Set against the nostalgic backdrop of Busan in 1998, Love Untangled presents a Korean high school romance that feels both specific in its cultural setting and universal in its emotional core. The film introduces us to Park Se-ri, a charmingly awkward student whose life is governed by a singular, frustrating problem: her untamed curly hair.
This is not a simple vanity. Director Namkoong Sun frames Se-ri’s hair as a potent symbol of her profound teenage self-doubt, a physical manifestation of her feeling out of step with the world. Her immediate goal is simple.
She believes achieving straight hair will grant her the confidence to finally confess her feelings to her crush, the popular Kim Hyeon. The film establishes a sweet, innocent atmosphere, focusing on the hopeful and often clumsy feelings of youth. This carefully built world is soon complicated by the arrival of Han Yoon-seok, a new student whose entrance into Se-ri’s life sets the story in motion.
A Quiet Chemistry that Defies Convention
The film’s emotional weight is carried by the central performances and their believable connection. As Se-ri, Shin Eun-soo is perfectly cast. Her performance is full of a relatable, charming awkwardness, using subtle physical comedy to convey her inner turmoil, whether she is getting comically struck by a soccer ball while watching her crush or attempting to hide her hair under a hood.
She makes Se-ri a protagonist who earns the audience’s empathy. Opposite her, Gong Myung portrays Han Yoon-seok with a fitting quietness. As a transfer student from Seoul, his character is an outsider navigating a new environment, which makes his gradual connection with the equally insecure Se-ri feel earned. Gong Myung captures this reserved nature well, allowing his character to open up slowly through small gestures.
Their bond is the film’s greatest asset, a slow-building friendship that blossoms organically from shared glances and hesitant conversations. This patient development of romance through companionship feels refreshingly grounded. It is a cinematic approach that values quiet observation, a style that reflects a more contemporary global trend in screen romance.
This method stands in contrast to the grand, declarative gestures and expressive song sequences common in many 90s Bollywood films from the same era. The supporting characters, like Se-ri’s friends, exist mostly on the periphery. Their lack of development helps to isolate the central pair, focusing the viewer’s attention completely on the nuances of their budding relationship.
Nostalgia as a Lens for Self-Discovery
Love Untangled uses its period setting to explore a timeless theme of self-acceptance. Se-ri’s preoccupation with straightening her hair speaks directly to the pressures of conforming to rigid beauty standards, a struggle recognizable to young audiences globally.
Her journey is a quiet examination of self-image, a narrative that would find a deep resonance in a place like India, where advertisements for hair-straightening products have long been part of the cultural landscape. The film questions if personal growth is overshadowed by the pursuit of romance or if the two are deeply intertwined.
The 1990s world of pagers, disposable cameras, and cassette tapes does more than supply simple nostalgia. The setting enforces a different rhythm of life. A pre-internet romance required a patience and vulnerability that the film effectively captures.
The anxious wait for a call on a landline or the necessity of meeting in person creates a specific kind of romantic tension. By removing modern digital communication, the story forces its characters into direct, face-to-face situations where every interaction matters.
The aesthetic approach supports this mood perfectly. Director Namkoong Sun’s cinematography employs a palette of warm colors and soft, natural light, especially in the scenes at Se-ri’s secret beach hideaway. This visual language gives the film a dreamy quality that visually represents the warmth and safety of the protagonists’ growing affection.
A Gentle Story Stumbles on Melodrama
The film operates best when it leans into its sincerity and heartfelt tone, handling familiar romantic comedy situations with a gentle touch. Its strengths lie in the quiet moments between its leads and its commitment to an earnest emotional reality.
The narrative is not without its shortcomings. At nearly two hours, the runtime is substantial, and the pacing occasionally slackens, making the film feel longer than necessary. The efficiency of the runtime is questionable, with some scenes feeling repetitive while the film’s supposed climax feels rushed.
A more significant issue arises in the second half, when the script introduces a sudden, serious conflict related to Yoon-seok’s family. This sharp turn into melodrama feels jarring, an abrupt shift from the film’s established slice-of-life realism. It feels like an import from a different, more conventional K-drama template, one that clashes with the story’s unique charm.
This choice disrupts the simple, character-driven narrative that makes the first half so effective. Even with this structural misstep, the film remains an enjoyable watch. The endearing lead performances and the genuine sweetness at its center are strong enough to carry it through its flaws. For viewers who appreciate character-driven stories and can forgive a shaky third act for the sake of a well-acted romance, the film offers significant rewards.
Love Untangled premiered exclusively on Netflix on August 29, 2025. The 119-minute South Korean romantic comedy is set in Busan in 1998, with a strong emphasis on the nostalgic atmosphere of the late 90s, including props like cassette tapes and 35mm cameras. The film is available for streaming on Netflix.
Full Credits
Director: Namkoong Sun
Writers: Ji Chun-hee, Wang Doo-ri
Producers and Executive Producers: Lee Kang-Jin, Gwak Hui-jin (Producers), Bombaram Film (Production Company)
Cast: Shin Eun-soo, Gong Myung, Cha Woo-min, Yoon Sang-hyeon, Kang Mi-na, Ryu Seung-su, Choi Gyu-ri
Director of Photography (Cinematographer): Kim Il-Yeon
Composer: Kim Tae-seong
The Review
Love Untangled
Love Untangled is a heartfelt and charming teen romance, elevated by wonderfully sincere lead performances and a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. While its gentle pacing sometimes slows and the story stumbles with a misplaced dramatic turn in its latter half, the film’s genuine sweetness and the believable chemistry between its protagonists make it a rewarding watch. It succeeds as a quiet character study about youthful insecurity, even if it falters as a tightly structured narrative.
PROS
- Sincere and endearing lead performances from Shin Eun-soo and Gong Myung.
- Believable, slow-burn chemistry that builds from a foundation of friendship.
- Charming and effective use of its 1990s nostalgic setting.
- A sweet, gentle tone that feels earnest and heartfelt.
CONS
- The nearly two-hour runtime contributes to slow and uneven pacing.
- An abrupt shift into underdeveloped melodrama in the second half disrupts the tone.
- Supporting characters are largely one-dimensional.
- The central theme of self-acceptance could have been more deeply explored.
