The perfect drama for Introverts out there. So relatable.
This story is so different from all the stories out there. I had this in my watchlist ever since it aired, wondering whether to watch it or not . But it turned out well. I liked it .The way this story unviels the inner state of individuals, people in general, just amazing.
Relationships, friendships ; we see contrasts of everything in this story ( introverts-extroverts, the rich‐ poor , good mother- bad mother, good people- bad people) literally everything. Its like a mashup of everything, life is about .
It is about a process of healing, loving oneself no matter what. No matter how hard the circumstances become, no matter how hard it gets, one must not stop loving oneself.
This story teaches us that love and hatred, happiness & sadness, loneliness, are all subjective. Our stat of mind has a huge impact on things we go through in daily life. It all depend upon how you choose to see it. Its all about the outlook .
The comedy is at another level. Mi jeong 's sibilings are hilarious at times.
Ki Jung talking about his diarrhea with Mr Gu, Gi Jung's plot about losing her memory & the "Pick up girl" story were so funny that i literally couldnt stop laughing out loud for minutes. 😆
I find the line "Na Gu ssi" just amazing. It is one of my favourite lines from the show. I dont know why. Maybe because it brought a ray of hope, and opened the door to happiness in Mi Jeong's life.
As far as acting is concerned, it was amazing. I'm in love with Kim Ji Won's acting, she's too good. (God, i love her voice). Mr Gu, OMG, given his serious alcoholism , i still found him great, somehow. Probably because Suk ku looks just too good in this. All the other actors have done a great job, thats why it turned out to be so great.
Liked it a lot.
Was this review helpful to you?
As close to tangible human drama as Korean television can get
Transcending the fabric of the “television series” and entering my reality, if only for those sixteen episodes. That is My Liberation Notes, a drama work that understands the heart of any drama—dialogue. A drama, at minimum, needs two people to slide their hearts off of each other and in the modern “K-drama” discourse, it’s often expected that the two leads will fall in love, and embrace to the ballad of a beautiful pop song. In the words of a friend, every relationship is different; and to take from Tolstoy, while every relationship is different, every happy relationship is the same. Because it’s hard to be happy in a world sublimated by texts, social media, bureaucracy, and the pangs of dispriz'd love. While many of us seem to be doing well, most of us aren’t; and so Park Hae-young takes us through a brief period within the lives of Yeom Gi-jeong, Yeom Chang-hee, and Yeom Mi-jeong.Park’s previous series, My Mister, was nothing short of a wonder and finishing it left me in a deep but empty void as I realized that I didn’t have someone whom I was willing to talk to, on a regular basis, about how hard living was. I’ve seen all but most of two episodes on the rewatch but have found it difficult to finish again. Four years later, Park brings this talk therapy to three people, or three “ones,” by placing them in a variety of sitting locations, episode after episode, simply—talking. About partway into the series I grew to miss Chang-hee’s ranting at life, at his co-worker, at not having a fancy car, at how he talks so much, and just listening. Gi-jeong I didn’t love a great amount, but she has her personality; and Mi-jeong, I will really miss—I do already—just listening. You really aren’t like many of us but watching you walk along the sidewalk at night, just talking, I heard a note. And that was the beginning of a song, a song that as we watch the birds fly above in the pink sky we hear them and see for ourselves that life is really just the same.
It's hard to be happy, and it’s really difficult to change; but life always brings moments of joy, and times when your heart thinks briefly of liberation.
