Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo – Series Review & Episode Guide

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a romance between two teenagers in a small town.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a Korean BL series about two teenagers who befriend each other in a quiet town. The main character is a moody high school student who dreams of escaping his abusive father. One day, a newcomer arrives to train and live with them at their taekwondo gym. Initially, the lead doesn't get along with his bubbly roommate. To his surprise, they form an unlikely bond and become each other's confidante.

The teen romance in Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo has an excellent start. The first few episodes portray their heartwarming bond, playful interactions, and even a few surprise kisses. Midway through the series, the sudden time skip ruins the momentum. I hate the adult portion of the love story, which omits many significant events in the characters' lives. The couple also loses my goodwill with their angsty melodrama and tedious conflicts.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Summary

Title:

태권도의 저주를 풀어줘

Series Info:

South Korea (2024)

Length:

5 hours

Total Episodes:

8 episodes

Genre:

Romance

About:

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a sad & emotional BL drama.

Plot

Dohoe and Juyeong travel outside.

Dohoe is a high school student from a quiet town. His father runs a local taekwondo gym, while his mother is no longer with the family. Dohoe is a thoughtful teenager with a strong sense of responsibility. He helps with the business and gets excellent grades at school. Despite Dohoe's diligence, his abusive dad beats him whenever he drinks too much. Dohoe endures the suffering for now. He plans to move away and leave this town after graduation.

Juyeong is an aspiring taekwondo athlete who arrives in town. His parents have paid a hefty tuition for him to train and live at the gym. Ju Yeong becomes roommates with Dohoe and his father. However, Dohoe is still trying to understand why a city boy like Juyeong would choose this town for his athletic training. During their first sparring session, Dohoe throws the match on purpose. He noticed Juyong's injury and didn't want to push him too hard. However, Juyong is annoyed and wants Dohoe to fight him without holding back.

As the two teens live together, their different personalities stand out. Dohoe is quiet, reserved, and serious, whereas Juyeong is chatty, energetic, and playful. They don't get along initially due to their different habits. Juyeong likes to talk on the phone with friends and family. He calls his mom daily. However, Dohoe becomes annoyed with his roommate's noisiness, which causes him to lose sleep. One morning, Dohoe overslept and didn't open the gym on time. His father gives him a violent lashing, which Juyeong witnesses.

Juyeong is disturbed by Dohoe's abuse. After this incident, he goes out of his way to treat his roommate more nicely. The pair overcomes their initial hostility and gets along better, especially since Dohoe's friendliness is infectious. Soon, Dohoe's tough exterior begins to fade as he shares more about his life. Juyeong and Dohoe became close friends, spending lots of time together. Despite their bleak surroundings, they constantly find ways to make each other happy.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Cast

Characters

Dohoe

Kim Nu Rim (김누림)

Dohoe is portrayed by Korean actor Kim Nu Rim (김누림).

Dohoe is a high school student from a quiet town. He helps manage his family's taekwondo gym, which his father runs. Dohoe is a thoughtful and responsible teenager who gets excellent grades in school. However, he endures his father's abusive behaviour, particularly when alcohol is involved. Dohoe is planning to move away and leave his hometown after graduation.

Kim Nu Rim

Kim Nu Rim (김누림) is a Korean actor. He is born on September 24, 2000.

Kim Nu Rim (김누림) is a Korean actor. He is born on September 24, 2000. His first BL leading role is the 2024 series, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo. He also has a supporting role in the 2020 drama, Once Again.

Juyeong

Lee Seon (이선)

Juyeong is portrayed by Korean actor Lee Seon (이선).

Juyeong is an aspiring taekwondo athlete who moves to Do Hoe's town to train at his gym. He shares a home with Dohoe and his strict father. Juyeong's outgoing personality initially clashes with Do Hoe's more serious nature. As they grow closer, Juyeong's compassion shines through, especially after witnessing his roommate's physical abuse.

Lee Seon

Lee Seon (이선) is a Korean actor. He is born on April 28, 2000.

Lee Seon (이선) is a Korean actor. He is born on April 28, 2000. His first BL project is the 2024 drama, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo.

