ArvisJaggamar
Where are my words? Watching Shin Ha Kyun and Lee Min Jung pretend to be in love in front of a camera is some of the best romance I have ever seen. In any language. What started off as a grin-a-minute romp morphs over 16 episodes into one of the cutest, most heartwrenching, and most believable love stories you're likely to get from kdrama.
STORY
Yes, I gave it a 10 in the Story category. And no, that isn't post-romance butterflies dancing in my heart (although I do have those). I tried really hard to find something in the story I didn't like, but there just wasn't anything. There wasn't a bad episode, a slow start, or a poorly handled cliché. There were clichés of course, but they were done so well that I couldn't justify docking points in this category.
There really aren't any weak moments in the show. It never becomes too tragic, too sappy, too silly, or too dramatic. While the portrayal of Korean politics feels absurd throughout, the characters feel exactly real enough to sell the whole thing. All About My Romance gives audiences a beautiful, classic story of love blooming despite social boundaries: boundaries of family, past, and ideology.
First, you have the two leads. I can't explain the chemistry between the two of them in text. You just have to see it for yourselves. Even before they realize how they feel about each other, I was already telling my wife "I want to see SO MUCH MORE of the two of them together". The second lead characters are particularly well-written, too, though. Although they both could easily have fit the role of "Uninspired Villain", the writers avoided using that easy crutch and instead gave us two great, likable, and sympathetic second leads. As good as the OTP is, the second leads here add just as much to this story.
On top of all of this, halfway through the drama, they bluntly and suddenly drop a massive plot twist on you that completely changes the interpersonal landscape of the plot. It turns out that one of the Supporting characters, who acts quite suspiciously throughout, is not at all who the audience is led to believe he/she is. This twist transforms a potential villain into a sympathetic character in one fell swoop, and it's not until the twist that you're likely to understand this character's actions. The seeds of this twist are sewn throughout the plot perfectly, and once it lands you'll think back to several scenes and go "Oh, THAT'S what that was all about!"
Lastly, the cinematography here is much more creative and beautiful than you usually get from a drama, too. You'll see a lot of great shots and some fantastic framing that really adds dramatic punch to several story moments.
ACTING/CAST
The four Lead Roles are so stellar here that I really wanted to give another 10. I can't imagine anyone ever tiring of their character portrayals here. All 4 get to flex their substantial acting muscles across the kdrama spectrum: comedy, melodrama, physical humor and stunts, romance, and even some worthwhile reaction shots. It's a drama tour de force among these 4.
Shin Ha Kyun is utterly hilarious, and manly enough to turn even my wife's head (not easy to do). I really doubt anyone could watch this and not fall for his performance here. In fact, he has one of the all-time greatest acting moments I have ever seen in about Episode 3 (iirc), where his character realizes, undeniably, in the middle of a political meeting, that he has fallen in love. It's a moment I would love to see again and again. Major kudos to Shin Ha Kyun for it, and the entirety of his work in All About My romance.
Lee Min Jung is... well, I'll get to her later.
Park Hee Soon plays a role that's a bit unusual for him but he absolutely knocks it out of the park. When I first saw his character, I thought "Why did they get someone so ugly to play a romantic second lead?" And yet, his ugliness became part of his charm as the show marched on. I don't know how else to explain it.
And I loved Han Chae Ah the first moment I saw her. In fact, she was the first thing that I laughed my head off at in Episode 1. She was funny and attractive and her portrayal of a beautiful woman who loved to be hated by the men in her life really resonated with me.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because the Supporting cast, while very good, is not quite as strong as it could be. And, to be fair, Han Chae Ah loses a tiny bit of her spark toward the end when she isn't allowed to do as much comedy as I would have liked. Still, there's only nitpicks that can be leveled at this. It's a fantastic cast. I give Supporting Cast Honorable Mention here to Kim Hye Ok. For an "old ahjumma", she's quite charming here, and utterly hilarious.
