Once upon a time, in a small village in Korea, there lived a witch named Ji-Yeon. She was not like the witches we see in movies and stories, practicing dark magic and causing havoc. On the contrary, Ji-Yeon was known as the loving Korean witch. She used her magical powers to bring happiness and joy to the people around her. Ji-Yeon was a kind and compassionate woman who always put others before herself. She would use her magic to heal the sick, help the needy, and bring smiles to the faces of children.
Ban Ji-yeon is a 39-year-old investigative news reporter at Trouble Maker. Her job is the most important thing in Ji-yeon’s life, and she’s so passionate about it that colleagues call her a “witch” behind her back. Ji-yeon focuses all her energy on work because she stopped believing in love after her last boyfriend, 41-year-old war photographer Noh Shi-hoon disappeared prior to their wedding day.
Verdict A light-hearted romcom that suffers from haphazard storytelling and an undercooked OTP, with lots of untapped potential and missed opportunities. Verdict A light-hearted romcom that suffers from haphazard storytelling and an undercooked OTP, with lots of untapped potential and missed opportunities.
She would use her magic to heal the sick, help the needy, and bring smiles to the faces of children. Her spells were never meant to harm anyone, but rather to spread love and positivity. The villagers adored Ji-Yeon and often sought her help in times of trouble.
Finished Witch's Love and these are my thoughts.
Kang Cho-Hong (played by Yoon So-Hee) is a young witch living with her grandmas, running a restaurant by day and performing magic rituals by night, who soon finds herself losing her powers. Ma Sung-Tae (played by Hyun Woo) is a wealthy businessman trying to solve a traumatic puzzle from his childhood, who buys the restaurant building, effectively becoming the witches' landlord overnight. While initially keen on getting rid of him, the witches soon change their tune when they learn he might be the key to restoring Cho-Hong’s powers. But there is more to Sung-Tae’s story than meets the eye…
What worked for me:
- Yo Soon-Hee as Kang Cho-Hong. Easily the character with the more interesting performance and more enthusiastic/combative about the relationship, showing more emotional range than her male counterparts. One of the reasons why I watched the show to completion, with the other being.
- The concept of a Bewitched-like show where the mortal falls for the witch Samantha (Cho-Hong). It's an interesting hook, but one that's never exploited to its full potential, partly because the supernatural elements aren't explored as thoroughly or consistently as in other shows (e.g. Goblin, Hotel del Luna), partly because the main male lead, Sung-Tae, remains mostly one note throughout. This ties neatly into.
What didn't work for me:
- The male leads. I honestly couldn't see sparks flying with any of the male leads. The second male lead, Hwang Jae-Wook, played by Lee Hong-Bin, is mostly harmless and entirely uninteresting. If there is more chemistry with Sung-Tae, it may be because he has more screentime, as he was a bit of a jerk throughout, more possessive than I would like, and rarely allowed himself to show vulnerability around Cho-Hong. No transformation a la Park Seo-Joon from What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?
- Forgotten character and plot threads. Probably the only show I've watched in recent memory where a character who's being built up as the second female lead, and potential love interest for Sung-Tae, is promptly forgotten, giving no resolution to her arc. Were the writers forced to cut episodes and thus plot threads? That CCTV camera installed in Sung-Tae's bedroom also goes nowhere when there's an event practically tailored-made for it.
- The inconsistent de-powering rule. Spoilers. The show establishes early on that the emotional trauma brought about by, say, a boyfriend cheating on you, can take away a witch's power; and a witch without her power will soon lose her youth, looks, and mind. So how come when the grandmas wipe out Sung-Tae's memories against Cho-Hong's wishes, leaving her utterly depressed to the point she'd rather die, she doesn't lose her powers again?
