Misunderstandings and miscommunications have led to separation more times than not, both in reality and in fiction. It isn’t until after a long period of time has passed that the said misunderstanding can be cleared, and hopefully, there is a reconciliation. A separation caused by bad timing or misunderstandings is a favorite plot point for romance stories. The separation becomes a test of the love, patience, trust, and faith people have in each other. If anything, the separation makes them come out as stronger and more mature individuals. “Individual Circumstances” is a Korean BL which tells the story of one such pair who grew apart because of a misunderstanding. But do they find each other back? Let’s find out!
Spoilers Ahead
‘Individual Circumstances’ Plot Synopsis: What Are The Circumstances Of Our Leads?
The story begins with Woo Jae, a writer working on his latest piece of romance fiction. He is writing a fictional romance story about a woman named Mi So and a man named Hyo Jae who were in love, but they were separated. This story is a reflection of Woo Jae’s story with Yeon Woo. Alas, he is unable to find a suitable ending for the fictional story. When his manager drops by to ask for an update on the story, he has none and asks for a break instead. Parallelly, we see that Ha Yeon Woo is struggling to make a movie once again. His first venture was a success, but he then faced a slump, and his options have now come down to making adult erotic comedy movies. He comes across a romance story online by an author named J-Dogg, and he goes in search of the author. When he finally finds out details about the author, he goes down to the author’s residence and finds that J-Dogg is none other than Woo Jae. Woo Jae is not happy to see Yeon Woo after all these years. Yeon Woo stays in his car outside Woo Jae’s house and tries to get Woo Jae to agree to make his story into a movie. Woo Jae’s manager is protective of him and often drops by to check in on him. One might surmise that he has feelings for Woo Jae, but that angle is not probed further.
Woo Jae is not yet over Yeon Woo’s behavior in the past and has since held a grudge. But he slowly warms up to Yeon Woo. When Yeon Woo falls sick after spending the night in his tent during a rainstorm, Woo Jae gets him some medicine as well. Yeon Woo is like an energetic puppy who goes around Woo Jae, trying to get his attention and appease him. There is a push and pull going on between the two until they finally face their problems. Woo Jae is stuck on his latest story, and he uses his story as an outlet to find the solutions to his problems. Woo Jae has had a crush on Yeon Woo almost since the day they met. He also got a matching hoodie for Yeon Woo, but Yeon Woo forgot it in class. Woo Jae saw the hoodie left behind and assumed that Yeon Woo did not care for his feelings or the gift. When Yeon Woo lied to Woo Jae that he gave it to the dry cleaners, Woo Jae was hurt even more. Yeon Woo and Woo Jae discuss the story and eventually start sorting out the unspoken matters between them. Yeon Woo says that his abrupt departures were because of his mother, who was ill. She passed away soon after. Yeon Woo tells him that he couldn’t get in touch with Woo Jae, and he eventually stopped looking. When the air is finally cleared, Woo Jae and Yeon Woo decide to forgive each other and get together.
‘Individual Circumstances’ Ending Explained: Do Woo Jae And Yeon Woo Get Back Together?
Through Woo Jae’s story about Mi So and Hyo Jae, Woo Jae tries to find answers to his and Yeon Woo’s tale. All those years ago, while at university, Woo Jae and Yeon Woo got separated due to a misunderstanding. Woo Jae has not moved on from Yeon Woo, and it is still evident because all his passcodes hint at some memory related to Yeon Woo. When the two finally cross paths, this time as a writer and a director, Yeon Woo tries to make up for lost time. But Woo Jae has held his grudge, and his demeanor towards Yeon Woo is cold. Eventually, the two will sort out their differences and get back together. Woo Jae agrees to make his story into a movie, and Yeon Woo will be in the director’s chair. The two then decide to spend a month working on the script for the film and spend some time together as well. Yeon Woo was struggling in his job, and when he was offered the chance to direct an adult erotica comedy film, his peers started speaking ill of him behind his back. Woo Jae was his ticket to get his lost pride back. His puppy-dog energy is infectious, and it is simply impossible to resist the charm of his antics. He wears Woo Jae down with his enthusiasm and bubbly nature. Yeon Woo and Woo Jae are in contrast with each other. Woo Jae is a man of few words and meaningful gestures, whereas Yeon Woo cannot stop talking! The two gel well because of their common interests, and they also complement each other’s personalities as well.
Final Words
“Individual Circumstances” is a decent BL story. Thankfully, there was no objectification, stereotyping, or inappropriate behavior in this short drama. The chemistry between the leads was palpable to an extent, but the director did not tap more into it. When the leads eventually kiss, it is awkward despite their chemistry. Both actors are stunned into silence, and the kiss cannot be qualified as a kiss. In today’s times, when the world is growing more and more accepting and welcoming of homosexual romance stories, there are still stories that try to make an attempt, but it soon turns awkward because of the forced and predictable nature of the story. “Individual Circumstances” is one of those stories. The makers tried to aim for the sunshine and grumpy trope, but it all fell flat. The flow of the story from the start seemed very mechanical and practiced, right from the setting, which felt detached from reality to the actors, who tried hard to say the lines naturally.
The story, despite its predictability, holds the audience’s interest as to what transpired between the leads that led to their estrangement. The supporting character could have led to a love triangle situation, but his appearance was limited to serving as padding for the leads’ story. The drama was like any other romance story, which ends with a kiss and a hint that “they lived happily ever after.” Sure, the leads have sorted out their differences, but we are unsure of what the future holds for them. Their collaboration movie might work out well since the story was received well in its novel form. Their reconciliation could mean a new start to their personal and professional partnership.
“Individual Circumstances” is a regular, run-of-the-mill BL romance story that we often find in the Korean media. There is nothing special that sets it apart from the rest, but it won’t hurt to watch the show if you’re looking for a quick romance fix.
