My Holo Love (2020) User Reviews

Tech Thriller with Romance

[nishera · 8/10 · 8 February 2020]

I was expecting this to be a futuristic ROMANCE flick, focused primarily on the excitement and challenges of falling in love. And while it did start down that path initially, before we could get into the "meat" of the trio's relationship, the plot changed gears, evolving instead into a suspenseful tech THRILLER. After that, the romance took a backseat to the corporate intrigue.

As may be expected of Netflix, this production is technically slick with plenty of low-key special effects, a nice soundtrack and some decent action scenes/car chase stunts. If you have seen "Memories of the Alhambra," I would say this has a similar flavor (minus the gaming). Lee Ki Chan also did a great job of portraying two polar opposite personalities and acting to green screen. The manga-like plot, though not especially original, was still interesting enough and started strong.

Unfortunately, about halfway through, some obvious plot holes began to appear, and the last 2-3 episodes had to rush to accommodate all the necessary twists and turns for a happy ending. On the other hand, the faster pacing also neatly tied up most of the loose ends, so at least there's that.

All in all, if you go for light, family-friendly fantasy/sci-fi romance stories that don't require much basis in reality, this will probably be right up your alley. Recommended.

ROMANCE RATING: 7/10 I can't speak for others, but considering that this is being marketed as a romance film, it would have been nice if the love stories with both Holo and Nan Do were a little more fleshed out. All the necessary scenes were there, but somehow, I just kept expecting...more. Like looking at the rough sketch of a picture, or only reading every other line in a book (though you may disagree).

Aside from that nitpick, as far as actual chemistry goes, I thought the main leads had good compatibility. It was a little disappointing that we didn't get to see much of the kisses (2+ scenes) when they actually happened, but by K-drama standards, I would consider them acceptable.

Its a Netflix series Kdrama. Take it as it is.

[calebglenlyons · 8/10 · 24 February 2020]

It's a good show. Clearly not a masterpiece, but it's still solid for what it is. Don't go into it thinking the AI concept is going to have you up all night pondering the future. This show isn't like that and didn't intend to be like that. Anyways.. Many people are giving this a 5 or 6 and saying they quit watching after 4 or 5 episodes. It's predictable in many ways, but if you watch it without obsessively searching for errors, then it's likely you'll enjoy it like a did.

Lightweight Fantasy

[kkriesch · 7/10 · 8 February 2020]

This show is a bit on the slim side but overall is an enjoyable "tech" fantasy. Found the romances predictable as well as the villians and could see the plot twists way ahead of the characters. Regardless, it's an entertaining piece of fluff populated with some of my favorite Korean supporting actors and actresses.

Hooked from the first minutes

[sini-200 · 10/10 · 18 March 2020]

One of the best Kdramas I've seen. I got hooked from the very episode and finished the series in less than days. Very well written plot, even with cliches, makes it worth while and the diverse modern touch to it. Nan-Do is one of the best layered characters I've seen, the painful past that was revealed in flashbacks, the way you grown into him, as well to Holo, and want to see both of them happy. And the plottwist you don't see coming, wrapping the end with the post way possible, making you cry tears or joy and sadness at the same time. I totally recommend watching. And I will totally be rewatching this series.

Best drama so far

[docsandra · 10/10 · 14 February 2020]

I watched this in a day. It's soooo good. It made me feel part of the story, the actors are amazing, the plot and storyline is innovative and great. Such a good drama. I hope Netflix will make a season 2

Good Enough

[PennyReviews · 7/10 · 11 February 2020]

" My Holo Love " was an AI love story done right.

The plot had many leyers, with not only the romance, but the past mystery, the family dynamics and the business drama. The CGI were pretty great too, which helped the drama a lot, as bad CGI would have ruined the whole atmosphere the drama was trying to pull off. The male lead was amazing too, as he managed the two characters perfectly, creating romantic leads with both of them, even though they were perfect opposites. I would have liked if they had explored Holo's and the guy's relationship. The second couple was interesting too and they had nice chemistry. The female lead was cute, but she was annoying at some point, though she got better towards the ending. Finally, the ending was quite satisfying.

