Interesul Iubirii (2022)

More Hopes Dashed!

I started watching Kdramas several years ago after my brother mentioned he enjoyed them...and generally I have too, over the 100 or so series I have seen all or part of. About 6 months ago he told me that he had started watching the last part of a final episode first to help determine if he was going to spend 16+ hours on the series. After the last couple of series that I have watched I have arrived at the same point. (Just before Interest of Love I watched Misty and Record of Youth.)

As is common for me (and apparently many others), I started to get weary of the premise / storyline after the first 4-8 episodes. In this case it felt like they were just circling back (as explained in one of the episodes) back to the beginning, without much of interest (pun intended) being added after each lap. The slow pace was getting to me so I bumped the playback to 1.5 and made frequent use of the 10 seconds ahead feature. I binged the first 12 episodes over a couple of days before hitting the wall at the end of episode 12. Maybe I was just tired, but I didn't want to watch anymore, excepting part of episode 16 to see how this train wreck ended.

The memories collage in the finale lacked any joy for me as I felt cheated out a positive ending. True, most of the individual scenes were the best of what had transpired along the way and those segments AT THE TIME were satisfying to watch. I kept watching the remaining time display thinking "There is still enough time to salvage a good ending. Come on!" Alas, their last steamy-stares were left to be interpreted. Were they still in love? If so, what a couple of losers. I get that these Kdramas present what many Americans (or at least my Boomer cohort) would consider dysfunctional, immature, sloooooow-developing romantic relationships. Six or more episodes before a confession of liking someone or maybe agreeing to drop the honorifics or hold hands. Then almost immediately into a committed maybe-gonna-get-married relationship. Heck, back in my day we dated for FUN. I have to believe that these Kdramas do not represent real life in South Korea.

Yes, I'm rambling a bit, an early morning rant about yet another waste of my time on a series that COULD have been so much more enjoyable. As it was, one of the highlights was trying to figure out the product placements. (Is Volvo really happy to have their EV shown as needing a longer-than-a-gas-fillup recharge?) From now on I am following in my brother's footsteps and watching the ending first. If I wanted to see tragic relationships I could always just watch French films. (Or maybe just checking the reviews here, as clearly I am not the only to dislike this show's path and ending.)

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Second time around hits different!

I had to come back and rewrite my review after watching this series a second time, because the first time around I totally missed the point. This second time i was more receptive and ready to digest the complexities of the characters and their situations.

The first time around I grew frustrated with the way the story was unfolding and the main characters that seem very passive drove me crazy with exasperation. But now I understand that they were living in a society full of prejudices and classism, so they had to behave and conform to what it was expected of them. They really had no choice, because all their choices had consequences. Like the moment that the FL stood up to her boss, at first she was seemed by her own coworkers as a liability until the ML who was regarded of a higher social status defended her did she get any sympathy..

Although many viewers found her annoying for being mad at the ML for his initial hesitation and later for trying hard to like the SML. I totally understand why she did that. So yeah, I loved the ending… it was really fitting. They had to go through all those experiences and headaches to end up right where they started….

It is truly a gem of a show…. the angst is so palpable. love it!!!

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We Were Definitely Robbed. More of a Stick Up Than Highway Though...

THE TRACK Wonder Why GIVES MY LOVELY SAM SOON!!! I love it so much, I just love Sam Soon lol. That track alone means I can never hate this drama.

The acting was phenomenal! Everyone played their roles so well. You love characters when you are supposed to love them and hate them when you are supposed to hate them. Beautifully done. Superb casting. Give the casting directing a medal.

Ha Sang-Su - This is my second drama with him as the ML. I was watching his new drama WTPR and ran out of episodes and then this was suggested. I saw MKY was the FL and was sold. He was very good at acting hesitant and ever so longing. It was very frustrating for me when he got with Mi-Yeong, I didn't know that was going to happen lol. The pushing and pulling we went through because our dumb main couple decided to go the long way.

Ahn Soo Young - Moon Ga-Young is such a good actress, and she played the role very well—a lovely and complex FL. Loved her in Tempted, although I dropped that drama, she should have ended up with Woo DoHwan. She has a very good poker face, she gives off the impression to everyone that nothing phases her. After everything went down with the fake-out she pulled, everything became too much and my girl needed a fresh start. After all the disappointments from not being promoted, all the nasty rumors, the harassment, the straw that broke the camel's back ended up being her not being comfortable hurting 3 people she cared about. So she decided to destroy everything and have them all turn on her instead. I was reluctant to see her leave since she had finally received the promotion she deserved but also happy because that company didn't deserve her. It was a great decision in the end, leaving that micro-toxic world in order to create her own was for the best. It really goes to show that the ones who look the toughest on the outside are usually the softest.

