I like the general premise of “Choco Milk Shake”. A cat and a dog came back as humans to help their former owner heal from loneliness, have closure and pursue happiness. However, the execution is a little lacking. The pacing of this very short drama is slow, and I am not sure if it’s because I watch this after a long day of work. But I fell asleep watching the first half because there’s a lot of silence and pauses. If the director is aiming for beautiful aesthetics and setting a mood, then they forget about adding some substance to the scenes. What is up with the empty Royal Saloon until the last couple episodes?

The overall acting is pretty good especially since this is the first drama for 3 out of the 4 main leads. Choco and Milk portray the mannerisms of a dog and cat well. Jung Woo and Uncle are OK as well. If I have to pick, I believe Milk might be the better of the bunch (I also think he’s the cutest one).

I am not a pet owner, so I have some trouble believing in the main romance between Choco and Jung Woo. I am under the impression that Choco loves Jung Woo unconditionally as a pet towards its owner. Is that love between two adult humans? I am not sure. I have an especially hard time believing Jung Woo would fall in love with his pet dog which he has raised from young. Is he in love with Choco as two adults, or as a pet owner? The drama does try to show us some cute scenes, some petting and Choco following Jung Woo around (like a puppy). But their interaction is not enough for me to believe in this romance.

On the other hand, it’s easier to root for Uncle and Milk. They do seem like two adults liking each other. The chemistry is a lot better despite not having better romance plot development. I would have liked to see more interaction between the two before they get drunk together. Nevertheless, I enjoy seeing Milk fighting the attraction and yet couldn’t help himself with the look Uncle gives him. If there’s a side story, I want one for Milk and Uncle.


Completed: 1/11/2023