JTBC’s Friday series 'Love Me' is set to air its final episode on January 23.
According to Nielsen Korea’s nationwide household ratings, 'Love Me' debuted with a 2.2% viewership rating for its first episode but remained in the 1% range for nine consecutive episodes thereafter. Given its high-profile cast, including Seo Hyun Jin and Yoo Jae Myung, this outcome has been viewed as a disappointing performance.
That said, the drama has established itself as a source of comfort and encouragement for its loyal viewers. Throughout its run, it drew heartfelt responses such as, “They really feel like a real family,” “I’ve grown attached to this family,” and “It was better because they were together.”
'Love Me' portrays the journey of a family learning to heal, recover, and rediscover love after loss. Following the sudden absence of Mi Ran, a mother and wife, the remaining family members processed their grief at different paces. Daughter Seo Jun Kyung (Seo Hyun Jin), husband Seo Jin Ho (Yoo Jae Myung), and youngest son Seo Jun Seo (Lee Si Woo) did not simply consume the tragedy emotionally; instead, they accepted that life continues and gradually moved forward. In doing so, they began to see one another, once the loneliest people in each other’s lives, in a new light.
Along the way, the three confronted unfamiliar emotions such as excitement, anger, and new forms of love. Rather than avoiding these feelings, they learned to embrace them and grow.
Jun Kyung, through her relationship with her next-door neighbor Joo Do Hyun (Jang Ryul), came to acknowledge the loneliness that had long bound her. Jin Ho, after meeting Jin Ja Young (Yoon Se Ah) during a trip, was forced to confront the question of whether it was acceptable to love again—and ultimately realized that pursuing happiness, not just sacrifice, is also a form of love.
Jun Seo, after ending a relationship in which he was always the one compromising, entered a new phase of growth through his bond with longtime female friend Ji Hye On (Dahyun). In this way, the drama delicately captured different faces of each generation, drawing broad empathy from viewers.
Growth through love also led to changes in family dynamics. After her mother’s death, Jun Kyung began dating Do Hyun and gained a new understanding of how to love someone. While observing Jin Ho and Ja Young’s relationship, she realized that her presence may have unintentionally hurt Do Hyun’s son, Daniel.
Jun Seo, who had felt lost and believed he was the only one who was lonely despite nearing his thirties, took a step toward true independence by shedding his past selfishness, which had been fueled by insecurity and anger. Through repeated cycles of misunderstanding and reconciliation, the family came to understand that being a family does not require constant togetherness—what ultimately matters is that each person lives well and finds happiness.
At the heart of this narrative were Seo Hyun Jin, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Si Woo, Yoon Se Ah, Jang Ryul, and Dahyun. Seo Hyun Jin delivered a nuanced portrayal of Jun Kyung, a woman long trapped in loneliness who slowly changes through love, convincingly unfolding a character arc in which suppressed emotions gradually surface. Her calm narration throughout each episode, restrained yet deeply resonant, anchored the drama’s emotional tone.
Yoo Jae Myung authentically depicted Jin Ho’s journey as a widower who gently consoles himself and takes tentative steps forward, making the difficult choice of loving again after loss feel believable. Lee Si Woo candidly expressed the anxieties and wounds of youth, portraying a coming-of-age marked by both immaturity and sincerity.
Yoon Se Ah added warmth and depth by portraying a mature love that respects emotional scars, elevating the dignity of relationships. Jang Ryul balanced Jun Kyung’s love story with a quiet, comforting presence, while Dahyun brought vitality to Hye On, realistically expressing the wavering emotions between first love and friendship. Together, the six actors’ ensemble performance served as the driving force that sustained the drama’s emotional core until the end.
In the most recent episode, the story once again reached a moment of fracture. Jun Kyung opened a Pandora’s box she could not close by questioning Do Hyun’s ex-lover, Im Yoon Joo, about Daniel’s birth. Jin Ho encountered new anxieties after noticing Ja Young’s unusual symptoms, while Jun Seo found himself at a dangerous crossroads after resorting to credit card loans to secure a temporary lecturer position.
With only two episodes remaining until the finale, attention is focused on how Love Me will conclude the Seo family’s final chapter of love and growth.
'Love Me' is based on the Swedish original series of the same name, created by Josephine Bornebusch, and has previously been remade in Australia under the same title for BINGE/FOXTEL. International audiences can also watch 'Love Me' via U-NEXT in Japan and through Rakuten Viki across the Americas, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, Asia, and India, along with various other platforms.
The final episodes (Episodes 11–12) of 'Love Me' will air back-to-back on Friday, the 23rd, at 8:50 PM KST on JTBC.
SEE ALSO: I.O.I announces 10th anniversary tour "Starting in Seoul, then Bangkok and Hong Kong"
SHARE
