This review may contain spoilers
This drama started out great. I remember impatiently waiting for the episodes to come because I was dying to find out what would happen next. This drama has a dark and unique feel to it and, plus, I love the cast for the OTP. The music was also great and really helped set the gloomy and mysterious mood of the show. But, somewhere along the lines of ep 11/12-ish the show went down really fast. The only reason i stuck with it all the way to the end was because I had already invest like 12 hours, the drama has raving reviews and I wanted to see how the writers are going to wrap up this mess (which ended up not impressing me at all). The plot started turning too dark for my taste, the characters starts making actions/decisions that are un-explainable and unfitting. I did not sign up for crazy.
I honestly don't know how this show got so much 10/10 ratings. I was skipping a lot of parts in the latter half of the show just to get to the end. Maybe this show was just not my cup of tea. Though my taste lies with rom coms, I do like my share of more serious/mysterious dramas (eg. Mr. Sunshine, Black, God's Gift). This was just not it.
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How could she be with him after everything he did? He's nice to her, ok, but he is not a healthy person and I have to side with the older brother in wanting to keep her away from that sociopath.
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this was a weird show. the dude was a sociopath and hella toxic.
How could she be with him after everything he did? He's nice to her, ok, but he is not a healthy person and I have to side with the older brother in wanting to keep her away from that sociopath.
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*This review is based solely on the Korean adaptation of ‘The Smile Has Left Your Eyes*
From start to finish I can say that I have not been so heavily invested nor impressed by a drama in a while, as I have been for ‘The Smile Has Left Your Eyes.’ I rated this drama 9.5 because it is near perfection: there weren’t any moments were I cringed at awful acting or dialogue nor did I feel any episodes to be boring or irrelevant. Rather this drama made me the restless and excited for the new episodes each week and will miss it a lot now that it is over.Plot/Writing: This drama is very well done, so much so that I cannot simply recover from it. It is beautifully written with many heart wrenching moments but, also light and fun parts too. The drama itself is best described as a mixture of suspense, ill-fated romance, psychological thriller, and tragedy. As well as having an intriguing story line, it also helped that the actors were consistent in their roles and any unpredictably in their characters further added to the suspense of the drama. If I had to say a negativity of the drama it would be that a few things were not clarified in the finale episode but, this doesn’t pull away from the fact that this drama was still amazingly done.
Acting: The supporting character’s in this drama were all relevant and their acting was relatively impressive. Park Sung-woong plays the role of an overprotective brother to Jin Kang exceptionally well. However, I did feel that his character lacked towards the end perhaps due to last minute changes or adjustments to the script. Jung So Min plays Yoo Jin Kang who is a kind, forgiving, and sympathetic person one thing I admired about her character was how strong willed she is and how she isn’t naive as most female leads are. Her is strong in her abiltity endure everything she has experienced and move on from it, and her optimistic nature helped Kim moo young- InGuk’s character a lot in wanting to become a good enough person to be with her. InGuk plays Kim Moo young a calculating and manipulated man with a past so troubling that he can hardly recall the events of it. InGuk was able to emote very well in this drama- I was able to see the transition of his character who was emotionless and decieving into a character who wants to redeem himself and find true happiness. Together InGuk and So-Min Jung’s acting was outstanding and faultless. Their chemistry is very evident, they had sharp, witty and amusing dialogue in every episode. Even simple glances between them, or stares were very intense and full of hidden feelings and curiousity. I easily felt all the emotions they went through till very end of the drama which is why their chemistry is truly a remarkable and memorable one.
Music: This drama has an amazing OST. One of the most emotional songs of the drama is sung by no other than the main leads Seo InGuk and So-Ming, the song is called ‘star.’ It’s melody is flawless and helps the drama to convey a more melodramaic theme. All the songs in this drama perfectly fit the emotions each of the characters in every scene.
