Our Unwritten Seoul

Overrated but still enjoyable.

The Good
⌲ I don't think I have ever seen a triangle-less romance drama that involves twins.
⌲ Park Bo Young 's acting.
⌲ The OST songs
⌲ The moms (how rare, especially with these veteran actors)
⌲ There is a lot less loud shouting in this one than what I expected based on the setting, in general the drama is just not very annoying outside of that one predictable hiccup in e11.
⌲ The drama not only has child actors for the flashbacks but they were also rather great! (and the flashbacks in general were also rather okay)
⌲ The office related scenes were immensely more tolerable than I thought imaginable, that considering the initial events that led to the switcheroo situation.
⌲ The gay character (I don't care much about LGBTQ stuff beyond the principle of "live and let live", but this was quite well done, especially for South Korea)


The Average
⌲ The acting (other than Park Bo Young)
⌲ The strawberry couple
⌲ The smarter twin's story in general (and I guess her characterization could have been more interesting as well)
⌲ I feel this drama could have used more comedy. (there is very little of it & it's not a too serious show)
⌲ The drama had some really emotional scenes that felt formulaic & manufactured to me. (Tangerines happened not that long ago & the contrast is clear)
⌲ Dancing around the topic of success without higher education & then still sending M to college even after her failing SATs 2-3 times in a row.
⌲ The excessive use of childhood misunderstandings
⌲ The overall plot could have been more interesting, but I guess it's not really the focus in the show, so it's forgivable.
⌲ The meh ending.


The Bad
⌲ I knew from early on that a noble breakup is 99%+ chance, but it was nearly as disappointing as usual.
⌲ The second worst supercar product placement in my kdrama history
⌲ `Take the spare room once your lease is up` (sure some ambiguity is present in this sentence, but why..)
⌲ Kim Rosa
⌲ The "not leaving the room for months/years" thing (If you think about what all that would imply, then it's clear the whole she has not left the room for a long time thing just doesn't work & being lenient about various aspect of this doesn't work either, because they really went all in with this concept at various parts of the show)

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Very Healing, Great Parental Figures

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I love The Parent Trap. Let’s do this!

Acting/Cast: I’ve found that Park Bo Young (박보영) is really good playing depressing roles, such as seen in Daily Dose of Sunshine. She also did a great job playing two different people. I could always tell who was who. The parents were great and the 할머니들 (halmeonis/grandmas)! This drama has some awesome grandmother-type characters. In this category, I really only had a problem with Park Jin Young (박진영 ), the male lead. I just don’t think he’s a good actor. He seems kind of ‘blank’ to me; no emotion in the eyes. His character, though, was fine. I would have cast him differently...maybe with an actor that looks more like his younger self actor. I was thinking Cha Hak Yeon (차학연 ) from Castaway Diva may be a good fit visually. I’ve only seen him in 2 dramas though. 8/10

Writing: Even though the plot seems a little crazy, it’s actually not. They take a pretty realistic approach to this drama. The focus is on characters suffering from depression and other issues and how they learn to heal through their connections with family and friends. The problems the characters face are common and relatable to many people (with me being one of them). This drama is very sad, but it is as equally inspiring with many powerful quotes. As for what I didn’t like about the writing...there is Noble Idiocy and it is dumb as per usual. The female lead rationalizes it because she had done something similar as a teenager. However, this Noble Idiocy is now occurring in adulthood, when this character should be more mature by now. It’s aggravating because of its predictability and because it doesn’t really make sense. The ending is also a bit lackluster. I didn’t have a problem with how it ended, it just wasn’t very interesting. It would have been nice if it had a powerful ending that left us with a lasting impact. So, I can say that it does get a bit boring toward the end or the wrap-up phase of the drama. 8.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The production value feels high (although not as high as Daily Dose of Sunshine). They did a great job with the emotional scenes. I liked the flow of the drama. The music was okay, but it didn’t really stand out too much to me. 6/10

