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1We need to learn how to listen, not just hear.
What a great surprise this show was. Not gonna lie, I am a bit tired of the “child/teen/young people with a variety of issues/illnesses/disorders/etc being taken care of by irresponsible new guardians just so the guardian can have pretty character development” - these stories simply often feel exploitative. Using one main character just to give another change of heart does not sit well with me. How happy can I be when this show is not that. Cho Sang Gu is not this extremely selfish asshole, Han Geu Roo does not get mistreated, it's just two people who slowly learn how to cooperate and live with each other.What the drama excelled at was telling different stories related to death, grief, regret, fear, abandonment, reflection on the past and what it means for the future. The separate cases presented in each episode were amazing and tackled a true variety of situations: lack of protection for people with disabilities, abandonment of elderly parents with cognitive issues, stalking and the psychological effects it might have on the victim, lgbtq, self-inflicted euthanasia, bullying, guardianship, searching for your own place and your family. Only 10 episodes, yet so many touching stories.
At the same time, I did feel like the main characters were rather stagnant. I did like all of them, especially Han Geu Roo, but it’s also the fact that the development that happened to some of them was really subtle, so subtle one could argue they started and ended up on the same note. The story was mostly about things that happened to them and around them, and not within them. And the few things that did lead to certain reflections were mostly opening and closing acts, and were not that impactful to everything in the middle (Geu Roo dealing with loss and Sang Gu finding out the truth and accepting his new family).
One thing I especially appreciated was the fact Geu Roo’s ASD never felt like the center of the story. It was not a story of an autistic young man learning how to deal with loss, it was a story of Geu Roo dealing with loss and learning how to live with all the changes happening around him. I don’t know how to explain it, but the presentation was just more sensible? His character was not just ASD, he was fun, and determined, curious, caring, striving to improve, respectable and responsible. It was not a story about Geu Roo having ASD, it just happened that Geu Roo who was the main character also had ASD. While it was obviously an integral part of the story, it never felt overwhelming.
Performance wise - amazing. I don’t think anyone would argue that Tang Jun Sang as Geu Roo was the start of the show. I can only imagine how much research he must have done to deliver such a believable and emotionally rich performance. Lee Je Hoon is always great, but I am a bit tired of him playing quite similar characters lately. Great performance, but I feel like I already saw it. I have nothing to complain about Hong Seung Hee as Yoo Na Mu, but since her character was the least developed, there is not that much to praise. I am impressed with the long list of amazing actors who participated in the production just for the guest roles. I can see that many people with experience valued what the show is and wanted to be a part of it.
I barely ever have anything to say about the production value in Korean dramas because they usually have similar standards. It’s high, but not memorable. Everything works perfectly, but nothing truly stands out. Here I had a similar issue. One thing I did enjoy was the way they visually presented Geu Roo’s analytical mind and how he connected the information he acquired.
Overall, an amazing show with great stories. I did think it was just slightly too positive in separate cases - wish we had seen some leaning more towards “failure” and see how the characters react to it.
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Bring Tissues
Going into this, I had a lot of expectations and reservations about the show. I knew it would make me feel things, but I was also worried about how it would tackle so many delicate subjects at once. In many cases, it's not handled well. But with each episode, Move to Heaven continued to surprise and impress me.Naturally, every episode of Move to Heaven deals with grief. Each case is unique and deals with its own circumstances surrounding the deceased and the people in their lives. The people range from every walk of life and tackle a lot of big topics that are relevant today, from the LGBT community to the problems with overseas adoption. Geu Roo's character was handled with a lot of respect, too, and he's extremely likable. I can't say whether his portrayal was accurate or realistic as I don't think I'm qualified to, but it felt very well done. His relationship with both his father and uncle was amazing to see and the way each character grows from episode 1 to episode 10 was beautiful.
It's heartbreaking. Naturally. The job of Move to Heaven is not only to clean up the deceased's belongings but to say to their loved ones what they never could. It's sad, but it's also uplifting as you watch the small impact these things can make on someone's life. I give it the highest of recommendations. Whether or not we get a season 2, it's worth your time.
