We are all trying here especially when trying to write a half decent review
Okay I don't usually write reviews of dramas or movies I've watched because I suck at it like really bad. However this was a drama that I i just had to express my love for so here we go.The story was something that personally i had never seen before. In all my life that i have watched hundreds and hundreds of dramas, shows and movies I have never really given a thought for the directors, writers and crew. When watching this drama it felt as if a door cracked open and there was this whole new world in another perspective. The story felt real and painful. It felt as if it was actually happening and it seemed like it wasn't fiction. The whole time I was watching the show I felt this thrill and excitement which was unusual because this wasn't a thriller. I was waiting for what could happen next?
But even though I was invested in the story and the characters I cant say it didn't feel jarring at some points. Some moments felt a little too long. To watch this guy just write nothing but even then i stayed and watched. I watched and remembered the feeling of being trapped because you are not brave enough to write what you want. The agony of being scared of hurting others with your writing or so atleast i read it. Even in the jarring moments i thought and wondered. It felt fresh to always see something in the smallest scenes that usually mean nothing to me.
If we talk about meaning nothing, we need to talk about the characters in a deeper level. Every character in the drama felt real. They felt like they were there and they were living. It felt real. I couldn't bring myself to hate anyone in this drama because everyone was so real. I could see what was going on. I couldn't see it from their words that said it straight but the mannerism, their lifes and their actions. As if they were actually living and breathing.
The love and romance need to be mentioned too. This drama showed love and relationship in such a raw and real way. The romance was suddle and secret it didn't yell and it didn't scream that "hey im here im here" but it was secret and quiet about it even in the moments that it wasn't.
The relationships in another hand were all beautiful in their own way. It showed the hardships of loving someone and the beauty too.
Though after all this the drama wasn't perfect. Nothing is perfect. The drama had it's problems here and there like the ending that kinda felt perfect but still as if something was rushed. It had scenes that got you thinking whatt. But like i said nothing is perfect.
Now I know that this review isnt the best like i said I suck at this but overall this drama opens your eyes and makes you realize how important the small wins are. It makes you realize that you are not the only one trying and that even in the hardest times you can find a reason to continue. And now to end this yapping seasson please no one attack me I wrote this review on my own interpretation.
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Despite Its Flaws, “It’s Art” (PSY)
When I started watching We Are All Trying Here, I was reminded of Fabrice Luchini speaking about the sense of uselessness described by Blaise Pascal, one of the greatest French thinkers of the 17th century. In Pascal’s work, there is this deep recognition of existential emptiness that emerges when a person is confronted with their own insignificance. From there comes a constant need for distraction, recognition, and self-expression: because the moment one is no longer occupied, the feeling of being useless returns. Behind this drama, we find screenwriter Park Hae-young, known for Another Miss Oh, but especially for My Mister and My Liberation Notes. I felt this series revisited a familiar pairing she seems particularly fond of: a young, strikingly beautiful woman contrasted with an older man, marked by life’s hardships (after IU and Kim Ji-won, we now have Go Youn-jung’s almost “madonna-like” figure). However, the narrative suffers from certain clumsiness, due to poorly introduced or sometimes simply omitted elements. Once again, this is a psychological and sociological study of characters, all of whom carry—or continue to carry—a burden. That said, this is not a 100% tragedy: the series also allows for lighter, even comedic moments. Because this work is not intended solely for neurotics or pessimists; it also shows that beyond suffering, there is always a small opening toward light and healing.The story revolves around a group of friends gathered in the “Eight Club”: screenwriters, directors, producers—everyone works in the film industry. Some have succeeded, while others have had a much harder path. Hwang Dong-man (Koo Kyo-hwan), in his forties, is the only one who has achieved nothing in twenty years. He is a dreamer, shaped by life’s vicissitudes, often appearing lazy and detached. He frequently comes across as a victim, a role he unconsciously nurtures. To avoid sinking into the feeling of uselessness, he clings to anything available—whether in real life or in the films he watches as a form of escape. He lives in a small apartment he shares with his older brother, Hwang Jin-man (Park Hae-joon), a once-renowned poet now physically and mentally broken, surviving through menial jobs. They are painful to watch, both in deep emotional distress. On the other side, Byeon Eun-a (Go Youn-jung) works at a production company. Her job is to read scripts, revise them, and approve them. Her life is shaped by emotional emptiness, rooted in a complete lack of maternal connection after being abandoned at age nine. She drowns her melancholy in work. Her anxiety manifests physically through frequent nosebleeds whenever she feels threatened. Knowing each other professionally and also through an academic program, Dong-man and Eun-a gradually grow closer, helping each other confront their emotional states and the contempt they face from others.
