“The Practical Guide To Love” Premiere Review- A Lovely Start

Han Ji Min is back with “The Practical Guide to Love,” a story about men and women in their 30s finding love in this digital age.

The drama is based on a webtoon of the same name. This reminds me of just how many kdramas based on webtoons we’ll be getting in 2026 and how many more are in the works. Someone pointed on SNS just how it feels that nobody wants to write original scripts anymore. Just an interesting thought I wanted to share.

But alas, this drama is being adapted by a screenwriter named Lee Yi-Jin, who has no credits to her name. This makes me believe the actors were drawn into the script because of the PD and the subject at hand.

For a start, I’d say that I enjoyed the drama despite some of the discourse surrounding it.

I personally found it to be cute and generally easy to watch. I have some plot points I want to discuss below but it’d be a lie to say I don’t find myself invested in the drama’s next week episodes.

It is likely because of Han Ji Min, I am a huge fan of her. It would be hypocritical of me not to mention that I might have not given this drama much attention if it weren’t for her. With such script, its neither unique nor re-inventing in a way that would draw me to it regardless of who the cast was.

The idea itself has been done recently to varying degrees of success, and such types of scripts will continue to be made because there are a lot of people in their 30s in many parts of the world who are struggling to find love, get married and have children in this day and age.

This will continue to be an interesting topic of discussion because of this. Beyond the surface, every country has its reasons for why it feels that people in their 30s have given up on love, whether it be economical, political or sociological. I wonder if this drama will address that on a deeper level than the fluffy range of emotions you get getting to know someone and clicking with them on the 1^st date.

I have a theory that they’ll touch on some of the reasons but not enough to ruffle feathers. It seems the tone of the drama will be mostly fluffy romance. Which isn’t to say I am against it but…. It’d be a bit disappointing, especially with the actors we have for this project.

I have seen some Korean netizens criticize this drama for portraying women in their 30s as if they’re desperate for love. Which isn’t exactly a point I agree with. The premise of this drama is a woman in her 30s realizing that she had prioritized work too much and wants to find a man. It shows her regret but its a personal journey for her. It doesn’t mean this is every Korean woman in her 30s, let alone every woman in her 30s, its some of them and the way it was shot and discussed didn’t seem as if its taking a jab at women who just don’t want anyone either.

The point of contention above feels very surface level because the portrayal of the situation itself was lovely, in the sense that it shows the character realize she needs and wants love, and making moves to get there. In a way its inspirational that she’s putting herself out there to potentially find a mate rather than weep endlessly about how she put herself in this position. I know everyone has their opinion on that too, but the drama is about that specific woman and her pursuit of a practical love.

I wonder whether this means the character will be somewhat of a beige flag, in the sense that she’s neither the goody two-shoes female character we usually see nor the horrendous one either. Somewhere in the middle, caught between two men who want to pursue her. Will she lean towards the 1st male lead and the 2nd lead will drag on and on until he loses? Or will the 1st male lead be given a run for his money and she’ll be tempted with the younger, hotter guy?

I think if this angle is taken, it’ll not only make more sense but feel more real, but I don’t see that happening. Regardless, I’ll be tuning in. I need something easy to watch with everything happening around us right now.

So, these were my thoughts on the drama. Did you enjoy the premiere?