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A very emotive drama - fab acting!
I had no knowledge of this drama until a clip started playing on my Netflix home page. It looked intriguing, so I hopped on here to see what people were saying and decided to give it a try.I am so glad I did! The drama is beautifully executed and manages to draw emotion from it’s audience with a combination of great acting and well-thought out stories, each offering the chance for the main characters to grow.
The relationship between the main characters is so unique. I love that we get to watch the characters smoothly transition from strangers to family.
I have only seen LJH in Signal, and when he appeared in the first episode, I almost didn’t recognise him. His character is so different to the one he portrays in Signal and so I’m glad I’ve got to see how versatile he is as an actor. I look forward to watching more of his dramas!
Overall, the characters in the drama are refreshing to watch. The relationships feel realistic and the plot manages to highlight different issues in society, beautifully unraveling the different stories of the deceased.
I recommend watching! It’s considerably shorter than most dramas, so it’s not a big commitment. My heart feels full after finishing this drama - I’m not sure how else to describe how I feel!
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Trying too hard
this just tried too hard to be sad, the stories felt too convenient and after watching the same sob stories it kinda makes it less moving.the whole dynamic of the cold guy, the dysfunctional family to the "guardian" that needs to change thing happens way too often, even the whole life full of misfortune that makes the ML jaded thing
but I have to say, lee je hoon's acting was amazing, he played the sad soul to the hopeful soft soul really well. a little too well cuz everyone else seemed basic.
Lee Jae Wook and the whole meeting with LJH had more depth than the story though the ending again was just another move for the tears so it felt meh, but his acting was great too
and Ji Jin Hee as well, he did the perfect father role really well
the story about Jung Woo finding the baby, and the slow building love from Sang Gu were the best parts. I also liked Choi Soo Young, I wish she had a bigger role
the ost was basic and I never rewatch stuff.
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Moved my Heart Strings
Binged watched the show the day it came out. I started crying 15 min into the first episode. The amount of respect and care the characters showed while doing their work was amazing. This show gave a insight in how the aftermath of loss of life unfolds on the belongings and the place they lived in and how different people deal with it in different ways.The series has only a few main characters and it shows that you can make a excellent story with just that. The CGIs were so cute , made it easier for us to understand the thought process of the MC. The way range of scenarios were show and carefully covered was amazing. I am so happy with the cast , that they feel perfect for this show , I wish it had more episodes but the character growth and pace was fine so , maybe a season 2 since it has so much potential.
It also beautifully show how much shame and awkwardness is attached to a person's passing that it is often translated into silence, how hush hush the affair of removing the belonging has to be. Trauma Cleaner deserve more respect.
Our priorities are so , our grief is so and passage of time is slow so complicated , that we work on listening to the person through their belongings , after they have passed and how we try to revive memories in them. A lot of unsaid and unknown unravels when someone passes and then it becomes to late for us to know that. It's a must watch series for growth and healing , for I know most of us ,definitely in lives have Not dealt with atleast one loss fully and this may helps us in a way .
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wholesome
just have to write a review for this series.this series just brought us a new perspective of grieving. how things left behind by the deceased often portray their life and what they wanted to convey to their loved one or the world. how the series bring it to life is just touching and wholesome.
each character shown has their story to tell and it was what hook me in the most. the character development of the main lead is really good and well develop especially cho sang goo. and how han geu roo brought us to his journey of grieving and letting go of his father. these 3 character (cho sang goo, han geu roo, han jung woo) relationship with each other are really great developed and the progressed is really good.
the acting of each character is really well.
the only reason why i do not score it 5 stars for rewatch value is because i don't think i can't rewatch it on a whim, i have to prepare myself emotionally to rewatch it again because it really emotion-consuming watching this series. （i cried for the whole series, managed to used a box of tissue)
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Sang Goo's character development makes it worth the watch
Move to Heaven was just an okay drama for me. The plot moved at a consistently slow pace because the story for the main characters was regularly interrupted with each episode's sub-plot for the trauma cleaning service.I was most interested in the story of the uncle, Sang Goo - his history with the cage fighting and his pupil, and then his history with his older brother, Han Geu Ru's father, were interesting to me. These curiosities were well satisfied, but I found that some of the characters were lacking - Na Moo and Yu Rim (the social worker) were the potential love interests for Geu Ru and Sang Goo, respectively, but they wasn't developed really at all. Madam Jung also wasn't caught in the end - satisfaction-wise, this was not okay for me as the viewer.