Before I move on, though, here is where I simply have to say a special word about Lee Min Jung. First of all, she may have the most beautiful face in the world. I don't feel like I'm exaggerating much there. She's at least in the running for that award. But beyond that, she was born to play a role like this. Why? Her eyes. In All About My Romance, LMJ plays a tough and independent politician who, while still making a modest effort to be attractive, actively avoids romantic entanglements. But when confronted with somebody who cares about her unconditionally, despite the million reasons he has not to, she exhibits a vulnerability underneath all that bluster that reaches levels of charm that defy description. And it's her exceptional eyes that really pull off that combo. She is able to switch from "defiant" to "scared", or "angry" to "thrilled", in just a flicker of her eyes. And if you're a sucker like me, your heart will be pulled helplessly along. It has been a good long while since I have pined for an actress as much as I have for Lee Min Jung in this role.
MUSIC
First of all, listen to the main theme "I Love You" by Akdong Musician: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvQu63cMQ0w
Have you listened to it? Wasn't it cute? That's as cute as this whole show is. This song will get you bobbing your head every time, and you'll smile every time you hear the adorable "I love you!" that the female singer blurts out at the end.
Beyond that one song, though, the incidental music here is better than you'll get in most dramas. There's actual style to the background music, with various European instrumentations, instead of your usual Korean Drama Synth Philharmonic that comes standard on 80% of kdrama. I love it.
REWATCH VALUE
I don't normally score shows this high, but the sheer amount of adorable scenes, hilarious moments, romantic mishaps, and plot twist hints all through the drama make it very rewatchable. If I were ever to go back and rewatch EVERY episode of a drama, it would be this one, simply to see everything again with a fresh perspective, knowing how it all ends and what twists are coming.
BOTTOM LINE
As near to being a perfect drama as you can get without actually being Healer, All About My Romance joins Fated To Love You and Oh My Venus on my Top 3 Romantic Comedies list. It has everything anyone would ever want from this genre, and more. If you're a rom-com fan and you haven't seen this one, there is literally (LITERALLY) no reason whatsoever for you to pass this one up.
STORY
Yes, I gave it a 10 in the Story category. And no, that isn't post-romance butterflies dancing in my heart (although I do have those). I tried really hard to find something in the story I didn't like, but there just wasn't anything. There wasn't a bad episode, a slow start, or a poorly handled cliché. There were clichés of course, but they were done so well that I couldn't justify docking points in this category.
There really aren't any weak moments in the show. It never becomes too tragic, too sappy, too silly, or too dramatic. While the portrayal of Korean politics feels absurd throughout, the characters feel exactly real enough to sell the whole thing. All About My Romance gives audiences a beautiful, classic story of love blooming despite social boundaries: boundaries of family, past, and ideology.
First, you have the two leads. I can't explain the chemistry between the two of them in text. You just have to see it for yourselves. Even before they realize how they feel about each other, I was already telling my wife "I want to see SO MUCH MORE of the two of them together". The second lead characters are particularly well-written, too, though. Although they both could easily have fit the role of "Uninspired Villain", the writers avoided using that easy crutch and instead gave us two great, likable, and sympathetic second leads. As good as the OTP is, the second leads here add just as much to this story.
On top of all of this, halfway through the drama, they bluntly and suddenly drop a massive plot twist on you that completely changes the interpersonal landscape of the plot. It turns out that one of the Supporting characters, who acts quite suspiciously throughout, is not at all who the audience is led to believe he/she is. This twist transforms a potential villain into a sympathetic character in one fell swoop, and it's not until the twist that you're likely to understand this character's actions. The seeds of this twist are sewn throughout the plot perfectly, and once it lands you'll think back to several scenes and go "Oh, THAT'S what that was all about!"
Lastly, the cinematography here is much more creative and beautiful than you usually get from a drama, too. You'll see a lot of great shots and some fantastic framing that really adds dramatic punch to several story moments.
