Kissable Lips is a Korean BL drama about vampires. The main character is a dying vampire who suffers from deteriorating health. According to urban legend, his only way to stay alive is by drinking the rare blood of a human lover. Against the odds, he meets somebody with this blood type, forming a whirlwind romance that takes them on a turbulent journey.
Although the production values are solid, Kissable Lips suffers from a convoluted story and a shallowly depicted romance. The characters behave as if they experienced an epic relationship journey when we see nothing of the sort. As the plot deteriorates rapidly, the last few episodes are dull, nonsensical, and almost unwatchable.
Kissable Lips BL Summary
Title:
깨물고싶은
Series Info:
South Korea (2022)
Genre:
Supernatural horror
About:
Kissable Lips is a sad & emotional BL drama.
Plot
Jun Ho is a vampire who disguises himself as an ordinary human being. Even though he lived for hundreds of years, Jun Ho still attends university and takes a photography class for fun. However, his health is rapidly deteriorating. Vampires are not supposed to kill human beings, or else they'll suffer severe consequences. Since Jun Ho ended someone's life years ago, his own mortality has dwindled.
According to urban legend, there is only one way for Jun Ho to save himself from dying. He must drink from a "pureblooded" human who has fallen in love with him. If so, Jun Ho will transform from a vampire and continue living as a human instead. A "pureblood" is a rare species, but Jun Ho discovers his classmate Min Hyun has this valuable blood type. Jun Ho develops an interest in Min Hyun, hoping for a way to drain his blood.
Min Hyun is an ordinary university student who becomes flattered when Jun Ho gives him dedicated attention. He's in awe to flirt with the most popular guy on campus. The two men become closer as they work on a photography project together. Jun Ho even takes Min Hyun to his special hideout, an intimate location where they can be alone and cultivate their romance.
During his childhood, Min Hyun had a close encounter with being kidnapped. This incident has prompted his older brother to become overprotective, placing his sibling under close surveillance. Min Hyun goes on a rebellious streak, defying his brother's warnings and sneaking behind his back. He enjoys his alone time with Jun Ho, utterly unaware of his companion's dangerous identity.
While Min Hyun only thinks about flirting and dating, Jun Ho is preoccupied with his diminishing mortality. He wants to find a way to drink his classmate's pure blood as quickly as possible. However, doing so might endanger Min Hyun's life, potentially killing him. As the two men spend more time together, Min Hyun's earnestness has made Jun Ho second-guess his decision. Is it worth hurting Min Hyun to save himself?
Kissable Lips Trailer
Kissable Lips Cast
Characters
Jun Ho
Kim Ji Woong (김지웅)
Jun Ho is a vampire who disguises himself as a university student. His health is getting worse lately. Jun Ho believes his death is imminent unless he can drink from a "pureblood" human being. He develops an interest in Min Hyun after discovering his rare blood type.
Kim Ji Woong
Kim Ji Woong (김지웅) is a Korean actor. He is born on December 14, 1998. His first BL project is the 2021 series, The Sweet Blood. He also starred in the 2022 dramas, Kissable Lips and Roommates of Poongduck 304.
Min Hyun
Yoon Seo Bin (윤서빈)
Min Hyun is an ordinary university student and one of Jun Ho's classmates. He was almost abducted in his childhood, prompting his older brother to become overprotective. The constant surveillance has made Min Hyun develop a rebellious streak.
Yoon Seo Bin
Yoon Seo Bin (윤서빈) is a Korean actor. He is born on December 14, 1999. His first BL project is the 2022 drama, Kissable Lips. He also stars in the 2022 series, Roommates of Poongduck 304.
Supporting Cast
Hae Soo
Moon Ji-hoo (문지후)
Mi Ran
Go Hye Ran (고혜란)
Min Hyun's brother
Yang Seung Bin (양승빈)
Jun Ho's classmate
Kim Tae Woo (김태우)
Cast Highlights
- The leads (Kim Ji Woong and Yoon Seo Bin) star in another 2022 Korean BL series Roommates of Poongduck 304. They portray an office employee and his boss in this lighthearted romantic comedy.
