K-Drama Flashback: ‘Soundtrack #1’

Soundtrack #1 (2022) epitomizes “less is more.” It’s a fully realized K-drama starring Park Hyung-sik and Han So-hee in just four episodes. From the beginning to the end, the plot flows like a lovely trail you’d like to follow to find love. Centered on the subtle boundaries between friendship and romance, Soundtrack #1 is a gradual buildup of emotions over music—love songs that you abruptly realize relate to your friend who’s been around for years but never quite understood that he’s the one for you.

Love happens, and it often does so in the most surprising circumstances; perhaps a perfect example is an attraction growing between long-time friends. When you find yourself romantically drawn to a dear friend, it could be a challenging and awkward process. After all, you’ve had a strong emotional attachment with the person for a while now, so risking that [valued relationship] by admitting that you’re in love with them suddenly is a scary thought. In Soundtrack #1, that’s what characterizes Han Seon-woo’s (Park) predicament—his inner battles over how he really feels for Lee Eun-soo (Han). 

Seon-woo, a photographer, and Eun-soo, a lyricist, have been best friends for two decades. Seon-woo’s quiet caring and warm manners contrast with Eun-soo’s open and dynamic personality. When the two move in together due to certain circumstances, his long-suppressed emotions become stronger than ever, while her obliviousness complicates the matter. Nonetheless, Eun-soo can’t seem to wrap her head around the weird feelings that Seon-woo’s proximity is giving her, and she subtly alludes to those emotions in her writing. 

I’m invariably sold on the idea of slow-burn romance stories, and Soundtrack #1 is a very soft, sensitive slow-burn romance. I love its measured pacing, delicate emotional nuances, and the anticipation they cultivate. It so amazingly prioritizes the gradual development of Seon-woo and Eun-soo’s relationship, allowing one to witness the intricacies between the two leads as they navigate the challenges and discoveries that ultimately lead them to each other.

Park Hyung-sik and Han So-hee together on screen equate to insane chemistry! I’m besotted with Park’s expressions, how he conveys himself through his eyes, his stares at Eun-soo, how he’s mindful of what she does and likes, and those little details that reveal how much he cares for her while sticking to his sense of dignity. Han is a fabulous co-star, lending credibility to the narrative and her character.

The confession of feelings doesn’t come to light for long, making the pangs of unrequited love as well as the searing romantic tension, buried jealousy, and pain discernible. I just love the scene where Seon-woo and Eun-soo fall asleep on the floor and wake up next to each other in the morning. Such a swooning moment, to say the least, without any explicit act of love taking place. 

Soundtrack #1 is a refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope because of how simply it’s told; the simplicity adds to its depth brought to life by beautiful performances. It precisely portrays the complexities of the friends-to-lovers dynamic, highlighting the unique traits of friendship that make it fundamentally brittle compared to more institutionalized relationships. Thanks to writer Ahn Sae-bom and director Kim Hee-won, it effectively captures the sense of fear and reticence that makes Seon-woo hesitant to risk his friendship with Eun-soo by disclosing his emotions.

Soundtrack #1 is brimming with tender resonant instances and fantastic music in sync. The events step-by-step lead up to the pivotal moment when Eun-soo gives in to her feelings for her best friend. She hands him her incomplete lyrics, for she’s incapable of writing the last line, and acknowledges that’s because of him—because she loves him and now feels the anguish of unrequited love. In response, Seon-woo grabs her notebook and writes, “Stay by my side forever; I love you.”

The drama is and always will be one of the best romantic K-dramas for me, and I feel like anybody who’s been in love with a friend will relate to it. Soundtrack #1 vividly echoes a beautiful excerpt from author A. Zavarelli that befits the internal conflicts of its protagonists: “There’s something about you I can’t explain. But whatever it is, it makes me want you in ways I can’t even describe.”