[K-Drama Review] Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

In Romance is a Bonus Book, romance does play as a bonus for Kang Dan-I played by Lee Na Young, who’s trying to pick up her life once again after having devoted her time to being a mother and wife. Once a prominent copywriter, she slowly realizes the struggles of job hunting after being away for more than 5 years. Even though she maintains small jobs like being the secret housekeeper for her best friend and successful writer Cha Eun Ho, played by Lee Jong Suk, she gets “fired” for being too comfortable in his house. 

Romance is a Bonus Book Characters Explained

Despite being best friends, Eun Ho doesn’t know Dan-I is struggling to land a job let alone have a place to live. Through Dan-I’s new position, Eun Ho and her reconnect with each other at different levels than before. Although it may not be your typical K-Drama, the drama has a realistic appeal of the life adults sometimes stumble on.

The life we had before may change and with it ourselves, we grow and learn to continue to persevere as Dan-I does, through finding her place within her new assistant position and her current situation. She is a woman who is willing to learn to do the best she can but with the intent of helping sell the life of the books they publish. Like the books Dan-I reads to create lively marketing campaigns, they too breathe life into her as she recalls life and experiences in the books she reads. 

Relating To It

We can all relate to some sense or another to the books we read. Sometimes we can give ourselves to it when we start to see new perspectives that we knew were never there or see a shift in how we receive life’s obstacles and the people around us. Words hold meanings we create with one another, meanings we come to learn the significance and experience under the same moon. It is an evolution of words we read that can shape us, our thoughts, and meanings. 

As Dan-I and Eun Ho’s friendship begins to evolve despite a third love interest seeing Dan-I as something more, love has a way of sprouting, dying or blooming all at once. Love is an unexpected event that merits itself a bonus story in our lives. And this drama certainly captures it all. 

Written by: Erica ZR