This review may contain spoilers
A drama past the happy endings
Our Blues is a nuanced drama that shows the nitty-gritty of humanity. The drama discusses various relationships, mother-son, friendships, siblings and lovers. The show does not make anyone the typical hero/heroine who is perfect but rather shows how good people can make bad decisions.This show discusses themes I have not seen explored in previous dramas, such as teenage pregnancy, Down Syndrome, depression, suicide and domestic violence experienced by a husband. Our Blues is the best title for every character who experiences the blues of life. This isn't the drama to escape the dreariness of your life but the drama to watch to understand the complexity of humans. This is a drama filled with misunderstandings and conflict and love and joy. The contrast between the heavy storylines and the beauty of Jeju, which outwardly seems perfect and blissful, makes for enjoyable viewing.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that the casting for this drama is perfect, every character is brought to life, and I enjoy seeing Shin Min Ah play a role I have not seen her before.
Although this drama is not perfect, and it is nothing like Noh Hee Kyung's previous works, I encourage everyone to watch this drama in a way I feel like we can all learn something.
Music
10/10 - With you - Jimin & Ha Sung Woon
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I CRIED A LOT BUT LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF
I can't stand people that say ew that was just sad. Please take a breath and watch carefully the show that you choose, of course it's not a comedy one.Definitely one of the best drama I've ever watched. Well first of all with a cast like this, things can't go wrong. The acting was great, I felt all the scenes and I cried at every episode.
I don't want to write a lot but I recommend it to everyone, cause they talk about many issues and situations that are taboo not only in Korea but in many other places. Overall, I believe that by finishing the series you will feel satisfaction and not sadness with how the situations her resolved.
I have to take my time tho and around 1 year to pass to re-watch it cause my heart ain't ready for it again, and ain't got not tears left to cry hahaha. ❤️
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This review may contain spoilers
(Manufactured) Story sadder than sadness…
So if the current state of the world isn’t enough to get you down, you found the right show. I was very much looking forward to this ever since it was announced. The possibilities seemed endless with such a stellar cast. Like, they put everybody in the show. But sadly, we were given sob stories after sob stories. I understand that Koreans are sickly obsessed with sad stories but, really? Just go watch the news. To make things worse, stories were so manufactured and phoned in, it was hard to have any empathy for anyone. Nothing seemed organic at all as if the writer wanted to one up the last scene and storyline. Let’s see how many different sad stories we can tell in one show! And all of that happen to just a handful of people who all know each other!To be fair, not all plot lines were created equal. I liked the first story where Cha Seung Won played a desperate dad who wanted to vicariously achieve his lost dream through his daughter. It got frustrating watching him stubbornly hanging on but all in all, it was a nice start. The other standout was the high school kids’ story. Their storyline was a bit jarring and came out of nowhere but I really liked how Hyun didn’t give up on his unborn baby and ultimately convinced Young Joo to keep the baby. But her sudden change of mind happened a bit too fast in my opinion.
I’m a huge Shin Min Ah fan but she was terrible here. She’s just not an emotional actress, sad to say. Maybe Seo Hyun Jin would’ve been great for this role. She needs to stick to happy roles where she smiles and laughs. She couldn’t give us a convincing crying scene even if her life depended on it.
I don’t think other storylines were even worth mentioning. Some side characters were better than others but nobody memorable.
I think I have 5 more episodes to go. We’ll see what happens.
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The first step of change is to decide.
I didn't think I'd continue watching this drama after seeing first two episodes but I'm glad I continued because "Our Blues" takes on an omnibus-style drama, which tells the story of diverse characters that are somewhat interconnected, in one way or the other.The storytelling is so rich in this drama, down to the little details.
The acting was quite amazing, especially the two teens in this drama. I feel like this show is getting slept on when the storyline has been getting better and better every episode.
Some stories will leave you like a sobbing mess after watching the scenes and seeing how it all unfolds.
It focuses on family arguments, teenage pregnancy, first love, broken hearts, depression and more. I personally got tied to Shin Min Ah's character 'Min Seon Ah' who seemed to struggle a lot with depression while being a mother to a small boy and a wife to a man that didn't exactly know how to handle the situation.
