TV Review | Eye Love You (Episodes 1-5)

“Eye Love You is a sweet and fun rom-com that will have you invested in the characters and their story. It also features an amazing cast. Chae Jong Hyeop’s unlimited charm will cast a spell on you.”

Eye Love You is a Japanese series that is currently airing on TBS. For international fans, Netflix is handling the release. Like Fermat’s Cuisine, the series is released in 2 parts. The first five episodes now available on Netflix. And, the remaining five episodes will be released once the series has finished airing in Japan. This allows J-drama fans to enjoy new series as they are still a trending topic in Japan. This one stars Korean star Chae Jong Hyeop, Fumi Nikaido and Taishi Nakagawa.

A COMPLICATED LOVE

(L-R): Chae Jong Hyeop as Yoon Tae Oh and Fumi Nikaido as Yuri motomiya in *Eye Love You* (C) TBS

Eye Love You follows Yuri Motomiya (Fumi Nikaido), who after an accident can hear other people’s inner thoughts when they make eye contact. She is the CEO of Dolce and Chocolat, an eco-friendly chocolate company. One day, she meets Yoon Tae Oh (Chae Jong Hyeop), a Korean student who works as a part time delivery man. Tae Oh is a straightforward person with positive attitude and a charming persona. When Yuri makes eye contact with him, she hears his inner thoughts which are in Korean, so she doesn’t understand what he really thinks.

This is an incredibly sweet and fun rom-com that checks all the right box. I love the back and forth between Yuri and Tae Oh. Tae Oh loves her and he does everything he can to let her know. However, he is never sure how she feels about him. While, Yuri clearly feels something for him but she doesn’t know how to react to it. This leads to a yes/no situation from her. She accepts his love but then back steps and so on. Her character is so compelling. She can hear people’s thoughts and yet, she can’t understand her own feelings. The fact that she doesn’t understand his inner thoughts reassures her because for once, she doesn’t have to worry about that. And at the same time, she does worry about it. Because she doesn’t understand his thoughts, she always wonders if he really sees her as a love interest. It’s a complicated love.

WORKING TOGETHER

(L-R): Fumi Nikaido as Yuri motomiya, Chae Jong Hyeop as Yoon Tae Oh and Taishi Nakagawa as Akito Hanaoka in *Eye Love You* (C) TBS

Things get an even more exciting turn when Akito Hanaoka (Taishi Nakagawa), Yuri’s right hand, hires Tae Oh as the new intern. It’s so amusing to see Yuri trying to hide her feelings for Tae Oh and asking Tae Oh to hide it to while it makes them even more suspicious. It’s kind of these cuteness overload moments. I think we are all here for this. There are so many funny situations including talks at cross-purposes, which accentuates the back and forth between the two. The story handles this in a way that doesn’t feel dragged. It really allows character development and also a few tears along the way. In the middle of that, add a dash of love triangle with Akito Hanaoka. He is the guy who seems to be only focused on work but beyond that, he has feelings for Yuri.

CAST

Chae Jong Hyeop as Yoon Tae Oh in *Eye Love You* (C) TBS

Furthermore, this series has an amazing cast. Fumi Nikaido delivers a moving performance that shows the vulnerability of her character. But, she also knows how to play comedy with her funny facial reactions. Her on-screen chemistry with Chae Jong Hyeop is absolutely cute! Chae’s unlimited charm will cast a spell on you. When you see him on screen, he immediately draws attention with his smile. He is perfect as Yoon Tae Oh. He brings his positive energy which really helps creating this sweet character that you can only love. While Taishi Nakagawa (Burn the House Down) delivers a more serious performance. I love how through some of his looks and reactions, he shows how there is more to it about how his character feels for Yuri.

VISUALS & SOUNDTRACK

Moreover, the series uses cliché elements of the rom-com like the time freeze frame/slow motion when Yuri falls into the arms of Tae Oh for the first time. It’s totally fine, we are here for the romance! And the team of directors who have worked on the different episodes surely know how to create a romantic atmosphere. The lighting, the sets, the way the actors are filmed, it all helps creating this mood.

There is one scene in particular I want to mention. The phone call between Yuri and Tae Oh in episode 5. At one point, you see both characters on screen as the conversation happens, which allows you to see how they both react in real time. And then, it moves to each character separately on screen but as if the other was there – Yuri is on the left while Tae Oh is on the right. Undoubtedly, this visual language has created the best romantic phone call seen I have ever watched. Through what we see on screen, you understand what the characters feel beyond the words that they say. On top of that, it also uses noises and music cues for some of the characters’ reactions which accentuates the comedy aspect.

Finally, Takashi Ohmama (Pending Train, Hard Days) has composed a lovely score for this rom-com. It is the perfect fit. The theme song is Ikuokukonen (幾億光年) by Omoinotake and it can be heard during the end credits of each episode. As usual with TBS series, the credits play while scenes are still happening.

VERDICT

Eye Love You is a sweet and fun rom-com that will have you invested in the characters and their story. It also features an amazing cast. Chae Jong Hyeop’s unlimited charm will cast a spell on you.