Many people love K-dramas for their love lines, however, some series are just better off without them, according to netizens.
K-dramas have always been strong when it comes to romance, and viewers are extremely invested in their favorite K-drama couples. However, not all works are in need of a romantic flair, and in 2022 alone, there have been several love lines that feel out of place in their respective series.
All Of Us Are Dead
The zombie series “All Of Us Are Dead” may be just as grim as its title, however, that doesn’t mean there won’t be romance. However, while the 2nd lead couple between Lee Su Hyeok (Park Solomon) and Choi Nam Ra (Cho Yi Hyun) received a lot of love, the same can’t be said for the main love line between Nam On Jo (Park Ji Hoo) and Lee Cheong San (Yoon Chan Young).
In particular, many audiences find the story between Park Ji Hoo and Yoon Chan Young’s characters extremely rushed and thus, fall flat. In addition, the female lead Nam On Jo, played by Park Ji Hoo, is not a staple “cool character”, and so received a lot of hate for her weaker nature against other cast members. Scenes between the couple also do not contribute to the plot, and thus deemed unfitted for the overall series.
Again My Life
The love line between Kim Hee Woo (Lee Joon Gi) and Kim Hee Ah (Kim Ji Eun) from the action series “Again My Life” was criticized by netizens for being irrelevant to the compelling plot and Lee Joon Gi’s performance of a psychologically complex character.
The lack of coherence of the romance subplot became more obvious when it only appeared at the end of the series. Despite the majority of the story focused on a thrilling revenge journey, the sudden shift to a rose-tinted love story dissuaded many viewers from finishing the drama.
Why Her?
Speaking of “Why Her?”, the romantic story between Gong Chan (Hwang In Yeop) and Oh Soo Jae (Seo Hyun Jin) came as a frustration to many viewers and seriously damaged its appeal.
Specifically, the series managed to gain popularity by directing attention to the female lead’s rise from her fall, fight against the bad guys and take back the justice she deserves. However, the romance story only complicated such a journey and turned the female lead from a strong, independent woman to a weak and dependent lover in a relationship. The switch in character led many viewers to boycott the series and a subsequent loss of viewership for the show.
Reborn Rich
The ongoing series “Reborn Rich” is enjoying huge popularity and praise with ratings surpassing 20%, yet its love line is not necessarily a viewers’ favorite. In fact, with its theme of revenge and inner battles between a wealthy household, “Reborn Rich” draws its viewers with fast-paced actions, unpredictable plot twists, and not whimsical romance.
In addition, the female lead Seo Min Young (played by Shin Hyun Been) is poorly written and barely has any ground to shine, despite the series having gone half-way through. Her chemistry with the male lead, played by Song Joong Ki, also feels lackluster, and the romance between the couple feels out of place in the drama. As a result, many viewers have been pushing for this love line to be removed, or for the female lead to have more development instead of just being a romantic interest.
K-dramas initially gained popularity for romantic works, but that’s not all there is to them. In some cases, it may be better for K-dramas to focus on its central theme instead of love lines, and the aforementioned cases are some prime examples.
Source: dienanh
