Our Unwritten Seoul

this felt like a warm hug.

it's been a while since i felt so infatuated by a kdrama series. not only is this casting insanely perfect, none of the storylines felt like filler, even when they were completely separate & individualistic. this drama handles grief, growth & familial bonds with the utmost care and will have you sobbing throughout multiple points while watching.

casting park jinyoung & kim sunyoung as mother & son has got to be the best casting decision i've seen in korean dramas in a hot second...two genius actors that delivered an insane performance together. all of these characters feel so alive and park boyoung NAILED her dual role in this. the ending is so satisfying & well-done.

i applaud the writers. bravoooo :3

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Park Bo Young delivers double the fun and the tears in this poignant slice of life

It is not uncommon for twins to live differently despite looking exactly the same. After all, they are not the exact photocopy of each other.

In Unwritten Seoul, we are introduced to the twins named Miji and Mirae. The former lives in the countryside working on the farm while the latter lives in the city working in a finance company. Everything about these two is the exact opposite. But when Mirae became despondent and is on the verge of giving up, Miji shows up and is willing to switch lives just like they usually do when they were kids.

To give you an idea of how polar opposites the twins are, Miji is a T while Mirae is an F in the MBTI. It is absolutely mind-blowing how Park Bo Young effortlessly switches between these two roles. She embodies Miji’s easygoing, laidback personality as well as Mirae’s mature and reserved demeanor. Even when the twins swapped lives and changed their hairstyles to commit to the part, the eyes, Chico, they never lie. It is amusing to watch how Miji tackles the bleak office work while holding back Mirae’s bullying colleagues. The same goes for Mirae. Miji may be impulsive in her actions but she is never clumsy with her contract jobs. Unfortunately, Mirae fumbles through the labor work. They both look out of place despite wearing each other’s work clothes. They are both so good at putting on a show that even their mother didn’t notice their naughty tricks. What the twins both have in common even as grown-up adults is that they both carry baggage they don’t talk about. From the get-go, you can already feel that it is only a matter of time until unspoken truths and suppressed emotions are spilled.

Lee Hosu (played by Park Jin Young) is the twin’s hometown neighbor and high school classmate. He is very empathetic and observant, the qualities you won’t expect from a lawyer. In true romcom fashion, Hosu gets tongue-tied and bashful whenever Miji is around. After all, their history goes a long way, especially when Miji hit Hosu’s bully with a ball so hard that it made their face bleed. Hence, it is very interesting to see if Hosu can catch the twin’s tricky setup early on. If he truly knows his crush inside out, her mannerisms and all, getting her busted should be a piece of cake. Can I also take a moment to admire Jin Young’s pretty face and the fact that he is also a pretty crier? When he finally cried, you could see me in the corner holding my shattered heart with tears pouring like a dam breaking.

Maybe it's just me but I feel like the writer disapproves of corporate jobs. She portrays it as something boring, fake and most of all takes advantage of people, that it's a breeding ground for greediness. Thankfully, she redeemed herself with Han Se Jin (played by Ryu Kyung Soo), proving that not everyone in white-collar jobs looks as bad as they seem to be. Sure, desk-based roles are not as profound and meaningful as manual labor, but it is still unfair to compare them when all of us have a rightful place in this world. The story mostly highlights the stark difference between office work and fieldwork, showing how the twins struggle to fit into their new, never-before-attempted jobs.

What I like the most about Unwritten Seoul is it goes beyond tackling siblings and romantic relationships. It celebrates every connection we have, even the fleeting ones. It emphasizes again and again that no man is an island. Even in the darkest times of our lives, there will always be hands reaching out to help us out. Even when you think you are alone in this world while holed up in your room, the whole village is actually patiently waiting for you on the other side of the door.

There are also lots of parallels narratives that viewers can connect the dots with. Like how faking identities can be an act of honor on behalf of someone (but be very careful because this is a serious offence and you might end up in jail haha). Like how we may through different life-altering moments, but the same consoling words can still reach us.