The cinematography seems to highlight these moments but with beauty and the sounds of them living in the sea side town, it's really soothing.
If you like any of the things I counted in along with Jeju, the beauty of sea and nature, sound of waves and voices of so many people gathered up in one place, then definitely dive in.
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Heart warming and heart wrenching.
Without further ado, this is one hell of an emotional ride.I didn't start watching this series until it was halfway through. Big mistake? You can say so, as I devoured the entire thing in one sitting. I'd previously heard about Our Blues before, but at first, its omnibus format wasn't really attractive at all. I think the reason I decided to give it a try is that I had run out of things to watch, so I said, why not?
The story itself was alright, a slice of life surrounding an ensemble group of people who live in Jeju Island. So far, I was thinking Reply series kind of vibe. We start getting to know every character and their past stories, their present life, and their hopes for their future.
Life is not easy and this series depicts that with a raw feeling of "Wow, I can relate to that" or "That's like my mom and I". And I think that's the beauty of this series, being able to relate to the good and the bad things, and not necessarily feel entirely connected to the good ones or guilty for the bad ones, just being able to see yourself in the story and accompany every character through their journey.
Friends who fell apart, first loves coming back, society prejudice, good and bad family relationships, getting a second chance, you name it, this series has it.
Moving on from the story for a bit, I'd like to mention that this cast is genius. Truly, how do you put together this kind of cast and not expect great things? I can firmly say everyone was amazing and sincerely portrayed their character really well.
However, how can I not make emphasis on my two favourite performances?
Lee Byunghun did it again, and I'm not surprised, I always tend to expect the best from him and he never fails to deliver. His portrayal as Lee Dongseok from beginning to end, the character development Dongseok has and especially his portrayal during episodes 18-20 left me speechless sometimes.
As for Han Jimin, her portrayal as Lee Youngok left me with a bittersweet feeling, character-wise. It is evident Youngok is not the best person there is, but she is trying and her burdens keep pushing her down no matter how much she tries to pull herself up. But Jimin was able to convey those feelings that Youngok was clearly meant to feel, you know? Her happiness, her sadness, her anger, I think Jimin did an amazing job here.
Is this a series worth watching? Yes. Definitely. Don't think about it twice.
Is this a series worth re-watching? I don't know. Why? From my point of view, this is meant to be a one-time experience. What's going to happen next? That kind of feeling you only get when you're watching for the first time, and Our Blues leaves you with a satisfied feeling of "That was really good, but time to move on."
A series that shines because of the characters and their stories, the relationships they have among them and the struggles of life. Truly a pleasure to have watched it.
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A wonderful unfolding of layered characters.
I’m wrapped up in a comfort blanket eating too much 70% chocolate, a surfeit of endorphins and caffeine. Netflix has offered two outstanding slice of life dramas and aired them simultaneously. First, “My Liberation Notes” and now “Our Blues”. What more could be asked for? Whereas “My Liberation Notes” was essentially a story built around family, “Our Blues” centres around the members of a community and explores their individual lives and circumstances. Given the title, there is a hint that this drama will tackle the things in life that are difficult. But far from being sad it ultimately strikes an uplifting note.The stories on offer are not about huge life changing tragedy but the emotional hurdles that life puts up for us to jump over and the hoops we go through. Essentially this is a drama about the good heart that lies at the centre of ordinary human beings. Their generosity, warmth, caring and insecurities.
They are stories set within a community where there is no real privacy and no anonymity. Where caring and interference exist either side of a blurred boundary which is crossed and crossed again. They are essentially about the price individuals are wiling to pay for deeper connection and love, and the confused and contradictory emotions that are experienced when that love and resentment collide.
There is no judgement written into the narrative. Each character has depth, we can love them from one angle and criticise them from another.
Among a slew of excellent performances Lee Byung Hun as Lee Dong Seok was the standout. Even though the writing for the last three episodes concerning his relationship with his mother, did not work as well for me, his performance did not falter.
