Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama No Gain No Love, which became one of the most talked-about Korean romantic comedies of 2024. This delightful series proves that sometimes the best love stories start with the most practical arrangements.
The series aired on tvN from August 26 to October 1, 2024, spanning 12 episodes with an average runtime of 60 minutes each. Available for streaming on Prime Video, this romantic comedy brings together stellar performances from Shin Min-a and Kim Young-dae in a story that perfectly balances humor with genuine emotional depth. The plot centers around a mutual-gains romance between a woman who marries to avoid losses and a man who weds to avoid trouble, creating a refreshing take on the fake marriage trope that feels both familiar and surprisingly innovative.
Is the type of person who doesn’t want to lose money under any circumstance
Son Hae-yeong is the type of person who doesn’t want to lose money under any circumstance, having experienced loss after loss in family, love, and work. When faced with the possibility of missing out on a crucial promotion at work, she devises an unconventional solution. Hae-yeong seeks out a fake wedding with her neighborhood convenience store employee, Kim Ji-uk, to avoid missing out on the promotion. What begins as a purely transactional arrangement slowly transforms into something neither of them expected, as their fake marriage becomes the foundation for genuine connection and unexpected romance.
Son Hae-yeong: The Pragmatic Protagonist
Shin Min-a delivers a masterful performance as Hae-yeong, a woman whose fear of loss has shaped every aspect of her life. While growing up, she had to share her mother’s love with others and often found her partners in relationships below her break-even point. This background creates a character who approaches love like a business transaction, calculating risks and benefits with mathematical precision. Throughout the series, we witness Hae-yeong’s gradual transformation from someone who views relationships as potential losses to someone who learns that love requires vulnerability and the willingness to take emotional risks.
Kim Ji-uk: The Gentle Heart
Kim Young-dae brings remarkable depth to Ji-uk, a kind and compassionate part-timer who becomes an unexpected anchor in Hae-yeong’s carefully controlled world. Kim Ji-uk is known for being a model employee, but his character runs much deeper than his humble job suggests. His willingness to enter into this arrangement reveals a man who understands the complexities of human nature and is willing to help someone in need, even at personal cost. The chemistry between Shin Min-a and Kim Young-dae creates authentic moments that make their evolving relationship feel both believable and deeply touching.
The Climax: When Fake Becomes Real
The series reaches its emotional peak when the carefully constructed boundaries between fake and real begin to blur. The main romance takes a backseat towards the end of the series, with the love story between Hae-yeong and Ji-wook riddled with convoluted revelations. While some viewers found the finale’s direction challenging, the emotional core of the series remains strong. The climax forces both characters to confront their true feelings and decide whether their arrangement has evolved into something worth fighting for beyond contracts and convenience.
Supporting Characters: A Rich Ensemble
The series also features Lee Sang-yi and Han Ji-hyun in supporting roles that add significant depth to the narrative. While we don’t gain satisfaction with our primary love pairing, No Gain No Love is saved by the strength of its secondary romance plot. A spin-off titled Spice Up Our Love starring Lee Sang-yi and Han Ji-hyun was released on October 3, 2024, demonstrating how compelling these secondary characters became for audiences.
Success on Prime Video
The series garnered positive reception with viewers praising it as worth watching, highlighting how love, laughs, and fake marriage collide in this charming romantic comedy drama. The 12-episode format allowed for tight storytelling while giving enough space for character development. Viewers described it as the best rom-com they watched in 2024, though some felt 12 episodes wasn’t enough. The series’ success on Prime Video demonstrates the continued global appetite for well-crafted Korean romantic comedies that blend humor with genuine emotional stakes.
If you love stories about second chances, practical romance, and the beautiful messiness of human connection, No Gain No Love is the perfect series to binge on Prime Video. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best relationships start with the most unconventional beginnings.
No Gain No Love transforms a simple fake marriage premise into a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and the courage to take emotional risks when it matters most.
Series Details:
Number of Episodes: 12
Platform: Prime Video
Rating: 7.5/10 (IMDb)
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama
Protagonists: Shin Min-a (Son Hae-yeong), Kim Young-dae (Kim Ji-uk)
Antagonist: Corporate politics and personal fears of vulnerability