Different and Unique K-drama

[phebaa · 10/10 · 21 May 2020]

I enjoyed it very much. May people think it is the same old drama but, it really isn't. It was light and ended bittersweetly. At first I would admit it was a bit hard to watch, because it was a bit slow for my taste, but later you get to appreciate all the characters and understand that each and everyone of them has a story and you learn to love all of them. Many people weren't interested in the whole sci-fi and AI concept, but I think they play it very well. Also people were talking about how they didn't contact the police after the incident in the first episode, but Yoo-jin did say that the police just thought it was hackers, and you can see it discussed in the first episode. Personally people should learn to love this drama more and look at it as a whole. I loved the characters, the chemistry, and the cinematography (it was fresh and nice to look at). I want to personally give a shout out to Yoon Hyun-min (the actor who plays both Holo and Ko Nan-do) for making both characters personalities different. You could really tell who was who. If you sit down and you watch the whole thing without looking at individual mistakes, you too can love it as much as I did.

Too many flaws

[rapid-sapienza · 6/10 · 2 May 2022]

Not the best Kdrama. Key issues are not done well. For example, NaN-do's mother's suicide; through a fence, down a hillside and suffocated??? Worst medical examiner ever! There are many more which ruin the series.

Great Drama

[nigerbd · 10/10 · 30 April 2020]

This is my second korean drama in lockdown. It is dubbed in English. I am so glad that I have found it. It would be one of my favourite movie for all time. The drama is cute , sweet and romantic....

Disappointing for this fan of artificial intelligence based stories

[leahcubed · 7/10 · 10 March 2021]

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 SoUtah Korean science fiction romance with 12, 49-57 minute episodes.

Han So-yeon (Ko Sung-hee) is a pretty woman who lives a secluded life due to having prosopagnosia (inability to distinguish one face from another). iBecause of her face blindness disorder, So-yeon decided to live a reclusive life. She finds herself in the middle of a chase where one technology developer is trying to steal cutting edge artificial intelligence/ holographic technology from another and the glasses used to generate the hologram are planted on her during the chase. It is not long before the lonely young woman discovers the hologram "Holo" ( Yoon Hyun-min) and finds companionship and feels love for the AI. The genius software developer, Go Nan-do is noticing Holo doing things because of So-yeon and decides to leave Holo vvith So-Yeon to determine the full capability of the AI. Nan-do patterned "Holo" after his physical appearance when she starts using the AI program Holo whose appearance is the same as the developer, Go Nan-do. In terms of personality Holo is warm and caring where Nan-do is cold and impersonal. As So-Heinz discovers that loving an AI means having no physical contact, she meets Nan-do who moved in next to her to guard her and his creation. Nan-do was a lonely young boy who lost his mother early and developed his AI to alleviate the loneliness of himself and others like him. Holo seeing the two people as more similar than different sets out to matchmaker his "friends".

I really wanted to like this as I like artificial intelligence based dramas. I found the romance between the female lead and holo hard to believe. They seemed like good friends but there was no depth to the relationship for it to develop into a true love. More believable would have been for the female lead to quickly fall for the inventor who looked like the hologram she liked. Instead they had her hung up on something that could never be while the real deal was pining after her. It was a bit of a shorter series anyway and it felt like a lot of time was spent on the female leaD'Souza relationship with holo and little with Nandi, the real man. Thus their love story felt rushed and not very genuine. I would not watch it again and would only recommend it to those who like the actors from other things or who just really like all aspects of AI.

Definitely Worth watching

[mehdiellabbady · 10/10 · 9 February 2020]

I finished this show in 2 days, and it didn't disappoint, its a beauty. I believe Korean doesn't stop creating and entertaining

good start but fades quickly

[backnblack-06123 · 6/10 · 21 February 2020]

Had enough after 6 episodes and honestly struggled after the 4th one, for me a 6 is being kind and i dint finish it so thats it.Never going to understand how people rate this a 10, plenty of KD that make this look amateur

Had Potential... (Only Mild Spoilers Below)

[fake_moviestar · 5/10 · 8 September 2020]

Let's start with the good: the concept was interesting and original, and the CGI and graphics looked absolutely stunning! The special effects could rival those in a big budget movie, they really do look that good. The acting was decent, and parts of the story line were good as well, particularly the development of an advanced AI and the effects it would have on people as well as business and government. This also has a cute and happy ending for those who like that.

Now for the bad: I hated the romance. It was awful. It felt forced, heavy-handed, and nonsensical. There was really no reason for the main couple to fall in love. (Episode 7, 8, and 9 were incredibly irritating and frustrating to watch). I felt like the concept of the AI looking identical to the creator actually worked against the love story line, and it was so immature for the leading lady to "fall in love" with the AI, who was always perfect and did everything for her happiness. He was sweet and devoted and way far away from being human. Also she fell in love with the AI in like a week? It felt so forced, and the actors did their best but it felt forced too. I actually really liked the older sister and the son of the rival boss as a couple WAY more than I liked the lead couple. I will admit that towards the end of the series the love story felt less awful and I warmed up to them as a couple, but to be honest it still felt a little flat. I wish the love story line wasn't included, because I feel like this show could have been great.

