I love rom-com drama series. I will always choose romcom over other genres. I apreciate different genres depending on the storyline but rom-com is my comfort. It's my happy zone. It makes me feel all emotions but most of all it makes me happy and "kilig' or the feeling of romantic excitement with every romantic scene the male and female lead shares. It feeds my fantasy and boosts me with happy hormones.
I just finished watching the series "Destined With You". It aired it's last two episodes last Wednesday and Thursday. But having watched the episodes weekly and have to wait for a longer period for the next one, cuts the momentum and the dopamine supply. So, I started to rewatch it because why not? I wanted to feel kilig all over again and fall in love over again with this series. Am I the only one who is like this?
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Destined With You circles around the story of Jang Sin Yu and Lee Hong jo whose present lives got entangled because of a curse that is rooted in their past lives. Jang Shin yu is a rich, handsome, competent lawyer whose family background is of noble descent. He may have everything in life but he suffers from an incurable condition which was believed to be a curse affecting the young men of the Jang family. On the other hand, Lee Hong jo is a civil servant in the City of Onju who lives alone and lonely after her father died of drowning from saving other lives.
Their story started when Jang Sin Yu found the book, Spells of the Heavens buried inside a wooden box in their heritage property. It was believed to be written by Aeng Cho who is a shaman during the Joseon Era. Another shaman in the present time who is under the care of the Jang family had a vision and told Shin Yu that the curse will come to an end as the book finally finds its owner which happened to be Lee Hong jo.
Desperate to find a cure to his disease, Jang Shin yu approached Lee Hong jo for her to cast the spell written on the book that will possibly treat his condition and end the curse.
Their story gets more exciting and intriguing as Lee Hong Jo casted a love spell and produced a love potion intented for Kwon Jaekyung, the person that she likes. When she professed her feelings to him she got dumped instantly. But despite the rejection, she tried to pursue him by having him to drink the love potion she made. But unfortunately for her, instead of Jaekyung, Jang Shin yu accidentally drunk the potion. And so the fun and exciting romance between the two started to unravel and making clear of their connection in the past.
This series delights my romantic nerves with every romantic scene. Every episode doesn't fall short of those scenes that will surely make you giddy on your seat. Their romantic scenes are comedy packed and exciting that it makes me smile and laugh everytime which is what I wanted and expected in a romcom. The chemistry between the two actors Kim Rowoon (Jang Shin yu) and Jo Bo-ah (Lee Hong Jo) is undeniable. I have seen them in other romcom dramas with another partners but I can't feel the same kilig that I feel with them together. Rowoon showed his acting skills really well. He will make you fall in love with his charm and makes you cry with him during some tragic scenes especially showed in later episodes. His acting is superb. Jo Bo Ah did quite well too but I think she's not very comfortable with aegyo that I feel a little cringe when she performs it as required in her role. But overall, they are both excellent in their acting.
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Another factor that made me hold on to my seat for the next episodes is the fact that it is well paced with engaging twists. There wasn't an episode that I felt like I lose the appetite to comsume the next one even if I had to wait for few days. Even the side stories of the supporting characters are quite amusing which adds comedic value and excitement.
A touch of horror and suspense is also embedded in the plot with the sudden appearance of a bloody red hand caressing Shin Yu's face and Hong jo's stalker getting in the way of their love. The plot reveal that happened around episode 13 to 14 is quite predictable like other stories that deal with past lives but the scenes are heart wrenching and it will cost you some tears.
In conclusion, this series I will definitely consider as one of my most favorite if I have to list down the most memorable romcom series I watched. I'll definitely recommend this to romcom lovers. Not all romcoms I watched gave a lasting impression on me. I could say it's a good onenif I could rewatch it and still feel the same feeling as I did the first time I watched it.
Enjoy watching!