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Undeserved low viewership
The best drama of 2022 so far. Each episode discusses a very sensitive topic - sexual abuse, bullying, eating disorders, PTSD et cetera. The viewer might be able to see themselves in one or more episodes. The cast did an excellent job portraying their characters and we did see some good character development. Through the cases the grim reapers solve, you will be able to get to know the reapers little by little.In my personal opinion, as much as I love this drama, there were moments that did not make that much sense and moments I would like to address. The controversial suicidal dog episode (episode 9) wasn't as bad as other reviewers make it. It just showed that animals have feelings too. I do admit that the whole suicide act might be a little over the top but the message it conveys (as said before, that animals do have feelings too) was acceptable. However, I have to call out episode 7 which tackled the topic of anorexia/ED. The whole episode didn't really progress much and the ending wasn't satisfying. EDs are very serious mental illnesses and only a five-minute talk won't miraculously solve it.
Towards the end of the show, my satisfaction started declining as it felt that the main focus shifted to the relationship between Ryeon and Joong Gil. It took 2 episodes of a 16-episode drama to show the whole backstory of grim reaper Ryung Gu and that was it. Jun Woong was said to be the main focus of the show but his character development was non-existent. Rowoon's portrayal of Jun Woong was phenomenal yet the character didn't develop at all and stayed the same/similar from the first episode to the last. Meanwhile, Ryeon's character development from cold and distant to an absolutely heartbroken yet caring and kind woman was astounding.
Kim Hee Sun definitely stole the show with her portrayal of Ryeon. Lee Soo Hyuk's character Park Joong Gil was a scene-stealer. Hee Sun was a show-stealer.
Overall, the drama was excellent. The ending was rushed in terms of Ryeon's and Joong Gil's relationship. You could predict some aspects of it while watching the whole show but the ending was completely off. What I didn't like about it was Ryeon's behavior towards Joong Gil. She was in mental pain the whole show yet, in the end, she didn't even care about her husband staying in hell? The whole show kept on slowly improving yet the ending caused my overall rating to go down by one whole star.
Anyway, I still highly recommend it but be cautious about its sensitive topics.
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Definitely Worth the Watch
Wow this drama was sooooo freaking amazing and so good it!!! We may fail on Korean BL but on other drama we definitely have a winner!!!First of all, my respect to the writer/s of this entire story, it must not have been easy for them to publish the idea and they must have been meet with a lot of controversy, since the main topic of “Tomorrow" is suicide. With this focus it may gain a lot of attention and a higher platform to spread awareness for mental health, each of the episodes showed a different story or a different challenge that people go through on every day lifestyle, not only that, I like how the main characters each had there own issues to deal with as well, and how falling off the wagon every once in a while is Ok as long as you accept it and recognize it and work your way back up again, I don't believe in suicide, but I do know that each have there own struggle to survive in this very challenging time.
The Cast were amazing I really love Lee Soo Hyuk, his amazing and a pleasure to watch, not only that he most definitely fitted this Grim Reaper role to the tee!!
The Story is one a very hard as it deals with real life issues that normal do struggle with on a daily basis, and each person has to go through his/her struggles. Mental Health is a real thing and its not often recognized and possible the hardest thing to show and talk about. There were some really hard scenes in this drama, I literally cried my eyes in certain episodes, others were really difficult to watch and try comprehend how anyone would be able survive such scenarios. I was left with an impression of us humans need to be mindful of our actions and how our actions can effect others. The lighthearted humor in the show is most welcome during the difficult that are dealt with in the show. I liked how they addressed various amounts of pain, pain that some might considered silly but it is a pain to someone none the less and hurts them a lot.
This drama is truly excellent. The writing, the acting, the production, everything was amazing.
Overall: REALLY GIVE THIS A TRY AND WATCH IT..... i REALLY ENJOYED IT
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Encounters and Solutions
I anticipated a good drams when I saw the Trailer but I never expected such an intense content. I am thoroughly enjoying this drama. Through out my life, I have encountered people with problems similar to those in the drama. We never know what is going on in someone's life at any one time and we should be cognizant of our surroundings, Society, in general, places a lot of inequalities upon us each day, but it's how we navigate them that make us stronger and sometimes we need some intervention from an outside source. This drama has very intense stories and I wonder how the cast themselves felt about doing each episode. The main cast is strong and amazing in their projection of each character but even the other cast members who are involved in each episode are very good. I hope that most people who watch this drama can take away a renewed perspective of being kind and helpful to one another.Was this review helpful to you?