Rewatch value: I would definitely rewatch my favourite scenes of the drama rather than watch the entire drama again. The reason for this is because ‘The Smile Has Left Your Eyes’ was an emotional rollercoaster which I don’t think my heart couldn’t take another round of. This drama is honestly one of the best dramas of 2018.
What are you still doing if you haven’t watched it? Don’t miss out!
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This review may contain spoilers
Big disappointed with this drama.The way this drama start it is not end in that wAy .The drama start with suspense and day by day suspense overloaded but after 6 episodes ,with suspense secrets start ,secrets of past and present life and drama is so much entangled with this two life that the suspense was created in the drama come out like a small rat . I means to say it was not come out at that excitement as it was started .
I like the police officer more who like the lead actress ,he did a good work ,I want to see him more in other dramas .
Last two episodes make me more disappointed ,I don't like the ending as well as last two episode direction of ending the drama .He lost his world that can be other way to show us that he lost his world and from him all doors were closed but not in this way.
I am not connected with the character as I connected with "Come and hug me" drama's character.
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Full of angst, yet also full of confusion?
I was drawn at the beginning when there was just an ooze of mystery covering around Moo-yeong as to what could be his role regarding the suicide/murder at the first episode, what his secret is, and most importantly, what was his role on Jin-kang's life. This kdrama is a great example of arousing questions to the viewer's mind in the beginning to be carefully peeled off as the plot progresses.For the succeeding episodes, I felt that my interest towards the aforementioned plot points waned a little bit, and just wanted to know how they really are interconnected. Yes, it was a great plot point to showcase who Moo-yeong really is, why there is always angst with his interactions with every character including Jin-kang, but most especially to Jin-gook, and I really like how his sociopathic tendencies were played out, creating this sense of mystery around him. The air of suspicion as to who really killed the girl on the first episode was actually what was only my reason for my overall interest for this kdrama not to totally disappear. It's just that I was just disinterested on the love triangle subplot in the first half, and my disinterest just grew more when it was hastily ended on episode 8, albeit in a shocking way. I get the accident was horrific and that it would be a transition point for the part where Moo-yeong would be able to feel "love" towards Jin-kang. With Moo-yeong's sociopathic tendencies in mind, I actually remembered Lee Joon-gi's role in Flower of Evil from him and I liked both portrayals of being sociopath, both male leads having "grey" characters, and how they were integral for the plot.
Also, I'm 50-50 for the "I can fix you" trope portrayed by Jin-kang to Moo-yeong after episode 8. I guess it was better for Seung-ah to die for them to end up together (?) but the sudden shift of this relationship and Jin-kang only having a short time to mourn her best friend's death to suddenly having feelings to her boyfriend didn't check the mark for me. But at the same time, I also felt it was necessary (?) for that plot point to really embark the more important point of this story, which is the romance between the leads, and finding the answer on what really happened on their characters years ago leading to that moment.
Actually, I already guessed what the "mystery" portion for this kdrama would be despite knowing late that this was actually a remake of a Japanese drama. The introduction of new plotlines and just the hastily ending (it's really more on covering up) of the previous plotlines just to go to the end was the opposite on what I expected when I mentioned earlier about uncovering the necessary details to answer the mystery that is its plot. At that point, I was just confused as to what direction it is going towards. Spoiler alert, I was actually gagged when it was revealed that Jin-kang and Moo-yeong were "siblings", but having also my jaw dropped when it turned out that he was just being toyed by Se-ran just for fun (her having also sociopathic tendencies like Moo-yeong could've been explored more actually). Though it could've just been explained right away by Jin-gook to Moo-yeong that he was wrong to think that on their first "altercation", but again, I was just confused basically on Jin-gook's thoughts at that point (I actually even thought that he had feelings for Jin-kang but thank God it turned out nothing, it was just based on his irrational actions.)
