Yearning looks galore in Call It Love stills
by Jenzy
It’s the age-old, yet endlessly addictive story: girl falls for the wrong boy. In the new stills for Disney+ revenge melodrama Call It Love, we get to see our leads Lee Sung-Kyung (Shooting Stars) and Kim Young-kwang (Somebody) sell us on all the pine, burn, and perish that comes with forbidden love.
The plot follows Shim Woo-joo (Lee Sung-kyung), a woman whose childhood abandonment by her greedy stepmother forced her to fend for herself as an orphan. Now that she’s all grown up, her plan is to give back as good as she’s been dealt, which leads her to mark her stepmother’s son, Han Dong-jin (Kim Young-kwang), as her target of revenge.
Of course, this plan runs into a snag when she finds out that contrary to her expectations, this son of her nemesis is sensitive, attractive (I mean come on it’s Kim Young-kwang after all), and totally into her. Will their star-crossed love override Woo-joo’s thirst for vengeance? Or will she find it in herself to pull the trigger on their doomed relationship in favor of getting even?
Besides our main couple, we also have an absolutely stacked cast of side characters. Sung Joon (Island) plays Yoon Joon, Woo-joo’s childhood friend who has some trauma of his own. Kim Ye-won (You Are My Spring) plays Woo-joo’s supportive sister Shin Hye-seong. Finally, EXID’s Hani (Hit the Spot) plays Kang Min-young, Dong-jin’s ex who is looking for an opportunity to rekindle their former romance.
While the plot description does seem to distantly circle makjang territory, I’m interested to see how the actors and direction will elevate this take on trauma, revenge, and pain from loving the wrong person into a nuanced version of a classic story. The stills alone are already giving all the poignant looks that are likely to be the touchstone of the show. Just look at all that angst.
Written by Kim Ga-eun and Kim Ji-yeon and directed by Lee Kwang-young (No, Thank You 2), Call It Love will premiere on February 22 of Disney+.
Via Sports KyungHang, Herald Pop
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Tags: Call It Love, Hani, Kim Ye-won, Kim Young-kwang, Lee Sung-kyung, Sung Joon
![[K-drama Treasure Hunt] Heart-fluttery bottle opening](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Kdrama-treasure-hunt.png)
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1 antonio83
January 15, 2023 at 10:32 AM
Always blood, revenge and betrayal on Netflix and Disney Plus. After ruining Western entertainment, they go for Asian entertainment.
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ladynightshade wants to be gazed at by namgoong min
January 15, 2023 at 12:25 PM
If you think revenge and betrayal are some sort of ‘Western’ influence on Asian media, then you have very little knowledge on Asian media. Revenge stories have been a STAPLE in Asian entertainment for decades across multiple countries. Stop being reductive.
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Midnight
January 15, 2023 at 12:39 PM
Quite the contrary, the plot sounds so much like a classic kdrama fron 20 years ago that I hope it doesn't feel completely dated. I miss my crush in a good role.
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
January 15, 2023 at 12:54 PM
Have you even watched an Asian drama before? Sheesh
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ar_arguably romantic
January 15, 2023 at 1:07 PM
Netflix invests in and distributes in a variety of genres even though it's the thrillers that get talked about internationally. You get hardcore thrillers right along with their Hallmark knock-off holiday rom-coms.
I think the very few korean dramas that air exclusively on Netflix (and not simultaneously airing on KakaoTV, TVN, OCN, JTBC, or anything) tend to be more of the thriller category, but the dramas they distribute with the Netflix Original branding and the dramas they license for streaming are quite diverse. Disney+ hasn't released that many kdramas to get a sense of their choices.
When TVN, JTBC, and OCN came on board to join the broadcast networks in kdramas, it opened up different kinds of stories. Even more avenues for dramas to be released mean more genres to be explored, which I think is great. Kim Young Kwang can do rom-com and revenge (his character in the revenge thriller, Lookout, was impressive). I've only see Lee Sung-kyung in lighter fare, so it'll be interesting to see how she takes on this sort of role.
Also this sort of betrayal + revenge and falling in love with the target of your revenge has already been done a decade ago - i.e. Secret Love with Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum.
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john
January 16, 2023 at 3:20 AM
Yay Secret Love !
Hwang Jung Eum ❤️ in that role.
Bae Soo-bin, Ji Sung, Lee Da-Hee, 🌟🌟🌟🌟
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fab
January 16, 2023 at 10:45 AM
Secret Love was wild. Good times.
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Midnight
January 16, 2023 at 11:02 AM
It was, wasn't it?? I don't think beanies could stomache that drama today if it was aired now. It was a special kind of WILD!
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fab
January 16, 2023 at 12:57 PM
Even back then I couldn't watch it live, reading about it was more than enough. But then a year or so later I figured a good melo can never hurt. Oh, it hurt, so so much! I think I literally screamed. It's one of those performances from Hwang where her slight bit of overacting is appreciated. XD
Midnight
January 16, 2023 at 7:39 PM
Yes! Both her overacting and Ji Sung's overdramatic acting were MILKED!
I binge-watched it too, and I remember I had to pause the show regularly to breathe!
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fab
January 18, 2023 at 12:14 PM
Bunch of masochists. Like the time I revisited the 00s melos like Winter Sonata and the other seasons. Chaos! 😭💀
2 CasualDramaFan
January 15, 2023 at 12:21 PM
My quota for revenge melodrama is filled by terrific - The Glory. I am not sure I can make space for another one. I will wait for reviews before taking this one on or in case ending of The Glory spectacularly tanks.
