Air Date: February 14, 2025

Episodes: 10

Where to Watch: Netflix

Genre: Romantic Drama

Starring: Choi Woo Shik and Park Bo Young

A life-long movie enthusiast has worked his way up from acting extra to jaded film critic.  When he is reunited with a young director he had a brief relationship with five years ago, he gets an opportunity to finally explain to her why he was forced to disappear before without a word.  But each of them carry their own scars of love, lonliness, and abandonment.  Now they will be left to decide if they can forgive the mistakes of their pasts and rekindle their relationship.

Ko Gyeom was raised by his older brother,  Jun, after the death of their parents.  Left to his own devises, Gyeom became an avid movie fan, making it his life’s goal to watch every movie ever made.  As a young adult, he begins auditioning for acting parts, but he is only cast as an extra.  But one day on the set of a movie he is working on he meets Mu Bi.  And he quickly falls in love, not just with her obviously perfect name, but also with her attempts to hide a kind heart behind a prickly exterior.  One night, after a wrap party, Gyeom confesses his feelings and the couple share a kiss.

But right after that, Jun is involved in a near fatal car accident.  Gyeom gives up everything in his life, including acting and Mu Bi, to become his brother’s caretaker.  He starts writing film reviews from home as his brother slowly heals.  Five years later, Gyeom attends a premiere of Mu Bi’s movie and the pair reconnect. 

And while Gyeom would like to explain what happened to Mu Bi, she is still angry at his ghosting her.  Luckily for Gyeom, the house he and his brother buy just happens to be across the street from Mu Bi and her mother.  Gradually the pair start spending time together again.  And this time, when tragedy strikes his brother yet again, Gyeom allows Mu Bi to comfort him in his time of need.  

Gyeom is easy going and eager.  He is caring to the people around him but Mu Bi calls his desire to help other nosiness, which she hates.  Gyeom has always lived his life on the fringe of society, often preferring movies to the difficult realities he sees around him.  I am a big fan of Choi Woo Shik and I loved him in this role.  He has an endearing awkwardness that fit this character of film geek well.  

Kim Mu Bi’s father was a passionate movie director who gave her her name to celebrate his great love.  And although her father adored her as a child, Mu Bi often felt like she took a back seat to his career.  And when her father died of over-work, Mu Bi vowed that even though she hated movies, she would become a famous director just to spite him.  While working on the set as an assistant, Mu Bi meets Gyeom, and she is at once intrigued and disgusted by his overly optimistic attitude.  After a cast and crew party, Gyeom finds Mu Bi alone outside and kisses her.

But the next day, Gyeom disappears and although she waits for several weeks, she never hears anything from him again until five years later.  When Gyeom stands up to ask a question at Mu Bi’s movie premiere, she is shocked and angry that seeing him still hurts.  But rather than offer any excuses or explanations, Gyeom simply tries to start fresh in the hopes of winning her heart again.  And when the new tenants across the street turn out to be Gyeom and Jun, Mu Bi and her mother are less than thrilled.  But as Mu Bi watches Gyeom, she finds herself again falling for his kindness and cheerful personality.

And as she begins to put the pieces of Gyeom’s past together, Mu Bi realizes that Gyeom may have had good reasons for “abandoning” her the way he did.  Slowly Mu Bi starts to forgive Gyeom, and through him to even extend that forgiveness to the father who also left her without a word.

Mu Bi is guarded and difficult to read.  The scars left by her father’s perceived neglect and desertion have impacted her life severly.  But under her bristly exterior is a little girl who wants love and attention.  And although her mother has always been there for her, their similar personalities keep either one of them from knowing how to be more affectionate with each other.  Park Bo Young is adorable, and I always enjoy her acting.  She has an ability to carry both upbeat and more dour roles easily, and she portrayed Kim Mu Bi with just the right amount of subtle charm.  

I’ve seen a lot of people complain it seems unrealistic that after barely knowing each other and sharing one kiss, a couple are apart for five years, and yet neither ever move on.  Granted, neither character is much of a social butterfly.  And really, I think Mu Bi is more hung up on the idea of finding out why the people she loves abandon her than any unfulfilled love. But even considering those things, five years is a long time to wait for a virtual stranger.

I felt like they kind of threw Si Jun’s rich family backstory into the mix without any real development.  I’m not really sure we needed to meet his family members for a couple scenes that didn’t do much to enhance his overall story.  I think a simple reference to his upbringing would have been enough.

While I really appreciate the emotionally raw story of Ju A and Si Jun, I must admit I don’t really like Ju A’s character that much.  I feel like she tries to blame everything on Si Jun because she refused to tell him how she really felt about things.  If she had spoken up while they were still young, Si Jun may have had a chance to be more sensitive to her feelings.  But as it is, it feels like at least partially her fault for not saying something.

‘Melo Movie’ is full of melo-worthy bittersweet endings.  Jun passes away, leaving everyone who knew him, but especially Gyeom, to grieve the loss.  Ju A and Si Jun go out a few times and finally admit that they can never go back to those feelings of the young, “perfect” love they once shared.  Mu Bi takes the initiative in her relationship with Gyeom by refusing to let him handle his broken heart alone.  And as they both open up completely for the first time, they bond while sharing their deepest fears and regrets with each other.

18 months later, we see that Ju A’s script was finally made into a movie, directed by Mu Bi.  Unfortunately, it flops at the box office, but it does spur Si Jun’s singing career.  We see Ju A looking at Si Jun’s album with a smile, while Si Jun watches through the window.  They both seem at peace living their lives separately. 

Gyeom has stopped working as a critic and is now sharing his house with Jeong Hu.  He is spending his time taking a break from movies to live in reality and spend time with friends and Mu Bi, of  course.  The final scene shows Gyeom visiting the set where Mu Bi is working, just like old times.  And as they playfully chase each other around the set, they find a quiet corner to stop and share a sweet kiss.

If this review has made you curious about where your other favorites stand, here is break down of the other reviews by rating.  Links to both spoiler-free and full reviews are available on each page. Feel free to explore all the wonderful dramas I have watched.