여러분, 안녕! 잘 지내서? 

So, after watching that video of Lee Se Young getting all worked up with Kentaro, switching between two languages, I decided to finally check out What Comes After Love. I’ve seen a lot of Lee Se Young’s dramas, but for some reason, none of them really grabbed me until now. Even The Red Sleeve? I only watched it because Lee Jun Ho was in it.

But like magic, Lee Se Young’s acting in What Comes After Love instantly made me want to binge-watch it. And the episodes are pretty short too, so I ended up finishing the whole thing in just two days.

A Sneak Peek at What Comes After Love

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A Love Story Between Two Countries

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I’m not really a fan of doramas or anime. The only dorama I’ve watched is Hana-Kimi, and that’s only because it aired on local TV. Other than that, I mostly stick to anime. But even though this drama uses two languages, it didn’t confuse me too much because there are a few Japanese words I already know.

What makes this drama stand out from the rest is definitely the collaboration between the Japanese actor and the Korean actress. That’s one of the reasons so many people are watching it. I even ended up waiting for the whole drama to finish before I started watching! The choice to cast a Japanese actor really brought the story to life. Plus, the soft cinematography colors really helped strengthen the atmosphere they were going for.

Unstoppable Chemistry That’ll Hook You

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The main characters in this drama are super relatable to real life, and not every actor can pull off their roles this well. But Kentaro and Se Young? Totally different story.

Their chemistry is on point because they make every scene feel so real. They really nailed showing a relationship that’s full of doubt, but still holds onto a little bit of hope.

Love Ain’t Always Smooth Sailing

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Just like most Korean dramas, What Comes After Love starts off with the classic "love at first sight" for the main couple. Honestly, I don’t really buy into the whole love at first sight thing. How about you guys?

As Hong and Jungo’s relationship grows and they start acknowledging their feelings for each other, Hong decides to move in with Jungo. They enjoy the blissful early days of their relationship, just like we all do. But, of course, drama happens, and conflicts start to pop up.

Photo: Pinterest/minju's mp4

Feeling responsible for Hong’s life in Japan, Jungo takes on a bunch of freelance jobs, which ends up making Hong feel pretty lonely. But Hong’s patient and understands why Jungo’s working so much. That is, until one day, she just can’t take it anymore and decides to go back to Korea, leaving everything up in the air.

Their relationship really shows that kind of romance you see between two people in their 20s, who are still dealing with their egos, not wanting to open up, and pretending everything’s fine. Because their egos are so big, they just can’t find a way to fix the cracks in their relationship.

Hong’s Character: A Real Look at What Women Go Through

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A lot of people might think Hong’s being selfish because she can’t deal with Jungo’s busy schedule, even though he’s working hard to support her. But if you look at it from another perspective, I honestly think Hong’s character reflects the reality of a lot of women out there.

There are so many women who’ve been through something like what Hong’s going through and get labeled as selfish, when their partner might not even understand what they’re feeling. You know the feeling, right? Having a partner who makes you feel like you’re all alone. Doing everything by yourself, going to weddings alone, always having a hard time getting in touch with them... the list goes on.

And then, the moment you finally let out all those lonely feelings, you’re the one who gets called selfish. Doesn’t that hurt? I’ve been in a relationship like that before, so I totally get how Hong feels, and trust me, it’s not easy.

Love That Never Change

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After their breakup, they’re brought back together five years later, and of course, things are a lot better for both of them. But what happens when their reunion actually creates a dilemma between them? Jungo feels that his love is only for Hong, while Hong can’t fully forgive Jungo, but there’s still that unresolved feeling in her heart. Plus, Hong’s already engaged.

Since they reunite when they’re both older and more mature, they’re able to handle the situation more like adults. Jungo even takes the initiative to clear up the misunderstandings between them, trying everything he can to fix things before he heads back to Japan.

This is when they realize they still care about each other. Jungo knows his love is only for Hong, but he’s not obsessed. Even when he meets Hong’s fiancé, Jungo makes sure to tell him not to let Hong feel lonely, like he did before.

Soundtrack That’ll Hit You Right in the Feels

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I’m not really sure how many soundtracks there are in this drama, but there’s one that keeps popping up all the time. I honestly thought the drama only had this one song!

It’s called Closer Than the Stars by Fromm. The lyrics are in full English, so for those of you who don’t quite get Korean, you can still feel the meaning of the song.

I love it so much, I play it on repeat. I even listen to it when I’m writing those heart-wrenching scenes in the novel I’m working on. This song just totally connects with Hong’s character. She believes Jungo loves her, even though he never says it. She also believes he’ll wait for her at the end of the road. That’s why Hong decides to go to him, step into his life—because she truly trusts him.

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If you’re getting bored with those typical K-dramas that always have the same old love story, you should definitely check this one out. You probably already know the saying, "If it's meant to be, they'll come back." You know, the line your friends say when you break up, hahaha.

But for me, this drama teaches that sometimes we need a little break from the relationship we’re in to reflect on ourselves. Are those small mistakes we and our partner made in the past going to ruin our future together? If we decide to keep going, how will we handle the same issues in the future? We can’t just react the same way anymore because we already know the consequences. And if we choose to break up for real, is there still something left in our hearts? Are there misunderstandings that need to be cleared up?

What Comes After Love is a K-drama that teaches us to look at relationships and breakups from a more adult perspective.