Happy Ending Romance – Series Review & Episode Guide

Jungwoo is an up-and-coming writer who wrote the novel, A Man Stays Within a Man. His debut book is a hit, resonating with many readers. Taeyoung, who works at a publishing company, has become one of his devoted fans. Jungwoo is supposed to release his new book with Taeyoung's agency, Munhagnemo. Yet, the boss suddenly announces the deal is cancelled.

Recently, Jungwoo was involved in a controversy when he accused a famous author, Jang Su-Cheol, of corruption. Despite his valid accusations, the other writer is too influential in the literature industry. Jungwoo made a powerful enemy and became blacklisted by every publishing company in the country. Munhagnemo refuses to publish Jungwoo's new book because of his scandal. Angered by this decision, Taeyoung quits his job.

After the scandal destroyed his career, Jungwoo reached his lowest point emotionally. He sought comfort from his friend, Junghyun, and they hooked up that night. Three years later, they live together as secret lovers. Junghyun is thriving as the successful author of the bestselling novel, The Moon on the Hill. Meanwhile, Jungwoo's career has yet to recover. Professor Yoon, an old acquaintance, offers him an editing job. Jungwoo isn't sure if he wants to give up his dreams of becoming an author.

After quitting his job at a big agency, Taeyoung starts a small publishing house with his friend Woojoo. They are struggling to make ends meet financially. Woojoo wants to collaborate with Junghyun to save their business. Instead, Taeyoung tries to entice Jungwoo, his favourite author, to publish a book with their company. Previously, Jungwoo's friend Yeongseon planned on publishing his novel. Yet, her small, independent company went bankrupt due to Jang Su-Cheol's meddling. Since then, Jungwoo fears attaching himself to any publisher.

Jungwoo declines to work with Taeyoung's publishing company. Nonetheless, Taeyoung is persistent and delivers various sincere speeches. Jungwoo begins feeling moved. However, Junghyun disapproves of this decision. Junghyun doesn't believe it's the right time for Jungwoo to rebuild his career. He thinks Jungwoo will just end up getting hurt again. As animosity brews between Junghyun and Jungwoo, they grow distant. Jungwoo finds himself drawn to Taeyoung's magnetic charm.

As you may have guessed from the fishy title, Happy Ending Romance is not a cheerful BL series. The dramatic plot takes you on a wild journey of emotions, from lingering sadness to indignant anger. The opening scene displays the angsty protagonist at rock bottom, his face washed with tears. He remains defeated throughout the story. Whenever the main character tries rebuilding himself, he faces setbacks, betrayals, and meddling from his manipulative boyfriend. Happy Ending Romance has a shortage of happiness.

Happy Ending Romance can be emotionally gripping. You want to root for Jungwoo to overcome the terrible injustices and hold onto his dreams. However, the storyline becomes too annoying and frustrating over time. I grow tired of the prolonged melodrama, irritating conflicts, and incessant grief. It doesn't help that the characters keep having repetitive exchanges. Many scenes feel vaguely similar, rehashing old information. The high-stakes plot doesn't gain momentum as it progresses. Instead, Happy Ending Romance often feels stale, stagnant, and tedious.

Despite the aggravating narrative, Taeyoung's actor (Ha Jong Woo) carries this bleak drama with his overpowering charm. He has one of the most exuberant smiles I've ever witnessed. His joyous expression is beaming like sunshine, filled with warmth, brightness, and positive energy. Never before has a performer's enthusiasm elevated a BL series as much as Happy Ending Romance. Every time the plot bothers me, I see Taeyoung's electrifying smile and forget all my critiques. He gives me the incentive to watch each episode just to enjoy his smiley face.

Taeyoung oozes charisma. His bubbly personality injects so much lighthearted joy to balance the heavy angst in the narrative. My favourite Taeyoung moment occurs in Episode 5 when he pretends to sleep and mumbles, "pew, pew, pew~". How is this man so adorable!? Although the actor is endearing, Taeyoung's character lacks realism. His relentless optimism and blind loyalty to Jungwoo seem over the top. He behaves like a fictional protagonist instead of an authentic human. Everyone else also feels like caricatures because there isn't nuance in their characterizations.

The series teases a love triangle, but the relationship drama isn't engaging. Jungwoo and Junghyun's interactions are constantly hostile. Both appear so miserable that you question whether they ever loved each other. While Junghyun is almost a complex villain, his sinister schemes and toxic attitude get on my nerves. The story wants viewers to root for Jungwoo & Taeyoung. Yet, this couple takes too long to develop and doesn't bond meaningfully. Happy Ending Romance seems preoccupied with the book publication storyline, which overshadows the shallow BL content.

Happy Ending Romance finishes happily after the characters conquer their stressful drama. The last episode contains dull revelations, dreary confrontations, and inelegant resolutions. By this point, I had lost interest and stopped caring whether Jungwoo's book would get published. Despite these grievances, my love for Taeyoung outweighs everything else. The charismatic lead is the bright spot in a mediocre BL series. The power of his genuine smile energizes the story, making it more enjoyable. I'd recommend Happy Ending Romance just to bask in his charm.