Next in line was Han Ji Min, who was painfully convincing as the conflicted and hurting Lee Young Ok. Also, Lee Jung Eun as Jung Eun Hee, the stalwart glue of the community. But to be honest there was barely a weak performance in a large cast. Perhaps Shin Min Ah failed to completely convince me as Min Seon Ah, but she came good in the end.
This is the sixth writer (Noh Hee Kyung) /director (KimKyu Tae) collaboration which started in 2008. They include “Live”, “That Winter, The Wind Blows” and “It’s Okay That’s Love”. The long experience of working together brings a sense of seamless harmony and easy expression to the end result. In a drama of so many parts there can sometimes be an unevenness of tone, but here the actors were helped to bring a consistent feel that unified the whole production.
One of the most challenging things to write is the slow unfolding of emotions for a character. Peeling back the disparate layers to find out what is underneath. To reveal the unexpected, that often surprises us. This writer has done a magnificent job of just that, particularly with the story of the twin sisters which explores deeply complex and conflicting emotions and reveals them beautifully.
The cinematography is simple and what I loved about this show was the relief from artificially beautified faces. People were shown in their ordinariness with limited makeup and occasionally, deliberately unflattering lighting. In terms of camerawork, it was Jeju Island itself that became the star of the show with all its natural beauty on display.
The music was a weak point for me, with too much use of hotel-lobby style background music that failed to do justice to the emotional depth of the action. Thankfully, there were times when silence carried the pathos and did justice to the acting.
This drama comes highly recommended.
What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
Wow, I can't even...
This review is ONLY so I can remember this show. Since I'm one of the only people in existence that didn't love this drama, please don't attack me.It goes against everything I believe in to drop a show. I think in my years of watching K-dramas, I've only dropped two shows, and this was one of them. Maybe if the stories were told in a different order, I would have been able to continue, but heavens, what a bunch of unhappy, loser people!
I love Lee Jung Eun (and I LOVED her hair in this!!) and Kim Woo Bin, but even they couldn't help me like the people in this show.
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Emotionally breaks you down and heals you
Our Blues is a unique take at slice of life drama. Following an omnibus format, we get 20 episodes with various arcs belonging to the characters of this island community.The drama covers taboo topics, estranged relationship between a parent and a child, two friends, toxic relationship between siblings, and building up of a new relationship when you’re impacted by trauma. There are lots of triggers too — depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying (abuse.)
Each actor shines in their segment. The OST perfectly compliments the story and the characters in it. Though every arc ends on a feel good note, it doesn’t feel forced. It’s very well done and makes you genuinely feel hopeful about living.
One of the best things about this drama is the disability rep that we have been given. I hope more dramas takes this as an inspiration and make their stories more diverse!
A beautifully, aching drama which will break you down and patch you back up.
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✒ ⛈Blue & True On Jeju ⛴ °8.5° °Excellent°
Jeju is Kcountry's Hawaii. It's where e'erbody wants to vacation. OB is an ensemble piece that is much like a vacation (or a series of daytrips, perhaps) with several of the characters. We visit them separately, but it all blends together.Imagine growing up in touristy Hicksville. It's the sort of place where a poor kid might bring a piglet onto the bus, but there's a smattering of rich kids in the mix to mock the poor child. Surrounded by small-minded Hicksville, if one is smart, one might get to escape. We're describing Hansu. The kid with the piglet was his first gf. He went to the big city, attended a top university and landed a job in the financial industry. Things didn't stay afloat, though. They stalled, sputtered, and started to die out. After agonizing years on the skids he must crawl back home, where he learns that his uneducated, 🐷-loving, 🐟-monger ex is SWIMMING in money from slowly buying up small shops and collecting rent. Kids, none of you think you'll hit hard times. Most kids anticipate good things. Just treat everyone with respect and never get too cocky - just in case.
