This review may contain spoilers
Strong female cast with an unconventional rom-com element
What a treat to have a kdrama that's not the stereotypical pretty-young-girl-swooning-over-handsome-rich-heir type. This story focuses on a nearly 40 female protagonist whose dreary existence gets a shake up call from someone very familiar to her.Although the synopsis mentions that BHN doesn't want to remain single her relationship status wasn't a focus in the show at all. Instead, BHN starts out by just wanting to survive life as best as she can and then, after meeting her younger self again, wants to live up to and regain her old vibe again. Lee Re's acting as the younger BHN is consistently effervescent. She projects a palpable power and presence that convincingly puts even the mature Anthony in his place. She is a joy to watch and acts so well with Choi Kang Hee as the mature BHN. The story really is less abt the romance than it is abt a self rediscovery or, more accurately, a journey of atonement and forgiveness. BHN's backstory is heavy on the tear ducts and tissues. Her relationship with her father is believable as both actors' acting comes across as authentic and not a cheesy, forced backsobstory plot device that does tend to happen in other kdramas. The present BHN's growth from her timid self is a slow and tentative progression at first that ultimately takes pace until the she comes into her own power at the presentation, which is apt for the storyline as the energy dynamic changes soon after when the young BHN discovers the truth of their father's fate. When that happens, it feels like the baton of effervescence is passed to the mature BHN as she steps in to be her younger self's rock, just as her younger self was for her at the beginning. Lee Re's more muted carriage from then on is great acting and effectively justifies the weight of guilt and shame that's haunted the mature BHN all these decades. The viewers know the backstory already and can fathom the depths of guilt and shame that made BHN such a servile person now but it was satisfying to see the younger BHN catch up with the discovery and no longer think that she was pathetic. Before I knew abt BHN's backstory I too tot she was a pathetic person and felt guilty abt having judged her when her backstory came to light. The younger BHN's apology for having judged her was as much mine.
The journey to her return in the end was a bit rushed, imho. I expected the shaman and rain would factor into it but then that was dumped after the accident so it felt weird. And the explanation abt their first photo trip felt a bit tagged on rather than an organic plot. I didn't take stars off from that coz the time travel aspect, to me, was a minor trait of the story rather than the main focus itself. Hello, Me! never positioned itself as sci-fi so it's not a big deal that they just seemed to have fudged that part of things. It is significant that they didn't try to give a happy ending and kept the father's fate on schedule. That was courageous plotting and made me respect the story immensely because the culmination of the show, for me, was when the younger returned to her father's side as he lay dying as at that point, the viewer realises that this isn't just about the younger saving the older—it's maybe really about the older saving the younger. As the younger had said, she didn't know how she's going to survive knowing what she will lose. The mature BHN, on the other hand, has lived through it all in its grueling depths. It's her reassurances that helps the younger to trust in herself to be able to find the strength within. And the peace amid the sorrow on her face as she holds her father in his last moments kinda capstones this whole journey. We know that she'll be fine and, in turn, so will the future/present BHN in an exponential way. It was beautiful.
Finally, this review can't miss mentioning Kim Young Kwan. This guy's portrayal of the male love interest was ADORABLE AF! Stuff the smooth, suave, well groomed, casanova-turned-tamed-lover corporate heir types and bring out the goofy, well intentioned, kid-at-heart, reliable-in-a-pinch guy friend. The slow pacing to their relationship was great to watch and made it feel realistic and mature. I was not a fan of how the writers diluted Choi Kang Hee's dialogues in the end to a constant "thank you, thank you so much, thank you" between them as they were making her sound like a parrot. I think it's perhaps the directors and writers feeling uncomfortable with showing a romance between a younger good-looking guy and an older, ordinary looking lady maybe, but no stars were deducted for that clunkiness because I really liked their pairing. I believe they have a greater chance of working out than most kdrama romcoms featuring the more societally acceptable combo of gorgeous slightly older guy and stunning younger gal.
I wholeheartedly recommend this show to anyone sick of the usual kdrama romcom formulae who wants something new AND with a strong female lead.
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So-so comedy drama
Whilst I'm not familiar with Choi Kang Hee, so don't know her other roles, I am not sure she was the right casting for this drama. Her chemistry with Kim Young Kwang didn't work for me, as the romance just wasn't believable, they were more like good friends. I am familiar with him, and whilst he did well portraying a lead male who's immature (but not completely clueless) and 'disinterested-in-the-company heir' type character, I'm again not feeling his casting quite worked, but that may be due to aforementioned lack of chemistry with FL.Apart from the 2 company kitchen staff ladies, Geum-ja and Mi-ja, none of the characters stood out for me, and Ha-ni's younger self, I really found quite unlikeable.
