Move to Heaven

Tender and Heartfelt

I generally stay away from 'sad' or slice of life dramas, not because they make me sad but quite the opposite. They often feel pretentious almost artificial in their storytelling as if their only purpose is to make the audience cry. They are sad just for the sake of being sad. So I was a little skeptical of watching this.

But rest assured, Move to heaven is nothing but genuine and heartfelt.

Despite being an anthology, Geu Ru's journey and character developememt along with his relationship with his uncle was the heart of the drama. The portrayal of autism was so tender and well done. Jun Sang may be a rookie but he has great acting chops.

Seeing Sang Gu's development from an indifferent and somewhat selfish guardian to an almost father figure for Geu Ru was one of the best part of the show. Their bond by the end was so soft and wholesome.

However, Sang Gu's backstory was the weakest part of the story for me. It just felt incredibly predictable and formulaic. Not gonna lie, I almost wanted to skip that episode. That said it was a small blip in an otherwise amazing drama.

Na Mu perfectly complemented our two main characters and was an essential part of the main trio. She may be loud sometimes but she was far from annoying. I loved how fiercely protective she was of Geu Ru. Her banter with Sang Gu was on point and so funny. It provided a much needed respite among the more heavier themes of the drama.

Each episode provides an unique perspective on death but at the core of it this is a story about those left behind. Those who have to deal with the aftermath of the death- be it the trauma cleaners who clean the physical things or the loved ones the deceased who have to deal with their emotions.

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It was rare to see a drama tackling the story revolving trauma cleaners; like the first time I've heard of the term it was on some detective story I think and it was a minor mention, so it was great to see one drama that touched this topic.

This drama was really soothing and comforting... especially for people who may have a hard time dealing with deaths of people dear to them and how it affected everyone around them. And I like how the drama had been written and how layered the stories were. Like on one hand we get to see how and what was involved in the trauma cleaning work as well as the untold stories of people who may have died alone with no one to take care of the things they left behind. On the other hand, we're also seeing how through the trauma cleaning work, Geurum and Sanggu were also indirectly attempting to accept the death of their loved ones.

I especially love the focus on Sanggu's character. Like at the beginning he wasn't too keen on becoming a guardian to his nephew and helping out with the trauma cleaning job. Yet as time went on we get to see him getting used to the job and clear his misunderstanding against his deceased older brother.

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A story about the redemptive power of empathy

Ok, so I just binged the first 10 released episodes and I am consumed by the lingering feeling of dissatisfaction that it went so quick, it was just not enough!! This drama tells the story of a group of "trauma cleaners", people who are responsible for the proper disposal of the personal possessions of the deceased. They do so with deep sensitivity and care, providing the last shred of respectability which life may have stolen away from . The drama deals with the victims of the various malaise of society like economic inequality, homophobia, gender violence etc , the misery of the sufferer and the numbness of society towards them. Society guided by petty self interest denies them their basic dignity, and the trauma cleaners step in to restore some of it after their death. In this process, the cleaners work through their own problems and learn to value what is important to them.
It s directed and acted magnificently. The acting is understated and natural and there is hardly any dramatic hyperbole for sensationalism. You can savor each episode slowly as it draws you into its world leaving behind a bittersweet aftertaste and loads of food for thought. A must watch as a serious but deeply entertaining drama.

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Moving and touching with lighter moments

Wonderful acting from both Lee Je-hoon and Tang Jun-sang in the main roles; the latter must have researched Asperger Syndrome to give such a credible performance. LJH played his troubled, detached and tough guy role really well, being a selfish, but kind of lovable, if grungy, rogue. A very different look for him!
There are some violent scenes that are a hard watch, but fit the story rather than being for shock effect.
The stories that emerge of those that have passed, whose effects it is also the job of 'Move to Heaven' trauma cleaners to pack up and dispose of, are varied and very moving.
With Geu Ru's amazing memory, observational skills and ability to connect clues, they are able to provide closure for those who cared about the deceased.
In tandem with this, are Geu Ru and Sang Gu's own personal issues, which are revealed at a perfect pace.
Na Mu, well played by Hong Seung-hee, can be an irritating character at times, but her care for Geu Ru is plain to see and she is protective of him, even though she has an overly vivid imagination at times! She can also be quite fearless... or possibly stupid, depending on how one looks at some of her actions.
There's a great supporting cast too and I particularly liked the lawyer, Oh Hyun Chang, perfectly portrayed by Im Won-hee, whose no nonsense approach and sometimes disdainful looks, are a great source of amusement.
I also liked the lighter moments in the relationship between Geu Ru and Sang Gu. The latter does not pity Geu Ru and treats him as a means to an end initially, but can't help gradually seeing how incredible a person he is.
There was a glimmer of romance for him at one point too, which I was rooting for.
Geu Ru is so likeable and whilst he communicates differently, is quite inspirational at times. He steps out of his comfort zone on occasion too and when he fixes on something, is an immovable force.
There are several aspects to this drama that are additional stories crying out to be taken further, especially one character and their hinted affect on Geu Ru, at the end.
That's where the story's conclusion, for me at least, is exceedingly frustrating. It's not a case of an ending where imagination can fill in the 'what happens next', but a real "what?!... you're leaving us here?!"
If a series 2 was on the cards, I'd be fine with it, but whilst the writer has said they'd like to carry on and has the apparent agreement of the cast to return (I read in an article), nothing has been said or planned by Netflix.... yet.
We live in hope.
Were it not for that, I'd have rated the story a 10.
I also liked the music a lot; some beautiful and fitting classical pieces.
One I'll watch again.

