Love to Hate You: 10 episodes (2023)

March 10, 2023 1:43 AM - Season 1 (Full Season)

A new battle-of-the-sexes drama has just dropped [2/10/2023], and while it boasts all the K-drama tropes we know and love, they’re packaged in a slightly more mature box. Love and silliness are still at the forefront of this rom-com, but it also addresses sexism and misogyny from the lens of a woman who has made it her mission to stomp on the patriarchy in whatever small way she can. DramaBeans, rating 9.2

Yeo Mi Ran is a rookie attorney at Gilmu Law Firm, which works primarily with the entertainment industry. She is not interested in having a romantic relationship and she hates to lose to a man in anything. Nam Kang Ho is a top actor in the entertainment industry. He is the most popular actor in South Korea due to his handsome appearance, intelligence, and kindness. He is sought after to work in romantic movies, but he doesn't actually trust women. Yeo Mi Ran and Nam Kang Ho, who both don’t believe in love, fall into a love battle. MyDramaList, rating 8.7

In this latest Kdrama series, we are introduced to Yeo Mi-ran (Kim Ok-Bin), a badass lawyer desperate for a job whilst seducing and punishing problematic men in her free time. Sometimes this involves an actual smackdown, with comparisons made to legend Michelle Yeoh, but mostly she hooks up and breaks the hearts of unworthy male suitors. Because of her experiences, she believes there is nothing redeemable in men and plans to live life as an unmarried woman. Cue the arrival of Korea’s top actor, Nam Kang-ho (Teo Yoo). Despite his reputation for being the go-to romance actor, Kang-ho has an aversion to women. The act of kissing a woman can lead to dry heaving and anxiety attacks. Throw in Kang-ho’s general assumption that women only desire money and status, and you can see where the natural conflicts will occur between our two romantic leads in Love to Hate You. But Why Tho - Review

For an attorney who despises losing to men and an A-list actor who distrusts women, love means nothing - until they're forced to date each other. IMDB - Trailer, rating 7.9

posted by kbar1 (4 comments total)

From this show, to the movie Love & Leashes released last year, to the recently released Hit the Spot (not available on Netflix, very NSFW), it seems like kdramas are becoming increasingly progressive in their portrayal of sexually active adults (for what it's worth, I approve).

I loved the badassery of the female lead and the repeated homage to Michelle Yeoh. The male lead was a nice counterbalance, and I was pleasantly surprised the writers didn’t try to make him “fix” the FL. The second leads in this show were far less interesting as a couple, but I enjoyed watching the actor Kim Ji Hoon when he’d sweep back his hair and in his bromance with the male lead (in lots of kdramas I feel like the jokes about same sex relationships play out as mocking or homophobic, but for me this scene was steamy & fun).

I’ve seen comparisons of LtHY with Business Proposal - I thought this show was just as fun but had a more satisfactory ending.

Here's one more link - this is to the K3 Kdrama Coffee Break podcast for their rave review (skip ahead to 3:44 – 7:21)
posted by kbar1 at 2:02 AM on March 10, 2023

I haven't watched this one yet, as the weekly drop shows are taking up most of my viewing time, but I'll have to give this one a go sometime too. (LG added Viki to their apps recently, so currently I'm watching 'Island' off Amazon, 'Attorney Shin' off Netflix, and 'Our Blooming Youth', 'Delivery Man', 'The Heavenly Idol', and 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' off Viki plus finally starting the 2016 'Goblin')
posted by oh yeah! at 2:33 AM on March 10, 2023

Hey oh yeah! - It sounds like your plate is pretty full, but when you have time, and if you haven’t already watched them yet, I recommend adding Healer, I’m Not a Robot, and Happiness to your Viki watchlist. I’ve held back on doing FF posts for shows unless they’re on Netflix, but there are plenty of shows on Viki that would be fun to discuss. Goblin is a great, but not without its controversy, so I’d love to see some thoughts and opinions here on FF.
posted by kbar1 at 10:27 AM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

Thanks, I had Healer & Happiness in my watchlist already, added I'm Not a Robot (I'd heard of it from the 'Afternoona Delight' podcasters, forgot to add it. Over 50 shows in the watchlist now, so it will take a while to make any headway.)
posted by oh yeah! at 5:09 PM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]