Now, We Are Breaking Up (2021)

Jang Kiyong unconvincing as creative, Paris-based, free-spirited, rebellious, footloose photographer

"Now, We are Breaking Up" tries to tell a love story in reverse (e.g. it has been there already). This would be an interesting project in itself, yet...

The plot is emotionally quite complex, the characters are in principle jucily interesting and ambivalent. If a KDrama can't take care of a multi-layered, complex mixture of feelings, then who can? Unfortunately, I have to say that (in my opinion) this project doesn't really work out so well with the casting.

Regarding her emotional intensity, Song Hye-kyeo is (as so often) a major factor for watching. As the heroine, here and there her reservedness, sobered by life, is perhaps a bit much. But in places this cracks open. It is this well dosed mixture and subtleness, that makes her role convincing - the experienced fashion designer in her late 30s has turned away from flirtation and rather concentrates on her work, into which she throws herself completely. Being the talented and experienced professional she is, hardly does she ever get upset by anything. ... until her encounter with the young photographer Yoon Jae-gook, that throws her (emotional) life (supposedly) upside down. Her reservedness so far operated as shelter and imprisonment at the same time. Circumstances don't really offer a chance to free herself from the corset of reason, which is protecting her deeply injured heart - never mind let herself fall and trust emotionally. This inner dynamic is not so nice to look at - or rather endure - for the viewers. But I don't think you can blame Song Hye-kyeo, as she handles this inner tension and the ambivalent moments of her complex role very well.

On the other hand (unfortunately) I don´t buy Jang Ki-yong in his role as a creative, Paris-based, free-spirited, a bit rebellious, footloose, and at the same time successful photographer. For me he behaves way too reserved, well adjusted, well-behaved - a sympathetic, dear, rich, successful boy. So unfortunately, HIS ambivalence doesn't convince me. Perhaps actor Jang Ki-yong lacks the life experience (on the rebellious side)? And since he can´t really fill this side with life, I am not convinced by the chemistry between the two leads. It doesn't get to me how the young man in his supposedly fiery manner, would be able to reignite on an EMOTIONAL level the fire of lust for life and joie de vivre (beyond work) that is still blazing somewhere deep down in Ha Yeong-eun... So the key to all further makjang doesn't really fit into the lock. Too bad. Thus the experiment of telling love in reverse didn't really work out that well.

The KDrama is not bad because of that (...though admittedly disappointing ...). On the pro side: There are freshening subplots, each with actors in good humour, who have actually won awards for their spirited performances. The setting in the creative industries is kind of charming, too. Finally, the Korean family values are (once again, but successfully as always) playing with fire on the drama front...

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What a disappointment....

Can a good actor save a bad script? NO.

But can a good actor make the drama bearable to watch? YES.

But does this drama have good actors? HELL NO.

Before starting the review I just wanna say it’s more like a rant than a review.

Let’s start with the name of title firstly, it’s “Now we are breaking up” but more like “Fate” ? I have been watching K-dramas for a long time now, literally every drama has the fate/destiny aspect in it which is not exactly my problem but for this drama the plot is built on fate/destiny/coincidences. Everything is so connected which feels nothing but forced.

This is supposedly a “Melodrama”(Melodrama: A genre that focuses on a dramatic plot, which is typically sensational and designed to appeal strongly to emotions). The plot is dramatic? YES, but can I feel the emotions of the main characters (HYE & JK), freaking NOO, they have no expressions throughout whole drama, they just had cold wooden face and robotic dialogue deliveries, it felt so boring to even look at them like I genuinely felt asleep.

They are the main characters so they have the largest screen time but imagine their story being the most boring of all? Can you possibly sit through it? at least I couldn’t. I’m gonna be really honest I watched this at 2x speed because the pace of the show is slow as snail. As I said the plot was dramatic but somewhat problematic as well, the writer screwed up the main leads story and their bland expressions made it even awful.

Since this was Song Hye Kyo comeback and Jang Ki Yong last drama before his military enlistment I gave it a shot, but I’m utterly disappointment with both of them. There was literally no heart fluttering chemistry between them, they just endlessly kept staring at each other.

I watched this mainly for SL couple and yeah those could act so they had more chemistry than lead couple. Some supporting characters are unreasonably crazy and wicked , my only fav supporting character was Jeon Mi Seok.

As a fashion based drama, the clothes of neither FL nor the one she designed impressed me, Hotel Del Luna or Its Okay to be not be Okay have way better styled clothes and those dramas aren't even about fashion:/

The OST doesn't suit the vibe of the drama, it's something sophisticated which the drama is hell not.

Re-watch: Never in my whole life I'm gonna re-watch this show, I had to give rating 1 because there's no option.

The drama is basically a dud like no chemistry, bad acting and problematic af main leads. I personally recommend to skip this one, the premise of the story was interesting but the execution & main characters failed to portray emotions badly, which made this show really shallow.

END
Thank you for reading my review^^

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