This review may contain spoilers
Interesting and thought-provoking drama about anxious-avoidant love, life and death
Will Love in Spring is quite an interesting drama that feels mature, thoughtful, and realistic, while still carrying a warm and cozy vibe.One of the first things you notice when starting this drama, and what quickly sets it apart from a typical romance, is the unconventional background of its two leads. The male lead works as a funeral makeup artist, while the female lead is an amputee who uses a prosthetic leg. Both of them are flawed, nuanced, and shaped by different kinds of pain, which naturally influences how they love and deal with relationships.
The male lead exhibits an avoidant attachment style, shaped by a deep fear of abandonment rooted in early emotional losses: his parents separated and left him to be raised by his grandmother, his best friend died in a violent altercation, and the female lead left town after high school. This is further reinforced by his profession, which constantly exposes him to death and requires emotional detachment, gradually conditioning him to closing himself off and keeping distance with others. In relationships, it seems that his first instinct whenever there is a conflict or a possibility of getting hurt is to withdraw and walk away. His defense mechanism is to leave before the other person has the chance to leave him so that he won’t get hurt.
Meanwhile, the female lead struggles with deep insecurities surrounding her amputated leg and her sense of self-worth. She often feels the need to prove that she is capable and living well, so others will not look at her with pity. To protect herself, she masks this vulnerability behind a cheerful, carefree, flirtatious exterior. Even in tense moments, she tends to laugh things off and act as if nothing serious has happened, even though she may be deeply affected internally. Her anxious attachment style is likely shaped by the sudden death of her father in childhood, which instills a lingering fear that love and the people she loves can disappear at any moment without warning. Because of this, she becomes hyper-aware in relationships and tends to seek reassurance. This explains why some of her behaviors can come across as needy or clingy, especially when she cannot reach the male lead or when he goes silent.
This creates a compelling push-and-pull dynamic between an avoidant male lead and an anxious female lead. When conflict arises, he instinctively retreats into silence and distance, while she responds by moving closer, trying to reconnect and stabilize the bond.
They gradually learn to communicate better and move toward a more secure and healthier way of loving. The female lead learns that distance and silence don’t automatically mean abandonment. Even when the male lead withdraws or doesn’t express himself, it doesn’t mean his feelings have changed. He is still emotionally present and giving her space to process and think things through. The male lead, on the other hand, learns that closeness does not equal loss of control or emotional danger. Even when the relationship feels uncertain or the female lead is still unsure about their future, that uncertainty doesn’t mean the bond is unsafe. She isn’t abandoning him, and they can work through things together.
The drama also touches on themes of death and transformation. While this may feel a bit heavy or preachy for some viewers, it works well for those who enjoy some philosophical messages. The idea that death is not disappearance, but a transformation from one physical form to another, reminds me of the Buddhist philosophy in the book No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life by Thich Nhat Hanh. The male lead’s profession and the social stigma around it also bring to mind the Japanese film Departures. Some of the reflections on death and grief further echo the book Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin, such as this quote "People buy special urns or beautiful tombstones to make their loved one stand out. Those are just illusions. Once you're dead, you're dead. Therefore, live the best life you can, while you can."
Overall, the message I took from the drama is that life is short, so live fully and choose to love first instead of waiting to be loved. Start living rather than hesitating out of fear. Life can be messy, and we will experience pain and disappointment, but those emotions are exactly what make life meaningful and memorable. A full range of emotions is what makes life feel alive.
I’ll end this with a dialogue from the male and female leads.
FL: Only babies use vulnerability as a weapon to manipulate grown-ups. We have to stop being a kid. When we were kids, we needed our parents’ love to carry on. But being loved isn’t a natural thing in the first place. We are not the center of the world.
ML: Then how should we live then?
FL: Go ahead and love. Love others, instead of waiting to be loved. This is the only way for a child to become an adult.
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