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Tackling Tomorrow with the right mindset
Just a heads up: if you don't like the types of shows where each episode has a unique plot, and the "main" storyline is unraveled bit by bit throughout each episode, you probably won't like this one. The background of the main characters are fully addressed at the end; I think it's worth your time though! I thoroughly enjoyed all 16 episodes :)Something some people don't realize about this kdrama is the fact that the main focus is the topic of how suicide is not one's only option when they're suffering, not Koo Ryeon & Joong-Gil's history. The writers' target audience is people that are facing hard times, where the writers are hoping that they would try grasping onto hope and waiting for better days to come; the plot is just a bonus.
The formatting of this drama is quite different than a regular kdrama, where the plot/backstory o the main characters aren't the main focus, but the very sensitive topic of suicide. I saw other people in their reviews complaining about how the storylines were very uniform and every episode was basically formatted the same, and I do agree with that, but I think that the unique experiences and lessons each individual episode holds makes watching every episode heartwarming in their own ways.
Each episode features a different person, in a very different situation from the last. From animals to celebrities, the writers were able to address many of Korea's most pressuring stereotypes that may cause someone to feel like they don't belong in this world. Though some may think that the amount of diversity between the characters is overwhelming, I think that the heterogeneity of the characters' situations really connects into the real world very well.
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Tackled real-life social issues with beauty and substance.
I am sure I am not the only one here, but Tomorrow is ripe for a Season 2. While the show had its fair share of dissenters, it doesn’t remove the fact that it is one of the few dramas out there which tackled the controversial issue of suicide as its main plot driver. I personally think its timely, relevant and powerful in its message.The cast is fantastic. Every one of them. I just wished that Park Jung Il had more screen time. Everytime he graced the screen was just awesome.
The drama is episodic, they solve/save would-be suicide cases in a span of 1-2 episodes. Be warned, prepare some box of tissues. Rowoon’s crying face is certainly infectious. I think I teared up a fair few times.
Overall, what an exceptional and remarkable show. I am very satisfied by the ending, and opens plenty opportunities for Season 2.
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the only one who can save us is ourselves.
Tomorrow Drama tells the story of an elite grim reaper who works at a Jumadeung afterlife company. The story focuses on the team of Kooryeon, Ryunggu and Junwoong, new employees who are in a coma, who are tasked with saving humans who are about to commit suicide. This team is tasked for comforting and awakening people who are more afraid of tomorrow than death, that our lives are precious, no matter how difficult the problems we face, we must endure, because the only one who can save and strengthen us is ourselves.I love every episode because it manages to make me feel emotional. the stories are so touching and relate to life in society. The story that impressed me the most was 넋은 별이 되고 (Soul that became a star). It tells the story of a hero's grandfather who used to defend the country and experienced post-war trauma and ended up living alone until he was old. So I thought, the government should provide counseling for activists who survived the war. Another story that touched me was the story of Kong, a dog who intended to commit suicide because he didn't want to see his owner sad because of the dog's illness. Kooryeon's words are true, nothing is more sincere than an animal.
There is always a lesson to be learned from each case. it seems like if I write it again, it will be long, and bring up too many spoilers. For those who are down, feel that their life is meaningless, this drama is very worth watching because it might provide a little enlightenment and strength for those who watch it.
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Best 2022 kdrama I’ve watched so far
I started this drama two or three weeks after it’s release. I began receiving recommendations from my friends that this drama is worth the watch. I would NEVER regret watching this drama. I learned a lot from it and the cast was just so good!What I love about this drama is that you never know what’s going to happen next. Everything is unexpected. I find this drama entertaining and comforting at the same time. It’s not like any other drama. This drama would always and always remain iconic to me.
I think i also need to talk about how Joong Gil and Ryeon’s past lives ruined me. Since i’ve started tomorrow, I have always been so curious about what their past lives were and why Joong Gil was acting like that and why he has nightmares and etc.. But when episode 14 got released all my questions got answered but at the same time the truth ruined me. I cried a lot for days knowing how tragic their love story was.
