My Dearest (2023)

The Lady in the Swing and the Man in Love

I rarely give a 10; the last one was "Crash Landing on You," almost 3 years ago. This series is over half completed with the 2nd half now well underway. It began by teasing us with flirtations and long looks: a beautiful man with a fan loving a charming woman more than himself. It then advanced to the man dropping the fan that was only a distraction anyway to the real man, the experienced warrior behind those eyes who risks his life repeatedly, and the “girl on a swing” revealing herself as a brave warrior who assumes the leadership role to protect other women and children.

The series has steadily moved us through numerous scenes of increasing danger and heartbreak, that were leading us to where we are now. It is a love story, yes, but it is also about invasion, war, escape, resistance, horror, and the violent treatment of the poor, elderly, women and children in a horrific reverse of their community into a war zone with them as the sacrifice.

It is terrifying, heartbreaking. And no love story can change that. But it can give us hope. The woman in the love story is brave and resolute in protecting others. GC has become the woman LJH saw and fell in love with the first day as he watched her floating high on the swing. And he is not just the man who loves and protects her but is also revealed as the resistance fighter who saw her from the beginning and knew who she was. As he tells Ryang, “you do not know what she means to me.” But we do, and they would both do anything to save the other in this constantly evolving love story moving steadily into the finest of Korean Dramas.

"My Dearest" Eps 18 & 19
I was able to sit down with my morning coffee and enjoy both episodes this weekend.
And it was very interesting to see how the entire series was moving this way all along-just as the writer and direction teams intended. For this is not just the romance most of us here share an abiding hope will be fulfilled, but also a historical study of the Qing invasion and its effects on Joseon, its people at all levels, and its future. These are all seen in the madness of the king taken out on his own people and family, the grief of the people-symbolized in the death of the baby, that the mother must bury with her own hands-and the shared anguish of the citizens just trying to return home but slaughtered by the misuse of power.
Additionally, there is more than one love story, and they are on multiple levels. But of course the central love story is that of JH and C: who at the beginning seem to be a man with a waving fan but who is so much more, and a woman with a rising swing who finds out who she really is through his love for her. If the writer closes next weekend the way she seems to be moving, the outcome may be as complex, as is the historical reality. And it may also be one of Drama's greatest achievements. But even if it falls short, the writer, production team, cast, and composers have given us a series that many of us love. That is an achievement in itself. So onward to next weekend with hope and maybe a few tears. Either way, it's been a grand ride.

—AJ McAninch.

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MY SOUL BELONGS TO THIS DRAMA

More than 15 years of watching television and almost 9 years of watching Kdramas, I've stumbled upon a million different stories and various cinematic masterpieces. Many dramas have made me feel like home and gave me the best experiences, but no drama or series has ever resonated with my soul the way this drama has. For many it might just be a love story amidst war and chaos but for me its a million times more than that. Every episode made me feel the emotions that I CANNOT even describe through words...My eyes are filled with tears as I write this...
This drama is everything I could ever want. The story is perfect, the cast is spot on( seriously I love Ahn EunJin and Nam GoongMin sooooooo much), everything is PERFECTION

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