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Emperor
January 15, 2023 at 11:38 PM
From what i've read and seen in the stills, this felt lot less thriller/psychological-ly than The Glory, and more felt like older hallyu melos from early 2010s in the same vein as Ji Sung's Secret Love, Song Joong Ki's The Innocent Man, or Jo In Sung/ Hye Kyo's That Winter The Wind Blows ...
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3 ladynightshade wants to be gazed at by namgoong min
January 15, 2023 at 12:27 PM
Sounds makjang-y as hell. But it’s for Kim Young-kwang and Sung Joon so I’ll eat it up.
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Midnight
January 15, 2023 at 12:41 PM
Sounds like Shining Inheritance's younger sister 😂 But I loved Shining Inheritance, and I love Kim Young Kwang, so I will definitely check it out too.
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Blue (@mayhemf)
January 15, 2023 at 1:06 PM
If it’s half good as Shining Inheritance, we have a winner 😅
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Midnight
January 15, 2023 at 6:59 PM
YES!
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ladynightshade wants to be gazed at by namgoong min
January 15, 2023 at 2:23 PM
Shining Inheritance is an all-time favourite of mine, flaws and all. Any comparisons to it are surely a good sign.
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Midnight
January 15, 2023 at 7:00 PM
It is one if my most favorites too! I got very excited by the similarities at first. Hoping it is good.
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4 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
January 15, 2023 at 12:56 PM
Model Avengers and White Christmas Reunion???
Sung Joon and KYK together????? For real right now???? I'm crying.
Premise sounds wack and KYK will likely hard carry the lead pairing, especially in a melo setting, (although I guess it was about time these two were matched up together, should've been a comedy but OH WELL) but I'll start it anyway, and early drop it if it's not watchable.
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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
January 15, 2023 at 1:03 PM
Dramaland continues to bless me in the most cursed ways
Jo Boa X Rowoon
JKJ and Kim Dong Wook X Time Travel
KYK and Sung Joon X whatever this is.
🥲 I'm fine.
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
January 15, 2023 at 2:14 PM
IU and Jingoo got a drama together and it was a Hong's
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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
January 15, 2023 at 2:37 PM
Yes but that's 2019. Also cursed year. As we know. Many curses also in between then and now.
These^ are the 2023 curses. ಠ_ಠ
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5 LaurenSophie
January 15, 2023 at 1:03 PM
I'm really intrigued by the tone of this drama. Will it actually center on revenge or is that a mere excuse to get the ML and FL in the same sphere and from then on this becomes a conventional romantic melodrama? I suspect its the latter.
Hope this one shows up on Hulu or Amazon Prime so I can check it out.
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Mandy
January 16, 2023 at 5:58 PM
It sounds like the focus is on the leads and the angst around one of them being conflicted and betraying the other. It definitely sounds conventional which… I mean that’s a very good thing for me personally lol.
Not feeling these revengeeeee-is-my-reason-to-exist type storylines we’ve been seeing recently.
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6 Kurama
January 15, 2023 at 1:05 PM
Except for Sung-Hoon (he looks so good with this haircut), I'm not really fan of the actors... I will test for him!
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7 Blue (@mayhemf)
January 15, 2023 at 1:08 PM
Sung Joon looks devilishly handsome in that’s still! I have missed seeing him.
And of course, KYK!
But darn it’s Disney + What happens to us US viewers.
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LaurenSophie
January 15, 2023 at 3:21 PM
Some of the Disney+ stuff shows up on Hulu so I'm hoping that will happen with this one, too.
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Linarrick
January 16, 2023 at 5:35 AM
The recent Island featured image made me gasp! At first I thought it was Shun Oguri but looking closer in was definitely Sung Joon, I’m not watching the drama (it’s not getting good reviews) but damn Sung Joon is looking GOOD!
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chibi8535
January 16, 2023 at 11:26 PM
Glad I wasn't the only one wondering why Oguri Shun was on a DB post! xD
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8 Quiet Thought
January 15, 2023 at 1:19 PM
Two new series ideas:
1) The Afflicted -- Four plotters keep tripping over each other's schemes seeking revenge against rich people who wronged them. Two fall in love with each other, another with another plotter's faithful companion, the last with the faithful righteous lawyer helping all of them find vengeance.
2) The NeverMook -- A private detective working exclusively for rich Chaelbols has to work long days defending them against brilliantly righteous poor people seeking revenge. He is considered the best in the field because he never wastes money on useless thugs, never murders anyone's mother, never corrupts a kind lawyer father or runs a loyal friend down with the Truck of Doom.
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9 rainbowdash
January 15, 2023 at 1:27 PM
Disney+ original. Should be on Hulu in the U.S.
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10 oosiee
January 16, 2023 at 2:00 AM
Wait! Her stepmother's son? Meaning her stepBROTHER? What?
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jerrykuvira
January 16, 2023 at 3:56 AM
It could be her step-mother's son from another man, not necessarily her father.
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11 Kafiyah Bello
January 16, 2023 at 5:41 AM
This seems a bit throwbacky to our favorite faux incest days of yesteryear, except we know they are step-siblings. Yup, this is for me!!! I hope it is actually good.
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12 Mandy
January 16, 2023 at 5:48 AM
I’m extremely uncomplicated when it comes to KYK. He’s in, I watch 🤷🏻♀️
But also, I do love a good melo. I have no issues with it being old school if the chemistry is on point and the acting convincing. The problem is the latter with LSK, so KYK needs to hard carry this. But he’s fully capable I’d say, plus eye candy enough to distract me from focusing on LSK lol. Fingers crossed because irrelevant on any red flags, I’m. So. Down.
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Midnight
January 16, 2023 at 11:05 AM
EXACTLY ME! Also agree completely with the rest of your comments.
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Mandy
January 16, 2023 at 5:54 PM
The ,,sacrifices’’ we all make for eye candies…
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