Our Dating Sim (2023)

I want to play this dating sim!

I want to play this dating sim!

Our Dating Sim is an eight-episode with 15 minutes each, so what did they do with it? They made a series about our main couple that literally had almost no scenes without one or the 2 of them in it. They rightfully focused on Ki Tae and Lee Wan and made us fall in love with both of them.

No excessive drama, no filler scenes. It doesnt feel rushed and its just the right pacing.

And, its not like some other concurrently airing drama out there (ahemmmmmm), this one has the right amount of lovey dovey and the star's chemistry is electric.

And the end credit for each episodes is genius!

Easy and quick watch and rewatch. Highly reccommended! 9 out of 10 stars!

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Sweetness with genuine feelings.

Saying it was adorable would be understatement. It’s a perfect BL for everyone who is tired of overdramatized plotlines, stiff chemistry, bad acting and problematic leads. Our Dating Sim is the purest form of romantic comedy put in a refreshing frame of a dating game.

One of the strongest good points about this show was the well paced and smart storytelling. Just enough opening ambiguity about the main leads relationship in the past and the present was enough to set up a solid opening stage for the rest of this story to unfold. And from that point, it was a full fluff fest with just a tiny bit of angst so we don’t get diabetes. The angst you can enjoy, because you know it's just a tiny momentary feeling that will end well.

I am pretty sure we all fell in love with Gi Tae. It’s amazing to see a character who is confident, but not overbearing. He truly radiates positive energy and presents a perfect level of playful teasing.

Honestly speaking, while I enjoyed Lee Wan’s character, I found it hard to describe him. A little bit passive, truly hardworking with spontaneous outburst of courage with flight reaction that follows. Compared to Gi Tae, who was more stationary in terms of development, Lee Wan presents a subtle journey to self-discovery and bravery to stick with the things he find important, instead of running away from them.

Lee Seung Gyu and Lee Jong Hyuk had an amazing and natural chemistry that put a smile on my face during every episode. Acting wise, they both delivered believable performances. While many people praised Lee Seung Gyu (for solid reasons, I rewatched quite a few scenes simply because I enjoyed his performance so much), I also want to compliment Lee Jong Hyuk for his take on Lee Wan’s character, especially with scenes presenting concern, worry or confusion.

For such a short drama, the production value was perfect. I loved the dating game framing and the game stages scenes at the end of each episode presenting additional small doses of sweetness between the main characters.

Overall, while it feels like 8.5 for me, my brain actually wants to give it 9. Often such simple and short stories feel empty, dull, cringe, but Our Dating Sim could not be described by any of these adjectives. While it might be a classic story with well known tropes, the execution makes it an entertaining watch that many will enjoy.

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This is an honorary 10/10

Listen up Korean producers, writers, editors and creators of the entertainment industry (specially the ones involved in the massacre of A Shoulder To Cry On): THAT'S HOW YOU END A GOOD STORY!

It is a simple yet well done series that earns an standing ovation

The actors and the acting are a yes, the great chemistry is also a yes, so good that they make you feel you're right there, so close that you you feel or you wish it was happening to you instead, and finally the way they smoothly tell you the story back and fort is a yes too, I can't recommend this series enough

Definitely has a high rewatch value

10/10 in every single category for me, yes indeed!

And those couple of kisses? BRA-VO!

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So far, its the best bl of 2023

I don't know where even to begin. They both are damn cute. Those small touches, talks, kisses. This is everything I want in a drama. Usually, I wouldn't say I like many bls because of too many explicit scenes and not enough actual development or a proper story. but this one exceeded my expectations. The chemistry is damn amazing between these two. and the acting is stellar. Seriously, others should take a look at this and see how to write a show. The plot is insanely simple. but the execution is the thing that matters. They did a really good job with it. and the game at the end was too cute. Seriously cute. Like those choices and finally Wan chose to not run away. The chemistry is amazing. So amazing. Like seriously amazing that you are left with butterflies every time they interact.

On to the story. Each episode was better than the previous one. It is so amazing to see both their chemistry expanding as both of them kept on interacting. and yes as I have mentioned in the above, the story was really simple. But the way both of them portrayed the characters and the visuals of the show was damn amazing. It was aesthetically pleasing and the editing was damn good. I liked it. and I would say the ending game at the end of episodes was so damn good. It was like we get to see how their highschool years went on without us having to go deep into flashbacks

Now I wish the run time was longer and the episodes too. but honestly i liked what they did with this. and honestly looking forward to the future projects of the actors. The show mostly focuses on the main leads so we don't get to see much of the side characters. They don't stick out much other than those funny office moments. but I can't ask for more with the given amount of time and am really happy with this. The music was fine. Nothing special but it wasn't jarring too. It was enjoyable.

