3Beautifully acted and produced but my brain and heart are not aligned on how I feel
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Instead of a traditional review, this is more like my feelings of the drama.
I usually stay away from dramas about terminal illness, but I want to check this out due to its rave reviews and Namkoong Min. However, giving “Our Movie” merely an 8.25 rating seems like a travesty when there are so many 9s and 10s. The simple reason is: my brain and my heart are not aligned for most of the drama.
Lee Da Eum (FL)/Jeon Yeo Been
I have a hard time connecting with Da Eum. It took me a while to get used to and like her awkward personality even though in my brain, Jeon Yeo Been did a fantastic job portraying this character. I understand why Da Eum acts, thinks, and tries to live her life to the fullest. I applaud her bravery and cheer on her to stay alive for as long as she can. But in my heart, I am not in love with her.
Lee Je Ha (ML)/Namkoong Min
I have to say this is the prettiest/most handsome look for Namkoong Min I’ve seen. I am totally digging those glasses, no-gel natural hair and the casual turtleneck look. His character is aloof and exudes this “I am better than you and I don’t care what you think” vibe. The way he talks, moves and acts is very slow-paced, which greatly contrasts the FL energy. Of course, we never have to worry about Namkoong Min’s acting.
As individual characters, I like FL and ML’s stories of pain and growth. I enjoy the reason why they want to make the movie, and how they ‘use’ each other in the process. But for some reason, when they are together, I am not feeling the chemistry that I need to help me last through the pain towards the end. For a melodrama that I am supposed to be balling and need a box of tissue, the setup was lacking for me on an emotional level. Of course, this is all very personal and subjective, and I am sure many viewers will question my sanity. LOL
Because I am not emotionally connected for about 8-9 episodes, I cannot give this drama a high rating. But when eps 10-12 hit hard, that’s when all fall into place. Now I see why I need to get those tissues and why everyone was so in love with this drama. I finally feel all the emotions, but not because of the romance or chemistry, but because of the situation and how it affected everyone on a different yet personal level.
Despite tolerating many episodes of 2FL annoying and persistently butting into FL’s business, the supporting cast is lovely and supportive. The acting is excellent all around, and not just Jeon Yeo Been and Namkoong Min. The cinematography is beautiful, especially the warm lighting in the bookstore that I love the most. The haunting OST complements the mood of the drama and I’m glad many scenes are shot outside of the hospital.
“Our Movie” is an excellently produced and well-acted drama. Melodrama lovers should not miss this. Even though the drama couldn’t reach my heart for most of the drama, I can’t deny when it’s supposed to hurt, it hurts big time (in a good way). I just wish my brain and heart were connected sooner.
Completed: 8/30/2025 Review #618
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1"If I have to live with it forever I guess I’d have to love this sorrow that’s deep in my heart"
First things first: If you’re one of those ”I don’t watch anything without a happy ending” people, well, I personally think you’re missing out, but be forewarned: this follows through on what it sets up (and I don’t think that’s a spoiler, because it’s pretty clear that it will do so from the start). There’s no magic cure in the eleventh hour or cop-out open ending. That said, this drama is not continuously angsty or oppressively miserable. It has a lightness that balances out the pain. There’s actually a lot of happiness, even joy. Just every now and then, you're reminded—today she’s here, vibrant and alive, but it won’t be long before the space she once filled is a hole in this person’s life. As you get further into the drama, the presence of that impeding loss weighs heavier, the happy moments more often tinged with melancholy, but it’s never suffocating or depressing. The drama ultimately affirms that whatever pain will follow, loving is worth it. That person will never truly leave your life. The light they brought to it will linger alongside the grief. The drama makes a straight-up sad ending come off more as bittersweet one. While this drama hurt … a lot at times … it didn’t rip my heart out of my chest. It’s as uplifting as is possible while being emotionally honest and true to the story they set out to tell. My masochistic soul actually would have appreciated a bit more emotional torture, but for most people this probably strikes the perfect balance, and I think even happy ending lovers can survive this.This has joined my (not actually existent) list of favorite romance dramas. If your taste in romance requires lots of steamy kisses and cute couple moments, this might not be your cup of tea. There is a bit of that and I certainly did feel the butterflies at points, but it’s really more of a sensitive slow-burn that pays attention to the details and makes simple interactions speak volumes. There are a couple “big” moments that lean into the feeling of being swept off one’s feet or one’s heart racing as if it might burst, but more often it's understated. A lingering gaze, a comforting touch. Just having a conversation. Sharing in each other’s elation or suffering. You watch the leads go from strangers to colleagues and confidants to lovers, sometimes through moments of tension or angst but more often in warm companionship and care. Knowing him brought her everything she ever wanted, knowing her brought color to his life, even if he lost her far too soon.