Despite the confusion and the growing disinterest that I felt on the build-up to the last episode, I actually think that the ending was properly executed, and was just appropriate. There were already hints given that I thought might lead to its ending, and I was correct, with the major one being the "I wish I could be reborn" quote by Moo-yeong. Without exploring deeper what the plot points and loopholes that made me confused and disinterested with the last part, I actually felt at ease watching that ending, since I think that they could now be together without any problems, LOL, but I also just could not think what would happen to Jin-gook afterwards. It wrapped the story well with that ending.
The first thought that came to my mind after the last scene was actually that this kdrama is like a math problem in high school, I don't know how I was able to derive the answer with its solution, but nevertheless, the correct answer.
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'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' from the very first episode presented itself with a protagonist who has very little inhibitions or care about the people around him. Our very first look at Moo Young, we are exposed to a cold man with dead, empty eyes. So much that our other male protagonist, Jin Gook, defines him a monster, evil, un-human. Moo Young is, indeed, an anti-hero but not a cliched one either. He is a deep, multi-layered case study on the hardships of life and what an effect childhood has. Jin Gook has a dark past himself, and steps over the line deep into the series, doing something unthinkable and reprehensible despite being the moral figure of the series, so perhaps he isn't the best person to judge. Jin Kang, sister of Jin Gook, love interest of Moo Young, is the most innocent of the free but she isn't scar freed herself. All three characters are in their own ways hurt by the world and the events that happen throughout the series - death, loss, murder, etc. We may look at the romances as some palate cleanser to all the darkness surrounding it but as we delve deeper into both Moo Young's relationships with Seung Ah - a fun, freeing relationship albeit a one sided one - and Jin Kang - a healing one and a hurtful one, we learn that it's too destined for a terrible ended. Ill- fated love is definitely a main theme that 'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' explores. 'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' is an excellently developed series with twists and turns that are all plausible and done in such a thrilling yet harsh way. You'll get hooked from scene one and might actually regret it at the end.
The cast was excellent and while at sometimes, character disapear and we never see of them again or we are treated to very limited apperances from said character, it never detracts of the main story that's built around the main three (maybe add Jang Young Nam's character, So Jung in on that trio as well). I feel like everyone served their purpose. Seo In Guk is gripping with his scenes and how he delivered his lines in such a way that captures the character's emotions perfectly while actually doing very little. How he interacts with Jung So Min is both heart-warming and heart-breaking. Same with Seo Eun Soo ( Seung Ah) actually. There relationship is a one that could've made us, the audience, turn against the character, but they were able to portray the complexity of the situation and their relationship real well. Jung So Min and Park Sung Woong were great together. Bonded like Brother and Sister should be. Themes aside, I felt like this would be my sister and I's relationship fully. Park Sung Woong and Seo In Guk's characters were the opposite but intertwined at the same time. There was a lot of subtle to it. Both had light and darkness. That speaks volumes to their performances. I'll end with this; the main three should've won some awards for their performances, and I don't usually say that.
Must-see for anyone.
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Acting/Cast: All the actors did a great job and portrayed their characters very well to the point the story almost felt real. Kim Mooyoung (Seo Inguk) is my favorite character and I fell in love with him from the moment I saw him. This is the first time I watched him in a drama and I have to say I didn't expect much before I started watching it but I changed my mind as soon as he came in and completely slayed his role. Yoo Jinkang (Jung Somin) caught my attention since the start and I must say she gave me a soft and lovely but also lonely and empty vibe and I'm mad in love with this type of roles. Yoo Jingook (Park Sungwoong) did a great job as a detective and Jinkang's older brother and his acting was on point too.
Music: One of the things I liked about this show are the soundtracks. Each and every one of them suited the scenes perfectly and are so beautifully sung that makes you fall more in love with the drama. Also, Seo Inguk and Jung Somin sung one of the OSTs called "Star" which was written by them and to think that they put their hearts as Kim Mooyoung and Yoo Jinkang to write such a great song is simply gorgeous.
Rewatch Value: Although it's a tragically sad drama with only a few moments of happiness and it broke my heart into a million pieces, I'll probably rewatch it in the future to experience this roler coaster of emotions again.
