K-Drama heroines are often written as resilient and hardworking women, who overcome great difficulties to find success and happiness. The more a character suffers, the more viewers can wish for a happy ending to their story. Song Ji-hyo’s character in Was it love? is no exception.

The character of Song, a single mother named No Ae-jung, worked diligently from a grueling series of part-time jobs to become a film producer. This achievement would be even more impressive if the company she worked for had real capital. Not only is she late for a paycheck, the business is in debt to vicious loan sharks. The CEO fled, leaving Ae-jung in an unexpected and very vulnerable position.

No car trip or night work will get her the money she needs to reimburse the loan sharks. Yet finding that money is a matter of life and death. The loan sharks know where she lives and where her daughter goes to school.

In the 13 years that Ae-jung has been a single mom, she hasn’t spent a lot of time dating, but just when she’s faced with this impossible problem, her love life starts to improve.

As a reward for their patient suffering, the oppressed k-drama heroines are often endowed with not one, but two perfectly suited romantic candidates. Although they have to choose the best candidate, they can’t really lose.

There is a saying that comes up often in Korean dramas as to why some people are lucky in terms of appearance, life, and love. You must have saved the country in another life, the saying goes, which implies that the person has won the chance that he knows in this life. Ae-jung is certainly rewarded with suitors. She doesn’t just have the choice between two romantic candidates. She meets four of them.

The first of the men, suddenly appearing in his life, is the CEO of a heavily tattooed and menacing loan shark, Koo Pa-do, played by Kim Min-jun. The second is her daughter’s homeroom teacher Oh Yeon-woo, with whom she shares a bit of history. Yeon-woo is played by Koo Ja-sung.

The third is actor Ryu Jin, whom she wanted to kiss when they were together at school. The actor, played by Song Jong-ho, may have been looking forward to this kiss. Finally, just to balance things out, there’s the famous author, Oh Dae-o, who she hopes to work with, played by Son Ho-jun.

While she must one day make a choice, each of these men is in some way an integral part of her life. She needs Dae-o and Ryu-Jin to make the movie that will save her business from Pa-do debt collectors. She needs Yeon-woo to protect her daughter.

Ultimately, Ae-jung will have to make everything work – with or without these men in her life – as she has during all the years she’s been a single mother. Viewers expect nothing less than determination from k-drama heroines, even if they take some time for romance along the way.

Was it love is Song Ji-hyo’s first television series in two years, although she can also be seen currently in the psychological thriller Intruder and in its regular concert variety show on Running Man. This is Kim Min-jun’s first non-cameo role in a drama in four years. Three years ago he appeared in the movie Miss Boucher. This is Koo Ja-sung’s third drama, having previously starred in The secret life of my secretary and Misty. Song Jang-ho was last seen in the drama series Chronicles of Arthdal and the 2018 film Broker. Son Ho-jun recently appeared in the drama Light in your eyes and the cinema Guy with potential for success.