Dragoste Urbană (2020)

It may not be a must-watch, but fans of the actors might still find it enjoyable.

As a fan of Kim Ji-won, I was aware of this series but hesitated to start watching due to the negative reviews it received. After seeing a few clips, I finally mustered the courage to give it a try. Now that I've seen it, I can understand the criticisms expressed in the reviews. The series is set up like a documentary, exploring love stories between multiple couples.

While our main couple showcases great chemistry, I found the overall plot somewhat dull in certain areas. The pacing and storytelling didn't quite hold my interest as much as I had hoped. Despite these issues, the acting was impressive. The cast delivered strong performances that added depth to their characters and made the show worth watching. Although the direction and narrative might not be for everyone, the talent and effort of the actors shone through.

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El guión me decepcionó

Empece a ver este drama, por Ji Chang Wook, y porque estaba en Netflix, después del primer capitulo, me pregunte si era yo la que no le preste la suficiente atención o era el drama que era muy confuso. Al final, entendí que la forma de contar esta historia no fue la mejor manera, una pregunta con diferentes respuestas de los personajes, hacían que perdiera el hilo de quien dijo que. Me costo conocer a cada personaje, no entendía nada. Para mi lo más caótico fue el principio. Nunca entendí quien filmaba? a quien se lo mostraban? Eso era lo que mas me confundía ya que no podía entender si ellos veían los videos no, o cuando si y cuando no. Eso hizo que de verdad pensara en dejarla muchas veces.
Y las dos imperdonables de esta historia son:
- La historia de Seo Rin Yi y Choi Kyung Joon, la dejaron a la mitad, sin explicación, para que esperáramos otra temporada? no es justo.
- Y que dejaran para el ultimo capitulo una historia extra de personajes que nunca contaron nada de nada, en serio? no me hubiera molestado si la ponen en el penúltimo o antepenúltimo. Muy mala decisión, solo quería ver que paso con los personajes principales ya que era el último capítulo.
Sigo creyendo que si la hubieran contado de otra manera la hubiera amado, le vi potencial a la historia, solo por eso puse el 7.
Me cae muy bien Ji Chang Wook, pero no vería esto de nuevo.

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dropped for 2 months

Started this drama cause I was charmed by JCW, but past 5 episodes it was really difficult to move forward. The story seemed all over the place with 3 couples from the city, who are doing a reality show interview.
Well, the drama concept and cinematography in the interview manner were quite good but it was extremely slow-paced.
Then watched ep 8 and was so annoyed that I dropped it for 2 months. I was so angry over Lee Eun Oh, she was a messed up character and didn’t know what she was doing. And ultimately the joke she played in the past is the core of the whole story that annoyed me even more. all the characters are into some misunderstanding which leads them to break up, but they DON'T TALK. a relationship is healthy when you clear misunderstanding if any of the partners are uncomfortable or have any issues. they have a silent breakup and the other person keeps on wondering where is the problem. WHY can't they have a healthy breakup, they are not kids, they are working adults but their behavior is so mehh
I picked it up again to finish this off my CW, because of JCW and Choi Min Ho. Yeah CMH was a surprise and helped in getting this through. and I liked that he also got his share of the story in the last episode.

Overall it is an OK watch, but I won't recommend it, cause all the characters don’t have an answer to why they are doing it. They were all messed up.

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Enjoyable story with great acting and an interesting look into relationships

Good story with range. Loved the emotional exploration of love, trust, identity, and relationships. Even more so just the character development that the two main characters had throughout the show. The two main characters grew tremendously throughout the show, although it becomes more apparent in the second half of the show once the introduction of the backstory is complete. The comedic timing and look into friendship just made it even more fun to watch.

My only qualm is that most of the story was focused on the center couple and the short 30-40 minute episodes. This left the other 4 main characters as mainly plot devices (for at least the first half of the show) with hints of depth we saw from time to time. The last few episodes seemed to foreshadow that there would be more episodes/seasons, and I hope so, because if not those characters were really just not explored enough. Overall great acting from the two leads (who really contributed to the high score) and an interesting insight into relationships with all the expectations, joy, growth, and loss that they bring.

I would say if you are doubting it, just watch the first few episodes and try it. The episodes are short and easy to watch a couple to see how it feels for you.

