Okay cause I rewatched Healer and went through K2 highlights. I remembered why I liked Ji Chang Wook so much. Like Suspicious Partner was one of my early live watch dramas, maybe that’s why but I didn’t like it one bit and every JCW project after that had bad reviews so he became a forgotten kdrama crush. But yesterday I felt like giving a drama of his chance again so I picked Lovestruck City.
From what I remember back when it aired people weren’t a fan of the interview format it went for, hated Kim Ji Won’s character, thought nothing much happened. The weecapper for this one particularly didn’t seem to enjoy it. Personally I thought the show read like a longer western romance movie with the will they won’t they archetypes rather than the regular k-drama. If it was a weekly release while it was on air I think I can understand why so many felt like the first few episodes meander and are redundant, but as a long movie the pacing feels much more natural as I don’t feel like I am stuck in a rut with these characters for weeks. As such I enjoyed the show (barring the Minho storyline), I don’t mind these mockumentary, interview formats so it wasn’t a damper for me. Thought Kim Ji Won’s character as messed up as she was, was still relatable so while her choices could be frustrating I could still see where she was coming from.

Also I thought JCW made his whiny character work, he was charming as well, I wouldn’t say this is great, but it was a fairly decent city romance show. I think if your expectations are a longer western romance movie you could enjoy this.

The casting for this does set expectations way too high though I feel both made a nice pair and were well cast. I would like to see them together again someday.