Overall, Our Unwritten Seoul is a much-needed watch for anyone experiencing quarter-life crisis. This is a nice reminder that our lives are not a book with an ending, but rather a notebook waiting to be filled. As the song goes, 'today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'. Life has its ups and downs and fare share of tears and joy, just like in this K-drama. Just when you thought the episode was all sunshine and warmth, the unexpected rain poured in. This is a heartfelt slice-of-life story I will forever cherish and hold close to my heart, elevated by Park Bo Young’s acting prowess and her ability to double both the fun and the tears.

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So much better than expected!!!

I loved this drama!!!! I love how it portrays difficult family dynamics and how the certain behaviour of people comes from deep pain, sorrow, grief, or trauma.
In general I love how things got resolved in the end, not in a fairytale, unrealistic way but it showed how you have to put in some effort in order to succeed. Things won’t change for the better just because you want to.

I want to go through each character that I liked or had certain thoughts of:

1. The twins Miji and Mirae:
I definitely liked Miji more and also could relate to her much more. She was bubbly, energetic and loud. She took care of her grandma and did all kinds of jobs and her dark past made me sad and I could also relate to her a bit.
Tbh Mirae seemed like a very pale character next to Miji, almost boring. Throughout the majority of the drama I really disliked her. When the harrassment happened at work, I tried to feel sorry for her but I was annoyed again!!! like WHYYYY did she suggest to forget about what he tried to do???? Idk but that was soooo strange and kinda unrealistic!!! as a woman, if my colleague starts to harrass me I would cancel every contact with that person, even consider leaving the company!!!! And she just wanted to move on like nothing happened??? I got SO mad at her!!!! The only thing I liked about Mirae was her relationship with Han Sejin, the strawberry farmer 😂

Which brings me to the next character!

2. Han Sejin aka the strawberry farmer:
I loved this guy!!! I already saw him in Lovestruck in the City where he plays an author and I already liked him a lot in that drama! He was actually one of my favorites 😂 And hos character in this drama was amazing too!!! Definitely one of my faves!!!

3. Lee Hosu:
I know he is the Male Lead but somehow I liked the Second Male Lead much more, again 😂 Le Hosu was just ok. I felt sorry for him at some parts especially when he was younger. I didn’t like how he treated his mom, so there were some scenes when I got really annoyed with him because I really liked his mom! She was my favorite character! So I was happy when I watched the scene when his mom comes to Seoul and hits him and then they hug and cry and I cried so much in that scene too!!!! 😭😭😭

which brings me to my next character:

4. Bon - Hong aka Hosu’a mom:
I LOVED this woman so much!!!! Everything she said and did was so touching and sweet and I loved her fighting with Ok-hui 😂😂😂 idk if I am biased or not because she is a Reply 1988 actress but I genuinely loved Bonhong so much!!! Her quotes were my favorite 😂

5. Ok-hui aka the twins’ mom:
At the beginning and throughout the whole drama I was SO annoyed with her!! Her talking aggressively ALL THE TIME put me so much on edge!!!! She is mean to everyone literally! To Bon-hong, Miji, her mother, just everyone!!! I got so fed up with her until the scene she cried on the floor with the real Miji and then cried at the hospital in her mother’s lap. Her story was maybe one of the most heartbreaking and although I still dislike her aggressive side, I got to like her in the end…

7. Kim Rosa aka Sangwol:
Her story was one of the most impressive! I cried so much! The way she protected her friend gave me goosebumps!!! When women love and help each other they can move mountains!!! Her story was such a story! I was so happy she got a happy end so quickly! 🥰 It was so heartwarming!

8. Tae-i and his sister:
I cant really say much about his sister, but I really loved Tae-i!!! As a very minor character he was very well done! I would have liked to see more of him!

9. The grandma:
Once again, a drama with a grandma plot can never disappoint!!! One of my favorite Korean words is the one for Grandma, (halmeoni) because some of my favoritr dramas are the ones that have a kind grandma starting (e.g. Start-up).

