The Liar and His Lover follows the romance between a genius music producer (Lee Hyun Woo) who is hiding his identity and a high school girl (Joy) with a beautiful voice who falls for him at first sight.
The Liar and His Lover was a very sweet and engaging drama with a lovely romance. It was emotionally compelling with very well developed characters that tug at your heartstrings. I also tend to really like dramas that have a focus on music that follow the struggles of singers and bands. The Liar and His Lover completely encapsulates what I enjoy about dramas in that genre.
Lee Hyun Woo plays our genius music composer Kang Han Gyul. He was an original member of the popular band Crude Play, but stepped down so that a better bass player could take his place. But he continues to produce music for the band as a sort of secret member.
He’s always been obsessed with his music to such an extent that it has hurt his relationships with those around him. While his intentions were good, his quest for perfection and the awkward way he communicated with people complicated things.
But falling in love opens him up to seeing things in a different light. He goes on quite the journey of growth as he learns the price of telling lies. He also has to learn to relate to those around him in a better way. This is what allows him truly understand himself and become a better person.
Lee Hyun Woo was quite adorable as Han Gyul. He just oozes this sweetness and seems like such a nice guy. I must say I have a bit of a soft spot for him. I love it when he is being sweet and playful as his smile just lights up the room. But then when he gets really emotional, my heart breaks right along with him. I thoroughly enjoyed him in this drama.
Red Velvet’s Joy plays Yoon So Rim. She is a bright and cheerful ray of sunshine with a golden voice. She falls for Han Gyul at first sight and then her heart never wavers. So Rim is an endearing character, and I loved what a devoted person she was.
Not only is she devoted to Han Gyul, she is devoted to her friends and co-workers. And she is the type who is very honest and always keeps her promises. I thought this was a wonderful first lead role for Joy, and she made this character completely delightful.
So Rim is especially close with her friends and fellow band members Jin Woo (Song Kang) and Gyu Seon (Park Jong Hyuk). Jin Woo does have a bit of a one-sided crush on So Rim that complicates things a little. But luckily, these three have a strong bond, and I enjoyed just how close they were.
Han Gyul and So Rim are an absolutely adorable couple! Between Han Gyul’s lies and So Rim’s innocence, they go on quite the emotional rollercoaster. There are also plenty of external obstacles from ex’s, to friends, to their music careers that complicated their love story. But when it comes down to it, they are as sweet as can be!
In the beginning of the drama, they had quite a sizzling chemistry between them in their early stages of falling in love. I do wish that would have continued throughout the drama. But I did still enjoy the more cute relationship that developed and the emotional support they became for each other as they navigated the difficult world of the music industry.
And there are still plenty of cotton candy sweet moments between the two to keep you smiling. This is a couple that is just fun to watch and you genuinely want them to be happy. It’s not an easy road, but everything they go through only draws them together.
We then have Seo Chan Young (Lee Seo Won). Chan Young is the bass player for Crude Play. He struggles with feeling left out and ostracized from the group because he was the replacement for Han Gyul. So he’s never really felt like a true part of the group and has some animosity towards Han Gyul.
This causes him a lot of pain and pushes him to do things that aren’t always right. And things just get more complicated when he falls for the same girl as Han Gyul. As he works his way into her life on both a personal and professional level, the friends finds themselves at constant odds.
Chae Yoo Na (Hong Seo Young) is a popular singer. She’s been in a relationship with Han Gyul, but the two have a rocky relationship and separate early in the drama. She struggles to keep her career going as well as come to terms with the fact that she could not give Han Gyul what So Rim could.
I found her character difficult to really connect with. She’s a very direct person that comes off a bit cold. Though she does cause a few problems for out main couple, she’s not a bad person. While I never fully enjoyed her, Yoo Na did grow on me throughout the drama.
Choi Jin Hyuk (Lee Jung Jin) is the director of the entertainment company of Crude Play. In many ways, he’s a sort of villain for the series because of the questionable things he does in order to get ahead in the music industry. He definitely creates a fair share of problems for everyone. But even he has a story and is presented in a real way.
I would describe The Liar and His Lover like a mix between a fluffy romantic comedy and a baby melodrama. In many ways it’s a light and easy drama to watch, but the things that happen to our characters always feel quite dramatic though. And despite the love story being so cute and innocent, the stakes also feel very high because of the intense emotions both Han Gyul and So Rim experience.
The drama starts out more focused on the love story between Han Gyul and So Rim and the journey of her and her friend’s debuting as a band. The story then slowly transitions the focus more towards Crude Play’s struggles and shows the issues the band members deal with and especially the heartfelt journey of Han Gyul.
Many of the characters go on very emotional journeys. There are so many poignant moments throughout the drama. Everyone eventually has to face their lies, secrets, and demons. It’s never easy, but that’s when healing can finally begin. I thoroughly enjoyed all of their stories.
I especially felt for Han Gyul who took so much upon himself. He loves his friends, but that love caused him to make the wrong decisions. It’s a difficult truth for him to face, but it ultimately makes him a better person.
There’s also a sort of love/hate relationship between Han Gyul and Chan Young. They’ve had issues with each other for years, but they sort of gloss over them. But when So Rim comes into their lives, not only do they both like her, they both have to face the jealousy and bitterness they have been holding in all of this time. It’s a complicated relationship for sure.
Some of the entertainment company politics was a bit meh for me. You know I don’t like politics. But thankfully, this was a small portion of the drama. I also would have liked to have seen a bit more fleshing out with the relationship between Han Gyul and his father, In Woo (Choi Min Soo). Their issues are definitely touched on, but I would have liked to have went a lot deeper.
There was also an interesting dynamic with In Woo and CEO Yoo (Park Ji Young). She’s a tough character, but the person she seemed to soften up with was In Woo, and it made her character more relatable. These were all minor complains though, as the drama really got everything else very right.
Overall, The Liar and His Lover was such a poignant drama. It was a heartfelt journey that I went on with these characters, and I really connected with them as they went through so many emotions on their road to love and success. I smiled with them, I cried with them, and I celebrated their journeys. It was a lovely drama that left me with a warm feeling that will always connect me with it.
My Rating: 8/10
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