Kissable Lips Review
Review
Drama Review Score: 5.0
Kissable Lips has a handsome cast and solid production values, which are completely wasted in a dreadful narrative. This BL series looks aesthetically pleasing, but the convoluted plot is impossible to enjoy. Who knew a story about vampires could be so tedious? As the writing deteriorates rapidly, watching each joyless episode feels like a chore. I have stopped caring about the one-dimensional leads, their shallow romance, and the dumb nonsense around them.
This drama flops for a few reasons. One, it's incoherent. The storytelling rushes through key concepts, introduces characters without explanations, and never clarifies backstories or relationship dynamics. Two, it's illogical, even for a supernatural horror series. The many plot holes, the senseless protagonist, and the ridiculously contrived events make my eyes roll. And three, it's so boring. Kissable Lips is devoid of entertainment, failing to build adrenaline, maintain suspense, or inspire enthusiasm.
Initially, I was intrigued for the wrong reasons. Jun Ho and Min Hyun's interactions gave an eerie vibe, similar to how serial killers lure their victims before murdering them. While Jun Ho hatched a sinister plot to hunt his prey, all Min Hyun cared about was flirting with his classmate. The stark contrast in their mentalities was chilling, but it captivated me in a morbid way. The couple compelled and disturbed me, like the beginning of a true-crime story. Any moment the characters were alone together, I expected an omniscient narrator to declare, "And this is how he dies."
Once the novelty wears off, the relationship scenes become less scary and feel more awkward instead. I don't understand why Min Hyun grows smitten with Jun Ho so quickly. You just met this stranger, yet you trust him completely when he hasn't done anything special. The whirlwind romance is contrived with no basis for their inexplicable attraction. Yet, Kissable Lips pretends like the characters have experienced an epic love story when they barely know each other. Other than a few kisses here and there, it's a very shallow interpretation of BL.
The camera captures stunning shots of Min Hyun's telegenic actor (Yoon Seo Bin). But oh my god, his character annoys me. Min Hyun is too immature and naïve, behaving like a rebellious teen who knowingly puts himself in danger. He also suffers from a lack of development, while his costar steals all the focus. Despite dominating the spotlight, Jun Ho remains too much of an enigma. Anything we learn about him is superficial, not elaborated enough to resonate sentimentally. Overall, both leads fail to engage me with their charmless personalities.
Kissable Lips has a darker tone than your average BL, lightly touching upon existential themes of remorse and mortality. It commits to a sad ending, although the last few episodes are written too terribly for any emotions to register. The lacklustre narrative seems disappointing since this series is backed by gorgeous aesthetics and a lovely soundtrack. I appreciate the noticeable efforts to elevate the quality from a production standpoint. However, Kissable Lips is utterly failed by its dismal plot and uninspiring romance. My final assessment is a bored yawn.
Summary
Terrible story
Everything in Kissable Lips feels boring, incoherent, and contrived. The events don't happen organically, as if the characters are forced to behave in certain ways to fit specific plots.
Shallow romance
Other than a few pretty kisses, Min Hyun and Jun Ho's romance is underdeveloped. Kissable Lips pretends like they experienced an epic relationship, but these characters barely know each other.
Average acting
Both actors give average performances at best, not exuding much chemistry or enthusiasm. However, Min Hyun's actor (Yoon Seo Bin) is telegenic and looks great on camera.
Sad ending
Kissable Lips doesn't have a happy ending. However, the narrative is written too dreadfully up until that point for any emotions to register.
Good artistry
This BL drama is backed by soft, bright, and pretty visuals. I particularly love the cinematography in Episode 2's basketball scene. I also think the soundtrack is an above-average quality.
