"Discovery of Love," also called "Discovery of Romance," has been described as a different kind of k-drama romance.
The romantic comedy is a sequel to the "I Need Romance" series, which has already been praised as presenting a more realistic kind of romantic comedy. The three editions of the "I Need Romance" series earned dedicated fans due to their strong leading female characters, women who have both serious careers and some romantic experience.
That realistic take on romance is the specialty of writer Jung Hyun Jung.
Unlike the innocent heroines in many k-dramas, characters in her comedies actually admit to being intimate and may even casually discuss it. Her leading female characters may have dated more than one man or be dating more than one man at a time, unable to choose between them. Not only are Jung Hyun Jung's female leads less cookie-cutter than the heroines in most k-drama romances. So are the men who win the heroine's heart. The unconventional second leads in the "I Need Romance" series have a better chance of winning the girl than the typical leads.
"Most romances in real life are not perfect," said Jung.
Producer Kim Sung Yoon, formerly the producer of "Drama Special - Adolescent Medley," says there is an audience eager for realistic love stories.
"Anyone who has ever been in a relationship, those who are or those who are likely to, will applaud this realistic drama approach," said Kim, "Some will recall past loves and it will warm the hearts of those who are single. All your romances will come back to life."
"Discovery of Love" will focus on the character of Han Yeo Reum, played by Jung Yu Mi, an actress who also appeared in "I Need Romance 2012."
Han Yeo Reum is a furniture designer dating Nam Ha Jin, a sweet and likeable plastic surgeon. Sung Joon, who had the second-lead-gets-the-girl role in "I Need Romance 3," plays Nam Ha Jin.
Things are going well in their relationship when Kang Tae Ha, her ex-boyfriend, played by Shinhwa's Eric Moon, shows up. He's the CEO of an interior design company and after breaking up with Han Yeo Reum, he has come to see that she is the person he wants after all.
And to complicate her choice, there's another person in the love square, Ha Jin's childhood friend, played by Yoon Jin Yi. She has long had a crush on Kang Tae Ha.
Since "Discovery of Love" takes a more realistic k-drama approach to dating, Jung Yu Mi's character will find it hard to decide between the two men. Maybe she will date both of them. That might never happen in a more conventional drama.
