Check in to You – Series Review

Jio is the manager of Badam Stay, a cozy little guesthouse by the beach. He took over from the previous manager a year ago. Jio loves this job. Beautiful location, friendly guests, what's not to like? However, Jio has never actually met the person he works for. He has been running this guesthouse for a mysterious boss. Since Jio is such a positive person, he believes his unknown employer must be a lovely guy. Someone who is easygoing and appreciates the good vibes of Baram Stay.

The guesthouse owner is Dokyung, a cold and aloof CEO who runs many businesses. He cares deeply about profit margins. When Dokyung finds out Badam Stay isn't making money, he decides to sell it without a second thought. He shows up to assess the property and catches Jio at a bad moment. Jio has been day-drinking with a guest. He gets really drunk and pukes all over Dokyung. He just threw up on his boss, making a terrible first impression.

Once Dokyung recovers from being vomited on, he properly introduces himself. He explains his plans to sell the business. Jio tries to argue that Badam Stay has sentimental value. This guesthouse is worth keeping open, even if it isn't raking in cash. Dokyung doesn't change his mind. He plans to stay at the guesthouse for a while until he can find a buyer. Once everything is set, he'll shut the whole thing down. His employee, Secretary Ha, will help iron out the details.

On Dokyung's first night at the guesthouse, the power goes out. He goes to investigate and runs into Jio, freshly showered and barely dressed. They start bickering. Jio accuses Dokyung of staring at his half-named body. Dokyung denies it. Then, Jio accidentally trips and slams into Dokyung. He sends them both crashing onto the wet floor, right next to a hair dryer that is very much still running.

Both men get electrocuted, but there doesn't seem to be any injuries. They both brush it off as a minor shock and go to bed. The next morning, they suddenly wake up in each other's bodies. The accident from last night somehow swapped their identities! Jio is now Dokyung, and Dokyung is now Jio. Both men are horrified. Dokyung is especially devastated because he left behind a very good physique.

Ji compares their situation to the K-drama, Secret Garden. Dokyung hasn't watched the show, but he desperately wants to return to his original body. They try to recreate the accident on purpose and get electrocuted again. Nothing happens. Until these two figure out a solution, they're stuck with their new identities. Jio has to get used to being a CEO and survive the corporate world. Meanwhile, Dokyung must manage the guesthouse he came to close down. Karma works in mysterious ways.

Check in to You is a cute little love story. It begins with the two leads meeting and getting on each other's nerves… Nothing special so far. But then, the real plot kicks off in Episode 2. Surprise! They switch bodies! Rich grumpy CEO? You're now the average joe handling customer service. As for the other guy? Congratulations, you've been promoted! Enjoy your new life as one of the elites. The concept is definitely interesting. It's also not too overdone in the BL genre. I was excited to see how the body-swap comedy would play out.

After the switch, the story turns into a lot of lighthearted silliness. It knows how to have fun with this wacky plot. At first, Jio & Dokyung try to go back to normal. Their brilliant solution is to kiss each other. Ah yes, classic BL logic. Sure, if you guys wanna make out, be my guest! The best humour comes from how they adjust to their new identities. Poor Jio is usually a sweet cinnamon bun, but now everyone thinks he has turned mean and snarky overnight. OMG, when did this chihuahua become a pit bull!? Dokyung goes from Evil Bastard to Gentle Giant. Since the actor is such a tall macho dude, his soft mannerisms feel even funnier.

Both leads really grew on me. Jio's actor (Kim Dong Won) is so good at glaring, scowling, and looking perpetually unimpressed with everybody. It's almost like he has the soul of a grumpy bastard, making his portrayal feel so convincing. His co-star (Hwang Dong Hee) charmed me with his sweet smiles and bashful glances. When I first saw this muscular hunk, I didn't expect him to be the cute one. Surprisingly, I found him quite adorable. Plus, the couple delivers a darn good kiss in the finale. The chemistry is there, even if they don't get many opportunities to show it off.

Unfortunately, Check in to You is too short. It's only an hour long. That's barely enough time to watch two men swap bodies, fall in love, and have meaningful experiences. The plot is interesting, but it can feel too rushed in some parts. A few moments make me tilt my head and think, "That doesn't seem believable, but I'll go along with it." One of the biggest arcs is Dokyung transforming from corporate shark to secret softie. However, his character growth isn't entirely convincing. His emotional journey needs more development before I believe he has changed for the better.

The short length also limits how much I can enjoy the romance. I kinda like Jio and Dokyung as a couple. They have a cute black cat and golden retriever dynamic, so I'm smiling at their sweet moments together. Yet, I was never fully sold on their relationship. Are these two actually compatible? Are they really that close? By the finale, I'm still second-guessing whether they're in love. If this were a longer series, a few more bonding scenes could have reassured me. Let them flirt more! Let them open up! Check in to You just needed extra time to flesh out the relationship arc.

Episode 5 delivers my favourite line of the series: "Try valuing yourself more. Then, even the most ordinary things will become special." Oh, I love this life mantra! Put that motivational quote on a mug! The small but meaningful moment pushed this drama from "pleasantly mediocre" to "yeah, I kinda appreciate it". Looking at the current slate of Korean BL series, Check in to You feels much more enjoyable than the other short dramas out there. While the story isn't perfect, I still wanna give it a decent score. It's nothing fancy. It's just a cute and charming little romcom I enjoyed.