When I first started ‘Romance 101,’ I was determined to make it harmless for the readers,” Namsoo said. “I don’t mean to talk badly about other people’s works, but there are so many works out there that stress the readers out with hateful messages or violence, or scenes that intentionally touch on controversial issues. I wanted to make something that made readers feel good — hopeful, in a way. That did pose a great challenge to me, to come up with conflicts that weren’t too flat, but when readers sent me messages that ‘Romance 101’ gave them peace, I felt proud of the work that I had done.” One effective technique for crafting a satisfying ending is to use visual storytelling. Instead of relying solely on dialogue, use visual cues and imagery to convey the emotional weight of the moment. This can be done through body language, facial expressions, or even the setting itself. The process of making a compelling character is a little difficult to cover in just one short section, but fundamentally, you should establish several distinct things about each character long before you should consider how to make them fall in love. These things are: Romance 101 ( Korean: 바른연애 길잡이; RR: Baleun-yeon-ae giljab-i) is a South Korean manhwa released as a webtoon written and illustrated by Namsoo. It was serialized via Naver Corporation's webtoon platform, Naver Webtoon, from March 2018 to July 2021, with the individual chapters collected and published into 12 volumes. The manhwa has been published in English by Line Webtoon. A Japanese live-action adaptation series premiered on January 1, 2023, on TV Asahi. [1] Media [ edit ] Manhwa [ edit ] Webtoonist Namsoo, the author of Naver Webtoon series ″Romance 101,″ sits down for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at a cafe in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

To get readers really invested in the romance, there needs to be some sort of conflict. You can’t make things too easy for your lovebirds, or you’ll bore your readers. Conflict is the heart of storytelling, so you need to put something in the way of the characters’ relationship to keep it interesting. There are tons of other options you could choose for establishing conflict in the relationship. Whatever you choose, make sure it makes sense for the story, and doesn’t push the characters or their relationship too far. Too much conflict between the two characters could be perceived as toxic or unhealthy, even if they end up happy together in the end. Develop the Romance Over Time

Romance 101 Chapter 1

Another area to focus on when rewriting is pacing. Make sure that the story moves at a pace that keeps the audience engaged and interested. If the story feels slow or repetitive, consider cutting unnecessary scenes or tightening up dialogue to keep things moving. With that said, it can be difficult to create flawed characters that aren’t over-the-top, annoying, or just generally unlikable. If you want some more guidance on the topic, I have another article that could be helpful: How to Create Complex Flaws for Characters. Ensure the Characters have Romantic Chemistry Physical – the characters should be physically attracted to each other, at least a little. This plays into the characters’ sexuality, and a strong sexual bond can help support trust in a good emotional relationship. Building a strong foundation is essential to writing successful romantic screenplays. One of the most important elements of a strong foundation is plot structure. The plot structure should be well thought out, with clear goals and obstacles that the protagonist must overcome. In this section, we’ll explore the essential elements of plot structure in romantic screenplays. Love stories are a staple of the film industry, and it can be easy to fall into the trap of using cliches and tired tropes. However, to create a truly engaging and memorable romantic screenplay, it’s important to avoid cliches and add freshness and originality to your love story.

However, it’s important to avoid creating obstacles that feel contrived or forced. The obstacles should be organic to the story and feel like natural extensions of the characters and their conflicts. Romance 101: Crafting Satisfying Conclusions to Your Love Stories Obstacles come in many forms, from external forces such as family and societal expectations, to internal struggles such as fear of commitment or trust issues. These obstacles create tension and conflict that drive the story forward and challenge the characters to grow and evolve. I’m grateful for all my readers and the fact that they were immersed so deeply in the story,” Namsoo said. “But I felt upset, because every character is precious to me. To see the comments talk badly about the characters made me feel sad. Many more fans rooted for Yuyeon than Jaehyeon, so Jaehyeon supporters would write things like, ‘Why do you keep hating Jaehyeon?’”

A Guide to Proper Dating; Ba-Reum's Guide to Dating; Romance 101; The Right Love Guide; 바른연애 길잡이

One character’s family is unsupportive of the relationship between the two characters. That could be because of an arranged marriage, a conflict of beliefs, or just good old fashioned helicopter parenting. This is especially applicable if the other character has bad habits, a general disregard for tradition, or a hard emotional exterior.

