My Sweet Mobster Review: This Is *The* Perfect Rom-Com

Some TV shows are like a warm hug on a cold day. They cheer you up, inspire you, and embrace you. Its characters slowly become your friends and you look forward to seeing them every week. This is the little televised miracle that jTBC successfully achieved with the lovely My Sweet Mobster, which aired its last episode (T-T) last Thursday.

The funny thing is, when I first read the premise, I thought that it was an incredibly difficult feat to pull off. Childhood friends. One becomes a mobster. And… the other wants to become a kids’ content creator? Developing a rom-com around this premise without turning the whole thing into a clichéd cringe-fest? Tough. So I decided to wait until the first few episodes were out to give it a shot.

It’s my greatest joy to say that I was completely mistaken. My Sweet Mobster is entertaining, moving, and soothing. I laughed non-stop but also shed a tear or two. I rooted for every single character and rejoiced with their big and small victories. The bond between them was so heartwarming that I found myself smiling for 50 whole minutes during the last episode. Most importantly, I was pleasantly surprised at how they dealt with common tropes, such as the childhood friend background, the love triangle, and, especially, the tendency of K-drama protagonists to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their loved ones’ happiness.

This review has a couple of minor spoilers. Read it at your own risk! You can also pin our (spoiler-free) summary at the bottom!

First, a Quick Intro to My Sweet Mobster

An adaptation of Park Soo-jung’s web novel A Woman Who Plays, My Sweet Mobster was directed by Kim Woo-hyun and Kim Young-hwan (from SBS’s Doctor John and Thirty but Seventeen) and written by Na Kyung. This is Na Kyung’s first screenwriter’s credit, and she couldn’t have done better.

My Sweet Mobster tells the story of Seo Ji-hwan (Um Tae-goo), the CEO of a food company that used to be a gangster. He decided to embark on a journey of redemption for his past sins by reforming ex-convicts, offering them a job at his business and encouraging them to study again. Meanwhile, Go Eun-ha (Han Sun-hwa) is a kids’ content creator who is struggling to keep her job. One day, they meet by chance. Optimistic and warm, Eun-ha decides to help him build a better life.

Of course, this synopsis is far from complete. After all, this is an ensemble show. The story doesn’t just focus on Ji-hwan and Eun-ha’s relationship, but on the bond between Ji-hwan and his “brothers”, his fellow ex-gangsters who now live and work with him, and their rapport with Eun-ha.

Why My Sweet Mobster Is The Perfect Rom-Com

The first secret with My Sweet Mobster is that it purposefully didn’t take itself too seriously. It didn’t promise anything grandiose. Instead, it set up a mostly comical romance with just a tad of mystery. And that’s exactly what it delivered. They ingeniously used special effects and camerawork for comic purposes throughout, didn’t let the mystery subplot take too much time, and subverted the classic romantic tropes, fully using the romantic clichés to create a comical effect.

What gave further depth to this script was a healthy dose of human drama. As ex-convicts, Ji-hwan and his employees face constant prejudice. After all, can people really change? However, they work hard to become better people, do their jobs well, and lead good lives. Eun-ha, despite her good intentions and kindness, also starts the story sceptical. But she slowly sees these people for who they are now, appreciates their journey, and supports them in their development.

The Focus on Character and Relationships

More important than the plot itself, My Sweet Mobster focuses on character. Slowly, they kept showing and adding different layers to the main and supporting characters. That created a strong cast that allowed the show to reduce “boring” moments that would disconnect the audience. After all, if you care about most of the characters, you engage in most of the scenes.

The relationships built, whether romantic, familial, or platonic, were all healthy and natural. They get to know each other openly and honestly, accept and love each other for who they are (and not who they want them to be), and support each other in their decisions.

The script illustrates this idea by contrasting the relationship between Eun-ha, Ji-hwan, the Thirsty Deer employees, and even Prosecutor Jang Hyeon-woo (Kwon Yul) against the relationship between Ji-hwan and his father. While Ji-hwan’s father wants him to be someone he is not and goes to unimaginable lengths to make that clear, the rest of the cast is open to learning and accepting one another as they are. They are supportive of their personal decisions and encouraging in their challenges. The same also applies to the wholesome friendship between Eun-ha, her best friend Koo Mi-ho (Moon Ji-in), and Mi-ho’s parents.

My Sweet Mobster’s Core Themes: Change, Kindness and Responsibility

My Sweet Mobster is about our human ability to change. But instead of the fairytale approach that “anyone can change”, it takes on a very realistic perspective on it. Change is not about an outside force that compels one to transform who they are. Change is about the willingness one has to muster to become someone else. For a person to change, they need to want it themselves. Otherwise, they’ll fall back into old habits.

Ji-hwan finds and supports people who want to change but might not have had the opportunity to. He provides them with the means and the environment they need to become who they want to be — but he only offers them this chance if they, themselves, invest the time, energy, and persistence needed to recognise their mistakes, learn and move forward.

That leads to a second theme: My Sweet Mobster is about kindness. Not some sort of pure, flawless sense of generosity. We’re human, after all. We all have moments of impatience, anger, and distress. But that doesn’t limit our capacity to be kind. Ji-hwan and Eun-ha, despite their flaws, have endless kindness. They’re constantly willing to help others, being understanding and altruistic — all the while showing self-respect.

