Love to Hate You, Netflix’s recent K-drama offering, might seem formulaic on the surface, but the tropes in this one work so well, we are left with a feel-good perfection that is a tremendously fun watch. When enemies to lovers with opposite personalities are forced into a contract relationship, it turns into a thoroughly enjoyable and watchable short series.
Plot Pot
Yeo Mi-ran (Kim Ok-bin) is a badass lawyer who generally dislikes men. She does not fear to give them a piece of her mind when they are in the wrong, whether it is a pickpocket on the streets or her own father. Mi-ran is intolerant of men who put down women in any way and so, her first impression of actor Nam Kang-ho (Teo Yoo) is sour when she spots the actor badmouthing his female co-star. Coincidentally, she ends up working as his lawyer after joining an otherwise all-male law firm.
Kang-ho, who has had a torrid and bitter experience with his first love, is averse to physical affection from women. Although he is known as the “king of kisses” for his passionate scenes from his movies, such scenes often cause him to have panic attacks. In a twist of events, Mi-ran, who is also a skilled mixed martial arts fighter, forges a partnership with Kang-ho to train him for his action scenes in his upcoming movie. However, it doesn’t take much time for sparks to fly between the spunky Mi-ran and the quiet and stoic Kang-ho.While the drama plays with known tropes, the chemistry between its actors is what carries the show. There are multiple relationships that are susbtantially explored throughout the show, even though it only has a 10-episode run including the bromance between Kang-ho and his manager, Do Won-jun (Kim Ji-hon) and the latter’s budding romance with Mi-ran’s best friend Shin Na-eun (Ko Won-hee). Kim Ok-bin has a particularly stellar performance as the cheerful Mi-ran who might be loud but keeps away from being too much. Her scenes with Choi Soo-Jin (Kim Sung-Ryung) are some of the more thoughtful ones in the series as the two women go against the tide of society in their own way and face scrutiny.
Love to Hate You is a breath of fresh entertainment that reworks classic tropes to provide something that is short and sweet. There is no rush, however, and viewers are kept engaged throughout as the relationship between Mi-ran and Kang-ho develop gradually till they finally get more vulnerable with each other. Their whirlwind romance is not an easy path as well, given that Kang-ho is a superstar but they weather the difficulties. Overall, it is perfect for a relaxing watch.
More about it
Genre: Romance
Where to Watch: Netflix
You Will Love It If You Love:
- Enemies to lovers
- Opposites attract
- Contract relationship
- Casual and fun plots
- Second-lead pairings
Rating: 4/5
CHARACTERS WE TREASURE
Kim Ok-bin as Yeo Mi-ran: Brave, fun, and cool, Mi-ran is a friend we would all love to have. She is not afraid to speak her mind and neither does she shy away from standing up for what is right. Her well-meaningness at the core of all her intentions makes us like her even more.
Teo Yoo as Nam Kang-ho: More reserved and quiet, it is adorable how Kang-ho begins to open up when he is with Mi-ran. He eventually confronts his prejudices and tries to get past them as well. We also loved him in: New Year Blues, Money Game
Ko Won-hee as Shin Na-eun: Na-eun is Mi-ran’s best friend and she rightly deserves the title. She always looks out for Mi-ran through her wildest adventures and tries to keep her safe. Her protectiveness towards Mi-ran is truly heart-touching.
Kim Ji-hoon as Do Won-jun: Charming and flirtatious, we loved watching Won-jun warming up to Na-eun. He is also a caring, although sometimes overbearing, friend to Kang-ho but keeps his best interests at heart. We also loved him in: Flower of Evil, Money Heist Korea.