Overall: This drama was so amazingly and impressively done that I can't stop praising the writers, directors and actors! Honestly I don't know how to describe the feelings I had during and after finishing this story. I'm sure I will never forget about this beautiful yet sad experience. I definitely recommend. Enjoy!
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This review may contain spoilers
It started very well. Actually in the beginning very excited and enjoyable drama . But slowly its became boaring . Plot is very unique and uncommon. Acting is very good . I love the unique dialogues of male lead and the way he is expressing it. All Main leads are doing good job. Chemistry between main couple is good though personally I feel something lack of it. Cant point out what but I feel its very typical. Up to episode 12 its interesting and we are curious , but suddenly it just becomes nothing . his ex girl friend seung ah suddenly died in accident and that chapter totally closed like it was a totally different drama . Yoori 's story also still unfinished to the end.
And after all he just killed a woman for nothing . It doesnt make any sense . Why he want to kill some one unnecessarily only for some arrogant words she said . Finally they got shot by someone who even not directly connected to the main plot . How unrealistic.
Actually this is a good drama with good casting but due to the poor script and story line It becomes just another K drama .
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There are two distinct and competing parts of this show and therefore this review: the first is the production overall, from the cinematography and the music to the acting; and the second is the plotting.
For the first element, this show excels at being a beautiful, compelling, moody psychological thriller with outstanding performances from all the actors involved. The directing, music and acting all combine to effortlessly create a gripping and emotional show that draws you in and keeps you watching. This show is expertly made and that deft production shows in every frame.
Park Sung-woong is always a fantastic performer in everything he does and he brings out every layer of the complicated and conflicted Yoo Jin-gook, a detective and older brother of the female lead. Jung So-min is very good as female lead Yoo Jin-kang who is drawn to but also wary of Seo In-guk's complicated anti-hero Kim Moo-young.
But it's Seo In-guk who really shines in this. In fact, it is the performance of his career. Ziggy is well known by now not just for acting a part but for living it. He doesn't create a new person, he completely inhabits them down to his fingertips. But even knowing that about the actor, this is still a tour-de-force of a performance - one that propels him up above the regular pack of Korean actors and puts him into a class of his own. After this drama, there are few people who would argue that he is now on a different level - one inhabited by the likes of Yoo Ah-in and Bae Doona and even Park Sung-woong himself. If it is possible for an actor to have a new breakout role - one that doesn't launch his career but that finally takes it into orbit than this is it.
It's difficult to discuss the other elements of the show without spoilers - and this is one drama where the wrong word can potentially ruin it for any future viewers. However, beneath the fantastic production values and Ziggy's blazing acting triumph, this show struggles with its plotting and characterisation. In some respects, this is due to its source material - Japanese writers tend to create strange, almost surreal characters that only infrequently behave like normal people. This somewhat wars with the Korean sensibility in the back half and the plot falters as well. Combined with opaque character motivations this can make a lot of the episodes frustrating to watch.
Regardless of how poorly the back half was written and how dissatisfying the show was overall, the show is entirely worth watching for Ziggy's mesmerising extraordinary performance.
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Wow, just wow.
With really good dramas you can just tell right away, like almost always at some point in the first episode I'm like yup, this is it. This was definitely one of those times.If you like the bad boy then Kim Moo Young will have you literally dying from being heart struck. I loooved Seo In Guk's portrayal of Kim Moo Young. The first time he nonchalantly waltzes on screen with his ever so slight smirk, smooth walk and cool confident gaze there was no going back. Kim Moo Young is complicated. His character's persona isn't obviously good or obviously bad but his choices lead both ways. He is a multi-dimensional character without much of a moral compass who views others as pieces to a game, a form of entertainment in this strange world. He is a flawed individual that eventually stumbles upon past trauma and becomes broken because of it. He is intriguing because you never quite know what his response will be to a situation. A very powerful male lead who led the drama well.
