Guys I absolutely loved Miss Korea. It’s a relatively simple story but there’s just a special charm to it. It breaks boundaries and tropes I’ve always complained about. Imma rave….

How AH-MAZING was Oh Ji Young?! I sighed and mumbled when HJ made the deal to break up with her and then she found out…and I was all *eyeroll* here comes the trope. Cue the 2 episode dose of separation and angst. But nope! 1. she confronted him about it asap and didn’t pretend she didn’t know and just give him the cold-shoulder and 2. she straight out told him she could care less what he had bargained, she’d continue liking him because it’s HER choice. THANK YOU!! MISS KOREA WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING THAT I HADN’T WATCHED YOU? Like, sure, if you want to be the ‘noble idiot’ and give up so be it. But Ji Young was sure of her feelings and what she wanted. Heck, she knew his feelings but he didn’t want to own up to them till the e d.

They’re her feelings and he can’t control them by simply flicking a switch up or down. He has no right to decide what’s ‘best’ for her. Her entire dialogue in that discussion is phenomenal for me. She highlights how their relationship was given a second chance and how she was determined, just as much as she was with winning Miss Korea, to see it through to the ‘second and final round.’ And it was superbly cute how she said “hey! why do you think I’d stop liking you? You think I’m the most beautiful woman in the world and you walk on eggshells around me!” How cute is that?

And he’s SO smitten by her. He was a huge jerk at the beginning and I was incredibly disappointed in him when we learned why they broke up and how he dealt with the situation then and the years following. But I, again, appreciated how Ji Young would snap back at him and jab at his ego. You deserved that man.

Of course, they progressed past all of that but even in the latter part of the drama, I appreciated how sincere and straightforward they were with each other. They weren’t the young lovebirds from high school anymore. They shifted into what I thought was a more mature and founded relationship. One where they found happiness in seeing the other doing what they loved or being successful even if they themselves weren’t in the situation they’d like. Unlike the past when he looked down on her for her ‘dreams,’ or lack thereof. I feel like Miss Korea did a good job of portraying a more, say, realistic relationship. It’s not all cotton candy and kisses. Relationships can be complicated but at the same time simple. They’re both and JY and HJ did so so so well playing it out. 

And overall Miss Korea had this tinge of nostalgia and positivism at the same time? I don’t know if it was nostalgic simply because of the era but there was something so down to earth about it. Maybe it was just refreshing not seeing all the technology we’ve grown so used to being surrounded by or the simplicity of life back then. And then every success, whether for Vivi or Ji Young made me incredibly happy. I know they’re fictional characters but seeing their struggles and then watching them fight back even when they were literally being pushed to the end…it got to me. I honestly don’t understand why. Underdog stories are nice, sometimes cheesy, but none has had the impact Miss Korea did. I cried with them, even the simplest moments, and then I laughed with them.

I loved this drama. I always say that even my favorite kdramas have flaws so I acknowledge the ones in Miss Korea. Yet it definitely cemented itself as one of my top dramas. Ji Young is one of my favorite female leads ever and I wish we had more like her. Stronger by the end of the story’s trajectory and it wasn’t because of HJ. He did encourage her and I hold him dear for the sweet things he would say to her. But Ji Young was the owner of her trajectory and growth. Miss Korea is definitely a gem I’ll hold dear in my kdrama fangirl heart. ❤

PS. The secondary otp was adorable and pleasantly unexpected.