Rating: 3.999 out of 5 stars
Re-watch value: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Synopsis
*partially taken from Dramafever*
Lee Hyun Woo (Moorim School, The Technicians) and Joy (from K-pop group Red Velvet) star in an adaptation of the runaway hit Japanese manga. When a genius composer with a hidden identity meets a girl with a beautiful voice, it is love at first sound. Finding true love with hidden identities, though, is a bit complicated.
-
Kang Han Kyul (Lee Hyun Woo) is a famous, and very talented, composer. Having worked for a famous band long before they were stars, he has achieved a lot more in his youth than most do in their careers. However, he has fallen into a deep depression and no longer seems to have any motive to live—that is, until he hears a voice that strikes a chord in his heart.
-
Yoon So Rim (Joy) is a high school student. She has a voice unlike any Kang Han Kyul has ever heard. Yoon So Rim sees the pain in the sound composer’s heart. Through her kindness and serenity, she convinces him to return to life. And through her voice, she makes her way into his heart. The problem, though, is that Kang Han Kyul intentionally hid his identity from Yoon So Rim. So for a man who has fallen in love, is it even possible for it to be real when you are hiding your true who you really are?
Rambling
*beware of spoilers*
This was a blissful sort of show with a graceful ease about it. I can’t say it covered entirely new territory, because we’ve also got Shut Up Flower Boy Band and Dream High as forebears of musical K-dramas, but it surely left me with a bright, homey feeling. I think, for what it was, Lovely Love Lie showcased a lot of character arcs.
It’s funny, because at first I thought the title Lovely Love Lie referred explicitly to our main couple, Han-kyul and So-rim, as Han-kyul initially lied to her about his identity as mega-producer K. But as the show went on, it also seemed to apply to our resident boy band Crude Play and their guilt over using proxy instrument players on albums and faking their live performances. (Obviously, the alternate title The Liar and His Lover did apply to Han-kyul and So-rim…)
Regarding Han-kyul’s lie, the deception went on for too long and then when everything was revealed to So-rim, her reaction seemed too excessive. But their campy beginnings gave way to a really cute, utopian romance. I do wish that So-rim would have sung Han-kyul’s songs, although I understand why, with all the machinations and pressure, she never gave in.
In that respect, Han-kyul fully allowed himself to love So-rim once he stopped pestering her to sing his songs. If she ever did, I think their relationship would have gone the way Yoo-na’s did. His perfectionism and OCD slowed up when he realized he loved her more than the music she could give him. Very nice character arc.
The Chan-young character hung on for too long to the promise of So-rim returning his affections. He was extra petty whenever he held her back from Han-kyul for one reason or another, but I’m glad that after intentionally hurting So-rim’s chances of being with Han-kyul, he calmed down and became a worthy oppa to her.
Sidenote: We had an adorable second couple with Shi-hyun and Soo-yeon, and that was captivating to see fulfilled. Noona romances <3
So-rim was an interesting one because she was so steadfast. Extremely prudent and sensible, she out-adulted every other adult on the show with her purity, sincerity, and discernment—and she was just a teenager! Although she didn’t have quite as dramatic an arc as some of the other guys, she was certainly a breath of fresh air.
One character I didn’t expect to like was Han-kyul’s ex-girlfriend and idol singer Yoo-na. I could never support her relationship with CEO Jin-hyuk (it was a bit forced, and he never seemed to care deeply for her in that way), but even so, she was a feminist icon—especially in episode 16, when she blasted CEO Yoo after she dangled Han-kyul’s songwriting in front of a wide-eyed So-rim: “If you want us, treat us like real singers and not as women.” GET IT. Also, in the flashbacks with Han-kyul, I understood her misery, as Han-kyul only loved her for her voice and what she could bring to his music.
In the end, all our young’uns found they couldn’t live a lie, even if it gave them everything they ever wanted. Integrity was a recurring theme, as well as making compromises to reach your goals or to stay with/help your beloved friends. It must have been soul-crushing for Han-kyul to sign away the rights to some of his music to the nefarious CEO Yoo, but it was novel to see him at peace with it, as it was done in service of a greater cause.
The show wrapped up on an optimistic note. All our lovers were together and happy, and Crude Play (after finally telling the truth to the dismay and ire of all their passionate fans) and Mush & Co. (terrible name btw) were well on their way to making comebacks and proper debuts, respectively.
All in all, it was a serene, satisfying ending and an absolute pleasure to watch this show. Definitely recommend.
Did you see Lovely Love Lie? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!
Leave a Reply