50%
Overall, Kissable Lips is an incoherent and illogical mess. I was bored by the lacklustre BL romance. Watching each episode felt like a joyless chore, especially towards the end.
Kissable Lips Episodes
Episode Guide
- Start Date February 3, 2022
- End Date February 25, 2022
- Episodes 8 episodes
- Episode Length 8 – 12 minutes
Kissable Lips has a total of 8 episodes. Each episode is around 8 to 12 minutes long. The last episode is around 18 minutes long. It is a short BL drama, and you can finish the entire series in under 2 hours. Kissable Lips started airing on February 3, 2022 and ended on February 25, 2022.
Episode 1
Episode 1 Summary
This episode introduces Jun Ho, a dying vampire who disguises himself as a university student. After meeting Min Hyun in a chance encounter, he accidentally discovers his classmate has "pure" blood. According to an urban legend, drinking this rare blood type will turn the vampire into a human.
However, this remedy only works if said human falls in love with the vampire. Since it's Jun Ho's only chance to stay alive, he plans to get close to an unsuspecting Min Hyun to drink his blood.
Episode 1 Review
When I started this BL drama, I had no idea the story was about vampires. Admittedly, it's not my favourite genre. However, I think Kissable Lips has an exciting hook. A dying vampire who must make a human fall in love with him seems compelling, even if the idea is a bit cliché. Overall, not a bad start. I was intrigued and wanted to see how this storyline progresses.
My first impression of Jun Ho is sinister. I think he's a dangerous character who lures unsuspecting men into bathrooms to drink their blood. I feel kinda skeptical about his potential relationship with Min Hyun, but let's see how it goes. Also, I like how the blue contacts look on Jun Ho. It's a simple and effective way to convey his vampirism.
Episode 2
Episode 2 Summary
Jun Ho officially introduces himself to Min Hyun. They agree to work on the photography class project together. While Min Hyun seems in awe of his classmate, Jun Ho is only thinking about how to drink his next victim's blood.
After a photoshoot, the two men play a friendly game of basketball together. Later, Jun Ho takes his new friend to a secret hideout place. Min Hyun receives lots of messages from his overprotective older brother, who's concerned over his whereabouts. Since Min Hyun was almost abducted in his childhood, his brother has placed him on constant surveillance. It caused him to develop a rebellious streak.
Episode 2 Review
I was startled by the stark contrast when we hear Jun Ho and Min Hyun's thoughts in the library. Min Hyun's mind was filled with frivolous ideas like, "Wow, this cute guy is talking to me! 😚" Meanwhile, Jun Ho is secretly plotting a way to drain Min Hyun's pure blood until he dies. It shows you how meeting a stranger could be pretty dangerous, because he might turn out to be a total psycho like Jun Ho.
I adore the cinematography in the basketball scene. The aerial shot of the characters lying on the basketball court is very inspired. Kissable Lips didn't have to film it this way, but they made an effort to capture the scene from a visually stunning angle. Overall, I really like how everything looks in this series. Everything is bright, colourful, and dazzling.
However, I'm not a fan of the relationship scenes. Jun Ho and Min Hyun's interactions are a bit cringe? I dunno, the chemistry isn't quite there yet. The scene where Jun Ho started tickling Min Hyun gave me second-hand embarrassment. His gesture was meant to be playful, but it didn't look or feel natural in the moment. 🙈 I was also scared for Min Hyun being alone in Jun Ho's apartment. Is he gonna die!?
Episode 3
Episode 3 Summary
Jun Ho and Min Hyun come close to sharing a kiss at the start of the episode. However, Min Hyun hesitates and pulls away at the last second. When they meet again, all Min Hyun could think about was that moment. He acts bashful and fidgety around his classmate.
