This review may contain spoilers
Living a Life!
It’s been said to live each day as if it were your last. What would you do if you found out that you only had a limited amount of time left? The irony behind that question is that EVERYONE has a limited amount of time left to live. The most important question is how are you living? Most people in this world use a life to live rather than living a life.Hae Jo is a young man who finds out that he’s terminally ill. His life has been full of suffering and dealing with abandonment. He’s constantly pushing away anyone who gets close to him because he feels he’s unworthy of being loved. He lives a life doing odd-jobs which often get him into trouble. He doesn’t care. After all, what’s the point? The only jobs he doesn’t take are missing persons or killing someone. Anything else is fair game. The irony behind not taking missing persons cases is that he, himself, is a missing person. Hae Jo is a young man who lives recklessly, not caring what he does or who he hurts.
But then, of course, as soon as he finds out that he has maybe three months left to live, he sets out to find his father who turned his back on him as soon as he found out that he wasn’t Hae Jo’s biological father. I’m still reminded of the classic line from “Boyz N’ the Hood” that any fool can make a baby but only a real person can be a parent. Hae Jo’s mother committed suicide, and his father ignored him. Hae Jo decides to take along the only person he’s ever loved and who has ever loved him: his ex-girlfriend, Jo Jae Mi, who is, herself, an orphan. These are two lonely souls who can only seem to find love, peace, and solace in each other. But Hae Jo is still too afraid of being cast aside yet again.
Jo Jae Mi is young woman who is trying to find some kind of love and companionship. She’s set to marry Eo Heung, the son of a wealthy woman. However, as soon as Jo Jae Mi finds out that she has pre-menopause, she realizes that her potential marriage is doomed. The other factor here is that, even though she cares deeply for Eo Heung, her true love is Hae Jo, who hysterically shows up at her wedding and kidnaps her! Make no mistake, this is a black comedy with some serious drama thrown in. The Koreans are masters at utilizing multiple genres within a single series.
Jae Mi, who is a reluctant passenger at first, finally agrees to help Hae Jo find his biological father, which turns out to a funny road trip around Korea with these two going through one adventure, or even misadventure, at a time! They fight, they quarrel, they love, and yet every time Hae Jo tries to push Jae Mi away or abandon her, she keeps coming back. Throughout most of the series, Jae Mi has no idea that Hae Jo is dying, and it’s tough to watch her reaction as soon as does.
Hae Jo is a man who uses his last three months to the fullest. He learns how to live without caring what may or may not happen. The title of this series is “Mr. Plankton.” Plankton may be considered the lowest among the food chain but its vital part in providing life to so many sea creatures cannot be ignored. Hae Jo is like plankton. Not only does he learn to live his own life, but he helps others do the same. What is true incredible, is that he doesn’t realize the level of his importance or how much he means to others, despite the fact that his own family deserted him. His family now consists of Jae Mi, Eo Heung, Bong Suk, and his partner Yoo Gi Ho.
Jae Mi is Hae Jo’s rock. She’s unwilling to let him push her away. Now, that’s a true companion! Someone who is willing to be there for you through thick and thin. It’s incredibly sweet when she confesses to Hae Jo that he’s always been her true love, and he confesses the same. While it may not be conventional, this is true, unconditional love at work. Neither one cares how the other lives their life or what faults or issues the other has. This type of love has a way of permeating everyone else around them as Eo Heung and his mother finally understand what it means to love. True love is never about holding on, but about letting go.
At only ten episodes, it feels like sixteen. That’s not a bad thing. The writers were brave enough to stick to the character and story. No sudden miracles were to be found here, unless you count the miracle of two “lost” souls finding love in themselves and in each other. After all, isn’t that the true point of life and love?
Performances in this series are nothing short of tremendous. I really have to tip my hat specifically to Lee You Mi, who has true chemistry with Woo Do Hwan, but it’s the power of her feelings and her despair that really capture the viewer. After all, she has to show us how much she loves Hae Jo, and how her life might be after he’s gone. She has that cute, sweet smile, but when she’s sobbing, it’s heartbreaking.
I’ve seen Oh Jung Se in a number of series now, with “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” being my favorite. He’s a veteran actor who can tackle anything. He played the “mama’s boy” to perfection as well as showing us an almost boyish love for Jae Mi. However, he’s careful not to make Eo Heung the villain of the story. In many ways, I was cheering for him as much as I was for Hae jo. Eo Heung is a man trying to escape his mother’s coattails and learn how to finally live for himself. In many ways, his character evolves the most in this series.
