[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Fated To Love You" Episode 4

"Fated to Love You" has hit a sweet balance between laugh-out-loud humor and the very serious matter of having a child. It confines the humor to transitional scenes and gives the heavier moments room to expand and then settle.

Advertisement

Last episode dealt with the immediate reactions to pregnancy while this episode focused on the aftermath - the decisions a man and a woman face when a baby is created as the result of irresponsible behavior. The show addressed abortion, the reactions and opinions of both families, and the reactions of Geon and Mi-young. Mi-young chooses self-sacrifice again in favor of Geon's love, while he must choose his love or his child. The considerations are relatable. To abort the child would make life easier. The families wouldn't have to be tied; Geon could keep romancing Se-ra. But the emotional consequences of abortion hit everyone hard, not only Mi-young and Geon. And that's what a good show does - it takes a real issue and makes it relatable. There is a lot of exaggerated humor, funny stunts, and Geon freak outs, but they only support the real issues at hand.

Choi Jin-hyuk's Daniel had a larger role to play. He is looking for a long lost sibling, who may be Mi-young. But the image he portrays is a softer, more vulnerable man than the cocky one we met in the first two episodes. His interest in Mi-young is sparked by her kindness, just like Geon's was. It's a nice parallel that both men were attracted by the same quality. He also has a connection to Geon's family, which will prove interesting when love lines and family lines get crossed. The other second lead, Se-ra, is much less interesting. While she may be genuine in her feelings for Geon, she is very one-dimensional because of her selfishness.

It is clear where our main characters need to grow, and that makes me anticipate their journey. Mi-young needs a backbone - she needs to stand up for herself. Geon needs to learn to have the consideration that Mi-young has for others. The family feud over Geon's business are not quite as interesting, but could be spiced up by the brotherly relationship between Geon and Yong.

Overall, however, this show is zippy and engaging with just the right amount of humor and zaniness to offset the serious subject matter.

Written by: Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

Follow @ raine0211

"Fated to Love You" is directed by Kim Hee-won-II, Lee Dong-yoon, written by Jo Jin-gook, Joo Chan-ok and features Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara, Choi Jin-hyuk and Wang Ji-won.

 

Watch on Viki