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Recommend!

Very good drama. The acting from the main character was amazing, and I loved the character development of Sanggu. I also loved seeing so many familiar faces. It was amazing in the beginning but I kind of didn't like the fact there were so many different guest characters and different plots in each episode, it felt like a drama that didn't have a set plot but just revolves around a random guest character but it got better again towards the end. I know the drama wasn't about love but I would've loved to see Urim (Sooyoungs character) and Sanggu have a relationship, it felt like there should've been something there, not a big deal but it would've made the drama better. I really enjoyed how they wrote Namu, the line said at end by her father was also cool, how they wrote her and Geuru to have similar names. The ending confused me quite a bit, I'm not sure what it meant, but that's probably the point. Anyways I recommend this drama it was quite good and touched on certain topics like gay relationships, suicide, etc. I enjoyed it!

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somehow my fav kdrama ever

i didnt have to tooo high expectations for this drama since i watched so many good and popualr oens i didnt think any drama could surpass them but i was wrong. such an underrated drama, i cried every episode but like in a good way. it teached so many lessons and was so heartfelt anytime i need to just cry to feel better this is the show i will forever go too. i miss it so much qand i think the episode that was the best and i cried the most too was with the bl couple, i cant even imagine how that must of felt, i dont write reviews but this show DESERVES it if you are thinking about watching it, trust me do it not even the first episode is boring none of it is. I would try to stay as long as i could to finish the episodes bc i couldnt wait but i also didnt want to finish it. If they come out with another season that would be the happiest kdrama day ever to me, i love this drama so much tis so personal to me..

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Heartwarming & Heartbreaking

What a gem of a show. Beautiful in every way. Firstly, I loved the cinematography of this drama, my eyeballs where blessed. The acting, music, story, well most things just works in this drama. Emotionally, its so devastating, yet it warms your soul all at once. It's kinda difficult to explain what works in this drama, so I will keep this part short. It's just..very good. I do have some minor issues with the drama, but they aren't really major flaws.

Some of the flaws:
My main issue with the drama is not necessarily what was shown, but what wasn't. I would have loved the drama to focus more on the dynamic change between Geu Roo and Sang Gu towards the end. I feel like they didn't have a clear conclusion to what was at the end, the main story of the drama. Moreover, since the show kinda reaches it's climax during episode 8 (imo), I almost feel like they could have spent more time on the uncle's story. As much as I enjoyed to watch the whole father/family storyline at the end, I feel like they could have incorporated that storyline more early on, and not dedicated the 2 last episodes just for that.

Overall, Move to Heaven is a brilliant drama. I would recommend everyone to watch this!

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Move to Heaven was a beautiful surprise for me. It was a complete change from my usual taste, but I’m honestly so glad I watched it. The concept of a trauma cleaning company was unique, and the title of the drama was deeply connected to its story and message. What stood out the most was Geu-ru’s character — the way his Asperger’s syndrome was portrayed with respect and sensitivity was truly impressive. Watching him slowly understand emotions, loss, and finally learn to let go felt very real and touching. The bond between the uncle and nephew grew naturally, without forcing too much drama, and the side characters added warmth to the story. Every episode carried emotions without feeling heavy or boring. This drama doesn’t rely on romance or action — it relies on human feelings, memories, and healing, and it does that perfectly.

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EP 5 A Masterpiece.

Spoilers ahead : ep 5 is better than most the korean bls oit there. Fact. I watch all of them. I need this episode to become a whole drama even tho I know it will only make me cry my heart out. The script, the acting, the details! I figured out everything from the moment they entered his room, the "pray for orlando" poster make me sure. Only someone that knew about it will get it and i was suffering from that moment on until the very end! The flashbacks where so hurtful!! And what the protagonist said stayed with me " It's a shame when you aren't capable of loving, not when in love, isn't it?" He is so pure, I wish more people would see the world like he does...

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