This was a similar concept to I Am Not A Robot, except that show blew this one away in every way, especially the romance! If you feel disappointed after watching this check I Am Not A Robot out, you will definitely like it better!

Overall my 5 stars were mostly for the cool CGI and the side characters. Also So-Yeon's mom was the best! I wish there had been more scenes with her!

Deep and Thought-provoking

[newkrejados · 10/10 · 4 December 2021]

Anyone with a traumatic background can relate to the main characters' self-imposed isolation. And anyone who has lived in such a state of isolation can relate to the loneliness and the near-instant infatuation with someone who is all in with them.

Except it's not a someone who's all in. And that's where it gets interesting.

Holo does an excellent job in plumbing the depths of childhood trauma and its lifelong effects. And it does a fantastic job of showing how, with just a bit of grace, such trauma can be overcome.

And then, there's the AI angle. Holo touches on all of the moral and ethical aspects of AI, from how much learning should be permitted to how damaging it could be if commercialized with no thought to its wider impacts on society.

Considering how philosophical and thought-provoking this story is, the romance and human foibles seem almost discordant. But maybe that's the point: the purity of Holo against the vagaries of humans.

A Sci-fi Romance

[deanadeva · 8/10 · 10 May 2020]

It was definitely a good watch. After watching Memories of Alhambra and now this. I really understand explaining the limits of technology and the power of imagination in paper and pen is so much more difficult than what it looks like. But the cast did an amazing job. Even with smaller roles to play each of the supporting roles were so strong in character. It was funny, romantic and a bit of thriller make the mix so much good. And one of the best ending as well. And definitely doesn't leave you feeling miserable.

Def. not a mind blowing show

[anantox · 6/10 · 8 February 2020]

I have watched up to 6 episodes and so far nothing new. Girl falls in love with AI. They think it's an AI bug and so on.... nothing really new. It's very similar to "i'm not a robot". That's the vibe I got from watching the first 6 episodes. It can get boring from time to time. I was kinddda excited after watching the trailer but it's not worth the hype. It's an OK show if you have nothing else to watch

Mind blowing Show

[raviuppal800 · 10/10 · 7 February 2020]

What a fintastic show this is. Speacialy emotions of the actors. Very nice direction. You are going to fall in love with the show. Everyone should watch it one time.

Nice but very childish

[marco-maas · 6/10 · 25 December 2020]

It looks this serie is written for children, the characters act like they are 10 instead of 30. The storyline is oké but I have the feeling I am watching a Walt Disney film, maybe it is typical Korean. So it is nice but it could have been a lot better, no way this is almost a 8, I would say max 6,5.

Amazing story!

[marcarosc · 10/10 · 13 April 2020]

A brilliant story to watch, loved this series would definitely recomend this

I am not a Robot

[jambuttons · 7/10 · 8 March 2020]

Conceptually similar to a recent Netflix kdrama "I am Not a Robot", but everything is in reverse. They are both equally watchable if you like kdrama romance.

Awesome drama

[anisillya · 10/10 · 27 April 2020]

Best drama ever! Especially when yoon hyun min was the main cast. So cute!!!!

Underappreciated

[TheodoraEh · 7/10 · 28 January 2024]

I started this very reluctantly, thinking the overall theme was very corny, but it turned out very enjoyable and I'm glad. Granted, you have to suspend belief in every scene, and I'm not even talking about the AI.

Some of the things that annoyed me: -The whole "childhood trauma" trope is always overblown in Kdramas. I can't remember which one it was, but someone even had a thing that happened to them as a child while it was raining, so they had a fear of rain as an adult. In this one let's say it's more logical, with his mom dying and all, but still the fact that as adults they haven't managed or even tried to get over childhood traumas and they talk about them like they're facts rather than a process they have to go through, annoys me. But I guess they whole series is something happening that makes them get over it so we're basically watching it happen to them, rather than them doing anything about it.

• Any scene where it wasn't the AI but the actual person impersonating the AI. There weren't that many but as viewers we really had to force ourselves to believe it's possible for someone to breathe and talk and stand next to you and not get they're human. And not think the person isn't a complete idiot for not getting it.

• The whole "know each other since childhood" trope is also very common in Kdramas, and again as viewers we have to just go along with it. Someone pls explain to me why this is so common. Anyway, in this one it added some nice interactions with the mother.

What I liked: -I liked the pacing and that it was 12 episodes instead of 16. The last couple episodes are very action packed and fun, where in other series they usually drag. I loved the running scene in the airport for some reason.

