Review of You Had Me At Annyeong! by Malini Banerjee

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Rating: 4/5

I picked up You Had Me At Annyeong! knowing it was billed as a K-drama-style rom-com set in Seoul — and that’s exactly what it delivers: Timira Leia Marak, an Indian PR consultant, relocates to Seoul for work and finds herself tangled in a messy, irresistible romance with her new boss, chaebol heir Baek Haneul. The book leans into K-pop/K-drama aesthetics while keeping Timira’s Indian perspective front and centre.

Voice and tone

Right from the first handful of chapters I felt like I was watching a glossy K-drama play out in novel form. The tone is light, wry, and often self-aware. Timira’s inner voice is warm and candid — she’s funny, a bit anxious, and unapologetically human. That mix of humour and vulnerability made me root for her almost immediately. The writing never takes itself too seriously, which is perfect for what the book is trying to be: a feel-good, bingeable read.

Characters — who I cared about (and why)

Timira is the heart of this book. Her doubts about love and career, and the ways she compares Indian and Korean cultural norms, felt authentic to me. Haneul, as the polished chaebol with hidden depths, fits the irresistible boss-romance archetype but manages to avoid being a cardboard fantasy — there are moments that hint at real emotional complexity. The secondary cast (friends, colleagues, even Timira’s ex Rodrigo) add texture: they’re there to make Timira shine or to complicate her choices, not to steal the show. The love triangle and other romantic bumps are handled in a way that kept me turning pages.

Cultural details — a love letter to K-drama culture (with an Indian lens)

One of the book’s strongest pulls is how it blends Korean pop-culture trappings with Indian sensibilities. If you love K-dramas, you’ll find the settings, references and pacing delightfully familiar — but because the protagonist is Indian, there’s an extra layer of cultural negotiation that keeps things fresh. I appreciated how the story used those cultural differences not as cartoonish obstacles, but as real moments of learning and growth for Timira.

Pacing and plotting — what worked for me, what didn’t

The novel finds its groove after a modestly slow opening. The first act takes its time setting up Timira’s life, her move, and her new workplace — which I can forgive because once the romantic tension ramps up, the momentum is addictive. A few scenes felt a touch predictable if you’ve read a lot of rom-coms, but the character moments usually made those beats feel satisfying rather than stale. Overall, the plot is paced to encourage binge reading.

Final verdict — who should read this

If you want a bright, romantic, escapist read that feels like a K-drama with desi heart, this book will scratch that itch. It’s not trying to be a literary masterpiece; it’s trying to make you feel warm, giggly, and emotionally satisfied — and it largely succeeds. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars: charming, bingeable, and emotionally generous, with just a few rough edges.