Supporting Cast

Hyeonho is portrayed by Korean actor Jang Yeon Woo (장연우).

Hyeonho

Jang Yeon Woo (장연우)

Dohoe's dad is portrayed by Korean actor Yoo Ha Bok (유하복).

Dohoe's father

Yoo Ha Bok (유하복)

Gangeun is portrayed by Korean actress Yoon Ji Won (윤지원).

Gangeun

Yoon Ji Won (윤지원)

Na is portrayed by Korean actress Han So Hyun (한소현).

Na

Han So Hyun (한소현)

Gwangmo is portrayed by Korean actor Ham Sang Hyeok (함상혁).

Gwangmo

Ham Sang Hyeok (함상혁)

Gwangmo's mom is portrayed by a Korean actress.

Gwangmo's mom

Gwangmo's dad is portrayed by a Korean actor.

Gwangmo's dad

Byanggyu is portrayed by a Korean actor.

Byunggyu

Seongmin is portrayed by a Korean actor.

Seongmin

Byanggyu's dad is portrayed by Korean actor Kim Kyung Ryong (김경룡).

Byunggyu's dad

Kim Kyung Ryong (김경룡)

Cast Highlights

Kim Nu Rim

Dohoe's actor has a supporting role in the 2020 time travel drama, Once Again.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Review

Review

Drama Review Score: 7.2

C+
Do Hoe and Ju Yeong share ice cream.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo has an excellent start. Its first three episodes focus on a captivating teen romance. Viewers will enjoy watching the leads build their relationship, from awkward strangers to close confidantes. The couple shares ice cream on a spoon, escapes the town bullies, and has heartfelt chats during the night. Each moment feels intimate, like a personal memory that belongs only to them. As a BL fan, I was enchanted by every interaction. These two characters are precious to me. Protect them at all costs!

When we first meet our long-suffering protagonist, Dohoe conveys an air of sadness. Thankfully, his cheerful new roommate brings the warmth missing from Dohoe's life. With his kind spirit and boundless charm, Juyeong is a character that fans will adore. The romance feels meaningful due to his positive influence on Dohoe, helping him view the world less cynically. The first episode ends with Juyeong's umbrella on a rainy day, an elegant metaphor for how he protects Dohoe from the gloomy surroundings. Whenever they're together, Dohoe feels safer and happier. Aww, isn't that so sweet?

Dohoe and Juyeong's romance resonates because they are two teens fighting against the odds. While Dohoe is powerless to escape from his abusive home, at least he finds hope with Juyeong. The atmospheric visuals enrich their intimacy, particularly the nighttime scenes where the couple is illuminated by the street lamps. The performers add credibility to Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, elevating its status as a sophisticated drama. For Dohoe's actor (Kim Nu Rim), he brings poise and emotional depth. Likewise, his costar (Lee Seon) makes Juyeong seem genuine.

Midway through the series, the plot suddenly jumps twelve years into the future. This time skip is a catastrophic storytelling decision that ruins the narrative momentum. Episode 3 ends with a dramatic event, but instead of exploring the immediate aftermath, Episode 4 launches into a disconnected timeline. We only piece together fragments of the missing years through vague flashbacks. Not only is it confusing to understand what happened, but it diminishes the emotional impact since we don't witness the characters go on their journeys.

The story omits many important moments due to the time skip. We don't see Dohoe's experiences after moving away or Juyeong's progress as a taekwondo athlete. Their twenties are shrouded in mystery for no reason. Instead of highlighting their growth, the story focuses on tedious conflicts. The characters constantly argue over dumb bullshit I don't care about. There's unresolved tension over the school exams, which drags on needlessly. There's also the messy love triangle drama with the annoying rival. I want to roll my eyes and tell all of them to get over it.

I hate the adult portion of the story and can't connect with the plot. All the emotional scenes feel theatrical, like when a tear trickles down Dohoe's cheek as he watches his ex from the window. At least the finale is better. As the characters gain closure and enjoy romantic encounters, it reminds me of what I liked in the earlier episodes before the series went downhill. I have mixed feelings about Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, which has incredible highs and disappointing lows. Sadly, my fondness for the teenage love story is tarnished by the adult melodrama.

