I Need Romance (Korean Drama)

One of the best romantic Story ever seen. And according to me, this one, is the best among the ‘I Need Romance’ series. (This post is about the first ‘I need Romance’ Drama which ran during 2011).

There is something in this drama that makes it sort of unforgettable and magical. The things that people does and feel in this drama just is different from what we expect but is actually really close to what happens in real life. So it touches soul.

Also, this drama is a total treat for women. It shows real women. Unlike in any other dramas, the women here have dreams of romance, and have fantasies and expectations, and is upfront about their sexual needs. And hence in my opinion all women should definitely see this drama.

This drama can be said as not suitable for a younger audience. But it’s super good for anyone of the age. It’s fun, romantic and just a bit racy. Totally gripping.

The story is basically about three friends and their experiences with romance and sex. And about the breakup of a long term couple.

The process of that breakup is just too touching and feels so real. Kim Sung Soo and Sunwoo In Young had been a couple for over 10 years. The love and care between them is seen clearly before and after the breakup. They both get swayed from each other, but still are close with each other like a family.

And the details like In Young shave Sung Soo’s face, and Sung Soo cuts In Young’s toe nails, makes them feel really close. And In Young wonders that even this familiarity maybe one form of love.

And when In Young finds Sung Soo cheating on her, and run away, instead of just remaining with the other girl (Yoon Kang Hee), Sung Soo runs after In Young, and In Young hits him yelling bad words at him. He doesn't try to give any excuse or explanation but just lift In Young in his arms and takes her to his car and drive her home. And during the ride, In Young remembers one happy after sex moment with Sung Soo, and a tear drop fall from her eyes...while the back ground music lyrics go as ‘when our love was still young…was it real or just an illusion?’.

That moment is magic. Beyond magic. It just cuts through to our soul and stay there…

And after the break up, the way In Young keep calling Sung Soo and complaining to him about things and saying how is he sleeping when she can’t sleep and how come he is sleeping, and goes to his house even in the middle of the night and yell at him. That time he is not making excuse and grab her hand say, ‘let’s just go t sleep’, when she yells ‘am I mad to sleep here with you?’ and ask him to take off the t-shirt she had bought for him. It just makes things seem really real.

When In Young finds herself a new love, that is also has a realistic touch. In Young doesn't fall for Sung Hyun immediately. They start dating, but from one moment onward her heart started beating faster for Sung Hyun. And she says ‘some loves can start gradually like that also…’.

But the moment that interests us is when In Young accidentally goes and sits beside Sung Soo, after leaving to take a call, while in the middle of a dinner. She is dating Sung Hyun at that time. And she was sitting beside Sung Hyun earlier. But after coming back from taking the call, maybe she momentarily forgot that her boyfriend is Sung Hyun, not Sung Soo, and goes and sits beside Sung Soo accidentally. Later she feels super guilty towards Sung Hyun. But Sung Hyun forgives her, that act makes her love Sung Hyun more. And she think that with Sung Soo it was more like muscle memory, that her body remembers Sung Soo. Before her mind think, the body acts.

But in the end it still works out for Sung Soo and In Young and in the end they end up together. Like they were meant to be…

The stories of In Young’s friends are also interesting. Especially the story of Kang Hyun Joo and and Kim Dok Soo. And Park Seo Yeon just kicks ass while being an expert player.

All the characters are really cute and lovable too. Jo Yeo Jeong who plays In Young somehow makes that 30 year old woman too cute and lovable like a child. And she can pull off both the 30 year old and 20 year old In Young equally with perfection. Maybe it’s the hair style and make up, but when they show the 10 years back time when In Young and Sung Soo started their relationship, Jo Yeo Jeong really look like an 18-20 year old girl. That is something that everyone can not do. And on the top, she is all time cute and lovable.

I had been a fan of Kim Jeong Hoon since he played Yul of ‘Goong’. He is kind of too cute. And he plays Sung Soo just properly.

And as for Choi Jin Hyuk, I would say this role as Sung Hyun just suits him. Choi Jin Hyuk has an innocent and playful side to him. That is what wins our heart every time. And maybe Sung Hyun can be regarded as the bets role he played. (In ‘Panda and Hedgehog’ he is lovable but is more of a silly and witty character; In ‘Gu Family Book’, he dies and comes back as a demon L, in ‘Heirs’ we don’t get to see his playful side at all and will be too busy to resent him for behaving badly to Tan, and in ‘Emergency Couple’ the playful side is there, but there is still something off, despite being the main lead for the first time).

And Choi Song Hyun as Kang Hyun Joo is really lovable too. I have seen her in just two dramas. In this one (I need Romance), and in ‘Prosecutor Princess’. And Like her in both of them. I wish she had done more works and played a lead role some times.

Choi Yeo Jin as Perk Seo Yoen, as I said before, just rocks it. That character is something that we would never find again and Yeo Jin plays it too well.

Characters:

Jo Yeo Jung  as Sunwoo In Young  : A cute and playful woman of age 30. She has been in a relationship with Kim Sung Soo for over 10 years. She works as a House Keeping manager in a major five star hotel.

Kim Jung Hoo as Kim Sung Soo : In Young’s long time boyfriend and an aspiring Movie Director. He loved In Young since they were together in Middle School, and pursue her later, and got together as a couple and has been her boyfriend for 10 years.

Choi Yeo Jin as Park Seo Yeon : A store owner and a model. She is a major player and likes dating and sleeping with men too much. In her own words she is a ‘professional’ at it.

