Happy Ending Romance (a.k.a. Happy Ending Under the Fence) tells the story of a promising and talented writer. He disappears from the spotlight after experiencing bias and unfairness. His redemption comes from the initiative of two individuals, one who admires him from a distance and another who made use of his creativity.

Where to watch Happy Ending Romance?

Happy Ending Romance (펜스밖은해피엔딩) premieres on 24 November 2022 at GagaOOlala and Viki. You need to upgrade your GagaOOLala account to watch. Viki’s access depends on the region you are located in, but you may use a VPN service.

It’s highly recommended to use a VPN especially when watching BL series. There are streaming sites like NetFlix, Viki, GagaOOLala, iQIYI, Hulu, Viu, and many others that may limit broadcast reach due to copyright and other legal stuff. A VPN is safe, reliable, and legal.

Synopsis

This appears like a love triangle more than anything else. Viki offers a synopsis as follows:

Cha Jung Woo (Karam) might have had a bright future as a writer, had he not chosen to speak up against the corruption he witnessed among his seniors. Unfortunately, being unable to remain silent when faced with such unscrupulous behavior, Jung Woo chose to speak up, essentially ending his career before it even started. At least that’s how things would have gone, had Kim Jung Hyun (Leo) not chosen to stand beside him. One of the literary world’s brightest stars, Jung Hyun isn’t afraid of Jung Woo’s tarnished reputation. That being the case, Jung Hyun is more than a little wary when his young friend is approached by the highly successful publisher, Han Tae Young (Ha Jong Woo).

Offering Jung Woo a chance to publish under his own name, Tae Young makes him an offer he can’t refuse, but Jung Hyun isn’t convinced Tae Young’s motives are completely noble. Offering Tae Young a chance to publish one of his own works. Fueled by jealousy, Jung Hyun tries to keep Jung Woo away from the overly ambitious publisher; but no matter how hard he tries, Jung Woo can’t seem to resist Tae Young’s many charms. Torn between the writer he looks up to and the publisher he can’t resist, where will Jung Woo’s wavering heart land? Full of heart-pounding moments, “Happy Ending Romance” is a 2022 South Korean romance drama.

Synopsis posted at Viki

Teaser | Trailer

This short half-minute clip gives viewers a glimpse into the characters’ dynamics. You can feel the tension, and the mode for romance, sweetness, and everything in between.

First Impressions

Episodes 1-2 give BL watchers a wide-eyed view of the series. Immediately, I got the impression of the three main characters and their struggles. We have here a writer named Cha Jung Woo shunned by the publishing industry and a famous personality Kim Jung Hyun (Jung Taek Woon aka Leo). Jung Hyun took him under his wings – sort of a white knight (a.k.a. protector).

Newcomer Ha Joong Woo gives an inspired performance as an independent publisher. He’s charming, convincing, and worth watching!
Happy Ending Romance
Jung Woo, a struggling writer shunned by the publishing industry tries to make ends meet by doing odd jobs. The role is played by Karam, and did a good impression.

Then there’s this independent publisher Han Taeyoung (played by newcomer Ha Jong Woo) who wishes to have Jung Woo write again. There is a struggle between the 3 – since both Jung Hyun and Taeyoung want the beleaguered Jung Woo to himself.

VIXX’s Leo plays unconvincingly. He struggles with his performance. I don’t know if his hesitation is regarded as part of the persona, but I’m not impressed. Newcomer Ha Jong Woo appears natural. There is immediate onscreen charm and I’m rooting for him to win the young writer. He has this radiant smile that is hard to ignore.

Definitely, a specialty sort of BL that connects with KDrama audiences, and BL fans who are familiar with the GMMTV narrative may be confused.

Cast of Characters

The characters who will have romantic attachments are VIXX’s Leo, Karam, and Ha Jong Woo.

The drama series is the acting debut of VIXX lead singer Jung Taek Woon (aka Leo). He plays Kim Jung Hyun, a celebrated writer who decided to withdraw from the limelight, as a result of having his secret revealed. Leo has acted in musicals before however, this will be his first time taking on a leading role in a drama.  [source]

Karam plays Cha Jung Woo, a promising writer who went against the ‘grain’ so to speak. Thus, he alienated himself by speaking out against corrupt members of the publishing industry. Formally known as Park Hyun Chui, Karam (31) s the ex-vocalist and lead dancer of the Kpop band ‘The Boss’. Currently, he’s part of the dance group MOTF (Men of the Future). While he appears in plenty of TV shows, this is his first BL drama.

VIXX’s Leo and Karam are paired with a relative newcomer, Ha Jong Woo.

Jong Woo plays Han Taeyoung, a business executive for a publishing company, who wanted Jungwoo to return to his writings. Such ‘insistence’ may be a prelude to romance (?!!!)

Several photos during the shoot have begun circulating on the internet. Photos show the actual shooting of the series

BL Under Idol Romance

Happy Ending Outside the Fence is one of the 3 BL series under Idol Romance. The other two are: Once Again (aka Come Back to Me) and Roommates at Poongduck 304. I highly recommend that you try watching both!