However, Jun Ho is concerned because his health has deteriorated. He's even starting to lose his vision. He wants to quickly drink Min Hyun's blood before any complications arise. The two men end up in the secret safehouse again. They confess their feelings for each other. While Min Hyun genuinely has a crush, Jun Ho is lying to him. They share their first kiss after the confession. However, they are interrupted by Min Hyun's brother, who suddenly shows up and stops the kiss.
Episode 3 Review
Not much happened in this episode other than the kiss near the end. However, I don't feel engaged with the BL romance. Min Hyun's feelings develop too quickly and I'm confused why he feels so smitten with this stranger. Dude, you just met him? Also, he brought you to his house to KILL you, yet you have no sense of danger at all. Maybe your brother is right and you should be a little more careful!?
Min Hyun's character feels very young. He doesn't behave like a college-aged adult. Instead, his actions reminds me of a teenager. Min Hyun rebels against his older brother and sneaks behind his back. This perpetual immaturity is off-putting, not an attractive quality for a BL lead. Min Hyun's saving grace is that his actor looks telegenic on-screen. I'm annoyed by the character's behaviour, but then I see the actor's face and I'm like, "Okay, I'll give you a pass."
It's hard to ship Jun Ho and Min Hyun together when their characters have such different mentalities. One is a menacing adult, where the other is like an innocent kid in arrested development. This couple isn't working for me. Even when their characters had the first kiss, I felt nothing between them.
Episode 4
Episode 4 Summary
Episode 4 begins with the fallout after Jun Ho and Min Hyun's first kiss. Min Hyun's brother is furious and separates his younger sibling from the vampire. When left alone, Jun Ho reminisces about the past. Years ago, he had another human lover, but couldn't control his impulses and ended up killing him.
Min Hyun is annoyed with his brother's reaction. His older sibling has observed Jun Ho's blue eyes and knows he is a vampire. He also reveals that Jun Ho must be after Min Hyun's pure blood. Despite this shocking bombshell, Min Hyun defies his brother and continues visiting Jun Ho anyway.
After the confrontation, Jun Ho has second thoughts about getting involved with Min Hyun. His health is also getting worse, worrying his friend Mi Ran. Jun Ho acts standoffish around Min Hyun at their next meeting, not wanting to continue their relationship anymore. The episode ends with Min Hyun revealing that he knows Jun Ho is a vampire.
Episode 4 Review
This episode is boring. Learning that Jun Ho is a vampire should've astonished any ordinary person, right? For some reason, Min Hyun barely reacts at all. After the shocking revelation, I expected more drama between Min Hyun and his brother. However, nothing really happened, other than a snarky line of "Is it because he's a man???" No, it's because you're dating a VAMPIRE who wants to KILL YOU. 🧛🏻♂️
I'm flabbergasted when Min Hyun still visits Jun Ho in the next scene. Did his brother not emphasize enough that Jun Ho is a deadly vampire? Like, why are you still hanging around him!? Oh my god, this kid is SO dumb, willingly inviting himself into the lion's den. Even Jun Ho is tired of lying and doesn't want to continue their fake relationship anymore. Yet, Min Hyun insists on a romance when there's nothing between them. 🙄
Episode 5
Episode 5 Summary
Episode 5 introduces Jun Ho's old acquaintance Hae Soo, another vampire. Mi Ran summoned Hae Soo, worried about her friend's halted progress with Jun Ho. Hae Soo proposes a simple plan for his friend to live. They would kill Min Hyun, drink his blood, and become humans together. However, Jun Ho opposes the plan and warns Hae Soo to stay away. Hae Soo tells Jun Ho to come to his senses and get over any feelings developed for the human.
We learn these two vampires share a complicated past. Ten years ago, Hae Soo witnessed Jun Ho murder his human lover. Ashamed over what he did, Jun Ho has avoided his friend since then. However, Hae Soo doesn't want to see his friend die and still encourages him to drink the pure blood. Hae Soo and Mi Ran plot together to take down the human for Jun Ho's sake.