Summary

Ruined story

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo portrays a charming teen romance at the start. Midway through the series, the time skip ruins the story's momentum. I hated the melodrama in the adult timeline.

Precious romance

I enjoyed Dohoe and Juyeong's sweet exchanges in the first three episodes. While the teen romance is precious, I soured on their relationship as adults. Their conflicts are too unpleasant.

Emotional acting

Dohoe's actor (Kim Nu Rim) brings poise and emotional depth to his role, while his costar (Lee Seon) seems genuine as he portrays Juyeong. Both leads elevate the drama with their chemistry.

Happy ending

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo has a happy ending as the leads gain closure and enjoy many romantic moments. That said, the last few episodes before the finale are incredibly tedious.

Intimate artistry

The atmospheric visuals enrich the storytelling. The nighttime scenes, where the characters are illuminated by only the soft glow of the street lamps, make their relationship more intimate.

72%

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo begins strongly with a heartfelt teen love story. Yet, a sudden time skip ruins the plot's momentum midway, bringing tedious conflicts and contrived melodrama.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Episodes

Episode Guide

Dohoe and Juyeong hold hands.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo has a total of 8 episodes. Each episode is around 30 to 40 minutes long. The last episode is around 40 minutes long. It is a long BL drama, and you can finish the entire series in under 5 hours. Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo started on October 17, 2024 and ended on November 7, 2024.

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Information

Director

Hwang Da Seul (황다슬) is a Korean director. She is the director of To My Star (2021) and its sequel To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories (2022). In addition, she directed the Where Your Eyes Linger (2020), Blueming (2022), and Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (2024).

  1. I was expecting to see a deep dive analysis like what you did with To My Star 2. while others already did it, everyone interpret things differently, but i guess you did not like the drama as much as others to do a deep dive. Or maybe you did but did not update the page yet.

  2. happy to see you are back blwatcher… ! I agree with you, the first part has delightfull moments but then, so much pain!

  3. BLWatcher-
    I have a feeling you will catch some angry feedback over this review- all criticisms on MDL were dismissed by fans saying "oh this isn't a series for teens- go elsewhere" etc etc.
    What you describe as great start (though still using the trope of abusive parent/school bullies) finishes after two episodes- there are still six to go! I consider ep 3 a mess too.

    The director strengths as is shown in her resume are good casting and working with actors to build chemistry/sexual tension, beautiful shot framing and cinematography ( the shots of the two leads in the snow or even meeting in a cafe gorgeous!)
    Her weakness are she has trouble with longer run times, writing screenplays and overreliance on KDrama tropes (abusive parents/school bullies/love triangles/jealously and jumping to conclusions). She adds additional weakness: inability to have characters develop in meaningful or realistic ways, basic storyboarding.

    I would give first two episodes A-, after that a C-. Even the chemistry with the actors is lost after the ridiculous 12 year time skip where they look exactly the same after- not even a hairdo change?
    Logic goes out the window as an elementary school teacher lives like a king in tailored suits, expensive apartments and lavish meals…..huh?

    Special acknowledgement to Yoo Ha Bok who gives an assured performance as the one dimensional character of drunk, abusive father.
    And my condolences to actor Hyeonho stuck playing a nonsensical and underwritten "love interest/star lawyer" role. Unable to tell if he can do more than look handsome from this series. Better luck in future- fighting!

    The director should be given 15 minute /8 ep arc length and not allowed to write a screenplay again.

  4. I came here just to find support as to why I began disliking this drama after ep 3 and gladly found comrades in this feeling I'm having LOL!!
    I'm SOOOO confused with the timeskip because it's being thrown to us so sudden with a lot of ?????? in my mind while watching it. I felt like I skipped something so I have to rewind to make sure I didn't. I thought the one played Hyeonho is young Na Hyun Woo (who played in Love in The Big City kdrama) haha

  5. I agree the time jump ruined the story. It might have worked slightly better if they had jumped 2 or 3 years ahead, but 12 years was too much and made it more difficult to redeem and justify Dohoe's behavior.

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