It's also another one of those lead female characters who, whilst in her downtrodden mode, is shown as unattractive and frumpy. I get fed up with that, although I suppose it did show that a person's overall image has less to do with features (or even build) and more with hairstyle, flattering clothing and a little makeup; they worked wonders in her character's case.
Her family were also forgettable and treated her extremely badly, I thought, especially the awful sister.
The plot didn't fully engage me either and I lost interest quite early on, when she readily accepted being treated as a doormat. How the arrival of her younger (selfish, whiney and conceited) self, spurred her on to take a restock of her life, I honestly questioned, as she wasn't exactly a great role model.
I also didn't get the odd shaman character, or her younger self's return to the past, although that could be due to losing interest in the overall story.
Certainly not one I'd watch again and with so many other, better, dramas out there to see, not one I'd recommend either.
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soft and funny
I hadn’t originally planned to watch Hello, Me!, but I was in the mood for something lighter, so I decided to give it a go. And I’m glad I did! This drama was so much fun! It’s lighthearted with so much comedy gold as well as a nice helping of heart. Count me as surprised!You all know that I’m pretty particular with comedy and what I find genuinely funny. Well, this drama was exactly my comedic style. The humor is zany and fun, and it’s present in the bulk of the drama. I laughed so much! Seriously, this is the kind of comedy that I wish there was more it. It just leaves me feeling happy.
While not exactly old school, Hello, Me! does have a more classic feel to it in terms of overall tone. Of course, this was something I quite enjoyed, and it made it feel more refreshing compared to the style of dramas of the present day.
I loved the fantasy aspect with 17 year old Ha Ni meeting the 37 year old version and spending the entire drama together. That’s actually a pretty unique concept in Dramaland, and I really enjoyed it.
A major theme of the drama is the exploration of Ha Ni as an individual. She gets to see what she lost to time as well as what she has gained. That also gives her the opportunity to get support from her younger self and slowly regain her confidence.
These two bickered a lot, but they also cared for each other deeply. It was unique relationship for sure. It’s a lovely journey to see play out, and the drama is filled with wonderful positive messages about self-love.
We get a bit of romance too as Yoo Hyun falls for Ha Ni. It’s not really swoony, but it’s pretty cute with Yoo Hyun being a puppy with his devotion to Ha Ni as well as very supportive of her. I enjoyed watching this couple grow close and to see their relationship develop.
There’s a lot of fun to be had around Anthony too. His character was slightly annoying at first, but it didn’t take long before I found him hilarious. His personality in general gives way to a lot of jokes. Combine that with his interesting relationship with Ha Ni, and there were plenty of laughs to be had. The younger version of Anthony (Kim Song Woo) was also delightful in his very quirky way.
Another highlight is the fun relationship between Yoo Hyun and his father Han Ji Man (Yoon Joo Sang). Ji Man actually turns out to be the rare nice chaebol. These two have the best bickering chemistry which I thoroughly enjoyed. Ji Man really cares for his son though, and it was evident. I smiled a lot watching this duo.
There are many other funny and interesting supporting characters too. Anthony’s team is hilarious. Ha Ni’s co-worker and old friend Ji Eun (Kim Yoo Mi) had her own nice story arc to explore involving both her friendship with Ha Ni as well as with her husband (Ji Seung Hyun). Plus, there are lots of great other family members and co-workers. So many wonderful characters!
Since I liked all of the characters, this made every scene enjoyable. I definitely laughed a lot with all of the zany comedy and hilarious situations these people got into. The heart also came through too. There were definitely feels as several of the relationships were explored.
Even though I would consider this a feel good drama, it does have a few slightly more serious parts concerning some of the issues various characters are facing. The last quarter of the drama definitely gets more serious as many of these things come to a head and have to be addressed while also dealing with a villain and some corporate power shenanigans.
I personally didn’t feel like any of it was out of place, and it was all a natural progression of the story. I liked how they handled many of the issues, and there were plenty of warm fuzzies to be had between the various characters.
I would also recommend not taking the time travel aspect of this story too seriously. It mostly serves as a vehicle for getting the characters in the right place for fun and character exploration. The time travel stuff mostly happens quietly in the background until the end of the drama. You will find some plot loopholes involving this element, but I still thought it was well done and succeeded in delivering its overall message which was obviously what was most important in this drama.