You should approach these kinds of situations cautiously, however, especially if you want the readers to perceive the relationship as authentic and not just a product of the characters’ circumstances. Love in the Little Things: Writing Love Subtly At the end, the characters each come to understand themselves and their friends and support each other in their decisions. They all make different choices based on their different personalities and situations. That’s the lesson of “Romance 101”: That there’s no one answer that suits everyone. Long before you even consider the romantic relationship, you need to make sure the characters are interesting on their own. In addition to that, you need to make sure that your readers have time to get to know the characters before you rush them into a relationship with another character. You don’t want any character’s identity to be tied to their relationship with another person—they need to be complex and unique individuals, both within and outside of their interactions with other characters.Using unconventional storytelling techniques can also add freshness and originality to your love story. Consider using non-linear storytelling, multiple perspectives, or even experimental techniques to create a more unique and interesting narrative. This can help your story stand out and capture the audience’s attention. As the protagonist works toward their goal, obstacles should be introduced that create tension and conflict. These obstacles can be external (such as the disapproval of a family member) or internal (such as the protagonist’s own doubts and fears). Overcoming these obstacles should be a major part of the protagonist’s journey. Each of those aspects is important, but I don’t have the space here to talk about all of them. So, I will be focusing on what is arguably the most important point: flaws. Characters should have behaviors or fears they need to overcome, warped beliefs, or some sort of bad habit. These traits might make them confrontational, difficult to love, or even a bit dysfunctional—but that’s the whole point. No one in the world is perfect, so your characters shouldn’t be either. Flaws create conflict, which drives a story forward, and above all else, they make characters more believable and relatable. If a reader can root for a character to achieve something they struggle with, overcome personal obstacles in their life, or find love despite their flaws, then they’re going to be much more attached to that character. One of the most effective ways to show emotions is through dialogue. Instead of telling the audience how the character feels, use dialogue to reveal emotions and motivations. For example, instead of saying “I’m so happy to see you,” have the character say “My heart skipped a beat when I saw you.” This not only conveys the character’s emotion, but it also creates a more vivid image in the audience’s mind.

One of the most common obstacles in romantic screenplays is the “will they or won’t they” question. This refers to the uncertainty surrounding whether the protagonist and love interest will actually end up together. This uncertainty creates tension and keeps the audience invested in the story. Another common obstacle is the love triangle. This involves introducing a third character who also has romantic feelings for the protagonist, creating a conflict between the love interests and adding a layer of complexity to the story. In “Romance 101,” all characters go through their share of woe, but none of them mean each other harm or purposely try to hurt each other. Their actions are a result of their personalities and their surroundings, and the times they come in conflict are all quite understandable in real life. In a scene from Naver Webtoon series ″Romance 101″ by Namsoo, Bareum shows off her ultra-specific schedule for the day to her best friend Doeun. [NAVER WEBTOON]

With that said, “attraction at first sight” does exist. You can meet a person and be physically, emotionally, or intellectually attracted to them. Attraction doesn’t come with any attachments. You don’t need to know someone to know that they’re gorgeous, you just have to look at them. But finding someone attractive does not mean you’re in love with them. Too many times, fiction writers rely on the notion of “love at first sight” to create the basis of their romantic relationships, when all that really is is lust. It just doesn’t feel authentic. When using dialogue and action to convey emotions and chemistry, it’s important to be subtle and realistic. Avoid cliches and melodramatic expressions of emotion. Instead, focus on creating believable and nuanced interactions between the characters. Use dialogue and action to reveal character traits and emotions in a way that is true to the story and characters. Romance 101: How to Add Freshness and Originality to Your Love Stories Characters showing their love for each other doesn’t have to be dramatic. You can illustrate love between two characters in the thousands of little things they do for each other, in the way they look at each other, and the subtle ways they think and talk about each other. Hide hints of their feelings together in every action, every word they say, and your readers will understand their feelings without having to be told. While the heart of a romantic screenplay is the love story between the protagonist and love interest, it’s the obstacles and conflicts they face that create tension and keep the audience engaged. Without obstacles, the story can become predictable and dull. In this section, we’ll explore the importance of obstacles and conflict in romantic screenplays.