This is a tremendous black comedy series that will likely have you laughing and crying, perhaps even within minutes of each other. Now that is fantastic storytelling! It should also serve as a reminder to us all to start living a life!
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holy shit im gagged
GUYS WTF im actually like so in love with this drama its not even funny like its been 2 days since i finished it and im STILL thinking about it. everytime i close my eyes to sleep i see the last scene of hae jos smiling face looking up at jaemi and my heart breaks ughalso. i want woo dohwan to be in more romance dramas PLEASE he is so fine im dead
so first of all: everything about this drama was perfection, the acting, the ost, the cinematography, the chemistry, the cast, the character development like holy moly i seriously think this deserves drama of the year like legit, i literaly searched up 'how do kdramas get nominated awards' to figure out if i could vote or some shit for this to win cos this DESERVES ALL THE AWARDS
if ur thinking about watching this, i do say, please avoid this drama if u get uncomfortable with the fact that haejo finds jaemi and kidnaps her to come with him in his journey, and also the fact that jaemi technically does cheat on her fiance because she kisses haejo back. i really think u need to watch this with an open mind cos this is supposed to protray real relationships with flaws and its not supposed to be some sort of unrealistic fantasy movie moment where the perfect prince charming finds his princess. it supposed to be a very complicated portrayal of a relationship with doubts and rollercoaster rides. obviously not justifying their actions!! but still we live in a world where this is a norm for some unfortunate people, so this was just showing those ups and downs of relationships and how they bounce back
later throughout the drama we see jaemi open back up and choose to stay w him, and it really helps that they were exes cos obviously if he js kidnapped a random girl i wouldnt have even started watching and definitely wouldve been stockholm syndrome but the fact they had such a strong bond during their 3 yrs together and SOO MUCHH chemistry i can slightly forgive the ml, because never during his 'kidnapping' does he make a move or even plan to harm or put jaemi in harm at all! he only js wanted her to come with him and spend his last days w her, as well as save her from here miserable situation with her soon to be inlaws. his execution was js a little toxic to say the least, but this adds to his character due to his upbringing. also people have been saying him tying her up to that table was not okay, yes it wasnt okay but he wouldnt just leave her like that forever right?, and again, he didnt intend to harm to do anything to her at all!
anyways yall tysm for reading if u made it all the way
live laugh love mr plankton
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Partially excellent, partially unfinished
The story has a nice flow (in the beginning). There is introduction, development and conclusion. In the introduction, we can meet the main actors, see their happiest, the saddest and most important moments.Then the emotional connection of the characters is dealt with more deeply. And in addition to the romance, a little action has been added. Then comes the ending we didn't prepare for. For me personally, not so much for emotional reasons as because I consider it unfinished.
The best part of the series for me is the character Hoe Jo. They chose the ideal actor for the role. It showed his dark side perfectly. I hated him when he was rude and then I forgave him when he smiled. At times cool and absent and then funny and silly. He portrayed this emotional and complicated character in the best way.
Oh Jung-Seu in the second male lead, once again showed his acting skills. He made me feel what his character feels. He is full of love for the whole world. Full of genuine kindness and the ability to forgive. He fell in love for the first time and his heart was broken for the first time. And all this at the age of forty. He made me really feel sorry for his life. But in the end I was so proud of his mental and emotional growth.
The story brought by Jo Jea-MI's character is excellently written. An orphan whose biggest wish in life is to be a mother because she wants to give someone all the love she didn't have. Such a sad life that she lived and the terrible news that she found out actress Lee Yo-Mi did not present well. She look like a child alongside the 2 male leads. She had no emotional chemistry with Hoe-Yoja at all and it killed half the series for me. I think she is a good actress but definitely a bad choice for this role.
The story (almost to the end) is excellently written and emotional. But for me to actually cry I would have to relate to their pain. And because the actors didn't have chemistry and I didn't feel the love they should have, I didn't shed a tear. Otherwise, I cry for series very easily.
When Hoe Jo was a child, they found out that the sperm samples were mixed up and he doesn't actually know who his biological father is. After that knowledge, his mother died and his father pretended that he did not exist because he thought that he was no longer his son. He ran away from home and after several years, he decided to find his biological father - there were 5 candidates on the list. This all makes sense.
