K-Drama Flashback: ‘Noble, My Love’

Noble, My Love may seem like a typical romantic-comedy K-drama following a familiar storyline, but it was one of those that opened up the world of K-drama to me in a manner that felt very new. It has an uneasy, hostile dynamic between the leads for a while, nonetheless with a distinct charm. In the process as “hatred” slowly turns into something else, to the point of “love,” Noble, My Love is about how we’re capable of growing—growing past reservations and norms—growing emotionally, and healing ourselves.

Lee Kang-hoon (Sung Hoon) is a handsome, serious CEO of a flourishing Korean firm who’s sort of indifferent, as opposed to the beautiful, loving veterinarian Cha Yoon-seo (Kim Jae-kyung), who owns her clinic. An unanticipated crisis sets the scene for their story, which then evolves from resentment to a romance only to be derailed by socioeconomic disparities. 

Noble, My Love is an example of a love story that permeates class differences and how interactions between the ultra-rich male and the common female address gender expectations. Also, in my opinion, it’s an attempt to subvert, if not openly defy, changing cultural norms while still giving a utopian romantic prospect that speaks to you.

Again, the “rich guy regular girl love story” trope in romantic dramas or K-dramas such as this isn’t so simple—a love story—but rather a complex and multilayered narrative that can shed light on sociocultural dynamics of class, gender, and the fluid nature of romantic relationships.

While going over more relevant themes like living together, age restrictions on marriage and the obligations they place on both men and women, Confucian principles, and the conventional marital structure, Noble, My Love does pretty well in taking on these areas. That Kang-hoon must go on blind dates with rich women to choose his future wife pisses him off right away. As is universally acknowledged, high status is of high regard in society, so marriages between wealthy, powerful individuals [or, should I say, families] are often a guarantee of success—the exact rationale behind Kang-hoon’s mother’s disapproval of his and Yoon-seo’s relationship in the story.

Noble, My Love was released almost ten years ago in 2015. Thanks to its writer Go Gyul and director Kim Yang-hee, this lighthearted romance story challenges established as well as rigid perspectives in looking at relationships and their intricacies—attraction, emotions, emotional blockage, differences, all the delicate details in between, and eventual end of the initial hatred or prejudice—rather than sticking to the well-worn tropes of the genre.

I like the straightforward way the issue of age constraints, a very strong criterion for marriage, particularly for women in society, is dealt with in the drama, that at 30 or more, a woman isn’t as suitable for marriage, and how Yoon-seo symbolizes the prevalent concerns of women her age who aren’t married yet and fret about being a source of stress for their families. That said, I admire how she maintains her integrity throughout, disregarding all else and prioritizing her career, goals, values, and principles without compromising them in favor of the one thing that matters most to her, love—what she truly feels for Kang-hoon.

Another very positive thing here is Kang-hoon’s character development. As he steadily grows to love Yoon-seo, he drops his tough exterior and learns more about the gentler, warmer side of himself. Their contract relationship blossoms into a deep love and a shared desire to be with each other. From acting like a couple to becoming a married couple in the end, conquering the odds, their journey makes for an engaging K-drama. Sung Hoon dazzles as the dashing dreamboat, alongside the gorgeous Kim Jae-kyung’s portrayal, and the very things that at first seem like resistance, disagreement, and roadblocks end up turning into things propelling them forward—in their change of feelings for each other, their growths, and the much-needed ending—a happily ever after.