What Happens When Self-Destructive People Fall in Love?
Chaos. Beautiful chaos.If you’re looking for a formulaic K-drama with likable and predictable leads, I suggest you look elsewhere. This drama isn’t that, and it’s so much better because of it.
The male lead, Dongman, feels like the raw, unfiltered version of how I, and probably most people, might act if everything in life started falling apart. The female lead, Euna, exists on the opposite end of that same emotional spectrum. They contrast each other in such a fascinating way, yet both are clearly struggling under the weight of the lives they’ve been dealt. This drama will push you out of your chaebol drama comfort zone. It'll open your eyes to the cruel realities of daily life and the resilient hope found in community. It won’t be for everyone, but for those of us who understand burnout and the pressure of chasing a dream, it might hit a little too close to home.
What stands out to me is that the writers aren’t trying to make the leads likable or excuse their flaws, they’re just showing them as they are: deeply human.
My biggest takeaway was this: All of us are self-destructive people to some extent, but that does not mean that we give up on life; instead, we hold onto the small blessings of each day and the renewal found in our family and friends.
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this drama is my therapy
Story short I like this drama. Is it fun to watch.. I don't know.. but I relate to it.I see myself in both of the main leads, but not to the point that I end up depressed. I see two individuals trying to live, and I see how other people can either bring you up or tear you down. I am not a therapist, so I will be bad at explaining it, and I can't say much more than that I appreciate what the screenwriter is trying to do.
It's not action or thriller, but my heart is still pounding like it is.
Dong Man is played by Koo Kyo Hwan, and ever since I first watched him in DP, I've understood his charm. I really like the actor, and believe that he is the only guy that can pull off this character. Dong Man is annoying, he talks a lot, but he is an honest person. I can relate to that a lot, the self sabotaging attitude he has. The need to simply say something outloud to validate your existence. I don't want to get too introspective here, I just want to say I appreciate the character. I think people who don't like him just don't understand it. And that is ok.. I just wouldn't point blank say he is a bad person or annoying and horrible. He is a human trying to live, and trying to live doing what he loves to do. To say that he just doesn't want to be anxious, and that he isn't trying to live to please anyone else.. these are lines that resonated with a lot of people.. and I'm glad they are out there so people feel seen through it.
I'll wrap up that though. I also really like the FL and the actress portraying her. I don't feel the need to go into detail about it. There are plenty of other reviews that can do the drama justice in praise of acting and writing. For me, I write this to share my thoughts and to recommend. I would recommend this to people that are deep thinkers, and have people that want all the fun and quick content to stay away. This drama is a psychological, so don't come looking for romance or drama that is off the wall. I don't know how to recommend it really, but I do!
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Totally delightful, a true treat, a true HEALING ART
This drama is one of those classic masterpieces, 10 star drama with significant impact. Super great script, acting, camera, music, messages, everything.=====written after ep 9 =======
This drama is not about two ppl who quickly fell in love and jumped on each other
This drama is about two wounded ppl who ran into each other bc of work, and then started collaborating and helping each other, HEALING, and slowly falling in love.
SO THIS IS SLOW BURN EMOTIONAL WORKOUT
LIKE IN REAL LIFE
YOU SEE THE RELATIONSHIP PROGRESS
So.... This drama has no official dating and relationship, no steamy scenes YET
ML and FL are hanging out in a very close friendship, helping each heal, and slowly falling for each other...
and at this point they got so far that they are already known to the public as "dating" and dedicated to each other and liking each other.
He is already sure he likes her romantically and is already dreaming about it and flirting to self advertise...
She has some issues that perhaps prevent her from dedicating herself but she acts as his advocate and tells ppl she sees something in him...
But they never said I LOVE YOU or kissed yet or spent time in a private place just 2 of them.
BUT it is slowly getting there :)
THE WHOLE DRAMA IS ABOUT GETTING THERE
SO YES THIS IS A SLOW BURN ROM-COM AND PSYCH DRAMA AND EVEN THRILLER ALL ROLLED INTO ONE
====written after ep 1====
I am writing this after ep 1 because the summary writeup in MDL top page and the earlier MDL article for the drama does NOTHNG to convey what this drama is like.
This is absolutely delightful!
What a masterpiece! such a great story and acting, and filming. So creative.
Gods prevented me from bailing out on this drama by sending me an Angel user who wrote that the script writer for this drama also wrote My Mister, which is one of my top favs.
Based on the writeup in the MDL preview article long time ago, I thought this would be a gloomy psychological melodrama - no thanks!!!!!... - but heck no! There is humor, there is depression and hunger and loan sharks, and there is sunlight and fields of flowers and new experiences and love.
Totally charming and delightful. A real art piece :) Very deep, compassionate, painful, funny, such a treat!