Choi Song Hyun as Kang Hyun Joo : A prosecutor. Hyun Joo is a virgin at age 30 who knows sex from books and comics only. Her fiancée doesn’t come to the wedding accusing her to be not sexy.

Choi Sung Hyun as Bae Sung Hyun : In Young’s junior at work. He is 6 years younger than In Young, but he secretly has a crush on In Young. Also he has a major secret.

Ha Yun Joo as Yoon Kang Hee : The heroine of the movie Kim Sung Soo is directing. A beautiful, young and sexy girl. She has a pleasant and demanding personality. She has a crush on Sung Soo and try her best to win him over. And at some point Sung Soo fall for her and cheat on In Young.

Kim Hyung Min as Kim Dok Soo : He is a designated helper man. He doesn't have parents and doesn't have much money too. But he has a good heart and helping mind. He gets hired top play as Hyun Joo’s groom at her wedding when the real groom doesn't show up. But their destiny doesn't end there.

Lee Kwang Hoon as Joon Hee : He is a famous fashion photographer who also happens to work with Park Seo Yeon’s company. At first he really didn't like Seo Yeon. But as time passes they get friendlier.

Story line

1. Sunwoo In Young's story

Kim Sung Soo and Sunwoo In Young had been a couple for over 10 years. But now In Young feels like the sparks have faded and things have become more used to and boring. Her friends advise her that it’s time to end it. And on top of that Sung Soo’s movie heroine, Yoon Kang Hee seems too much friendly with Sung Soo, which bothers In Young a lot. When she ask Sung Soo about Yoon Kang Hee, he admits to In Young that he was a bit attracted to Yoon Kang Hee, but he would not think of breaking up with In Young because In Young is his responsibility and In Young feels like a family to him, like a sister or mother. In Young gets hurt by his words and breaks up with him.

But Sung Soo end up back in In Young’s just after a couple of days. He says he has not been sleeping for days and ask ‘How can the words ‘let’s break up’ be so easy for her’. In Yung let’s Sung Soo back in, and they kiss and make up and sleep peacefully in each other’s arms.

But Yoon Kang hee’s presence keeps a bit uncertainty in their life and In Young is still scared to lose Sung Soo to that girl.

But soon Sung Soo gets fallen to Yoon Kang Hee’s attempts to get him, and start cheating on In Young. In Young doesn't know that yet. In Young is meanwhile confronting the temptation from her junior Sung Hyun who happens to have a crush on her. In Young accidentally let Sung Hyun kiss her, but after the kiss scolds him away saying he is too young for her and she already has a boyfriend.

After some days, In Young catches Sung Soo cheating on her with Yoon Kang Hee. She breaks up with him. They both have a really hard time due to the break up… But later, In Young starts her relationship with Bae Sung Hyun, and their love starts… Sung Soo is really regretting the break up, and Sung Hyun’s presence in In Young’s life makes him jealous and angry. He tells In Young that they should get back together, but In Young just refuse to.

But after all the fights and breakup aftereffects die down,  In Young and Sung Soo stay close, and they become more like friends and family. Maybe the love lingers inside. And when In Young faces some difficult situations due to Sung Hyun, Sung Soo stay with her and help her through it.

In the end it doesn’t work out for In Young and Sung Hyun, and when In Young feel like Sung Soo is really regretting losing In Young, she decides to forgive Sung Soo, and they get back together. 

2. Kang Hyun Joo's Story

In Young’s friend Hyun Joo is a virgin at age 30 who knows sex from books and comics only. Her fiance doesn't come to the wedding. And she has to hire Dok Soo, a designated helper guy, to play the role of her groom at her wedding. But their connection doesn't end there. Hyun Joo keeps running in to Dok Soo.

And later Hyun Joo confronts her ex-fiance and asks him why he didn’t turn up for the wedding. He accuses her of being not sexy, and that was the reason. On this Hyun Joo decides to shed her virginity and try to search a guy to do it with. And only Dok Soo comes to her mind. But Dok Soo is a really good hearted man, and he values Hyun Joo a lot. But Hyun Joo doesn't have the thoughts of a relationship in her mind and is just focused on sex with no attachments. That thoughts clash and Dok Soo and Hyun Joo’s relationship gets twisted up a bit…But they end up falling in love.  

3. Park Seo Yeon's Story

And In Young’s other friend Park Seo Yeon gets sued of adultery for sleeping with a married man. But later gets really attached to the baby of that man and learns a lot from that experience. Yet behavior class, she starts dating two time again. One guy is In Young’s foreigner friend Alex who is a really innocent and sincere guy, while the other is a love-hate relationship with her Photographer Joon-hee.

Joon-hee initially hated Seo- Yeon, but later as they work together they get a lot closer. And then Seo Yeon slightly seduce Joon Hee, and Joon Hee tells her it’s just for one night and the sleep together. But it doesn't end there as the get along too well and have a chemistry. But Joon Hee is bothered by Alex, and feels sorry for Alex who doesn't know anything and is too innocent. Plus neither Joon Hee nor Seo Yeon, wants to be in any committed relationship. So they keep it casual…

For some reason this drama is not really too much popular when it so should have been. It seem like 'I Need Romance 2012' is a bit more popular this this one. And of course 'I Need Romance 3' of 2014 gained a lot od popularity because of Sung Joon in it and all. But for me, the best 'I Need Romance' series is this one of 2011 (The second favorite being 'I Need Romance 3'. I found the 2012 a bit too mediocre.) 

This drama is not just my most favorite in the 'I Need Romance' series, but also one of my most favorites dramas of all time. Because it touches out heart in a strange way. 

My Ratings of this Drama : 10/10

Share this post