Hot or Not 75°C Web Drama Review

『A Quiet Bond Between a Tea Master and a Marketing Associate, Delicately Infused with Emotional Temperature』

🎥 Drama Overview

🎬 Title: Hot or Not 75°C (크거나 같거나 75도씨, 2023)
🌍 Country: 🇰🇷 South Korea
🎞️ Genre: Web Drama / Women’s Queer / Romance / Slice of Life
🗓️ Production & Broadcast: Red Q, 10 episodes
📢 Director: Ahn Ji-hee
🖋️ Screenwriter: Park Se-rim

👩‍💼 Cast: Shin Hyun-jin – Hong Jae-eun
Lee Yul-ah – Cha Song-ju

🧩 In-Depth Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🍵 Subtle Temperature, The Beginning of a Relationship

Hong Jae-eun is a tea master with a deep philosophy and a refined sensibility for tea. When Cha Song-ju, a marketing associate from headquarters, visits her café, their relationship begins. Jae-eun initially displays a cold attitude toward Song-ju’s sudden appearance and interference with her work, but Song-ju gradually draws closer through the shared medium of tea.

Their relationship warms slowly, like the temperature at which tea is brewed, gradually permeating each other’s hearts. Even amid tension and distance, tea serves as a common ground that facilitates dialogue and understanding.

💬 Forgotten Past, Lingering Warmth

Song-ju admits to having met Jae-eun once in the past, but Jae-eun does not remember. Yet, that forgotten encounter leaves a subtle warmth lingering in the heart.

When Jae-eun collapses due to a caffeine allergy, the two share their true feelings, deepening trust and emotional intimacy.

☕ Harmonious Tension Between Tea Lovers

Balancing work and personal feelings, Jae-eun and Song-ju’s interactions depict more than a simple romance—they illustrate how two different worlds can harmonize. Just as the aroma and temperature of tea linger in memory, their relationship leaves a lasting impression.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and Significance

🌿 Emotional Temperature as a Metaphor for Connection

“75°C” is not merely a number; it symbolizes the ideal emotional temperature. The drama portrays the moments when people connect most gently, using the subtle culture of tea to explore the nuanced boundaries of relationships.

🎥 Direction and Cinematic Touch

The gentle background music, the sound of tea brewing, and the depiction of a quiet café space deliver emotions with added depth. Unembellished, natural camera work and calm color palettes help viewers immerse themselves in the characters’ inner worlds.

☕ A Slice-of-Life Approach to Women’s Queer Romance

Without complex conflicts, the drama depicts love through small everyday moments, portraying relationships between women naturally and realistically. This careful, subtle approach to romance is rare and significant in Korean women’s queer content.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: None
⭐ Rating: ★★★☆