The lead characters take classic archetypes and make them emotionally complex and fully realized humans. Jeon Yeo Been makes La Daeum’s vivacious cheer and endearing awkwardness seem natural rather than cartoonish or put on. She’s equally adept and communicating the anguish of running out of time too soon, desperation to make her mark before she goes, and fear of leaving her loved ones behind. Namgoong Min’s performance is a masterclass in subtlety and restraint. He imbues Lee Jeha with a stoicism that’s soft and quiet rather than cold—the character is aloof and cynical, not unfeeling or lacking emotional awareness. We see him falling for Daeum’s charms and wrestling with the depth of his feelings through small smiles and hints of pain behind the eyes while maintaining his reserve. When character’s transformation comes to fruition, it’s not a jarring shift; it’s the culmination of a gradual development that had long been simmering beneath the surface.
This drama’s themes aren’t particularly profound—they’re pretty self-evident, even cliché, ideas about love and grief and living in the moment. But originality isn’t the point of this drama. The point is that classic sentiments communicated well can still have a meaningful impact. The drama knows very well that its story is old-fashioned and out-of-line with current trends. Because the plot revolves around remaking a 90s melodrama with much the same premise, it comments explicitly on the value of such stories—it’s about the feelings they evoke. In the past few years, I’ve seen a couple other attempts to update 90s/00s melodramas for the 2020s. This one is certainly the most successful.
Unlike many romance dramas that spend a lot of time on the leads’ work, the movie plot did actually seem integral to the emotional journeys of our leads, both as individuals and in their relationship. None of the secondary characters were superfluous (there was a reason for each of them to be there), but I do think the screen time some of these characters got could have been cut down (not necessarily by a ton, but it definitely could have been a little tighter here and there), because while they had a legitimate purpose, that purpose could have been fulfilled with a bit less focus (and without the little side romances). I think if the drama had spent some of the time it spent on the more tangential elements of the movie plot and related characters on Daeum’s father and best friend this drama would have been close to perfect. What I cared about were the people who truly loved Daeum (her father, her best friend, and Jeha) and would be most affected by her death—this was the heart of the story (what was portrayed here was excellent, I only wanted more of it). Everything else only mattered to me in as much as it furthered this core story. This is something old melodramas knew that too many more recent dramas have forgotten and is the one place where I felt this drama failed to fully grasp an important element of the genre it was updating.
From a craft perspective, this drama is a real standout. It has made me curious to watch more works directed by Lee Jungheum. It’s has some of the most artful editing (Shi Mingyeong) I’ve ever seen and changes its style and visual language to highlight certain moments. It intersperses scenes from the past and from the movie at relevant points in the narrative, transitioning seamlessly. Some scenes call back to earlier scenes, sometimes through the wording of the script sometimes through the actions of the characters sometimes through the similarity of the situation. These moments don’t just repeat what came before but cast the same thing in a new light or draw parallels that highlight change from one point to another, a sort of refrain that adds to the storytelling.
