Love to Hate You Drama Breakdown: Why the Romance Fell Flat and the Title Lied

A rom-com where the romance felt rushed, the comedy barely landed, and the title didn’t match the story.

Korean Drama Name: 연애대전 (Love Battle)

Where To Watch: Netflix ← *Click for direct link*

Average Rating: 8.4/10 (Mydramalist)

My Rating: 6.0/10

One Sentence Description: A drama that flirts with bold themes like emotional trauma, toxic fandoms, and media manipulation but never commits, leaving its central romance feeling unearned and undercooked.

Trailer:

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Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕

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Simple Description

Love to Hate You is about a woman who wrongly accuses a man of being a pedophile… then falls in love with him.

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⚠️Length Note: This post includes a detailed (and long) story breakdown. Want to skip straight to the review? Jump to the Review

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The Review

The Good

Mi Ran’s No-Nonsense Energy

What I loved most about Mi Ran was her attitude. She wasn’t waiting around to be saved—she taught herself how to fight, stood her ground, and refused to be anyone’s damsel in distress. Add in her unapologetic feminist energy, and I was hooked. Watching her call out toxic men and prove she could do anything they could (and better) was so satisfying. I live for women putting men in their place, and Mi Ran delivered.

A Much-Needed Reality Check

The show also delivered a solid reality check to two groups: reporters and obsessive fans. It called out how easily the media can destroy someone’s life for clicks, and how some fans cross the line from admiration into entitlement. The idea that fans think they “own” their idols — and get to decide who’s worthy of dating them — was portrayed as the toxic mess it is. It was sad, but also necessary to see. The drama didn’t shy away from showing how damaging that mindset can be, and I appreciated the show for holding up that mirror.

*The Fan Reality Check (Pt.2 a message to fans)

If you didn’t understand the love/hate relationship idols and actors have with their fans before, you should now. This show was a perfect example. Kang Ho was ready to give up his career for Mi Ran and the fans still tore her apart. They threw eggs, spread rumours, and demanded a breakup. It was brutal.

I remember a K-pop star once said, “The fans think they’re helping, but they really aren’t.” And now I get it. Fans often think they’re protecting their idols, but they end up doing more harm than good. In this case, why would Kang Ho stay with Mi Ran if he didn’t genuinely care about her? He wasn’t trapped. He could’ve walked away the moment the scandal broke. But he didn’t, and they even faked a breakup to calm the crowd. That should’ve said everything.

Fans forget that idols and actors are actual people. Grown adults. They don’t need constant protection. They need space to live their lives. They need supporters, not stalkers. That’s why it’s so important to know the difference between liking a person, and idolising them. Like the person, love the person, but don’t own the person. Otherwise, you’re just hurting the very person you claim to care about. Remember: when you put someone on a pedestal, you’re not lifting them up, you’re caging them in.*

The Bad

Enemies to Lovers… Where Exactly?

Let’s be real, this wasn’t enemies to lovers. Mi Ran thought Kang Ho was a predator (valid reaction), but once she found out he wasn’t — like two episodes later — she didn’t just stop hating him, she started seeing him as an angel. As if not being a pedophile makes you an exceptional man. That’s not even the bare minimum. That should be a given. The bar was so low it was underground.

And Kang Ho? He never hated her. Not once. He liked her from the beginning and only agreed to the fake relationship because he hoped it would turn into something real. So in what world is that enemies to lovers?? If only one person dislikes the other, that’s not enemies to lovers. That’s just unrequited feelings that happen to resolve quickly.

And for breaking each other’s walls, I also didn’t think that that held up enough. Reason being, they were two normal people getting into a relationship. Before and during the relationship, they didn’t do anything out of the ordinary for a couple. To me, it just seemed like they liked each other and whatnot because they finally surrounded themselves with a man/woman who wasn’t a bad person— which they always seemed to be around. That’s not good enough.

The Gender Hatred Setup Didn’t Hold Up

Both leads supposedly hate the opposite gender, but their reasons felt flimsy. Mi Ran hated all men because the ones she dated were trash — but she only dated trash. If you surround yourself with bad people, they’re going to do bad things. That’s not a revelation. Then the show acts like Kang Ho is the best man ever when he’s just… normal. She was down bad simply because he wasn’t actively awful, despite the fact that he’s just the first non-toxic guy she chose to be around. Again, how low has the bar gone?

I wish Mi Ran had a stronger reason for her distrust. Even when she got cheated on in high school, she barely reacted. Her fear of marriage stems from her dad, but even that felt underdeveloped. It would’ve made more sense if her dad had been a good partner before marriage and then flipped — showing her how marriage can change people. That would’ve added weight to her fears.

