Scarlett Valencia Pulido
Online Editor
Would having a “love sensor” help us find love? Well, that is an idea Love Alarm was willing to explore in its futuristic series, where a cell phone app allows you to know who likes you within a 10-meter radius.
This Korean drama goes over the impact an app like this could have on our interactions in the real world while covering the benefits and drawbacks of its mere existence.
When I first saw the show on Netflix, I became intrigued by what this app could do. I had not heard of anything like it and wanted to see the Love Alarm in action.
In the show, Kim Jo-Jo, played by Kim So-hyun, lives in a society driven by the Love Alarm app. The platform’s creator, who remains anonymous, decided to include a ringing notification that alerts the user each time someone that has a “crush” on them is close without revealing who this person is. But for the app to work, both individuals must have downloaded it on their device.
Jo-Jo goes to high school and is convinced she does not want to download the app, but that does not mean she does not think about what would happen if she did.
The app’s success is quite understandable. Wondering who likes you is a thought that comes across your mind at some point in your life. This app surely facilitates the process of figuring out if a person likes you or they are just being nice to you.
It is important to point out that using the app does mean you are willing to expose your true feelings. Same way as how apps allow you to see who has seen your text message if you allow others to see if you left someone on “read” or not when you are having a conversation on your mobile device.
Throughout the show, we see how Jo-Jo makes new friendships and finds love along the way while trying to figure out who she wants to be with, Lee Hye-yeong (Jung Ga-ram) or Hwang Sun-oh (Song Kang), who are best friends. They are pretty much the good boy and bad boy of the show, but they are both kind and sweet.
Yet this is not the stereotypical high school drama, even though it sounds that way. But as a matter of fact, it has many unexpected and intense events occurring left and right, starting with the mystery of who created the Love Alarm App.
If you are not into high school dramas do not fret, you are in for something different. I can tell you this two-season show does not end when the characters graduate high school. They actually go on to follow their own paths while still being attached, in some way or another, to those they once knew in school.
If you want to start watching Korean dramas, this is where you can begin. You can expect suspense, love, trauma, mystery, likable characters, art and technology. And if you are into K-Pop or fashion, there are many moments where the characters are immersed in these two worlds. Love Alarm is a must-watch series that will keep you interested until the last episode.
vales63@mail.broward.edu