I would say this is it for the main characters!
I just love this drama and lowkey want a season 2 just to see Mirae get together with Sejin. Also I feel like the twins are both the main characters but it felt more focused on Miji. So I wonder whether there shouldn’t be a part 2 which focuses more on Mirae 😍

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Yin and Yang

This show is brilliant. I love how this show just hurts and heals. It was both painful yet heartwarming.

This is the story of two sisters. A story of a culture that expects too much yet gives too little.

Park Bo-young is an amazing actress. No question about this. She played the part of twins like there were actually 2 actresses. You can tell which is which. She acts with such restraint and force, it just works. She's definitely one of my favorite K-actresses. I would watch anything she's in!

This series is 12-episodes short/long, it is engaging and the story is character-driven. The pacing of the story is seamless and does not drag.

If you want a story about empathy, healing, identity, family, and some intergenerational trauma mixed in, this is for you.

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Our Unwritten Seoul: Healing, Frustration, Repeat

At first, I was hesitant about whether or not I should start this drama, but in a moment of boredom I just went for it. To my surprise, the plot turned out really interesting. I liked the concept of twins switching lives, which is tricky to pull off, but Park Bo Young did a great job.

🌸 POSITIVE ASPECTS:
-The acting during sad scenes was so good (I actually teared up more than once). It had a very great impact.

-The character development of the mother was slow but satisfying, which makes it realistic in my opinion.

-I liked how they encouraged taking a break when you're feeling hopeless and tired. Healing and self-care are more important than a job and that’s on period.

Overall the plot and execution was nice, not flawless but nice.

⚡ NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
-This is more of a personal statement rather than a critique. I just couldn’t get on board with Mirae’s character. I know she had suffered workplace bullying and was most likely depressed, which led her to attempt, but I just couldn’t understand why she stayed that long just to suffer. Also, she was very cold and strict at first so it just wasn’t for me, but I still respect the execution and her character development.

-Some aspects of the story felt unexplored and made me raise questions, like Lawyer Lee’s behavior. I still don’t know why he was so ruthless at first and then just randomly became better.

-Honestly i didn't feel chemistry between the main leads and just wasn't that interested in their love story.
Also, and I can’t stress this enough, I HATEEE the miscommunication trope and the “I’m a burden for you let’s break up” trope. It literally made me rage because the main leads were grown ass people who had already experienced something similar in high school and couldn’t even learn and move forward as fast as I wish they would have.

Overall these are the main aspects that ruined some of the drama, plus a few boring scenes here and there but nothing too major.


Our Unwritten Seoul tries to teach us to prioritize our health, both physical and mental, and that it’s never too late to start over and be who you wanna be.

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This is a story of two girls born as identical twins. The story begins at birth and continues into their thirties. Though they are identical twins, this is where the similarly stops. Both are very different characters who have had many different experiences in life. As the series proceeds, each of the girls, Mi Rae and Mi Ji, learn about each other's strengths, weaknesses, and misconceptions of each other. Misconceptions being key, as this seems to happen to all the characters in the series. From their mothers and fathers, to past classmates, business associates and friends. These misconceptions and miscommunications are what the characters must work out and move forward in their lives.

I believe this is the first series review where I can point out how excellent the production team did on creating this series. I remember in many past shows where the same actor/actress were performing two different characters in the same camera shot. These were incredibly done in this series. Best I have ever seen. So seamless that it is hard to believe it is the same actress doing both parts. Well done. A++++

There was not too much in-depth drama in this series. But the cast and crew performed outstandingly. It was a show I feel that made the viewer feel happy, hopeful, and supportive of all the characters in the series. Sometimes you just need a loving and feelgood show to watch. And this was it.

As usual, all the actor's/actress's performances were great. I did not note any outstanding soundtracks to add to my playlist.

I would recommend this series, and look forward to seeing these same actors/actress again in future projects.

I rate this series an 8 out of 10.

