This review may contain spoilers
I came to watch this series purely for the way it presented itself as a fluffy, simple romance - something I needed after watching all the heart aching melodrama I've been watching recently. And that's exactly what it was.STORY: 7.5/10
There are many things I liked about the general synopsis of the story. The main female lead's situation was unlike anything I had heard of before in fluffy romance; especially their age difference. It gave some sort of message that even after you've peaked in your youth, and it seems life is over for you - there's still hope that things will get better. I loved the whole concept of the book metaphors being used throughout the series, and the entire thing taking place within a publishing company - as a writer and aspiring editor myself, many of the dialogues about how much books can affect and change the world, and how much they mean to the writers and everyone behind it touched my heart and made it easy to relate. The direction of the story was well written and left us with a cute, sentimental yet open ending.
Dani's struggle through her career and the many subplots that circulated around the company, however, were the main thing that kept me going through the series. As the other reviews may suggest, there was a point where they were just dragging everything along, and I found the melodrama undertone of the story to be a bit lacking and weak when it came to the intensity of it all. I feel like the main point of this drama was just to showcase those "cute couple moments," since that's most of what came out of it between the main leads. In the beginning, I was far from hating it, but it kept going on in the most random situations that it just seemed out of place and way too corny for even me, the romance enthusiast's, taste.
Not only that, I found it a bit weird that Eunho just assumed she liked him back and that's what started their relationship. There was a lack of that realization of "Woah, I've loved her for so long and now she finally returns my feelings!" that I was incredibly hopeful for. I also wanted more on Dani's part on how she started seeing him differently, and how her feelings for him were different from the other men she's dated previously. Simply put, I wanted more depth in how their romantic relationship developed instead of it just flashing into this whole cutefest of snuggling and kissing. I also wanted there to be more about Dani as a mother - that was the main thing that disappointed me about this drama. Her daughter literally appeared once or twice and was only mentioned once in the last episode - but it would've been nice to have the main female lead of a romance drama be seen as someone who is mature and motherly more often.
ACTING/CAST: 7/10
There was nothing remarkable about the acting between the cast members. The chemistry between the main leads was perfect and cute, allowing them to really seem like lifelong best friends (I heard somewhere that LJS said that Lee Na Young was his ideal type? Good for him). I loved some side characters (I will protect Ji Seo-jun with my LIFE), and also really liked the feminist undertones when it came to Dani, Ji-yul, Ms. Go, and Ms. Seo. Each woman sacrificed the lives planned out for them because they wanted to live the way they wanted to.
The publishing employees were all very lovable in general and their dynamic as a whole hardworking family was very fun. The comedy (with the trenchcoats, especially) made this series much more lighthearted and rendered some smiles and giggles from my part. Overall, the cast had great chemistry with one another and made me feel like I was even a part of their gang.
MUSIC: 8/10
I am a BIG The Black Skirts fan, so having some of their songs being played was absolutely wonderful. The music, in general, was very soft and fitted into the whole aesthetic of the show just right.
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
As this doesn't allow any big emotional toll, I might give this show a rewatch in the future, simply for the cute moments.
OVERALL: 7.5/10
Although the concept of the drama was interesting, the way it played out didn't amount to what I actually expected and had much more potential plot-wise. However, it did perfectly as a way to have the audience go "Awww" at Lee Jong Suk being a cute boyfriend and tried it's best to remain interesting and poetically consistent. With lovable characters and beautiful imagery of the literature and writing world, it is a drama that is absolutely perfect for those who simply want some lighthearted fluff and to leave with a full heart and a smile on their face.
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This review may contain spoilers
First,-Why i like
- Strong female characters
(Dani and Dani's friends)
-nice male characters
(All kind male characters,
Except Dani's ex husband)
-kind characters
(Like Park hoon and Ji Yul)
-never give up messaging
(Dani's life)
-contains everything about books
(Soo much books love!! I love it books business )
-Great acting
(Especially Lee Jong Suk and Kim Sun Young.)
Second,
Why i dont like
-first and second episode is boring
-fast love
(Dani and Eunho have been friends for along time. Even so, everything happened suddenly. I didn't understand what happen. And i didnt like it.)
