Disclaimer: Listening to Jealousy Incarnate’s OST while writing this.
I hereby claim that this drama is now officially included in my TOP 5 favorite K-dramas of all time. It hits all the humor and poignant aspects that I rarely found in a drama. I actually started watching this show as soon as it airs in Korea (last November 2016). I planned to watched it every week together with my other ongoing K-dramas. But then I was fully consumed with a different drama that I felt the need to drop it and focused on the other one. I was also getting bored in the first few episodes which led me not to watch it at that time. However, drama gods really has it way to let me watch this brilliant and wacky drama and so last week, I decided to binge-watch it. I started at 1st episode even though I’ve watched it already just to refresh me of the premise of the show. It has the same feeling. I felt like this show is not the right drama for me but there’s something in it that keeps pushing me to watch it. And as I progressed in each episode, I GOT HOOKED. Deeply-rooted hooked.
I’ve always loved how Gong Hyo Jin act this kind of characters. ‘Coz I feel like on paper these characters are dumb and stupid. It’s her magic to transform this silly character into something likable. She has the same character in The Best Love and Master’s Sun which I both love as well. I think that’s one of the reason why I gave this drama a chance. I like Gong Hyo Jin and find her acting superb. But then Jo Jung Seok and his brilliant comedic timing and acting chops comes in… and now I’m completely sold.
This is the best rom-com korean drama I’ve watched in such a long time. It raised my expectations and now I want other rom-com to be as good and brilliant as this show. I am not a fan of too much love triangle and jealousy but I am soooo looking forward with Lee Hwa Shin’s reaction everytime he gets jealous. Some sad and heartbreaking scenes became so funny and hilarious but when they really made some as sorrowful, it really is sad that I get my eyes bawled out because of too much crying (cue in: Lee Hwa Shin’s impotency scene).
Another reason why I love this drama is because of the chemistry between Pyo Na Ri and Lee Hwa Shin which is perfectly acted by Jo Jung Seok and Gong Hyo Jin. They are the heart of the show. I knew Jo Jung Seok because of the other dramas (that I don’t get to watch) and this is my first time really seeing him act and, oh boy, I now have a high respect with this oppa. He owns Lee Hwa Shin’s character and made me root for him to be happy until the end. Even though he is a jerk, arrogant and self-centered, I still want him to be with the girl until the end. It’s all because of Jo Jung Seok’s performance. When he is doing the comedic antics, he is sooo good and when he does the dramatic part, he is so good as well. He is such a surprise here and I never thought that he acts so brilliantly well.
I am honestly not that much interested with the side characters but they also gave some good LOL moments so I think it’s fine as well. The romance here is what makes me ride all along until the end. Thinking about all the actions that led to the love triangle and jealousy is cringey but it was so well-executed and became humorous that it became a very important aspect of the show.
I guess there is really a different feel between binge-watching a completed K-drama and having to wait each week for a new episode of an ongoing K-drama to watch. They are giving a different level of post-withdrawal symptom that I can’t really explain specifically. And that’s what I’m feeling now with Jealousy Incarnate. I am having a seriously post-withdrawal symptom. Same feeling that I got after I finished Healer (w/c is my TOP 1 fave K-drama of all time).
Thank you drama gods for not letting me slip this awesome show. Thank you drama gods for introducing Jo Jung Suk and his brilliant acting. Thank you.
Off to watch clips of Jealousy Incarnate!
Sweet Life 