Love Hurts – Series Review

Dojin has a crush on his high school classmate, Jaewon.

Dojin is a university student who still can't get over Jaewon, his high school crush. Back then, Jaewon was the class president who seemed to be good at everything. Meanwhile, Dojin was at the opposite end of the academic spectrum. His grades were so awful that the teacher scolded him for dragging down the class average. The teacher figured Dojin needed a positive influence, so he assigned Jaewon to become his tutor. In exchange, Jaewon would earn extra credit and volunteer hours.

Tutoring Dojin wasn't easy. He had zero interest in studying and especially hated memorizing formulas. Dojin kept making excuses to skip their sessions, but Jaewon wasn't buying any of his nonsense! He insisted on studying and wouldn't let Dojin slack off. Surprisingly, the strict approach worked. Dojin actually started taking school seriously! Meanwhile, he discovered that his tutor wasn't the perfect student everyone thought he was. One day, Dojin caught Jaewon smoking cigarettes. He agreed not to tell the teachers. Now, they had a little secret between them, bringing them closer together.

Soon enough, Dojin's grades started improving. Jaewon also helped him get better at basketball. Looking back, those sunny afternoons on the court became some of their happiest memories. And somewhere along the way, Dojin developed a secret crush on his tutor. One of their most intimate moments happened after Jaewon rescued him from a school bully. As Dojin treated Jaewon's injuries, it almost looked like the two teenagers might kiss. Even now, Dojin can't help wondering what might have happened if either of them made a move that day.

Years later, Dojin reunites with Jaewon in university.

Jaewon suddenly moved away in their second year of high school. His parents were strict about education and wanted him to attend a good school in the United States. So off he went, without leaving Dojin any contact information. He didn't use social media either, making it impossible for Dojin to reach him. Even worse, Jaewon never bothered to reach out. Five whole years passed without a word between them. As far as Dojin knew, he'd never see Jaewon again.

Years later, Dojin is struggling to get over his first love. He tries going on a date with a nice girl from university. She seems interested, but his heart just isn't in it. Dojin still dreams about Jaewon sometimes. Clearly, he hasn't moved on! One day, Dojin is heading to class when he accidentally bumps into another student. And guess who it is? Jaewon! Yep, after five years apart, his high school crush shows up out of nowhere. Jaewon explains that he studies in the US, but he's spending a semester in South Korea as an exchange student. Dojin can't believe his luck. After all this time, his crush is now standing right in front of him.

Jaewon seems surprised that his former classmate even made it into university. He teases Dojin about his poor grades in high school. Dojin gets defensive and insists he has always been smart. He studied extra hard in his senior year to get into a good university. Of course, he also gives Jaewon some credit for helping him during those tutoring sessions. Anyway, the two guys are happy to see each other and agree to hang out more often. As they reconnect, Dojin's old crush comes rushing back. But does Jaewon feel the same way?

Love Hurts is a short drama about two high school friends who reconnect years later. Sound familiar? Korean BL really loves stories about reuniting with your first love, and this series is no different. You already know how the romance is gonna play out. The yearning! The regrets! I don't mind a predictable plot, but other BL dramas have done this popular trope better. Love Hurts feels like an inferior version of the same old formula. The writing can be kinda clunky, so the couple's relationship doesn't develop as smoothly as it should.

Even though the story isn't particularly original, I still like the high school portion of the romance. We get flashbacks to Dojin & Jaewon's teenage years, showing us how they fell in love. Their tutoring sessions are my favourite. They sit side by side, bickering over their schoolwork. Jaewon teases his classmate, while Dojin has the cutest reactions. There's such a relaxing vibe between them! In Episode 3, the guys hide from their teacher on the rooftop. They're standing close together when Jaewon flashes Dojin a dreamy smile. Ooh, I can feel a spark! It's the kind of moment that makes you remember how exciting a teenage crush can be.

Unfortunately, the romance isn't nearly as enjoyable once the characters grow up. This is where Love Hurts loses me. When Dojin and Jaewon reunite at university, their scenes together just aren't that special. They reminisce about the good old days, but their conversations are pretty dull. Dare I say, most of their interactions feel kinda pointless? If you skip a few of the middle episodes, you wouldn't miss anything important. It's such a shame because I really enjoyed their high school flashbacks. But now that they're adults, the story can't recreate the same romantic chemistry.

Dojin's actor (Kim Chan Gyu) is adorable. He shines in the casual moments where his character can be silly. Teehee, Dojin is getting flustered! Aww, he's making a cute little pout! I also prefer his co-star (Kang Seon Ho) in lighthearted scenes, especially when Jaewon is teasing Dojin. Sadly, both leads are far less convincing once the story gets into the heavier drama. They struggle to convey anything beyond a few basic emotions. When their characters are upset or heartbroken, they just stare blankly. Even during heated confrontations, their expressions look so stiff.

Near the end, Love Hurts gets more serious. Uh-oh, that's bad news for the two leads! Neither actor has the skills to pull off those dramatic emotions. Oof, their performances are really lousy… I wish the series had played to the cast's strengths instead of pushing them into angsty drama. Both actors are better at romantic comedy, so why not give us more of that? Let Dojin be goofy! Let Jaewon be flirty! Give them more chances to have fun banter. That's where they shine. Keep the angst to a minimum, and don't ask the cast to handle emotional scenes beyond their capabilities.

Despite my complaints, I still like Dojin and Jaewon as a couple. Their high school flashbacks are charming enough that I'm willing to overlook some of the flaws and root for their romance. Thankfully, these lovebirds get their happy ending! They even share a surprisingly long kiss in the finale. Just when you think the scene is gonna end, wait… are they still kissing!? Overall, Love Hurts is an okay BL drama. Is the story original? Not really. Is the writing particularly good? Nope. But hey, I've seen much worse! I enjoyed this sweet little romance, even if it's rough around the edges.