Entertainment Value: I came for The Parent Trap, I stayed for the feels. I watched this drama as it aired, which is something I usually don’t do. However, I couldn’t help it...I was really into the story and its characters and the other dramas that I was watching at the time weren’t doing it for me. It’s not like Our Unwritten Seoul is an exciting drama...its more like...a comfort. Anyways, it kept my attention consistently until the last couple episodes. 6.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 7.5/10. I prefer this a bit more to Daily Dose of Sunshine (which I had given a 7/10). However, I think that’s only because I relate to Our Unwritten Seoul immensely. It reminded me of how I related to My Liberation Notes and even a bit like Summer Strike. Surprisingly, I’ve scored Our Unwritten Seoul higher than all of these dramas. It just flows well and doesn’t have many issues when it comes to the writing. If you don’t like slice-of-life healing dramas or stories about depression or if you don’t like Park Bo Young (박보영), you probably will not like this drama. But for me, this drama really worked.

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All About Self Healing

Our Unwritten Seoul follows twin sisters Mi-ji and Mi-rae as they swap their lives to find themselves. What begins as a simple switch grows into a layered story of family, love & identity. The twins, though have different traits, ultimately have the similar nature and try to sympathize with each other, as the show moves forward.

Starting with the premise, it is a basic plot that we have seen in many dramas before, only with a twist of twins. The struggles one individual goes through and people around them that helps them to recover from their sufferings - a trait we see in most of the dramas. The positive thing about the drama are the characters; each of them are finely written with their own struggling backstory and their way of dealing it.

Similar to many dramas, the runtime for this K-Drama feels a bit stretchy, even though with 12 episodes. The cinematography is very beautiful where we see landscapes of Seoul, along with the flashbacks of teenage time of the characters, that are crafted very well. The background score is decent that blends well with the story and the scenes. Park Bo Young gave a strong performance, and although I felt the drama had less spark, her performance remained a strong highlight throughout the show.

Overall, Our Unwritten Seoul is a light hearted drama about self healing and overcoming struggles that works due to good performances, but is pulled back by stretchy runtime and cliché romantic moments from being a great show.

My Rating : 6.5/10

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Their Unwritten Seoul Touched Our Souls

Our Unwritten Seoul follows twin sisters Mi-ji and Mi-rae as they swap their lives to find themselves. What begins as a simple switch grows into a layered story of family, love & identity. To the world & even to themselves, the sisters may appear starkly different as night and day, but as the drama progresses, they sympathize with their own selves & each other, & realize that they could not be more similar.

Often we come across a blank page in our life's book. The first thought is think that it is the end. But actually what a blank page means that you can start again - either picking up the threads from the previous pages or write a new story. Our Unwritten Seoul drives this message - as the sisters Mi-Rae and Mi-ji attempt to re-write their stories again. And while they are doing so, we also come across other characters who are helping the sisters in their journey and at the same time healing themselves from their struggles of past and present.

➥ PROs: "Each Character had a Unique Story to Tell" & "Life Lessons from this drama"

The drama opens as a simple story of twin sisters Mi-ji and Mi-rae—but soon unfurls into a rich mosaic of 4, 6 & more characters. As the sisters swap lives to discover themselves, Ho-su and Se-jin arrive to help them heal, while healing from their own past struggles and forging their own path in present. The twins’ & Ho-su's mothers, once bickering neighbors, blossom into a quiet sisterhood bound by a shared yearning for belonginess. Rosa, the stern restaurateur hiding a painful secret, mirrors the twins’ search for identity through her own tale of loss and loyalty. Even the support roles—Hosu’s senior, school friend Ji-yun, and Mi-ji’s ex/bestie, Tae-i & his sister—get their moment, each weaving an essential thread into this warm, woven tale of connection and resilience.

➥ CONs : "Double Role of PBY" & "Romance/Chemistry"

Double Role: In the middle stretch, Park Bo-young’s portrayal of Mi-ji felt too much like Mi-rae—soft, hesitant and then something different - whiny. It was hard to reconcile this with the bold, fiery Mi-ji we were introduced to. Maybe it was intentional, hinting that the sisters aren’t so different after all—but it left me unconvinced.

Chemistry: It was sweet but lacked spark. After seeing PBY’s electric pairing with Park Hyung-sik, this felt more subdued. In fact I was more interested in Mi-rae and Se-jin, even with limited scenes. But why was there no kiss scene for them? It was not bad but more like I was interested in the other pair - but they did not give me enough of them.

