When I started Dynamite Kiss, I genuinely thought we finally had a solid K-drama rom-com on our hands—the kind that gives you butterflies, makes you grin at your screen, and reminds you why you fell in love with romantic Korean dramas in the first place.
The drama starts strong. The setup is engaging, the premise has promise, and there are enough heart-fluttering moments early on to make you think this could be one of those easy, comfort-watch rom-com K-dramas. Most importantly, we get a fantastic male lead—charming, emotionally expressive, and doing the absolute most to carry the show on his shoulders.
Unfortunately, that’s also where the problem begins.
The Male Lead Deserved Better
Let’s get this out of the way: Jang Ki-yong carried this drama from start to finish. His performance, screen presence, and emotional arc are the main reasons Dynamite Kiss remains watchable. If you’re someone who enjoys K-dramas with strong male leads, this is where the show delivers.
But even the strongest male lead such as Jang Ki-yong can’t save a drama when the writing starts to unravel.
The Female Lead Problem
The biggest letdown of Dynamite Kiss is the female lead, Go Da Rim. What could have been a refreshing, relatable character instead becomes the reason the drama slowly turns into a bore to watch. Her decisions are frustrating, her arc lacks depth, and over time, she drains the energy out of what should have been a light, fluffy romantic K-drama.
The show also struggles with inconsistent writing and abandoned plotlines, a common issue in otherwise promising K-dramas. Several story threads are introduced with intention, only to be quietly forgotten, leaving you wondering if the writers simply ran out of interest.
I know Ahn Eun-jin received a lot of love for her performance in My Dearest but in Dynamite Kiss, she led me to yawn multiple times.
Plot Holes That Make No Sense
One of the most glaring issues in Dynamite Kiss is the complete lack of closure around Go Da Rim’s family. We never really find out what happens to her sister and brother-in-law, despite them being set up as important emotional anchors early on.
Even more baffling? Throughout the episodes, there’s barely any effort from the characters to stay in touch with their families—something that feels especially unrealistic in a drama that tries to lean into emotional realism.At one point, Go Da Rim even goes back to Jeju Island to see her sister, only for that storyline to go absolutely nowhere because she gets distracted by a rendezvous with her ex-boyfriend—who also happens to be the love of her life. Because, apparently, unresolved family drama can wait, but romantic angst cannot.
Also I was rooting for the second leads Gim Seon-u and Yu Ha-yeong and was desperately hoping we’ll get to see their story evolve into the romance it deserved. Sadly, that doesn’t happen either. We just get one scene in the very end—where they are still deciding whether to date or not—merely as breadcrumbs.
Is Dynamite Kiss Worth Watching?
Despite all its shortcomings, I wouldn’t tell you to skip Dynamite Kiss entirely.
If you’re watching for:
- a gorgeous male lead
- a commoner-meets-chaebol romance
- and romantic moments that are becoming increasingly rare in the current K-drama landscape
…then this drama still has something to offer.It’s flawed, uneven, and often frustrating—but there are sparks of romance and chemistry that make it worth watching if you go in with very managed expectations.
Final Verdict: Should You Watch Dynamite Kiss?
Although Dynamite Kiss is a classic case of wasted K-drama potential, it’s still a resounding YES from my end. A strong male lead, a promising rom-com setup, and decent romantic chemistry deserved far better writing and character development.
Watch it for what it is—not what it could have been—and you might still find yourself enjoying parts of the ride.