The cinematography (Jo Yeongjik, Byeon Jisu) is lovely. It’s not the most visually striking drama I’ve ever seen, but there was a softness to it that fit the mood of the drama. The way the camera moves often felt very intentional. And of course the way they sometimes changed up what they were doing with the camera or colors contributed to the aforementioned artistry. We also got some beautiful ocean settings. The music (Kim Taeseong) was somewhat hit or miss for me. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes it wasn’t quite what I wanted—I would have preferred less electronic sounds and more real instruments, just generally a bit more classic. However, take this with a grain of salt, since I think this is probably an unpopular opinion based on my personal preferences (my sense is that a lot of people wholeheartedly loved all the music).
One final nitpick—this drama does have some annoyingly blatant product placement.
“What’s with this sappy melodrama?” says Lee Jeha at one point. And yes this is a sappy melodrama, one of the most well-executed ones that I have seen. It manages to balance realism and romanticism and is elevated by the creative choices and performances so that it gives you everything you want from a sappy melodrama without making you feel like that’s what you’re watching.
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1A MEMORABLE MELODRAMA
Our Movie isn’t a love story that wraps you in comfort; it’s the kind that tears you apart quietly, piece by piece, until you’re caught between hope and fear, unsure why you’re still holding on. Watching Our Movie felt like standing in a hospital room, afraid to breathe too loud, afraid my emotions would spill over and break everything. Yet, it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. A raw, poetic exploration of love, loss, and what it means to be human when time is slipping away.General commentary:
The story follows Lee Je Ha, a director suffocating under his father’s legacy, and Lee Da Eum, an actress counting down her final months due to a terminal illness. Their romance doesn’t start with fireworks; it feels like two broken people standing in the same storm, reaching for each other because no one else understands. Namgoong Min’s performance as Je Ha wrecked me. His guilt, his fear of wanting something doomed, was etched into every glance, every hesitation. There were moments I wanted to shake him, to scream, “Just take her love before it’s gone!” But I got why he held back, loving someone when you know you’ll lose them is terrifying. Jeon Yeo-been as Da Eum is sunlight tangled with fear. Her handycam, capturing fleeting moments, isn’t just about art; it’s her proof of existence, her laughter, her love. One scene, where she questions if she even has the right to fall in love, stayed with me for days. I’ve felt that too, because sometimes loving feels like asking too much.
The visuals in Our Movie are a masterpiece. Every frame is like a painting, with soft lighting and nostalgic home-camera shots that made me feel like I was inside their memories. The use of a cinemascope ratio in key scenes was a brilliant nod to the drama’s meta-narrative: a story about making a film within a film. It’s a love letter to cinema, reflecting how art can heal and connect. The OST wove through it all, with haunting melodies that amplified every quiet heartbreak and fleeting joy. The cinematography doesn’t just show the story; it makes you feel the weight of time, the beauty of a glance, the ache of an almost-touch.
It doesn’t shy away from pain but never drowns in it. Instead, it balances despair with a quiet, defiant hope. Da Eum’s mantra, that life, no matter how short, is worth living, hit me hard. It made me want to step outside, breathe deeply, and watch the sunset, to live every moment fully. The ending, bittersweet and unflinching, broke me but also lifted me. It showed life moving forward, carrying grief but not defined by it.
Our Movie is a mirror to what it means to love when time is the enemy. The real villain here isn’t illness or fate... it’s time itself. Da Eum is stealing it, Je Ha is trying to freeze it, but no one wins. Yet, every moment between them feels sharp, precious, worth every second of pain. This show doesn’t promise a happy ending or try to comfort you. It just sits with you, raw and real, and that’s what makes it beautiful. It reminded me that love, even when it breaks you, is worth it.
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦.”
“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.”
“𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
“𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱.”
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, ‘𝘞𝘰𝘸, 𝘐 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺’, ‘𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵, 𝘯𝘰’, ‘𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵’.”
“𝘐 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴. 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.”