Hello, Me! really was such a pleasant surprise. It brought me a lot of joy, and I laughed a lot. I came to like all of the characters and enjoyed their personal journeys of growth. There was a nice helping of heart to provide the feels too. I liked this drama more and more as it went, and it left me feeling very satisfied.
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Great character development
To be frank, I was surprised by the writing of the show and didn't expect that I'd like the story line this much. The focus on the characters' internal developments and how they stayed the same/differ from their past selves were a joy to watch. I love the dynamic between the teenager Ha-ni and adult Ha-ni, learning about the moments that shaped who the adult Ha-ni's life choices. I also appreciated that the romance line going on is a sub-plot and that there are actual progress of the two falling for each other. The only major issue I have regarding the storyline is the time skip at the end, the way the ending went doesn't makes sense based on how traveling generally work (if you change something in the past, the future will change). I suppose it's ok for having a very nicely tied up ending.Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
Could have been better
To my regret, in my opinion, some points were not right with this show. The story is quite promising, but after only a few episodes it is clear that the script itself does not know where it wants to go. The story lacks the necessary stringency to consistently honour the great drama of the events.Supposedly, a crucial event could not be corrected, and no one questioned this statement. Well, that is the internal logic in the story - but after the younger self of Ban Ha-Ni knows the future and understands why the older Ban Ha-Ni had mourned and sunk into depression for 20 years, and she is back in the past to live her life again, nothing changes about the future in the end. The young Ban Ha-Ni's new experiences, knowledge and insights have apparently not changed anything about the old Ban Ha-Ni's personality! Impossible! I think with an initial story like that, you can't focus on one detail and not pay attention to everything else.
As for the choice of actors, unfortunately the chemistry between the couples was not right. In my opinion they are not a good match. Sometimes I thought the actress of a supporting role was a better match for the lead actor. Also I really wanted to witness that, like in the well-known fairy tale, the ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan in the end. Unfortunately, that did not happen.
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A bag of air
The first 2 episodes were good enough for an introduction but the rest didn't hold up and ended up being a boring slice of life. The plot may seems interesting on the surface but they ended up being more like a mother-daughter relationship defying its original premise. They simply neglected the unique situation we were presented at the beginning. Regardless, it still didn't do a good job carrying its message despite having a very relaxed 16 episodes. It's still watchable, Yoo Hyun and his father were the most appealing part.Was this review helpful to you?
✒⌛ A Clump of Frump °6.3° °good - not bad, but not VG, either°
Here's a romcom that doesn't have enough R💓M or C😅M to make it anything special. It has its youthful vigor at times, however. There's more immature things out there, but Hello Me is stunted when it should thrive.It has recycled pl♻t devices. The rich dad kicks out the spoiled, lazy, good-for-nothing son without any help whatsoever. It happens in My First First Love (8-VG fun) & Revolutionary Love (5.7-very avg). In HM something magical happens due to deep regret - also seen a handful of times in recent yrs. Recycled plots can go either↔way; the important factor is the execution. Here, the delivery is mediocre.
HM is a 2021 release that is rated 88 on AWiki. Screenwriter Yoo Song Yi is just getting started. Director Lee Hyun Suk has shown his capabilities in The King's Affection-8.3. Choi Kang Hee (Queen of Mystery) is 37 y/o Ban Ha-ni. Kim Young Kwang (Call It Love-8.4, Pinocchio) plays ML, Han Yoo Hyun, & the marvelous Lee Re (Memories of the Alhambra-7.4) plays 17 y/o Ban Ha-ni.
We open up to Ha-ni in a 🐙suit. She's dancing, while trafficking samples at O'mart. She's living a pathetic life. In HS, she was Ha-ni-Hot-Stuff & everybody was in love w/ her. But she peaked too early & has been on a skid since the age of 17. Now she's turning 37.
Without an intervention, Hani37 will live out the remainder of her life in isolation, consumed w/ regret & guilt over a tragedy that occurred on >that< day, when she was 17. She made a big blunder & fate was not kind. She imploded & has lived the past 20 yrs in the shadows. Fickle fate decided to intervene again in the form of her 17 y/o self materialized like an infestation in her 37th yr. She doesn't merely have to live w/ herself, she has to babysit, feed, clothe, & raise herself. She must pose as her own mother to be able to walk the open air w/ herself. {She is dragged into a conversation-under-examination: Q: At what age did you get pregnant? Her answer is vague: Well, I was young. Q: Who's the father? A: I don't know. The response: I didn't take you for that kind of girl. A: I've lived a carefree life🙄} The scene is a mini moment of fun.