Overall, I would suggest this drama to every rom com fanatics. This was a really damn good watch. I don't want this to end because this was my most favorite drama that was airing. I am also glad the eighth sense started and I feel like that is going to be a great watch too.
I would totally rewatch this drama again and again. This could totally be one of my comfort dramas because whenever they two share the screen together, I just feel so damn happy for them and couldn't stop smiling.

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Love is simple, really

“I'm scared that you'll disappear right in front of me.”

I am truly impressed with the execution of Our Dating Sim. Considering that it is a story that revolves around a misunderstanding, there is little to none of the commonplace tropes like 'miscommunication" and 'walking away while the other is talking' or the dreaded 'jumping to comclusions'.

I needed to start my review with this because I totally thought these would be tediously utilised by the drama, but instead ODS gives us two beautifully authentic people who have their own ways of dealing with emotions which leads them to a place of conflict and a separation for more than 7 years.

With a run-time of only 15 minutes, the show makers have utilised every second to build Lee Wan and Shin Ki Rae's relationship, with each scene contributing to their story in a meaningful way. Every conversation, every little thought adds something to the story and this is really important for a short series.

They have done this and more than what other longer series provide us, and within an obviously limited budget. ODS has proved that having a small budget is not an excuse for a lackluster production (side-eyeing certain other korean bls which have recently aired). There is a small cast too, but the show in itself never feels empty.

Then there are the actors themselves who brought their all to the screen and delivered one of the best kisses in bl history, gotta talk about it considering physical intimacy is a very lousy point for most Korean bl dramas. The characters feel mature and there is a visible difference in them between their youthful friendship days and their older mature selves. The chemistry between the leads is palpable and it helps that scenes of physical intimacy are peppered generously throughout the series.

They behave a a real couple would, and as people who have missed each other during a long separation, and deal with their own anxiety of losing each other once again. There are little dating sims recreated at the end of each episode, each giving a little view into what a braver Lee Wan would have done in his school days. Although Lee Wan was not brave then, he has changed now and the show ends on a hopeful message that although life is a game and there is little certainty to it, it is his choice now to be with Ki Tae and that is all that matters. To stay in the moment and to choose one another.

An unexpectedly well done series and a must watch for those looking for a sweet, fluffy way to pass the time without too much unwarranted and uncalled for drama. 8/10

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ONE OF MY FAVORITE KOREAN BL SERIES!

I can't remember how many times I've rewatched this... whooo.. okay let me breath... Gosh, I'm going crazy over this! I love this so much! As in everything is perfect! The characters are very good-looking, every episode is well done, acting is on point, music is alright, the ending is amazing and really satisfying and many many more... This is definitely added to my favorite list! I'm so happy to have watched this. Thank you so much to those who are involved in making this! Aahh,.. Every feelings I needed to experience and feel was there, oh and the love, the fluff, those teases, those hugs, everything!... I can't help but smile every time I remember their moments together, the two male lead's chemistry is so perfect I can't get enough of it... ahhhh my heart.. I love this so much. Highly recommended!

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Cotton Candy Lollypop with Sugar on Top

This drama is so sweet, so sweet, so sweet it is like they took a lollypop and dipped it in cotton candy.

The acting is mostely meeh, story is not really new and it is not the type I will remember for all eternity but the take feels kind of fresh. The budget seems to be low so I have taken that in to account when rating this. HOWEVER one character (actually 1,5) stands out and compleatly steals the show making me overlook all the meeh parts. Making me realize once and for all that yes sometimes it only takes one good character to make or break a show.

Eddie/Shin Ki Tae played by Lee Seung Gyu is just amazing, from the way he is written to the way this guys performs he is playful, fun, confident and so on and the stuff this guy does with his eyes and smile just had me hooked. To be honest mostly the first episodes but still this guy rocked and made every second of this show worth a watch + made me longing for more, a lot more so I will now proceed to stalking everything this guy has done.

For the kiss lovers among you: the kisses are not great, they are not dead fish but I have seen better.

So this drama may not be high quality objectively good, but it is an easy watch, has high fluff value and is very entertaining indeed.

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intimacy done right, a very enjoyable BL

Overall: all the feelings (hurt, hope, shyness, giddiness, happiness) feel natural in this series. 8 episodes about 15 minutes each. Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: workplace bullying

What I Liked
- what happened at the end of episode 5 was well done and included some of the original sounds!
- ongoing affection/playfulness (hand holding, hugs, quick kisses, etc)
- that communication issues didn't drag on in the present and were addressed fairly quickly
- integration of computer/gaming animation, including the ending sequences
- according to my expert, the computer stuff was mostly realistic, especially the stuff in episode 5
- end of episode 4 was very well done
- workplace dynamics and that they were actually working/busy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- I struggled with this premise but things took a turn for the better the end of episode 4 once I understood that a character was hurt/upset
- strange that the beginning of episode 5 didn't start at where the story was at the end of episode 4
- wanted a bit more transparency but I'll pretend they had a serious conversation about the decision off screen
- was really happy at the end of episode 8 but it was awkward their hands were both at their sides instead of on back of neck, back, arms or chest and also the distance between their bodies was strange

