"Summertime is always the best of what might be."
Reviews are one of two things for me. A waterfall of thoughts that can break a dam. Often leading to unorganized, but somehow still (hopefully) coherent thought. Sometimes though, my brain runs too fast and all the words escape me. I find myself wanting to bask in the feeling and immediately dive back into the content, in search of more with hopes of retaining the feeling even if just a bit more before it fades away. This show...well evoked the later. It was soo frustratingly good, so annoyingly mature, while still brilliantly capturing all the notes of youth that I love. Just like the name, it is a summer I will remember for a long time, just like the characters. And so as I sit here, nearly 3 years after my first watch...the feelings may not be as raw, as fresh, but they are still felt.
This is a drama that provides comfort. Our beloved summer was what beaches and fairs felt like for the child me. It was a breath of fresh air that swept my heart towards warmth as well as washed away thoughts of worry. It was also a reminder, that before summer is spring and after all the summer, comes the leaves of fall.
The story at its core is growth as a person and we as viewers get to see how this growth molds and opens the hearts of our leads...as they grow into another relationship. It was really interesting to see how they were able to showcase the internal conflicts and sometimes self sabotaging nature of our characters.
Our brilliant but tired Yeon soo, is strong and prideful, always with a goal and sense of direction. Little her was fighting against the circumstances of money. We see how this molds into the present as her sense of responsibility pushes her to made decisions for her future. A future that does not seem to be able to fit love into it's sphere. As an adult, she is able to breathe more, but still plagued of worry.
Our resident artist trying to live carefree and lacking in drive or discipline, much to Yeon soo's distain was all to shield himself from the fear of failure. No expectations, no disappointment. Once we see his grown up self, we see another layer of the onion. One where his past limited his confidence to be loved but allowed him to love and care for others. But his new worry that the success, the things he has, isn't his. As the onion is peeled, we see that it isn't just Yeon soo that has struggles, that this timeskip was also something he needed to discover things and accept others.
Our poor producer...if you fake it till you make it....and you make it, does it matter if it was fake?
All of our characters grew out of some worries, and into others with time. All because of this very beautiful summer. A summer that gave Yeon soo a glimpse of a life she wanted but too burdened to accept. One that gave Choi ung warmth and love that felt full. Also giving Ji Ung a goal and point of focus. It was a time where they felt a lot of things, had great impact and like summer...also had to end. As the cold winds of fall swept them back into reality.
Some say the pace is slow, and I agree to a certain extent but I think I enjoyed that pace. We can run with Choi ung and Yeon soo when they found courage to pick up their feet. We were also able to feel the hesitancy and weight of their worries by the pace. So much of the love shown in the drama was about actions, willingness and not about what was received or circumstance. It was a story of people. Rushing the pace would just have been rushing them through their growth. I think seeing the moments of growth, and their struggle to get there, made it all more rewarding and impactful.
The show hits like a quiet existential crisis tucked into a passing thought. HAHA
The ost was brilliant. All tracks capturing an important feeling, thought, timepoint. It complemented the mood and themes so much.
The actors!!! Oh god. They were so good. Eyes felt so raw, pleading so heartbreaking and desperate. The webtoon characters brought to life. It was honestly just a masterclass. There was something about being able to feel the hesitancy and distance in the body language, the vocal delivery...they just had such soulful eyes.
Well rewatch....HAHA try more than 10 times. I recommend. I am not sure if this will give everyoen a crisis. In the beginning, it was just plain old comfort and cozy like summer for me. As time grew, I loved it more. Like school, its returning to a class of students and friends you knew so well...and seeing a different version of them walk through the door. Summer is comfort and a time for fun, but also a time for growth as we ready ourselves for change.
Not sure if this counts as a review anymore but....welp, life moves on.
This is a drama that provides comfort. Our beloved summer was what beaches and fairs felt like for the child me. It was a breath of fresh air that swept my heart towards warmth as well as washed away thoughts of worry. It was also a reminder, that before summer is spring and after all the summer, comes the leaves of fall.
The story at its core is growth as a person and we as viewers get to see how this growth molds and opens the hearts of our leads...as they grow into another relationship. It was really interesting to see how they were able to showcase the internal conflicts and sometimes self sabotaging nature of our characters.
Our brilliant but tired Yeon soo, is strong and prideful, always with a goal and sense of direction. Little her was fighting against the circumstances of money. We see how this molds into the present as her sense of responsibility pushes her to made decisions for her future. A future that does not seem to be able to fit love into it's sphere. As an adult, she is able to breathe more, but still plagued of worry.
Our resident artist trying to live carefree and lacking in drive or discipline, much to Yeon soo's distain was all to shield himself from the fear of failure. No expectations, no disappointment. Once we see his grown up self, we see another layer of the onion. One where his past limited his confidence to be loved but allowed him to love and care for others. But his new worry that the success, the things he has, isn't his. As the onion is peeled, we see that it isn't just Yeon soo that has struggles, that this timeskip was also something he needed to discover things and accept others.
Our poor producer...if you fake it till you make it....and you make it, does it matter if it was fake?
All of our characters grew out of some worries, and into others with time. All because of this very beautiful summer. A summer that gave Yeon soo a glimpse of a life she wanted but too burdened to accept. One that gave Choi ung warmth and love that felt full. Also giving Ji Ung a goal and point of focus. It was a time where they felt a lot of things, had great impact and like summer...also had to end. As the cold winds of fall swept them back into reality.
Some say the pace is slow, and I agree to a certain extent but I think I enjoyed that pace. We can run with Choi ung and Yeon soo when they found courage to pick up their feet. We were also able to feel the hesitancy and weight of their worries by the pace. So much of the love shown in the drama was about actions, willingness and not about what was received or circumstance. It was a story of people. Rushing the pace would just have been rushing them through their growth. I think seeing the moments of growth, and their struggle to get there, made it all more rewarding and impactful.
The show hits like a quiet existential crisis tucked into a passing thought. HAHA
The ost was brilliant. All tracks capturing an important feeling, thought, timepoint. It complemented the mood and themes so much.
The actors!!! Oh god. They were so good. Eyes felt so raw, pleading so heartbreaking and desperate. The webtoon characters brought to life. It was honestly just a masterclass. There was something about being able to feel the hesitancy and distance in the body language, the vocal delivery...they just had such soulful eyes.
Well rewatch....HAHA try more than 10 times. I recommend. I am not sure if this will give everyoen a crisis. In the beginning, it was just plain old comfort and cozy like summer for me. As time grew, I loved it more. Like school, its returning to a class of students and friends you knew so well...and seeing a different version of them walk through the door. Summer is comfort and a time for fun, but also a time for growth as we ready ourselves for change.
Not sure if this counts as a review anymore but....welp, life moves on.
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