**NEW**Dynamite Kiss (2025)
Welcome back to Hallyu Reviews! We hope you enjoyed Sabrina’s review of “Genie, Make a Wish.” I you missed it, be sure to go back and have a read!
This week, we take a look at “Dynamite Kiss.”
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Final Verdict: WATCH
Synopsis
“Dynamite Kiss” is a story about two people who manage to fall in love, despite coming from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds. Go Da Rim (Ahn Eun Jin) is a kind and caring woman who puts the needs of others before her own. But despite being bright and well-spoken, she has never managed to succeed in her career, the traditional measurement of success in today’s society. Her lack of accomplishment embarrasses her younger sister, who pays for her to go on a trip to Jeju Island in lieu of attending her wedding. In Jeju, Da Rim meets Gong Ji Hyeok (Jang Ki Yong), a CEO who finds love tedious. The two connect unexpectedly and share a “dynamite kiss.” But when Da Rim receives a phone call that her mother has suffered a heart attack, Da Rim races home without notifying Ji Hyeok or exchanging contact information. Da Rim’s mother survives, but between her hospital bills and her younger sister defaulting on loans borrowed against the family home, Da Rim becomes desperate to find a full-time job. Due to her age and lack of experience, Da Rim is woefully unqualified to secure work. Desperate, she lies on her application to the new Team Mom Task Force at Natural Bebe, claiming to be a married mother. When Da Rim and Ji Hyeok meet as team member and team leader at Natural Bebe, Da Rim is forced to maintain the lie that she is a married mother, devastating Ji Hyeok. But things intensify as Ji Hyeok discovers the truth and helps Da Rim to conceal it. Ji Hyeok also finds himself in the middle of his own drama as his sister attempts to sabotage him from securing the role of Vice President at Natural Bebe, their family’s company. The two grow closer as the dangers increase, putting their ethics – and their relationship – at risk.
While not a MUST WATCH, “Dynamite Kiss,” is a WATCH.
THE GOOD
(+) Cinderella-inspired – Da Rim and Ji Hyeok connect in Jeju in a Cinderella-inspired way. Da Rim wears a beautiful blue dress when they first kiss. She takes off her shoes while they talk by the sea. And when Da Rim receives the news that her mother has had a hard attack, she races away without a trace. Ji Hyeok’s only clue to her identity is a story she left with him about a “Grandfather Tree” in her neighborhood.
(+) How should success be defined? – “Dynamite Kiss” takes a hard look at how society defines success. The mothers on Da Rim’s team at Natural Bebe are put together with low expectations, yet they rise to every challenge handed to them. Da Rim’s younger sister, Go Da Jeong (Kim Soo-A), is so embarrassed by her lack of success, that she lies about her to her fiancé’s family. But “Dynamite Kiss” argues that success should be measured by more than career and money. Da Rim is portrayed as a caring person and natural leader, while Da Jeong, in contrast, puts others in desperate and dangerous situations due to her poor financial decisions and lies to appear successful.
(+) Encourages being openminded regarding socio-economic status – “Dynamite Kiss” takes a bold stance in support of being openminded in relationships between people with different socio-economic status. Ji Hyeok comes from a family of wealth. Following tradition, Ji Hyeok’s father arranges for Ji Hyeok to marry a woman from a similar background, thereby increasing their family’s socio-economic standing in society. Ultimately, Ji Hyeok follows his heart and marries Da Rim. This openminded view is also portrayed in the relationship of the second leads, Kim Seonu (Kim Mu Jun) and Yu Ha Yeong (Woo Da Vi). Like the main leads, Seonu – Da Rim’s best friend – and Ha Yeong – Ji Hyeok’s arranged fiancé – end up together, despite coming from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds. But the sweetest demonstration of this sentiment can be seen in the transformation of Ha Yeong’s mother, Han Mi Ok (Seo Junh Yeon). Mi Ok is originally opposed to her daughter’s choice in Seonu, but becomes so enamored with Seonu that she quickly becomes the couple’s biggest supporter.
(+) The music – The OST for “Dynamite Kiss” features nine vocal songs by various artists, including The Stray and Wendy (Red Velvet). In addition to the nine vocal songs, there are ten original instrumental songs included in the score. These were “delivered by music director Kim Seong-yul and his music team, which maximized the drama's immersion with sophisticated sound.” (https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-entertainment/2025/12/24/GIQX2JPT35GNZF5YGZXHZFQ4U4/). The piano and strings pieces, “Memory Never Fades” by Byung Dung Wok and “The Beginning of Love” by Kim Seong Yul, were particularly stunning and memorable.
THE BAD
(-) Seems to send the message that money solves every problem – When a problem arises, Ji Hyeok is quick to flash his infamous – no limit – black credit card. And while money is often the missing piece to solve many of life’s problems, it is by no means the only solution, nor always the best solution. This approach, even if only added as a comedic element, flies in the face of the K-drama’s message that society should be openminded about socio-economic status.
(-) Suffering in silence – “Dynamite Kiss” utilizes many Korean tropes, including the somewhat overused Korean trope of suffering in silence. Suffering in silence is an oft used tool that, when used well, can intensify the drama of the storyline. Unfortunately, Da Rim’s suffering in silence is used to the point of exhaustion, slowing down the pace of the series. The story of “Dynamite Kiss” is predicated on the premise that Da Rim finds herself – through no fault of her own – in a situation so desperate that she feels she must lie in order to get out of it. While Da Rim’s decision is certainly understandable, she suffers because of it, and though she has multiple opportunities to confess her wrongdoing – or at the very least resign from her position – she chooses not to. Because of this, Da Rim spends a large portion of the K-drama suffering in silence and shouldering the burden on her own. As such, she is miserable – more miserable, one could argue, than if she had chosen to be honest.
(-) The overuse of Korean tropes – In addition to the use of the Korean trope of suffering in silence, “Dynamite Kiss” utilized a couple of other well-known traditional K-drama tropes, including the trope of getting hit by a car while distractedly walking across the street and the trope of one lead losing their memory of their relationship with the other. While Korean tropes add a distinctly Korean flavor to dramas, their overuse can result in a plot that is too predictable.
So there it is, our review of “Dynamite Kiss.” What did you think of this K-drama? Be sure to leave your thoughts below!
Up next, “The King’s Affection”