This drama feels like it closes a trilogy about mental alienation and the paths toward healing. After the extreme poverty and responsibility awakening of My Mister, and the rural monotony, alcoholism, and existential suffocation of My Liberation Notes, We Are All Trying Here explores abandonment and existential emptiness. These are anti-heroes who feel they have missed their lives due to external circumstances, but also because of their own choices. However, this is not about excusing them—the story avoids self-pity. It is once again a slice-of-life narrative from the writer. Yet while I was moved by My Mister and disappointed by My Liberation Notes, here it is more the casting than the writing that holds the series together, despite a sometimes chaotic structure that loses track of its own narrative threads. The story of Jin-man and Mi-ran, in particular, feels underdeveloped. As viewers, we are often left to fill in the gaps ourselves, which creates a frustrating sense of incompleteness. Only toward the very end do we finally receive, almost in thriller fashion, a late explanation of Jin-man’s traumatic past—feeling almost like a patch added after the fact.
So what is We Are All Trying Here to me? It is a mirror of life itself, a gallery of portraits in which each character must face their own demons: they feel they have failed or missed their lives because, while others moved forward, they stagnated—missing what mattered due to professional or personal missteps. External events have amplified this sense of injustice. Dong-man and Byeon Eun-a have both suffered life’s blows. But while the former is partly responsible for his situation due to arrogance and minimal effort, Eun-a carries a melancholy that is not of her own making. She was built alone, without emotional support; the love of a surrogate grandmother is not enough to fill that void. The common point between these two broken beings is that they are constantly humiliated by their respective nemeses: for Dong-man, Park Gyeong-se (Oh Jung-se), a failed director sustained only by his wife Ko Hye-jin (Kang Mal-geum); for Eun-a, her boss Choi Dong-hyeon (Choi Won-young), who reduces her to a convenient scapegoat. Without spoiling anything, Eun-a must eventually confront her mother for the first time since her abandonment—much like Luke confronting his father in Star Wars to break free and become whole. These confrontations between the two women are beautifully written and mark a major turning point in her character. As for Dong-man, he becomes the man he always wanted to be by overcoming his emotional excess and impulsive behavior.
The series’ greatest strengths lie in its finely written dialogue and outstanding cast: nothing is said without purpose. Coming straight from the disappointing Perfect Crown, this felt like a punch in the face—in the best possible way. Koo Kyo-hwan is given full space to showcase his talent in this deeply human and sincere fable. I have nothing against Go Youn-jung, but like Kim Ji-won, her physical presence sometimes overshadows her acting. Once Jang Mi-ran (Han Sun-hwa) enters the story, she partially eclipses her. I also grow tired of the overly pitiful “Calimero-like” expressions and somewhat stereotyped acting style. However, the casting overall is handled very well. The introduction of veteran actors like Bae Jong-ok and Sung Dong-il in the second half adds real energy to the drama. The direction is solid, as is the cinematography, with visual metaphors that are both explicit and effective. Unfortunately, while the series opens many narrative doors, some arcs remain unresolved or underdeveloped, seemingly due to convenience rather than intention. Why does no journalist investigate Oh Jeong-hui’s past? And why introduce Jin-man’s backstory if it ultimately leads nowhere? This sense of incompleteness is frustrating. A few clichés are also easily forgettable.
