Our Beloved Summer

Typical tropes made special

Enemies to lovers turned exes to lovers two of my favourite tropes. Yes, they’ve been done before but not like this. Our beloved summer takes two very common tropes and manages to make them different, special and realistic. Such close attention to the smallest details. Beautiful use of colours, tones and weather to reflect the mood. They dive deep into characters emotions and the psychology behind them really drawing you in to help you have a deeper understanding of them. The use of the documentary and showing us each characters point of view. The situations that the characters was in were so realistic and relatable, you find your self feeling more immersed into the story and understanding the pacing of the show more. The script, it was written eloquently! The show deals with really important serious topics; abandonment, depression, loneliness, poverty and more. Yet they were all handled with care.

The acting was obviously amazing. The emotions they were feeling I felt them too and even if I didn’t feel them I still found myself feeling emotional regardless. We have Oscar winning and Chungmuro actors of course the show’s acting was going to be good!! Kim Dami is my favourite Korean actress and after Our beloved summer I like her even more and I’m excited for her future projects.

The music was very enjoyable with a wide variety and lots of respected artist. My favourite OST was definitely Sam Kim’s and BiBi’s!


Now the very few dislikes. NJ I couldn’t really find myself liking or connecting with her character I found her annoying and out of place. The only time I really liked her is when she stood up for herself against her trolls but unfortunately that’s where it started and ended. My only other complaint is one of the love triangles. Jiwoong being in love with his best-friend’s girl friend for over ten years was just silly and it took far too long for him to finally get over the situation. It just didn’t make any sense. 10 years is a very long time for him not to have moved on. It also felt out of character. Was he really willing to risk his only deep and meaningful friendship to try and pursue a woman who’s in love with his best friend and always will be. These are the only reason I gave the story a 9 and not a 10.

Overall, this was a brilliant kdrama and I highly recommend it. At first I was worried that they left too many storylines last minute and the ending would feel rushed but I was very wrong. The ending was done beautifully filled with a mixture of emotions. Kdramas tend to fall flat somewhere along the show but Our beloved summer was genuinely good ep 1 until 16.

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MUST WATCH !! A true youthful masterpiece depicting the concept of life in a beautiful way

Wow. Just wow. This show was indeed an experience in many ways, I had given this drama a try when it first aired, however, I gave up midway through the first episode only because I didn't think it'd interest me. One day, I was reminded of this drama when I saw the OST in stores. I thought to give it another shot and I truly fell in love with every detail of this show, every character was explored thoroughly and the romance was genuinely perfect. This might just be one of the best youthful romance dramas I've seen this year everything from the plot to the characters was flawless, I am gonna miss this drama dearly, I love how they gave insight into each character's life allowing us to understand hardships that they've faced as well as showing the concept of mistakes that have been made in the past and how the characters grew from them. It was a perfect depiction of a drama driven by its characters and that's what I love. I cannot even think of a single thing I've hated, I'm not a person who writes many reviews however due to how much I loved this I had to give it a review. I think this drama will always remain one of my favorites and I wish for many people do give this drama the recognition and love it deserves.

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This shouldn't be a hidden gem

I'll be honest, I only started watching this because it was mentioned in an episode of "In the Soop." I'm glad that I didn't miss it because it's easily one of my favorite KDramas. This show deserves recognition. A wonderful story about what love truly means. I expected nothing less of Kim Dami and Choi Woo-Shik who really are in a league of their own. I appreciate the editing and filmography, you can definitely see the team that works on this really put their thoughts and effort. Every shot is like out of a movie, even the car scenes, which are supposedly boring, are impeccable. Everything is detailed even the littlest things. The OSTs are so good too! A solid 9 for me.

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A lovable documentary of life

It took me a while to finish this drama. For me, it's not a drama that you wanted to marathon but watching it in the right mood.

Why do I love this drama?
What I really love about this drama is how they tell the story of each characters. Ung desperately wants a simple life and to cope with his loneliness. Whenever we are in a state of suffering, we have our own way to deal with it. Yeon Soo's struggles and the consequences that follow in all the decisions that we make. That all make sense.
Ji Ung's character really hits my heart. How he deals with his one-sided love, his relationship with his mother, his relationship with Ung, and everything in between. It was so realistic and inspiring. So whenever I see bad comments about him, loving his best friend's girlfriend and when he tried to suppress his feelings and tried to avoid them was very common and relatable to do.. Just wait until you experience the same situation in your life. The same with NJ. I love her boldness and openness but she was understanding and know how to accept defeat.