I also found the ending to be a bit frustrating - it's obviously left open because Netflix wants the possibility of a season 2, but it's ambiguity was not appreciated.
Overall, I was not expecting the kind of drama I got from Move to Heaven - the tone was much sadder than I had anticipated, especially based on teaser trailers. There weren't laugh-out-loud moments (maybe just moments that made me smile here and there?). But at the same time, I didn't actually cry with this drama, nor did my chest ache for the characters, which I'm completely surprised by...I think this story just failed to move me the way I had anticipated. It's a quick drama to watch and the character development for Sang Goo was definitely worth the watch!
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OMG! I’m crying my eyes out!
Why am I doing this to myself? A drama about people dying, so fifteen minutes into the first episode of this drama, and I’m already sobbing. This grabbed me within the first five minutes. With most dramas, I have to watch at least three episodes to get interested, but not with this one. It is a very touching, emotional, extremely well acted drama, and I hope it continues being this good.I can tell from now, I will be binge watching this one. I will now commence binging the rest of this, and update my review when I’m done. Hopefully this rating will stay a ten. So... let the binging begin...!On episode six, and it is still a 10!
Just finished this, and I am sitting here crying. Every single episode was good, well acted, well written, emotional, everything... it had it all. I will watch it again, I’m sure several times. Judging by how it ended, I believe there will (hopefully), be a second season. There could be so much more to tell. This drama especially hits you hard if you’ve experienced the death of a loved one. Those emotions hit so close to home when you watch each episode, how the person died, how the family reacts, and the experience of discovering the deceased life, through cleaning out their belongings. One episode was particularly heart wrenching about a young man that searched for his mother his whole life. All I can say is, this is a must watch drama, that will affect you for a while after your are done.
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The acting was amazing; I liked how everyone played their parts amazing.
Classical music was fitting and calming.
I think I would watch it if I need a good cry.
Overall, I definitely recommend this show; I definitely want to tell every single person I know to watch it because it really is just a master piece. Of life, death, family and even more. It all played such important parts to life in general.
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What's in your box?
Move to Heaven is a masterpiece, which I don't really say too often. I watched a lot of dramas before, and I've never seen something quite like this one. It explores complex relationship dynamics, mental health, and death on a deeper, more heartwarming level than most dramas today. I loved every bit of it. From the script to the pacing, everything had a realness from start to finish. While some episodes were more heart-wrenching than others, I found myself still tearing up during every episode. I was at episode 9 before I realized it was only 10 episodes long. It's so good.It really makes you look around and wonder what they'd put in your box after you're gone.
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wasted potential-- a rant
I'll just say it: han geu ru is BARELY a character, let alone the MAIN one, and that makes me so mad. i won't talk about the portrayal of people with asperger's because I don't know enough about the topic, but come on, by the trailer i thought we were gonna get a show about how someone whose work revolves around death, deals with the passing of a loved one and their grieving process, but instead, from episodes 2-9, his whole role is of a plot device to help his broken uncle navigate his new job and teach him the power of family.also, let's talk about how almost everyone treats him as a child? my guess is that he was supposed to be younger, but it would've been a hassle to fit in his school life so they just made him 20 years old. they even admit on the LAST EPISODE that we know nothing about him, and still, they told his parents' story instead. what was his life like between his mother's death and the start of the series? i don't know, find out in season 2... maybe.
still, i can't say this is a bad drama by any means. the stories about the clients are beautifully written and are heartbreaking yet inspiring. they manage to make us fall in love with them, empathize with they life journey and cry for their death in just a couple of episodes. SO WHERE WAS THIS ENERGY while writing geu ru's character?
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