“Call it love” is a new Disney+ kdrama that tells the story of Sim Woo-Joo (Lee Sung Kyung), a woman who wants to take revenge on the son of a mistress who, alongside Woo Joo’s father, destroyed her family. And Han Dong Jin (Kim Young Kwang), the said son of the mistress, who also a victim of his mother’s scheming.
After Woo Joo’s father leaves the family with all money and jewelry, their house is the only thing that Woo Joo and her siblings had. But after their father passed away 15 years later, they lost the house too because the mistress-turned-wife decided to sell it and help her son with his business. That sets Woo Joo on the path of revenge. She believes Dong Jin is the same as his mother and since he took the money, he’s equally at fault.
However, after 4 episodes, we find out that Dong Jin never felt easy about those money and his mother demands them back shortly after she gave it. Dong Jin is a deeply traumatized son of a con mother. She fools men, marries them, and gets all the money she needs for her luxurious life. She’s a shameless woman while Dong Jin is a calm pitiful character. He looks like someone who gets used to being cursed for his mother’s actions. Someone who has a conscience and is ready to take all the beating.
No words needed
You won’t see here the over-the-top expressions typical for Korean dramas. Characters don’t need lengthy conversations to express themselves. Both main leads are people of a few words who shows more with things they don’t say at loud. And I honestly love that.
Their eyes tell so much more than words.
Their eyes usually contradict what they say.
Woo Joo’s words are about revenge. She says Dong Jin deserves what’s coming but her eyes look so guilty. She pities him and this is why she hates his back and his sorrowfully down shoulders. She helps to cause bankruptcy for his business but she doesn’t look happy about it. She’s on her revenge plot but she protects him over and over again. It could be a simple bike rider who almost hurt Dong Jin or an angry customer, who is about to punch Dong Jin. Every single time she acts on pure instinct and helps him.
Dong Jin, on other hand, simply doesn’t like to talk. He hides the words he wishes to say somewhere deep down. And his eyes tell the story of deep hurt by people in his life. His mother loves herself more than anything in the world. She will help him one day and demands to return her money the other and then she casually visits Dong Jin at work to gift him a new costume she just brought while shopping with her new lover. But it’s not only his mother who hurt him. At this point what his mother does, doesn’t surprise him. His girlfriend for 7 years betrays him by starting an affair. And Dong Jin was pitiful enough to let it slide for the whole year. Until she finally breaks up with him and then has the audacity to invite him to her wedding. I don’t know how she even dares to show herself in his life again but looks like her feelings for him are still there and she regrets it deeply.
The Friendships & Family
We have two sets of friendships and families from two leads. One family is loving and supportive of each other. When Woo Joo’s family was betrayed by their father and lost their mother, they couldn’t be any other way for them to live. They all have their own stories but they live under one roof and are always by each other’s side. We have a little brother who is supposed to get ready for his exams. We have lovely Sim Hye Sung, who falls in love easily and has no understanding of the real relationship. But she’s still trying to get herself some love. And finally, Woo Joo, who could be nuts but she loves her family so much. The dynamic between the Sim siblings is so warm and the teasing is so fun, I’m ready to watch all 16 episodes of just them together.
On another hand, we have Dong Jin, the lonely boy who grows up into a lonely man. His mother married 4 times, so I assume he never stayed in one place for too long. Maybe this is why he likes camping. While it’s a hobby that means moving around and living in a tent, it also can be something unique when you share this experience with someone you love. No wonder fire crackle calms him down.
Then we have two wholesome friendships:
Yoon Jun and Woo Joo (+ her whole family but he is Woo Joo’s friend first)
Dong Jin and Choi Sun Woo (two CEO’s of the company)
Jun is a supportive friend who even lets Woo Joo’s family live with him after they lost their childhood home. Not only that, he’s a good adviser to them all. He tells Woo Joo to drop revenge while agreeing with her that Dong Jin had it coming but Jun worries more about Woo Joo’s sanity. Jun is also the one who gives the advice to Woo Joo’s brother and the one who supports Hye Sung when she has a heartbreak. Everyone needs a friend like Jun!
And then Sun Woo, a bit chaotic and chatty. To be honest, he looks like that extravert from memes, the one who adopts introvert and never let go. He could have run away and don’t bother with their business, starting something new. But he’s loyal despite what his look and attitude to work show. He neglects his work and loves playing golf and his expensive car. But once they lose an important customer, he tries to protect Dong Jin’s feelings and considers selling his car and taking a loan from the bank to save their business. He loves expensive things but he’s that friend who gives it all up for Dong Jin.
Conclusion
This is a good kdrama and I would recommend watching it now while it’s airing because of how slow-paced this drama is. This drama is for thinkers, for people who want to see deep feelings expressed through the eyes alone, and for beautiful cinematography. If you decide to watch it after the show fully airs, I still recommend taking breaks between eps or you get bored with how slow-paced it is. This drama must be savored like wine.