After almost a year in dramaland and close to 30 dramas, I've finally, finally found a bonafide favourite. A Korean favourite and an overall favourite. I've watched many dramas that I've liked & enjoyed, but none comes even close to how much I love Lovers!
Lovers is the kind of drama I've been waiting for since Oct 2012 when I first took up residence in dramaland. It was just what I needed to pull me out of a minor slump. I chose it at random because it's a combination of two of my favourite genres, gangster/crime and romance so I said what the heck, just watch one episode and see how it goes. I fully expected to be disappointed. Well, that one episode turned into 20 in less than 48hrs.
And damn … what can I say about Lovers except that this drama is really a wickedly delicious lesson in Sexual Tension.
I'm an avid fan of romance, but lately I’ve become rather disillusioned with Asian romance dramas. It's mostly because of all the recurring cliches: separation because of overseas work or study, random cancer diagnoses, stupid nonsensical love triangles etc but it's also, perhaps mostly, because I hate fake intimacy. A LOT.
I hate the fake kissing, the cheesiness, the characters' lack of sexuality and just the general feeling of watching two grown ass adults act like pre-teens stealing pecks from each other when no one is looking. I can understand that for younger and more conservative viewers this might fly, but at my age I want to see an authentic relationship between an adult man and woman. And let me tell you, this is exactly what I got in Lovers!
Sometimes great sexual tension is better than the actual thing. If most dramas of this genre were half as good at building that tension, as Lovers did, I’d die a happy watcher having never seen two people kiss.
The AMAZING build-up of passionate feeling between Kang Jæ and Mi Joo completely blew me away. Massive props to the director and actors who were able to play up an attraction so palpable that you experienced their every emotion. I loved the banter, alternately playful and frustrated, the subtle flirting, the stolen glances, the longing, the internal struggle, the denial … all of this served to create such mad chemistry you could easily catch your breath and forget to release it.
When they’re finally intimate … it’s like dessert, only more satisfying than the main course. Moreover, if you’re a child of Hollywood like me and you do not want too much left to the imagination, fret not … you can look forward to steamy, lip devouring kisses. Hey, a smoking, HOT red-blooded mob boss like Kang Jæ wouldn’t stand for anything less! Even better? Mi Joo doesn’t want him to! To me Lovers sets the tone of how a romance between adults should play out. The characters act their age in life and love. None of this silly, wide-eyed playground stuff. The typical drama cliches are kept to a minimum or they play out in a way that's logical, rather than frustrating as they tend to be in other dramas.
I’m just decidedly pleased with this drama overall. It’s well written, well executed and well acted.
Given that I like to attack life's struggles with a gangster's swagger, I love that the romance is set against the backdrop of Korean gangland. From the safety of my own living room, it’s a fascinating world to inhabit for 20hrs. Now you may have to suspend belief a little given the absurdity of certain scenes, for eg 2 bands of pipe wielding gangsters invading a hospital en masse and having a go at each other, but no one thinks to summon the police. LOL In spite of this, I love the machismo, the fight scenes, the car chases, the assassinations, the bromances, the loyalty, the code of ethics.
Best of all, the leads are amazing! Kang Jæ is totally badass. Tough as nails on the outside, but melt your heart soft and sweet on the inside. If you have a weakness for bad boys ...
By far one of THE coolest male leads I’ve ever encountered. He lives hard, play hard, fight hard, love hard. And is 100% sex on legs. No wonder Mi Joo calls him her Dimpled Gangster. Male audiences will hate or envy him ;) and female audiences will want … well, HIM! (ha!)
As for Mi Joo, for once I have no complaints about the female lead! I love her, she is awesome! She’s smart, silly and confident all in one nice little package. She’s a breath of fresh air from typical female leads who are annoyingly aloof, stubborn, mercurial and uncommunicative all in an attempt to portray a ‘strong’ woman (I’m looking at you, Joon Young from A World That They Live In, Soo-in from Love Story in Havard).
