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Okay, so this was super cute in parts! At the same-time, the story is weirdly hashed out and a secondary couple story didn’t match the tone of the primary romance at all.
Directed by Lim Hyun Hee (also directed “Our Dating Sim”), the 2024 Korean romantic-drama “Boys Be Brave” is based on a webtoon titled “Can’t Confess” (고백을 못하고) by Seok Young. One would probably be tempted to place it under the “romantic-comedy” genre, and even though it does have some really laugh-out-loud moments, a major sub-plot is very angst-ridden for no reason.
Spanning eight episodes, the plot follows the studious, introverted Kim Jin Woo (Kim Sung Hyun), who finds himself saddled with an unexpected flatmate – campus heartthrob Jung Ki Sub (Nam Shi An), who Jin Woo has a secret crush on. What was supposed to be a temporary stay, turns into a comical courtship between the two, but despite his infatuation with Jung Ki Sub, Kim Jin Woo refuses to cave to his feelings because Jung Ki Sub is known to be a two-timing jerk. Will these two young men, who are poles apart, get together? That forms the crux of the tale.
Both Kim Sung Hyun and Nam Shi An are adorable as the onscreen pair Kim Jin Woo and Jung Ki Sub, although the latter’s character motivations are hard to understand in the first half of the series. Jung Ki Sub simply says yes to anybody who asks him out on a date, which is a LOT of people, and in-fact, he is the sorts cannot say “no” to anything; so his character comes across as a good-looking sociopath of sorts. Nam Shi An channels the essence of a golden retriever in his portrayal of Jung Ki Sub, akin to an amiable pet eagerly reciprocating attention wherever it comes from.
Kim Sung Hyun on the hand as Jin Woo is like a fluffy-cute dumpling, his character reminded me of Hae Bom from “Cherry Blossoms After Winter”. Despite his crush, Jin Woo is consistently dedicated to his academics, highly organized, and doesn’t let romance get in the way of his career goals. I like how he always had alarms to remind him of different tasks through the day, so he doesn’t miss anything important. Jung Yeo Joon plays Jung Ki Sub’s best-friend Choi Balgeum, who has multiple part-time jobs and strained relationship with a former classmate called Ji In Ho (Ahn Se Min).
With just eight episodes lasting 28 minutes each, the secondary sub-plot in “Boys Be Brave” featuring another couple does little to enhance the series. Instead, it slows down the pace and makes the storyline scattered. A little more focus on Kim Jin Woo and Jung Ki Sub’s romantic progression would’ve been better. Episode 4 has a hilarious little love-rival twist, and I like how almost each chapter ends with a solid cliffhanger. Jung Yoo Hyeon’s cameo as college student Kang Hye Jin, a potential love rival vying for Jin Woo’s attention, was comically entertaining.
Both the cinematography and musical soundtrack in “Boys Be Brave” engaging throughout the runtime, it’s only the storytelling that needed more work. Regardless, the last episode has a ‘feel-good’ climax,and is positively celebratory in its tone. What didn’t come as a surprise was how the second couple doesn’t even a get a conclusive ending, making viewers wonder if a season two will be around the corner. Watch the series if you’re looking for a simple-cute campus romance and enjoyed watching Korean dramas like “Why R U” and “A Breeze of Love”.
You can stream “Boys Be Brave!” on Viki.
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