Our Dating Sim is a drama with a lot of heart in a small package. It manages to combine a lot of well known tropes into a cohesive, well paced story that's cute and entertaining without overdoing it on the fluff factor. It presents characters that are likeable with enough of a backstory to also make them compelling. The game component added another layer that was engaging and further drew the viewer into the story. It was an all around fun little romantic comedy.

The story is relatively simple and uncomplicated which, with such a short air time, is smart. Flashbacks are kept to a minimum, just enough to give the viewer the gist of the characters' past relationship and it's importance. The pacing is very well done. It's not rushed, but the story is constantly moving and it never gets boring. It is very much a fluff fest, but there are a few tenser moments and some angst thrown in to keep it from getting too overbearing. Those scenes also allowed glimpses of characters in their more vulnerable moments.

Lee Wan and Gi Tae both presented as compelling characters. I liked that Gi Tae was a confident character, but he wasn't a bully like those types of characters often can be. He was clearly comfortable with himself and he shared that positivity with those around him. Underneath that confidence and positivity though was the pain of having lost Lee Wan and once he found him again, that pain turned to fear, the fear of losing him again. The scene where he thinks Lee Wan has disappeared again and he goes searching the streets for him is a poignant one. You can feel his fear and distress. And then once he does find him, his relief that he hasn't disappeared again is almost palpable. Much like the plants that he loves and cares for, Gi Tae takes root and really doesn't change much. His character is pretty much unwavering, but that simply allows Lee Wan's character to grow more.

Lee Wan is a bit more complex. One of his defining characteristics, at least initially, is his flight instinct which is very much active. Interestingly enough, they're typically preceded by moments of bravery like confessing to Gi Tae or accepting the job interview. He's an admirable character. He throws himself into his work, pushing himself, striving to learn. He's not a wallflower, but he also doesn't stand out. His journey has more ups and downs than Gi Tae's as he discovers more about himself, finding that in a way, Gi Tae is his roots, the reason he started drawing. He stops running away, instead accepting and declining opportunities after considering what is the best option for himself.

Lee Seung Gyu and Lee Jong Hyuk absolutely delivered with their performances. Physical intimacy is generally poorly done in Korean BLs but they brought their A game and everything about them was so effortless and natural. They both had clear understandings of their characters and their performances were believable and nuanced. I also really liked Sung Ryung as Sunny. She had a great presence and while she didn't say much, what she did say held weight.

The production value was fabulous. Having the dating game theme continued through pretty much every part was very engaging. The game stages at the end of each episode were cute and fun. I personally took them as an example of how the game they created was played and thought it was nice way to incorporate it.

This is not one of those dramas with a lot deep, thought provoking content and it doesn't try to tackle any issues, but it doesn't need to. It serves as something light and fluffy to take your mind off things and give you something to smile at for a bit. It's a very well done, short drama that I would absolutely recommend for multiple viewings.