Overall a wonderful story of life. A comforting drama to all. Even the OST was wonderful. Well, deserve the praise.

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I go back to December all the time

I saw many comments saying this is a boring drama and is really slow, so I was hesitant to start this. I'm SO glad I did (and this is coming from someone who almost never watches the slice of life genre). It was not boring at all. Although I understand why it is considered a slow burn, I found each episode zipping by, and was always eager to watch more to understand the characters. I think the characters being relatable, realistic people helped make it work.

Story
The story is pretty straightforward - two people who are polar opposites fall in love after filming a documentary in high school, they break up really badly, meet again after 5 years and drama ensues. They realize how they have changed, and how they have remained the same, this time determined to make things right and to approach their relationship with more maturity. The way the story is told makes things intriguing because it's not presented in a chronological order. Rather, you will be jumping between their present and fragments of their past. The writer did an amazing job putting things in an order that adds more context and depth to the situation at hand. By telling you how the present is relevant to the past, you know why the characters behave in a certain way, and why some things are better the second time around.

Message
The structure of the story is like peeling an onion, each new episode unravels a new layer about the characters, until you start to empathize with each of them. It is a character-driven drama without a very clear plot, almost like you're living with the characters. You learn new lessons about life, about people. You might start with hating a certain character, and end feeling sorry for them after knowing their backstory. It provides perspective to the human condition, and there is always something to resonate with when it comes to that.

Romance
The drama is centered on romance, so it won't be a good drama if there's no good romance. And I would say, the couple is one of my favorite OTPs I've seen in a drama. There's something about them that just screams that they are meant to be, and you don't see that same spark when they are hanging out with other people. This is the "opposites attract" trope done right. The ML and FL complete each other, they help build each other's weaknesses with their own strengths. There is every reason they fell for each other, every reason they broke apart, and also every reason they wanted to be together again. Nothing felt forced. It was a natural relationship featuring two people with flaws, who sometimes behave like children although they are full grown adults, and who eventually grow strong enough to face their traumas to become better people who are capable of giving and receiving love.

Conclusion
I don't think this drama is overrated, as long as you go in knowing what it is. If you're looking for something exciting, fast-paced, keeps you at the edge of your seat, or some sort of bubbly, happy, feel-good romcom, this is not it. But if you like reading a book on a breezy afternoon weekend while taking a sip of hot chocolate, this is what the drama feels like.

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The Pain We Carry

On the surface, "Our Beloved Summer" is about two unlikely high school students who are paired together for a documentary. Yeon-Soo is the top student in her class. She's driven and determined to be the best. At the other end of the spectrum is Choi-Woong, who is dead last in his class. He appears to be lazy, uninterested, and lacking in ambition.

On a much deeper level, "Our Beloved Summer" is about the pain we all carry around with us. Much of it has to do with the past and how people are treated, whether it be from parents, other friends, or people from relationships. Pain is inevitable. Suffering, however, is optional. And it's amazing how much we suffer by holding on to the past. Yeon-Soo bitterly states in one episode, "The more you try to ignore the past, the more you become trapped in it. And the more you try to run away, the more it traps you." This is because the past needs to be released. Especially the pain. And much of this series is about that: letting go of the pain, and thus, coming to peace with the past.

Yeon-Soo is a woman who appears confident and doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks about her. This makes her appear cold and indifferent. However, this is what is on the surface, because underneath, she's a young woman in turmoil. She pushes everyone away from her because she feels she is not worthy of being liked or loved by anyone. The irony of pushing people away in order to avoid pain is that the person we really end up hurting is ourselves.

Choi-Woong is similar in his pain. However, instead of pushing others away, Woong chooses to barricade himself in his house, focusing on his art and having little contact with others. Why? Because he's been abandoned by those that should have loved him and been there for him. And so, just like Yeon-Soo, he also feels unworthy. And when Yeon-Soo breaks up with him the first time, it reinforces his feelings of unworthiness all the more. Woong is also a gifted artist. However, he draws only buildings, which seem to mirror his own feelings of trying to remain emotionless and distant from anyone else. We come to find that his true masterpiece of art is finally revealed in the very last episode in a most profound and touching way!

Ten years later, Yeon-Soo and Choi-Woong are asked to do another documentary, due to the success of the first one. Reluctantly, they agree. However, the more they begin to spend time together, they not only realize that the feelings they had for each other never went away, but they're able to finally confront their own demons from their past and put them to rest. They do this by acknowledging their fears and realizing what's been holding them back. They also realize that the goal of a relationship isn't to change the other person, but to change yourself. And this is why their relationship ultimately works.