Finally, a show without the “sacrifice” excuse!

Most importantly, it consistently depicts the difference between the silly, immature notion of “sacrifice” and the real idea of “responsibility”. Ji-wan wants to take responsibility for the people he has helped and the ones he loves. Since he’s the one who “caused” the problem in the first place, he wants to be the one to solve it. However, he does it all by sharing his concerns with others and asking for help when he needs it. There’s no sense of “I’m going to sacrifice myself so others can be happy” or all that old cliché subplot that we sadly see so often on K-dramas. No. Ji-hwan wants to live a normal life and wants to be there for Eun-ha. But he needs to shoulder the responsibility for his actions and decisions.

The theme of responsibility pops up everywhere in the show from the very beginning: Eun-ha’s milk incident, Il-young becoming a father, Eun-ha returning to the hospital to volunteer, Prosecutor Jang helping Dong-hui (Park Jae-chan), Ji-hwan looking after his employees. You’re responsible for your own actions and the effect they have on the people around you. You’re also responsible for the relationships you nurture. Being responsible — and not sacrificing — is the answer to all questions.

The Script: Pacing and Dialogue

The first couple of episodes are a bit of a crazy ride, but the story soon finds its rhythm. Precisely paced, all storylines progress logically and reach a satisfying end. I should include here the love triangle, handled with complete elegance (and, obviously, a lot of comedy). Prosecutor Jang’s feelings towards Eun-ha are recognised and appreciated, and Eun-ha responds to them in a clear, mature way. That doesn’t affect the way he handles Ji-hwan and the case they’re working on. The opposite, actually. Through Eun-ha, Prosecutor Hyeon-woo allows himself to learn more about Ji-hwan and his employees, breaking down the prejudices that were holding him back.

The dialogue is witty, and some scenes are simply bewitching. For example, the ending of Episode 3 (when Eun-ha and Ji-hwan play around the playground) is pure, honest, and absolutely delightful. And you can’t help but fall in love with them.

My Sweet Mobster(s): The Cast

Uhm Tae-goo in a rom-com? Well, that’s a rare sight. His filmography is mostly about action, thrillers, and heavy dramas. But, after My Sweet Mobster, I think we can all agree that romance and comedy are a natural part of his skill set. His Ji-hwan is strong, reserved, mysterious — but immensely charming and, well, sweet. He has a million quirks that give him a very particular personality, which Tae-goo conveys with charisma. Tae-goo delivered perfectly comical, adorably romantic, and intensely dramatic action scenes with ease. A well-rounded male lead thanks to both the script and Tae-goo’s excellent performance.

Responding to Tae-goo at the same level of competence was Han Sun-hwa, delivering a cute but strong-willed Go Eun-ha. Eun-ha is mature yet vulnerable, playful yet serious, delicate yet resolute. She can take care of herself, but she also allows herself to be taken care of by others. She’s relatable and inspiring. Last but (definitely) not least, her chemistry with Tae-goo is palpable, and you naturally swoon when they are together.

Eun-ha and the Thirsty Deer Gang

Actually, Eun-ha is the link that ties it all together in My Sweet Mobster. Her introduction to the Thirsty Deer group was a bit bumpy, but it ignites a fascinating familial bond between her and Ji-hwan’s “brothers” (Kim Hyun-jin’s Il-yeong, Yang Hyun-min’s Jae-su, Lee Yoo-joon’s Man-ho, Moon Dong-hyuk’s Hong-gi and Dong-hui). Her role is that of a bit of a mother, a bit of a sister, and a bit of a friend. She opens them up to the outside world and allows them to grow their family by the end of the show.

A special shout-out needs to go to Yang Hyun-min and Lee Yoo-joon, whose comic chops shone throughout the show. Their ability to bounce off each other’s jokes and their perfect timing are enough to make My Sweet Mobster worth a watch. Kim Hyun-jin also made a wonderful second couple with Moon Ji-in, and their story added a different kind of drama to the script.

The evolution of all these relationships gives emotional resonance to the plot, and having an ensemble full of charm and talent like this one not only bolsters an already good script but also immerses the audience further in the story.

Finally, the antagonists, Yang-hui (Im Chul-soo) and Ji-hwan’s father Seo Tae-pyeong (Kim Roe-ha), don’t steal the spotlight and have just enough screen time to create conflicts that move the plot towards its resolution and, eventually, to the denouement that puts everything in its right place.

Should You Watch My Sweet Mobster?

ABSOLUTELY YES. My Sweet Mobster surprised us all by delivering a multifaceted drama with solid plot and character development, excellent use of cinematography and visual effects for comedy, and perfect performances. A little darling of a show with high re-watch value (I’ve already watched the finale twice!).

You can watch My Sweet Mobster on:

No time to read the entire review? Looking for the spoiler-free version? So why don’t you pin our summary? Just click it to pin it!

If you haven’t treated yourself to it yet, run to Viki right now and give it a shot. Then, come back and let me know what you thought of it in the comments!