Something About 1% (2016) 1%의 어떤것
Directed by Kang Cheol-Woo.
Watched 16 - 18 October 2023 — 16 episodes (DRAMACOOL)
Lee Jae-in (Ha Seok-jin) possesses a good appearance, he is smart and comes from a wealthy family, but he is also arrogant. His grandfather orders Jae-in to enter into a 10-month contract engagement with a female school teacher that he has never met in his life. Lee Jae-in slowly falls in love with her. (Synopsis: Letterboxd)
*This series (sometimes called 1% of Something) is one of my elder sister’s favourite shows, and though I’m less passionate about it than she is, I can understand her love for this. It’s very cute. The leads Ha Seok-jin and Jeon So-min have perfect chemistry, both actors hold a lot of appeal, and they make their romance very believable.
*The story premise is rather silly and implausible, but what else is new in K-dramaland? Still, I was really in the mood for this lighthearted fluffy rom-com.
*The male lead character is a bit bold, jealous, possessive, macho and at times rude. All character traits that would put me off but I understand it’s necessary for the development of his character arc. He becomes sweet — though still a bit controlling — and he really falls for the female lead in a convincing way. Love his half-smiles and the mischievous glint in his eyes. His dress sense elicited some chuckles on my part.
*I like the male lead’s best friend lawyer Kim Sun-hyuk and hoped for a romantic subplot for him. That didn’t happen. Maybe he can hook up with the annoying ex-girlfriend of the male lead, though he is much too nice for her.
*I was waiting for a second romance because there was also the female lead’s best friend Im Do-yoon, and it was nice they paired her with the male lead’s cousin Kim Hyung-min who was not as mean as I had initially thought he would be (I saw Im Do-yoon before in the short drama Everyday Loves).
*I thought the family bonds were a bit complicated at first but in the end I understood the relationships.
*So this was very enjoyable and I’d likely watch this again.