Lovestruck in the City | A Korean Drama Introduction

One of the most-watched Korean dramas this 2020/2021 is the drama, Lovestruck in the city. It was exclusively released on Kakao TV and Netflix. 

It was only broadcasted on and uploaded on online streaming platforms.

The beautiful cast of Lovestruck in the City attracted a lot of attention even before the actual release. The series depicts real love stories between six men and women.

The series was shot in an interview format, which is rare and incredibly new for Korean dramas. Eight episodes have been released and have already gained a lot of traction. 

Let's dive into the storyline and characters of this drama!

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY INTRODUCTION

Streaming: December 22, 2020 ~ Present (every Tuesday and Friday evening)

Platform: Kakao TV, Netflix

Length: 30: minutes/episode (16 episodes)

Lovestruck in the City is an original series produced by Kakao TV. They gained attraction with a strong cast and Park Shin-Woo as director (also directed It's Okay to Not Be Okay). 

The screenwriter, Jung Hyun-Jung, also wrote popularized dramas like My First Time and Romance is a Bonus Book. With such a solid behind the scene staff, there was a social buzz around this before any release.

The opening starts with interviews of the protagonists in the series As the title states, we see six city-dwelling characters who share their love stories with the cameraman.

Throughout the drama, we will understand the scope of their feelings and explore their love stories. We follow the perspective through a unique and lighthearted style of storytelling. 

The characters' self-reflection truly shows their vulnerability to the camera. We enjoy the refreshing take of six characters' experiences in different times and places.

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY CHARACTERS

PARK JAE-WON (played by Ji Chang-Wook)

Park Jae-Won, a 32-year-old architect, has a romantic, positive outlook on love. Last year on a trip to Yangyang, he meets a very charming woman named Yoon Sun-Ah.

The two fall in love like characters in movies. However, are there feelings of love destined to last the journey? Or will it be a quick and fleeting type, a fast-food romance? 

After returning to Seoul, Jae-Won curses Sun-Ah, who disappeared during his interview. It was an unforgettable love for him.

YOON SUN-AH/LEE EUN-OH (played by Kim Ji-Won)

Kim Ji-Won plays a 29-year-old woman with two identities. Yoon Sun-Ah, a part-timer at Yangyang seaside, is one of her identities. She meets and falls in love with Park Jae-Won.

But for some reason, a sudden silence falls over her when she describes her love for him. She seems to have some hidden thoughts about Jae-Won. When she returns to Seoul, will we learn about her second identity, Eun-Oh?

CHOI KYUNG-JOON (played by Kim Min-Seok)

Kyung-Joon, a 29-year-old architect, works in the same company as his cousin, Jae-Won. He has a long-time partner named Rin-Yi, and often brags about his relationship with her. 

His bragging is just a front, and in reality, he's all about his girlfriend and loves to complain about Jae-Won. Will this long-term relationship stay stable?

SUH RIN-YI (played by So Joo-Yeon)

Optimistic and cheerful, Suh Rin-Yi is in a long-term relationship with Choi Kyung-Joon. They have many things in common and are known to very compatible, but Kyung-Joon is a workaholic.

So far, their story hasn't been fully fleshed out in the series yet, but we will watch their drama on "boyfriend troubles," which seems all too familiar with most girls.

It seems there might be a sad turning point in their story. We'll see what happens next in newer episodes.

KANG GEON (played by Ryu Kyung-Soo)

The actor, Ryu Kyung-Soo, first gained attention in Itaewon Class now is Kang Geon, an independent single of two years who loves to brag about himself.

Kang Geon feels quite conflicted for being known as the independent single; he isn't sure if he should be happy or not with a title like that. He ends up having a one-night stand with Oh Sun-Young. 

I wonder what will happen next between these two!

OH SUN-YOUNG (played by Han Ji-Eun)

Oh Sun-Young, a high school physical education teacher, known to be the hot and wild one, is always in love. She has a fairly open view of love and sex but thinks Jae-Won's infatuation with Eun-Oh is nauseating.

At the same time, she cherishes having a positive outlook of love and has a sentimental side. Are there stories of the past that we don't know about yet?

LOVESTRUCK IN THE CITY HOT TAKES

Lovestruck in the City broadcasted on an online streaming platform. It was not shown on TV, but it still accumulated a high rating. Viewers began buzzing about the unexpected exploration of the concept of love between men and women in the city.

Shows not shown on TV are allowed to be bolder, hence more realistic. The story truly resonated with modern people, us today. 

It’s a one-night stand.

Korean dramas tend to portray an unrealistic perception of love, show that all people have a "life-long-term" idea of relationships. Lovestruck in the City, however, shows reality.

For example, the so-called love, at first sight, is, in fact, can just be a complete exaggeration or a momentary feeling of physical attraction. To be honest, the unrealistic stories can get nauseating. 

However, Lovestruck in the City can still create the same impact with the chemistry between Park Jae-Won and Yoon Sun-Ah. Albeit romance in our eyes, as the audience, we're most likely the side characters.

We usually end up with unrequited feelings. 

ROMANCE BETWEEN THE MAIN LEADS

The two protagonists (Ji Chang-Wook and Kim Ji-Won) interacted with each other perfectly. So perfectly, the director mistakenly thought the two were real, showing that their actions in the drama are unforgettable. 

In the Eastern region of Korea, Yangyang, walking down the beach, looking out to the sea, feeling the breeze, and viewing the beautiful landscapes of the mountains and forests, it is easy to fall in love like in Lovestruck in the City.

UNIQUE EDITING STYLE

Often forgotten and discredited, but many still noticed the fun and novel style of editing in Lovestruck in the City. Many discussed the unique jump-cutting between the interview portion and the actual narrative.

Some said that the sudden cuts to the interview can disrupt the overall narrative, but the editor, himself, is rather fond of this style.

Why? Because it doesn't just feel like a friend sharing their story about what happened on a past trip. But another friend cutting with a refreshing view of the visual. 

It creates an intimate and immersive chat with close friends. 

This a general introduction to Netflix's latest series, Lovestruck in the City. I wonder if you have been following the show like our editor. It premieres every Tuesday and Friday.

The relaxed and unique atmosphere of the show will surely be fun to enjoy.

I'll see you next time, friends.