- The confusing "fated man" plot and the dark witch's agenda. Truly, this seems to be a case where the villain's dastardly plot is a result of pure chance rather than any actual planning. What confuses me is that the dark witch predicts some outcomes but is utterly befuddled by others. Spoilers. The show plays around with the idea of Jae-Wook being Cho-Hong's actual fated man rather than Sung-Tae, but it's never entirely clear. And in any case, how was the dark witch planning to exploit this to her benefit? She's only able to do so because Cho-Hong falls in love with Sung-Tae, who just happened to be carrying a death sentence on his chest, a fact the dark witch admits to not knowing initially. She even hints Cho-Hong was supposed to fall for the other guy. Why? None of this makes sense.
- A witch's fate and the harvesting of magic. Spoilers. So no witch ever had an inkling that the dark witch, whom everyone suspects, was harvesting magical power for her own nefarious purposes. Seriously? Even after Cho-Hong and one of the grandmas visited her shop multiple times? When So-Hee actually voiced aloud why no one had ever thought of simply destroying the flasks I actually chuckled at how quickly (and badly) the writers were trying to wrap things up. To make matters worse, the flasks' destruction "cures" (partially, they only seem to have regained their minds) the homeless witches in a scene that was just laughably bad and had no setup whatsoever. Was this particular plot thread also cut in the writers' room?
Verdict: A light-hearted romcom that suffers from haphazard storytelling and an undercooked OTP, with lots of untapped potential and missed opportunities. Some episodes also suffer from audio issues, with the characters' words drowned out by the music or simply lowered into oblivion. The soundtrack has some good tracks that fit the tone of the show and feel at home in this world of witches, but I can't vouch for it entirely as I'm in the process of listening to it. I can share this particular track that I liked though.
For a slightly longer and more complete version of this review click here .
What are your thoughts on the show? Did I miss something? I'd very much appreciate it if someone could explain to me some of the messier plot threads. Hopefully we can get a discussion going. Cheers!
PS: I used spoiler tags just in case.
What are your thoughts on the show? Did I miss something? I'd very much appreciate it if someone could explain to me some of the messier plot threads. Hopefully we can get a discussion going. Cheers!
Whether it was a lost pet, a broken heart, or a need for guidance, Ji-Yeon was always there to lend a helping hand. She would use her powers to find lost items, mend broken relationships, and offer wise advice. One day, a young girl named So-Min came to Ji-Yeon for help. So-Min had been bullied at school and was feeling helpless and alone. Ji-Yeon listened to her story with a sympathetic heart and assured her that everything would be alright. She cast a spell of protection to ward off the bullies and gave So-Min the confidence to stand up for herself. From that day forward, So-Min became a strong and fearless girl, thanks to Ji-Yeon's magic and support. As the years went by, Ji-Yeon's reputation as the loving Korean witch grew far and wide. People from neighboring villages would come to seek her guidance and blessings. Ji-Yeon would spend her days spreading love, helping those in need, and making the world a better place. However, not everyone appreciated Ji-Yeon's magic. There were a few who felt threatened by her powers and wanted her gone. They spread rumors and lies about her, trying to turn the villagers against her. But the love and gratitude that the villagers felt for Ji-Yeon prevailed, and she continued to be their beloved witch. Ji-Yeon's story teaches us the power of love, kindness, and empathy. It reminds us that we all have the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us. Her magic was not in the spells she cast, but in the love she shared. Ji-Yeon showed us that true magic lies in the goodness of our hearts and the willingness to help others. She became a symbol of hope and inspiration for generations to come..
Reviews for "The Loving Korean Witch's Grimoire: Love Spells and Charms for Every Occasion"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - The loving korean witch was a disappointment for me. I found the characters to be one-dimensional and the story to be predictable. The writing style was not engaging, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Additionally, the romantic aspect of the book felt forced and unnatural. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this novel.
2. Mark - 3/5 stars - I was really excited to read The loving korean witch as the concept seemed unique and intriguing. However, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was off and the plot felt disjointed at times. The writing itself was average, nothing particularly memorable. Although the world-building was interesting, it wasn't enough to save the story for me. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to others.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high expectations for The loving korean witch, but it fell short. The plot was confusing and poorly developed. It seemed like there were too many different storylines happening at once, making it difficult to follow the main narrative. The characters were shallow and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their fates. Overall, I was left feeling frustrated and unsatisfied by this book.