1A Beautifully Written Character Driven Journey
This is a show for people who like to pay attention and be rewarded for the effort. There are no car chases. No fight scenes. No twists. If you enjoy shows ABOUT people - who they are, what makes them tick, how connections are forged - this one will knock your socks off. But if you're looking for something where you can sit back and shut your brain off - this is not for you.This is a story about guilt.
When the story begins, our female lead is drowning in her own loneliness and misery. Those she loved most have all left her, and she's been abandoned in a house that was once full of life and love. Our male lead: he's the one who comes back. He regrets leaving. He regrets letting her win. But she's always been his weakness. However, her way has not been working. They're both suffering. They're two points of a triangle that is now missing their third. He wants them to face their guilt head on. She wants to run away from it. Her life is cold. He wants to bring warmth. He is a fixer. She prefers to hide away from things that need to be fixed. The whole plot is him trying to fix what went wrong as she continues to run from it.
Every aspect of this show was written with care and consideration. The metaphor of our female lead's cold hands, the summer and winter triangle, the revision of the term 'last summer' in the series' final moments. The writing is beautiful if only you pay attention.
It's sad to see just how many people can't enjoy a show like this. The claims that it's boring or confusing are disheartening and say more about the state of viewers than the series itself. If you like a character driven show, if you liked Melo Movie or Just Between Lovers or Our Beloved Summer, give this one a proper shot and trust that there's a reason for every choice the writer has made.
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1
1Lost Summer : A story of regret, healing and writing that doesn't commit to either!
This drama's synopsis tricked me in the beginning. The initial impression I had was that it was a drama about nostalgia, reconciliation, facing old wounds, and promising emotional payoff when buried memories resurface. And for a few brief moment, it did almost convince me that it was that but then the mask slipped away and what we got in the end was melodrama where characters circle the same point without making much progress and pretending it to be romance. This was far from a healing romcom in my books and the non-linear storytelling didn't help its case.Starting with the writing, the non-linear storytelling was my least favourite part here. All the flashbacks here felt like they were stalling the plot, repeating the same information we already know and withholding answers for way too long which feels deliberate rather than purposeful.
Nonlinearity is supposed to show contrast and clarity but everyone here for most of the drama stayed flat. Whether it is past or present, it felt like they were stuck in the same emotional loop, repeating the same conflicting, lashing out the same way based on their suspicions and misunderstandings. It was like no one evolved across timelines or even wanted to.
Another part which wasn't written well or executed was the twin subplot.
The whole mystery part of the drama was built around DoHa's twin brother, Do Yeong and what happened to him. But the problem was that everyone (the audience) already knew he existed from the 1st line of the synopsis, so the secrecy around it wasn't needed at the start and it didn't make sense to me either. Also, the two brothers barely had distinct identities or clear backstories, or even styling to differentiate themselves. If you don't pay enough attention when both are sharing the screen, you might easily get confused about who is who. We have had twin dramas this year where they have actually nailed the twins part (Our Unwritten Seoul - Yu MiRae and Yu Miji), so technically it is possible.
By the time they actually revealed what actually happened, I kind of stopped caring about it.
Coming to characters, Song Ha Gyeong was a frustrating lead, not because she was flawed or not a green flag but the way her character was written in the same self-sabotaging pattern that never evolved. On paper, she is supposed to be complex, wounded and introspective. But in reality, she was frustratingly inconsistent and her refusal to communicate her feelings surprised me. Again, flawed characters are not the issue but the lack of growth is.
And the strange part is how self-aware the writing seems about her shortcomings. She was told by other characters about her distrustfulness, her tendency to jump to conclusions and lashing out. Yet every episode, it felt like she did the same thing. I understand she built a wall around her heart for self-preservation but then own up to it. She kept running away from her problems and then turned around to blame her choice to bolt whenever they tried to sit down and have an actual and honest conversation. I understand she has been hurt, but she shouldn't act like it was only her especially when her actions keep dragging everyone else into the fallout. She did finally understand Do Ha's perspective but I thought it was a little too late in my opinion.