Her and Kang Jæ’s love is a delicious slow burn. They had no intention of falling in love, but basically grew on each other over time, as fate brings them together time and again, until they realize … wow, this person is really amazing. To me it felt very natural and organic, rather than constructed as say … when one or both characters are made to fall in love at first sight or there's some ridiculous childhood connection.
Story wise I think the show is golden. Badass mobster trying to go legit, but not being able to fully untangle himself from the dark side. Throw in romantic and familial complications and you’ve got yourself one captivating drama. And there are some hilarious, laugh out loud moments too.
There wasn’t any poor performances here either. I was pleased to finally meet the (in)famous mr. Kim Nam Gil, who delivered well as Kang Jæ’s dongsæng and left hand man. Basically every actor did an amazing job with their role. No one stood out as annoying or unconvincing, not even the child actors. Lee Seo-jin, as Kang Jæ, has netted himself another fangirl! To me he played his character just right. With just the right amount of emotion, or lack thereof, befitting a top gangster.
I can not relate to other reviewers who said this drama dragged. I personally never skipped a minute of any scene, a first for me. In fact I rewatched several scenes whilst in the process of watching the drama. The great sexual build-up and the machinations of the mob world kept things fast paced and action packed.
Even the music, which I normally don’t notice, captured my attention. It helped that the lyrics were translated so I knew what was being said, and as a result the score seemed very appropriate in amplifying the overall mood of the drama.
If I have to criticise anything about Lovers it would be the ending. It’s perhaps a tad rushed. If ever there was a drama that needed to be 21 episodes, this is it. That said, it works as it is and I LOVE the show regardless. I recommend it to anyone who’s looking for more than your average run of the mill romance. Something with a more mature spin, and a little danger thrown in for added excitement. As of now Lovers has taken the # 1 spot as my all time favourite Asian drama. It was a bit underrated when it first aired, but then … the best dramas usually are. :)
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Here's what is great about the drama. 1. The lead couple is very dynamic. Lee Seo Jin plays a tough mobster who looks and acts the part with perfection. Kim Jun Eun plays a no-nonsense physician who is both gentle and strong. The chemistry between these two is perfect. 2. There are no boring moments, a lot of good fight scenes, and no silly side story fillers with cartoon characters. 3. There is a great climax-ending the last 2 episodes with fight scenes and a well-defined ending. (I hate it when things are left up in the air.)
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Story: This is the third in the Lovers trilogy, which I have not seen the second one (Lovers in Prague) but I've seen Lovers in Paris. I did loved the gangster aspect of this drama (though I admit I'm a fan of the Mafia). This drama is not about just balancing love and being a part of family that apart of the mob and being accepted by that family, it more than that. The story I give a 9.5.
Acting/Cast: I start out with Kim Jung Eun with the cast. It was nice that they got her for the third one in this trilogy as well, she was in the first one Lovers In Paris, and she was great in this as well. Lee Seo Jin was great as Ha Kang Jae. To be the type of role he was given he did his job well done. Jung Chan and Kim Gyu Ri as Sae Yeon and Yu Jin they did they roles perfectly too. The acting I give an 8.
Music: When you hear the instrumental of the OST, and you love it I think that proclaims a statement. the OST for this is not a 10 for me but it got to me when I heard that Instrumental version in it. The music I give a 9.5.
Rewatch/Overall: Overall I give Lovers a 8.5 it is not perfect at all which is why I give it a 8.5. The rewatch value I give a 6, I do not think this will be high on my list to rewatch.
