My Lovely Liar (2023)

It was fun and enjoyable!

***DISCLAIMER: These are just my thoughts while watching the show. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

If you’re like me and you loved "Yul" in Alchemy of souls, Keep watching this drama for the best of Hwang Min Hyun. It keeps getting better and better. I genuinely started this not knowing what to expect and I found the first 2-3 episodes slow but as soon as you’re midway through, the twists will keep you hooked to the show.

Kim So Hyun is really a good actress. In this drama, both her and Hwang Min Hyun show a lot of chemistry and cute moments. The storyline is also pretty decent and they complement each other in this drama. Hwang Min Hyun shows a different side of his acting too… each episode I found his character to be really cute, soft and endearing. He’s like a little puppy who is misunderstood and wrongfully accused. It’s sad because you can see the weight for his past affecting him daily and holding him back from pursuing his musical dreams to the fullest.

At first I found Sol Hui’s ex boyfriend (Kang Min) annoying but I’m glad he actually cared about solving the murder mystery and not just persecuting Do Ha because he wanted Sol Hui back. I respected him when he told her he was no longer able to hang around her and be “just friends” and decided to leave her alone for good. I also enjoyed Sol Hui’s parents’ arc and how they found their way back to each other and rekindled their love/romance. It was sweet how he waltzed in and showed the other guy up for not knowing his ex-wife. I’m glad Sol Hui’s mom came to her senses and chose love instead of money and decided to live simply and happily with the dad in the forest. I liked the supporting actors as well – especially the bickering couple who are totally into each other but keep pretending like they’re not. They are so adorable and deserve to be happy. I also would enjoy a bodyguard romance spinoff with Syaon and Chi Hoon I think they’d be cute and the writers could incorporate some drama into a whole new storyline with Do Ha and Sol Hui as guest stars (maybe?)

Honestly, Ji On is different in this role compared to seeing him as selfless, justice serving “Ryung Goo” in Tomorrow. If you enjoyed his character in Tomorrow, let me just say you’re in for a shock if you decide to watch in My Lovely Liar. I thought the resolution / revelation of Eom Ji’s real killer had us going in circles. I can’t believe Deuk Chan did it, as in I did not suspect his character at all and they almost fooled me with his brother Jae Chan taking the fall. I thought the writers could have expounded more on his relationship with Do Ha / Seung Ju – how he fell for him etc. The also could have wrapped up the story by telling us what happened with his wife / the divorce and his relationship with his daughter especially now that he’s in prison. I feel like they kind of lost the plot with his character in that aspect.

It’s by no means the best rom-com I’ve ever watched but thats not the point! It’s honestly so much better than a lot of higher ranked dramas that aired this year. I personally liked the twist of mystery / drama in it. Not to mention the visuals of the leads and chemistry between them is an added bonus. It’s also so hilarious and will keep you laughing/smiling throughout. Idc it’s a light-hearted little rom-com with mystery, drama and a touch of fantasy to keep viewers engaged & question the true intentions of someone and their heart rather than judging them based on if they’re telling the truth vs a lie.

I gave it a solid 7.5/10 because it served its purpose and kept me entertained.

Give it a try!

:)

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The Human Lie Detector & Her Lovely Liar.

This is the story of human lie detector and an terrible liar who simply cant tell a falsehood. The story unfolds with female protagonist who possesses the uncanny ability to detect lies, crossing paths with a man notorious for his terrible lying skills and thats how their journey begins.

Male lead Kim Seung Ju aka Kim Doha, is a suspect in his ex-girlfriend's murder. Evading the authorities for years he lives in seclusion haunted by guilt. Although he is innocent of the murder he bears the weight of responsibility for her death. What transpires when he encounters person with the gift of detecting human lies forms the crux of the plot.

As for the storyline, it started on a promising note and the romantic elements developed smoothly over the course of 16 episodes. Yet at certain points, show seemed to meander and the execution of the murder mystery plot left much to be desired save for the startling last minute twist which caught everyone off guard.
Murder mystery plotline was riddled with plot holes that I found rather disconcerting. Kim Doha's perpetual self-blame even after the passage of 6-7 years, at times grated on my nerves. Nevertheless I did appreciate the manner in which the female lead stood steadfastly by his side aiding him in overcoming his guilt.

Another aspect that left me disheartened was the way Kim Doha's helped his ex-girlfriend's brother in evading the police. Despite the brother's attempt to kill him and the kidnapping of one of his friends, Kim Doha helped to escape him from police, resulting in severe injury to an innocent character. What if the that character had died from injury?? Kim Doha would have been burdened with yet another decade of guilt.

While the murder mystery plotline suffered from poor execution featuring Doha miraculously stumbling upon clues out of thin air the final plot twist proved to be a delightful surprise. It was something that none of us predicted previously. While some viewers didn't like the plot twist, citing homophobia, I didn't look at it from that perspective. In place of him, even a straight girl who had a crush on him could have accidentally killed his ex-girlfriend. So, more than anything, I liked the plot twist for its unpredictability.

Coming to the love story, it was well developed from start to finish. The chemistry between both lead actors was palpable and the last two episodes with their sweetness, redeemed the overall viewing experience. Were it not for these final episodes my rating would have undoubtedly been lower.

In terms of acting both lead actors, Hwang Min Hyun and Kim So Hyun delivered commendable performances. Hwang Min Hyun adeptly portrayed Kim Doha's fragile, introverted persona, while Kim So Hyun shone brilliantly as the human lie detector.

In summary I would categorize this as an exceptional romance drama though the murder mystery subplot left much to be desired in terms of development.

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