Episode 5 Review
I hate how Kissable Lips doesn't follow up on the aftermath of crucial scenes. The last episode leaves with a cliffhanger, where Min Hyun reveals that he knows Jun Ho's vampire identity. Instead of continuing the exchange, we skip over the confrontation entirely as if nothing happened. Ugh, this storytelling is so unsatisfying. You don't just drop a giant bombshell in the narrative like that and then walk away from it. Show us the conversation between Jun Ho and Min Hyun!
My first impression of Hae Soo is that I find him pretty cute and they should've introduced his character ages ago. Unfortunately, his character's background is so vague and I barely know anything about him. It's tough to feel attached to someone suddenly introduced halfway through the drama with little explanation. Also, the biggest plot twist is when I learned Mi Ran was Jun Ho's friend. I thought she was his mom all along…
Doesn't it seem like Kissable Lips had a more compelling plot ten years ago than the present storyline? Whatever happened between Jun Ho & his dead lover is more intriguing than the tepid romance between Jun Ho & Min Hyun. That should've been the series instead. Imagine if Kissable Lips began with an ordinary relationship between Jun Ho and his human boyfriend. Halfway through the drama, the viewers are in absolute shock when Jun Ho accidentally kills the other lead! That twist would be unprecedented in BL, making this series infinitely more memorable. 😲
Episode 6
Episode 6 Summary
Min Hyun knows Jun Ho is dying and gives him permission to drink from his blood. However, Jun Ho refuses the offer and gets into a disagreement with him. Hae Soo and Mi Ran are frustrated by this decision.
Later, Hae Soo and Min Hyun have a heated encounter. Hae Soo taunts the human and tries to instill fear in him. Min Hyun retaliates, claiming Jun Ho has stronger feelings for someone he met a few months ago than a vampire he had known for years. "The person with him now is me, not you." Min Hyun tells a speechless Hae Soo, infuriating him.
The episode ends with Hae Soo tricking Min Hyun into meeting him alone. The vampire's eyes turn red, indicating his sinister intentions.
Episode 6 Review
I'm genuinely confused why Min Hyun is SO dedicated to Jun Ho, a bloodthirsty vampire he barely knows. Did I miss an episode where their relationship developed exponentially? Based on what I could see, the two characters talked a few times, kissed once, and that's pretty much it. How do these limited interactions lead to Min Hyun sacrificing himself like this?
I'm also getting tired of Hae Soo. What is his character's purpose? Kissable Lips barely has time to develop the Jun Ho and Min Hyun relationship. Yet, you throw in this one-dimensional antagonist to cause unnecessary conflict. If Hae Soo wants to kill Min Hyun, then just do it already. Stop dragging out this storyline and let's get moving already.
Episode 7
Episode 7 Summary
Hae Soo is just about to kill Min Hyun during their rooftop confrontation. However, Jun Ho arrives in time and stops the vampire from attacking. He proceeds to strangle Hae Soo to death. As Hae Soo wrestles with the last moments of his life, he tearfully confesses his feelings. Jun Ho knew his friend had a crush on him all these years, but always turned a blind eye to his affections. A tear falls from Hae Soo's eyes before he dies and disappears.
Later that night, Jun Ho notices that Min Hyun seems terrified of him after murdering Hae Soo. However, Min Hyun quickly gets over his apprehension quickly. Instead, he offers himself to Jun Ho again, asking the vampire to drink his blood. The episode ends with Min Hyun initiating a kiss between them.
Episode 7 Review
Oh my god, I'm so fed up with the nonsensical storyline and these ridiculous characters. 😩 The last few episodes have been so miserable, lacking any joy or enthusiasm. Hae Soo seems like a useless diversion, and his character serves no purpose besides taking the plot off-track for the past three episodes. Why waste time on him when he was gonna die and make zero impact by the end of his story arc?
