The Science of Falling in Love (2023)

One of my personal favourites but might not be yours

My humble apologies as this review is not in my normal style. I did start to write the typical review but after several paragraphs, I had to stop. I was doing my usual breakdown of the plot, discussing certain scenes and review the acting when I realised that I'm not making sense why I like this show so much. So let's try something different . . .

On paper, this is a mid budget, college romance with no big name actors. AKA a B-grade c-drama that is turned out by the dozen every year to feed the programme scheduling beast. I would go as far as saying that it is better than a typical idol drama but still hardly a top tier show.

Now that we have laid the cards on the table, please indulge me with a bit of subjective rambling. ;)

As a college romance, my expectations are quite low. I’d be happy with a decent filler while I wait for the next blockbuster release. What I didn't expect is to binge watch all 24 episodes with barely a pause. I still can't quite quantify the reason why I liked it so much but it just clicks with me. May be a lot has to do with the script resonating with me. I was fully invested in their lovelines. Even the little acts of love and kindness feel just right to me and spark joy. I actually watch with anticipation which is rare these days. Meet Yourself was the last show that touched me in a similar way but that show is S class.

Similarly, the acting of the leads resonated with me. Yes, their characters are cliches. The usual feisty FL and ice king ML but there is depth to their characters. Both have damaged psyches due to their upbringing and the breakup of their family unit. They have a fear of abandonment and while the FL hides behind a facade of exaggerated cheerfulness, the ML learns to show no emotions as a way to survive living with his demanding and abusive mum.

While many shows have used the fate card to tie the leads together which usually involves some form of childhood entanglement or accidental encounters that are nothing more than contrivance, this show actually sticks the landing. The leads' childhood friendship is quite poignant and has a long lasting effect on both of them. How they resolve their historical misunderstanding is beautifully done. Once again, this is a very subjective point. Some might see it as dribble and a blatant act to tug at our heartstrings. That is a fair call and I can only say that it works for me.

I am also surprised that the 2CP is good as well. They are not the lazy pairing of the typical BFF's just to fill the quota and use up some screen time. Their romantic journey is heartfelt and I can ship them wholeheartedly.

Both CP’s have great chemistry and a decent amount of skinship. Once again, they just appeal to me. I like how they complemented each other. They're provide each other with what their SO is longing for.

Of course it can’t be all rainbows and unicorns. There are some narrative issues. For instance, while the show is angst lite, it is not all smooth sailing. Although none of the protagonists are really evil, their actions still have a significant impact on the leads and their friends. Yet they are readily forgiven and everyone just carries on as if nothing has happened. That doesn’t sit comfortably with me. Some of the side plots are meaningless and some of the support roles are straight out of central casting. I don't mind them in the bigger scheme of things but others might take umbrage.

I can see the good and the bad of this show. They are not dissimilar to other shows. Yet, it hits me in the feels like few others. So my score for this show is more subjective than usual. You might have a different opinion and I respect that.

I am happy to recommend this show but your mileage may differ.

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Aaahhhh cutenesssss

I just loved this drama. The actors are both stunning, found their acting really natural. Their chemistry is also on point.
I just loved the vibe this drama has. It’s so relaxing, no unnecessary drama between the characters, villains etc. It is a realistic love story of two childhood sweethearts. ().
Usually I don’t like these types of dramas, but here the childhood sweethearts trope worked well with the whole story and it was a nice addition to the romance.
I am no scientist to give an opinion about the whole "love experiment" thing and its accuracy in real life lol *this is a drama after all* so I don't mind it. I think it was really creative.
I really appreciate that this drama has almost no dubbing at all. It' s a bonus for me: I usually hate dubbing, feels like it takes some of the authenticity of the acting. I prefer the actors' real voices. In the case of this drama, the male lead's voice is amazing, so glad they kept it authentic like that.
The female lead is so cuuuute. I loved her. Usually I find the female characters in such dramas quite annoying, but here she was just such a sweetheart.
The male lead is so handsome. And aaaahhh, again with this voice. I can’t wait to watch him in more dramas.
P.S. I forgot to mention there is, at a certain point, some heavy topics related to family and child-parents relationship. Still, really well done, made me feel even more empathetic towards the main characters.
Really recommend it!

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