“Everyone Is Fighting Against Their Own Sense of Worthlessness”: this is the real title of the drama, and it captures its essence perfectly. It reflects the internal struggle we all face simply to continue existing—not merely to avoid being forgotten, two very different things. I agree with Moon Yeong, who notes in her review how misleading Netflix’s chosen title is, as it feels hollow and disconnected from the work’s true meaning. This drama shows that resilience leads to healing—partial or complete—through mutual emotional support that is tangible and lasting. The series is not at all miserabilist; quite the opposite. It is a psychological study of a slice of life that is corrosive, sincere, and deeply moving. It becomes a true emotional rollercoaster, even if it is imperfect. The narrative suffers from uneven pacing and occasionally unnecessary scenes; there was clearly room for refinement. The OST is sublime and poetic, enhancing the visuals and occasionally bringing tears. And Koo Kyo-hwan, like a storm, carries everything in his path. Fortunately, the final four episodes are particularly strong, culminating in a hopeful horizon. The most memorable moment comes in Jin-man’s monologue to Dong-man—a powerful, poetic speech that encapsulates the soul of the story. This earns the drama a bonus point in my view. A deeply humane work, never truly tragic, but rather an ode to reconciliation with oneself and to life itself, expressed with humility.
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Not Made for Hype, but for Warmth
Park Hae Young has made a name for herself with her former kdramas, but We Are All Trying Here is much different than her 2 past slice of life works.Our lead, Hwang Dong Man, is the antithesis of a KDrama male lead. He is a known loser, he acts deranged, he is down for majority of the drama, and he can get on your nerves. But that is what makes him HUMAN. At the end, this story is about humans. messy humans, depressed humans. And this story is about WRITING. Why do writers exist? Why does film exist? And why should it be protected? The drama is the writer herself asking her industry these questions to remind themselves of the power of arts. Poetry, film, love, that is what makes us human.
The slight romance between Eun Ah and Dong Man is lovely. Together, these two lonely people heal one another, and even those around them. But the real love story is between Dong Man and Gyeong Se; our two parallel male leads, each so imperfect and messed up, but their bond and hatred and love defines every episode of the drama. Jin Man ended up being my favorite character however with an utterly outstanding performance. Tbh every performance is incredible in this drama. Koo Kyo Hwan is a maestro of acting.
This is not a drama you binge watch. It is not a drama you watch for OTP heart fluttering scenes. It is one you must digest slowly, and think about the dialogue deeply. If you want to sit down and watch worthless people find some worth in this world of ours, this is a must watch. PHY has done it again.
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Saddest One
I have seen just 4 eps and I’m already sad like each eps shows each pain and suffer of each individual through two great actors. when Dong-Man said that he wanna be in the other side of the world, I was in tears. And when Dong-Man and Eun-a both fought up there places it was masterpiece, like showing that quiet people can sparkle very thoughtfully. it a best one to watchWas this review helpful to you?
Drama of the year ?
This drama shows how two persons heal each other when there having different personalities.. tbh it's a masterpiece they wrote so wellAll characters did their best..you will be involved and feel the pain with them, cry with them, laugh with them..you will enjoy every part of the drama.. first few episodes you may feel dong man talks so much but after watching him, you will like him more and Eun-a always calm and face every emotion without expressing her inner feelings..but it's turned out different when dong man and Eun-a met each other..that's where you will start connecting to this drama..i can talk more about this drama but i will say just watch it
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This review may contain spoilers
A quiet drama that stayed with me
“We Are All Trying Here” felt comforting in the most natural way possible. At first I kept wondering how they would carry the story till the end because it felt so simple and quiet, and my brain started making theories about the watch and everything. But somehow the drama just pulls you into everyday life naturally.There isn’t even a single kiss scene, yet the love between them overflowed in every interaction. Honestly, some scenes felt more intimate than actual romance dramas.
The chemistry between Koo Kyo-hwan and Go Youn-jung was amazing — silly, constantly yapping boy meets quiet introvert listener girl. Their dynamic felt so human instead of scripted.
What I loved most was the emotional realism. They supported each other exactly when they needed it most. The “cry for help” line still stays with me.
The drama is very calm with minimal fighting. Sometimes you hear only the voices of the characters and soft background sounds, which made everything feel even more real. The OST was used only when necessary and every track felt soothing. The opening song was beautiful too.
“If you want to run away together, I’ll run away with you.
If you want to live in hiding forever, I’ll hide with you.
I like that.”
One scene that will stay in my head forever is when Dong-man hugs Eun-ah while she’s wearing that oversized sweater. Somehow it felt hotter and more intimate than a kiss scene. Another memorable line was Eun-ah asking, “Are we human beings better?” during the early episodes.
