Dynamite Kiss Breaks K-Drama Rules with Early Romance

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Netflix is hoping its new K-drama, Dynamite Kiss, will be its next big success, and the story is already taking an unexpected path with its romance. Netflix began expanding into Korean content in 2016, but K-dramas really took off with viewers starting in 2018, thanks to the platform’s original series and acquisition of popular existing titles. This helped make K-dramas a global phenomenon.

While K-dramas have become incredibly popular worldwide, this success has a downside. Many viewers expect each new show to follow a familiar pattern. However, the truly great K-dramas break those expectations and offer something fresh, as seen in the show Dynamite Kiss.

Dynamite Kiss Has Its Main Characters Kiss In Episode 1

Their Kiss Is The Inciting Event Of The Entire Series

The K-drama Dynamite Kiss immediately grabbed viewers’ attention with a strong first episode released on November 12th. The exciting hour-long premiere introduces Go Da-rim (Ahn Eun-jin), a woman struggling to find work, and how her life unexpectedly connects with CEO Gong Ji-hyeok (Jang Ki-yong) during a trip to Jeju Island. It sets up a humorous story based on a series of misunderstandings.

When Da-rim’s ex, Kim Jeong-Gwon, shows up with a new girlfriend, she and Ji-hyeok quickly concoct a plan to pretend to date. Ji-hyeok wants to hire Jeong-Gwon for his company and, knowing Da-rim is struggling financially, proposes a deal. Da-rim agrees to pretend to be Ji-hyeok’s loving fiancée, hoping it will help him recruit Jeong-Gwon without embarrassing her.

Following a dramatic transformation, the pretend couple heads to an extravagant party. As the night goes on, Ji-hyeok starts to understand how badly Jeong-Gwon mistreated Da-rim, even recalling him comparing her to wilted spinach. When her ex grows suspicious, Da-rim impulsively kisses Ji-hyeok to maintain their charade. Their kiss is perfectly timed with a burst of fireworks in the sky.

K-Dramas Typically Build Towards A Kiss, Not Start With One

Most K-Drama Couples Are Slow-Burn Romances

The first kiss between Go Da-rim and Gong Ji-hyeok was a big moment, but it surprised many K-drama viewers. Traditionally, K-dramas build romantic tension slowly, and couples usually don’t share their first kiss until around the middle of the show. This creates anticipation for when they finally confess their feelings.

K-dramas on Netflix often follow a pattern of delaying romantic moments. Most recent K-dramas have between 12 and 16 episodes, and the first kiss usually doesn’t happen before the eighth episode. For example, in the popular drama Castaway Diva, the lead characters (played by Park Eun-bin and Chae Jong-hyeop) didn’t share their first kiss until very late in the series, in the episode just before the finale.

While most K-dramas follow a certain pattern with romance, some break the mold to show something deeper about the couple. For example, some shows, like Summer Strike, avoid kisses altogether, suggesting a pure and innocent connection. Others, such as Love to Hate You, feature kisses from the start, aiming for a more believable and grown-up relationship.

Dynamite Kiss Going Out Of Order Makes Perfect Sense

From The Start, It’s An Atypical Love Story

However, Dynamite Kiss has a particularly strong reason for the kiss in the first episode. Gong Ji-hyeok doesn’t believe in love because of his parents’ difficult relationship. When his father tries to set him up with a wealthy woman, Ji-hyeok isn’t even interested in kissing her. But when Go Da-rim kisses him, he says it felt explosive, like the show’s namesake – dynamite.

The unexpected early kiss made Ji-hyeok rethink his ideas about love. It wasn’t instant love for him with Da-rim, but an immediate connection through their kiss. However, the real problems are just starting, as the episode ends with Da-rim pretending to be a young mother to try and get a job interview at Ji-hyeok’s family company.

Ji-hyeok takes on a difficult assignment – leading a task force for mothers – hoping it will help his own mother escape an unhappy marriage. This unexpected project transforms Dynamite Kiss into a K-drama surprisingly centered on family, despite its initially passionate storyline. Meanwhile, a spontaneous romantic getaway to Jeju Island between Ji-hyeok and Da-rim sparks a special second-chance love story, complicated by their professional connection.

What Dynamite Kiss’ Bold Risk Means For Its Future

Netflix Could Keep Turning K-Drama Clichés On Their Head

At first glance, Dynamite Kiss seems to follow typical K-drama patterns. However, the quick kiss in the first episode suggests this new Netflix romantic comedy won’t be predictable. The series has already covered the ‘fake dating’ scenario and shown the male lead’s attraction, but it doesn’t look like things will be easy for these potential lovers.

When Da-rim suddenly vanished, Ji-hyeok was driven to find her, confirming his long-held feelings. However, their reunion is complicated by difficult circumstances. Da-rim fears losing her job if she reveals her true feelings, and Ji-hyeok can’t act like just her boss.

Dynamite Kiss seems likely to take common K-drama storylines and clichés and present them in a new and interesting way. Netflix’s latest series has already shown it’s not afraid to break the mold and take chances, so we can expect it to creatively reimagine many familiar tropes and give them a fresh feel.

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2025-11-16 03:59