Han Ji-min has vividly portrayed the “reality dating” experience of a woman in her 30s, capturing both humor and empathy at once.
JTBC’s weekend drama “The Practical Guide to Love” recorded a 3 percent viewership rating, drawing positive responses. The series follows a woman who goes on blind dates, meets two men with contrasting charms, finds herself drawn and shaken, and ultimately searches for the true meaning of love.
In the drama, Han plays Lee Eui-young, a senior member of the purchasing team at The Hills Hotel. She delicately portrays the reality of a working woman in her 30s who longs for love yet refuses to lose herself.
Recognized at work but constantly out of sync in romance, Eui-young reunites with Do-hyun, a college junior who once called her his first love, and briefly allows herself hope. However, upon realizing that his feelings are directed toward Sae-byeok, a team intern, she confronts her own misunderstanding. In a symbolic moment, she compares herself to aged tea leaves discovered during an on-site inspection, swallowing her bitterness and resolving not to wait any longer. Determined, she decides to actively seek love herself.
Yet circumstances remain complicated. With her first blind date, Tae-seop, the momentum fades as she waits for a follow-up that never arrives. Though they run into each other again by chance, the connection does not continue. During her second date, she hesitates to open her heart to Ji-su, whose attitude seems to measure and assess her from the outset. However, when she unexpectedly encounters Tae-seop at a café, Ji-su cleverly eases the tension, leading to an impromptu gathering and an unexpected sense of rapport. Even so, Eui-young struggles to trust his interest fully, and once again the relationship comes to a standstill. As the episode closes, a series of incoming messages while she prepares for another blind date signals a potential turning point.
Han skillfully calibrates the distinctive tone of romantic comedy in this project. From glancing repeatedly at her phone while waiting for a message to the fleeting stiffness in her expression as she pretends to be unaffected, she brings to life moments that feel strikingly real. Without exaggeration, she draws laughter while ensuring that each scene carries emotional weight.
Balancing the composure of a capable professional with the hesitation she feels in love, Han layers her character with nuance. Through subtle shifts in attitude and accumulated moments of indecision, she establishes Lee Eui-young not merely as a romance heroine but as a fully realized individual navigating the complexities of the present.
As Han Ji-min once again stands at the center of romantic comedy through “The Practical Guide to Love,” attention turns to what choices she will make in a love that refuses to unfold according to plan.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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