They're actual people!
I am probably rom-com's no. 1 hater, especially as I only like two dramas within the genre: this one and Lovestruck in the City, and I'm actually unsure if the latter qualifies as a rom-com. The reason for my distaste is that the characters are never real people and the only thing driving the story are ridiculous plot points getting increasingly more unlikely as the story unfolds. Jung Hae-in is usually really good at picking dramas that don't have those issues, which is the only reason I decided to watch this, and he made a good pick once again (at least in my opinion).
The good:
The characters are real people. While not hyper-realistic, they have flaws, development and actual things hindering their development. The leads are definitely your stereotypical rom-com leads, but they're more realistic and have their own unique charm. Take Tae-ha for example, Jung Hae-in's character, he's your standard "I will protect my love with my life, because that's who I am, and I have obviously never been in love with anyone else before either" but that motto is supported by actual characteristics. He has a horrible memory of people he doesn't really care about, simply can't remember their names; he was forced to give up his life for someone once, which in turn makes it easier to do it again, and also solidifies certain beliefs or thoughts he might've had before, like that he's happy as long as his loved once are; as a result he also struggles to communicate his needs and wishes. And he's very quiet, often communicating with only expressions or nods, which I don't think I've seen in a rom-com before. As for Eun-sae, Ha Young's character, she wants her own way and will let nothing stop her. This never changes about her, even though she has the largest character development between them. We see this characteristic of hers pop up constantly — it drives the plot. I feel like in a lot of characters, they have a certain trait, but then once the situation demands it, they no longer have that trait. The trait is only there in the first episode to prove that they have a personality, and then they're a blank page except the words "I'm in love" throughout the rest of the drama. I'm a sucker for good character design, about the only thing I truly care about, so that is probably why so many people disagree with me in these reviews.
Another thing I really liked, is that whenever typical rom-com stuff I hate with all my being happened, it lasted for a very short period of time (except from the oppa-thing, my god, was basically torturing him). I usually have to stop watching a drama for a little while when something really embarrassing happens, but I only had to stop watching this twice for that reason (which is very impressive, it's usually an immeasurable amount of times).
This is not the funniest drama I have watched, but the humour isn't boring or bad, it's actually pretty good. I also think the chemistry is on point, though I know some people disagree. The action scenes are also some of the best ones I've seen in a rom-com. You see the characters having to prioritise in the fight; he can't fight three at a time, so he pushes the first into a wall, and punches the two others in the face, and then try to deal with the first one, but sometimes the first opponent is quicker and attacks from behind. It makes it feel like the fight is first of all harder to win than we maybe think, and secondly that there's some give and take, some reward and consequence. So while not realistic, at least rooted in reality.
The villain is 100% one of the best villain characters I think I have ever seen. And I mean that. I don't view characters as the antagonists in The Glory or Vincenzo, for example, as "villains", because they're as real and fleshed out as our protagonist. And in D.P. or Extracurricular for example, the antagonists aren't "villains" because is it even their fault? The antagonist in Our Sticky Love is definitely a villain though. But his character design is legitimately good. His reasoning is explained from his own perspective, which forces you to interpret it in your own way. He has depth and feels real even as inhumane as he is — realistic to the story.
The bad:
Keep in mind that my criticisms are mostly due to my distaste for the genre, if you like it then you might like these things.
The plot is unrealistic and ridiculous. Why not pretend to be her brother? Seems way easier and less like a crime. If you think for just a second about what he is actually doing to her, it's honestly quite horrific, I mean he is kidnapping someone and convincing them they're in love with him. There's a lot of hatred towards gangs in the characters, but very little is done to make the audience feel the same way. I also feel like the drama is mentioning "film-noir" a lot to make us associate the drama with the genre — a short-cut to what I just mentioned — but it doesn't work, and the whole gang-plot feels disconnected to the story. I think it would also be natural for Tae-ha to feel more guilt and struggle with self-esteem if he really has just been working in a gang like a machine, which would also help connect the plots. A lot of the gang-activities, the plot-twist and special effects are all quite unrealistic. It doesn't take me out of the story, but could've been better for sure.
I mentioned earlier that I liked that it was quick and went from one thing to the next, and I stand by that. I think I would've struggled had they made it slower or longer, however if they had prioritised differently and focused more on the characters and their relations and cut some of the plot points, I think the drama would've been much more memorable. You would've ended up with something more similar to Prison Playbook, 2521 or Vincenzo, but with a rom-com vibe stronger than in 2521. Or even if they had just lingered a little longer on the moments in which they connect, or if they had just one more episode towards the beginning. But that's mainly my own personal preference for memorable plots and characters speaking — I am aware that a lot of people probably like these dramas that are just a fun ride.
