Can This Love Be Translated?, the Netflix original featuring the Hong Sisters’ script and directed by Yoo Young‑eun, promised a fresh multilingual romance starring Kim Seon‑ho and Go Youn-jung—yet it starts off feeling like a cautionary tale of squandered potential. The drama follows interpreter Joo Ho‑jin (Kim Seon‑ho), unmatched in linguistic skill but hopeless at deciphering the emotional language of his enigmatic love interest, Cha Mu‑hee (Go Youn-jung). Mu‑hee, now a global star, masks her vulnerability behind a cascade of non sequiturs—leaving Ho‑jin lost in her labyrinth of words.
The pairing of veteran romance writers the Hong Sisters (Hotel Del Luna, The Greatest Love) with the visually expressive director Yoo Young‑eun (Bloody Heart) generated early enthusiasm, supported by the reliable charisma of its leads. But Can This Love Be Translated? quickly demonstrates that a storied creative team and capable cast can’t fully prop up a thin script.
The central plot is disappointingly shallow, relying heavily on worn romance tropes without innovation. The show recycles the familiar cycle of misunderstandings and reunions—already exhausted by countless rom‑coms—revealing a stagnation in the writers’ imagination. Each communication breakdown between Ho‑jin and Mu‑hee repeats the same emotional beats, becoming surprisingly tedious rather than compelling.
What compounds this disappointment is that even the devices meant to drive conflict lack coherence. Ho‑jin’s blunt speech and Mu‑hee’s habit of blurting out aimless text don’t create engaging romantic tension; instead, they heighten frustration. The script drops seemingly flashy setups—Mu‑hee seeing visions of a fictional character that made her famous, Ho‑jin’s complex family history, and love triangles involving past relationships—not to deepen characters, but as mechanical triggers for expected reconciliation scenes.
As the story progresses, it veers into territory that feels borrowed from other dramas. Subplots tackling trauma and family mirror well‑known arcs from Kill Me, Heal Me and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, yet without the heart of healing and growth that made those narratives meaningful. Instead, these references feel like superficial enhancements—like seasoning without substance—which undermines the show’s emotional credibility.
The characters themselves lack compelling appeal. Ho‑jin’s cutting remarks come off less as sharp and endearing and more as rude, which is ill‑fitting for a romantic lead. Mu‑hee’s gradual loss of self‑esteem in love feels antiquated and unrelatable in a modern romance, leaving supporting characters with little to enrich the story. A flat main narrative inevitably dulls any interest in the side characters—leaving the emotional landscape as unappetizing as a meal without dessert.
Paradoxically, the series’ saving grace emerges from its execution rather than its writing. Director Yoo Young‑eun’s signature visual style elevates Can This Love Be Translated? through evocative scenery from Japan, Canada, and Italy, lending a cinematic richness that compensates for script weaknesses. These breathtaking visuals provide rare moments of delight and help patch over lapses in plausibility.
Most noteworthy are the performances by Kim Seon‑ho and Go Youn-jung. Both actors infuse life into roles that might otherwise have fallen flat. Through nuanced expressions and subtle emotional cues, they inject vitality into wooden dialogue—reminding viewers why casting matters. If the audience finds themselves forgiving narrative shortcomings, it’s largely due to the actors’ inherent charm, not the script.
Underneath the gorgeous veneer and competent performances lies a clear truth: the Hong Sisters’ storytelling here falls short of their legendary status. Leaning on past renown rather than robust narrative craft, the show’s script can feel like a disappointment against viewers’ expectations. One is left wondering whether the series would have stood out without the names attached—or if it relies too heavily on branding over substance.
The result is a drama with undeniable visual beauty and actor appeal, yet one that ultimately highlights its creators’ limitations. While the cast and direction make watching worthwhile at moments, Can This Love Be Translated? struggles to justify its own hype. In the end, the show risks being remembered not for its romance but for the gulf between its ambitious promise and its uninspired execution.
Sources: Daum
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