The events of the last episode were not resolved for me. After all the years he was away, that father remarried and had a daughter. So he went on with his life normally. And then after 3 attempts for finding the biological father, Jo Ho goes to him and hugs like he never left him. There are tapes and photos of him in the house when he was a boy. I don't understand how he didn't pay attention to him throughout his life and then it turns out that he secretly loved him all along. I understand that the meaning should be that the father is the one who cares and not the biological father. But he didn't worry about him. It makes no sense!
Another thing that is not worked out is his sister who decided to look for him. In the end, Jo Hoe does not admit to her that she is actually looking for him. She never got that conclusion. They were supposed to get to know each other eventually and create a family bond.
In fact, he remained a stranger to her. Maybe they are not biological brother and sister, but the story between them is not elaborated.
The end is sad but beautiful because everything ended just the way he wanted it to. It only took a few more episodes for him to finish everything he wanted and to end up with the same 15 minutes. I have very mixed feelings because at times I did enjoy it, but again, so many things were missing.
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On Screen Chemistry
The Chemistry between the actors was phenomenal. I found myself rooting for both Hae-jo and Eo-heung.Ofcourse I knew the ending, but I was secretly hoping a miracle would happen.
But oh my, isn't Woo Do-hwan so hot and sexy? 🥵 I couldn't drag my self away from the screen, afraid I might miss him taking his shirt off again. Good Lord that man is Beautiful.
Lee Yoo-mi played Jo Jae-mi perfectly. She was strong but also showed her adorable sweet side, all she wanted was a family.
When she found out she couldn't have children I'm sure alot of women related to that. 😒💔 Also the fight with her mind and heart, she loved them both, and knew what needed to be done in the end.
I'm Glad she was there for Hae-jo to the end, and still kept in touch with Eo-heung (hyung😆).
I initially rated this a 7 but after writing this review I realized it wasn't mostly about shirtless Woo Do-hwan (even though that is mainly why I watched 🤷♀️ Not sorry) there was a much deeper meaning to this drama than I realized at the time.
Did I watch because of a hot sexy Woo Do-hwan: yes
But there were hardships, morals, love, friendships, understanding, sadness, and life in this drama.
I loved it.
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Avaliação sobre Mr.Plankton
"Mr. Plankton" é um dorama que me prendeu desde o início, com uma história envolvente e cheia de reviravoltas. A trama gira em torno de Hae-jo (Woo Do-hwan), um jovem que carrega o peso de não saber quem é seu pai, o que o torna alvo de discriminação e solidão. Sua jornada em busca da verdade sobre sua origem é profunda e emocional, levando-o a convocar sua ex-namorada Jae-mi (Lee You-mi) para acompanhá-lo nessa aventura. O fato de ele "sequestrar" Jae-mi para ajudá-lo a fugir do casamento arranjado dela adiciona uma camada de complexidade e humor à narrativa.Um dos aspectos mais fascinantes da série é como o primeiro episódio se conecta perfeitamente com a última cena do último episódio, criando um loop que deixa o espectador intrigado e ansioso para desvendar os mistérios da história. Essa estrutura narrativa é genial e aumenta a imersão no enredo.
Jae-mi tem um papel crucial na trama; sua aceitação na família do herdeiro se baseia na falsa alegação de que ela está grávida, quando na verdade, ela enfrenta uma menopausa prematura. Essa situação não apenas aumenta a pressão sobre ela, mas também revela as complexidades das expectativas sociais e familiares. A luta dela para encontrar sua própria identidade enquanto lida com essas circunstâncias torna sua personagem ainda mais cativante.
Hae-jo é um protagonista encantador; seu jeito risonho e otimista traz leveza à trama, mesmo abordando temas pesados como a morte e doenças genéticas. A revelação de que ele tem apenas três meses de vida devido a uma condição hereditária torna sua busca ainda mais urgente e comovente. A ideia de que ele nasceu de um espermatozoide errado adiciona uma dose de ironia à sua busca pela identidade.
Apesar das dificuldades enfrentadas, a forma como Hae-jo lida com os desafios traz momentos de leveza e risadas, equilibrando o drama emocional com toques de humor. É uma jornada emocionante que nos faz refletir sobre família, identidade e as conexões humanas.