➥ OVERALL: One-time Watch.
I typically shy away from weighty dramas, but this one struck me—Mi-rae’s drive for perfection to avoid disappointing others and her self-doubt felt profoundly real. Every element—from the acting and writing to the music and cinematography—shines. Still, its twelve-episode pace drags at times, and I wanted more screen time for my favorite characters and pairings. That’s just my personal quibble, not a flaw in the show. Overall, it’s a moving exploration of identity and connection, and hence my recommendation to give it a watch!

Special Note: Best Characters were Se-jin and Ho-su's mother. They were simply too good, and perhaps a major reason for me to complete this drama.

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I guess I should avoid this director...

Overall I liked certain characters and scenes in this drama but it just misses the mark for me in so many aspects.

After watching a couple of episodes I was having this sense of deja-vu in the way certain characters or topics were presented, it was giving me Lovestruck in the City vibes, so I checked the director... and yeah. I didn't even realise he was the director of other dramas I've watched that I haven't liked much because normally I don't really check who is the director or who are the actors, I look mostly at plot summaries.
After watching this series I guess I get the general idea that I should generally avoid this director because the scripts he picks, and that I assume he resonates with, I personally don't. I get he tries to do some different things here and there, with some characters that are different and many times quite toxic and problematic and it might be the cup of tea of some, but the ideals he seems to gravitate towards, the toxicity of certain of his characters passed as hero/ideal or the ideology that he presents in his dramas I do not agree with in general. Don't even get me started with whatever 'When the Stars Gossip' was. Our Unwritten Seoul is one of the highest ratings I've given to a drama I've watched of his.

I liked certain aspects of this drama in certain struggles and some of the healing, but overall, as it happened for me with It's Okay to Not Be Okay they're still way too superficial and psychologically speaking very classical, outdated and even freudian at points (what the hell was that with the guy that looked like the father, why is he a copy to start with).
I know this drama has been praised by many for the FL actress and her portrayal of the twins, but I have to say it was one of the main things that annoyed me in this drama. I think some others have also pointed out the fact that not only it was very obvious to everyone who was who and for that alone the premise of the change in the story made no sense, but also the fact that the whole personality of Mirae was having a stick up her back constantly and there is no change or even reflection on this. Miji on the other hand was a 5 year old for... what I can only assume is very classist views. I'll say it, Lee Jae In made a lot of a better acting here playing younger Mirae/Miji than Park Bo Young, and what's more, there was more chemistry between young Miji and Hosu than adult them. It was sad. At points I wished this was set when they were younger.
It already pissed me off quite a bit from the first episode the portrayal of Miji and prejudices against her, not only from her environment what could be realistic to certain extent (if overused) but from the drama itself to portray her as extremely childish because she didn't go to university. On top to keep repeating that she's unemployed but she's working? and taking care of her grandmother? only because she doesn't have a career job. She's way more out and around the world than her sister but she's treated like crap. It probably wouldn't have annoyed me as much if it wasn't because it's not the first instance I've seen of this degrading of people without further education, like if they become stuck somehow and are very childish (more so than ignorant even). Her staying three years in her room was very forced given the circumstances and I feel that it was only presented that way because they wanted to just make very obvious the topic of loneliness and marginalisation (as they did with Mirae's coworker), but there is no real talk there about it. There is in a cheap melodramatic emotional level of it obviously, to serve the purpose of whatever the director/script wants to provoke in the audience (cheap tears I guess), but not an in-depth realistic way on the why. I say it this way because this director has done it other times, he seems to like to use certain topics as props but they're not approached in a very conscious way or even dwelled or resolved in a realistic way either. She left the room when the grandmother passed and pretty much that cured her? It's always some shock exposure therapy of the sorts that cures it all it seems. It's very misleading and honestly quite bad taste to me at this point for repeated offender.