This drama won’t be for people looking for constant action or typical rom-com tropes. But if you love slow slice-of-life stories that quietly heal you while breaking your heart a little, this is a hidden gem.
I genuinely don’t understand why it’s sitting around 8.3 ratings because this was easily a 10/10 for me. While everyone was busy watching bigger trending dramas, this one felt underrated and special.”
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Another Masterpiece From Writer Park Hae Young! Quiet, soft and painfully human...
DON'T HESITATE TO WATCH BECAUSE THIS DRAMA TRULY WORTH YOUR TIME!What makes this drama beautiful is how 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦 it is. The emotions are never overdone, yet somehow they hit harder than loud melodramas. It reminds you that everyone is simply trying their best to survive life, love people and at the same time, heal quietly. Even the smallest moments feel meaningful.
Watching them feels less like escaping reality and more like being comforted by it The loneliness, regrets, dreams and the simple desire to keep going. No exaggerated drama, no overly perfect characters. Kinda soft reminder that healing isn't always loud or life-changing. Sometimes it's just having someone beside you who understands not only your silence but also when you're being talkative.
And the ending? Intriguing with solid 10/10. I love how the ending makes my chest ache a little while staring at the credit, realizing how deeply the each character touches my heart. The emotional payoff feels gentle instead of explosive and somehow that makes it hurt more.
Today, 25/5/2026, as this review was written, I can proudly announce that my personal podium of healing dramas from Writer Park Hae Young is finally complete. My Mister, My Liberation Notes and We Are All Trying Here will forever got a special place in my heart.. They don't just entertain but sit with you emotionally.
"Love isn't always grand... sometimes it is just staying, understanding and growing quietly beside someone."
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My mister-esqe
I headlined this as My Mister-esque because honestly, I didn’t know how else to correlate the feeling you get while watching this.It is deep. You feel sorrow, warmth, happiness, and you are constantly responding emotionally to what is happening on screen. At times, you even catch yourself wondering how long this actor’s dialogues are going to go on, and how much more he can really eat or keep stuffing his face. :)
I loved the supporting cast. Oh Jung-se nemesis/friend of the male lead has done a wonderful job, as he always does in all his roles. He keeps you laughing, sometimes he irritates you, and then suddenly you pity him. That is not easy to pull off. The rest of the supporting cast has also performed very well and adds a lot of weight to the drama.
I learnt after 8 episodes this drama is written by the same writer of My mister/my liberation notes I had been wondering why this train signal scene feels kind of familiar , now I worried that this might also not end up with a good/positive ending, though this writer's work is mostly about the journey than the end.
I really wish this gets a positive ending, cause this has scope where you just have to win once.
Edit: Last episode or last few minutes were rushed or were more out of the place with storys pace and placement but thoroughly enjoyed the depth of acting by all the actors.
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small review
this kdrama was so well written, I feel like I could understand every character and their decisions.Personally hwang-dong-man was THE ONE character who struck with me the most, to see him finally achieve his dream even after being criticized that much by his friends who only saw him as a guy denigrating other people’s film when he didn’t even debut, instead of asking him why he was acting this way.Or him having the constant pression of wondering if his brother was alright because of his multiple attempts, anyway I’m really bad at reviewing but I felt like I needed to write something about this kdrama that was litteraly my comfort show from the moment it started to the moment it ended🤍.Was this review helpful to you?
The real star of this drama is screenwriter Park Hae Young
What a wonderful, heartfelt drama. Park Hae Young has to be one of the best screenwriters currently working. She has a very distinctive style that gives the actors room to create/inhabit their characters through her thought-provoking dialogue. She weaves incredibly clever subplots through the story that make it so much richer. In her previous script for My Liberation Notes, you can see it starting to come together. With We Are All Trying Here she is in full control.That Dong-man's oafish, morose brother is also a celebrated poet feels incongruous, but his appearance throughout serves to shock us, elicit anguish for him, scare us, and rejoice with him. When a loan shark appears, the trope is turned completely on its head with a very clever twist. In anyone else's hands, a plot device like the "emotion watch" would be a cheap gimmick, but Writer Park uses it to help us connect with the depth of the two leads’ suffering and at one point uses it to wrench a cry of desperation out of them that is absolutely heart-breaking ("Help me...").