Worst of all, Jun Ho and Min Hyun's relationship barely developed between their kiss in Episode 3 and their next kiss in Episode 7. They hardly spent any actual time together, like their romance had stalled for the past four episodes. The few scenes between Jun Ho and Min Hyun were totally lacking in BL. Yet, Kissable Lips pretends they are soulmates when we see no evidence of their feelings deepening.
I don't care about Hae Soo's character. However, his circumstances are sympathetic. Everything Hae Soo did was motivated by wanting to protect Jun Ho and extend his life. Yet, Jun Ho just ended him mercilessly, disregarding their years of friendship. It sucks getting killed by the guy you like, all because he suddenly fell in love with this vapid human being.
Episode 8
Sad Ending
Kissable Lips has a sad ending where Jun Ho dies in the final episode. Although Min Hyun repeatedly offers his blood to sustain his vampire boyfriend, Jun Ho decides not to drink from him. A part of him doesn't want to hurt Min Hyun. Another part of him simply wants to stop living, since he still suffers from guilt over what happened ten years ago. He believes death is a form of repentance for causing his ex-boyfriend's death.
Jun Ho and Min Hyun spend a passionate evening together, consummating their love. The next morning, Jun Ho discovers his health has deteriorated significantly. Initially, he got a ring for Min Hyun as a gift. However, his headache and poor vision caused him to drop the memento on the ground, unable to retrieve it again.
Jun Ho uses the last of his energy to pull himself to the rooftop. Min Hyun wakes up and chases after him. They reunite on the rooftop, where Jun Ho dies in his boyfriend's arms. Jun Ho could have survived by drinking Min Hyun's blood, but ultimately he comes to peace with dying. Min Hyun is devastated, crying as he holds his boyfriend's lifeless body in his arms. Soon afterwards, Jun Ho's corpse disappears in the air.
Final Scene
After Jun Ho's death, Kissable Lips skips forward one year in the future. Min Hyun hasn't gotten over his ex-boyfriend and still thinks about him all the time. He hates not having a picture of Jun Ho to keep him in his memories.
In the final scene, Min Hyun visits their secret hideout again. He accidentally steps on the ring that Jun Ho dropped on the ground. Min Hyun looks down and coincidentally sees a picture next to the ring. It's a polaroid photo of Jun Ho. This picture brings Min Hyun to tears again as the series comes to an end.
Ending Explained
Kissable Lips commits to a sad ending for the BL couple. However, I like the conviction that Jun Ho shows, choosing to die instead of hurting his boyfriend to live longer. His decision makes sense if you think about his circumstances. Jun Ho already lived for five hundred years, and he spent the past decade wracked with guilt for murdering the man he loved. He could've repeated the same mistake again and accidentally killed Min Hyun, adding a new burden to his conscience.
Instead, Jun Ho doesn't take that risk and won't let history repeat itself. He's in control of his own narrative, choosing to die and let the young Min Hyun live instead. Besides, here's this eighteen-year-old kid who barely experienced life. Jun Ho sacrificed himself so that Min Hyun could continue living the bright future ahead of him. His suicide is a noble decision, one that reinforces his love for Min Hyun.
Despite the thematic messages, the Kissable Lips ending doesn't work for me because of the lacklustre narrative leading up to this point. The journey to this final episode hasn't been fun or engaging at all. I can't appreciate the poignant ending when I've no attachment to these one-dimensional characters. I simply don't care about their flimsy relationship. Sadly, the emotions in the final episode are lost on me. Overall, I leave Kissable Lips with a pretty terrible impression of the series.
Kissable Lips BL Interview
Kissable Lips BL Information
Links
- MyDramaList Kissable Lips MyDramaList
- Viki Kissable Lips Viki
- YouTube Kissable Lips YouTube
Idol Romance
Idol Romance is a Korean BL studio that made Wish You (2020), Nobleman Ryu's Wedding (2021), The Tasty Florida (2021), and Tinted With You (2021). It also produced Once Again (2022) and Roommates of Poongduck 304 (2022).