The world is full of Yeon-Soos and Choi-Woongs. People who build up defensive walls, or hide themselves away because they believe what others have told them: that they are unworthy. Feelings of unworthiness truly rob us of our chance of having a happy, fulfilling life. And they exist only within our own minds.

This series is truly beautiful and uplifting in depicting the pain of these two lovable characters, and watching their healing finally begin to take place. What's more, they also learn how to lean on each other when needed. They begin to trust their own love and strength and use it for each other as well as for themselves.

I cannot speak highly enough of Kim Da Mi and Choi Woo-Shik. Not only is their chemistry undeniable, but they are able to give us deep, complex characters using subtlety as a powerful acting tool. A look, a smile, a falling tear...all brilliantly showcased to make us feel every emotion that they are conveying.

I was also thankful that the writers didn't succumb to a "typical" ending in the last episode. I love it when writers dare to follow a more realistic path that suits the characters and the situation rather than force a "happy ending" that is contrived and unbelievable.

I rarely speak of the music in my reviews, but Kim Kyung Hee has quickly become a favorite of mine! His title song is something that I've found myself playing over and over again. I also loved his songs from "Crash Landing On You." He seems to capture Yeon-Soo and Choi-Woong in his song perfectly. I can't listen to it and not think of them!

This is one of my all-time favorite series involving "young" love. I cannot say enough about it. The series was cute, funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, touching, provocative, necessary, and deep. How many series can I say that about in over 45 years of watching shows? Not many.

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Youth is bright and warm. Just like this drama.

Ok, I might be a bit biased about this one because Choi Woong is my ideal man so I love this drama so much (hence the perfect 10 ratings). Anyway...

Ah, yes. My mind and soul left after this drama ended. All there's left was EMOTIONS. My heart feels so warm and I feel it melting every episode. It's SO good! This is a masterpiece! After 2 episodes, I knew this will be one of my favorites.

The four characters gave us such refreshing personalities and they all shared such great lessons that will surely help us. The amount of friendship, family, and love are all equally shown. It may have seem to focus on their (the main leads) relationship but there's really MORE to it.

The comforting feeling I get with every episode... I can't even explain how beautiful it is. The soundtracks fits the drama/scenes so well. Though I know Kdramas had perfected this already, I still want to say it.

I'm drunk in my emotions. My heart just feels warm and cozy. This will be one of my comfort dramas. I will be rewatching this every know and then. And I know you'll do too!

Kudos to all the casts and staffs esp to the one who wrote this amazing drama. Can't wait for the movie!

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The summer you will all love!

This new kdrama is getting noticed by everyone, and all the success it's having is well deserved! Who knows, maybe it will become one of the most popular series of 2022? I wish it will.

The story revolves around Choi Ung, a nationally renowned illustrator and Kook Yeon-soo, a public relations expert. Both are 29 years old, both are unhappy and both were madly in love with each other until 5 years ago... at least until they became just one another's ex. For this reason when they broke up they promised to never see each other again, but fate will not be on their side: in fact, during their last year of high school, they shot a documentary together and, after ten years, that documentary is gone viral, so much that fans ask for it to continue to see how the two protagonists are now. So the production house decides to please them. At first it will not be easy to convince Ung and Yeon to participate, but then things will start to take a different direction.

Reading the plot, you might think it's a simple love story, but I assure you that it's not! The feelings in this kdrama are transported from the screen to the viewer's heart, because they are feelings that we have all experienced at least once in our life: regret not having done something, fear of opening up to the other person. This was possible above all thanks to the skill of the two protagonists, played by Choi Woo-shik (yes, the one from “Parasite”) and Kim Da-mi (you can find her in “Itaewon Class”). They have crazy chemistry on screen, and they managed to make us poor viewers participate in their sentimental dramas too! In addition to this I feel I want to underline the beauty of the soundtrack, which made me shed many (too many) tears and the tenderness of some scenes that you absolutely must not miss, so run and see it, you will not regret it!

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A very heartwarming drama with amazing cast

I love everything about this drama.

The casting director did a very amazing job, Choi Woo Shik, Kim Da Mi an all the actors were able to potray all the characters perfectly.

The music director did a very great job as well, despite of the OST were sang by V, 10 cm and other well known singers, the ost itself really really gave you the mood..

Overall, it is a very recommended drama to be watched. Slow pace but not boring, the story is flowing nicely.. a very heartwarming and healing drama.. Kudos for everyone involved in the drama 😍😍🥰🥰❤❤❤

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