Jin Kang (Jung So Min) was the PERFECT match for Moo Young. Initially cautious of Moo Young, she slowly became entangled in his life and as past storylines unfold, it's very clear why. Jin Kang challenged Kim Moo Young. She didn't fawn over him as every other woman had ever done and she didn't excuse his behavior. She also didn't parent him or patronize him. She put her faith in him to be better and she believed in him even when from the outside perspective she maybe shouldn't have. She instilled love and goodness in an otherwise cold dead heart. She held onto him and never gave up on him. Jin Kang was strong and kind and had her wits about her.
Jin Kang’s older brother, Yoo Jin Gook (Park Sung Woong) is the other main character who does everything in his power to care for and protect his sister. She means the world to him and their relationship is truly heartwarming to watch. Sometimes his protectiveness went over the top to the point of harming his beloved sister, but as much as I didn't like to admit it, I always understood his point of view even when I too thought he crossed a line. I thought Park Sung Woong was perfect for the role of her brother, because he can look very intimidating and formidable but when he smiles and talks he looks like a teddy bear.
Suspense and melodrama are heavy themes in this drama. My concern is always that as a drama progresses the story will plummet and we'll be left in a cliche last few episodes of nothingness. This was not the case. Up to the very last second of this drama I was hoping there would be more. Usually at the second to last episode you can tell things are on their way to resolve and wrap up but I was left on the edge of my seat till the end. Fitting of a melodrama, this is a dark storyline. Every conflict is not resolved perfectly and wrapped up with a golden ribbon. It’s a drama with pained characters who are trying to continue on even when everything in their lives comes crashing down. The relationships and how they evolve are what makes this drama so special. I tend to stay away from heavier dramas that I know are going to bring on the tears, but I would 100% recommend this one.
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After I already finish this drama I have some questions, how this drama getting worst and worst?...
When I started I so really excited watching first episodes soo what happen? also How many people rank more tan 8 point we watch same drama?
I admit the cast was really good, I love Ink Guk so much he has amazing dramas but this is no one of these. The plot soundsnninteresting and we have a mistery, however al of this good point just fell like coconut.
while we advance in different episodes, I feel pretty frustrating, a lot of siuation that looks like anyone cant remember like accidents (Friend), crime scenes ( Magical cleaner?) and when principal characters start a "romantic relationship"
Don't realize how toxic was both sides?
After start to "untangle" so many memories appears magical until the end.. last episode she was remember everything with this I feel more interesting in a children story, more details and situations.
And no to mention the end was so silly... remember me romeo and juliette but without reason just they want to dead, and so really sad for the bother that just want the better for them.
Certainly no chance of repeating this drama ever.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Heart-Wrenching Masterpiece of Love and Tragedy
I stumbled across The Smile Has Left Your Eyes on a whim, and let me tell you, I was not prepared for the emotional whirlwind that followed. From the very first scene, the air is heavy with doom. You know someone won’t make it to the end. Maybe one, maybe more. But like a Greek tragedy, it was never about ‘if,’ only ‘when.’ Bad cards from the start. That’s the hand Moo Young and Jin Kang were dealt, the hand they couldn’t escape. And yet, watching their story unfold, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the beauty of their doomed connection.Seo In Guk’s performance as Kim Moo Young is nothing short of mesmerizing. Every time he smiled, his eyes told a different story: haunted, distant, yet somehow yearning. It’s like he was playing a man who’s both a puzzle and a poem, and I couldn’t look away. I’d catch myself rewinding scenes just to watch his micro-expressions, especially in moments where he’s silently grappling with his feelings for Jin Kang.
The cruel irony is this: if they had never crossed paths again as adults, maybe they would’ve survived. They could’ve lived out “normal” lives. But what is normal, if it means emptiness? Moo Young would have kept free-falling, destroying himself piece by piece. Jin Kang would’ve stayed adrift, unmoored, with nothing to anchor her except a scar that haunted her. That scar, first a wound she wished erased, later the only proof she was someone. The mark that held her together even as it reminded her she was broken.
