Dynamite Kiss Review: Recycled Storyline Presented With A New Cast

I have been watching Korean dramas for almost a decade now, and one thing I’ve noticed is that every few years, a makjang (a story with over-the-top plot and shocking twists and turns) K-drama pops up purely to capture the hearts of young female viewers. These shows are easy to get hooked on, not because of strong storytelling, but because of the emotional highs they promise, even when the storyline is painfully predictable. Dynamite Kiss is nothing but old wine (read: makjang) served in a shiny new bottle.

I say this because its storyline is almost identical to the popular 2017 drama My Secret Romance. It follows the same trajectory: the leads meet on an island, dislike each other at first, then form an unexpected connection that leads to some intimate moments. This is followed by the female lead’s sudden abandonment, which sends the male lead spiralling. Fast forward, and they reunite with him now as her boss, making her life difficult to “get back” at her for what she did to him on the island.

From hate to love, love to hate, forced separation, and finally a neat reunion. It is all done before. Even the classic misunderstanding about the female lead having a child appears in both shows. My Secret Romance was hugely popular back in 2017, and now, thanks to Netflix, Dynamite Kiss is enjoying renewed attention in 2025, despite relying on a heavily recycled script.

However, despite all this, I kept going back to the show every week. Why? Well, allow me to share what made me eagerly wait for Dynamite Kiss and what made me roll my eyes hard.

Dynamite Kiss (2025) (14 Episodes)

Go Da Rim (Ahn Eun Jin) is a woman desperately searching for a stable job to support herself. Despite putting in consistent effort, she’s unable to secure a permanent position anywhere. Now in her 30s, she finds herself with no real career, no partner, and nothing she feels proud of. Her younger sister is embarrassed by her situation and doesn’t even want Da Rim attending her wedding. To avoid awkward questions from her in-laws, she sends Da Rim off on a solo vacation to Jeju Island.

With a heavy heart, Da Rim sets off alone and ends up meeting the handsome businessman Gong Ji Hyeok (Jang Ki Yong). Their first interactions are far from friendly, but circumstances keep pushing them together. Slowly, their dislike turns into attraction, and the two share some intimate moments. They fall hard for each other, but before Ji Hyeok can make sense of what’s happening, Da Rim disappears without a word, abandoning him completely.

Shocked and heartbroken, Ji Hyeok searches for Da Rim at all the places she mentioned during their time together, but she has vanished without a trace. Unable to move on, he continues to long for her. Just when he loses all hope, Da Rim suddenly reappears in his life this time as one of his employees, assigned to a team meant for married women with children. Ji Hyeok is stunned to learn that the woman he fell for is supposedly married, yet his feelings for Da Rim refuse to fade.

 

I enjoyed watching Dynamite Kiss because…

…of the main leads. As I mentioned earlier, the story is very similar (actually, almost identical) to My Secret Romance, with only minor tweaks and way too many fillers. So, nothing in the plot really comes as a surprise. What did catch my attention, though, was the chemistry between the main leads.

Before getting into that, let me talk about their individual performances. This was my first time watching actress Ahn Eun Jin, and I genuinely liked her. She suits the role of a pretty yet under-confident woman perfectly. While her body language does not scream “defeated,” her face carries layers of pain and disappointment. From her interviews, she seems naturally cheerful, so playing the brighter, happier side of Da Rim probably came easily to her.

That said, Da Rim’s deep-rooted confidence issues are where Eun Jin truly shines. She conveys this beautifully through subtle facial expressions, especially in tense moments, where her eyes dart everywhere except towards the person she is speaking to. In romantic scenes, you can almost see her melting under the male lead’s gaze. Overall, she is extremely likeable and fits the mould of a classic K-drama heroine effortlessly.

