Sometimes, the best thing in life isn’t success. It’s holding onto the things that make our successes worth it.

In the drama adaptation of Narashima Sachi’s manga series Cosmetic Playlover, star employees Sahashi Toma (Toyoda Yudai) and Mamiya Natsume (Okuno So) navigate the intricate dynamics of their working relationship as male beauty advisors. Tasked to collaborate for sales, senior consultant Mamiya finds himself constantly frustrated by Sahashi’s impolite and disrespectful behavior, especially considering the potential he sees in Sahashi. Tensions escalate when Sahashi uncovers Mamiya’s secret unrequited crush and uses it as leverage, setting the stage for a push-and-pull relationship full of building romantic tension.

Success, passion, love—all are relatable and motivating reasons to reach for the things you truly want in life. However, they are also relatively frustrating. While being driven to succeed in something can be rewarding, it also often comes with setbacks. Passion fuels that determination, but it can lead to burnout and insecurities. Love, the most powerful of all motivators, may bring fulfillment but can be equally fraught with heartache.

Balancing these emotions leads to understandable misunderstandings, angst, and self-reflection. And that’s precisely the direction Cosmetic Playlover is taking its viewers in. All while offering a delightful romantic tension heightened by the actors’ chemistry.

I’m a hundred percent invested.

Nothing promises to steal the heart more than the promise of two people who not only manage to fall in love but also motivate each other to be the success they envision for each other. Our relationships should strengthen us as people, even in the weak moments when we question them. The kind of relationships that last are the ones that may require work to keep strong but also manage to strengthen us in the process.

And that’s what I found the most attractive about Mamiya and Sahashi: the potential they see in each other.

For a series that promises to hurt, heal, and motivate, check out Cosmetic Play Lover now on Gagaoolala.

Rating- 4 out of 5