FRIDAY NIGHT DRAMA: I Need Romance 3

For those of you who prefer to watch your dramas in a one-shot marathon, as opposed to enduring the sometimes torturous weekly wait just to find out what happens next, I have good ‘news for you! This week brought us the final episodes of yet another recently aired drama, I Need Romance 3. Woo-hoo! You can now officially begin your marathon!

If you’re new to the wonderful world of K-dramas, you may not be aware of the I Need Romance series so I’ll give you a super-brief summary… think Sex in the City set in Seoul. That pretty much sums up the entire series. So, I’ll warn you right off the bat… If you’re uncomfortable with relationships being depicted in realistic ways, you’re not going to want to watch any of the I Need Romance dramas but if you’re sick of the dead-fish kisses and the lack of passion that plagues so many of our beloved K-dramas, you’ll probably find I Need Romance 3 a refreshing change of pace.

Shin Joo Yeon (Kim So Yeon) is a 33-year-old marketing director at a home shopping network, who after suffering through nine years of failed relationships, has become a cold and jaded, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Enter Allen Joo(Sung Joon), the twenty-something musical genius whose recent return to Korea leads him straight to Shin Joo Yeon, the only girl he’s ever loved. Not knowing that Allen is actually Joo Wan (more affectionately known as Sweet Potato), the kid Joo Yeon helped her mother look after growing up, Joo Yeon finds herself attracted to Allen and his very forward advances. It’s only when Joo Yeon learns Allen’s true identity that she pushes him away, upset that he didn’t reveal himself sooner. Undaunted by Joo Yeon’s constant rejection, Joo Wan does everything in his power to convince Joo Yeon that he’s the only man for her. Of course this wouldn’t be a K-drama if there wasn’t a dashing second male lead and those shoes are filled by Kang Tae Yoon (Nam Goong Min), Shin Joo Yeon’s well-liked and respected senior at work. Oh Se Ryung (Wang Ji Won) fills the role of the rival frienemy exceptionally well while Lee Min Jung (Park Hyo Joo), Jung Hee Jae (Yoon Seung Ah) and Lee Woo Young (Park Yoo Hwan) round out the cast as Joo Yeon’s co-workers/friends.

I have to say, out of all of the I Need Romance dramas, I Need Romance 3 is by far my favorite. The characters are real and ridiculously lovable, in part because they’re flawed (and therefore relate-able and endearing) and in part because they’re cast so well. Really, I loved all of the actors in this drama because they did such an effortless job of bringing their characters to life in a completely believable way. I also loved the script, mostly because it told a very basic story in a very real way. Going against just about every Dramaland law, I Need Romance 3 is surprisingly lacking in ridiculously over-the-top scenarios and hysterically over-dramatic reactions between characters. Every aspect of this drama was done very low-key, which I found to be delightfully refreshing. Well, everything but the kisses… I’m happy to say that, in true I Need Romance form, the kisses in I Need Romance 3 were some of the most passionate you’ll ever find. There were no dead-fish kisses in this drama (and all the world rejoiced)!

If you’re looking for a well-written drama, full of lovably flawed characters who are simply trying to find their way through this maze of live and love, that will occasionally set your heart a’thumpin’, and a killer OST to boot, I Need Romance 3 is what you need. It’s the perfect drama to marathon as you unwind over the weekend so curl up with your coziest blanket and get to it! Just don’t forget to come back and tell me what you thought, once you’re done; I’d love to know what you thought of I Need Romance 3.