I get swapping them was "fun" and the main gimmick of the drama but it has been overdone in the past and the reasoning for it seemed weak to me, but maybe it's also because I'm tired of seeing bullying issues in companies where the employee just takes it to breaking point. I know it's a big problem in korean society but I think we all know that unless there is a change in education and the view of work as a whole nothing will change, so I would say that specifically for dramas to keep using this just becomes a cheap plot device. Why was the guy a copy of their father anyway? made no sense!!! artistic liberties and whatnot (in the same manner than identical twins never being identical), but even in the story it was so jarring and off-putting.

The plot overall dragged, and it never got to be that interesting, there were side characters that I found more interesting than the main two, and that was Hosu's mother mostly because I guess it was a bit more unique that she just continued raising Hosu on her own after the father passed, and Han Sejin for being a bit more relaxed and flowing around without care, what made him a bit more fun, in despite of the fact that overall I don't think we learn near enough about him.
The FLs' mother is quite bad, especially towards Miji in the beginning but her role as a mother and her actions, or inactions, are pretty much brushed under the rug to then focus on her role as a daughter. It was not satisfactory. This show anyway has once again that very performative showing of filial piety what is something this director has overused in the other dramas I've seen of him. He must have a big mommy/daddy complex and needs to keep repeating it.
As I mentioned there are a few things that it's good they're there, like Hosu's senior as a character in a wheelchair (and not a full time user of it, something not seen much), Hosu's hearing loss or the gay friend (what an achievement!). But I feel these are used as tokens and to get points more than anything. Mostly I feel this way because of the way they're presented and tackled, especially Hosu's hearing loss that it's more central to the story. It's all left very superficial and at points not very realistic, same with the mention of dyslexia. So I have mixed feelings about it because I'm not quite sure the direction on including these topics is done from a considerate and acknowledgement standpoint to have a realistic portrayal of society and they feel at times as cheap melodramatic stunts to be used sparingly throughout the series for points and personal gain of the director/writer and add a couple of obvious melodramatic/conflict scenes.

As others have also pointed out, it's extremely unrealistic that in that given situation the sisters would communicate that little. You're throwing your sister into a company she knows nothing about and think all be fine because she has to do nothing? I mean you can do nothing, doesn't mean the environment won't do anything to you though.
Either way, this brings me to my overall despise of Mirae as a character. In the past, the little she appears, she seems to be quite introverted and shy what is fine, but in the present her vibe was more like angry and spoiled. Not only Miji swaps with her but then Mirae keeps telling her what not to do while not telling her what to do other than "nothing". She forbids her of doing certain things but she doesn't respect the same boundaries and everything is fine if Mirae does it. She quits the farm without Miji's permission because I guess to her that's not a job? doesn't matter. She barely tries to be her sister or to keep her sister's life going, but she has a fit if her sister does anything on her own, reason for Miji to obviously not tell her anything. This is never really tackled, their relationship and the constant degrading of Miji is never tackled either and overall Mirae really doesn't change in the whole series, her healing is only a matter of the company issue in taking a stance, but she doesn't have a change in her ways in any way.
I would have also preferred Sejin didn't have an interest in her, it felt forced and Mirae as a character is such a stick that it was not really much of anything or enjoyable, but at the end after the year they try to present that reunion like destined and I was just not feeling it. Maybe it was also done this way because otherwise Park Bo Young would have had to kiss two guys and maybe that was a big no, although considering her kissing scenes with Park Jin Young also felt very forced to me independently of the lack of chemistry they had, I would have almost preferred to not have any kissing scenes. This also brings me to the fact that Hosu and Miji in present time together were antic-climatic to watch many times, because she was acting like a child and it was difficult to see why Hosu would be interested in her if it wasn't for their past.

Towards the last episodes it dragged a lot and they were pulling melodrama from under the rocks to fill the time.

So although generally it's just about kinda watchable I'm not sure I'll be recommending it. If you like the director's other works then I would say you might like this, but if you have watched some of his other dramas and didn't like them I would avoid this one, it's not that much better.

