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Our Unwritten Seoul korean drama review
Completed
Our Unwritten Seoul
0 people found this review helpful
by Kes
18 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

Park Bo Young delivers double the fun and the tears in this poignant slice of life

It is not uncommon for twins to live differently despite looking exactly the same. After all, they are not the exact photocopy of each other.

In Unwritten Seoul, we are introduced to the twins named Miji and Mirae. The former lives in the countryside working on the farm while the latter lives in the city working in a finance company. Everything about these two is the exact opposite. But when Mirae became despondent and is on the verge of giving up, Miji shows up and is willing to switch lives just like they usually do when they were kids.

To give you an idea of how polar opposites the twins are, Miji is a T while Mirae is an F in the MBTI. It is absolutely mind-blowing how Park Bo Young effortlessly switches between these two roles. She embodies Miji’s easygoing, laidback personality as well as Mirae’s mature and reserved demeanor. Even when the twins swapped lives and changed their hairstyles to commit to the part, the eyes, Chico, they never lie. It is amusing to watch how Miji tackles the bleak office work while holding back Mirae’s bullying colleagues. The same goes for Mirae. Miji may be impulsive in her actions but she is never clumsy with her contract jobs. Unfortunately, Mirae fumbles through the labor work. They both look out of place despite wearing each other’s work clothes. They are both so good at putting on a show that even their mother didn’t notice their naughty tricks. What the twins both have in common even as grown-up adults is that they both carry baggage they don’t talk about. From the get-go, you can already feel that it is only a matter of time until unspoken truths and suppressed emotions are spilled.

Lee Hosu (played by Park Jin Young) is the twin’s hometown neighbor and high school classmate. He is very empathetic and observant, the qualities you won’t expect from a lawyer. In true romcom fashion, Hosu gets tongue-tied and bashful whenever Miji is around. After all, their history goes a long way, especially when Miji hit Hosu’s bully with a ball so hard that it made their face bleed. Hence, it is very interesting to see if Hosu can catch the twin’s tricky setup early on. If he truly knows his crush inside out, her mannerisms and all, getting her busted should be a piece of cake. Can I also take a moment to admire Jin Young’s pretty face and the fact that he is also a pretty crier? When he finally cried, you could see me in the corner holding my shattered heart with tears pouring like a dam breaking.

Maybe it's just me but I feel like the writer disapproves of corporate jobs. She portrays it as something boring, fake and most of all takes advantage of people, that it's a breeding ground for greediness. Thankfully, she redeemed herself with Han Se Jin (played by Ryu Kyung Soo), proving that not everyone in white-collar jobs looks as bad as they seem to be. Sure, desk-based roles are not as profound and meaningful as manual labor, but it is still unfair to compare them when all of us have a rightful place in this world. The story mostly highlights the stark difference between office work and fieldwork, showing how the twins struggle to fit into their new, never-before-attempted jobs.

What I like the most about Unwritten Seoul is it goes beyond tackling siblings and romantic relationships. It celebrates every connection we have, even the fleeting ones. It emphasizes again and again that no man is an island. Even in the darkest times of our lives, there will always be hands reaching out to help us out. Even when you think you are alone in this world while holed up in your room, the whole village is actually patiently waiting for you on the other side of the door.

There are also lots of parallels narratives that viewers can connect the dots with. Like how faking identities can be an act of honor on behalf of someone (but be very careful because this is a serious offence and you might end up in jail haha). Like how we may through different life-altering moments, but the same consoling words can still reach us.

Overall, Our Unwritten Seoul is a much-needed watch for anyone experiencing quarter-life crisis. This is a nice reminder that our lives are not a book with an ending, but rather a notebook waiting to be filled. As the song goes, 'today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'. Life has its ups and downs and fare share of tears and joy, just like in this K-drama. Just when you thought the episode was all sunshine and warmth, the unexpected rain poured in. This is a heartfelt slice-of-life story I will forever cherish and hold close to my heart, elevated by Park Bo Young’s acting prowess and her ability to double both the fun and the tears.
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