FINAL THOUGHTS:
What an achingly beautiful drama this was, one that deserves far more love from those who avoided it out of fear of a tragic ending. Yes, the conclusion is bittersweet, but the emotional journey makes every tear worth it.
From day 1, I knew JYB and NGM would deliver, and they did not disappoint for even a second. Their performances were raw, layered, and so perfectly in sync that you couldn’t help but be drawn into their world.
The storytelling was breathtaking in its quietest moments. The scene where cherry blossoms drifted through the air, brushing past Daeum’s loved ones, felt like poetry in motion. And Jeha, sitting before that empty seat, his quiet breakdown shattered me completely.
But nothing hurt more than Daeum’s moments with her parents and Gyo-young. Every smile, every touch, every lingering glance carried the weight of love and impending loss. I cried until my chest ached, and yet I couldn’t look away.
And somehow, deep down, we all knew it, the very first scene of the drama would circle back to the last. When it finally did, it felt inevitable… and devastatingly perfect.
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The selfishness and selflessness of human connection.
I’m still in a daze after finishing the last episode. I am not sure how to start writing since I have so many thoughts and feelings existing chaotically in my brain right now.Our Movie is the perfect example of well executed melodrama that does not rely on excessive angst that borderline crosses to makjang territory. It’s tasteful in it’s emotional torture towards viewers. And it is painful… Even though I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, I knew exactly how it will end, the slowly creeping dread of the finality of the story was exhausting. Exhausting in the most breathtaking and touching way possible.
Da Eum is one of the most beautiful characters I have ever seen. The way she was so full of life, even though she did not have much left to enjoy it. The way she was brave in the situation most would crumble in. But what's most important - the way she cherished herself and people around her. The way she genuinely loved her family and friends, the way she craved the connection and was not afraid to reach for it. Her determination, be it in love, dreams, living, was inspiring.
Was she perfect? No. She was at times childish, stubborn, selfish. There were times when she was irresponsible. And all these moments made her that much more human, that much more lovable, complex and interesting.
While her relationship with Je Ha was obviously the center of the story, I must say I loved her scenes with other characters as much. The conflicting tension between her and her dad - the way he struggled to let her live her life, knowing it will make it shorter. The soulmate bond she had with Gyo Yeong. The complexity of the past and present relationship she had with Jae In. Every interaction she had with any of the characters felt so meaningful.
On the other hand Lee Je Ha did feel a bit underdeveloped compared to her. I still love him, love his story, but somehow I do feel unsatisfied. A lot of things were left to imagine, and it feels like we mostly got the highlights of his story, bullet points of what’s important. That said, even though the title says "Our Movie” I do believe it’s Da Eum’s story so I am not extremely mad about Je Ha not being as developed. Maybe his story was presented in a more subtle way, and with how radiant Da Eum was, I just missed the timing to make the connection to him?
Then we have Chae Seo Yeong - how much I love this woman. The raw flaws and mistakes she made were infuriating, but the way at the end of the day she always managed to make the right choice, to support the right people, to admit to her faults.
I truly appreciate how there were no real villains in the story, or rather - depending on what perspective you take, everyone could have been a villain in someone’s life, even without doing much wrong. The writers made sure to present the same situations from different perspectives, making sure viewers understand that human existence is never black or white. Action you took out of necessity could have scared another person for years. What started as a selfish behavior can turn into selfless conviction. No one is bad, no one is good. We are all just human with flaws, desires, hopes, dreams, fears - they all affect our actions. Many things can be explained, but they should not be excused. We need to know when to apologize and fix what was broken. And this drama presents it all.
Acting… are there even words to describe how amazing it was? These roles could have been so easily under and overacted. It’s a balance game not to make Lee Je Ha emotionless and Lee Da Eum borderline manic. Underacting would make them hard to relate to and feel their emotions, overacting would make the characters seem like caricatures. Both Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo Been truly put their souls into these roles. I smiled, laughed, and cried watching their performances. It was both beautiful and painful.
