Ho and Geu Rim. Soo Ho had some horrendous red hair - and red eyes to match. However, with his transformation, I could kind of see that maybe they were making an allusion to him becoming more of his 'real' self. Geu Rim also had hideously poufy curly hair and this served to make Kim So Hyun actually appear younger than her actual age rather than older, as her character was. Thankfully, they also toned down this style and she became more believable as a woman in her early 20's vs. a high school girl.
For what it's worth, if you are just looking for something light and don't mind an extremely shallow plot that just serves as a backdrop for a comfortable easy romance, then I would say this is what you are looking for in a rom-com. It's nothing ground breaking or 'never been done before', and it can be pretty cliché, so know that going in. If you are a jaded viewer who hates that sort of thing and/or needs something faster paced and a more solid plot, then you are going to want to take a hard pass on this one - it won't be for you.
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But though the drama teased at a richer story, it failed to deliver. There are many reasons for this but the major one would be that the writing failed the story and the direction didn't do great either. The actors, bless them, tried but when the source material is so cringe-inducing, there is little you can do. A lot of the scenes could have been fleshed out more, elaborated upon to harvest as much emotion out of them as possible but alas. The dialogue was truly atrocious and there was not much of a story once the romance had been established. I feel like KSH got the short end of the stick once again as the female MC had no character/personality beyond the superficial positive/cheerful girl as seen in so many other dramas. There's no depth to her and this is not the actor's fault, mind you. In so many scenes, she has nothing to do but smile and she does so, prettily, but there are only so many scenes this will work in.
Do Joon's character, on the other hand, is richer, more dynamic and grows exponentially from the beginning to the end. Geu Rim, on the other hand, becomes the wish fulfillment of Ji Sooho's character. She has opinions but doesn't voice them and goodness, the romance could have been so much better had the actors been allowed to let their natural chemistry shine through. Instead, whatever chemistry they had was suffocated by the bad dialogue and unnecessarily melodramatic conflicts. However, KSH's inexperience with romance is pretty visible in her acting and I reckon, once she has been in a relationship or two, her acting will improve dramatically. Right now, it felt like she was grasping at depths she didn't really comprehend, if that makes sense.
The love triangle--let's not even speak of it. I feel like this could have been a much drama than it ended up being. Let's hope that whatever KSH picks next delivers what the script offers.
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I feeling I would have enjoyed this a bit more as a marathon.
What I loved....To see a couple not cave into the pressure to separate. They both trusted their own heart and the person they loved.
I loved seeing a female lead stay strong and still loving, even when there were those who betrayed her. She couldn't be bought, controlled or manipulated. I loved that she didn't get all sappy and forget her work ethic or passion for the radio.
I loved seeing a male lead come to life protecting the girl he loves passion, even if it was at the expense of his own reputation...What she offered him was greater...A place where he was seen for himself, a space his heart could truly find safety and rest...He felt loved and peace...to just be.
I loved that he wanted to take care of her and never make her suffer. I loved that he observed her, his actions were always thoughtful toward when he made decisions or bought her gifts.
I could have lived without some of the external characters, the script could have been better organized (this is the authors first work), but as a whole, the drama was a simple sweet healing rom-com, one I'm glad I watched from start to finish. Add it to your watchlist... for one of those long rainy weekends.
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Kim So Hyun and her character Song Geu Rim were by far the best part of this otherwise mediocre show that had hints of a much better drama wanting to get out. It had some bright spots in the acting and the use of anti-climax to defuse conflict but other than that it was beset by tired cliches, one-dimensional antagonists and inconsistent characterisation of some characters.
It's very sweet and a lot of people will love it anyway but if you want your drama with a bit more meat on its bones this is not for you.
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I found it weird how Song Geu-Rim had her hair all messed up in the first episode but then her hair were completely fine. Also, Yoon Doo-Joon was really annoying to me, he did unnecessary things in the past that put a huge mark on him. He's full of himself and forces too much which THAT made me really cringe.
The ost was okay but the thing that I didn't like is the fact that the songs would appear at the wrong times. I would suddenly hear that Starlight song and I'm like why ahaha.
Their acting is okay, I wasn't blown away but maybe it's because they didn't need to try that much. I respect the actors very much but the whole show was a disaster. I obviously wouldn't recommend this drama unless you like cheesy and cliché romance.
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In the beginning this show has so many sweet touches. The Reply Series really primed me for this love of radio, and Radio Romance brought it home. I would have never expected how touching and moving the radio segments would be and how well they related to the overarching story.