Do Ha's journey wasn't that interesting either but it was better than Ha Gyeong's. I did like how doted he was on FL, even though he was rejected left and right. I liked how he always put his foot down to have a clear, honest conversation. What I didn't like was how the script often used him as a catalyst for FL's emotions and somehow ignored his.
The chemistry between them was alright. I liked the playful banter in between, especially the one involving Subak. Towards the end, we finally get cute moments of them together. But was it enough to overlook everything? Sadly no. The loop of hesitation, guilt and misunderstanding somehow drained the life out of romance.
2nd couple was sweet and had an interesting story but they didn't get enough screen time. They popped in occasionally and then just disappeared from the narrative, and then re-emerged just as suddenly. Wasted opportunity.
A special mention to Subak, our cute golden for maintaining the cute quotient whenever he was on screen.
Acting wise, it was decent. The leads gave it their all, but the script was straight-up holding them back. It was my first time seeing Choi Sung Eun and hoping to see her in more dramas but with a better script. All the other actors across the board were also just fine. Again, no amount of acting could save a story that was already sinking under its own writing.
Production wise, it was pretty and visually appealing. I liked how the framing of the house was done, and not just visually, but for the story too. Outdoor scenes were scenic with that soft lightning and warm colour palette.
Overall, after completing this drama, I realised stagnant character arcs and misplaced melodrama aren't something that I enjoy. Will I recommend it? Sadly no. But it's good to watch and judge it for yourself rather than taking anyone's word but proceed with tempered exceptions. Better to be surprised than disappointed.
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A sweet romance where friendship comes first and love follows naturally.
I’ve seen many people calling Last Summer “boring,” but honestly, I felt the complete opposite.This drama isn’t meant to be loud or thrilled, it’s soft, entertaining, light, and comforting.
What I loved most is that it’s a childhood friends–to–romance story, done in a very natural way. The relationship feels real because the leads act more like best friends than lovers, even while they’re together. There’s no forced intensity, just genuine connection, teasing, support, and a quiet kind of love with a soft touch of romance.
I also really appreciated the male lead. His determination to stay by her side, even when she keeps pushing him away, felt sincere and mature. He doesn’t try to change her or pressure he, he simply chooses her, again and again.
If you enjoy funny romances, emotional warmth, and friendships that slowly turn into love, this drama is definitely worth watching. Sometimes, simple stories are the ones that stay with you the longest.
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Promises
Contrary to many negative reviews, I enjoyed the series.The story of this two-family house with shared spaces and the problems of these two co-owners who have disagreements over the sale of the house are unique. His return from the US, the project for an observatory to honor the memory of a shared person, childhood memories, feelings of guilt... the twin's twist, and little by little, the puzzle comes together.
The beginning made me think of "Love Next Door," since he's an architect and meets his long-lost friend, but then the similarities end there.
I liked the main actors and their bickering. Her excuses for pushing him away and his ploys to stay close to her, adoptive parents of this dog, the rules of coexistence, the search for tickets to while away the wait, their jealousy, their intertwined hands...
I'd love to see them act together again.
Perhaps the characters and stories of the supporting characters could have been explored more deeply, especially the story of the two friends, but after all, the series only has 12 episodes instead of the usual 16.
A 9 for the sound effects, such as the fluttering of eyelashes, and the beautiful songs.
It's a real shame the series hasn't been appreciated as it should.
I can't explain the huge gap between the reviews on Viki and those on MDL.
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It is the story of how three lives, branded by a childhood separation, become irreversibly entangled by the ephemeral magic of annual holidays.
The narrative focuses on the twin brothers, Baek Do Ha and Baek Do Yeong (Lee Jae-wook), who attempt to reconnect in their father's house, alongside the ever-present neighbour, Song Ha Gyeong (Choi Sung-eun).
The plot thrives on the relationship between Ha Gyeong and Do Ha: their shift from childhood rivals to close confidantes, and ultimately, to unvoiced love. The series brilliantly captures the youthful fervour of summer romances, where every hour is precious and the dread of separation is the unspoken narrator. How do you admit your feelings to someone you know will simply disappear when August ends?