What I also want to talk about is the directing and editing. Masterclass. Other directors need to study this show and learn from it. It stands out among all the mainstream kdramas from the past couple of years with its unique styling and creative shots. They truly used everything they had, but with brains and meaning. The transitions used for the storytelling purposes, not just cutting between scenes - perfection. The various filters, screen ratios, camera angles and movements. There were honestly scenes that made me gasp.
The cherry on top was the soundtrack. I am 100% sure I am going to cry when I hear any of the songs. They were so well placed depending on the scenes, creating these memorable moments. If I were to pick my favorite, I’d go with “Love me more”.
So why not 10? There were some plotlines I did not see much purpose of. Example: majority of side romances. The same conversations that were important to present different perspectives could have happened in a more platonic setting, closely related to the filming of the movie. Sadly, some moments just felt painfully detached from the overall drama and the mood.
I also wish we had seen a bit more flashbacks of Da Eum before her diagnosis. I think seeing her interactions with Jae In and Gyo Yeong before her life completely changed would make the future conflict more clear and less one-sided. Technically they did wrap it up well, emotionally I am not satisfied.
All that said, what a heart-stopping and awe-inspiring story it was. It’s a drama that makes you sad, heartbroken even, but somehow not emotionally heavy. I felt exhausted by the last episode, but weirdly thankful. Rather than depressed, I felt motivated. The bitter-sweet taste of life.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Brightest Sadness I've Ever Felt. Drama That Hurt So Kindly. Parting That Felt Like a Hug
Well-written! Well-executed.The direction? Oscar-level.
Cinematography? Breathtaking.
Screenplay? Am i in a theatre?
This was a paradox in motion — a smile with tears behind it.
A story of a dying girl that somehow felt like the warmest thing I’ve watched all year.
Not a heavy, sob-filled tragedy — but a gentle, glowing heartbreak.
And yet, amidst it all, the message stayed with me:
“Live the time that is yours. Live it fully and happily.”
I'm so happy that she wanted Jeha to be happy again
The funny dialogues: “Wasting a handsome face like that is a national disaster.” 😂
Jeha feeling proud after managing to cook ramen in a convenience store — that quiet joy!
And that final episode, where they talked about the “Rose Man” — such a simple, grounded slice-of-life moment.
And with such heartwarming what if futures and fun little moments, it made me smile… more than cry.
I’ve felt the stings, yes — but I took it as a personal challenge not to cry (the tears-wala cry 😭).
Surprisingly, this drama is helping me keep that promise pretty well.
I’m so, so glad she had the best by her side — Gyuwon, who fought for her, laughed with her, stood beside her like a soulmate.
They were bosom sisters, partners in crime, almost lovers in spirit.
— if God takes something from you, He also gives you something beautiful in return.
The OST? Perfect. Subtle, never overpowering — just enough to immerse you in the moment.
And I’m beyond relieved the directors and screenwriters gave us a full, well-tied ending. No loose ends, no half-baked exits. Every thread was honored. Every character got closure. Seldom seen in dramas....
That scene where Jeha and her dad watched movies in theatreafter Daeum was gone. They were spending time together, grieving, healing, slowly getting better. I was genuinely worried for both — but seeing them side by side felt like a quiet prayer being answered.
Every shot from the camcorder felt intimate, raw, personal. And later gifted to Jeha… and he kept using it — I was grinning like an idiot. 😭
Some unforgettable moments for me: The AD once asked, “What’s so good about directing just one thing?” Jeha simply said, “Hmm…” She answered herself, “As I thought, nothing.” And then laughed — “That makes it even more appealing.” Doing something that… that may not even be considered “good” by the world —You choose to do it —can be only because you love it.
But there were times of harsh, yet realistic reflections… a side of the thoughts that kept tickling my brain —
Like this one:
“I hope Hyunsang doesn’t stand there for long when he can’t see Gyuwon from the glass anymore.”