Recomendo "Mr. Plankton" para quem aprecia doramas que misturam drama e comédia, além de histórias profundas que fazem você pensar sobre a vida e as relações que cultivamos
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It's messy but will have you hooked
Mr. Plankton does have several heart-warming moments but it's mostly a story of a group of people fighting for a chance at happiness even when the odds are against them. Sometimes life gives you lemons and no matter how much sugar you add, you still are left with a bitter aftertaste.But the story is not about the end but rather the journey. Hae Jo, the ML embarks on a journey and drags Jae Mi, the FL along. He is annoying and you want to hate him but just like Jae Mi, every time you end up just pityjng him. He is a man who actually cares a lot but feels like he has to act like a jerk. He's not just trying to protect other people but also himself. And you're forced along for the ride because he can't stop fighting himself every step of the way.
The show is best watched when you aren't emotionally vulnerable yourself because it deals with some difficult topics related to health and abandonment. Unless you need to cry in which case, it might be a good watch.
On the positive side, there are many sweet moments, a decent dose of romance, action, some moments that will make you smile if not laugh and fill you with hope.
The actors have really done a great job and the cast is fantastic.
Personally I won't rewatch this because of the themes but it is a good show and definitely recommended.
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The chemistry is off the charts
First of the story was amazing, having a rekindled relationship instead of one from scratch made the story tension so much more entertaining and lee yoo mi and woo do hwan were too good at it, the casting was so good even for SML i loved him too. Honestly watched this how for lee yoo mi because shes so talented and her work in strong woman was so dissapointing, not because of the acting per se but the writing was too much and all over the place.I just love this show so much, it was pretty depressing at times and Hae jo was an asshole when he ran away from jae mi but it was all worth it, atleast the ending helped.
Would really recommend this show to new comers to kdramas too honestly.
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More Than a Rom-Com with emotional realistic story telling
This drama made me very emotional, after a long time i have watched this kind of succcesful drama in that aspect. It is very funny and sad at the same time.With emotional depth and incredible acting from all the actors specialy woo do hwan Lee Yoo-mi s acting are praised by lot and made it very relatable.
I wonder why they named this drama as only romcom. It is mix with life aspect reminding me my mister drama.
It's not your typical rom-com, and it offers a more nuanced and complex look at love and relationships.
It's a drama that lingers in your thoughts long after you watched it.
It avoids cliched plot devices and predictable character arcs, providing a more authentic and engaging viewing experience.
As person who appreciate unconventional storytelling and complex characters i love this drama so much. offers a more grounded and realistic portrayal of human relationships, friendship ,love ,loss and family. The characters' interactions feel genuine and relatable, making it easy to connect with their stories.
While there were lot of popular dramas that got high ranking of charts and websites recently which often rely on exaggerated plots and melodramatic unrealistic and cringe story lines, Mr. Plankton offers a more grounded and realistic approach.
Even though it is was very sad ending 😢, this realistic Ending made the drama more quality work rather than a tidy and idealized resolution. This departure from conventional happy endings resonates with viewers who appreciate a more grounded approach to storytelling.
And also, cinematography in is stunning 😍.
It captures the beauty of the Korean countrysides and the city of Seoul.
If you're looking for a K-drama that will make you laugh, cry, and think, Mr. Plankton is definitely worth checking out.
This drama shines brighter than lot of dramas that were merely popular but lack quality.
Strong characters, realistic portrayal of relationships, and excellent acting make it a standout among recent Korean dramas.
🔴spoiler alert ⬇️
The scene in "Mr. Plankton"
"Hae-jo dreams about talking to his sister, telling her how the plankton in the sea, despite aimlessly floating at the bottom of the food chain, are actually cool because they sparkle in the ocean water and produce oxygen for all living beings."
moment that reflects the show's underlying themes of insignificance and the beauty of the overlooked. Hae-jo's admiration for the plankton, often dismissed as lowly creatures, highlights the idea that even the smallest and seemingly insignificant beings have a vital role to play in the ecosystem. The dream sequence serves as a stark contrast to Hae-jo's own life, where he feels marginalized and undervalued. It suggests that he yearns for a sense of purpose and connection, much like the plankton that contribute to the life-sustaining oxygen in the ocean.
It encourages empathy and appreciation for the contributions of all beings, regardless of their social status or perceived importance. question societal norms and biases that often lead to the neglect and dismissal of certain groups.
remind that everyone has value, and that even the smallest contributions can have a significant impact on the world around us. It encourages us to embrace diversity and to recognize the worth of all individuals, regardless of their social status or perceived importance.
