Meru

This drama was interesting. Definitely the most impressive role I have seen IU in. Thinking about how Lee Sun-kyun could probably act his role out so easily in this because he seemed to be depressed in real life too, makes me really sad… Him comitting suicide a few years ago gives this drama an even heavier tone…

First of all, let’s talk about the story:
For me personally, the story was not very relatable. The office intrigues were a bit too much for me. The married couple struggles, cheating and complicated family dynamics were things I couldn’t relate to. Ji An’s situation with the debt and murder were also extreme cases that neither I nor most people can relate to. Despite all these factors that made it hard for me to relate to, this drama captivated me in a differen way from typical dramas.

I was curious: What will happen to Ji An? How will she develop a bond with Dong Hoon? What will happen to the office intrigues? Will the cheating be found out?
But what captivated me the most was the unique relationship between Ji An and Dong Hoon. It’s so different from your typical romantic K-Drama relationship. Their relationship is not based on romantic love or family love or love between friends. I think their love for each other is that of two depressed people who have forgotten how to love themselves. They are each other’s mirror. By trying to love the other, they are slowly learning how to love themselves. They couldn’t love themselves but seeing how there was another person more pitiful than themselves, they made it their mission to try and love someone as pitiful or even more pitiful than them. By protecting and loving that other person brings them closer to trying to love themselves…

This drama also had a lot of beautiful quotes. Not to mention the incredible soundtrack!!! Grown Ups by Sondia is a song that will always make me cry immediately and I will have scenes of the drama in my head: them on the train going home, her crying over his pain while listening to him breathe heavily, his voice expressing his deep emotional state, her crying on the bridge…

The acting of all characters in this drama was top-notch! It’s rare to see so much quality in one place.

The cinematography is fantastic too. Especially the scenes when they get drunk at their go-to bar with the blurry vision kind of filming impressed me. The state of being drunk but not fully happy… when life feels so heavy that even alcohol can’t make it feel sweet… it was captured so well in that cinematography…

Sadly there were some things that bothered me a bit.
Apart from the office intrigue I already mentioned, I was a bit annoyed by the brothers, especially Gi-hoon. Also his relationship with the actress was kinda random. I did like the actress and her pov on things. She had some good quotes as well but I didn’t quite understand how their relationship fit into the drama.

Also the drama was a bit too much male-oriented. There were a lot of male-based struggles and povs.

Although I loved Jeonghui, I found her obsessive love for the monk a bit unrelatable. I didn’t quite understand why she was still not over him after 20 years. I would have wished some more explanation. What kind of love did they have that made her still not get over him. And what was the reason for him to leave such a love behind and become a monk.

All in all, the drama was wrapped up well in the end. The found family was heart-warming in the end and the message of the drama was just chef’s kiss!
My Mister made me want to start a K-Drama quotes journal so I might have to do that soon

I can only recommend this drama to everyone!