As the show starts, we drop in at the 🐟market on Jeju Island. A group of local women and two men go out on a boat for the day's catch. One of the women draws the ire of the others. 💭Should we fire her? 💭She flirts with everyone. 💭Everything she says is a lie, too! That's what the women are thinking. Cut to the men: ‘What would you think💭 if I went out with her?’ 🤣 One is asking the other. Does anyone else find the worldwide consistency of human nature reassuring? OB is a 2022 release that is rated 88 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 20 55-minute episodes, and it's competent from the start.
It centers around the local fish industry, particularly the Haenyeo (female divers of Jeju Island). Per Wiki: Haenyeo (or haenyo - "sea women") “are female divers in the 🇰🇷 province of Jeju, whose livelihood consists of harvesting a variety of mollusks, seaweed, and other sea life from the ocean. Known for their independent spirit, iron will and determination, haenyeo are representative of the semi-matriarchal family structure of Jeju… Traditionally, girls started training as haenyeo when they were 11 years old. Beginning in shallow water, trainees worked their way up to more challenging depths. After about seven years of training, a girl was considered a "full-fledged" haenyeo. Today, the oldest haenyeo are over 80 years old, and have been diving for more than 66 years… Because so many families relied on the haenyeo for the majority of their income, a semi-matriarchal society developed on Jeju with the haenyeo at the head of the household. On the tiny islets off the coast of Jeju, such as Mara Island, where sea-diving was the sole source of income, this reversal of traditional gender roles was fully realized; men would look after the children and go shopping while the women would bring in money for the family. Other manifestations of Jeju's unique society include men paying a dowry to the family of the bride (a reversal of the custom on the 🇰🇷 mainland) and families celebrating the birth of girls over the birth of boys.” These are some baaaad broads.
The filming is competence all day long. Shots of the sun breaking through onto the water from a moving boat are gorgeous. Each episode’s intro reveals which couple it's covering. We rotate from the adults in the present to the kids of the past, showing the community's circle of life. They also cycle kids from the present into the rotation to create the feel that time will churn on. In one shot, a man doesn't merely remember his old self jumping in the ocean while in his street clothes, but he floats next to a vision of his former teenaged self. It's an exceptionally well done scene. A typhoon is coming. It coincides with the time a teen boy must tell his father that he got the daughter of dad's archenemy pregnant! There's adorable animation effects to represent a kid's dream. ‘Could I love a liar?’ A man wonders this as he writes those words on the glass. She calls him and asks if he misses her? We look at him, through the glass, through those words. “I do,” he says. The OST is VG. Once Again, by WINTER & NINGNING is a great song, as is Who am I, by Kim Ji Soo.
Here who we're dealing with:
Jung “Eun”-Hui & Choi Hansu: Cha Seung-Won is Hansu, a Jeju Island native who has to come crawling back from Seoul. When we meet him, we can see that he's a guy used to holding in pain. I've only seen him in Korean Odyssey-7.2, in which he plays Devil King, the consummate egotist. He commands that show. In OB, when his HS friend is complimenting him on growing up well, his look of ruffled discomfort along with deep sorrow is arresting. Seeing him as a defeated man in ep1 delights me because it showcases his range of talent. His acting only gets better. The great Lee Jung-Eun stars as Eun. She has, at times, taken my breath away with her skill. She plays a middle-aged spinster fishmonger who meets up with her first love again.
“Min” Seon-A & Lee “Dong”-Seok: To his mother: “What is your favorite memory?” “Right now,” she claims. She doesn't look particularly happy, though.🤔 He's played by Lee Byung-Hun, who is sort of a legend. It's strange to see Eugene Choi from Mr. Sunshine-9 or Squid Game's Front Man cutting loose and dancing, I must say. (And he can smile! Who knew?) The luminous Shin Min-A plays Min Seon-A, a Jeju native turned Seoul-cialite who must flee back to Jeju once in awhile. She improves every feature she appears in. She actually has carried some shows on those narrow shoulders. My favs are Oh My Venus-7.4, & Tomorrow with You-7 (despite its flaws), No Gain, No Love-7.4 is fun, and whoo don't luv some Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha-8.2? Whenever she returns, Dong is turned inside-out.