• The overall aesthetic was great, very well made both in the case of the AI and the rest.

• The male lead was great in acting different as an AI and as a human. The female lead showed great emotionality and she was gorgeous without being overwhelming.

• Some scenes were unexpectedly emotional and very well made.

Overall, I fast forwarded this one only a bit compared to others and that's a win for me. I'd never even heard of it or knew any of the actors but I really enjoyed it.

B - Minus

[geewhiz46 · 4/10 · 23 April 2023]

As usual this series was far too long for the content.

FL just happens to be in the exact same area as the ML's sister is when she is escaping from the baddies with the super spectacles Sis dumps the specs in the FL's bag.

Holo makes his appearance and helps her out of assorted difficulties brought about by her face blindness. She imagines herself to be in love with him.

Holo has been made in the image of his creator who happens to share a back story with the FL unknown by either of them.

There was absolutely NO chemistry between the leads - the one kiss we saw was an embarrassment and shouldn't have been included in the finished product.

The end was equally embarrassing with Holo first deleting himself and his files being scattered on the dark web with seeming no chance of ever being recovered - and then as the two second leads get married on the beach and are being photographed in a line-up - guess who appears in the line-up?

Yep - you got it - Holo again - in the gayest pose you will ever see - absolutely cringeworthy.

One of my favourite shows!

[willoweve · 10/10 · 26 February 2021]

This was the best. Ignore people saying about plot holes etc. Go watch a documentary if you want everything to be plausible. Just enjoy the story! The cast were all good actors, especially being able to play two different people so well. 100% recommend.

"Ships Are Safe in the Harbor, but That Is Not What Ships Are For!"

[spasek · 9/10 · 24 April 2021]

This is a fascinating character-driven series that I feel that many people will be able to relate to. So many people have suffered unimaginable suffering that they choose a life of solitude in order to prevent something like that from ever happening again. In short, the "defense mechanism" kicks in and the walls go up.

We have two such characters in Nan-Do Ko, and So-yeon Han. Nan-Do is so traumatized by his mother's suicide, that he prefers a world of computers. He locks himself away, immersing himself in his latest project: an AI.

So-yeon is also traumatized, but for another reason in which her memory blocks out the event and also causes her to have facial-blindness, also known as prosopagnosia. In short, she is incapable of recognizing someone by their face. To her co-workers, she comes off as cold and rude because of this.

Little do we know that Nan-Do's invention brings a light to So-yeon, who is pretty much a social outcast. She spends her free time up on the roof of her apartment building, drowning herself in alcohol...her only means of coping with an essentially empty life.

We also find that there is much more to the story than meets the eye, as a tragic event is responsible for Nan-Do and So-yeon's current states of self-loathing.

So then, how are two anti-social people able to come together? You can only imagine the bumps and pitfalls of two people ineptly attempting to navigate the social awkwardness that exists between them, despite their obvious feelings for each other. Uniting them is Holo (Nan-Do's AI) who is only able to express himself honestly as well as unconditionally. In short, he is what many humans aspire to be--not only for themselves--but also for each other. Holo is the ideal version of the best version of a person, no matter how unrealistic he may be.

Love is the simplest thing in the universe, and yet our egoic minds make it the most complex thing in the universe. It requires us to take a chance. It requires us to have trust and faith. And it require the ultimate form of courage: to be absolutely vulnerable.

Would people love to have their own "Holo?" Of course! But that is not a relationship. It's a fabrication for those who wish to play it safe; for those who do not want to risk being hurt; for those who wish to remain safely entrenched within their walls; for those who prefer to remain in the harbor. It's funny and sad how much our technology today has crippled people's ability to communicate genuinely face-to-face.

"My Holo Love" is only twelve episodes long, but they are rock-solid episodes! I was grateful that the writers didn't attempt to stretch things out.

Performances are fantastic across the board. Especially from Hyun-Min Yoon, who must be given the highest accolades for being able to deftly play two distinct characters. That is not nearly as easy as many people might believe.

My only issue was that the "stage" was almost too small. Such a technological breakthough would not only bring notice from a rival company as well as local law enforcement, but easily bring the scale to nationwide attention. The National Intelligence Service as well as the government would undoubtedly be involved as well. Still, this is a minor point as the story is well written.

I was also pleased that we didn't get the typical, cliched storylines involving the romantic aspects of Nan-Do and So-yeon that tend to flood most Korean romantic dramas. It not only felt fresh but also much more realistic. I'm glad that there are writers who are still able to think outside the box in this regard.

If you want to immerse yourself in a wonderful series, you really can't miss with this one!