So if you need a good cry, you know where to go. This drama deserves all it’s recognition and love!
p.s. also make sure to have tissues around you 😭
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An extraordinary show
Let me start by saying that Romantic Comedy is my "go to" genre (this is not one!), and I don't give out a rating of 10 willy-nilly (must hold my attention throughout, without needing to fast forward, must be well-written, must have a high rewatch value, must have at least some likeable characters, can't be too melodramatic, and it has to have a good ending (wasn't too sure about the likeability of the characters, but they soon changed my mind. This was definitely more on the melodrama scale than I normally like, but MAN!)This drama is written so well. I really appreciated the originality of it. Okay, we've seen the grim reaper thing done before, but this is in a category of its own. I loved how every episode introduced new characters for the reapers to get involved with, and no storyline was extended too far out, enabling us to move on without getting bored. There is a LOT of serious material that gets covered - suicide, bullying, the cost of fame, tragedies of many forms, and each episode gives attention to these issues, and we definitely see the seedy underbelly of human behavior. There were some episodes that were more difficult to watch than others, but they were so masterfully written, and you really get a feel into the complexities of people's feelings and what leads them to contemplate ending their own lives. The three main Reapers, when we first see them, are hard, unyielding, by-the-book and, honestly, not very nice people. When a half human, half reaper enters the picture, he really shuffles things up. We get the privilege of seeing him change them, as well as the other way around.
ACTING: Kim Hee Sun, Yun Ji On and Lee Soo Hyuk were excellent as Reapers. I really felt like their coldness was from centuries of doing this job, and it took Rowoon as Choi Joon Woong to come in and shake things up a bit. I especially enjoyed watching Yun Ji On - I've not seen him in anything before. He seemed so flat in his acting at first, but that was just his character, and when it addressed his storyline, my heart broke for him. Rowoon's character was a bit of a mess, floating through life, unable to get a job, etc. Lee Soo Hyuk tends to always play these mean, hard, unyielding characters and he's the same here, but once we get his back story it all makes sense. It's enjoyable to watch him "become human" and really start to care about others. I love Kim Hae Sook in anything I see her in, and she was excellent as the Jade Emperor. She had to be more strict with others in this role and that was a change from the way I've normally seen her. I also have to give a shout out to Kim Young Ok as Lee Jeong Mun (episode 13, I believe) - she is a seasoned actress that I always enjoy. I would love for her to be my grandmother, with her sweet face and voice.
CINEMATOGRAPHY/MAKE UP/ COSTUMING/SPECIAL EFFECTS: On point! It had a very noir feel about it, lots of blues and blacks. The make-up was very good, especially as it related to wounds, etc. Costuming was good - they put the Jade Emperor in some gowns that would have been ridiculous anywhere else. The special effects were used well, and not overdone just for the sake of having special effects.
MUSIC: For me, the music faded into the background, which I appreciate. I do remember one piece that was a cello piece and it seemed very dramatic and I thought it was perfect for where they put it.
EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT: I binge watched this in two days. I cried in a few of the episodes (and I'm talking ugly cry!). I didn't want to do anything other than watch this, but when it was over, I must admit to feeling sad. I seriously cannot recommend this show highly enough, and anything I say can't do it justice.
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Beautiful message
It makes me think of Death’s game but this is way better. Sorry I shouldn’t compare dramas as I am strongly against it but it made me think of it… The concept a bit.I will say I was bothered so much about the drama trying to be funny and some scenes that were odd. But in the end I understood why they are necessary.
Topics involved are deep and so closed to reality. It is disturbing how well they picture reality. And it is crescendo. The more you go the harder and deeper topics get. You need to “light up the mood” even if it doesn’t work out.
And that is also a beautiful message to our lives and problems. You need light over the darkness. You need people trying to make you laugh when you don’t want to or think you cannot anymore. You need ridiculous stuffs to the seriousness of the situation called life.
Finally can someone give LSH some lead role ? This guy has so much to show us and so much under his sleeves.
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Cool Reapers!
at 1st was only curious after watching the thriller and I gave a shoot watching the first episode and it hock me up all the way to the last episode. I though it was some kind of a horror thing because of the grim reapers but as the story goes the other way around it's very unique seeing a team of grim reapers saving people who wants to end their own life, this really catch my attention. the story is about suicidal people, and those reapers assign to stopped people from committing suicide . they will save those people who are about to take their life and help them overcome their problems and of course punished those who are responsible. this series touches every aspect of burdens and problems that might pushed people to their edge and how the cool reapers solved the issue and problems. don't get me wrong it's not a boring series or a dragging one the phase and the story line is really great. it has a part were you can laugh and a part where your on the edge of your seats or a part were you will be burning with anger to those jerks who cause the burdens of those victims...the episode that really made my tears burst was the "dog" episode 8 or 9 whoa that really touches me that I cried watching that episode. now I wonder when we die our pets will really meet us in the after life? hehe silly me...
this series also encourage us to help and do our part to encourage one another, a family member, a friend, a colleagues or even a stranger who knows that person needs our encouragement to help them get thru on the challenges that burdens them. let's spread hope and love. big cheers to this series a very good one. I highly recommend this series watch it.