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2 years after my original viewing, I happened to click on this drama again while sifting through MDL. After a re-watch, I hopped back to my list and upgraded my rating from 7 to 8.5/10. 7? What was I thinking? Then I had the urge to watch it again. A few days later I watched it yet again then hopped back to MDL and upgraded my rating to 9.5/10. A week later while browsing, I suddenly had the urge to watch it again, then I watched it again after that. This weekend, after updating all the on-going dramas I've been watching, I watched Lovers again and came back to MDL to do a whole new review and give it my final rating of 10/10 because apparently, this drama just does it for me. It's my ideal perfect drama. The MC pairing is so endearing and emotionally powerful they are HANDS DOWN my favorite pairing of all. This is now my #1 Drama period because of it's re-watch-ability and the OTP.
IT'S A BIRTH SECRET PLOT DONE MOB STYLE but unlike a lot of these kinds of dramas, this one presents itself in a more down to earth and believable way. That's what makes it so compelling. The characters are written with maturity and we watch while every effort is made to make right choices even when they are the most difficult and heart-wrenching ones. No matter how many times I watch it, the plot twist still manages to make me say "wow" I may not be surprised like I was the first time I saw the drama but I'm still left shaking my head. It's really great stuff! Everyone plays their roll to perfection in this drama.
THE ACTION segments are really on point as well. Gang war/fight choreography is fantastic quality. The highlight for me was the land and sea battle when a rival Chinese gang captured the heroine, carrying her off in one of the escaping motor boats and the hero dashes to her rescue. ...Has me screaming every time!
LOCATIONS & CINEMATOGRAPHY are simply stunning. The way they captured a twilight ocean view from a window as our OTP finally surrender to their feelings in a tension packed hotel room scene that makes you want to peak through your fingers like a girl as you watch the sweetest most awkward romantic scene play out. They make it seem like the pair are actually sitting outside on the beach in the dark with the blue and white foam waves rolling right to their feet even as they sit on the floor together high up in the suite. Amazing camera work from inside that suite.
THE OST is one of the BEST I've ever heard throughout an entire drama. Every single vocal/Instrumental song is a perfect fit for the mood. I think two of the songs were mainstream pop hits as well and made their way to my ipod for repeated play. You'll definitely recognize when you hear.
THE CAST as a team, I can't rave about enough especially LEE SEO JIN! An actor with the ability to scream any emotion by simply being still without saying one word. We all get to watch as he achieves Kang-Jaes' character grown purely through his growing love for Mi-Joo, going from Mob boss-icy , unsmiling, unhappy reserve to the real hidden man of shyness, warmth and passion where every smile she wrings from him is gift to us. Mi-Joo alone is capable of bringing out his true feelings that he hides away from everyone else. KIM JUNG EUN's portrayal of Yoon Mi-Joo is wonderful. Her rash, impulsive "girl-next-door"ordinary looking character is a breath of fresh air that adds brightness in an otherwise dark drama. She manages to capture a hardcore loyal, serious and gruff gang man like Kang-Jae away from beautiful Park Yu-Jin without even trying or doing anything underhanded. Instead she was even willing to sacrifice her heart for the sake of doing what's right. KIM KYU RI plays the soft spoken-but-not-a-door mat, pretty Park Yu-Jin, Kang-Jae's 8 year (empty relationship) steady girlfriend who does everything in her power to hold on to the man she truly loves. I found her appropriately cloying and annoying while still finding lots of room to sympathize with her situation. Her character was just a bit too m Then to finish the square JUNG CHAN does an admirable job with Sae Yeon. A spoiled mama's boy who was given the best of everything growing up except the one thing he truly pined for - his father's love and acceptance, a thing he noted was freely given to his adopted brother from the orphanage who was not even "blood!" Jung Chan found a way to portray Sae-Yeon with dignity and class even as he pouted his way through and in his less favorable but understandable moments as he tried hard to hang on to Mi-Joo. I can't forget A big nod to the fantastic KIM ROE HA who played nasty baddy Chang Ba, the main antagonist who will make you grit your teeth just at the sight of him, ugh! He was masterful at playing a cowardly but viscious and despicable greedy gangster.
