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This review may contain spoilers
Faithful to the Novel, But at What Cost? My Thoughts on The White Olive Tree
this drama took a controversial approach by following the novel’s original ending, which resulted in the tragic deaths of the main leads. While I understand the artistic choice of staying true to the source material, I firmly believe that a TV series should not conclude with such an unsatisfying and emotionally devastating outcome—especially when audiences have invested so much time and emotion into the characters.
Unlike movies, which have a limited runtime and can afford to deliver tragic or bittersweet endings, TV series develop over multiple episodes (or even seasons), creating a deep emotional connection between viewers and the characters. Killing off the leads in a drama not only feels like a betrayal of that investment but also leaves the audience with a sense of emptiness rather than closure.
I personally never started watching The White Olive Tree because I avoid dramas with tragic endings. It was on my must-watch list until I came across spoilers on TikTok that revealed the fate of the protagonists. The moment I found out, I removed it from my list because I prefer stories that leave me with a sense of satisfaction or, at the very least, a meaningful resolution that doesn’t feel needlessly cruel.
It’s frustrating because adaptations don’t always strictly follow the novel, so why choose to be faithful to the most heartbreaking aspect? A drama has the power to refine or reimagine a story in ways that make it more impactful for television audiences, and in this case, a different approach could have been more rewarding for viewers.
Unlike movies, which have a limited runtime and can afford to deliver tragic or bittersweet endings, TV series develop over multiple episodes (or even seasons), creating a deep emotional connection between viewers and the characters. Killing off the leads in a drama not only feels like a betrayal of that investment but also leaves the audience with a sense of emptiness rather than closure.
I personally never started watching The White Olive Tree because I avoid dramas with tragic endings. It was on my must-watch list until I came across spoilers on TikTok that revealed the fate of the protagonists. The moment I found out, I removed it from my list because I prefer stories that leave me with a sense of satisfaction or, at the very least, a meaningful resolution that doesn’t feel needlessly cruel.
It’s frustrating because adaptations don’t always strictly follow the novel, so why choose to be faithful to the most heartbreaking aspect? A drama has the power to refine or reimagine a story in ways that make it more impactful for television audiences, and in this case, a different approach could have been more rewarding for viewers.
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