I give Thanks to the Great Creator and drama production team that made this kdrama possible.
I trust that this will continue in all episodes :)
Helelujah baby we got a real kdrama to watch!!!!!!!
This is an event to be celebrated - we will be watching a masterpiece being born for the next 6 weeks. Also we will be watching transformation and rebirth of ML and FL, and hopefully all the commercially oriented 8 and their entourage.
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what is the purpose of your life?
there are several times jinman asked the purpose of life to some people around dongman's including dongman himself.i think the best answer is dongman's,
"humor"
"I'm just going to live life with a sense of humor"
life is suffocating enough, so let's live our life with sense of humor, turn any unpleasant situation into fun, positive and celebratory experience.
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A GEM from the genres of slice of life drama and black comedy.
This drama made me laugh, cry and relate to the characters.It's like a warm hug to the viewers. I have already known about the writer's works but it's the first time I'm watching her work. I'm impressed!
The drama gives you all the feels!
I feel this is how art is supposed to be. It does leave us with unanswered questions yet it does feel complete.
It's well made and the actors did a GREAT JOB in execution
I'm annoyed yet entertained by Hwang dong man lol. He's a lovable person so is byeon eun ah. All the characters feel real, have flaws and traumas yet they live by like us. I thought this is gonna be slice of live with depressing elements but it made me laugh and made me feel fuzzy. I've learned that I love black comedies lol.
The 1st episode is like a movie, it completely drew me in!
I'm glad i watched it.
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Stubbornly Existing
i started this drama 'cause it gave some serenity vibes but once it begun it was completely opposite of that.the characters, their own struggles and their fight for the WORTH. they say failure is something dreadful but nothing is more dreadful than drowning in the abyss of worthlessness. and in order to be free from that dreadful thing, one must prove it to oneself either by success or by failure. and it was quite a strong perspective of someone who was swinging on the edge of the worthlessness.
as it is shown in the show as long as the weather exists, the world hasn't ended.
this drama was kinda a rollercoaster, there are blues and lows, scenes where the characters feel stuck and then there are highs when characters just GO GET IT!!!! the background music in these scenes is such a delight.
from feeling something so deep and so helplessness, wanting to destroy oneself yet can't pinpoint that emotion, feeling behind while all your friends are ahead of you, the jealousy that results into bitterness, not knowing what to write anymore 'cause one can't even hope for living on, or living on despite the trauma that haunted one from the childhood.
while you definitely be there for yourself, standing for yourself but if someone is there to be with you, you should appretiate them and try to be there for them on matter how or what.
the fear of worthlessness, threatening to eat you whole but being stubborn for yourself, fighting with yourself and still moving forward might just be the very weapon to fight that fear.
each one of them have their quirkiness and their own life philosophies.
but i hate those who just can't even share the credit for the work they DEFINITELY didn't did all by themselves. if you can't handle the brightness of the other people just let it go, why you try to dim their light you sicko!!
i absolutely love it when eun-a straight up sides for dong man and how dong man describes eun-a that everything in the world be her, literally worships her.
also the scene where the SINGLE DEATH stare from jinman was enough to threat Ma Jae young. aka the sicko"
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This review may contain spoilers
Slow Build Lots of Food
This Series is like a Great Burger it is stacked with all the Best Character Actors -- But like a Great Burger it maybe at times seem a Lot to Eat -- The Premise is very New & shows the other side of Creating -- we've seen i the hardship of Actors but in this we are going behind experiencing the creative Writing process The Main Leads don't ever go Wrong I hate seeing people spit their food but it works with the erratic character that Kyo Hwan Koo is playing -- He does Characters well just like in Extraordinary Attorney Woo he plays an eccentric Character -- As for Go Youn Jung she is the IT girl right now even though she is 30 yrs old--she looks good I would have pegged her at early 20's I pretty much love all her work she just got something on screen that gets your attentionOh Jung Se & Park Hae Joon are practically in every series for the last 10 yrs They bring everything to the table everytime They can make any Series 10000 times better Two of the best Underrated Actors
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my type of boring series Love it
It takes me longer than usual to watch this. One episode takes a long time. It's kind of boring, but it's boring in a good way. This kind of boring is my favorite.I have seen many such characters in real life, people would be much better off if they only liked great characters and there would be no jealousy. । I like it and love this series. end offWas this review helpful to you?
A strong start to a potential masterpiece
Hwang Dong Man, in the first episode, already showcases a wide range of emotions that truly resonate with viewers. The writing and dialogue are easily a 10/10- raw, thoughtful, and deep. Every character introduced so far carries a sense of gloom yet remains incredibly relatable. Eun Ah, in particular, feels like someone who will have a compelling story to unfold in the coming episodes.I’m really excited to see how each character’s journey develops and how their stories will intertwine as the drama progresses.