There are diverse characters in the show. A common theme is men-going-for-the-GL💫RY. There is one pair of bros who are always attempting a world record for some ridiculous thing & another pair who are always betting on everything. The betting was not revisited for the balance of the show, which is a disappointment; those lines could have 📝 themselves. Then there's the couple who can only show love, at least in the presence of others, by spatting at e/o. They think they've kept their affection on the down-low, but many of their coworkers are “on” to them.
Sadly, Ha-ni looks like Jody from Family Affair, but in the form of a forgotten rag doll that's been dragged out from underneath the cabinet in the corner. The problem is NOT weight or looks, but rather the horrible fit of the dingy clothes & the unflattering hairdos. She's mousy, dowdy & defeated. Why do they keep her in a state of frumpiness? As things start to improve for her, why don't her hair & clothes look better? Looking at her in that degraded condition grows more wearisome w/ each episode. Can we reach through the 📺 & yank her to the hairdresser? Even after she goes to the salon & spruces up a bit, her hair color is awful & she has bangs in her eyes. They put her in jackets big enough to create the appearance of a troll's body w/ a little freckled head sticking out. When she isn't wearing a XXL coat, she's in an unflattering, ill-fitting suit. She looks downright chunky. (Is it a poor metaphor for the weight of ⛓s?). Initially, her dejected look has a purpose, but as the show progresses, her appearance & manner should as well. This is to defend the actress, not to criticize her. She could be so much cuter than the way they have her looking onscreen. When the show is nearly over, she's a cute, tiny little thing in jeans.
They give good reasons for Hani37 turning out so timid & frumpy. There's no flashes of her true personality 20 yrs later. She's lost herself at the bottom, somewhere. Unfortunately, her character drags the entire show down. A steady stream of unsupported comments blather on about Hani37 & Hani17 looking & acting alike. They don't resemble each other much. The actress playing Hani17 is just another amazing Korean child-actor. Their craft is such pleasure to behold. I'll call out these Kdramas when it comes to skin color. A fascinating thing about many of these child actors is that they often have darker skin than the grown up version of the person they're playing. These talented kids probably can't get work once they grow too old to play a school kid, b/c Korea doesn't hand out many roles to actors darker than Tom Brady. That's just wrong.
Regardless of skin color, Korea does have some of the most attractive male leads in the world. Hyun looks like an Olympian swimmer w/ a Mr. Korea sweet-as-sweet-potato smile. He's a cutie. Mops & water go together, I suppose. Unfortunately, they fail to sell the romance. It doesn't rise to the level of made-for-network-TV standards.
I was enjoying HM in the opening eps, so I hung in there w/ alot of subpar elements. Over time, the issues pile up. A smattering here & there doesn't matter, but the show becomes increasingly worse as it matures, ironically. It gets as bad as a typical Hollywood feature. Issues are resolved easily w/ 2D emotions. They obviously didn't have a large budget - aside from her wardrobe being a disaster, many of the sets are minimal. Silly chases, bland scenarios, & over-overing abound. Our logic is insulted: ‘I'm giving all my 💰 away to the poor. Now I'm gonna travel the 🌏,’ one character decides at the show's 🔚. It begs the question: ‘How will you afford it?’ One greedy monster is forgiven too easily, receiving too much for too little. Hani17 encourages an adult to apologize, while Hani37 admits that she didn't apologize yrs before b/c she lacked the courage to do so. It's presented w/o any acknowledgement of the hypocrisy she's embodying. That's sloppy. They cut a lot of corners. And why would she give that bratty younger self the bed while she sleeps on the floor? I would never. I don't like the idiot I used to be at all; I'd take the 🛌. It's all in good fun… until it gets old. (Sleeping on the floor is often preferred in 🇰🇷, to be fair).
There are worthy elements in HM. "As you live life, you'll come across painful moments that you just can't run away from. When that happens, close your eyes and count to 3. When you open your eyes again, you'll realize that you've become a little bit stronger," says Grandma. It prompts viewers to find the courage to revisit our expectations & aspirations. Part of that is accepting who we are, & not just the good points, but also our shortcomings, our past mistakes, & the things we need to work on. The newest world record holders word it well: “Challenging ourselves to new things everyday gave us strength & courage. It doesn't matter even if you collapse or fail every day. When that happens you tell yourself this: ‘You're doing well. You're the most magnificent star in your life’ - #only if you refuse to give up & get back on your feet once again.”