Park Jeong-Jun & Lee Yeong-”Ok”: Kim Woo-Bin is in the show as one of the fishermen, Jeong-Jun. He plays Choi Young Do in Heirs/The Inheritors. Not everyone loves that show but my vote is that it's worth watching for him alone. He steals it. He is fantastic in OB. He's simply got the goods. Ok (Han Ji-Min) is new in town and she's a gorgeous, flighty flirt. The women despise her, while the men don't seem to notice her deficiencies.
Bang Yeong-Ju & Jung Hyeon: Two HS students, whose fathers despise eachother. Each knows /exactly/ how to get back at dad. Bae Hyun-Sung & Roh Yoon-Seo are fabulous. She has a particularly strong presence. As is typical, all the kid actors are exceptional (especially Kim Jae-Won as the young Hansu - well - swoon on me! - and Ki So-Yu as Son Eun-Gi is outstanding). There's a superfluity of kids in the flashbacks, so we get a good look at the stars of tomorrow. There's also an epic teens' first kiss. “Epic” extends to the later fallout.
One couple talks about parents. She's fighting depression, and her father had committed suicide. Now, she's in the middle of a custody battle for her son. She talks about how she explained to her son, who is afraid of the dark, that her sickness makes her feel like she's in the dark even during the day. Even when there's other people around, she's always alone in the dark. As for the man, his relationship with his mother has stalled for years. "I wonder if my mother ever loved me as much as you love your son," he queries. The woman begins a poignant soliloquy. Did her dad love her? If so, how could he leave her? She realizes that life must have been incredibly difficult for him. Then she was flooded with resentment. Why didn't he tell me? I could have given him a hug! He should have told me he was struggling! I would have tried to make him smile. Soon, she starts to blame herself: She didn't /ask/ how he was. She never asked what was giving him such a hard time… She has regrets. {In the form of a PSA I'll say that unthinkable, absolutely unbearable pain is one cause of suicide, though it is not the right option. As another PSA, I'll say to always consider the potential effect of prescription medications on yourself or a loved one, because your doctors probably won't. Prescription drugs almost killed me and my doctors sat back and yawned as they observed. I don't think they are trained to even think about side effects, which are apt to worsen over time.}
Dong brings his mother to where he's staying and Min is there with her son. Mom, who was forced to be a man's mistress and put up with substandard treatment of her son in order to survive, looks at young Yeol and knows that her son, Dong, will do better. The full range of emotions displayed by actress Kim Hye-Ja (Mother-8.8), as she takes in woman and child, is magnificent. Everyone raves about Parasite-9, understandably so, but I like Mother-8.8, also by the legendary director Bong Joon Ho, even more.
Two old friends address a very old rift. ‘Had you been completely loyal you would have confronted me and said that you were hurt, just like you're doing right now. And if I didn't acknowledge my mistake and refused to apologize, you should have torn my hair out… That's what a loyal friend would have done… what kind of loyal friend holds a grudge like a stranger would?’
People are just a bunch of piranhas and peckerfish, afterall. Gossip (and, by extension, toxic pride) are themes, as is the weight of caring for someone with special needs. Caring for someone with special needs would be much easier without all the staring and nastiness. It's a human impulse to stare at something different - something extraordinarily beautiful, ugly, malformed, unique, short, tall, dark, light - something or someone unique. Maturity is learning to be unselfish, and to be unselfish, we must have empathy. We must be able to put ourselves in another's shoes and imagine what it would be like to have everyone stare all the time. What’s it like to be constantly asked about one's height, or a scar, skin color, disability, or beauty? Let people be. Don't be a peckerfish. Try being the one person who doesn't question a person's accent or some other thing they've had to deal with a dozen times a day.
A pair circles eachother tentatively. One of them has secrets. The other wants the truth. Ultimately, the truth will be about the one without the secrets, not the one who kept things close because of past heartbreak. They struggle because one is always waiting for a muddy shoe to drop and ruin everything: One of them has been conditioned to expect disappointment.
