(Disclaimer: This rant is purely based on my opinion, so please don’t take it wholeheartedly and come bashing at me, okay?)

As we can see very well, Go Back Lover’s title is hinting on second chance romance trope, which is no stranger to C-drama veterans. To be honest, I’m not a great fan of this trope because in my principle, if you’re having a relationship, there’s no turning back. So, I’m quite surprised by this theme and wonder how these ex-lovers are going to reunite and resolve their past misunderstandings.

In addition, to make the show more unique, the writer decides to introduce a romance/dating variety show as the catalyst for the plot development. In fact, a dating variety show is somehow rare in C-dramas nowadays and I must say it’s such an interesting premise. However, it quickly goes downhill and becomes a mere plot device to fill in the draggy episodes. I don’t know why, but there’s a lot of things happening outside the variety show too, with some of them being irrelevant or unrelated to the show itself.

And don’t get me started at the horrible dumbass characters! Some people say that they’re not without flaws (yes, I do agree with that), but at least they have to realize their own mistake and being unaware of it makes them look like a bunch of 10-year-old-kid especially main leads and second couple (the SFL, to be precise).

(Note: I'm not going to mention the acting since my review has become an endless rant. However, I still appreciate their acting skills for embodying such characters, so kudos for all of you.)

The first couple is a pair of ex-lovers who broke up after ML had a private brawl with FML (fourth male lead), which the FL didn’t appreciate very much. They accidentally encounter each other again in the airport when FL is attempting to find a male guest for her variety show. Rumors later spark out of nowhere and many people obviously want them to be together once again after ML’s failed proposal in Race Against Time (another variety show which was produced before FL went to German). The ML was indeed thrilled when he saw FL again, but his feelings wasn’t reciprocated at all. The FL keeps repeating that she is forced to do so because she wants her variety show to gain more popularity, while the ML begins to behave like a simp out of nowhere, even loses his self-respect for FL. This push-pull dynamic drags out for the whole 18 episodes until the elderly rural couple manage to convince the FL of marriage. I understand that FL has suffered from PTSD because of her parents’ failed marriage, but as the saying goes,' You won’t know unless you try.' So, she should’ve taken the initiative instead of letting the ML hanging on the thread. She’s also a horrible hypocrite (today she says she wants to be together with the ML, and the other day she pushes him away) and keeps dilly dallying for time (in a very harsh way, she regards ML as her plaything and will dump him whenever she feels necessary) when all they need is a proper communication or heart-to-heart talk instead of doing everything in a roundabout way. It’s just so, so frustrating to watch them and I just keep sighing exasperatedly whenever they pop out of my screen. By the way, they also remind me of Binary Love's main couple which is more or less similar as them.

Same goes for the second (divorced) couple – however, SML still knows his boundaries well and only wants to treat his wife better, but his so-called wife never gives him the chance to redeem himself. Throughout the show, they just keep yelling and shouting at each other (a perfect example of a bickering couple), which is not a very good option. By the way, SFL always acts like a pouty selfish girl who wants better treatment from SML yet never telling him what she wants exactly, which often leaves the SML baffled and confused (they also need proper communication so it relieves me when SFL apologizes to him and they ultimately fix their ruined relationship and become more tolerant towards each other). Since the second couple isn’t the main focus on the show, I think I can skip my rant about them right now.

Third couple is the healthiest couple in this show. As someone who is a shy and introverted person, I can understand what does it feels like to have your daily lives exposed to the public. At first, they’re uncomfortable of it, but they manage to overcome their fears together and become a couple while strengthening their trusts between each other.

Unofficial fourth couple must be the worst out of the couples in this show. FML is FL’s snobbish know-it-all male friend and the biggest rival of ML. He has a secret crush on FL so he deliberately provokes ML which doesn’t succeed, anyway. FFL is the bitchy lawyer and former arch-rival of FL since their high school time (as the saying goes, she's a wolf in the sheep clothing). Feeling resentful of being the third to best (don't forget, there's TML in the second place), FFL resorts to underhanded tactics to ruin FL’s career (what a baffling and cliche execution lol).

I have no idea whether inputting past events with the present one is good idea, but the writer seems to have change the entire script and doesn’t put much emphasize on the former, which is quite disappointing because I love that part better than their present lives.

The sets and backgrounds are quite pleasant while the costumes are sort of… weird? Do people nowadays have to wear baggy coats and professional suits to shoot variety shows, huh?

OSTs are meh and I won’t be bothered to give them second chance.

Overall, it’s a 6.5 out of 10. Unless you’re a fan of ML or FL or perhaps you need some brainless watch after days of working out, you can give this a shot. However, if you don't want to waste your precious brain cells, NEVER watch this HOT MESS even if the world is turning upside down. Goodbye and good luck!

Side note:
Does funeral and divorce need a ceremonial party? WTF are they thinking about? It's beyond common logic, isn't it?