Because in real life… "Life must go on" As much as I adored the love they shared, I’d still want Jeha to find love again someday.
To move on — not to forget, but to live. To carry the warmth of what was, and still open his heart to what could be.
And Jeha — he moved forward. (at least didnt mope around like he did for last 5 years, daeum really taught him how to be happy again) He didn’t stop. He wrote another scenario, like an ordinary director. That’s real love too — to live on with your memories, not stay frozen in them.
FINALLY: If I had to keep just three things intact from this drama, it would be:
Direction. Cinematography. And Lee Jeha (Namgoong Min).
Everyone did an amazing job, but these three? They went the extra mile. Namgoong Min never disappoints — his craft, his restraint, his depth. Is this what a veteran's like.
P.S. No offence to Daeum — the actress is brilliant. I’ve loved her since Be Melodramatic, and she remains a favorite. 💛
P.S: I was so scared she would die while filming that final scene.
P.S Also — was that tree at the end not reminding you of A Time Called You?
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This review may contain spoilers
Stories about terminal illness in dramas and movies often face a tough challenge, we already know how they will end.. The real test lies in what makes us want to stay and watch.. What’s new here?? What makes this version of sorrow worth sitting through??For me, without question it’s the main leads.. Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo Been.. You just know they are going to blow you away with their performances.. Because that’s what talented actors do when they are given well written scripts.. Our Movie draws most of its emotional power from them.. They have delivered performances that easily rank among the finest of their careers.. Their talent hardly needs reiteration anymore, yet they still manage to impress..
When dealing with subject matter like terminal illness, it’s easy for a story to slip into emotional manipulation.. Many dramas lean into that.. Using the pain to play on your feelings.. But Our Movie doesn’t do that.. Instead it lets the characters situation speak for itself and the emotions never feel overdone or artificial.. To me, very few dramas manage to make emotion feel truly genuine and the ones that do are often some of the saddest dramas I have ever seen.. Our Movie is one of them..
There is a certain beauty to this drama that’s hard to put into words.. It’s all held together by a masterful display of acting from the main leads.. The drama handles the themes of love, friendship, sacrifice and commitment with such quiet grace..
What I also loved about the drama was the supporting cast.. They weren’t just props, their presence felt meaningful.. This story wouldn’t have hit as hard without them.. Every single character had a role to play, no matter how small and each one left an impact.. It wasn’t just the FL who made us cry, the others did too.. The SFL, her agent, the FL’s manager, her friend, the Assistant Director, the Producer.. I wish I could name them all, but there are just too many.. They were all wonderful, supportive, graceful and full of heart..
Even the love triangle or whatever that was, was handled with surprising maturity.. Albeit unnecessary but it was there, briefly.. But it was handled maturely.. Even the guy, there is no way anyone can hate him.. He was just the final push the ML needed..
There is a scene in ep 8, a transition where the black and white noir shifts to color as the ML opens the curtain while talking to the FL on phone.. I don’t know if it’s just me, but there’s something about that moment, something that feels magical.. And then he runs, runs faster and faster toward her.. For the first time in the whole drama he moves faster than a snail.. The scene flows between him running and her waiting.. Everything about it, the aesthetics, the sunset, the lighthouse, the bridge, pure visual poetry.. And then he confesses.. And they kiss.. The kiss itself will go down in KDrama history as one of the best.. That whole sequence was my favorite part of the drama..
I was satisfied with the ending as well.. Her death, we knew it was coming from the very beginning.. I just wish she had lived long enough to see their movie.. I really liked that the drama took time to show how everyone’s life turned out in the end.. That felt satisfying to watch.. And the fact that her dad and the ML are still close, watching movies together?? That was a lovely touch.. The ML starting his next project, that’s exactly what she would have wanted.. It was good to see him move forward, even though we know he will never truly move on from her.. Like I said, a satisfying ending.. With no unanswered questions..