Life is so hard, and that’s why I look at fiction’s great and immeasurable world for something better; for copium, essentially. I watch show after show, see movie after movie and find something to relate by as I return to my life and do I actually change? As a talking horse once said, you have to do it every day, and it’s really hard. But with these three working adult siblings who still live at home with their parents, after a time I didn’t think of it as fiction. I’m scared to look up the actors, although I will because I need more alternate universe Chang-hee and Mi-jeongs—it is a wonder to me how these real people can become others temporarily. With acting, you take on a personality and act, react, according to the situation but far more immersive, I think is how one lives out the other life, eats all those meals and drinks all those iced americanos. It’s a betrayal of that fictional curtain and almost feels tainted; that we have come to a point where fiction can feel so real and so grounded, to use a term conceived by a friend, whereby the movements and dialogue currencies of this work were just so natural, so organic that everything—and I mean everything—made sense. It’s not simple either. The series doesn’t even end on anywhere close to a satisfying “ending” because it’s not one. 16 episodes are the standard length for Korean television and so it ends there. If “change” is the primary language of fiction, how the several and many characters challenge it makes fiction its best. It’s even harder to do so in real life, but it didn’t even feel like Park did all he could to inhibit his characters from changing. He simply… wrote them as they were.
I can’t resist and have to quote one of the supporting characters at this moment:
“I once read a book to become a writer about how to be a good writer, and it said that a good drama is one where the main character tries hard to achieve something but can’t do it. So I gave up. Why would I write something that’s like life? It’s so boring.”
At its core, My Liberation Notes is about trying to be happy. Whether it comes from satisfaction with your career, finding love, or understanding your deepest issues. The best shows don’t motivate us to change. They tell us that the journey of life is hard, is harder like nothing else—but you really need to talk to those around you, and your heart just might ask every day what it means to live. You don’t have to answer it. But your heart moves all the same.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
“My Liberation Notes” is personally one of my favorite kdramas. “My Liberation Notes” truly stands out as an amazing project. You can tell that a lot of effort and love was put into it.Where do I begin with my praise? Everything is perfect… the directing, the cinematography, the acting, the script. Everything, I nearly have no complaints whatsoever.
While the ending might have been open, I think it was done well. I had expected it to be worse actually and was pleasantly surprised Mr. Gu didn’t die. I was holding my breath in the last scenes, I was so afraid he’d be killed off which would have been understandable but it would have broken my hearts into pieces.
“My Liberation Notes” was never about conclusions. I would have still loved for a couple of things to happen but if we’re experiencing a drama that mimics reality interestingly, I’d say they did a very good job and stayed true to what they have always been.
“My Liberation Notes” has been a great companion for me the past two months. Waiting for episodes weekly was very annoying, very stressful and also felt rewarding when Saturday came. Its a mix of emotions but I am glad I was there since the beginning, enjoying it, analyzing it, sometimes over-analyzing it and fangirling. It was lots of fun.
And for that, I am thankful. I honestly learned a lot. There are many quotes that struck me on a personal level, I can’t say I relate to a character purely but relate to different types of struggles different characters have, and regardless of that, I was so invested in their lives. Its been a while since I’ve been this invested in a drama, its been a while since I’ve repeated scenes from a drama so many times.
Now, I’m saying goodbye to my comfort drama and comfort characters. Thank you my worship couple, Yeom Family and Sanpo friends. Let’s continue life, trudging on Step by Step!” ♥️
#MyLiberationNotes JTBC Drama
Was this review helpful to you?
Understanding
Watch it! yeah,if ur feeling low, depressed and not fully enjoying the life but just surviving it,Watch this drama!
it has everything the story,comedy,family,emotions, problems happening in real life..everything and most importantly it has answers, 'The Answers' for most of the questions that arises within ourselves.
The first ever Drama that made me Cry, helped to feel the calmness inside me and thought me to be strong ,be courageous, and how to control my anger.
it get's a bit complicated in the ending and may not be easily understandable by everyone ,but it is really good and a Healing Drama.
Being silent and enduring problems and resolving them can be done by myself without others.
All have acted their part very well,feels like it had happened in their life.
Worship!!!!