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boring and a waste of time

I think I might be late to the hype hahaha. I took a long 1-year break from bls so I might be a bit late for this review, but this is what I think of it. First off If anyone's seen my reviews you can probably tell that I put rewatch value pretty low and that's mainly because I don't like to rewatch series but this one was rather short so I put it especially low because I can easily remember such a short series so there is no need for me to rewatch it. As for the music it was pretty basic and doesn't really have a great impact on the series itself thus the 3.0 rating. I took a look at the other reviews, and I completely understand the low rating that one of the reviews gave the show. It certainly wasn't anything new or unique which is what I agree with, but I honestly do not care if it's nothing new I am purely rating this series by itself and not the other series that might resemble this type of sequence of events. as another review said,
"Episodes 1-4 convoluted beginning and storyline
Episode 5-6 they find love
Episode 7 the angst ridden episode with problem/break up
Episode 8 they remember how to communicate, and it all ends happy."
You get the idea, pretty basic. On its own I think it is good concept which could have been made better with a better storyline and longer episodes but there isn't really much to expect from Korean bls since they are usually 15 minutes long per episode. This was a really quick watch and honestly, I was expecting more but it was decent. the acting was actually pretty good, and their chemistry was pretty nice since they looked like they were very comfortable with one another. Honestly all of the other reviews are overexaggerating saying it's the "best Korean bl of 2023" which I can't agree with at all because we're not even halfway through 2023 and there are definitely going to be more upcoming bls from Korea. I think this is a good watch for when someone is bored and has nothing else to watch but if you have other series lined up I suggest watching those first. Overall, 6.5/10 for me because of the acting and chemistry between the 2 actors.

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BL around a dating sim app and characters design: what's not to love ?!

The drama is centred around an office romance in a video game development company. The two main male characters share an interesting past together and I found the various flashbacks very well done and put at the right place all along the series. It allowed the viewer to understand easily the dynamic of their relationship, the trauma of their past still impacting their present. It made perfect sense and was very thoughtful. Given its length, the story is appropriately paced: it is never boring and manage to have some peaks and valleys, making it a really good and exciting show to binge-watch.

After watching this drama, I become really fond of the two main actors. They were both excellent, their friends-to-lovers storyline was super believable with well-executed kissing scenes as well as proper relationship development. The other cast members were likeable even if they are not that present given the shortness of the show.

I loved the format of the series with each episode ending on a typical multiple choices sequence as in many visual novels and dating sim games: it was super cute and totally in line with the thematic. The soundtrack was really nice with a couple of songs full of soul and emotion. The making made the drama even more enjoyable: it was simple and efficiently supporting the storytelling.

I would recommend this to people looking for a different kind of romance, it takes some very well-known tropes and manages to make something fresh from it. It kind of gives similar vibes to the manga "Otaku x Otaku". If you love office romances, friends-to-lovers stories and have an interest in games development and art design, go for it!

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So Good, But Too Short

Too bad this series is so short and to the point because it stands out tremendously in many aspects. It's the reason I can't give this series higher than an 8, because out of all the good things that happened, its brevity and lack of details withdraw it from being, in my opinion, one of the best.

Let's Dive In.

Our Dating Sim is an office romance that for once didn't have me falling asleep with futile office jargon, or too much time spent watching them work. It was a nice balance of story, romance, and the very slice of video game language that we do get. Ki-Tae is wrapped around the finger of Wan, who confessed his love in high school but then out of embarrassment (and a misunderstanding) runs away and can't be found for the next seven years. Through his online webcomic, Ki-Tae is able to find him again and gain him entry into his game development job, as they try over again. I think the story was beautiful. The way Ki-Tae is so heartbroken about Wan's disappearance, the way we see it again in the later episodes. The consistency of it was faultless, but with the show's little timing, I'd hope they'd be on top of it.

I think my only argument is that because of how short it was, the romance is rushed. even though both actors give off exuberant chemistry, their getting together felt hurried, with nothing but a simple (but fucking awesome) kiss being their reason to get back together. And lost time and all that, I get it, but still, less than a week of reconciling doesn't mean getting together immediately.

Other than that, everything was good. The friendships in the office, the flashbacks to high school, their domestic home life, their connection, the natural chemistry between them, how they look at one another, touch one another, kiss one another. I even really appreciated the mini-dating sim game at the end of each episode, I think it was a perfect touch.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - Too short, so things were a bit rushed, but they still gave more story than other series. Because everything else was pretty perfect, The score is still very decently high.

Acting: 9/10 - Great! Especially Seungyu (Ki-Tea or Eddy) who carried emotions very well.

Music: 6/10 - I can't keep forgetting to listen to music like this every time, but again, I literally don't remember.

Recommendation value: 8.5/10 - It's a super cute watch, and if people do enjoy watching short series, then this is a good one because you can finish it in less than 3 hours.

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