ACTING/CAST
The four Lead Roles are so stellar here that I really wanted to give another 10. I can't imagine anyone ever tiring of their character portrayals here. All 4 get to flex their substantial acting muscles across the kdrama spectrum: comedy, melodrama, physical humor and stunts, romance, and even some worthwhile reaction shots. It's a drama tour de force among these 4.
Shin Ha Kyun is utterly hilarious, and manly enough to turn even my wife's head (not easy to do). I really doubt anyone could watch this and not fall for his performance here. In fact, he has one of the all-time greatest acting moments I have ever seen in about Episode 3 (iirc), where his character realizes, undeniably, in the middle of a political meeting, that he has fallen in love. It's a moment I would love to see again and again. Major kudos to Shin Ha Kyun for it, and the entirety of his work in All About My romance.
Lee Min Jung is... well, I'll get to her later.
Park Hee Soon plays a role that's a bit unusual for him but he absolutely knocks it out of the park. When I first saw his character, I thought "Why did they get someone so ugly to play a romantic second lead?" And yet, his ugliness became part of his charm as the show marched on. I don't know how else to explain it.
And I loved Han Chae Ah the first moment I saw her. In fact, she was the first thing that I laughed my head off at in Episode 1. She was funny and attractive and her portrayal of a beautiful woman who loved to be hated by the men in her life really resonated with me.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because the Supporting cast, while very good, is not quite as strong as it could be. And, to be fair, Han Chae Ah loses a tiny bit of her spark toward the end when she isn't allowed to do as much comedy as I would have liked. Still, there's only nitpicks that can be leveled at this. It's a fantastic cast. I give Supporting Cast Honorable Mention here to Kim Hye Ok. For an "old ahjumma", she's quite charming here, and utterly hilarious.
Before I move on, though, here is where I simply have to say a special word about Lee Min Jung. First of all, she may have the most beautiful face in the world. I don't feel like I'm exaggerating much there. She's at least in the running for that award. But beyond that, she was born to play a role like this. Why? Her eyes. In All About My Romance, LMJ plays a tough and independent politician who, while still making a modest effort to be attractive, actively avoids romantic entanglements. But when confronted with somebody who cares about her unconditionally, despite the million reasons he has not to, she exhibits a vulnerability underneath all that bluster that reaches levels of charm that defy description. And it's her exceptional eyes that really pull off that combo. She is able to switch from "defiant" to "scared", or "angry" to "thrilled", in just a flicker of her eyes. And if you're a sucker like me, your heart will be pulled helplessly along. It has been a good long while since I have pined for an actress as much as I have for Lee Min Jung in this role.
MUSIC
First of all, listen to the main theme "I Love You" by Akdong Musician: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvQu63cMQ0w
Have you listened to it? Wasn't it cute? That's as cute as this whole show is. This song will get you bobbing your head every time, and you'll smile every time you hear the adorable "I love you!" that the female singer blurts out at the end.
Beyond that one song, though, the incidental music here is better than you'll get in most dramas. There's actual style to the background music, with various European instrumentations, instead of your usual Korean Drama Synth Philharmonic that comes standard on 80% of kdrama. I love it.
REWATCH VALUE
I don't normally score shows this high, but the sheer amount of adorable scenes, hilarious moments, romantic mishaps, and plot twist hints all through the drama make it very rewatchable. If I were ever to go back and rewatch EVERY episode of a drama, it would be this one, simply to see everything again with a fresh perspective, knowing how it all ends and what twists are coming.
BOTTOM LINE
As near to being a perfect drama as you can get without actually being Healer, All About My Romance joins Fated To Love You and Oh My Venus on my Top 3 Romantic Comedies list. It has everything anyone would ever want from this genre, and more. If you're a rom-com fan and you haven't seen this one, there is literally (LITERALLY) no reason whatsoever for you to pass this one up.
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