Liberate!!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
this is for the girlies whose love language is acts of service
I had been in such a kdrama slump for like almost a year and then I decided to finally watch this show. I heard it gave off My Mister energy and I had had the biggest obsession with Kim Jiwon. I ended up binging this in two days and I haven't known sanity since. Like... what a show. Yeah, it's not perfect, the time skip that happens is a bit odd and confusing and it can drag and be a bit slow ofc and yeah... Sometimes it meanders and doesn't feel like it knows exactly what it's trying to say, but it's worth it for the characters. Park Haeyoung once again characters that feel so incredibly REAL. Like Yeom Mijeong's entire character felt like a personal attack against me and so did Gijeong to an extent like i swear Park Haeyoung has been inside my mind. It's interesting because Mijeong has the potential to be such an annoying, self absorbed character but I can't help but love her. She hates saying useless things she's so real she wants deep connections not just surface level stuff and that's the reason she literally has one friend and it's Hyeona who's actually insane we love a blunt queen. Actually Hyeona was also a personal attack against me yikes. But yeah Mijeong's such an interesting character to follow and I want to see her find liberation and actually relax for once her life like !!! And ofc then there's Gijeong who does nothing but run her mouth- the complete opposite of Mijeong- but equally as relatable. The whole 'pick it up girl' thing was so real and her staging an injury in case she got rejected was also so relatable she was just an embarrassing queen and yeah she was self absorbed and so flawed but idk I really enjoyed her character. And then there's Changhee who had the best plot in the entire show like. Wow. He's a character with zero vision and passion. He just wants to make money and he wants a car and he makes all of his decisions based on that. He doesn't stop to think about what he actually WANTS in his life he's just running off of practicality and the grind of how speedy life is. The way they ended his plot was actually the most perfect way it could've gone and it's impossible to predict like that was. Wow. I'm still not over it. And yeah. I'm in love with Gu. I love that man so much I so get why Mijeong went after him like he's so pathetic and dead inside and the way he would just walk with her... and accompany and her and eat with her... Like idk there was such intimacy in their silence I really don't know how they did it but at the same time that's the relationship I want. That comfortable silence was just so beautiful honestly and I love that she never tried to fix him like I don't think she approved of him drinking himself to death but at the same time it's his choice and she can't make him do anything. And ep 15.... YEAH EP 15!!!! That ep is the definition of true love im sorry. Also yeah Mijeong 'five minutes a day of happy moments broken up in seconds' speech is one of the best kdrama monologues I've ever watched in my life it stopped me dead in my tracks. What a gorgeous, poignant show like I could go on and on about the themes and the way transportation is used and just... There's so much to impact with this show and again, it's not perfect it's got a lot of flaws but wow what a watch... And yeah Mijeong and Gu are absolutely one of my favorite television couples of all time theyre so weird.Was this review helpful to you?
Epitome of slice of life
I finished My liberation notes almost a week ago, but I only got to write a review just now.This drama took me a while to finish and I am not entirely sure whether it was due to me being busy or bored. Watching MLN felt like seeing the human life from the eyes of a different being- acknowledging the petty struggles, as well as the passions, humans have. It is most definitely a slow burn. There is a great focus on the romance, yet it manages to be somewhat subtle. The focus of the story is more so on the individual characters and their development. This aspect makes it likeable. What truly helps bring the characters to life are the impeccable acting performances. There is not a lot to say here, every actor did such a good job.
With that being said, watching it, with so little happening, was difficult at times. I can certainly appreciate My liberation notes for its message- learning to come to peace with yourself and your life, to embrace struggles, to love others, but that's essentially all it has to offer.
If I was to sum it up, I loved My liberation notes and I do not regret watching, but I don't see it making on the list of my favorites- or as of right now, at least.
Was this review helpful to you?
The main sibling trio was incredibly compelling to follow, and I have to say I've never related to a cast of characters as deeply as I did with this one. I truly believe the authenticity of these characters is something the majority of viewers would connect with, too.
The main romantic subplot -if we can even call it that- was awkward at first, but it still made me giddy to watch it unfold. I appreciated the subtlety of their interactions, the chemistry was off the charts with them. While the entire cast did a phenomenal job portraying these emotionally raw characters, Kim Ji-won really impressed me. Also, this is me being totally shameless, but Son Suk-ku was incredibly sexy for a man with few words and looked unkempt and sweaty 24/7.