The leap forward to adulthood, where Do Ha is a gifted architect and Ha Gyeong is a council official in the same field, is far from a clean slate. Instead, the drama employs their professions, which involve constructing and defining spaces—to illustrate how the past persistently shapes the architecture of their lives.
"Last Summer" is an essential K-drama if you appreciate tales featuring polished melodrama, where nostalgic slice of life runs headlong into the heavy burden of adult accountability.
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frankly? ...boring
I don't why but I couldn't get into this drama. On paper there is everything: two passionate leads, a sad backstory, a trauma to resolve, some cheeky moments but in reality I didn't feel anything.
The plot revolves around 2 childhood friends that for some unknown reason to the viewer (until episode 3) are unable to connect again after years.
We follow these characters while they open up their hearts and let go of a painful past.. sounds good? On paper.. yes.
The male lead is obnoxious and the female lead is annoyingly stubborn , basicly a tsundere.
Even though the drama is filled with "heart breaking" moments I didn't feel anything for them.
The drama is full of flashbacks that interrupt the natural flow of the drama. 2 characters are in the middle of a conversation and the time goes back to the past to feed us some details to better understand what it is going on. I get that this style of story telling can be interesting but it was overused in this drama.
It is a constant back and forth, back and forth and at the end it became annoying.
The theme of the drama is "summer" because the protagonists used to meet only in this season because of circumstances but the talking about summer, seasons in general, stars is too much.
They keep repeating the same stuff over and over again.
Spoiler: the main actors plays 2 roles, 2 twin brothers and I must admit he did a pretty bad job. I like the actor but his portrait of the 2 twins was confusing. Is some scenes I was confused about who was who or maybe they did in purpose just to confuse the audience and make things more "dramatic".
The love story is typical of this kind of drama. Very surface level love between two childhood friends. I didn't feel a strong connection. The fact the actors didn't have much chemistry didn't help.
Mid drama I was more interested in the second couple.
The main leads were annoying , repetitive and boring even though they have interesting back stories but we don't explore them too much in depth.
I watched the last 2 episodes skipping here and there because I lost interest in the story.
This a standard drama and if you don't have anything on your watch list or don't care about "explosiveness" I think you might enjoy it.
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A story of learning to stop running
I honestly love a lot of the things going on with the drama. It tells it's story in a very non-linear fashion, details are dropped in bits and bites rather handed to you all in one go. The characters are deeply flawed and drama slowly shows why over the course of the series. You have to be willing to sit with it and let the story unfold at it's own pace. (And the drama it's self tells you this, stories have backstories and you have to be willing to read to the end).Ha Gyeong is probably the character with the most depth here, we learn the most about her, her feelings of fear and anger and abandonment and loneliness. The walls she's built around herself in response to those feelings. She's in love with Do Ha and we all know it and she's running from those feelings as fast as she can. The ultimate fear of being known and truly seen by someone else.
Personally I think there are a lot of layers to this show, there are layers of hurt and shared history and unexplored feelings. The drama is so self-aware, it knows these characters are flawed and immature and the narrative calls that out a lot.
I've really enjoyed the journey with these characters so far and I can't wait to see how the show wraps it all up. It's really too bad this didn't find a more receptive audience because I think it's a diamond in the rough.
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Bland Summer, Winter... everything
It is impressing how someone can take a decent cast, an okay story, lots of fun clicés, ok representation, decent characters, good kisses, a nice setting and still manage to make something so repetitive and bland that I feel like I deserve a pat on the back for making it to the end. Either that or someone to shake some sense in to me so I would drop it.They even had a cute dog, so how, how, how could this end up so dull and full of eye rolling simultaneous talk?
If you are a fan of the cast I say run away as this may send you in to some kind of fandom crisis. Actually no mater who or what type of dramas you like you can probably skip this. The generous 6,5 is because of all of those variables that could have been so good as well as how mind blowing it is that they managed to make it this bland.
