Indeed, spring is the season of romance. When we feel the warm breeze and watch the flowers blossom, we sense the romance that has been gone for a while. MBCŌĆÖs Oh My Ladylord premiered just in time in late March. Did it successfully awaken the sleeping love cells in our bodies? The famous drama writer Han Bi Soo is a man who ŌĆ£doesnŌĆÖtŌĆØ date. He is handsome, loaded, has a high social status, and loves himself to the point where people say itŌĆÖs too much. To him, dating is nothing but an annoying act that causes emotional exhaustion. ThatŌĆÖs why he writes violent thriller genre without a single scent of romance. On the other hand, top star Oh Joo In is a woman who ŌĆ£canŌĆÖtŌĆØ date. She is the ŌĆ£rom-com queenŌĆØ and falls in love with many heroes inside her work. But in real life, she has no time to date because of her ill mother. Joo InŌĆÖs only goal is to purchase the hanok house where she lived as a kid and stay there with her mother. These two, however, end up living under the same roof by accident. Bi Soo is residing in the hankok house that Joo In wanted her whole life. And Bi SooŌĆÖs mother sold the house without telling him about it. As he was about to get kicked out of his own home, Bi Soo suggests living together, saying, ŌĆ£This house is the only place I can write.ŌĆØ Since Joo In was to take the lead in Bi SooŌĆÖs new project anyways, she accepts his terms. Reading the character descriptions and the synopsis, you can already tell whatŌĆÖs going to happen next. These two bickering characters will live together and slowly open their hearts to each other. This is one of the most familiar formulas from the rom-com genre. And of course, there are second leads and other charactersŌĆÖ love stories to spice up the main charactersŌĆÖ romance that could let up along the way. There is a reason we call it the ŌĆ£formula for hit films.ŌĆØ No harm comes upon following the ŌĆ£provenŌĆØ formulas. However, in order to succeed, the story should showcase something that will draw peopleŌĆÖs attention, all the while going by the book. However, Oh My Ladylord, unfortunately, failed to escape the public perception of it being ŌĆ£just another rom-com.ŌĆØ ThatŌĆÖs mainly because the series has nothing special to show except for the charactersŌĆÖ chemistry. So far, it has never managed to break out of 1% ratings. First of all, some of the charactersŌĆÖ relationships and backgrounds seem contrived. The best example is the relationship between Kang Hae Jin and Yoon Jung Hwa, the mothers of the two lead characters, and Kim Chang Gyu, the record store owner. We can laugh off that Hae Jin and Jung Hwa were friends who lost contact years ago. However, Chang Gyu, Bi SooŌĆÖs favorite record store owner for 20 years, being Hae JinŌĆÖs first love is a little too much. Also, the typical love stories of supporting characters are rather disappointing. As much as the two main characters, the romance of the supporting characters is one of the biggest fun of the genre. But in Oh My Ladylord, it feels like it was only inserted because the production team thought ŌĆ£it would be nice to have one.ŌĆØ Jung Yoo Jin is Joo InŌĆÖs long-time ŌĆ£guy friendŌĆØ and Bi SooŌĆÖs rival in love. And yet, this second lead presents zero charms that he nearly overshadows the actorŌĆÖs passionate performance. On the other hand, Han Bi Soo and Oh Joo InŌĆÖs charms stand out. Their stories are so juicy that it seems like the writer didnŌĆÖt have enough time to put that much effort into the rest of the characters. The two charactersŌĆÖ bickering chemistry is also quite impressive. Lee Min Ki has shone brightly in various romance movies and TV series. And this time, he completes yet another fascinating character, following Because This Is My First LifeŌĆśs Nam Se Hee and The Beauty InsideŌĆśs Seo Do Jae. Nana also flawlessly portrays a complex character named Oh Joo In, who hides her loneliness and pain under her splendor, with stable acting skills. In addition to romance, various stories and conflicts enhance the plot. There may be some room for improvements in character building. Still, the project covers up its shortcomings by bringing up interesting topics, such as hints about Bi SooŌĆÖs aftermath of traffic accidents. The love between the two main characters alone cannot lead the entire 16-part series. So the teamŌĆÖs attempt to add variety to the work is worth noting. In the 8th episode, which aired on the 15th, they hint at a big lead ŌĆō Bi SooŌĆÖs father, who traumatized Bi Soo in his childhood, may not be his biological father. The ŌĆ£secret of birthŌĆØ stories are mainly spotted in makjang dramas, but it certainly is a subject that can catch viewersŌĆÖ attention. It will bring a new crisis to Bi Soo and Joo InŌĆÖs relationship. Will the production team be able to take the chance to rebound with the ŌĆ£trump cardŌĆØ they prepared? If their plan fails, we canŌĆÖt say for sure if Oh My Ladyloard will end as an outstanding work despite Lee Min Ki and NanaŌĆÖs strenuous efforts. ┬Ā Verdict: If youŌĆÖre a fan of Lee Min Ki or Nana, then itŌĆÖs worth watching. But if notŌĆ” (5/10) ┬Ā Editor Yang Young Jun: There is at least one good part in every movie or TV series. A media geek who isnŌĆÖt picky with genres.