"I bet they even keep count of their neighbor's underwear." Small town gossip and general nosiness is on display. One of the old classmates who works at the fish market scolds Eun: “You shouldn't be hanging around with a married man!❗ …Have you eaten yet? Do you want to get some breakfast?" Of course, /he's/ married, too. The locals consider the wealthy Eun their own property. Anyone like Han-Su sniffing around could endanger her available funds. This leads into another theme···
"Just a Little Bit More." America's first billionaire, John Rockefeller, said that was how much money would be enough. The problem of money in relationships and the powerful temptation to suck-up to rich people is addressed. All of Eun's relationships are tarnished by the fact that she has money. It's part of her appeal. I've found myself acting differently around rich people over the years because I was horribly immature. Certainly, money is appealing, but rich people aren't necessarily so. Money is a hurdle that good character must overcome. Successful people tend to subconsciously believe they are intrinsically better, and thus more deserving of their good fortune. Wealth has a tendency to make people more self-focused and less generous as they turn their gazes inward. People have greater fear and pain from a loss than they have pleasure from a gain, and rich people see giving away money as a loss. Yet our subconscious prompts us to treat these types extra special in hopes that something will rub off. A friend of mine says that rich people will screw you over “because they can.” We get led away by what we want. The key is to not want much - be content. Take every person on their own character merits.
And dive into OB! It's that vacation you never want to end.
QUOTES📢
There's no way to satisfy everyone.
Don't say that with your beautiful mouth.
〰🖍 IMHO
📣8.5 📝8.2 🎭9 💓7 🦋5 🌞7 🎨6 ⚡4 🎵/🔊7 😅3 😭4.5 😱2 😯3 😖1 🤔4 💤2 🔚9
Age 14+ with the following cautions: R language F💣s, @$$hole × 2, B!+ch × 2, Sex, teen pregnancy, abortion. Rated: TV-MA: Mature Audience Only.
Re-📺? Likely
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Romance is a bonus book 7.9
Hospital Playlist 9
It's okay not to be okay 9
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Start-up 7.5
Her Private Life 8
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo 8.5
Live UpTo Your Name 7.6
My Only Love Song 8.7 (same FL)
Saimdang 8.5
Mr. Queen 8.5
Mr. Sunshine 9
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Try a Chinese historical romcom: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8
Boys Over Flowers
My Secret Romance (too many flashbacks)
Mad For Each Other silly fun
Crash Landing On You
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This isn't the first time he's worked with screenwriter, No Hee-Kyung. Drama Korea: Drama: That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013) starring Zo In-Sung and Song Hye-Kyo, not only made many viewers mesmerize, they also won many awards from the 2013 SBS Drama Awards and 2013 (49th) BaekSang Arts Awards
The director and scenario writer are awesome, especially the cast. Scattered with award-winning actors/actresses, this Korean drama: Our Blues is a means of competing in acting. Starting from Lee Byung-Hun, a class A actor who often paces on the silver screen, to senior actresses such as Kim Hye-Ja's grandmother and Ko Du-Shim's grandmother who filled their profiles with strings of awards.
So what's lacking? Almost nothing. The audience is lulled by the beauty of Jeju Island, the blue sea, the magic of sunrise and sunset, kicking music, beautiful cinematography to a neat plot twist, makes me think Korean drama: Our Blues will win the BaekSang Arts Awards, a prestigious award for the South Korean art industry that has held since 1965.
Unfortunately, my hopes did not come true. Or not yet? Because the 2022 (49th) BaekSang Arts Awards takes place in May 2022, while the Korean drama: Our Blues airs April – June 2022.
Regardless, I love this drama. Still haven't moved on from the acting of the players. Like Cha Seung-Won (who has a series of awards too) plays the loser, Choi Han-Su. I can't believe it, he's the arrogant Woo Hwi-Cheol in the Korean drama: A Korean Odyssey.
I also come to understand why Shin Min-A is not side by side with her boyfriend, Kim Woo-Bin (are you still dating or not?) in this drama, because it really doesn't fit the scenario.
Oops, I forgot, there's a weakness in this drama, namely Kim Woo Bin's cute scenes are taken over time, hehehe.😁😁
Shin Min-A, who has mental health problems, fits perfectly side by side with Lee Byung-Hun who plays a sloppy person who hates his mother but loves death for Min Seon-A (Shin Min-A).