And Kang Ho? Not any better. His mom was a gold digger, so suddenly every woman is the same? Sir, please. In reality, his “hatred” was less about women in general and more about shallow, entitled actresses — which, fair. But the show played it like he despised half the world’s population because of one bad mom and some snobby coworkers.

They both surrounded themselves with toxic people and then acted like the entire gender was the problem. And then the second they met each other, it was like, “Wow, maybe not all men/women are bad.” Which… duh?? Did we really need 10 episodes for that revelation?

Breadcrumbs Aren’t Enough

Someone commented on my post (honoured 🤭) saying the show did lay the groundwork — Kang Ho’s ex and mom, Mi Ran’s dad, the creepy man, the cheating boyfriend. And yes, I get that those experiences can make someone cautious. But at the end of the day, seeing all women/men as gold diggers, cheaters, bullies, assaulters, etc. doesn’t stand when there are millions of people living in Korea alone.

Even people who’ve been in abusive relationships understand that one person doesn’t represent an entire gender. Mi Ran actively sought out horrible men to expose them. Kang Ho got unlucky with a string of entitled co-stars. That’s not a universal truth, that’s bad luck and bad choices.

And if you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know I don’t play the guessing game. Mi Ran had the perfect chance to say her hatred stemmed from her father’s behaviour but she didn’t. And if it’s not said, I’m not going to go hunting to justify it. Breadcrumbs aren’t backstory; they’re just crumbs. If the drama wanted me to buy into their reasons, it needed to actually say them.

The Anxiety Plotline Felt Off

Can we talk about Kang Ho’s anxiety? Because it didn’t make sense. He supposedly gets nauseous around all women because one ex broke up with him and called him a stalker… ten years ago. Be serious. I’m not a psych major, but the way his panic attacks were portrayed — especially around physical intimacy — didn’t track. I’m not saying trauma can’t manifest in wild ways, but if you’re telling me he can’t even kiss without gagging, the backstory needs to back that up. If they had said he gets anxious when he starts catching feelings or when someone confesses to him, that would’ve made more sense. Or if he’d had a traumatic experience where someone forced themselves on him, the kissing aversion would’ve felt more grounded. 

And why was Mi Ran the only woman who didn’t trigger his anxiety? That detail was tossed in without explanation. They should’ve just said he’s into tough, independent women and called it a day. The scene where he brushes his teeth and gags after a kiss? He did not have to do all that. Loll.

Lack of Life

Here’s another problem: this drama had no spark. No antagonist, no real obstacle, nothing to make it feel alive. I only finished it because it was ten episodes and I was playing games on my phone the whole time. There was no tension, no stakes, no real conflict. Maybe if they actually hated each other and were forced into a fake relationship, it would’ve had more bite. Instead, it was just two people slowly falling in love. Cute, sure. But also kind of boring.

This kind of reminds me of My Dearest Nemesis (check that review here!) where their relationship was just too ordinary to be interesting. Like I said there, the best part of movies and dramas is that they let you imagine a life that feels out of reach. Two people who realise an entire gender isn’t the problem and fall in love with minimal-to-no-hiccups is fine, but not enough to carry a story. This drama gave us nothing beyond the ordinary and that was the problem.

Woo Jun and Na Eun… Why?

I also didn’t get why Woo Jun liked Na Eun even though she was just a regular girl. None of the characters stood out so it didn’t make sense that the guy who was surrounded by a bunch of girls couldn’t stop thinking about another regular girl. She acted just like the rest of the girls so what about her made him stop and change everything? And vice versa. Neither of them stood out (actions wise) so why fall for each other? 

There were so many moments when the romance felt random and lacked a backbone and it happened in this couple too. Usually in shows, when someone is a player or afraid to fall in love, there is something about the other character that changes things. In cliche shows, it’s the girl that pays him no mind that makes him interested in her. And for the ones afraid to fall in love, the guy or girl is usually persistent but patient and gentle. Woo Jun barely paid her much mind and clearly didn’t think much of her, so when we reached the end and he couldn’t stop thinking about her, it didn’t make sense. What changed? 

What Was This Show Even About?

One of the biggest issues with Love to Hate You is that it took way too long to get to the actual point. The central plot — fake dating that turns real — didn’t kick in until halfway through. I get needing a backstory, but five-plus episodes just to set the stage? That’s excessive.

