Everything About Love Alarm, The K-Drama About An App That’ll Tell You Who Loves You

One of the saddest and most frustrating things about love is that the person you love may not always love you back.

So as you stare into their eyes, passionately professing your undying love for them, you’re expecting them to tear up before kissing you violently like the world is ending the next day.

But they usually respond with something like “Who are you?”, which always provides a stumbling block for relationships.

Well, what if there was an app that could confirm if someone was in love with you?

‘Love Alarm’

Unfortunately, there is no such app. But there is a Korean drama set in a world where that app exists.

‘Love Alarm’ premiered on Netflix on Thursday (Aug 22). It’s based on the popular webtoon Love Alarm by Kye Young Chan.

Avoiding romantic cliches unlike many other Korean TV dramas, ‘Love Alarm’ puts a new spin on the genre, making love an easier venture with the aid of smartphones.

But would it really make love easier though?

You would think that a love app could help prevent embarrassing situations like declaring your love to the wrong person, but it isn’t that simple.

Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint which person in a crowd is sending that love signal. Some people never get a love signal.

And the poor popular and attractive people have to deal with constant pings on their phone.

So what happens in the show?

Plot

Kim So Hyun plays the protagonist, JoJo. JoJo is a popular girl who has a boyfriend.

The problem is that she’s not happy with him, a judo enthusiast who is way too into himself. You know the type.

Then there’s Jung Ga Ram, who plays her co-worker Lee Hye Yeong. He secretly has a crush on her but is too shy to say anything.

Also, neither of them have downloaded the Love Alarm app. Hye Yeong situation gets worse when his rich, attractive friend, Hwang Sun Oh, comes back into his life.

Sun Oh is fascinated by his friend’s crush on JoJo, so he follows her. Because he’s attractive and gets love signals all the time, Sun Oh is intrigued when JoJo doesn’t instantly swoon at his feet.

This eventually leads to a love triangle, but one dominated by apps and love signals.

How does the app work?

In ‘Love Alarm’, if someone within a 10-meter radius likes you, then you would get a love signal.

But, like the Decider asks, how exactly does that work technologically? Is the app designed to detect a quickening of the pulse or an increase in dopamine levels?

‘Love Alarm’ doesn’t make this clear.

Either way, one hopes that the show doesn’t ruin its fascinating premise with saccharine scenes and unnecessary melodrama.

But it does ask an interesting question; would you download a love app?