-careless mum
(We didn't watch enough Dani and Dani's daughter)
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For me, the strongest parts of "Romance is a Bonus Book" are the excellent cast and the well written characters. At the heart of this story is the lifelong friendship shared between Eun Ho and Dan-i, and I felt Lee Jong Suk and Lee Na Young captured this perfectly even despite their 10 year difference in age. The chemistry between them was great in the sense that every scene they shared felt very natural and comfortable. Jong Suk did a great job here, and I feel this was the perfect final drama for him to do before he had to take his break due to his required military service. Aside from the leads, the supporting cast also had so much to offer. There were faces I was so happy to see again (such as Kim Sun Young and Jo Han Chul) and new faces I came to really love.
It's hard not to love and root for Dan-i as she tries to find herself again; Anyone who has ever gone through the struggle of trying to find a job can relate to her. It was nice to see her really earn her place by her own merit. I loved the way Dan-i descibed her relationship with Eun Ho as if he was a well loved book of hers, and their relationship in general was so incredibly heartwarming. I was touched by their confidence in eachother, and how because of that their relationship had zero frustrating misunderstandings.
Other characters I particularly felt for were Seo Joon and Hae Rin, whom I desperately wanted happy endings for, and the entire "founding members" team at the publishing house. Overall, I didn't find a single character that had screentime to be unnecessary or annoying, and all their different relationships and friendships were fleshed out nicely. If there's one character I wish we got to see more of, it's Dan-i's daughter. She didn't play as big of a part in the story as I expected her to, and I think having had more of her would have made the story even more special.
This is a good drama to watch whenever you're looking for something that feels like a warm hug, and I have a feeling I might be returning to it in the future, looking for some wisdom.
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Very rewatchable
This drama was on of the first drama I watched when I stared watching kdrama. And I started to watched it again (skipping to the good bits) as I loved the arc of the lead’s romance. I like the fact that she is a mother (although the actress was way to young to play a 39 year old) and the fact that they are no prepubescents (lol).The whole cast works well together and all the pieces are there. The love triangle, the youth drama etc...
Also the chemistry between the two leads seemed really genuine and the acting was really just on point. So really watchable and re watchable for me!
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A DRAMA THAT LEAVES YOU WARM AND FUZZY ON THE INSIDE
This has seriously been one of my favorite dramas. As an avid reader and a drama lover, this drama has tied those two aspects really well.I simply loved the way the cast portrayed their love for reading and books. When I watched this drama I could relate to their love for books. I feel that this drama had the right amount of focus on books, reading, drama, and comedy. It didn't focus solely on one aspect and for me, that made this drama so much more enjoyable.
I love how the protagonists just connected with each other. Each of the cast's characters had a unique personality, even the characters that seemed to have a perfect life had some sort of struggle, which I feel made the characters more human.
The casting was done really well. Some of my favorite actors like Lee Jong Suk made this drama a must-watch. All the cast members including the protagonists and side characters each made this drama more memorable and enjoyable.
The ending of the drama wrapped up wonderfully but made me sad that it was ending.
I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone and everyone. I promise it is worth your time
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light and refreshing
it was a nice watch, perfect when you just want to watch something without dwelling so much about its story or the characters. just the right amount of emotions that wont leave you in an existential crisis at the end. there are only 2 things that i liked about this korean drama, first is that it revolves around books (more specifically, how books are made) and how clean its ending was, no loose ends. you know the story ends there, no more no less. the acting was fine, lee jong suk will always understand the assignment but the story is not really my cup of tea.Was this review helpful to you?
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A very sweet romance with a slice of life look at book publishing
9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 Television Drama with 16, ~ 60 minute, episodes.Cha Eun Ho (Lee Jong-suk) is charming, handsome, and good at practically everything. He was a successful author at a very young age and was invited to be a senior editor at a start up book publishing company that gains success utilizing Eun-Ho's works as one cornerstone. Kang Dan-i is Eun-ho's childhood savior and friend who, after a failed marriage, seeks Eun-ho out with nowhere else to go. She has a child who she is solely supporting after her dead-beat ex husband left the sole care to her. Prior to becoming a wife and mother she had been a very successful copywriter, however she is finding no-one wants to give someone who has taken such a long pause a chance to show her abilities in a position. After being homeless, Dan-i returns to Eun-ho, her friend, with a plan to stay just long enough to get her life together. Eun-ho is a player who has never taken any relationship seriously largely because he has deep feelings for Dan-i. Will their love get another chance? Can Dan-i prove to the world that her career break and current single motherhood does not mean she cannot recapture her former brilliance in advertising.