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Wanted to Love It but Couldn’t
I genuinely wanted to love Last Summer. I’ve adored Choi Sung-eun since Beyond Evil. Plus, with its small-town setting, I expected the warm, healing atmosphere of shows like Summer Strike, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, or Welcome to Samdalri. But despite being built in the same vein, this drama never captured that feeling.The first few episodes were decent, and although the characters’ actions felt exaggerated, I gave it a chance. But the story never finds its footing. The writing is messy, and the plot feels shaky from beginning to end. Characters behave irrationally; not emotionally complex, just excessive.
The FL’s reaction to the ML hiding his twin’s death (and pretending to be him to spare her while she cared for her dying mother) was understandable to a point, but her anger eventually became disproportionate, as if he had directly caused the tragedy. Her grief, guilt, and abandonment issues are real, but the way they were written felt imprudent rather than compelling.
The ML isn’t much better. A single honest conversation could have solved most of the conflict. But he, too, is buried under guilt and indecision, allowing misunderstandings to fester until both leads become miserable.
Small-town dramas work when the supporting characters feel human and heartfelt; people who fill the emotional spaces the leads cannot. Here, there isn’t a single memorable one. Even the side couple with the differently abled boyfriend and caring girlfriend had the potential for something touching, but the writing never lets their story land. The second male lead and the love triangle were completely unnecessary, neither added anything. With such hollow supporting characters, the show often feels empty.
Choi Sung-eun does her best. She pours emotion into her role, but the writing doesn’t give her enough to shine. Lee Jae-wook, usually solid, feels disconnected here. His character and his performance never quite align, and at this point he deserves better scripts; The Impossible Heir, Dear Hongrang, and now this. He needs another project like Alchemy of Souls where he fits naturally.
Still, the drama has moments of brilliance. The episode by episode narrations from each lead are beautifully done. They express emotions the script itself fails to convey. Some lines and introspective moments genuinely land. Episode 5 has a particularly lovely scene: the FL mentions her hands are always cold in the summer stemming from her long-standing feeling of being abandoned, and by the end of the episode, without knowing what she’s thinking, the ML gently holds her hand. It’s the kind of subtle emotional moment the show desperately needed more of.
And visually, the drama is stunning; the sea, skies, buildings, and small-town scenery are all captured beautifully.
Last Summer had the makings of a heartfelt healing drama but never found balance. It gestures at depth but settles for surface-level drama, relying on emotions without the narrative clarity or character grounding needed to make them resonate.
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Terrible, through and through.
This was one of the biggest disappointments in this years kdrama land to me. I had some expectations but it under delivered at every front i just can't believe what i just watched.At the start they preface that we should think that these two people like each other, to me it didn't seem like it for more than half of the drama. ML just took everything FL threw at him and smile through it. It made it seem that ML has no agency, he was only vessel for FL to build her character up. He really only got 1 episode to build his character and it was at almost end of the whole drama.
They committed worst mistake you could do in romance drama. They made one of the leads unlikable. FL was unlikable from the start, that's not to say you can't make unlikable characters but they can't just be unlikable, they have to also be some one to root for, in this drama FL was just straight up unlikable without any other redeeming traits.
Story was mess of its own. Synopsis and start of the drama hinted about the twin but honestly he was side note in the whole drama until previously mentioned 1 episode which was MLs episode. So basically ''biggest'' plot device was just forgotten completely. Instead they brought this lawyer who suddenly decided to pray on our FL and honestly i was very uncomfortable how he abused his position as a lawyer to advance his relationship with his clients opponent. He should be disbarred and investigated for abuse of power. Not to mention this drama really didn't need triangle as those are plot devices to advance romance plot but we and FL already knew how ML felt so it was completely pointless.
This drama also should've ended at 10 episodes, episode 9 was completely filler ( with said lawyer, yikes) and episodes 11-12 were filler with destroying second couples relationship until they ran out of episode 12 when they decided to hold wedding for them, like what? That was so obviously terrible writing i really don't know what to say about that even. (with lawyer again, yikes.)
So props to this whole drama, i've not had this much emotion watching dramas in last months as i had hatewatching this, this was trainwreck that just didn't stop at any point. Terrible 4,5/10 would never watch again.
