REVIEW: Can This Love Be Translated? Finds a Fresh Spark in Familiar Rom-Com Territory

Every great movie or series lives or dies by its ability to offer something fresh. That doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel every time—plenty of filmmakers know how to take a familiar formula and make something special out of it—but there’s something particularly exciting when a project finds a new angle or an unexpected twist. Can This Love Be Translated doesn’t break new ground in terms of genre mechanics, but it smartly reshuffles rom-com conventions in a way that feels light, playful, and just different enough to stand out.

The hook is immediately appealing. The series follows a young actress who suffers an accident while filming her latest project, only to wake up from a coma months later as a bona fide superstar. As she struggles to adjust to her sudden fame, she crosses paths with a man who works as a translator for various people and productions, including a project where she stars opposite a popular Japanese actor—naturally setting the stage for a potential love triangle. It’s a familiar setup on paper, but the series finds a lot of charm in how it plays with perspective, communication, and timing.

Romance is where the show truly shines. The central relationship is engaging and emotionally grounded, even if the comedy doesn’t always land as strongly as it aims to. Still, the series makes clever use of language barriers and cultural misunderstandings, wringing genuine humor and awkwardness out of moments where communication fails—or almost succeeds.

Go Youn-jung is a strong anchor for the series, bringing warmth, vulnerability, and spark to a character juggling newfound fame, romance, and unresolved trauma. That latter element feeds into a subplot that resolves in a way that’s quieter and more thoughtful than expected. Kim Seon-ho proves once again why he’s such a reliable romantic lead; his easy charm and grounded performance make the emotional pull of the relationship feel earned. Their chemistry is excellent, and it becomes the driving force behind the series, making the inevitable question of “will they or won’t they?” genuinely compelling. The ending, thankfully, lands on a sweet and satisfying note.

Fukushi also makes a strong impression as the potential third point in the romantic triangle. The decision to maintain a language barrier between him and Go Youn-jung’s Moo-hee is a smart one, leading to several awkward, amusing, and surprisingly tender moments. He brings a welcome dose of charm that helps keep the dynamic balanced rather than predictable.

In the end, Can This Love Be Translated succeeds by embracing a familiar framework and finding small but meaningful ways to refresh it. It’s a breezy, enjoyable watch, elevated by strong performances and a clever use of language and miscommunication, and while it may not redefine the rom-com, it delivers exactly what it promises—with enough personality to make it linger.