This review may contain spoilers
Prepare for the emotional rollercoaster ride
This was one series I hadn’t really planned on watching. Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood for a melodrama—but thanks to Sam Ock’s “Piece of Me,” I ended up giving it a chance. I kept replaying that song for days, and every time I watched the scenes in the music video, I felt this familiar sense of melodrama I grew up with. The yearning between the leads, the quiet acceptance from the female lead knowing she didn’t have much time left, if you grew up on 90s and early 2000s K-dramas, you know exactly the type. Back then, we often joke that it wasn’t a kdrama unless the female lead had terminal cancer or some tragic illness. Maybe it was the cold weather or the craving for nostalgia, but because of all that, I finally decided to start this series. I even read the summary beforehand just to make sure it was something I could emotionally handle.
I’m familiar with Namkoong Min and his work, so I knew what to expect from him as an actor. But Jeon Yeo-been was practically a blank slate for me, I’ve only seen her in one project, and no, it wasn’t Vincenzo but A Time Called You. I barely remember her from that series, which says more about my memory than her acting. So I was genuinely excited to see her here. My family adores her in Vincenzo and constantly tells me what a great actress she is, so I was curious to experience that for myself.
The drama begins with the familiar setup: the female lead is dying from an illness, while the male lead is a director who has stepped away from filmmaking for his own personal reasons. Oddly enough, I enjoyed how their encounters unfolded, it felt like little breadcrumbs dropped here and there, the quiet storytelling, and the directing choices that pulled me in. This series really kept my attention. I felt the butterflies, the flutters, and the wave of emotions you expect from a melodrama. I even teared up a few times. The longing and yearning between the two leads felt so real and so tangible.
I don’t know much about filmmaking, but I loved how the characters discussed each scene, making even small moments feel meaningful. It made me appreciate the details so much more. And one thing I really enjoyed about this version of a melodrama is its pacing. It’s steady—not so slow that my attention wanders. I grew up on slow-burn 90s melodramas, and while they were beautiful, they often dragged scenes out in a way that doesn’t work for me anymore. This series, however, balanced everything well. The “imagination” sequences were especially captivating—the black-and-white scenes, the moments where the characters saw themselves as the roles they were portraying, or as the versions of each other that existed only in their minds.
And the ending. I loved the symbolism of the cherry blossom petal drifting and touching every member of the production crew after she was gone. It was such a quiet, emotional way to say goodbye.
This is a series I know I’ll be thinking about for a long time. It’s been a while since I’ve committed to a melodrama, and because of how beautifully this one was executed, I’m giving it a pretty high score: 8.5/10. I definitely recommend rewatching it for the details—it’s such a thoughtful piece of work, filled with layers of filming, acting, and insight into the production world.
I honestly have to thank Sam Ock’s “Piece of Me.” Because of that music video, I gave this series a chance, and I don’t regret spending the last two days watching it.
Below are some quotes I loved:
“So tell me, how long do you think you have left?”
Her reverse-UNO moment completely caught me off guard, and I loved it.
“How long do I need to live?”
This line hit me so hard. Instead of dwelling on the negative or the inevitable, she reframed it with such hope—as if asking, How long should I strive to live meaningfully? That moment alone convinced me to stay with the series.
“everyone, you think you have a lot of days to live? You think you’ll live forever? You think you’ll stay healthy until you’re 40,70,80, and even 100 right? But life works in mysterious ways! You always forget, don’t you? but I never forgot! I’ve been preparing for this since I was eight years old, so every second of every minute is so precious and valuable to me that they’re all masterpieces! All the moments you just let slip away are like romance or fantasy films to me! But you’ll keep on living without knowing that! You idiots!”
I’m familiar with Namkoong Min and his work, so I knew what to expect from him as an actor. But Jeon Yeo-been was practically a blank slate for me, I’ve only seen her in one project, and no, it wasn’t Vincenzo but A Time Called You. I barely remember her from that series, which says more about my memory than her acting. So I was genuinely excited to see her here. My family adores her in Vincenzo and constantly tells me what a great actress she is, so I was curious to experience that for myself.
The drama begins with the familiar setup: the female lead is dying from an illness, while the male lead is a director who has stepped away from filmmaking for his own personal reasons. Oddly enough, I enjoyed how their encounters unfolded, it felt like little breadcrumbs dropped here and there, the quiet storytelling, and the directing choices that pulled me in. This series really kept my attention. I felt the butterflies, the flutters, and the wave of emotions you expect from a melodrama. I even teared up a few times. The longing and yearning between the two leads felt so real and so tangible.
I don’t know much about filmmaking, but I loved how the characters discussed each scene, making even small moments feel meaningful. It made me appreciate the details so much more. And one thing I really enjoyed about this version of a melodrama is its pacing. It’s steady—not so slow that my attention wanders. I grew up on slow-burn 90s melodramas, and while they were beautiful, they often dragged scenes out in a way that doesn’t work for me anymore. This series, however, balanced everything well. The “imagination” sequences were especially captivating—the black-and-white scenes, the moments where the characters saw themselves as the roles they were portraying, or as the versions of each other that existed only in their minds.
And the ending. I loved the symbolism of the cherry blossom petal drifting and touching every member of the production crew after she was gone. It was such a quiet, emotional way to say goodbye.
This is a series I know I’ll be thinking about for a long time. It’s been a while since I’ve committed to a melodrama, and because of how beautifully this one was executed, I’m giving it a pretty high score: 8.5/10. I definitely recommend rewatching it for the details—it’s such a thoughtful piece of work, filled with layers of filming, acting, and insight into the production world.
I honestly have to thank Sam Ock’s “Piece of Me.” Because of that music video, I gave this series a chance, and I don’t regret spending the last two days watching it.
Below are some quotes I loved:
“So tell me, how long do you think you have left?”
Her reverse-UNO moment completely caught me off guard, and I loved it.
“How long do I need to live?”
This line hit me so hard. Instead of dwelling on the negative or the inevitable, she reframed it with such hope—as if asking, How long should I strive to live meaningfully? That moment alone convinced me to stay with the series.
“everyone, you think you have a lot of days to live? You think you’ll live forever? You think you’ll stay healthy until you’re 40,70,80, and even 100 right? But life works in mysterious ways! You always forget, don’t you? but I never forgot! I’ve been preparing for this since I was eight years old, so every second of every minute is so precious and valuable to me that they’re all masterpieces! All the moments you just let slip away are like romance or fantasy films to me! But you’ll keep on living without knowing that! You idiots!”
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