Ep 1 10/10
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You're human, but you're not humane.
We Are All Trying Here is, at least so far, an exceptional show. Everything from the acting to the writing to the music feels cohesive and intentional. Koo Kyo Hwan and Go Youn Jung deliver particularly strong performances, bringing a level of nuance that really elevates the screenplay.What stands out most is how the characters operate on two distinct levels. On the surface, their emotions and personalities are expressed with clarity and subtlety through the actors’ performances. But with a bit more thought, there’s a deeper layer of complexity—motivations, contradictions, and internal conflicts that aren’t immediately obvious but feel carefully constructed. There is also a lot more to uncover about each person, each going through their own struggles, which grips us as the viewers into watching more.
The show also approaches emotion in a really fresh way through the concept of the “emotion watch.” It’s a creative device that adds a unique lens to how feelings are expressed and understood, making emotional moments feel both controlled and strangely revealing.
The dynamic within the “eight group” is particularly interesting. They often come across as emotionally unintelligent, or at least unequipped to handle their own feelings in a mature way, always blaming Hwang Dong Man for their problems. There’s also a noticeable fragility beneath their interactions: many of them seem to carry a kind of inflated yet brittle ego, constantly needing validation to maintain a sense of superiority that doesn’t quite hold up under scrutiny. Even the smallest confrontation with truth unsettles them, which adds tension to their relationships and makes their interactions feel both frustrating and revealing.
edit: his "friends" are honestly so dumb
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This review may contain spoilers
We. Are. All. Trying. Here... Aren't we all?
The title alone elicits thoughts about how you live your life now. Whether you wanna simply live and get by or you wanna win and get a bigger piece of the pie, too.
It's not often that we can come across a well thought-of story in a soap opera with dynamite characters with explosive dialogues.
And it did not have to use extensive/expensive practical effects or fancy computer graphics to make an audience glued to his screen.
The protagonists are underdogs. ML is a struggling and an unproven film director of twenty years who lives in a shoddy APT with his older brother, a published poet but kept to himself as he does a day job as a welder because he's carrying the pain of being separated from his young daughter. FL does office work for a film company. She lives with her paternal grandma. She has a childhood trauma of being left behind by her mother at a young age. Her dad died soon after.
There's a number of scenes that I would call a fireball because the scriptwriter did a fine job of making some meaningful lines/thoughtful dialogues and it won't be possible if she is shallow or just someone who shuffles from paycheck to paycheck. I must say the falling out scene of CEO Ko with Choi in his office was a delightful surprise. And her giving the ML the big WHO-ME of his life one night at the club was the coup de grace I honestly did not see coming! ML's face looked like he was kicked/sh*t in the gut. FL's interactions with her biological mother are all gems in a treasure chest. The season's finale is going to be something not to be missed.
I really hope the underdogs get their glorious moment before the curtain closes.
STRONG: storyline and the characters; even the pet cat played a significant role to showcase ML's shining character -- even against a loan shark!
The love angle brewing between the ML and FL (both tortured but honorable characters) made me want it to develop to a full bloom; like their matching light on their Ximfit watches showed they really have more than something in common with regards to their emotions. And it's worth noting that Ximfit took a backseat in the scenes at the latest to give way to other more significant plots leading to the final episode.
WEAK: Only twelve episodes. I was shaking my head because the story is that good. And then, I realized why it ain't 16 or 20 episodes or more, instead. It makes a lotta sense that the writer is simply prepping for ANOTHER season! Or like maybe it's a tactic for the ratings to come and sink in (another potential acting award for GYJ [epistaxis scenes] and why not) and let the public clamor for more shows! So, take your pick.
Plus, the series isn't over yet, but here I am rendering my review now because I still don't want the soap to end at episode 12!
Lastly, I am dreading that the final episode would be a cliffhanger! Oh, nooo! I hope it's not! T'T
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Not What I Am Looking For
Prior reviewers are singing the praises of a show whose first episode I found dull and boring. I really liked My Mister, but this show doesn't have any characters that I liked. I get it People watch shows for different reasons. Nothing in the first episode presented any reason for me to watch any more episodes. As I think about it, the cinematography bothered me. Something about the lighting made the actors look bad. Perhaps that was on purpose. As there seems to a limited number of actors that work in these series I have seen most of these actors before. Here they look old, tired, and bored. Candidly, the main reason I watched episode 1 was due to Go Youn-jung being in the cast. I enjoyed her performances in Resident Playbook and Can This Love Be Translated, and perhaps she does a great job in this series, too. I'm not sticking around to find out.Was this review helpful to you?