Overall, it was a really good drama.. They got a lot of things right with this story.. Our Movie isn’t here to shock us.. Instead we realize that it’s the journey here that matters, not the inevitable outcome.. Thanks to a terrific cast and a script full of earnest storytelling, we get to watch these characters grow and struggle in ways that feel real.. And in the end, her dream came true.. She became an actress.. Their movie was completed.. She was loved by so many people.. She found romance.. She found her Male Lead. And now, he will live for her..
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Not Ready for the Ending… But Loving the Journey - A highly recommended one
“Our Movie” is a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment you're holding on to hope, wishing the female lead could survive, and the next, you're bracing for the heartbreak you know is coming. Despite the looming sadness, there's comfort in knowing she fulfilled her last wish — to star in a movie and maybe… just maybe, fall in love. If you're searching for a drama that will make you cry but still leave your heart full, this one’s a must-watch. It’s emotional, bittersweet, and beautifully satisfying.P.S.- giving it low rewatch rating because I know I will cry again no matter how many time I will watch this drama
P.S. 2- Just finished watching this drama (19 July, 11:58 pm IST). My favourite dialogue from the drama is - I WANT TO FEEL REAL LOVE BEFORE I DIE.
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Bittersweet Love
As a person who skips to the end to know how a drama ends, i did it this time too. To be fair i expected the ending after reading the plot. But somehow the ending being what it was, still instilled in me the desire to watch the entire series(in a day).Yes, i forwarded, yes, i 2xed it. But that was only because i wanted to finish it before my day ended. As an avid watcher of kdramas, this is truly a very unique plot. The acting was superb, could find no fault. Jeon Yeo Been's portrayal of Lee Da Eum
felt very realistically tearjerking. It was also nice to see Namkoong Min playing such a role in such a drama. Truly a nice experience.
If you are expecting happy, idealistic love then this is not for you. It speaks about some harsh truths, making you wanting to question your future your love life and life in general. It inspires you to live for yourself and happily.
I really recommend it, if you are into watching different genred of dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
Story:The story is overall okay at best. Without Lee Daeum’s illness there wasn’t really anything interesting to look forward to, and they also knew that too, as they tried to sell that in the movie as well. But they couldn’t even handle that well.
So if I talk about it from the premise of the drama, it had potential, of course. Kind of a grumpy x sunshine type of lead, and it was going well until it was not. There were too many side stories and couples. I couldn’t see the growth of the main lead’s character. She was constantly bubbly and all sunshine and rainbows, and he was always kind of grumpy and uninterested in life itself. But then somewhere along the lines it changed without any solid reason. I liked the special detailed scenes where they were shooting the movie and how its story got written and altered over time because of certain incidents. Everything Jae Ha did or found out would’ve been the same without Daeum being in his life. At the end he did all those things on his own. She doesn’t even have a role in his character development. Other side stories were just too dramatic or plain to be believable (like how she doesn’t fight back when someone accuses her of something or her friends and family being always supportive without any drawbacks). I get it; everything is happening because she is terminally ill, but that doesn’t make these things believable or real. Terminally ill people also live a life like other people, and a fierce and lively person like Daeum wouldn’t just sit back and watch every wrong thing happening to her.
In the end, I was curious to see how they would send her off. But they just left that section out. From the beginning she was attempting to arrange a perfect funeral for her and her loved ones, but we didn’t even get to see it.
The story is really average at best. I think the story of the movie they were producing, “Love in White,” would’ve been much more intriguing than this mess. Putting a miserable character as a main lead doesn’t really guarantee success.
Cast:
To be frank, I really started watching this drama and was able to finish it because of its amazing cast. It is already established how good of actors Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo Been are. There’s also Seo Hyeon Woo. But it was my first time seeing the fellow actor named Lee Seol, who also did an amazing job. With the exception of her scenes, I nearly fast-forwarded the later episodes. She played the part of a female actor struggling in both her personal and professional life really well. Between her time as a rookie in Jae Ha's film and today as an expert in her industry, there was a noticeable shift. Her tone, composure, posture everything felt different from one another. The actor who acted as an assistant director also played her part really well.
