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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "It's Okay, That's Love" Episode 3

The drama continues to struggle against its main obstacle- the general unlikability of the main characters. I get that their antics are supposed to be cute, but most of the time I just end up thinking that these are not people I would ever want to be roommates with. Hae-soo takes vicious snipes and Jae-yeol chooses to escalate them. Living with one of them would be difficult enough- both at the same time is just plain worrisome.

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As the episode drags on one mild antidote is prescribed- the appearance of other characters who are even less likable than Hae-soo and Jae-yeol. I'm referring, of course, to the trust breakers from last episode who attempt to make amends here and are unsurprisingly shot down. Do Hae-soo and Jae-yeol often deal with these kinds of people in their personal and professional lives? No wonder their countenance is so hostile.

Later events in the episode also appear to confirm that "It's Okay, That's Love" does not take place in a world where nice people want to be your friend. Nearly everyone has a major vindictive streak. Jae-yeol actually managed to get a cheer from me later on during a confrontation with some bullies. Seeing this makes me realize that the main reason Hae-soo and Jae-yeol come off so poorly is because their fights with each other are so artificial. The exact same attitude is really almost admirable when they're genuinely the wronged party.

It's this duality that makes it difficult for me to hate Hae-soo and Jae-yeol, even if I still don't like them very much. It would be nice if this drama gave them more diversity in emotional settings. They're always bumping back and forth between anger, passion, and elitist sarcasm. It's hard to guess what direction the character growth is supposed to go- these characters need to mellow out, but love does the opposite of that,

Case in point- consider the degree to which forced, unreciprocated kisses take on an extreme relevance in the context of the plot in this episode. It doesn't help that the context feels so weirdly ambiguous. I can't tell what kind of statement "It's Okay, That's Love" is trying to make about this particular trope, even if the preview gives a pretty good hint. There's something psychologically messed up about using that device to manage a preferred outcome. Although that would be in keeping with the drama's general mental theme.

Review by William Schwartz

"It's Okay, That's Love" is directed by Kim Kyoo-tae, written by Noh Hee-kyeong and features Zo In-sung, Kong Hyo-jin, Sung Dong-il and Lee Kwang-soo.

 

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