{"id":331853,"date":"2026-03-06T10:13:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T10:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/331853\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T10:13:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T10:13:08","slug":"a-wholly-satisfying-rom-com-led-by-jisoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/331853\/","title":{"rendered":"A Wholly Satisfying Rom-Com Led By Jisoo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Boyfriend On Demand (Wolgannamchin) is the kind of delightfully humorous, rewarding KDrama romance I\u2019ve been missing. Starring Blackpink<\/a>\u2019s Kim Jisoo and Seo In-guk, this latest Netflix KDrama is directed by Kim Jung-sik and written by Namkoong Do-Young. Through the exploration of what is best described as a virtual-reality dating sim<\/a>, this KDrama examines the current dating culture\u2019s woes, how technology can both help and hinder the growing loneliness dilemma, and ultimately, the importance of real love over all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Centered around Seo Mi-rae (Kim Jisoo<\/a>), the series quickly establishes that she is a woman with very little free time. Working as a Webtoon producer, her life is completely dedicated to her job, making dating nigh impossible given last-minute pivots and late-night deadlines. Making matters worse is that she\u2019s still not over the emotional aftermath of her last relationship (Kim Sung-cheol<\/a>), and so she\u2019s practically given up on love. That is, until she\u2019s gifted the Boyfriend On Demand app package from a client partner, Min (Lee Hak-joo<\/a>), opening up a whole new realm of experiences.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the series, Mi-rae grows to enjoy and rely on the app. Featuring roughly 900 different virtual boyfriends to experience, the sky\u2019s the limit for what kind of romantic experience a user can encounter on this app. And, true to form, it opens up conversations about the commodification of human desire<\/a>, which, at times, hit comedy gold. At other times, it hit painfully realistic realities (such as trial periods ending right when things start getting good, subscription tiers, gamification of love, etc.).<\/p>\n

In a society with no free time to date, where can workaholics like Mi-rae find love?<\/p>\n

\"Jisoo<\/p>\n

For Mi-rae, what starts off as hesitance and well-deserved cringe over the first romantic paramour she\u2019s partnered with (who is played to perfection by Lee Soo-hyuk<\/a>), her experiences with the app soon take her on a journey of healing her heart. First, by confronting her past relationship and its highs and lows before allowing her to reconcile with its end, with the help of her second virtual boyfriend (Seo Kang-joon<\/a>). A litany of cameo appearances from various popular KDrama and idol stars in the app, framed as virtual boyfriend options, make for fun Easter eggs throughout.<\/p>\n

These lessons play out in both the real world, where she gets roped into her ex\u2019s engagement discussions and conversations in the workplace. Yet the app allows her to channel her emotions in a safe space and process them away from the possibility of judgment. Boyfriend On Demand shows through Mi-rae\u2019s journey, as well as others that experiences like these, whether they are games<\/a> or not, have a therapeutic purpose. It\u2019s not just a tool for escapism; it can be something entirely more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, one danger prevalent in these apps (as well as other forms of media) is the fantasy overtaking reality<\/a>, something Mi-rae cannot afford. Thankfully, for better or worse, her job keeps her grounded. And if her workload isn\u2019t, her black cat-coded colleague, Park Kyeong-nam (Seo In-guk<\/a>), is there to draw her attention. As her rival in the workplace, Mi-rae sees him as her nemesis. Little does she know that, through her charms, whimsy, and staunch work ethic, his barbed remarks hide the crush he\u2019s been nursing for her. Because, of course!<\/p>\n

Boyfriend On Demand takes the discussion surrounding technology\u2019s grip on humanity\u2019s search for love to fun heights.<\/p>\n

