Our Sticky Love is a Korean drama on Netflix that is really difficult to pigeonhole. This looks like a small town rom com with a slow burning romance at heart, quirky locals and a delightful village. But under all that, is a much more sinister narrative. Jung Hae-in plays Tae-ha, a former boxer and ex-gangster, in the 12-episode series. He is still dealing with the consequences of his past. Ahn Ha-young plays Eun-sae, an orphan who has learned to survive by using her wits rather than relying on brute force. Their paths cross in a sleepy town famous for its old-fashioned taffy business. But it doesn’t take long before they find themselves in the middle of corruption, crime, and troubles far larger than either one of them bargained for.
The most appealing thing about Our Sticky Love is probably the contrast of sweetness and danger. The show can shift from a relaxed small-town comedy with quirky residents and mundane worries to an unexpectedly tense experience. The series, for the most part, manages to balance the darker moments with the lighter ones, tho it is an unconventional mix. The contrast also helps add to the romance. Tae-ha and Eun-sae are not two perfect people who somehow reconcile. They are both carrying a significant amount of baggage, but they gradually become a source of comfort for one another, which gives the relationship a little more weight than the typical K-drama setup.
Ahn Ha-young brings a lot of energy to the show.
Among the most unlikely figures in this context is Ahn Ha-young. Eun-sae could have been a typical female lead who gets caught up in danger and waits for someone else to rescue her, but the show gives her much more responsibility. She can read people, knows when to be quiet, and get thru the defenses of people who think they have all the power. She doesn’t suddenly become an action hero when faced with corrupt politicians and dangerous criminals. She handles situations that could easily overwhelm her with her sharp mind, her empathy, her patience.
This is why watching Eun-sae is so fun, because her strength isn’t always so obvious. She can be quiet, but not passive, and she can be vulnerable, but not without the ability to speak up for herself. Ahn Ha-young gives enough personality to the role to make Eun-sae feel like a real girl and not just the “smart heroine” of the story. Her scenes with Jung Hae-in work because the two characters have such different ways of going about solving their problems. Eun-sae is much more prone to confronting the events occurring around her while Tae-ha is more likely to keep everything bottled up.
Jung Hae-in Brings a Fresh Perspective to Tae-ha
Jung Hae-in also gets to play a character who has more creative freedom than your typical romantic lead. Tae-ha has done things he’s not proud of and the program never really lets him forget his past. And he has a presence that can be menacing, especially when his old impulses take over. But inside all that is a man who is tired, and not sure he deserves a more peaceful life. His relationship with Eun-sae makes him slowly reconsider his own identity. Instead of trying to get away from who he used to be, he starts thinking about who he wants to be.
The supporting cast helps to give a feeling of the village as more than a backdrop for the romance. The humor of the show, as well as some of its warmth, is provided by a group of elderly women known as the “S.E.S Ladies.” They have their own personalities and relationships and, like the people, add to the feeling of inhabitation of the community. Meanwhile, the main antagonist plays a more sinister version of Tae-ha. Hard times have also affected him, but he has met them with violence and greed. The comparison adds another layer to Tae-ha’s story, suggesting that his past doesn’t necessarily determine where he’ll end up.
The ending takes its time
One thing Our Sticky Love gets right is its ending. Once the final episodes come up, the series doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to tie up all remaining conflicts. Instead, it allows the characters to process the events that took place, and makes the emotional fallout actually matter. And we get a nice wrap-up to the villain’s story, and the romance gets a nice little wrap-up that’s more toned-down and consistent with the rest of the series than a big, splashy finale.
The final celebration, bringing the villagers together, is a fitting conclusion to the story. What Tae-ha and Eun-sae have been thru means that it’s no longer about making a big statement, but simply about the fact that they’ve finally found somewhere where they’ll be accepted. One of the most pleasant touches is Tae-ha’s ability to experience the rain without being overwhelmed by painful memories that he once associated with it. It’s a small moment, and that’s precisely what makes it work. Ultimately, Our Sticky Love is a story about people learning to live with the things that have happened to them, instead of letting those things define them. It can be inconsistent when shifting between comedy, romance and crime thrillers but when it all comes together the show’s warmth is irresistible.