Hani17's interaction w/ Chun-sik, which sounds like "chum sick," is truly amusing. He's an adult & he's a Super⭐, but when she learns who he is (an underling she always made fun of in HS) she treats him just like she did when they were in school together. And he LETS her! His manager is astounded. It's the cutest thing about the show.
Hani17 is terribly entitled & self-centered. That's common for teens - we all are born 💯% selfish. Maturity is learning to not be selfish, & maturity is not in fashion these days. When we are young, adults may tell us that they ‘knew everything when they were younger’ & the ‘older they get, the less they know’. The unfortunate irony is that young people can never comprehend this. Hani's younger self, being the way she was, is what led to all the problems. Who among us wouldn't want to shake the younger version of ourselves & tell h/h to wake up? I would smack the brat I used to be & tell that bo+ch what's what, b/c learning by hitting bottom is so painful I'd do anything to avoid it. I also desperately want to save those I love from the same agony. Hani17 is also happy, outgoing, optimistic, & undaunted. No matter how mature we become, we shouldn't let those qualities entirely slip away.
So, is HM worth watching? It's not an easy call, only b/c Lee Re is so fantastic. For her performance alone, I'd say “yes,” it's worth checking out. If the early eps aren't doing it for you, then just move on. HM doesn't improve w/ age.
QUOTES📢
The joy is doubled when shared.
"Money is always the problem, whether you have it or not."
〰🖍 IMHO
🎬6.3 📝6 🎭7.3 💓5 🦋2 🌞6 🎨5⚡3.5 🎵/🔊7.2 😅3.9 😭4 🤢2 🤔4 💤4.5 🔚7
Age 14+ we'll see a person dying on the street after being hit by a truck. The blood from their head is washing away in the rain. She poses as a single mother who cannot identify the father of the child. It all spurts out under high-pressure emergent situations. PG-13 language. Out of nowhere, at the beginning of ep 8, we hear the word prick + a F💣
Re-📺? Not likely
In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may like:
Oh My Venus 7.4;
Crazy Love 7.8;
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love to Hate You 8.9;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
Her Private Life 8;
Romance is a bonus book 7.9;
Touch your heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo 8.5;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
Love Struck in the City 7.3;
Saimdang 8.5;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;
I'll See You When the Weather is Fine 9;
For romance junkies only:
My Secret Romance 7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks);
Boys Over Flowers 8 ~ melodrama to the max;
The Bride of Habaek 7;
Heirs 7.3;
That Winter, The Wind Blows 7;
Something in the Rain 9;
C🇨🇳: Well-Intended Love 7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine;
Find Yourself 8.9; A Little Thing Called First Love 8.5.
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Fun, Exiting and Refreshing
The shows I like watching now are usually high tension, so watching hello me was a good way to break up the tension. Every episode was fun to watch and there was never a day when I told myself I don't think I want to watch it because of how addictive it is.All of the main/recurring cast members have their own edge and could have their own spinoffs based on their adventures but I like how they are all in one drama and the focus is today's bahn Hani meeting bahn Hani from 20 years ago. This is good because we get to see retro scenes and the cast interact with the same person in different forms.
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Hello me !
I did enjoy this series . Although improbable as it may be the story line is exciting and compels you to watch till the end .A very good script and the ever true problem of facing one's past , one past self is important to acknowledge . The past should not dominate the future , nor control it , but coming to terms with the past and finding the courage to apologise for past mistakes is the noble thing to do .
Beautifully acted by all the cast , This is an enjoyable , uplifting , funny in parts , and deeply moving in others series well worth watching .
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This is a decent drama.
Here is another feel good K-Drama to enjoy. It is light and easy to watch. It focused on the story of the female lead’s life that was changed when her past version appeared to her and lived with her for 99 days. This phenomenon has taught both versions of the female lead lessons in life. I admired the friendship between the male and the female lead that has blossomed each day since they crossed each other’s paths again after 20 years.Very good job of taking an awful and cliche idea - older self meeting younger self - and some how making it believable with great acting.
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Sort of about time travel...still good
There were a couple of minor things that detract. First, there's time travel involved but the characters seem strangely disinterested in the ramifications. Second, there's a deadline with potentially deadly consequence that again the characters largely seem to ignore...even when it gets down to seven days they pretty much futz around with other things. There's some chaebol drama that is unnecessary as well. In short, this is not really about time travel.The rest of it is mostly light and fun with just enough drama for variety. Lee Re is particularly funny in many scenes and is well paired with Choi Kang Hee in the older role.
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