While the main couple of Dynamite Kiss pushes viewers to collide in a romance as soon as possible, the drama’s secondary couple is getting the opposite reaction. Despite the solid acting and good looks, audiences admit that they often want to fast-forward through the second male lead’s scenes.
The drama takes a familiar path in shaping its supporting female character. Yu Ha-yeong (played by Woo Da-bi) is the wealthy and well-matched girlfriend and childhood friend of chaebol heir Gong Ji-hyuk (Jang Ki-yong). However, she is not depicted as a scheming antagonist competing for love.
Instead, Ha-yeong feels stifled by her family’s rigid expectations of elite status and sophistication. Craving warmth and sincerity in art, she becomes fascinated by the works of photographer Sun-woo (Kim Mu-joon) and gradually falls in love with him.
Once she decides to follow her heart, Ha-yeong firmly rejects her arranged engagement with Ji-hyuk. She doesn’t care that Sun-woo is a single father or that he doesn’t meet her family’s “proper backstory” standards. He openly confesses his feelings but respects her honesty when he admits to having unrequited feelings for Da-rim (Ahn Eun-jin).
Ha-yeong’s sincerity extends to caring deeply for Sun-woo’s son Jun, even enduring Ji-hyuk’s harsh accusations of being a “homewrecker” simply because she keeps her promise to Sun-woo. Woo Da-bi convincingly portrays Ha-yeong’s delicate defiance and adorable frustration with family pressures, bringing a bright, pure and sweet energy to the screen.
Before Dynamite Kiss, Woo Da-bi earned praise for her supporting role in the hit drama Jeongnyeon, where she played Joo-ran, a kind-hearted and down-to-earth woman.
Sun-woo, on the other hand, started with strong goodwill from viewers. Kind, polite and even going viral for his resemblance to BTS’s Jin in some respects, he maintained positive reception until episode four. The turning point came when the drama leaned into the overused cliché of the longtime male best friend secretly in love with the female protagonist.
Sun-woo knows about Ji-hyuk’s feelings for Da-rim and begins to show passive jealousy, subtly blocking Ji-hyuk at every turn. He uses Da-rim’s “fake husband” situation to get closer to her, confesses his feelings, but refuses to clearly reject Ha-yeong creating frustration among the viewers.
Although not written as a villain, Sun-woo has become the most irritating character for many fans. International viewers were particularly vocal:
- My sweet princess deserves someone better.
- He acts as if everyone else is wrong, while he is too cowardly to be honest.
- Why do these guys only realize their feelings when another man shows up?
Cuts from episode 11 reveal that Sun-woo witnesses Da-rim and Ji-hyuk hugging after escaping a fire. However, even with this turning point, many viewers feel that it may be too late to save their goodwill towards the photographer.
In short, while Dynamite Kiss continues to thrive on the explosive chemistry of its lead couple, its secondary romance highlights how a stale character, even paired with strong acting, can quickly turn audience affection into impatience.
Sources: TP