Honorable mention to Han Jong Hoon, who played Han Seung Ho in the drama. He came off as incredibly haughty and conceited from the tone of his voice to the way he spoke, which is, in my opinion, a clear sign of a wealthy investor with little to spend. I don’t think it’s necessary to name the other actors who played the supporting roles, as they are already pretty well known in the industry.
Music:
The OSTs were good. But except for the one Mimi sang, I don’t really recall any others.
Rewatch value:
I am writing this review so that I don’t have to watch it another time to recall what happened if I ever forget.
Overall:
I don't particularly dislike the drama, don't get me wrong. It’s okay if you’re watching it for the first time. The suspense and curiosity, along with great acting, kind of make you watch it entirely. However, this is not something to rewatch.
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I'm writing reviews means it has something to say and not just passby.
Yeah, I finally finished it. Before starting, I was damn excited mainly because of the actors—more than the plot. After watching, I’d say it’s good, but that “kick” towards the end didn’t really hit me. It delivered what it wanted to convey, but the last stretch felt a bit dragged out. Honestly, 8 episodes would’ve been perfect. But since it’s a melodrama, you can’t really argue much about the pacing.Cinematography is fantastic, sound design is top-notch, and production is decent. The screenplay, though, could’ve used a little more nourishment. Direction was solid. As for characterization—Da-eum was brilliantly written and performed by Jeon Yeo-been, and Namkoong Min gave his best too. The starting episodes were absolutely brilliant. I just couldn’t keep the same flow towards the end, maybe that’s why I felt a little restless and just wanted to finish it quickly, especially because of the predictability in the writing.overall it has a heart 7.5
By the way, I’m curious—how are other viewers reacting to it?
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How to live a movie when you know your time is bound and ephemeral?
I'm writing this review with a wounded heart, choked voice and heavy eyelids. Basically, I'm numb.Words are not enough to express how I felt about this drama. This made me go through pain, little by little in every episode and, by the end of it, it just left me in a puddle. Sudden departure makes you traumatized, but when you live episode of this, you just don't have anything left inside to feel anything. It's like my brain is rationally working normal, but it has these constant dark clouds looming over my senses that won't go.
All I want to say is that if you are hesitant about whether to watch it or not, and probably putting it off because of its expected outcome, then I'd say watch it to feel the feelings you have. Even if it makes you sad, let's cry. Even though it's for a fictional character, we have masked ourselves enough in real life as untouchable tough humans anyway. No one's going to know. Keep your emotions real, atleast to yourselves.
As Daeum said, I agree that this drama is really like that favorite book you don't want it to finish. You count pages and slow down so that it lasts longer. For the longest time, I'll remember MiMi, the ost. It owns my heart.
Obviously, I recommend this to those people out there who are brave enough to be vulnerable and willing to surrender their hearts to be broken, like a SE masochist!
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A heartbreaking masterpiece about life, love and loss
Heartwrenching and beautifully sad, Our Movie tells a powerful story that stays true to its path from beginning to end. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, bringing quiet tenderness to every scene.
Lee Da-eum’s strength shines throughout—despite her illness, she wakes up each day ready to live fully, chasing her dream of becoming an actress with courage and grace. Her resilience is inspiring and unforgettable.
One of the most emotional moments comes between Da-eum and her father, who must silently carry the unbearable weight of knowing he’s about to lose his daughter—and can't do a thing to stop it.
This drama is a soft, slow-burning masterpiece about love, loss, and choosing life while it lasts.
Our Movie may not have delivered fireworks or high-stakes melodrama—but it offers something rarer: intentional, heartfelt, and deeply human storytelling. It’s about love that heals, artistic rebirth, and mortality handled with care.
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