I put off watching this one for a long time because the title, description, and pictures made it look rather dull. However, after reading some rave reviews I decided to give it a try and am not at all sorry I did. Honestly I should have known that Lee Jong-suk would not take anything but a very deep and compelling role. I think he is an extremely talented actor. I thought the female lead looked unattractive in some of the cover pictures but she is actually very pretty and the character she plays if very sweet. Since Lee Jong-suk is so handsome it is hard to buy that he would pursue someone that was not attractive so that was off putting and I thought the story would not hang together until I realized that the promotional pictures did not do the female lead justice. I also did not realize that the character would be so interesting and that it would explore cultural biases around single motherhood, the competitive nature of certain jobs, and how sometimes the perfect person for someone is the person they never imagined in that light.
Spoiler ? The story is further compelling as you get a glimpse into the book publishing world. So do not let the short descriptions be offputting as this is actually very interesting and well developed. The friendships of the side characters are also well done and interesting. The main romance is super cute, heartwarming and very believable. There is no super evil villain in this one which is kind of refreshing in a way. The villain, if there is one, is more the circumstances that make it difficult for a woman or a man who took a career break to get back into their field of choice. Highly recommend this one.
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One word: Comforting
I see a lot of negative reviews for this drama on a lot of sites and I have to say that those people who wrote those are just as entitled to their opinion as I am. This drama is not meant to be the greatest or the hottest or the best. It simply tells a story to those who wish to watch and listen.I found it very comforting as the ambience that is set is quite healing. This was one of my first kdramas so I guess you could say it holds a special place in my heart but it also just has a warmth that is so familiar. I love books and literature so maybe that's why.
Those who say that the chemistry is non existent...come on now. Don't lie like that, there's still something even if you don't wish to see it. I would say they have a very natural chemistry that makes you believe that they've known each other for so long. It's definitely heart fluttering in some scenes even if it's not exactly "FIRERY".
I think Lee Jong Suk is simply a very good actor with range and even though I think he's better in other genre's like action or thrillers he still pulls this off very well. I am not too familiar with the FL but I also liked her acting as well.
I give this drama an overall 8/10 because I think its a fair rating given the plot and all. I have rewatched this drama three times (so I am biased) just because I love how mellow it is.
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Romance Is a Bonus Book (2019)
A surprisingly appealing romantic story giving spotlight to the uncommon age-reversed roles of the lead couple. But I think this is where its faults also lie. While seemingly cute and innocent enough, the romantic chemistry just wasn't there. Which, for a romance-based story, is a bit of a letdown to say the least.The setup is good, and the show knows when to nail you with the emotional bits and pieces. But the characters do lose the proverbial plot down the stretch and the show loses a bit of its luster that it started off with.
Still, the show offers a warm and fuzzy experience that leaves you with that satisfying feeling; akin to finishing a good book. And to be honest, the romance aspects of the show serve as a nice little bonus.
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Finally! A relatively realistic Kdrama!
As a mature woman I found myself identifying with many of the female characters as I have been in the same life situations. This made it quite an emotional journey through this series.Thankfully there was little of the typical cringey aspects of fake crying and even faker laughter commonly seen in Kdramas.
I appreciated the whole ensemble getting their own story time.
I know that fashion is subjective but some of the wardrobe worn by the women was a bit out there but I have to wonder whether that is just my age talking or whether it is actually how peoole dress in real life. The male lead fashion was spot on though. Very nice wardrobe for him.
Well done.
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Always keeping these reviews short, and to the point. It was worth watching for me, as it just lightened the mood and was quite the soft drama, with its unique style, and fun to watch how the quick plot unfolded.
Im not a big rewatch guy on these types of shows so dont trust me on that rating for "Rewatch Value".
:)
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