\"Jisoo<\/p>\n

A huge part of what makes this romance work is that the series embraces the opposites attract trope<\/a> all the way. Jisoo channels the level of adorkable, awkward energy needed for the high-strung Mi-rae, paving the way for a great many hilarious moments in the series. In just one episode, you can figure out that Mi-rae can\u2019t hide anything from anyone. Her emotions are directly on her sleeve (and her face). And while questions may still arise about Jisoo\u2019s range<\/a>, director Kim Jung-sik knows just how to use her innate comedic instincts to good use.<\/p>\n

Contrasting with Jisoo\u2019s high-energy performance is Seo In-guk, who plays Kyeong-nam with commendable micro-intensity. Fitting snuggly in the quiet male lead category, one might think Kyeong-nam doesn\u2019t feel much of anything at all, except Seo In-guk relies on subtlety to belie the character\u2019s real feelings. Coupled with key dialogue moments from the character, it becomes obvious that Kyeong-nam loves Mi-rae. She\u2019s just too swept up in her fear of loving again<\/a> and her work commitments to really see past the surface.<\/p>\n

The growing cultural distaste for dating and love as a whole rears its head repeatedly in Boyfriend On Demand, with dating culture on many characters\u2019 minds. While Mi-rae is scared to dive back into the dating pool, others, like her friend, complain about how awful it is. Complaints about the dismal state of modern dating<\/a> are something anyone can relate to, in any culture, paving the way for apps like Boyfriend On Demand and games like Love in Deep Space to exist as ways to fill that sense of loneliness and connectivity people crave.<\/p>\n

While virtual love is fun, it is predictable. Boyfriend On Demand reminds us why real love is better than virtual.<\/p>\n

\"Seo<\/p>\n

The subplot surrounding the webtoon<\/a> industry, particularly the constant drama fest that popular webtoon artist Yoon Sung (played with peak chaos gremlin energy by Gong Min-jung<\/a>) delivers, never overpowers or detracts from Boyfriend On Demand. In fact, the corresponding plots intertwine seamlessly as the app gains traction, as more characters, including Yoon Sung, find solace, inspiration, and love within this virtual universe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, a plagiarism storyline develops, which opens a can of worms about the technology that, honestly, could have been better explored and even expanded upon. This is where concerns about the tech<\/a> arise that, while obvious to some more savvy viewers, could have prompted a storyline that highlights further dangers. Even something exploring further on how these kinds of games or experiences can influence or inspire creators would have been interesting to see, rather than just the sprinkling of discussion we get.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ultimately, through Mi-rae\u2019s journey, we see how this technology can both heal and hinder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jisoo<\/p>\n

That said,\u00a0Boyfriend On Demand\u00a0is focused on Mi-rae and her journey, not just in finding love but also in learning how to let go and take the first step forward towards love. Through her experiences, we see how the app comes to impact her life, and the dangers of it becoming a crutch that inhibits the pursuit of adventure in favour of something safe and comfortable, but never real. It is this culmination of Mi-rae\u2019s experience that ultimately delivers a romance that feels earned and wholly satisfying.<\/p>\n

Romance gets a bad rap sometimes, often seen as a lesser genre in a sea of genres because of its formula and comfort-food sensibilities. It\u2019s KDrama romances like Boyfriend On Demand\u00a0that show the haters that romance actually has a lot to say and explore, and can still be fun in the process. With Jisoo at the helm, giving us an incredibly relatable mess of a protagonist to glom onto and a romance that hits the mark<\/a>, Boyfriend On Demand\u00a0is definitely one to add to your viewing list.<\/p>\n

Boyfriend On Demand is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t8.5\/10\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

TL;DR<\/p>\n

With Jisoo at the helm, giving us an incredibly relatable mess of a protagonist to glom onto and a romance that hits the mark, Boyfriend On Demand\u00a0is definitely one to add to your viewing list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Boyfriend On Demand (Wolgannamchin) is the kind of delightfully humorous, rewarding KDrama romance I\u2019ve been missing. Starring Blackpink\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331854,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,61,60,278],"class_list":["post-331853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=331853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=331853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=331853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=331853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}