Overall:
I'm glad I've finally found a true rom-com I could like, but I'll probably forget most of the plot in a little while. I'd say you should watch this if you have had some of the same problems I've had with rom-coms, or are just looking for a light and quick watch. I don't have a lot of experience with this genre, so if you're an avid lover, then I don't know if you would like it to be different from the normal or not.
The good:
The characters are real people. While not hyper-realistic, they have flaws, development and actual things hindering their development. The leads are definitely your stereotypical rom-com leads, but they're more realistic and have their own unique charm. Take Tae-ha for example, Jung Hae-in's character, he's your standard "I will protect my love with my life, because that's who I am, and I have obviously never been in love with anyone else before either" but that motto is supported by actual characteristics. He has a horrible memory of people he doesn't really care about, simply can't remember their names; he was forced to give up his life for someone once, which in turn makes it easier to do it again, and also solidifies certain beliefs or thoughts he might've had before, like that he's happy as long as his loved once are; as a result he also struggles to communicate his needs and wishes. And he's very quiet, often communicating with only expressions or nods, which I don't think I've seen in a rom-com before. As for Eun-sae, Ha Young's character, she wants her own way and will let nothing stop her. This never changes about her, even though she has the largest character development between them. We see this characteristic of hers pop up constantly — it drives the plot. I feel like in a lot of characters, they have a certain trait, but then once the situation demands it, they no longer have that trait. The trait is only there in the first episode to prove that they have a personality, and then they're a blank page except the words "I'm in love" throughout the rest of the drama. I'm a sucker for good character design, about the only thing I truly care about, so that is probably why so many people disagree with me in these reviews.
Another thing I really liked, is that whenever typical rom-com stuff I hate with all my being happened, it lasted for a very short period of time (except from the oppa-thing, my god, was basically torturing him). I usually have to stop watching a drama for a little while when something really embarrassing happens, but I only had to stop watching this twice for that reason (which is very impressive, it's usually an immeasurable amount of times).
This is not the funniest drama I have watched, but the humour isn't boring or bad, it's actually pretty good. I also think the chemistry is on point, though I know some people disagree. The action scenes are also some of the best ones I've seen in a rom-com. You see the characters having to prioritise in the fight; he can't fight three at a time, so he pushes the first into a wall, and punches the two others in the face, and then try to deal with the first one, but sometimes the first opponent is quicker and attacks from behind. It makes it feel like the fight is first of all harder to win than we maybe think, and secondly that there's some give and take, some reward and consequence. So while not realistic, at least rooted in reality.
The villain is 100% one of the best villain characters I think I have ever seen. And I mean that. I don't view characters as the antagonists in The Glory or Vincenzo, for example, as "villains", because they're as real and fleshed out as our protagonist. And in D.P. or Extracurricular for example, the antagonists aren't "villains" because is it even their fault? The antagonist in Our Sticky Love is definitely a villain though. But his character design is legitimately good. His reasoning is explained from his own perspective, which forces you to interpret it in your own way. He has depth and feels real even as inhumane as he is — realistic to the story.
The bad:
Keep in mind that my criticisms are mostly due to my distaste for the genre, if you like it then you might like these things.
The plot is unrealistic and ridiculous. Why not pretend to be her brother? Seems way easier and less like a crime. If you think for just a second about what he is actually doing to her, it's honestly quite horrific, I mean he is kidnapping someone and convincing them they're in love with him. There's a lot of hatred towards gangs in the characters, but very little is done to make the audience feel the same way. I also feel like the drama is mentioning "film-noir" a lot to make us associate the drama with the genre — a short-cut to what I just mentioned — but it doesn't work, and the whole gang-plot feels disconnected to the story. I think it would also be natural for Tae-ha to feel more guilt and struggle with self-esteem if he really has just been working in a gang like a machine, which would also help connect the plots. A lot of the gang-activities, the plot-twist and special effects are all quite unrealistic. It doesn't take me out of the story, but could've been better for sure.
I mentioned earlier that I liked that it was quick and went from one thing to the next, and I stand by that. I think I would've struggled had they made it slower or longer, however if they had prioritised differently and focused more on the characters and their relations and cut some of the plot points, I think the drama would've been much more memorable. You would've ended up with something more similar to Prison Playbook, 2521 or Vincenzo, but with a rom-com vibe stronger than in 2521. Or even if they had just lingered a little longer on the moments in which they connect, or if they had just one more episode towards the beginning. But that's mainly my own personal preference for memorable plots and characters speaking — I am aware that a lot of people probably like these dramas that are just a fun ride.
Overall:
I'm glad I've finally found a true rom-com I could like, but I'll probably forget most of the plot in a little while. I'd say you should watch this if you have had some of the same problems I've had with rom-coms, or are just looking for a light and quick watch. I don't have a lot of experience with this genre, so if you're an avid lover, then I don't know if you would like it to be different from the normal or not.
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