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Sixteen-Seventeenths of this show is brilliant

I am really not sure why this show has such low ratings, as it was really enjoyable to watch. The plot was simple, but still unique and very fun to watch. There are two timelines, as part of this show is a flashback of events, and those are some of the cutest scenes I have ever witnessed. A lot of this show makes you feel good and warm inside, so a big plus. The thing that makes this show stand out is it's format. It is a mockumentary, and some people do not seem to like it, but it was done well in my opinion. Characters were in a pretend documentary of their life, and it was good because it was a clever way to show each person's perspective on the events that happened. In reality, most of Lovestruck in the City was shot like any other show, and the interview parts were really only there when they needed to be there when it helped the show.
This may sound weird but DO NOT WATCH EPISODE 17. Without any spoilers, that episode is not necessary one bit, and it was just infuriating to watch. Episode 16 is the real finale of this show, nothing else happens in episode 17. So if you do choose to watch episode 17, then just consider it a bonus episode after the finale, which was episode 16. This show was honestly perfect, and destined for a 10/10 (I have never given a show a 10 so I do not take this lightly), however the ending was just so frustrating, so a 9.5 is necessary.
This show was overall so great to watch, and I was addicted. The episodes are shorter (only half an hour), so it is perfect to binge. Some people say they got bored, but I was fully invested every minute so to each its own. I would say to give this show a shot, watch the first episode or two, they are short, and if you like it then stick with it. Also the music was great, both English and Korean songs were featured, so an overall great show with a fittingly great OST.

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Apaixonada assistindo

Eu juro que estava esperando um drama super Clichê! Fiquei muito surpresa com atuação de todos e todo o formato do drama comum documentário ficou excepcional. No início mostrou toda a felicidade do casal e mais pra metade e pro final todo o desenrolar que dá até descobrir a real situação de ambos. Fiquei muito feliz com atuação de todos super convincentes tudo muito real. Hoje lemas da vida, as brigas, Os encontros e desencontros, e as traições, à procura de emprego: com decepções e sucesso, tudo isso em 17 episódios que ficam sempre com gosto de quero mais uma transição entre episódios realmente jamais vista. A fotografia é maravilhosa! A trilha sonora eletrizante! Não deixou o clichês! Indico que assista!!

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Loved it if there weren't secondary characters...

I like this kind of dramas. With flashbacks, different ways of approaching a theme ( the interviews, the thought that everyone could know what the others were saying, etc... Even if some parts of the plot weren't very coherent to me).

I enjoy the relationship between the ML and FL. I know some people use always the thought " if it was me...". But the problem is that everyone is different and I don't judge anyone by their actions. There are always reasons for that.

In this drama I think that there are reasons for the way the ML and FL act. And when we talk about love, specially in a two wonderful months with beach, sand, surf, love and passion I think every stupid gesture is acceptable... At least, for me, even the most reasonable person can't act the same when love.

PLOT - the story makes sense and it is well tie together. The reasons she went to Yangyang, why she behaved like that, etc. The same with him. The relationship between the two, the "breakup", etc
But I think that some things are strange for me. But I am not Asian, I have an occidental way of thinking. That is why, for me, being in love for ages without saying, without kissing, etc makes me wondering how Koreans behave when in love! Or maybe K Dramas don't show what is really happening...

But I can understand how the writers constructed the FL and ML personalities, even if I think they are exaggerated. My BIGGEST PROBLEM is with the supporting cast. I like everyone of them but cannot understand the way the writers portrait their relationships.
Two interesting couples, 4 persons that can't speak with the partner and the breakup reasons seems so wrong. Specially the PE teacher and the writer... And because 3 of them were great friends... Can't a friend give support and some advise? I don't get why the writers didn't close their stories.

What was the purpose of the policeman and the actress?? Another unclosed story?!?!

ACTING - love all of them.

OST - Like some songs and it was well incorporated in the scenes

REWATCH - The main couple yes. I like happy endings and that was one. The others, ALL the others were unhappy and I don't get what was the reason...

I like the interaction of the main couple, of the friendship relation, but only the main couple make some sense. The others... Why they were part of the drama?? Just to support the main story? Don't get it.

Maybe tomorrow I would have writen something completely different ( almost like Monty python's) but the feelings will be the same...

And maybe, if English was my language, I could write a better review.

Summing up...
1 I Like the way they present the drama.
2 liked the main leads romance, if it was for them I would advise to watch it!!
3 didn't like none of the endings of the secondary characters

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Never again interview drama. It was baaaaaad

YES I MADE IT! I made my husband to watch the k-drama with me 💙 pity that the drama was not so good as I was hoping for. There was so much hype in the Internet about Love struck in the city but now as I saw it, I can't imagine why.

Drama is pretty chaotic and basicaly boring. The last episode is pulled from outer space and doesn't fit in with the rest of the show. 👎 I was really dissapointed in my choice because it took me quite a long time to convince my husband to see any Korean drama with me and when he finally decided to enter my world, this happens. I thought (and hoped) Love struck in the city will be something interesting to see .... 🙈 Little did I know ....

My main problem with the drama were the script. I totally hate how they executed it. The storyline was bearly progressing and it was tiring to go constantly back and forth with their history 😤 Jae Won and Eun O were the main characters but their story could have been said in maybe 6-8 episodes. All the rest should have been given to other 2 couples: Choi Kyeong-Jun & Suh Rin-I and Oh Seon-Yeong & Kang Geon.