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Wonderful K-drama with so many layers!
!! Spoiler alert !!Tomorrow, watched on Netflix.
Finished Tomorrow two days ago but had to ponder it over before I could write this. It’s such a great drama but has so many layers in it.
The episodes kept building up. All episodes are great but some are more special to me. I already wrote about episode 6 being so beautiful. Episode 9 was great too, about a dog named Kong who wanted to die so his boss didn’t have to suffer and spend a lot of money. I love dogs (have 5 of them myself) so this hit close to home!
Episode 10 made me cry so much. It’s about a girl who got raped. I yelled out loud when I saw the smirk on the rapist face when he got away in court. And her family who blamed her for being raped., so sad! Eventually her brother luckily made up for it. And I especially liked the way Park Joong Gil (Lee Soo Hyuk) to care of the rapist!
The episodes about Ryeon-gu’s past with Park Joong Gil were so great. There was so much love between them. And he never let her down, even when everybody else condemned her for returning after being a ‘comfort woman’.
The things that stood out for me the most:
Suicide is frowned upon. In this drama but also in the ‘real’ world. Instead of feeling compassion for the person who felt so miserable they wanted to take their own life, people are talking about how the ones who were left behind are the ones we need to feel sorry for. And yes, it must be awful to experience this but think about how this person must have felt. I can’t imagine how desperate and lonely these people must have been. Although they might be surrounded by people who love them.
If only we all could be part of the crisis management team and have a app that signals people who need our help to survive (if that’s what they really want).
Words do matter. Watch what you’re saying to others. You can think it’s just words but they become so much more for the one who is on the receiving end. And words can set themselves into the mind and body of others, becoming reality for them and eventually make them despise themselves or life so much they want to take their own life.
It made my cringe continually about how they treated those women during the episodes of the past of Ryoon Gu. They had to endure so much it’s beyond comprehension. And not only when in Japan but also on returning to what should have been a safe haven only to find themselves being humiliated by their own people.
I loved the actors, all of them. Kim Hee Sun was great as Ryoon Gu. Fearless, compassionate (although she wouldn’t want anyone to know) and beautiful. Rowoon was awesome as Choi Joon Woong. Besides being gorgeous he did a wonderful job being a new reaper caring for the ones he needed to safe. He never gave up on anyone!
Yun Ji On as Koo Ryeon was great also. First only following the rules but later on he showed he could think of his own and do the right thing. And boy, he knew how to throw a punch!
Kim Hae Sook was so wonderful as the Jade Hwang. She had a plan of her own and wouldn’t budge. Strong leader of the After Life.
And finally Lee Soo yuk as Park Joong Gil. I loved him for being on the good site when needed most at the time. Although I hated it when he killed the best friend of Ryoon Gu. But he didn’t know any better at that moment. I know it’s a lame excuse but hey, he came around so cut him some slack.
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An excellent show, but difficult to recommend
I don’t know how to review this one. On one hand the production value is top tier, the acting is very good (the main cast is excellent, but the supporting cast has been hit-and-miss), and the story is solid, but it requires a lot of effort to watch because it deals with very negative subject matter. Don’t get me wrong: mental illness, suicide, suicide prevention, etc. should be exposed in all forms of media, but that doesn’t necessarily make for good entertainment. In fact, trying to make it entertaining might be the problem with this show.To be clear, the subject matter is treated respectfully, and I think the production means well, but there are simply too many limitations on what can be done within a 60 minute episode. So while the problems are realistic, and sensitively portrayed, the solutions are superficial, and hollow. The reality is that heartfelt words, and appeals to supernatural/spiritual “faith” are rarely ever (probably never) enough to deal with mental illness severe enough to drive someone to suicide. So while I appreciate that this show promotes awareness of many deep issues within not just Korean society, but worldwide, it ultimately falls flat despite being an otherwise excellent show. Thus, difficult to recommend.
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