Main Leads Chemistry: OFF THE CHARTS! The chemistry was soooo good but they never ended up feeding us until we were full. I remember thinking, around episode 7 or 8, that once they get together I hope it doesn't get too happy since it gets boring sometimes in dramas when they do that. Little did I know they planned on making us suffer until the end. If their chemistry were not good the fact that the leads stay in a semi-awkward state the whole time would have been unbearable. They finally get comfortable and then BOOM, ASY pulls off her stupid little trick. We kinda get over that hurdle and BAM ASY disappeared and we were back to the initial hesitant and shy atmosphere the main couple called home. Fortunately for us and the director, the underlying tension between the leads spoke for itself. Episode 10. Nothing else needs to be said about their kisses except ELECTRIC! They have to pair together again for another drama because I need more of them!

Jeong Jeon Hyeon - Adorable. Annoying but still adorable. The initial happy phase with him and the FL made me even consider that they might just live happily ever after. Then his financial troubles kicked into high gear and I got tired of his shame after a while. There was only so much I could take. Like you chose to not give up, just buck up and understand that you have to lean on her and pass that flipping exam! Then that girl he was studying with was very annoying. Like even if he and FL don't end up together to get with someone so happy to flirt with you while you have a GF and who would disrespect that GF in front of you is crazy. His telling that girl that he only had fun with her still ticks me off. I am very happy he passed that test and became a police officer but the downfall of their relationship tired me out and I was ready for him to be gone lol. When he punched Gyeong-Pil I was surprised because I thought he was cheating with that study-group-girl lol, I was like "Oh, he does care" 🤦‍♀️

Park Mi-Yeong - A sweet girl. A bit annoying at times. She was so privileged but desired to work for the things she got, unaware of the fact that everything she was blessed with was handed to her. She was ungrateful to her father and resented him for his seemingly overbearing assistance, causing their relationship to weaken. The moment when she thanked him was very touching. She finally realized that he wasn't trying to buy her affection with the things he provided, he was trying to show his love for her in the only way he knew how. Mi-Yeong although full of herself, had her heart in the right place. She was definitely foolish to get into a relationship with a man who told her he was not in it 100%. I don't see her as a victim in that aspect. She saw many signs and ignored them. The power dynamic was tilted in her favor even though her feelings caused her to be the one at a disadvantage. Getting with a man who hardly likes you is risky business and I could never feel bad for someone who puts themselves in that position. If you turn his heart towards you, great you win, but if his heart stays on whoever it is, you only have yourself to blame and the hurt caused to your heart is basically self-inflicted. She's still my girl though, don't get it twisted.

Honorable Mentions:

Gyeong-pil - He's actually a pretty great friend, all things considered, lol.

The Two Moms: I'm glad they reconciled since their relationship was cute.

I don't get why everyone in the comments thinks this was an "open" or "unclear" ending. As far as I am concerned, the main couple is happily married with baby #3 on the way. Do you think they had that much chemistry, went through 4 years of no contact only to meet and be just as obsessed with each other and they didn't get together??? Tsk, tsk, tsk, not the brightest bulb are you huh? Lol, but seriously our OTP is living happily and well. If they had gotten together before the time skip the relationship would have probably been very strained and it might have ended badly. They both had ample time to collect themselves and improve and found their way back to each other even when they did not intend to.

A great drama where you can't completely hate anyone. Magnifique ✨😚👌

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Watch how a cold hearted woman hurts everyone around her

I guess the script writer had an unfinished business, avoid this drama if you can, it disguises as a romance, but really is a series of unexplained actions of a cold hearted woman that destroys everyone around her, do yourself a favor and avoid.
The songs are nice. There is one song in the end which sounds like Ahn JiYoung, but it might not be her.
The only character that saves that show is the warm hearted rich girl, but she is destroyed too in this drama as well.
The rich mother and her friendship with the hero's mom is also nice, but this is just moot and does not contribute to the story really as much as it could

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Slow and odd

I like a slow drama but the tone of this one is confusing. Our ML seems toxic at one point, sweet at another. At 38, he's a good 12 years older than our FL but his character seems to be in his late 20s. I don't sense any chemistry between them.
I have liked both actors in other dramas but i just don't have a clear sense of what the writer and director are trying for here and I can't imagine this thin story line taking up 16 episodes.
The SML isn't captivating me though i do like the SFL so far.
There isnt much buzz about this drama online and it is not surprising.

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Very relatable… and yet so draggy!

Everything in this drama is relatable- especially if you’re in your twenties, a working adult trying to survive on your own in this world.

