Love in the Apocalypse – Series Review & Episode Guide

Heesu wakes up to a shocking news report announcing that a meteorite will strike Earth in a week. Shortly after, his boyfriend, Jong Oh, breaks up with him through a text message. Heesu claims he doesn't love Heesu enough to spend his final days with him. Later, Heesu calls his mom to come out as gay. She responds casually, showing little concern about his love life. Even so, Heesu is relieved he finally told her.

With the apocalypse looming, Heesu had no plans to go to work. However, he has a secret crush on his boss, Woojin. Heesu was curious whether Woojin would be at the office. When Heesu arrives, he finds Woojin sitting at his desk, working as if nothing has changed. The office is completely empty, and even the CEO has stopped coming in. Yet, Woojin remains focused on his routine. He even criticizes the absent employees, calling them irresponsible for neglecting their duties.

With the world ending, Heesu gathers the courage to come out as gay to his boss. However, Woojin reacts indifferently, showing no interest in his coworker's revelation. Curious about Woojin's personal life, Heesu begins asking questions. Does he have family or friends? Why is he still at the office? Annoyed by the interruption, Woojin insists he wants to work than chat. Eventually, Woojin admits he is alone and has never been in a relationship.

Despite Woojin's reluctance, Heesu remains curious. He continues asking personal questions, such as what hobbies Woojin enjoys. Woojin casually replies that he likes to exercise and run, but that's pretty much it. Heesu urges him to loosen up and have more fun, especially with the world ending. He suggests they hang out after work. They visit Woojin's apartment, a fancy yet sparsely decorated space. Over snacks and beer, they start talking. Heesu is determined to add some excitement to Woojin's otherwise routine life.

Love in the Apocalypse seems like it may have an epic premise. In this dystopian romance, there's just one week left before the world ends. A gay office worker takes the opportunity to come out to his boss, whom he always had a secret crush on. Okay, I'm intrigued. So far, so good. With only seven days to fall in love, the deadline adds urgency and intensity to their developing relationship. This scenario is ripe with potential. With stronger writing, Love in the Apocalypse could have been a compelling BL drama.

Despite a creative premise, Love in the Apocalypse fails for a few reasons. Firstly, Woojin's character feels like a caricature instead of a real person. His behaviour doesn't resemble how anyone would react to an apocalypse. Even with the world ending, he continues working in an empty office. His lack of hobbies, limited social skills, and emotionless personality remind me of a robot. Even ChatGPT gives more humanlike responses than Woojin. The series has created an unrelatable protagonist with no defining traits. I can't grow attached to Woojin because his identity is a blank slate.

Secondly, Heesu and Woojin don't bond in a meaningful way. Heesu is supposed to teach his colleague how to enjoy life, but their time together feels mundane. They eat snacks, drink beer, and play video games. While there's nothing wrong with these activities, they aren't interesting to watch. Most relationship scenes fail to convey that Heesu and Woojin are falling in love. In an apocalyptic setting, you expect the couple to do something extraordinary. Instead, the series sticks to dull interactions, turning a potentially epic romance into an unmemorable snoozefest.

Thirdly, the plot developments are downright bizarre. The series begins with Heesu and Woojin having bland conversations. Suddenly, Heesu gets abducted by gangsters. WTF!? After a few episodes of outlandish antics, the characters return to mundane activities. This random story arc is so jarring and ruins the vibe. And guess what? Heesu is kidnapped again later in the series. Not only are the events absurd, but Love in the Apocalypse also lacks imagination. Instead of thoughtful or innovative plots, it relies on over-the-top scenarios to create senseless conflicts.

Woojin's actor (Kim Seong Hyuk) delivers an okay performance, but his character's lack of personality or unique traits makes it difficult for him to stand out. His co-star (Lee Myung Joon) does well in lighthearted moments. He brings a cheerful and charming energy to the role. Yet, he struggles with dramatic exchanges and slips into overacting. Love in the Apocalypse also suffers visually due to its vertical format, which compresses everything into a narrow frame. The limited perspective creates an awful viewing experience. I can't even see the surroundings properly.

Heesu and Woojin spend a week together, but the time passes without their relationship growing much. Instead of a romantic journey, the couple remains reserved around each other. Their only moment of intimacy comes at the last second. Then, the story finishes abruptly without closure. The end of the world is supposed to be momentous, but this series makes it feel unremarkable. Love in the Apocalypse wastes its potential with boring ideas, shallow characters, and ridiculous plots. I wish a meteorite would strike this lousy BL drama and wipe it from existence.