This review may contain spoilers
On the Verge of a Masterpiece, Yet…
A drama that conveys the struggles of being hearing-impaired very powerfully to the audience. The acting of the scandalous man, Jung Woo-sung (Cha Jin-woo), truly pierces into one’s heart. His gazes and expressions vividly reflect the effort of a hearing-impaired person trying to understand those around them. The charisma and handsomeness of the 50-year-old ahjussi make the drama all the more captivating.
Still, I can’t say the same for Shin Hyun-been - this is a personal take, but her acting feels very flat to me. I only ever see her in rather lifeless roles anyway. Perhaps it’s just that I don’t enjoy stories or performances where the female character feels so timid and lacking in confidence.
Another point is that while I liked the music of this drama, I found the heavy use of background music tiring — especially in a story that is supposed to capture silence. I would have preferred to experience that silence along with the characters. Having constant background music while portraying the struggles of not being able to hear was, honestly, quite ironic and almost tragicomic.
***SPOILER ALERT***
Although I enjoyed some of the supporting characters, I feel that storylines involving a third person, meant to make the plot more interesting or to keep it going, often ruin the viewing experience. Thankfully, this time the third parties weren’t inherently bad people.
Mo-eun’s (Shin Hyun-been) distancing later on, and her struggles in the later stages of her relationship with a hearing-impaired partner, didn’t surprise me. In fact, I thought it was one of the stronger aspects of the story. After all, doesn’t everyone start a relationship swept away by emotions, believing they can overcome any hardship, only to realize later on that reality hits differently? I think that dilemma was portrayed quite well. To me, Mo-eun’s sense of having failed to achieve something in her career, despite being in her thirties, might have been part of why she was drawn so strongly to this man. She was in a phase where she felt empty inside and needed something to hold on to. While trying to understand Cha Jin-woo pulled her away from herself, the way Jin-woo supported her career actually gave her a sense of confidence again.
Still, I think Mo-eun looked down on Jin-woo in some ways; her excessive caution, overthinking, and hiding of her true feelings and thoughts put her in a superior position, preventing the relationship from being equal (or fair). In the end, this imbalance always made Jin-woo feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, I also think Jin-woo was unfair to Mo-eun by not being able to fully distance himself from his ex-girlfriend because of unresolved issues from the past. He should have been more careful about that. Yet I can also understand why he couldn’t — his ex had once been a very important part of his life. Rather than erasing her existence, accepting it is understandable, though it still puts him in a position that could unsettle his current partner.
Still, I can’t say the same for Shin Hyun-been - this is a personal take, but her acting feels very flat to me. I only ever see her in rather lifeless roles anyway. Perhaps it’s just that I don’t enjoy stories or performances where the female character feels so timid and lacking in confidence.
Another point is that while I liked the music of this drama, I found the heavy use of background music tiring — especially in a story that is supposed to capture silence. I would have preferred to experience that silence along with the characters. Having constant background music while portraying the struggles of not being able to hear was, honestly, quite ironic and almost tragicomic.
***SPOILER ALERT***
Although I enjoyed some of the supporting characters, I feel that storylines involving a third person, meant to make the plot more interesting or to keep it going, often ruin the viewing experience. Thankfully, this time the third parties weren’t inherently bad people.
Mo-eun’s (Shin Hyun-been) distancing later on, and her struggles in the later stages of her relationship with a hearing-impaired partner, didn’t surprise me. In fact, I thought it was one of the stronger aspects of the story. After all, doesn’t everyone start a relationship swept away by emotions, believing they can overcome any hardship, only to realize later on that reality hits differently? I think that dilemma was portrayed quite well. To me, Mo-eun’s sense of having failed to achieve something in her career, despite being in her thirties, might have been part of why she was drawn so strongly to this man. She was in a phase where she felt empty inside and needed something to hold on to. While trying to understand Cha Jin-woo pulled her away from herself, the way Jin-woo supported her career actually gave her a sense of confidence again.
Still, I think Mo-eun looked down on Jin-woo in some ways; her excessive caution, overthinking, and hiding of her true feelings and thoughts put her in a superior position, preventing the relationship from being equal (or fair). In the end, this imbalance always made Jin-woo feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, I also think Jin-woo was unfair to Mo-eun by not being able to fully distance himself from his ex-girlfriend because of unresolved issues from the past. He should have been more careful about that. Yet I can also understand why he couldn’t — his ex had once been a very important part of his life. Rather than erasing her existence, accepting it is understandable, though it still puts him in a position that could unsettle his current partner.
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