The basic plot of working, trying to climb the corporate ladder to earn more money, get a higher position, buying a house, getting married etc.. it’s all included in this storyline. BUT.. the pace of how it’s unfolding is SO SLOWWWW ;) Could have probably finished the story in just 10 episodes. I’ve been watching the whole thing at 1.5x speed ;):)

There’s the office politics, workplace discrimination, society standings discrimination, family background discrimination, education discrimination.. and the list goes on. It’s really sad if this is all true in Korean culture. One of the side characters broke up with his ex of 4 years, to marry someone of his “social standing” and immediately had an affair w his ex because he just couldn’t get over her. Why marry in the first place?

The chemistry and intensity in the leads relationship is very evident though, and I like it. Very very slow burn, but we get a really good kiss scene at the end of Ep 10 ;) At this point, I’m wondering why don’t they just get together already?? Whatever was stopping them before doesn’t seem that important now. Both leads decided to start relationships with other ppl, but it turns out those were not working out either! It’s interesting because this main relationship is not your typical fall-in-love story, but rather is them cheating on their respective partners (although for me I don’t find it cheating really. )

Let’s see how the story unfolds. I sincerely hope they have a happy ending :)

Update: just completed this. The last 4 episodes were terrible. It was a drag and painful to just complete it. What started off as 7.5 has now dropped to a 6. I wouldn’t recommend this drama. Too complicated and a waste of time

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Full time sympathy with both the second leads

I really don't like the drama . Specially the female lead 's character . She herself got confused and make her boyfriend and first male lead's characters confused . Drama started with the employee of the bank where a man fallen in love with a lady . The man since starting when she had joined the bank loved her . But after meeting of three to four time with him she had feeling towards him but not sure . Then one day they decided to meet at dinner . Because he confused with his feeling so he reached the venue late and by the time she had left . From there the irritating part of the drma had started . He sad story to her and confessed his love but she had misunderstood him by saying that she is dating someone but actually she had started her life with the someone. Here he also started his life with someone but he realised he didn't forget her and broke up with the relationship. She still create confusion . She didn't know to whom she had fallen in love with . what she wanted with her life and still messed with other two life . Toying with both of them feeling . Ultimately she left her boyfriend and started spending time with male lead . Drama get over.
NOT FOR ME.

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It began nice but endet not really good.

One thing can definitely be said from the start and that is that this drama isn't for everyone. The story is told very slowly and could have been completed after 8 episodes.
In any case, it's positive that this drama is very close to reality. So problems and decisions that you and I could have made too. Love can be very complicated sometimes. The actors did an excellent job.
However, the story stuttered and nothing exciting happened. The reasons for the roles were sometimes no longer understandable. The ending was a disaster for me.
You basically wait for nothing.

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Lenta, aburrida y con personajes inconsistentes

Leeeeeeenta como tortuga renga. Aburridísima. Capítulos enteros en los q no pasa naaaaaada. Miradas, silencios, recuerdos y mas recuerdos. Encima, personajes incomprensibles que actuan como si no tuvieran registro de la realidad. Que toman decisiines tóxicas innecesarias. Fue un enorme esfuerzo terminar de verla. Una pena. Tiene un gran elenco que hizo lo que pudo peeo no se.puede sacar jugo de las piedras. Amo a Yoo Yeon-seok desde Mr Sunshine así que la esperé con ansias. Quería que le fuera bien. Tenía grandes expectativas, pero hasta ahora es mi decepción del año. 😔😔😔😔😔

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Late Stage Capitalism Love

It's really hard to trust a Netflix series with inexperienced writers, in this case, it seems this drama is still the writers' only project. The combination usually results in producing flops and slops, and the pattern seems to be consistent with this one as well. It goes without saying, this explains why the dialogue was unbelievably atrocious and mind numbing. The story itself remained in a nonfunctional state throughout its run and mixing it with a half-assed social commentary piece resulted in a certified stinker. Even its creator know that it was a failed attempt so they abandoned the idea after a few episodes. Amidst all of that, somehow, they managed to create 16 episodes. I guess having the characters talking in slow-mo helped, which made it more painful in combination for how the dialogue was.

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🙄..... Seems like i just wasted my time watching this frustrating , depressing , negative, and toxic drama . Really frustrating leads who are surprisingly annoying specially Suyeong who acted like a robot throughout the drama . It seemed like they have got a pass to hurt others . Mr.Jeong and Migyeong didn't deserve to be treated like that 😭 . What did Sangsu liked about the boring rude lead . The only good thing thing was Mr.Jeong and migyeong moving on and being successful . Like seriously ......It all ended still questioning if what they felt was really love ...... 😒 Honestly It felt more like lust rather than love . Lastly , this drama could have just ended with 8 episodes so why drag so much . I'm so frustrated that i feel like watching Hotel del luna again so i could feel better .

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