Jung So Min as Jin Kang was equally captivating. I loved how she made Jin Kang feel so real. Naive, yes, but never weak. Her warmth and vulnerability were like a beacon in the drama’s darker moments, and I found myself rooting for her even when I knew her love for Moo Young was a risky path. Their chemistry is absolute perfection. There’s this scene in episode 10 by the lake where they’re playful and intimate, and it felt so raw and unscripted. I was grinning like an idiot, my heart racing as they teased each other, only for it to flip into this gut-punch of tenderness.
At their core, both of them were searching for the same thing: truth. Identity. A reason to exist. Meeting again wasn’t chance; it was fate. Like a million stars crashing down, bright and violent and inevitable. The second they found each other, the ending was already sealed. There was never going to be a future for them, only this. Only love, and its inevitable cost.
Park Sung Woong as Jin Gook added such depth. I felt for Jin Gook’s protective instincts. His scenes with Jin Kang were so heartfelt, like when he’s trying to shield her from Moo Young while wrestling with his own suspicions. The dynamic between the three of them felt like a tightrope walk, balancing love, distrust, and loyalty. I also adored the way the drama wove in secondary characters, like Moo Young’s friend Seung Ah, who added layers to his enigmatic persona without stealing the spotlight.
What sets this drama apart is its storytelling. It’s not your typical K-drama with neat resolutions or predictable arcs. It’s messy in the best way, like life. The mystery of Moo Young’s past and his connection to a murder case kept me guessing, but it was the emotional stakes that hit hardest. The show dives into heavy themes, like trauma, identity, the blurred lines of morality, without preaching. I remember pausing an episode to just sit with my thoughts because it made me question what I’d do in Jin Kang’s shoes. Would I love someone like Moo Young, knowing he’s a storm waiting to break? That kind of introspection is rare in dramas.
The cinematography deserves its own love letter. Every frame felt like a painting, whether it was Moo Young standing alone in the rain or Jin Kang’s quiet moments in her cluttered apartment. The lighting, the color palettes, the way the camera lingered on their faces... it was movie-quality. And don’t get me started on the soundtrack. The duet “Star” by Seo In Guk and Jung So Min... I still listen to it on repeat. It’s haunting and beautiful, capturing the bittersweet essence of their love story. I’d find myself humming it days after finishing the drama, feeling that ache all over again.
I know some people found the pacing slow at the start, but for me, it was like sinking into a good book. You need those early chapters to build the world. By episode 3, I was all in, staying up way too late because I needed to know what happened next. The way the drama balanced thriller elements with romance was masterful. One minute, I’m on edge wondering about Moo Young’s secrets; the next, I’m swooning over a quiet moment where he and Jin Kang just look at each other. It’s the kind of show that makes you feel everything: joy, dread, hope, heartbreak, all at once.
Conclusion:
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes is a gem that deserves more love than it gets. It’s not a light watch, but if you’re drawn to stories that challenge your emotions and linger long after the credits roll, this is for you. Seo In Guk and Jung So Min deliver performances that are nothing short of extraordinary, their chemistry anchoring a narrative that’s as thrilling as it is heartbreaking.
The cinematography and soundtrack elevate it to an almost cinematic level, making every episode a visual and emotional feast. It’s a drama that dares to be different, tackling complex themes with nuance, and there’s a strange mercy in its ending. They don’t die happy, but they die at peace, knowing who they are, whispering “I love you” in a fragile, fleeting moment of truth and recognition. For a story written in tragedy from the beginning, it could’ve been so much crueler. Instead, it ends in love, a love that, despite its inevitable end, gives meaning to two broken souls.
For me, it’s one of the best melodramas I’ve seen. A perfect blend of mystery, romance, and tragedy that feels like a punch to the soul. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves character-driven stories and doesn’t mind a few tears along the way. Just be ready to lose yourself in Moo Young and Jin Kang’s world... you won’t come out the same.
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