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s(e)oul healing

the only thing this drama seriously lacked was the spacing. don't get me wrong, i liked the beginning and the ending of the show, but in the middle, it almost lost my attention. i would've trimmed the series by one to two episodes to keep it up with the spacing. i consider the cast highlight of this series, especially park bo young's acting. i'm so glad that she left romcom days behind and now takes on the slice-of-life genre, which suits her way better. i never make a ship as my sole purpose to watch the series, so i really didn't mind slow relationship developments. for me, the most important things while watching the slice of life genre are feeling a connection to the characters and seeing them heal and grow throughout the story, which happened in this drama.

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You are more than what meets the eye!!

The premise of the drama might sound like your typical twin switcheroo at first glance but honestly, it hit way deeper than I expected. It is not just about mistaken identities but also about second chances and a gentle reminder of how easy it is sometimes to lose ourselves trying to live a life we think we are supposed to as per societal standards.

The drama was a mix of both light and heavy tones. On the surface, it feels simple and kind of comforting. But there is this emotional weight underneath. The type that hits you after, when you are just lying there thinking about it way longer than you expected.
One of the biggest things that I liked and surprised me was how little we know about the people around us including our own family. Everyone is lowkey fighting their own battles and they might have just gotten really good at hiding the hurt. For me, there was also a silent message to be kind.
This was also a harsh reminder that when people do speak up mustering the courage after holding it so long, sometimes instead of support they are isolated and shut out.

Yoo Miji and Yoo Mirae are twins who look exactly alike but their lives could not be different. Miji is more of a carefree soul but compared to her, Mirae is rigid and driven but both of them quietly struggle in their own ways. When they decided to switch places, what seemed like a bold and sort of reckless move tuned into something very emotional. Somehow, through each other's lives, they began their journey to understand their own pains, regrets and fears a little better.

The drama also talks about workplace bullying and doesn't shy away from showing darker realities on how it affects an individual. It questions how people in higher positions with respected careers can treat and save the wrongdoers while isolating the vulnerable. I was glad it wasn't overly dramatised as it felt so real.

Coming to the romance part of the drama, I was more than fulfilled. Both the couples had such different vibes, but they delivered. The chemistry felt real and the moments were tender without being over-the-top. No forced drama, just growth, vulnerability and the kind of love that makes you smile like an idiot at your screen.

Miji & Hosu: Two people who found each other in their most desperate times without even realising it.
Hosu is a lawyer who looks like the perfect ML who has it all together but is really just trying to survive every day without falling apart. He doesn't do anything loud but his journey of letting go of the silent grief he has been holding. It literally brought tears to my eyes.
His personality is very different from Miji and somehow they both complement each other so perfectly.

Mirae & Sejin: They were that awkward but adorable couple, the kind I will root for because their vibe is soft and sweet, even if they are a little clumsy.
But if I am being honest, my biggest issue with the drama is how little we actually get to know both of them. Compared to Miji and Hosu, their story feels undercooked. Even though they are supposed to be main characters, they kind of end up feeling like side characters, more like a stepping stone in someone else’s journey than the focus of their own.
Mirae does get more screen time than Sejin, but I still feel like I never got to truly understand her. We saw her react to things but rarely got to sit with her inner world or see where she was coming from. It’s like watching from the outside but never being invited to sit with them and understand their emotions.

The two mothers (Hosu & the twins) also have their own little stories of struggle and acceptance. Hosu’s mom looked perfect like her son on the outside, but she kept her struggles on the low, showing strength through quiet sacrifice and just dealing with them silently. Meanwhile, the twins’ mom wore her emotions on her sleeves. They were different, but both of them showed that hardship and acceptance come in all forms.

Also, I feel they could done better with the LGBTQ representation. This is 2025 and I feel "they are friends like family" is just old and dated take. I don't think it was fooling anyone.

Acting-wise, Park Bo Young stole the show. To play two different characters who are as complex and different as day and night was incredible. The emotions and laughs landed just right. I wasn't confused even once between both her characters and that speaks volumes about how well she portrayed it. Park Jinyoung as Ho-su was also a standout, he was perfectly cast for the role. All the other supporting cast members also brought their A-game, especially the actress playing the young version of the twins.

The cinematography was beautiful and I really liked how the transition from past and present was smooth. Flasbacks were really important here and the way instead of using it as drama , it added the much needed layer to each character with their present personalities.
It was Netflix licenced, so the budget wasn't an issue and it shows.