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Annoying leads in a mediocre storyline with nothing new to offer
I had huge hopes from this drama but it turned out to be absolute generic and dud. This is one of those drama where things get sorted out in last 2 eps and till then all you get is an immature, obnoxius and bratty FL and a doormat of a nostalgia clingy ML who just can't take NO for an answer and also not move on. At this point it is not even funny but annoying to see when the two are together. This is one of those dramas where I would rather have the leads not end up together. The chemistry between them is mediocre to say the best, hell FL has better chemistry with 2ML and even their conversations are somewhat decent to watch.The issue with the drama is that things between the leads makes you so frustrated that even when they get together you won't feel any spark or butterflies watching them. It simply bores you and does nothing else.
The cast is good but got screwed by the mediocre and draggy story
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In my opinion, this is a very pleasant drama to watch. There are no breathtaking plot twists or edge-of-your-seat suspense about what will happen next. There are no characters whose sole purpose is to raise the viewers’ blood pressure either. The whole story is carried out in a rather calm way, but well enough that I wasn’t bored for a single moment. It’s that kind of “comfort drama.”The same goes for the main couple — Song Ha Gyeong and Baek Do Ha. Although at first Song could be irritating, and her decisions (for example, the “relationship” with Seo Su Hyeok) felt simply stupid to me, they were at the same time consistent with her character. After all, she inherited the running-away gene from her father :D. As the series progressed, she began to change for the better, and I ended up liking her a lot. I really enjoyed their relationship. After confessing their feelings and resolving their past conflict, they weren’t just lovers but also best friends, and sometimes they had this relaxed, almost buddy-like dynamic between them. They didn’t have any major conflicts, they were a huge support for each other, and they were able to communicate. The storyline involving his twin brother and their conflict felt a bit convoluted and somewhat forced to me, but at the same time it was necessary for the plot, so it didn’t really bother me. Still, I’m not over the fact that he actually died in those mountains — I would have liked to see more of the brothers’ relationship. PS. There was one absurd moment when Do Ha fainted at work from exhaustion, then returned home, and the topic was never brought up again.
As for the admirers of the main couple, there were quite a few, but none of them were excessively irritating. Her ex — Jeon Nam Jin — was rather over the top. It’s hard for me to find a rational explanation for why she ever looked at such an idiot. A slight downside was that in the end we never found out whether he faced consequences for his actions. Her “ex” — Seo Su Hyeok — I already mentioned that their entire “relationship” felt irrational to me. He suddenly desperately asked her to start dating, even though from the very beginning he could see that she had feelings for Do Ha. She agreed despite not having any feelings for him. Then after they broke up, the three of them suddenly went on a date together — the whole thing felt heavily exaggerated. I also have to admit that Seo Su Hyeok annoyed me by inserting himself between them, even though he didn’t actually do anything wrong and I would describe him as a positive character. He didn’t try to force her to change her mind when she chose Do Ha; he simply let go. The last person was his “friend” — Yun So Hui. Although some viewers might find her irritating, she didn’t bother me and I actually liked her character. She was interesting to me, although to this day I’m not sure whether she liked the male lead romantically or not. She did admit that she liked him, but later I didn’t really see it.
Finally, I’ll discuss the second couple — I Seul and O Seung Taek. Seul was one of my favorite characters in this drama. To me, she had a wonderful personality and was an incredible support for Taek. Her love, in my opinion, is an example of true love regardless of circumstances, and it melted my heart. Still, I believe their relationship storyline could have been handled better. First of all, we could have been given more flashbacks from the time of his accident and the period afterward (this is more of a wish on my part, as it could have deepened their relationship). The second and most jarring issue for me was their breakup. I understand the idea behind it — he simply felt like a burden to her — but in my opinion it could have been portrayed better and later developed more through their conversations. There’s also the storyline with her father, which was ultimately brushed aside. From the beginning of the series, he was against their relationship, and then we suddenly get a time jump where he’s happily attending their wedding. It’s a shame we didn’t get any moment that helped us understand why he changed his attitude.
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