Hate Might Lead To Love In ‘Love To Hate You’ But Not Without A Battle

Yeo Mi-ran does not treat most men gently. The female lead in the k-drama Love To Hate You is happy to use men and discard them after a one-night stand. She’s also capable of beating them up when she catches them committing a crime. Mi-ran, played by Kim Ok-vin, is not easily intimidated. As a lawyer with some mixed martial arts skills, she’s tough on bad guys, but will fight to defend her innocent clients.

Nam Gang-ho is an actor women adore. Thanks to his work in romantic comedies, he’s seen as the ideal man. However, Gang-ho, played by Yoo Teo, has little patience with his female co-stars and maybe women in general. Gang-ho especially can’t stand cute aka “aegyo” behavior on the part of his female co-stars. He can’t seem to stop being mean to them, which makes him a lot of enemies and threatens the success of his dramas.

He’s tired of starring in romantic comedies. He’d rather be an action star, which means he could learn a lesson or two from Mi-ran.

When Mi-ran overhears him trash-talking his female co-star she’s disgusted. Since Love To Hate You is a hate-to-love k-rom-com, the repulsion she feels will be the first step toward these two very different characters falling in love. Given her martial arts skills this might involve some violence.

Trying to help Gang-ho improve his less-than-gentlemanly behavior is Do Wan-jun, played with great charisma by Kim Ji-hoon. Wan-jun will do whatever it takes to help Gang-ho’s career, but despite being his manager and friend, he’s not having much luck making him be nicer to actresses. Obviously there is some romantic history Gang-ho has to overcome and Mi-ran might need to revise her initial opinion of him.

The fun bingeable Love to Hate You follows two of last year’s k-drama trends. The female lead is a lawyer, which was the case in so many successful 2022 dramas. Also, some of the action takes place inside the entertainment industry, in the offices of a law firm that specializes in representing stars. The 10-episode drama is directed by Kim Jeong-kwon, who directed the series Lie After Lie, and written by Choi Soo-Young, who wrote ID: Gangnam Beauty and Cunning Single Lady.

Yoo Teo previously appeared in the dramas Arthdal Chronicles, Dr. Brain and The School Nurse Files. He stars in the film Past Lives, which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Kim Ok-vin also appeared in the first season of Arthdal Chronicles and can be seen in the second season later this year. Kim Ji-woon won praise for his role as a serial killer in Flower of Evil. He also starred in Money Heist Korea and appeared in Behind Every Star. Lee Joo-bin appeared in Be Melodramatic and Money Heist Korea.

The drama also stars Go Won-hee as Mi-ran’s friend and roommate, Lee Joo-bin as Gang-ho’s co-star and Kim Sung-ryoung as a famous actress. Love to Hate You airs on Netflix.