Overall, this drama felt like a mirror, reflecting both our inner emotions and the realities around us. It was soft, painful, comforting but honest. It's been a while K-dramas made me feel this way.
I would 100% recommend it.

----------***** ----------
There are many quotable lines from the drama but here are few most favourites -

“It wasn't until I lived as someone else that I realized my worst enemy was myself.”

"Yesterday is over. Tomorrow is yet to come. Today is yet unknown. Let's go!"

“No matter how pathetic or messy it looks, anything you do to survive is brave.”

----------***** ----------

Thank you for reading my review! <3 I hope you enjoy this drama as much as I did! :))

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Skipped a lot

Some parts of the storyline was engaging. Twins having their own experiences and separate lives, back story from teenagers to adulthood in their 30s. The only parts I found engaging was Miji pretending to be Mirae in the office workplace, and her work related issues.

The parts of Mirae working in the strawberry farm; the mother scenes with her friends and Hosu’s mother- ALL SKIPPED! Yes, didn’t find that interesting at all. Towards the second half, PBY’s acting got very annoying with her whining and talking through her nasal passage! Eeshh, had to skip her as well. I like Jin young, esp from Yumi Cells, but this drama was just too typical and boring.

This year Cdramas are doing it for me. The Prisoner of Beauty is a very good one. Try that;)

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So let’s live today

« Yesterday is over. Tomorrow is yet to come. But today is yet unknown. So let’s live today. »

« I was the only one going up. Later on, I saw no one else coming down. And I was alone. To be honest, I was so tired. I thought about giving up and going back down several times. But I kept going up because I didn’t see Min-Ji among the people coming down. I didn’t have faith in myself. But she kept waiting believing that I’d come. »

« When everyone else is working and you’re home alone, you think too much. And the more you think, the more you lose track of time. You wonder if the clock’s broken, but before you know it the whole day is gone. And 99% of those thoughts are useless. »

« Thinking about the past only brings regret, thinking about the future only brings anxiety. »

« If a deer runs away from a lion, does it make it a trash? If a hermit crab hides in fear of being eaten, is it a coward? They’re all just trying to survive. You’re hiding to survive too. No matter how pathetic or messy it looks, anything you do to survive is brave. »

«  Whenever you start overthinking, just crochet. Just get through the day one stitch at a time. If you just hang in there, something new will come along. And even if it doesn’t, at least you’ll have yourself a scrubber. »

« I’ll do my best to live somehow. So I want you to live too. Promise me. »

« People always have a reason for hiding things. We all have one question we don’t want to be asked. Does choosing not to ask it count as being deceitful ? »


At first one could think it is just another regular kdrama. But people can’t ignore the innuendos made subtly. And the undertone might be different for one another.

To me, the drama deals with 2 sides of a depression. I haven’t finished the drama but I don’t need an end to make this review.

The show tackles a lot of progressive ideas and societal issues that are often overlooked in South Korea. Mental health, disability, depression, work exclusion, family pressure, homosexuality, bisexuality, status and more. Truth is it is not just about South Korea and I guess that’s why people can identify themselves really well.

The director is incredibly intelligent when he tries to convey something because it is always unexpected and that is the strength of the show. One of that moment is a quote mentioned, when Ho Su explains why he fell in love with her.

There are some minor issues but as Ho Su said: « if you don’t know the full story, it’s better to keep quiet sometimes. »

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The idea was great, but the execution..

More often than not, I find myself starting a new drama with an intriguing concept that initially draws attention and builds anticipation about how the plot will unfold. The pilot and just about two episodes after that delievered questions and wonders, leaving room for the story to grow. However, things took a downturn as it soon devolved into a predictable, simple, typical K-romance.
It’s disappointing that the drama’s description doesn’t quite align with what actually unfolds on screen. Many important questions are left unanswered, and this leads to several unrealistic scenes that ultimately detract from the experience. It bored the hell out of me, but I watched it till end.
It is shame, because it could have been a drama with less romance, more curiosity and true life-lesson driven twists.
Kudos to the actors though, especially to Park Bo Young and the mother Jang Young Nam (who continues to impress me, by far underrated).

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