Now the scene of Lee Byung-Hun who plays this traveling salesman makes me laugh. As well as shaking heads. Playing the temperamental Lee Dong-Seok, Lee Byung-Hun must act as a grumpy salesman, hater of his mother, as well as a sincere lover of Min Seon-A (Shin Min-A).
Sincere love stories indeed color Korean dramas: Our Blues, between lovers, between brothers and sisters, friends, and friends. Regardless of age, old and young strengthen each other. Sincere love that has been hit by many trials, and is woven back thanks to the threads of love that never disappear. Because the following quote is so true:
Whatever happens, think positively
The typhoon has passed over the sea
Today, we must cheer up
The next review can be read here: https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2022/08/review-our-blues-drama-korea-omnibus.html
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Realistically written
Sometimes amidst the romcoms and thrillers, you want to watch something closer to the realities of life. Our Blues is one such drama.Jeju is the perfect setting for this drama. The easy, relaxing, laidback country life suits the stories of the characters living on the island. This drama was wonderfully written, not necessarily perfect, but gives you the warm feeling of home. Each character was given a fair moment to shine and the ensemble didn't fail to impress me with their performance.
I loved the story of Yeong Jun and the actress who portrayed her was such a revelation. She nailed the role for someone so young. Another story I loved was Yeong Hui's, because it showed real challenges a person could face when you have a family member with a disability. Lastly, Lee Byung Hun's story was given a touching closure in the last episode. It reminded me so much of my mama because due to work, I was never that close to her. It was just work, sleep, work, sleep for me. We never really got to have any meaniingful conversation. When she fell ill, I didn't hesitate to leave my job to take care of her. I will forever be grateful to have had the chance to bond with her in the end.
If you want to watch something that is more realistic, a slice of life type of drama, this one is for you
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This review may contain spoilers
Anyone who understands Life's struggles should watch this
My mom raved about this drama and normally we don't have the same tastes, but I think what makes this show so great is that every generation will be able to appreciate the messages. This show doesn't shy away from exposing the ugly truths of human nature, but it also shows the touching side as well. We follow the lives of a close knit community in Jeju as they navigate through the struggles of life and their own emotional baggage.Likes: With a star studded cast, the acting from everyone felt very natural and heartfelt, but it was the less famous character actors such as Lee Jung Eun, Park Ji Hwan, and Choi Young Joon who really stood out in my eyes. They felt like the glue that made the community feel alive and real. What made this show stand out is that it was unapologetic about exposing the flaws of each character. It didn't try to glamorize or label a person as evil or nice. It just showed that no one is perfect and we do what we need to do in order to survive according to our experiences. This show knows how to poke those hidden truths, stir up emotions, and make us feel as if the character's emotions are our own. It was funny, sad, touching, and healing.
I have to mention one scene that made an impact on me. That emotional fight scene between Ji Hwan and his son.....I think anyone who has immigrant parents or parents who struggled to get by financially will be able to relate to the emotions in that scene. Ji Hwan's acting was amazing. He truly made it unforgettable in my mind due to his raw emotion.
Dislikes: Ok so I may have a little bias in this one since I'm not a huge fan of Lee Byung Hun so take it with a grain of salt, but I found his story line with Shin Mina really boring. This was the only storyline where I wanted to skip. I just couldn't connect and wasn't feelin the loveline. Also, I found having Woobin and Shin Mina in the same drama, but with different lovers distracting. It felt weird seeing LBH kiss SM, but then WB being all chummy with LBH in another scene. I know it's acting, but my mind would wander into that whole, dude that man just kissed your pregnant wife, etc...and I couldn't help notice the lack of a kiss in the WB loveline when I felt like there should have been. It's easier to forget someone has a real like significant other when they are not in the same drama, but having them in the same show was like a little reminder that kept distracting me from the story. But all in all, these are very small dislikes compared to the enjoyment overall.
Highly recommend checking this out if you like family dramas and are ready for some emotional ups and downs.
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