Killing Romance 킬링 로맨스 (2023) Director: Lee Won-Suk [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]
Killing Romance
킬링 로맨스 「Jukyeojunuen Romaenseu」
Release Date: April 14th, 2023
Duration: 106 mins.
Director: Lee Won-Suk
Writer: Park Jung-Ye (Screenplay),
Starring: Lee Ha-Nee (Hwang Yeo-Rae), Lee Sun-Kyun (Johnathan Na), Gong Myung (Kim Beom- Woo), Bae Yoo-Ram (Young-Chan),
IMDB
Killing Romance is the Opening Film of the 2023 edition of the New York Asian Film Festival and a more…
SUMMARY: The King of Joseon loves you whether you are dressed as a woman, a man, or a baduk swindler.
THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Baduk board lugging, poisons, treachery, international deceit, adorable Princes, scheming Dowagers, secret rendezvous, fashion eye patches, gisaeng friendships, terrible beards, and frustrated guardsmen.
HOT TAKE: I think there might be as many plot holes, gaps, and hand-waves as there are episodes of this drama. That being said, this show is gorgeous, full of desperate weeping, and some decently-progressive lust.
If you like slow palace drama or private royal romances, you'll enjoy this. If you're seeking out some REAL edge-of-your-seat mystery and intrigue, you might want to pass on this longing romance.
Comparable to: Just Between Lovers (kdrama) ; When the Weather is Fine (kdrama)
Flat out has to be one of the most depressing but romantic melancholy healing kdramas. Male lead’s character is written in the most whump’ness way. Don’t get me wrong female lead’s character is just as whumpy, but oofing ML is dialed up to 💯 No matter the storyline flows excellently despite some questionable editing choices. Gosh knows how many slow motion scenes this drama, if you took a shot every time there was one you’d be drunk by the end of the episode. Despite that everyone did an outstanding job, both leads chemistry was oozing on screen, I mean honestly I’m a bit bias always with Kim Young Kwang dramas. For me there’s never a drama I disliked of his. He always manages to pull off excellent dramas (still standing on that D-Day is top fav) If you love melodramas, this should definitely be a must watch!
I loved Twinkling Watermelon so so much. This drama made my Mondays and Tuesdays for eight weeks. The story might not be groundbreaking, but it's incredibly well-written and fun. I was afraid the plot would be too simple to make it through 16 one-hour episodes, but it never dragged at all. There was always something to look forward to, and many of the twists caught me by surprise. On top of that, the writer gave us two fantastic love stories. Seriously, both of them are among the best I've seen in a K-drama. But the real focus of the show is the friendship between all the main characters, and its portrayal of youth was really heartwarming and nostalgic. And the whole cast was incredible too, they absolutely delivered at every turn. The only flaw I can point out is that the representation wasn't perfect, and they should've hired at least some deaf actors. Besides that, I don't have any complaints. I might go as far as saying this is one of my favorite dramas of all time, and I'm gonna miss it so much.
This is not the typical cross-lovers story. Shim Woo Joo - in her quest to avenge her family from her late father's mistress (and later wife) who took away their home - she meets Han Dong Jin (the woman's son). And in her attempt at revenge, she falls in love.
Even if the story sounds like the typical storyline, the execution is different. Here she has a male-best friend who is just a friend. There is no best friend-in love with her in silence troupe. They are truly best friends and he falls in love with her older sister. It explores what happens when a parent leaves home to be with someone else from different perspectives. Hae Sung (the eldest daughter) is always dating the wrong men but never gives up on being with someone. Yet, when she finds out that the man she is seeing is actually married, she feels horrible about herself because she has sworn never to do that. She knows how painful that is. Woo Joo took on the weight of the house, not going to school and working. She is the strong one, the one who takes charge, the one that suffers in silence while her older sister can play and her younger brother too. She is the one with the consuming anger, the one that knows the face of her father's lover, the one who confronted him and watched him leave with the other woman. And she is the one who seeks revenge when the woman throws them out of their home. Ji Goo was too little when it happened. He only remembers his father as a loving man. He never saw him with another woman, and he lives a pretty much carefree life. Their mother is also an elegant woman, who doesn't lower herself in front of the mistress or her unfaithful husband. I liked that too. I can understand their pain, I could relate to Woo Joo in many ways.
I could also see Dong Jin and how his mother's actions also affected his life. How he carried the shame of her unethical behavior, how he has to deal with the consequences of her actions. These are young people that are living with the hurt and pain, and I liked watching their healing process. I liked how the story unfolded, leaving cliché out of the equation. It felt real and its bittersweetness, mixed with the sweetness of hope, balancing the mood of the story.
I truly loved the story and recommend it.
Poster from iMDb -https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26228312/