Instead of diving into the romance, we got Mi Ran being besties with Soo Jin (which added almost nothing), her trying to catch Kang Ho as a pedophile (which also didn’t go anywhere), the situation with his ex (who he clearly didn’t care about), and Mi Ran becoming a stunt double. It was all filler. The fake dating arc — the supposed heart of the show — lasted maybe two episodes before they were genuinely into each other. Then the last episode was just fallout from a scandal.

The main plot wasn’t strong enough to carry the show, so they padded it with side quests that didn’t build tension or deepen the romance. And what’s worse is that they didn’t even try to hide it. The pacing was off, the structure was messy, and the emotional beats felt rushed.  Honestly, this show didn’t even try to hide the fact it had no plot. They just crossed their fingers and hoped the chemistry would carry it. Spoiler: it didn’t.

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What I Would Do

They Don’t Hate the Other Gender, They’re Just Not Interested

The whole “I hate all men/women” thing? Yeah, no. It doesn’t work. Instead, I’d have them simply not interested in dating. Kang Ho would focus on his work, scarred by his past experiences, and honestly too wary to try again. Mi Ran would love her freedom, but with her father’s mess, her cheating ex, and the disasters she’s seen her friend go through, she’s not exactly lining up for a boyfriend either.

Mi Ran has a front-row seat to how nice guys start with her friend only to turn cruel once she cares about them. Add her dad, her own ex, and every trash guy her friend dated, and yeah — she’s over it.

Kang Ho? He’s seen the ugly side of fame. Women throwing themselves at him even though they’re already taken, actresses caring more about image than sincerity, his ex selling him out to save herself. Plus, he enjoys being wanted by everyone and doesn’t want to tie himself down.

So instead of hating the opposite gender, they’d just have realistic, painful reasons for not wanting to date. Then when they do end up together, it’s not just a cliché romance — it’s two damaged people who never thought they’d love again finding something real. That hits harder.

Make the Fake Dating the Real Plot

One of the biggest issues with the show was how scattered the plot felt. So I’d make the fake dating arc the only focus. Forget juggling five different subplots — just lean all the way into it.

And it wouldn’t be a quick two-episode fake relationship before they fall in love. No. They’d fake date for most of the series, constantly misunderstanding each other and butting heads, while slowly (and hilariously) realizing their prejudices were wrong.

Mi Ran would think Kang Ho is just another cocky guy who assumes every woman is obsessed with him. Kang Ho would think Mi Ran is one of those women who thrive on attention, surrounded by men, showing off. Over time, they realize the other person isn’t arrogant or attention-seeking — they’re just scared. Scared of ending up like Mi Ran’s mother. Scared of becoming the kind of husband Kang Ho sees all around him. They break each other’s walls down, slowly and beautifully.

Imagine them constantly rolling their eyes while pretending to swoon for the cameras. Having to hold hands in public but immediately dropping them the second they’re offstage. Over time, though, the cracks show. They start noticing the pain behind each other’s walls, the reasons why they’re guarded. And when those walls finally come down, the payoff is so much bigger.

Make the Side Couple Actually Stand Out

I barely cared about the side couple because, honestly, their romance felt random. To fix it, Na Eun would swear off men after getting heartbroken again — and for once, she’d actually stick to it. She’d avoid Won Jun like her life depends on it, even though she’s clearly attracted to him.

Cue Won Jun trying to figure out what he did wrong when she suddenly snaps, “Leave me alone! I hate you!” (iconic). He’s embarrassed but also intrigued, so he keeps trying to figure her out. Meanwhile, Na Eun is panicking because she knows she’ll fall if she gives him even one chance.

Over time, his patience and genuine nature wear her down, while she amuses him with her fire. By the end, they wouldn’t just “randomly” end up together — it would actually feel earned.

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Final Thoughts

Like I said, this show was okay. It had more problems than good things and that brought it down a bunch. I liked her personality but that was mostly it. There was nothing in the show that added life and that also made it a struggle to watch. I liked the actors but that was also about it. They should’ve changed the name and not make it seem like two people who hate each other are forced into a fake relationship and make it seem like how it is: two people in a fake relationship falling in love. 

In the end, this wasn’t the enemies-to-lovers story it promised, just a lukewarm romance padded with filler that left me wishing it had the courage to actually be what it claimed.

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What did you think of this show?? Did you like it or did you see where I was coming from?

To the person that responded, thank you! I feel like I should mention that I post Chinese drama reviews on MyDramaList so follow me to read them if you’re interested!

I’m not sure what I’m going to review next because I usually come up with three dramas at a time and this is my third one. I’ll probably review a drama I really liked because I seem to have a habit of only reviewing shows I didn’t like. I think it’s just because I have more to say.

Anyways, see you next week! 💕

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