The cast is terrific. Koo Kyo Hwan is exasperatingly delightful as Hwang Dong-Man, and Go Youn Jung is heart wrenchingly soulful as Byeon Eun A. In one of the most touching (and controversial) scenes, Eun A loops her cardigan over Dong-Man as if to bring him into her womb to protect and nurture him. If that was in the script, it is pure genius. If it was something the actors ad-libbed, then kudos to Writer Park for creating the space for it.
Once again, Oh Jung Se is absolutely perfect as the antagonist Park Gyeong Se. (Is there a better character actor?) And Park Hae Joon's role as Dong-man's brother Hwang Jin-man is a delightful contrast to his recent role as IU's father in “When Life Gives You Tangerines”.
The cast was so good that I couldn't help but feel that the actors loved this work as much as the viewers did. This drama will be on everyone's “Best Of” list for 2026, and rightfully so. But let no one forget, the real star of this drama is screenwriter Park Hae Young.
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This review may contain spoilers
We Are All Trying Here has become my all-time favorite drama
I don’t know what movies are to others. For me, movies are survival itself. My days are a loop: I wake up in the afternoon, I eat, I watch a film, and then I work. In the past, I would spend the rest of the day translating films. Now, I study cinema history and watch related films to write scripts for my channel, or I edit videos. When I need to rest, I play music or watch other films; then, I go back to work.Evening comes. I go to the market and cook. I talk to my girlfriend. When she falls asleep, I watch a drama while eating. Then, I go back to work again. Time slips away—I eat, I watch, I work. In the morning, I talk to my girlfriend again, watch something else, and finally, I sleep. For 10 years, I have been living in this cycle—a routine that occupies about 29 days of every month.
Whenever my spirit sinks, it is usually films that provide the strength I need to keep living. K-dramas rarely give me that kind of profound, quiet strength, but We Are All Trying Here did. While Reply 1988 was my all-time favorite, We Are All Trying Here has now become my personal, all-time favorite.
I liked it from the very first episode, but I never expected the ending to be handled this perfectly. In episode 11, I was deeply impressed, but I didn't think they could wrap up every single character so beautifully in just one final episode. I was wrong. Every character stayed true to their purpose until the very end. The businessman remained a businessman; those between the artist and the entertainment world stayed right in that space; and the only true "artist" in the show stayed true to his convictions until the final moment.
Seeing this final part, I realized that Park Hae-young is not just a screenwriter—she is an artist who truly understands what it means to live. Even if Hwang Dong-man is the protagonist, the soul of this story lies with his brother, the poet Hwang Jin-man. She shaped this throughout every episode, and in the finale, it reached its true climax. The real climax of the story was found in the character who had the fewest scenes among the leads. One could say we felt the most poetic experience through a character who had stopped writing poems.
In the act of creating art, the hardest part is not telling people what you want to say, but knowing what not to say. Hwang Dong-man is a character who talks too much, but Hwang Jin-man is a character who never says anything unnecessary. In We Are All Trying Here, watching Hwang Dong-man feels like seeing myself, but watching Hwang Jin-man feels like seeing the person I want to become. It might be an impossible dream, but my life’s ambition is to become someone like him—someone who wants for nothing and who can live courageously in a corner of the world, defined entirely by his own meaning.
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Unpopular opinion...
But I didn't enjoy as much as everyone else :(The beginning was SO difficult to really relate with the main leads (honestly both of them). Their "understanding" for each other seemed forced? Like especially the female lead; like yes let me be the one person to go for the craZy guy...
Even after watching the entirety of all the episodes; YES I did get more context as to why each person is as so (this is for ANYONE in life) BUT there were so many instances that I didn't agree with some of the actions and words said by the main leads... Of course no one is perfect and we all fall short, make some regrettable decisions... but it was just really hard to really LOVE the leads.
I do think this storyline was realistic as in terms of some people really do never make it (whatever career choices, sports, blah blah) so I totally can see why others have really enjoyed and loved the artistic approach.
Definitely a more slice of life sort of drama, daily life, and a lot of emotions...
I would say, I would WARN those that are maybe not emotionally stable (very depressed or anxious); I think the beginning is a really hard watch.
Acting was definitely great though!
Overall; I would not recommend this drama however I do think it had a unique and artistic approach that others have already and would enjoy.
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