Anyway, back to the point: the first chunk of the series made me connect with the characters. Combine that with highly emotional scenes and a beautiful soundtrack, and I was completely hooked. The payoff at the end, while not grand, made me look back at each character's journey under a positive light. It made me realize that not all stories need to end with a deep meaningful message or neat closure. Because, you know, life is just like that sometimes.
The verdict? Definitely recommend. It’s the kind of series that’s going to live rent-free in my head for a really long time, and I’ll absolutely be checking out more of this writer's work.
Was this review helpful to you?
A book, but in drama form
Beautiful, calming drama. Slow, slice of life. It’s like a cup of hot coffee on a snowy day. Bittersweet, realistic, warm. Romantic and Metaphorical.I am a fan of Mr Gu now. Loved Seon Seon Ku and his acting. The tilted head scenes he did just made me fall for him . Amazing actors, epic story. No loopholes. Just Perfect
The siblings were my favourite trio. They are like friends and roommates. They have their own thing going on but they still look out for each other. It kind of reminds me of my own siblings. Funny how just growing up together makes you so attached to people. Childhood is so precious.
Anyway this drama was such a personal delight for me. I don’t know how to objectify my opinions because I can’t. This drama was very, very touching to me on an emotional level.
Was this review helpful to you?
Oscar/emmy/ Golden Globes worthy performances
I was born and raised in Australia, although born to immigrant parents from Macedonia and Greece. So I was fortunate enough to be brought up in Sydney, Australia....with both the Greek and Macedonian cultures really important in my upbringing. I mention this, because now I am an adult, and even though I am Australian, in my heart, the Greek and Macedonian culture thrives. After watching this beautiful and poignant tv series, I often related to the south korean culture. The relationships and the interactions between the parents and their children.... the altruistic and often under appreciated roles of the mother in a family unit.... this series was easily the most rewarding south korean television series I have ever watched. It was beautiful, emotionally charged... yet all so real. It did not have the typical K drama cliches, in fact, it went against all the cliches one would usually expect from most K dramas. Thats why I found this series a brilliant insight to Korean life. It showed me, that whatever culture you are from, universally, we are all the same. I loved EVERY character and their flaws ....especially the OLDEST daughter of this dynamic family. Her character was, for me, the pinnacle of this series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDWas this review helpful to you?
This is Art.
This show is undoubtedly amazing. I went into this show just expecting a simple average kdrama and got something spectacular. I LOVE this show. This is show has everything: funny moments, serious moments, character growth, plot, and realism. This show is one of the most realistic kdramas I have ever watched. It discusses serious topics that are not usually talked about in media or in tv shows. This has become one of my most favorite kdramas ever. Each character has a struggle and each character finds a way to overcome that struggle. You will love this show!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Slow pace
Very slow pace but It's entertaining. If you are looking or anticipating any big drama or twist, this show is not for you. This is a show mostly about perspective of life. I found myself wanting to see what each character has to say about their view of life overall. The brother character I found is the most interesting and well written.His belief about being rich or being born in bigger city and live there will change his life or make him happier change throughout the course. Mr Gu story line is really not believable. Hard to believe people will welcome someone to live or work close by without knowing anything about them AT ALL other than his last name. I was looking forward for his amazing story and turned out ,his career was even more unbelievable .
Tae hun story is the worst by far. They never reconcile his attitude towards his sisters. So we are just going to have to believe he will marry and the wife will just have to endure his sister's horrible behavior.
Was this review helpful to you?
Very relatable!
This is an amazing drama with top tier actors! I was hooked from the very beginning! Has a little bit of “My mister” vibes but a completely different story and although at times it felt heavy and uncertain which way it was headed, i absolutely loved it! It’s in my top 3! Very real, very honest, very relatable to challenges we face everyday. I saw pieces of myself in all the characters, just wished we would’ve gotten a little more with the ending specifically Gu, which path did he take, did he stay the same? I want to believe him putting down the bottle meant he was starting something new or at least trying.. was the love she gave him enough to keep him going.Was this review helpful to you?
