Radio Romance Review │ 5 Reasons Why You Should Watch ‘Radio Romance’

 

After 16 episodes, 'Radio Romance' signed off the air on March 21, 2018, leaving fans of the show both cheering for Song Geu Rim and Ji Soo Ho's love story and hoping for Lee Gang to find his own love in India.

For those who haven't watched the drama yet, check out these five reasons why you should watch this Radio Romance.

Warning: spoiler ahead!

1. The Daebak Tandem of Kim So-Hyun and Yoon Doo Joon

Radio Romance was Kim So-Hyun's first drama as an adult. Yet, despite the pressure, she still managed to deliver Song Geu Rim's character well. Add Yoon Doo Joon's oozing charisma and excellent portrayal of Ji Soo Ho's character, and we got an awesome couple. Despite the 10-year age gap, there is still the undeniable chemistry between them that would make anyone want to watch it again repeatedly.

2. You'll love Song Geu Rim and Ji Soo Ho's story of first love.

In the first episode, when Soo Ho saw Geu Rim walking back and forth in front of the elevator he was in, you might be like, "Oh, love at first sight". It would turn out, however, that he knew her from the past. But you might also wonder, "Why is he so mean to her if she was his first love?" Still, their story will prove that "first love never dies".

3. The drama talks subtly about depression.

It's a timely topic when suicide rates and the number of people who suffer from depression continue to increase. In this drama, Soo Ho had been suffering from depression since he was in middle school (or probably earlier). It was triggered by the constant arguments between his father and Ms. Nam (his adoptive mother). It was even made worse by the death of his friend, Woo Ji Woo, which he put the blame on himself.

He put up with his condition by living by the script and sleeping with the help of pills. However, meeting his first love again after 12 years and getting to work on the radio, something which was entirely new to him, greatly changed his life.

Radio Romance portrays one of several faces of depression through Soo Ho: there are no thoughts of suicide, but the person is beyond sad. He fakes his laugh, doesn't talks about his true feelings, and is alone and lonely. The drama also shows how the sincere support, care, and love of one person can actually lessen, if not heal, another person's depression.

4. It also touches on the story of family.

Soo Ho's family was considered a model family. Perfect. However, in reality, Soo Ho was an illegitimate child of his father, who dates women younger than him and cheats on his wife. Soo Ho's adoptive mom, Ms. Nam Joo Ha, was so business-minded that she only thought about making money using Soo Ho and their family brand. Yet, despite the constant conflict between Soo Ho and Ms. Nam, the lady's love for her son could be seen in certain situations in the drama. She might be portrayed as a controlling freak for a mom, but she actually cared for him like her own child. And like Soo Ho said, "If you call someone, who is with her child every moment of her life, a mother, then Ms. Nam Joo Ha is my mother."

5. You'll learn that true love means you won't give up on each other no matter how difficult everything is.

Unlike other dramas where the main leads would break up to 'protect' each other during difficult times, the relationship between Geu Rim and Soo Ho in Radio Romance stayed strong despite the number of problems that came their way. Their love story is one of those stories you'll love and look up to.

Aside from the daebak main leads and those touching, tear-jerking scenes, you'll also get to love Tae Ri and Manager Kim's love story, the tandem of Ms. La and Lee Seung So PD (they looked like the Team Rocket of Pokemon) and Crazy Gang PD-nim's antics (and lost love aww).

Although the drama was not well-received in Korea, it may still be one of the most honest and sincere dramas you'll ever watch.

First published on Chuutalk.com in 2018.