It's all here. The bad, bad guys VS. the good, bad guys. The passionate romance, heavy on the chemistry. Great comic relief. The struggles of everyday living. The fight against greed and corruption and a family legacy battle that all wraps up as it should and leaves you (with the exception of one regretful loss) very very satisfied nevertheless!
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The first rule of watching a makjang/telenovela/melodrama is…
…to keep telling yourself that it’s a makjang whenever you find yourself yelling at the screen. The second rule of watching a makjang is not to forget rule #1.Oh jeez, I don’t even know how to rate this one. It really should be a “nah” (my personal rating system is "loved," "liked," "meh," & "nah”), but to be angry at a melodrama for being completely illogical is like being angry at the sky for being blue. I’m not even sure why I kept watching it, but I did. I even finished it despite the temptation to drop it halfway through the last episode (seriously, is it a thing in melodramas for the ML to ghost the FL for YEARS in the last episode only to have her lovingly forgive him at the last minute!?).
I liked the original premise of this drama. Plastic surgeon and gangster, what an interesting combination. Except that the entire drama was based upon the completely illogical premise that they could not be together. There was absolutely. no. logical. reason. for this. So what if he had a baby mamma!? He was not into her—and had never been. Plenty of people co-parent without being in an intimate-partner relationship. So what if he was a gangster!? He barely deserved the term--their business did not include human trafficking, prostitution, and drugs. Nightclubs, liquor businesses, and loan sharking is more like the mob than gangs, isn’t it?
In a telenovela, trapping a man into a loveless marriage with an unwanted pregnancy is a classic trope. I shouldn’t be angry at the b@t$***t crazy jealous girlfriend because it was just a trope, but I was. She demanded to marry him even though she knew that, not only did he not love her, but that he loved someone else. If someone is with you for eight years, never says that they love you, never discusses marriage, and never even moves in with you (or vis versa), then they’re just not that into you. You’re nothing more than a glorified booty call. And then when he finally got the b@**$ to break up with her, she couldn’t understand why anyone would NOT want to be in a loveless marriage (a marriage based upon the sole reason that he’d treated her like crap during their eight-year relationship and felt like he owed her something). Much less getting married to someone who, every time he saw the woman he was actually in love with, the world stopped and the two stared at each other so longingly it was the equivalent of neon signs over their heads flashing “we love each other!” (which was super annoying because the staring was just long enough to get annoying that I’d hit the 10-second ahead button only to miss something important and have to back track). I do appreciate the SML for giving up early--thought I thought it was a bit annoying the way the FL kept chasing after him. I think she was trying to just be a supportive friend but the way they portrayed it, it was more like she was keeping him around as Plan B.
Edit: I totally forgot to rant about the FL's bestie! She made me so mad in the beginning that I had to fast forward any time she was on screen. Holy toxic friendship, batman! "Oh! You're rich and like my friend? Here's her phone number, her address, her birth sign, her SSN, her GPS location, and whatever else you might need..." "If he was rich, I'd let him hit me," was an actual line from her. She got better towards the end, but in the beginning that character was being used solely to push the FL into romance and it was done in such a way that any person with self-esteem would have cut that person out of their life--and probably sued them, too, for violation of privacy. Sheesh!
Anyways, if you’d like to take a trip back to early 2K melodramaland, go for it. I would say to just remember my two rules above, but as you can see from my ranting, I clearly didn’t follow them, either. :D
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Discovered in 2022
I have watched nearly 100 kdramas . And I loved lovers in Prague , so I wanted to give Lovers a try. Let me tell you that I loooved the chemistry of the leads , the acting of the whole cast, including the children. You can feel the built up passion through the screen. Gosh Kang Jae is so sexy his stare can melt an iceberg., I was feeling all that the female lead was feeling, I was crying and laughing with them . Overall I do recommend it for those who are tired of so many clichés in kdramas . Yes the drama is not without its little flaws , but it has so much emotion and things you can relate to that you cannot stop Watching until The end. It will warm your heart. ♥️Was this review helpful to you?
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