I was surprised to see Jang Ki Yong in a makjang. I have seen his other shows and know how he excels in serious roles. But he was just as adorable as Ji Hyeok, the lovesick one. I feel he can do better in comedy, though he is not bad; he can improve. But his romantic scenes are just bang on. He is your typical K-drama hero who looks great and acts well. He has the charisma and screen presence to keep viewers engaged. And his chemistry with Eun Jin was simply off the charts.

To make a makjang work, lead couple chemistry is essential, and this is exactly what made Dynamite Kiss watchable. Even though I knew what to expect next from the story, the lead couple’s intense chemistry is what pulled me back each episode.

Ji Hyeok’s powerful gaze in tender moments or awkward tension when he is trying to express his feelings for Da Rim can make anyone’s heart flutter. It is these moments that make the show so endearing. (In episode 9, Ji Hyeok finds out that Seon U has confessed his feelings to Da Rim and wants to meet her after work. Naturally, Ji Hyeok gets jealous and tries everything he can to stop her from going. Of course, Da Rim doesn’t stay put, and just as she’s about to leave, he shuts the door and says, “Don’t go. I don’t want you to go.” That scene ❤️! If you haven’t watched the drama yet, at least watch this moment—it’s pure, unfiltered K-drama romance at its finest.)

 

I’ll be honest here and say that I watched the show on 1.5x speed and watched at normal speed only for Ji Hyeok and Da Rim’s interactions. For me, the show was nothing beyond the two of them.

I did NOT Like Dynamite Kiss because…

… of the forced love triangle trope. I mean, c’mon!!! Why??? Why did they have to turn Da Rim’s friend Seon U into romantic competition for Ji Hyeok? I get that Ji Hyeok’s awkward, jealous reactions were fun to watch as he competed for Da Rim’s affection, but that tension could have been created in other ways.

Seon U was already pretending to be her husband, so he could have simply acted possessive of Da Rim to sell the marriage lie and unsettle Ji Hyeok. That alone would have been enough. So why force an actual love angle here? I think this bothered me even more because I genuinely liked the second female lead, Ha Yeong.

Ha Yeong is in love with Seon U and does everything she possibly can to win him over. However, since Seon U is in unrequited love with Da Rim, he repeatedly rejects Ha Yeong, which breaks my heart. Ha Yeong is so sweet and sincere in her approach; it’s hard not to like her, but the way Seon U treats her is honestly painful to watch. If this unnecessary love triangle had not existed, I would have happily rooted for Seon U and Ha Yeong as a couple.

Then there are the crazy, borderline unbelievable scenes. Like seriously!! Take Ji Hyeok and Da Rim’s first encounter, where there is all this pushing and pulling, they trip, and as they fall, Ji Hyeok somehow manages to shield Da Rim’s head with his hand. Who does that? When you fall unexpectedly, your first instinct is to protect yourself, not think about saving a stranger.

Another eye-roll-worthy moment is the yacht scene. Da Rim and Ji Hyeok share a romantic moment, which turns into a kiss… and then cut to them being in his hotel room, getting even, ahem ahem, closer. Huh? Then what exactly was the yacht for? Are we really supposed to believe they took a detour all the way back to the hotel just to do the deed? Hehehe.

There are plenty of such scenes sprinkled throughout the drama that made me roll my eyes in frustration. I mean, you can create heart-fluttering moments in so many believable ways, so why rely on setups like these? But then you see the show is doing well, so I guess such stuff works after all.

 

Dynamite Kiss is a rom-com designed purely to give you the feels, without worrying too much about logic or believability. The male lead feels like he is pulled straight out of the dreams and expectations of lovelorn women, an idealised fantasy of the “perfect” man many would love to have in their lives.

I give Dynamite Kiss a 2 out of 5 rating. The show works largely because of the intense chemistry between its attractive lead couple. Beyond that, the story offers nothing new, nor does it make much effort to be believable. Watch it when you need a break from the mundane and are in the mood for some unapologetically crazy romance.   

 

Images Credit: Netflix, SBS

 

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