It’s interesting when a drama introduces a cast that works so well together, the removal of one feels soul-jarring. Such is the case with the recently aired Korean BL Tinted With You.
Starring A.C.E.’s Jun as Jung Eun Ho, actor Yoo Hyun Woo as Lee Heon, and actor Kim Tae Jung as Go Geum, this short web drama takes the viewers back in time to save a kindhearted prince destined to die by poisoning. Many of the pros and cons I listed in my original write-up for this series remain. Because the short format doesn’t work as well for historical storylines, the chemistry carries this drama forward. What Tinted With You lacks in story detail and choppy editing, it makes up for in character, especially with the bodyguard, Go Geum.
Go Geum brings me to my biggest surprise with Tinted With You. I did not anticipate falling in love with his character as much as I did. To begin with, Tinted With You felt like a love triangle. Because of Geum’s unrequited feelings, I expected his character to increase the levels of angsty jealous moments I originally foresaw for this. Instead, Geum defied my expectations. He became the core of this drama.
I cared for Geum more than I did any other character. His selfless nature, loyalty, and obvious love for the prince stirred something in me. Although Prince Heon and Eun Ho’s love hastily developed, it was Geum’s unexplored love that felt so vitally real in Tinted With You. So much so that I couldn’t see Heon or Eun Ho in a relationship without Geum being a part of it.
Geum’s chemistry with both leads completely sold Tinted With You for me. This says a lot about Kim Tae Jung’s acting ability and how his character was written. Although Heon and Eun Ho are a cute couple on their own, they don’t feel complete. The way both of them needed Geum made their being in a relationship feel stronger with Geum included. Therefore, Tinted With You felt like a three-way love story, and if that’s what the writers intended, it came across well. Geum is the glue that holds them all together, and never is this more evident than in the final scene in the drama. By having Geum appear in the conclusion, it felt finished in a way it wouldn’t have without him.
Whether this drama was meant to present a polyamorous relationship or not, I can’t see Eun Ho and Heon in a relationship without Geum.
All in all, Tinted With You is a quick, fun watch that depends heavily on Geum’s character to pull it off. It would have been a much fuller story without the time constraints. Historical pieces are simply hard to pull off as short dramas, but Geum saved Tinted With You for me. I’m not familiar with Kim Tae Jung as an actor, but I’d be interested to see him in many more projects.
If you are looking for a quick watch with a polyamorous feel, definitely feel free to check Tinted With You out on Viki.
Rating- 3 out of 5
The BL Xpress 