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Sweet touch

I love this drama!
Simple yet hits you hard!
Haha
It shows the struggles we face as children. The expectations, pressures and comparisons.
So heartwarming. So sweet. So true. Aha.
First time watching Jinyoung act, and he did amazing! T@nG1na ang Gwapo nya. The way he demonstrates his struggles and him.. so dAEBAK AHHAAH.
Let's not forget PARK BO YOUNG!
UGH!!! I LOVE HER!
She's so good! Seeing her act as 2 different people was well portrayed.
I am thankful I watched this drama regardless of my struggles I am facing rn.
It just... snap me out. It demonstrates that we are all on our own page. We have our own time zone.
Don't rush yourself. It doesn't matter how old or young you are....
Hah aano daw.

Anyways. I truly enjoyed the drama. I love the neutral ending. It's not literally an ending. Its. A blank page.

So calming. So. Ease. So. Good. So delicious.

410pm
11525

Thank you for this show! It taught me life lessons. ♡♡

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I love this drama because of the story. So many of life lessons presented here. Individual struggle, siblings pov, family relationship, childhood & adulthood problems and more. Not only the lead casts, but also the support actors are amazing and have their own stories that made them reasonable to act like the way they did. I was drawn into their acting that I cried a few times.
I don't remember anything about the soundtrack, but the story is stuck in my head.
This drama is perfect for those who lost in life that might need a little push to do what you believe is true.

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Uneven but worth a watch

As an English speaker, trying to follow the plot through subtitles–I was confused. Why? The series features a set of identical twins with similar names who decide to temporarily switch places and take over each other’s lives. One actress plays both girls as adults. A different actress plays both girls as teens. In addition, there are the male leads who are interested in the two girls.

That wouldn’t be so much of a problem if it weren’t for the fact that a lot of back story has to be filled in for ALL of these characters. And the focus jumps back and forth in time and place without clear indication when a switch happens.

It helps that one of the twins has long hair and the other has short hair. The first twin (long hair) has a corporate job in Seoul, while the other one (short hair) works on a strawberry farm. This would work if they both stayed put. But, no, Ms. Office Worker comes home now and then and Ms. Strawberry Farm finds time to visit Seoul. Mi-ji, the twin with the bubbly personality, is likable but immature–she pouts, shrieks, sulks, and throws temper tantrums. It gets tiresome after awhile.

Each girl–when I say girl we’re mostly talking about these two as 30-year-old women–has to fake it when the people around them mention incidents that occurred before the identity switch took place. Viewers have to keep the timeline remember the date of the switch–and also whether or not the short-haired girl is wearing extensions in order to pass for her sister.

Let me add that everyone in this series has psychological issues, including the parents, the grandmother, and another older woman who, it turns out, has also switched identities with someone else. Aaargh!

While the actors do a skillful job with the script they’ve been given, the plot was just too convoluted for me. I could follow it, but it made my brain tired. And in some places, things just weren’t believable. For example, each of the male leads has to convince the viewers that he’s only interested in ONE of the two girls–and that he can not only tell them apart (although their mother can’t)–but loves his chosen girl’s unique characteristics.

Maybe it could be true in the case of the dude who loves the girl who has some verve and personality, but the other twin is despondent, poker-faced, and impassive–and she seldom responds or reacts to her admirer in any way whatsoever. Also, there’s a sexual abuse situation that’s so minimal that if you blink, you’ll miss it. But all the characters talk about it endlessly. I loved the older characters, especially the mothers, played by two amazing veteran actors.

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like a blooming flower

i grew up with a sister who looks exactly like me, that people usually confused us for twins. we also literally have the same personalities as mirae and miri, which made watching this with her lowkey awkward but it was so good. i cannot even begin to explain just how awesome and realistic this kdrama was. the writing was of another level, with amazing character developments and such realistic depictions of people. havent watched a kdrama this satifisfying in a long time, and it truly healed some parts of me. some angles were not it, but that's my only complaint. i guess i also wanted more from the second couple, pls that man was so hot i need more of them asap

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