‘No Gain No Love’ Review: A Familiar Yet Heart-Fluttering Romance

Edited by Hwang Hong Sun
Translated by Kim Hoyeun

Son Hae Young (Shin Mina) has always felt like her life has been one of constant loss, starting with the love of her mother, who ran a foster home and devoted her attention to healing wounded children at the expense of her own daughter. Once desperate for her mother’s attention, Hae Young is disillusioned by her mother’s neglect and resolves to live a life where she no longer suffers losses.

Perhaps it was this resolve that changed her fate? Hae Young lands a job at a major educational corporation and climbs the ranks to manager, carving out her own slice of success. Yet, her love life is perpetually under clouds. And the reason? She believes the more she dates, the more she loses out. Her recent breakup with a coworker, Woo Jae, came after she grew disappointed in his attitude toward her.

But Woo Jae’s sudden marriage announcement complicates Hae Young’s calculations. Further investigation reveals that Woo Jae was two-timing her, and he broke up with her because he didn’t want to be at a loss either. The sting of this revelation and the regret over the $300 wedding gift she gave him aggravate Hae Young. But as they say, every crisis holds an opportunity! Quick-witted in cost-benefit analysis, Hae Young concocts a brilliant idea to recover all the money she’s spent on wedding gifts by staging a fake marriage.

She even picks a groom: Ji Wook (Kim Young Dae), the convenience store clerk she always bickers with. Once they can pull off this sham wedding, they won’t have any lingering ties. Yet, as they prepare for the wedding, Hae Young finds herself strangely drawn to Ji Wook. From his striking looks to his empathetic nature that resonates with her own hurts, Ji Wook, once just a partner in a scheme, increasingly captures her gaze. Could this faux marriage turn into real love?

The recent roster of tvN’s Monday-Tuesday dramas, especially in the romance genre, has been hitting it out of the park, from Marry My Husband at the beginning of the year to the recent juggernaut, Lovely Runner. The recently premiered No Gain No Love continues this trend as a trusty tvN romance that captures viewers’ hearts, ensuring there’s no loss of fun while watching.

Returning” ‘Rom-Com Queen” Shin Mina and “Heartthrob” Kim Young Dae tackle a familiar theme seen often in this genre. The story revolves around two people, initially indifferent to each other, who enter into a contractual marriage only to be swept up in unforeseen emotions. No Gain No Love enriches this premise with Hae Young’s meticulous cost-benefit analysis and Ji Wook’s hidden past, adding layers of engagement to the character-driven narrative.

The romantic chemistry between Shin Mina and Kim Young Dae progressively makes viewers’ hearts flutter. Shin Mina’s adorable coquettish tactics, paired with Kim Young Dae’s aloof yet caring tsundere charm, create a sweet atmosphere. The director’s use of comic-like creativity effectively delivers the breezy charm of romantic comedies. The performances of these romance-savvy actors dissolve any clichés and deliver unexpected delights.

The subplot involving Nam Ji Hyun (Han Ji Hyeon) and Bok Kyu Hyun’s (Lee Sang Yi) relationship also deepens engagement in the story. Nam Ji Hyun, an online erotica writer, and Bok Kyu Hyun, who leaves a hate comment on her work, meet for the first time at a police station. Their connection, starting from a hostile interaction as a troll and trolled writer, leaves a lingering impression, piquing curiosity about their next moves.

Now at its fourth episode, No Gain No Love reaches a turning point as Ji Wook joins Hae Young’s company as a new employee. The mysterious backstory surrounding Ji Wook, who left without a word after their fake wedding, begins to unravel, promising to inject new dynamics into their romantic entanglements. While it follows a well-worn romantic trope, if No Gain No Love continues to showcase its clever plotting and exceptional character portrayal, watching it will indeed prove to be no loss. (7/10)

>> ‘No Gain No Love’ Ep 6 Recap: Shin Mina & Kim Young Dae’s Chaotic Office Romance Unfolds

Editor Hwang Hong Sun: A Korean movie buff who wishes that the warm messages in good works will warm up this world at least by one degree Fahrenheit.