3 Things We Loved & 1 Thing We Hated About The Premiere Of "Strangers Again"

If you’re looking for a great enemies-to-lovers romance that combines with the exes-to-lovers trope, look no further than “Strangers Again.” The story follows the story of two divorce lawyers, Oh Ha Ra (Kang Sora) and Goo Eun Beom (Jang Seung Jo), who were once married to each other after 10 years of dating but have recently divorced. Although they haven’t seen each other in a couple of years, Goo Eun Beom comes to work at the same law firm as Oh Ha Ra. Here are a few things we loved and one thing we hated about the first two episodes!

Warning: spoilers ahead!

LOVED: The chemistry between the leads

While any great K-drama needs chemistry between the leads to entice viewers, the tension that arises between characters in the enemies-to-lovers and exes-to-lovers tropes requires the leading pair to have a sizzling spark. Fortunately, Kang Sora and Jang Seung Jo deliver this to the audience. They have intense bickering scenes that are paramount for enemies-to-lovers, but they also have that great camaraderie in their characters that you need for exes-to-lovers. There isn’t just hate between them; there’s also a decade’s worth of friendship and familiarity between them as well. It’s enticing to watch and keeps you wanting more—how will Oh Ha Ra and Goo Eun Beom grow back together? Can Oh Ha Ra forgive Goo Eun Beom for turning his back on their marriage? Only time will tell.

LOVED: The strong female relationships

Little things are more enjoyable to watch than strong female relationships in K-dramas. When it comes to romance dramas, female characters can often be pitted against each other. Fortunately, “Strangers Again” gives us not one but two strong relationships between women within the first two episodes. Oh Ha Ra has amusing yet pivotal conversations with her co-worker and close friend Kang Bi Chwi (Jo Eun Ji) as well as a serious and meaningful talk with her boss Hong Yeo Rae (Gil Hae Yeon). Since their close friendships are already established, it will be interesting to see how they will react and support each other while the rest of the story unfolds.

LOVED: Oh Ha Ra putting herself out there

It’s no secret that there’s a stigma around divorced women, especially when it comes to them finding love again after they have ended their marriage. Although it started under shaky circumstances, the first two episodes introduce a new love interest for Oh Ha Ra. While she isn’t open to dating Min Jae Gyeom (Moo Jin Sung) right away since he’s affiliated with her ex-husband, she allows herself to open up to him. Their scenes are sweet, especially when he lets her know that he doesn’t care that she has been divorced. While it may not last, considering the drama is about her and Goo Eun Beom, it’s amazing to see her open her heart and allow herself to have some fun.

HATED: Oh Ha Ra not getting to shine as a “litigation goddess”

Going into the premiere episodes of “Strangers Again,” almost every description of the drama named Oh Ha Ra as a “litigation goddess.” And while she had a few scenes where she totally owned the courtroom, it was hard not to notice that many of the victorious scenes seemed to prop up Goo Eun Beom instead. For example, in the first divorce case of the show, Oh Ha Ra is struggling to frame her client’s extreme jealousy as something that didn’t cause the couple’s divorce. Instead of finding the loophole herself—like one would think since she is the “litigation goddess” of the show—Goo Eun Beom finds it for her instead. And in the second divorce case, she comments on how she could sue the opposing council for being inappropriate during their meetings, but again, Goo Eun Beom does it for her instead.

While it’s not to say that Goo Eun Beom doesn’t deserve to shine—after all, the descriptions of the drama also indicate that he’s a great lawyer—these moments cheapened the “litigation goddess” title that Oh Ha Ra is supposed to be known for. She’s a famous and confident lawyer within the confines of the show, so shouldn’t she have had these moments to win and save herself? Fortunately, it’s just the first two episodes, so hopefully she will get her big moment (or moments) to shine and show off all her legal wits and intelligence in the episodes to come.

Watch the first episode below:

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Hey Soompiers! What did you think about the premiere episodes of “Strangers Again”? Let us know in the comments below!

kaityv is a freelance writer and editor. In her spare time, she enjoys watching K-dramas and listening to BTS, Red Velvet, and other talented artists.

Currently watching: “Strangers Again”
All-time favorites: “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon” and “Do You Like Brahms?”
Looking forward to: “Our Blooming Youth” and “Daily Dose of Sunshine”