'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Love in the Big City is a compelling new K-drama that delves into the intricate themes of love, relationships, and personal identity, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Starring Nam Yoon-su, Jin Ho-eun, and Kwon Hyuk, the series is adapted from Park Sang-young’s critically acclaimed novel, which has garnered international attention since its release in 2019.
The eight-episode series is divided into four acts focusing on key moments in the life of Go Young (Nam Yoon-su). A film version, starring Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun, was released on October 3, 2024.
The storyline follows Go Young, a gay novelist in Seoul, navigating romantic relationships with different partners over several years. Each relationship reveals a different aspect of love, from fleeting infatuations to deeper emotional bonds. Nam Yoon-su portrays Go Young, while Jin Ho-eun plays Gyu-ho, one of his significant love interests.
Trending
The two actors bring their real-life friendship into the characters, adding depth and authenticity to their on-screen chemistry. Furthermore, apart from having three gay best friends (Eun-soo, Ho-min, and Ji-tae), Go Young finds another close friend in Mi-ae, who rebels against the conformist culture by drinking excessively at night and smoking on campus during the day.
Love in The Big City stands up to its expectations even as a drama following the global hit of its cinematic predecessor. The series stands out for its multi-director approach, with each act being helmed by four different directors—Hur Jin-ho, Hong Ji-young, Son Tae-gyeom, and Kim Se-in. This brings a fresh, diverse perspective to each phase of Go Young’s life, enhancing his character’s evolution.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this drama review belong solely to the author.
Love in The Big City breaks the myth of a "green flag lead" and shines a light on the reality of life
The drama breaks the pop cultural notion of having a "green flag" male lead in a K-drama. Go Young, played by Nam Yoon-su, is anything but a green flag. He kisses Kim Nam-gyu (Kwon Hyuk) outside a nightclub and later starts feeling ashamed of him. Go Young makes fun of Nam-gyu about how he likes old Korean songs, wouldn't drive over 50 mph, and bought him a white gold promise ring.
Go Young brutally dumps Nam Gyu and calls him "boring," which would make anyone flinch as the notion of having a male lead display such cruelty towards someone is unheard of in the K-drama industry. Nam-gyu tries to change himself to seem more interesting to Go Young to get him back but it costs him his life. After his death due to a car accident, Go Young realizes how he mistreated Nam-gyu.
Nam Yoon-su's portrayal of the sassy and almost selfish Go Young is impeccable. As an actor, he displayed a vast range of his acting prowess to the extent that he even mimicked the body language of a queer person. Adding his own flair into the mix, he birther Go Young as a carefree gay man who was so smitten by his own wishes and resentment that it took him his entire life to realize his mistakes.
His second relationship with No Young-su (Na Hyun-woo), a philosophy researcher, pushes him over the edge. Their relationship was a striking contrast to what he had with Nam-gyu a year ago. Here, Go Young is on the receiving end of the mistreatment where Young-su is ashamed to be seen with him in public and doesn't even want to share a plate of pasta in a cafe.
Young-su dumps Go Young at a nice restaurant and tells him that he never loved him as he was never his type. This breaks Go Young, who then tries to end his life by popping some sleeping pills. The directors did a remarkable job of mirroring two of Go Young's relationships from episodes 1 to 4 where the only person to switch his role from being selfish to being selfless—was Go Young.
With eight episodes, Love in The Big City shows ten years' worth of journey and memories of Go Young as his voiceover as a narrator helps viewers understand the nuanced emotions and caveats of life. However, the last four episodes of Love in the Big City are about his relationship with Shim Gyu-ho (Jin ho-eun), who loved Go Young despite knowing that the latter is HIV-positive.
However, Go Young takes out his frustration of having a monotonous job on Gyu-ho. In the three-year live-in relationship, the drama highlights how Gyu-ho did everything he could to be with Go Young, tolerating his nagging and mistreatment. Gyu-ho's effort to keep their relationship afloat even when he got a career-changing job in Shanghai is a stark contrast to Go Young's efforts with Young-su.
Although, among all the three men, Go Young's one true love was Gyu-ho, the former was too ignorant and late to realize that Gyu-ho was "the one that got away." Episodes 7 and 8 were mostly about Go Young regretting his choices of treating Gyu-ho badly and pushing him away.
He recalled how Gyu-ho worked two jobs, cleaned their house, made food, and loved him unconditionally, while Go Young was too brazen and self-absorbed to see Gyu-ho's efforts and pain. Love in The Big City leaves spectators reeling from the fact of "what could have been."
The drama's final line from Go Young leaves a deep emotional impact, pulling viewers into his sorrow as he mourns the loss of Gyu-ho—the only person who truly loved and accepted him for who he is.
“None of them was what I really wished for, so I crossed all the words out. That was how the lantern ended up with a hole, I bet. In the end, I left just two syllables on the lantern. Gyu-ho. My only wish.”
With its contemporary, seductive, and relatable characters, Love in The Big City is a slice-of-life emotional drama that defies all the conventions that are typically upheld by the many Korean dramas that are broadcast worldwide. However, Love in The Big City reinterprets these conventions to such an innovative, astute, and energizing degree that it belittles a great deal of that immensely popular medium.
Furthermore, the drama has sparked conversations about LGBTQ+ representation in South Korean media, a topic that has seen increasing attention but still faces significant challenges. Despite its tender and realistic portrayal of love, Love in the Big City encountered backlash, particularly from conservative groups that objected to its LGBTQ+ themes.
The trailer for Love in The Big City was pulled from some platforms due to complaints as per the report by The Korea Times. However, the creators and actors remained steadfast in their support of the story. Nam Yoon-su expressed his hope that the series would help shift public perceptions and contribute to broader acceptance.
Love in The Big City is a K-drama that could be rewatched several times as it gives a clear look at realistic love stories and the ever-changing human dynamics. As cathartically heartbreaking as the story is, the drama also makes you smile with its endless charming scenes and wholesome friendship and romantic moments.
Love in The Big City is streaming on TVING and Rakuten Viki.
