5 Reasons Why “Love, Take Two” Should Be On Your K-Drama Watch List

Some dramas arrive like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day—comforting, nostalgic, and quietly transformative. “Love, Take Two,” the currently airing K-drama, is quickly proving to be one of them. Helmed by Yoo Je Won, the director behind beloved healing dramas like “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” “Crash Course in Romance,” and “Love Next Door,” the show highlights middle-aged love, experiencing first love and the courage it takes to start over—all unfolding against the serene, restorative backdrop of a quaint countryside village.

At the heart of this show is Lee Ji An (Yum Jung Ah), a fiercely resilient 43-year-old single mother who has built her life on grit and determination. By day, she commands respect as a construction site manager. By night, her world revolves around her daughter, Lee Hyo Ri (Choi Yoon Ji), a bright 23-year-old medical student who has always been her greatest source of pride. Yet, even the strongest relationships face strain. As Hyo Ri begins to carve out her own independence after a life-altering discovery about herself, tensions rise, leaving Ji An to grapple with the unfamiliar cracks in their once-unshakable bond. Amid this uncertainty, Ji An crosses paths with her first love, Ryu Jeong Seok (Park Hae Joon), now a single father raising his son in the quiet village of Cheonghae. Jeong Seok’s son, Ryu Bo Hyeon (Kim Min Kyu), has chosen a modest but meaningful life, running a flower farm with devotion and care. When Ji An and Hyo Ri move to Cheonghae in search of a fresh beginning, their lives inevitably intertwine with Jeong Seok and Bo Hyeon —rekindling old emotions and sparking unexpected connections. Here are five reasons why “Love, Take Two” deserves a spotlight in your K-drama watchlist. Warning: major spoilers ahead. 1. Aesthetic of the countryside

Director Yoo Je Won has always had a way of crafting spaces that feel like home, and in “Love, Take Two,” the countryside is the beating heart of the story. Cheonghae unfolds slowly, like a gentle breath, offering a rhythm that stands in poignant contrast to the relentless pace of Seoul that Ji An and Hyo Ri leave behind. In this quiet seaside village, each frame carries a tenderness, inviting viewers not just to watch but to sit with the characters, breathe with them, and rediscover the beauty of life’s smallest moments. More than a setting, Cheonghae is a space of renewal. It is where grief begins to soften, where silence makes room for laughter again, and where love—whether between a mother and daughter, two once-separated hearts, or newfound companions—finds its way back. 2. Performances that anchor the heart of the drama

Yum Jung Ah brings remarkable depth to Lee Ji An, balancing grit with quiet longing. She embodies a woman who has spent decades building walls of strength, yet secretly yearns for connection. Opposite her, Park Hae Joon shines as Ryu Jeong Seok, portraying a man caught between regret for the past and hope for a gentler future. Choi Yoon Ji makes a striking impression as Lee Hyo Ri, Ji An’s daughter, capturing the restlessness of youth as she tests her independence while living in the moment. And Kim Min Kyu, meanwhile, lends charm and tenderness to Ryu Bo Hyeon, the soft-hearted flower farmer whose delicate romance with Hyo Ri blooms with a sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the drama’s heavier themes. The supporting cast adds equally rich layers. Kim Sun Young is a delight as Kim Sun Young, Ji An’s closest confidante and maternal figure to Hyo Ri, infusing scenes with both laughter and grounded wisdom. Kim Mi Kyung delivers gravitas as Jung Moon Hi, whose storyline provides some of the drama’s most poignant moments. Oh Na Ra as Lee Yeo Jeong, Jeong Seok’s ex-wife, introduces shades of complicated family ties, while Yang Kyung Won as Yun Tae Oh conveys loneliness and unresolved conflict with surprising tenderness and brings his regular comedic elements to the story. The village itself feels like a character, thanks to its ensemble of memorable residents. Kang Ae Sim as the spirited Grandmother Mi Mi, Jung Young Joo as the warm but fun village chief Ko, and Park Soo Young as her supportive husband create a vibrant community heartbeat. Younger energy flows in through Jung Hyo Rin as Kim So Hyun, Lee Tae Hyun as Yoo Dong Suk, and Jo Beom Gyu as Lee Jae Dong, Bo Hyeon’s loyal friends who bring camaraderie and youthful zest. 3. When grief becomes the path to healing

What gives this drama its emotional depth is the way it approaches grief. It is a universal thread that binds its characters together. Every major character carries a sorrow they’ve never fully released. Ji An, who lost her parents too young, buried her own dreams to raise Hyo Ri, the daughter of her late best friend Cho Rong. Jeong Seok lives with the quiet ache of unrequited love, the wreckage of a failed marriage, and the guilt of raising his son, Bo Hyeon, in a fractured family. Perhaps most devastating of all is Jung Moon Hi, who grapples with the unbearable loss of her daughter to mental health struggles, all while facing her own declining health. In a lesser drama, these stories might weigh heavily, but under Yoo Je Won’s direction, grief becomes more than sorrow—it becomes a gateway to healing. 4. Middle-aged and first loves

Lee Ji An’s unexpected reunion with her first love, Ryu Jeong Seok, is tender, grounded, and profoundly human. Both carry years of unspoken regrets, heavy responsibilities, and the subtle scars of loss, yet their reconnection feels quietly inevitable. Their story thrives on understated chemistry—natural, lived-in, and as if time itself had paused, waiting for them to find each other again. Their middle-aged romance retains a touch of youthful sweetness. While Ji An and Jeong Seok’s mature love unfolds, the drama skillfully balances it with the sweetness of first love. Ji An’s daughter and Jeong Seok’s son offer a parallel narrative of youthful discovery. Bo Hyeon is rooted, steady, and deeply attuned to his life as a flower farmer. Hyo Ri, by contrast, bursts into his orderly world and upends his calm routines. Their romance is tender and fluttering, full of shy glances, playful teasing, and the exhilarating uncertainty of venturing into uncharted emotional territory. 5. Everyone deserves a take two

With 10 episodes aired, “Love, Take Two” has already unfolded as a gentle story—one that speaks to different kinds of viewers in different ways. For some, it’s the tenderness of a first love rekindled; for others, the thrill of youthful crushes just beginning to bloom. And for many, it’s the quiet solace of belonging to a community that accepts you as you are. Its compact 12-episode run means the storytelling moves at a brisk pace. Adjustments like Ji An and Hyo Ri settling into countryside life, or glimpses of Jeong Seok and Bo Hyeon’s past and his easy camaraderie with friends sometimes flash by more quickly than you’d like. Even the villagers, with their humor and quirks, feel like they deserve more time in the spotlight. But though these side threads are fleeting, they bring lightness, warmth, and texture to the narrative. At its core, “Love, Take Two” conveys the message that life doesn’t often hand us perfect do-overs. But sometimes, it does give us something equally profound: the chance to begin again, a little wiser, a little braver, and with a take two. Start watching “Love, Take Two”:  Watch Now Are you watching this new K-drama? What do you think so far? Let us know in the comments below! mon.y is a devoted connoisseur of Asian dramas and pop culture, with a deep-rooted love for storytelling that spans K-dramas, C-dramas, J-dramas, and everything in between. A longtime entertainment addict turned passionate writer, she brings heartfelt enthusiasm and a sprinkle of sass to every review and deep dive. Currently watching: “Love, Take Two,” “The Winning Try,” “Twelve,” and “My Lovely Journey.” Looking forward to: “My Youth,” “Confidence Queen,” “You and Everything Else,” “A Hundred Memories,” and “Shin’s Project.”