This suggests that true fulfillment may lie not in societal status or material possessions, but in finding one's place in the larger ecosystem of life.
in this scence" While staying by Hae-jo’s side, Jae-mi recalls his wish to die while looking at the blue sky and tries to take him outside. This physically smaller women carry his lover to the bus stand. Alone. It isn't easy.
showcasing the immense strength that love can unlock within individuals. This scene serves as a reminder that women, often stereotyped as physically weaker, are capable of extraordinary feats when driven by love and compassion. It highlights the transformative power of human connection and the unwavering support that women offer to those they care about
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Desidratei
Meu Deus do céu, no começo do primeiro episódio eu não estava dando muita moral para esse drama, mas depois do terceiro me envolvi e meu deus, desidratei nos últimos episódios.a história por trás do plâncton e o desfecho.
em cada negativa de paternidade eu só conseguia pensar no pai dele, que tinha que ser ele o desfecho final, e não me decepcionei. achei de uma sensibilidade tremenda o reencontro deles. O ator principal entregou muito, todas as cenas eram de dar nó na garganta.
Acredito que seja o melhor dorama de 2024.
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Character-driven story of love, loss and hope
Firstly, I think if anyone has seen the teaser or just watched the first five minutes of the drama, it is beyond obvious where the ending is headed. So it’s better to watch this as it really is—a slice-of-life romantic drama.The show does a great job of diving into the story and creating interest in each character they introduce. Its main strength lies in its strong character writing, which was why I personally enjoyed it. If your main focus is on the storyline as a whole, this might not fit your bill.
The best part is the dynamic between the leads and their absolutely incredible and natural chemistry. There were certain aspects in their reunion that I wasn’t the biggest fan of, but their flawed characters couple up to form a perfect match!
The ML, Hae Jo’s dynamic with Bong Sun is also pretty interesting, and I sort of wish they spent more time on the two instead of certain storylines that should have wrapped up much earlier in the story.
By these storylines, I’m referring to everything around Heung. As much as I love Oh Jung Se (and his combination with another powerhouse like Kim Hae Sook made for some impeccably well-acted scenes), I didn’t see the point of showing us his story as much as they did. Heung spends most of his time mindlessly following our FL Jae Mi around, which was valid until a certain point. After the reality of his situation with her was clear, he still appeared to be lost without her. My main gripe is that his pain did not affect the main leads dynamic at all, and by that point in the story, it added no value to the plot progression because the story was centered around Hae Jo’s last leg. If they cut off certain parts, the show would’ve been more crisp in its later half (like it was in its first) and may have ended in 8 episodes as well.
All in all, this was a great watch and very binge-able once you’re hooked in. Also, I’d like to specifically mention that Woo Do Hwan has never looked as gorgeous as he does here. He was charming and extremely mind-blowing in this role!
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I loved the chaos, the unpredictability, the distinctive characters, the over-the-top not always logical scenes (e.g., everything having to do with the deserted island), and especially the acting. I like the fact that the writer did not oversentimentalize the topics of family, friendships, love, and death, as many Korean drama writers tend to do. I think that this is my favorite Korean drama of 2024. Was this review helpful to you?
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meaningful and heartwarming story
pertama, mau muji penulisnya dlu. krn apa?? storylinenya apik, meaningful & heartwarming. kmrn IOTNBO yg pake kupu" sbg lambang penyembuhan castnya. skrng Mr Plankton, plankton = makhluk yg sering kita anggep ngambang" gajelas gaada tujuan, ternyata aslinya mereka berguna, bnr" ngegambarin hojae bgt. idupnya penuh sial, ketemu lah sama jaemi yg jg pny kesialannya sendiri. chemistry bagus, romancenya natural. kocaknya dpt bgt suka pas mereka bertiga terdampar. melonya jg dpt. yg kusuka: sh*bal pdhl mksdny tu shimbal = sepatu, ini unexpected bgt sih 🤣. yg ga ak suka: scene nyeret" hojae pas d rmh sakit itu scene konyol krn tulil jg jaemi, orang lg sekarat lo gituin?? ga masuk akal. open ending tp kl liat semanggi berdaun empat kemungkinan adanya keajaiban si masi sempatWas this review helpful to you?
