They just don't make K-drama like this anymore, and it hurts! 😭😭

Lately, I’ve found myself unable to keep up with any of the new K-dramas airing. And trust me, I’ve tried. But most of them either feel too repetitive or just plain mundane.

Back in the day, we watched K-dramas for the mushy-mushy feels, the kind of romance that only exists in books, or for the fantasy so beautifully wrapped up in the storytelling and OSTs. Oh gosh, the OSTs. I can still sing “Almost Paradise” from Boys Over Flowers from start to finish. Or how about the songs from You're Beautiful, Heartstrings, and Goblin: The Great and Lonely God?

Those were the golden days.

Don’t get me wrong, some of today’s K-dramas are definitely worth the hype. But for the most part? I just can’t bring myself to watch them. And some are just outright tacky. What do you mean someone's superpower is seeing memories, but it only works when they touch the bum of the person whose memory they're to read? What, is that supposed to be funny?

Two in particular actually hurt.

The first was When the Stars Gossip. I was so excited to see Lee Min Ho back on screen again (because excuse me, he’ll forever be a fave), but I couldn’t even get past episode one. I don’t know, it just didn’t stick out for me.

Then came When Life Gives You Tangerines. I really, really tried to enjoy it. But aside from it not being my usual genre, I just couldn’t connect with it. Following the storyline felt like a chore.

I’ve realized screen chemistry is everything. If the main leads don’t have that spark, I just can’t sit through it. It feels like I’m forcing myself to suffer.

So, with none of the newer releases catching my attention, I went searching for some old-but-gold K-dramas. You know the type.

That’s when I stumbled upon Melting Me Softly.

I’d never really been a Ji Chang Wook fan before… but now? Oh, now? LOL. Consider me converted. I’m fully on board. Also, I found the female lead so intriguing. I don’t recall seeing her in any other drama, past or present, which feels a little strange. But still!

Anyway, let’s talk about Melting Me Softly, shall we?

The Storyline

Melting Me Softly is a 16-episode K-drama that follows the story of Ma Dong Chan, a bold and successful variety show director at one of Korea’s top broadcasting stations, and Ko Mi Ran, a college student juggling her studies with odd jobs to support her family, especially her younger brother, who is autistic.

Set in 1994, Dong Chan (32 years) is known for pushing boundaries in his shows, while Mi Ran (24 years) frequently volunteers as a test subject for his wild experiments, from flying through the air in an oversized water bottle to enduring bizarre, physically demanding stunts despite her incredibly small stature.

One day, Dong Chan proposes his most ambitious idea yet: a variety show experiment where two humans (himself and another participant) will be frozen in a cryonic capsule for 24 hours. While it sounds outrageous, Dong Chan’s vision isn't just for entertainment; if successful, it could lead to a groundbreaking advancement in medical science.

Initially, Mi Ran refuses to participate. But when she learns of the potential health benefits cryonic preservation could offer, she reconsiders, hoping that a medical breakthrough might help her brother. She agrees to become the second test subject.

But what was meant to be just a 24-hour freeze turns into a 20-year slumber.

Due to a tragic accident involving the lead scientist, who was supposed to thaw them, Dong Chan and Mi Ran remain frozen until 2019. They awaken to a world that has moved on without them. While they haven’t aged a day, everything else has changed; technology, language, culture, even the people they once knew had physically and mentally aged, while for them, it'd only been one day of sleep.

To make matters worse, the side effects of the cryonic sleep are life-threatening. Their body temperature is now stuck at 31.5°C, far below the normal 36.5°C. If their internal temperature ever rises above 33°C, they could die. And the only scientist who knew how to reverse this has lost his memory.

Now, in a race against time, Dong Chan and Mi Ran navigate a strange new world, find a cure, and keep their bodies from overheating, all while dealing with 20 years of lost time, lingering emotions, and unexpected chemistry.

What I Loved and Hated

Where do I even begin? Remember that mushy-mushy feeling I mentioned earlier? Yeah, this K-drama delivers it in full. From the awkward pauses to the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) body language and the facial expressions that make you pause just to roll around laughing on your bed.

Take, for example, the scene where Director Ma and Ko Mi Ran are out scouting a filming location. The sun starts blazing, and their body temperatures begin to rise dangerously (remember the 33°C limit?). Suddenly, it turns into a near-death moment. And what does Mi Ran do? She kisses him, not out of romance, but because she refuses to die without ever having kissed someone. 😂😂

Then there's the fact that Mi Ran’s ex-boyfriend is now married to her best friend, and she doesn’t even know it. She keeps throwing savage shade like, “I pity whoever Byung Shim’s wife is now. Poor woman, stuck with that idiot.” Meanwhile, the best friend she's venting to is the actual wife. And to top it all, the son of her ex and best friend ends up developing a crush on her. 😂

I could honestly go on. If you're looking for a K-drama that’ll make you giggle through every scene and episode, Melting Me Softly is absolutely it.

What I hated? Honestly, nothing. If there was something to complain about, I didn’t catch it, I was too busy enjoying every bit. 😂

The Influence it has on me

One thing I deeply appreciated about this kdrama was how it kept certain parts of the storyline realistic. Before Director Ma entered the cryonic capsule, he had a girlfriend he genuinely loved. But when he woke up 20 years later, she was now in her 40s.

Not only had she aged, but she also didn’t actively search for him during the years he was assumed missing. And to complicate things further, Director Ma found himself gradually falling for Mi Ran. So, where does that leave his former relationship?

I admire how the drama handled that situation realistically. Yes, the ex-girlfriend went through pain, and there was definitely a sense of emotional injustice, but the show didn’t sugarcoat it or try to paint anyone as a villain. It simply reflected how complicated love and time can be.

If this storyline played out in real life, I honestly think things might unfold in a similar way.

My Rating

Uhm, yes you guessed right. A 10 over 10 for me. I think this is the first time I'm rating a movie 10 out of 10. 😀 That's just how much I enjoyed it, and I'm hoping you'll enjoy it if you decide to check it out as well.

_{Thank you for reading! 🧸🧡}

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