Yet about halfway through this drama took an angsty turn for the worse that completely off-set my sweet romance. Truthfully, I don’t think this tonal change was executed very well since it seems a bit abrupt and has moved away from all the heart that was in this drama. I really miss the radio segments from
earlier episodes. Overall, this is a cute drama, but there isn’t anything new or groundbreaking here. I honestly wish there was more fluff. I personally feel it had a strong beginning and end, but the middle was kinda lackluster.
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not enjoyable
the female lead was ughhh!!!nothing happening throughout the drama to peak my interest..... all so mediocre.. not boring enough that i would leave it in between.. n neither good enough to keep my interest in it!!
in the beginning i waited for something major to happen.. but i realised in perhaps the 6th episode that nothing really is happening here ...n then i just waited for it to end........ just bcuz i dont usually leave dramas in between.. unless they r really really bad.
the female lead made the male lead appear pathetic.. when he was not.. she didnt even deserve love in her life.. n on top of that the actress playing the role is stone faced.. the same expression throughout the drama.. it was tiring to watch it.. the story + actress made me hate the FL.
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It pains me to say so because I love the cast. When I saw Sohyun, Doojoon, Yura and DongYeon I thought that nothing could go wrong so as to drop the drama.
The main problem of the storyline is that everything is too much, and it is difficult to follow the story without having a part of your brain yelling that this is too unrealistic to be believable. First the lovelines assemble all the cliches they could garner. You will find plenty of wrist-grabbing, of being stranded in a hanok and of fate connections. It looks like they threw all the ingredients of 2000s love dramas and let them simmer.
Another drawback are the mean/bad characters and how korean dramas often depict unfairness. Many situations are outrageous and unfair and all the mean characters are ridiculed or presented like psychos. This is also very reminiscent of older dramas. The writer does not take the time to show us why such characters are mean. This makes the situation unbelievable. Of course there sociopaths out there, but it is difficult to believe that they all decided to meet around Sohyun's characters.
The two main characters played by Sohyun and Doojoon are nice but overall they are also too cliches. Sohyun just receives all the unfairness of the world without defending herself. Even if I know that fighting back in the work place is hard in Korea, recently many dramas have showcased more powerful women and it is a disappointment to go back to the cinderella conundrum. Doojoon is the cold traumatised jerk who is in reality a nice guy. Again very classic. I really enjoyed Revolutionary Love is comparison because even if there is a poor girl and a rich guy (same situation to start with), both show strength of character and break through the usual cliches which is nice to see. Radio Romance if quite weak in comparison.
The one thing that is good in the drama, in my opinion, is the radio part. I was curious to learn more about the process of making a radio show and the drama shows it well. The most emotional parts take place in the radio station. It is really the best part of the storyline and it's a shame it is drowned in wishy washy romance and half-hearted drama.
Another good point are secondary characters that would have made exceptional leads like DongYeon and Yoon Park ! Such a shame that they are only used as a comic relief !
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This review may contain spoilers
The story was really smooth and light But what bothered me much and ruined it literally was the two main leads
Their face expression was totally dead
And the kissing scenes were really cold as if he is kissing a friend not his love
Kim joon woo kiss was with all the kissing scenes of ji soo
Most of the time i couldn't recognize if they really felt happy, sad, laughing or in pain
According to their face expression
They gave me a strong feeling of being uncomfortable
All other actors were really good
And what made me happy so much
That there was no childhood love
Or trying to leave each other as usual when problems happened or trying to sacrifice in an idiot silly way
I hope both main leads would work more on themselves to improve their acting specially their face expression
And jin tae was a real B****
So how come she changed at the last ep.
The writer didn't give me the space to love her
And his step mom was the same as jin tae
I wished also that i knew more about lee kang
But i felt that many things they didn't explain well and the end was a little rush for other side stories and characters
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This review may contain spoilers
Radio Romance is a very simple romantic K-drama without any big plot twists or anything like that but with a lot of clichés (A LOT!!!). In spite of that, I did enjoy watching it although as the plot progressed I wasn't expecting much honestly.
I really enjoyed Ji Soo-Ho who could make any girl watching Radio Romance fall in love with him, but when it comes to Song Geu-Rum, I don't know why but I felt like during the K-drama, in the beginning, she doesn't really show the process of falling in love with him. I'm not saying she's a bad actress because she's a good one from what I've seen from her previous work but maybe in this drama she didn't show her character's emotions that well. But, in spite of that, I felt like the couple was really cute though.
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