All the Buzz About the Newest Netflix K-Drama, 'Love Alarm' 💕
Netflix continues to expand its Korean drama collection by drawing inspiration from the popular Korean webtoon 좋아하면 울리는 (Joahamyeon Ullineun) by Chon Kye Young. On August 22, the popular streaming service released the long-anticipated drama adaptation of Love Alarm.
(We will try our best to keep this spoiler-free for those who have yet to watch the whole season.)
Love Alarm brings a refreshing twist to the romantic world commonly found in K-dramas. What makes this K-drama so unique is how unpredictable it is. Usually, you can pinpoint who is part of the love triangle, predict the disaster, and expect your favorite couple to end up together; however, with two strong male leads, it was difficult to tell who would end up with whom. At one point, we found ourselves rooting for both!
On August 6, the first official trailer for Love Alarm was released, featuring the modern, technological world. The visual effects look like they are straight out of a video game—crisp, clear, and colorful. Sometimes when shows feature these kinds of visual effects, they look cheesy and overly fake, but Love Alarm blends the graphics beautifully, without harming the aesthetic integrity.
The series focuses on a newly-released app that tells the user who, in a 10-meter radius, likes or is attracted to them. With this advanced technology available at your fingertips, people tend to lose touch with the dating world, skipping the thrill of the chase. While many people are excited about hearing their love alarm ring, others are overcome with jealousy. The Love Alarm app soon becomes a huge problem.
Turning a webtoon into a drama series calls for careful casting decisions. Let’s look into the actors that brought this webtoon to life:
- Kim So Hyun takes the female lead role as Kim JoJo. You might recognize her as Park So Yoon from the popular K-drama, While You Were Sleeping. She is also known as the Nation’s Little Sister due to her cute and innocent image. To connect with her character, Kim So Hyun read the webtoon, saying that she could relate to Kim JoJo as she is reminded of the first time that she experienced love.
- Song Kang plays the handsome and charming role of Hwang Sun Oh. This one of his first major roles after debuting as an actor in 2017. He played major roles in When the Devil Calls Your Name and Beautiful Vampire. Since 2018, he has been an MC for Inkigayo, a popular music program broadcast.
- Jung Ga-Ram brings Lee Hye Yeong to life as Hwang Sun Oh’s best friend. Like Song Kang, Jung Ga Ram is fairly new to the entertainment world, debuting only in 2016. He won Best New Actor at the 53rd Grand Bell Awards for his work in the film, Fourth Place.
What we admire about Love Alarm is how they touch upon so many different struggles faced by young adults. From family issues to financial issues to pride, Love Alarm acknowledges all of these issues, giving you a feeling that you aren’t alone. These ideas, whether showcased in a big or small way, communicate a sense of open-mindedness with the viewers.
As Netflix Original’s first K-drama series, Love Alarm can easily be one of the best K-dramas of 2019. By the end of episode 8, you’ll be left with a deep desire for a second season, but will Season Two even happen? Director Lee Na-Jeong says that more episodes will be produced if Season One receives a lot of support.
To promote their very first Netflix Original K-drama series, Netflix is hosting a free event at Seokchon Lake from August 18 to September 1 (4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.). This event lights up your evening with Love Alarm themed art installations. If you are planning a trip to Lotte World Tower, stop by and check out the Love Alarm attractions!
Cover Image: Love Alarm (tvN; Netflix)
Written by Sarah Wong