The second problem was the characters. They drove me nuts! 😵 Jae Won spent most the drama as a complete mess and lunatic with alcohol problem. Eun O knew what to do but still she didn't do anything. These two dragged the show on forever with their complaining, and as much as I like Ji Chang-Wok as an actor, this show with him is BAD 😥 Rin Yi's character wasn't developed enough but the way they created her was odd. Gyung Joon was so blindly in love her that wasn't much supportive. Sun Young was my favourite character, she was purely searching for love and acceptance but in the same time was petrified of being hurt.

Third problem, and for me the biggest, the interview format. I don't know who thought that this format of drama would be something cool 😠 This is a fairly short review for a 17 episode drama which I did not like. Engaging synopsis fast changes into weird drama to which you gradually lose interest in 😐 Unfortunately, I can't recommend it to you because you will die of boredom.

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Basic(Almost) rom-com with a unique touch

First of all, the visual and cinematography of the drama- wonderful. This top of the line cinematography coupled with some of the best classic band songs, this drama felt like watching a movie.

The drama is basically a normal rom-com drama. Except for the fact that it doesn't progress as a normal rom-com drama. The drama uses interviews of the characters in between stories to reveal their thoughts, feelings and emotions to the camera (Yes, just like The Office). The story progresses (at least for the first few of the episodes) in bits and pieces. Right form the beginning you will be introduced to multiple characters simultaneously and then will be presented with their thoughts on different things and thus somewhat get a general idea of their personalities and bits and pieces of their stories. It was somewhat overwhelming at the beginning but after a while when you progress through the episodes the pieces start to fall together and things become clearer. And the beautiful visuals and music make the journey so much more enjoyable.

While watching the drama I felt like taking a long vacation. That's why I think it is a good drama. It made me feel the urge to do something.

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No substance, very frustrating

This drama was made with great aspirations of the writers to make it as close to reality as possible. But I'd say, they failed, pretty badly.
It starts off with a nice concept of "taking interviews" which I thought was interesting. But no matter how much I think this interview was the most illogical and far from reality concept ever. Did these "interviewers" go around interviewing the whole of Seoul? If they didn't try to explain the phenomenon of the interview I would have let this slide. But every character was told about what others said..it was a mess. The way they tried to explain the interviews was what made it overall dumb. Let's just say I'm nitpicking, but other than this was there no problems? Nope, there were.
The whole show had no substance other than one man crying over why she left and another crying thinking about how she hates herself and needs to punish herself and him for her shortcomings, not even explaining to him. This concept is pretty common in dramas but the problem is that's the main concept of the drama. It was just frustrating and annoying.
The second couple were cute, they had their moments. But they went and ruined it in the end.
*spoiler alert*
Let's just say the open ending isn't the problem but the fact that she was being super illogical and I completely support the second male lead in the matter about why they broke up.
The 3rd couple was just ¿¿¿¿¿ like what was going on I have no idea. They did so many illogical things unprovoked.
The couple in the first few episodes had chemistry, they were kinda cute. But um talk about an unrealistic relationship, suddenly he loves her and then they marry??? Like wtf??? And then she runs away?? All in like a month or two. Even though I know she has a reason, I hate the whole concept. The show is such a mess istg.
Another problem is how I never related to any of the characters especially the women, they did dumb things unprovoked. The men were more bearable, but no one was interesting enough for me except maybe goan.
We also had minho on the show, I really didn't get his purpose honestly. Suddenly when the writer had nothing else to talk about, we saw almost the whole episode with minho. I could see the writer struggling with absolutely nothing to write about.
The best part of the show was the scenery and the way it was shot. I love the filters too. It also had some interesting music sung by some great artists which were nice.
The point about different relationships and how people love was what the writer was trying to convey, that point was interesting, but the way it was presented was awful.
There were some cute and funny scenes here and there that made up for the mess like 20%.
But the show is pretty bad.

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Smartly made, with some minor concerns about the end

The set up of this is smart and compelling with fluid interview/documentary style montages. These allow it to offer a more panoramic view of relationship questions that come to dovetail in the main romance- I liked this right away.

I think the pacing towards the end could have benefitted from expanding further into the leads' relationship. Ultimately, I think the series is too short and could've done a lot more with longer episodes, even if that would've obviated the need for the intercut interviews. Perhaps alternatively it could've abridged the idyllic flashback more in favor of the scenes in the city (part of me thought this should've been called "Lovestruck at the Beach"). Still, I liked the comedy of remarriage style structure (falling in love again) and how that creates a powerful conflict for most of the run.

All in all, a quick watch that's smartly constructed, enjoyable, and features strong acting, especially from the supporting cast.

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