K-Drama 
This review may contain spoilers
I’ll admit, I started watching this series with a lot of apprehension because it tackles such a heavy, delicate subject: religion, faith, and sexuality. At the same time, I was really curious to see how the story would play out in just 6 episodes.
Tanrak is a deeply religious, orphaned young man who believes that by faithfully following his faith and becoming a priest, he’ll be able to reunite with his parents in heaven. His religious calling isn’t just a choice, it’s deeply tied to his grief and his longing for his family. But everything he believes in is shaken to its core when Barth arrives at the school: a rebellious guy with family issues and a lot of emotional baggage.
Living together starts to change them both, bringing a growing intimacy. Tanrak gives Barth emotional safety, while Barth gives Tanrak the freedom to actually feel. Eventually, they stop pretending it’s just friendship and realize they’re truly in love. But Tanrak still believes he has to choose between Barth and his religious calling, constantly living in fear of being found out. One scene that really got to me was when he gathered all the little things Barth had given him and burned them, trying to convince himself that if he destroyed the memories, he could destroy the love. At the same time, Barth is hurting too, because he feels like loving Tanrak might be destroying the most important dream of Tanrak’s life.
Ticket to Heaven isn’t just a typical teen romance about coming of age, It’s a story that handles the conflict between faith, religion, and a supposedly forbidden love with so much delicacy and wisdom. It’s a beautiful journey of spiritual growth. Tanrak starts out close to God and learns not to be afraid of love. Barth starts out far from God and learns that faith doesn’t automatically mean rejection.
The series was a total emotional rollercoaster. It made me smile and it made me cry. When Tanrak says, “I’m scared God will reject me,” it genuinely broke my heart for him. The last two episodes were absolute masterpieces and had me crying an ocean. How can anyone ever be 100% sure who is closest to God? Just looking religious or going to church doesn’t mean you have true spirituality and that’s what both characters learn.
As for the cast: A powerhouse ensemble with solid acting that just made the whole series shine even brighter. It was so great to see Gemini and Fourth in a much more mature, dramatic series than the ones we’re used to seeing them in. Both of them did an incredible job. I’m so glad they got the chance to really show off their acting skills.
The character who won my heart: Auntie Lek. So much wisdom! “I did wonder, I wondered if, after leaving, God would still love me. But in the end, here I am. I can still love Him just the same.” I love her with all my heart.
The character who surprised me: Father Arnon. I’ll admit I started the show fully prepared to hate him, but when Tanrak goes to him and confesses that he loves Barth, the father’s reaction caught me completely off guard. Tanrak’s confession is heavy with guilt and fear, but instead of condemning him, Father Arnon comforts him. He tells him that God will always love him, that love isn’t wrong, but that he has to take responsibility for his actions and choose how he wants to live. He gives Tanrak the freedom to choose his own path in life and faith. And when Father Arnon hugs Tanrak, he gives off the energy of a parent who doesn’t stop loving their child just because they chose a different path than imagined, He’s someone who will always be there, no matter what. Father Arnon is a drop of water in the desert, both in fiction and in real life.
As for the pacing/direction: I was worried about how the story could possibly develop in only 6 episodes. But they were perfection. No need for filler subplots or unnecessary characters. They told the exact story they wanted to tell and delivered the exact message they wanted to get across. If it had been any longer, the plot probably would have gotten lost in unnecessary clutter. Smart writing filled with powerful metaphors and sensitive direction turned this into a little masterpiece.
“If God teaches us to love, but we’re not allowed to love each other, then what’s the point of having God in this world?” If God is love, why would Tanrak’s love for Barth automatically push him away from God? Is loving someone really wrong? Ticket to Heaven isn’t simply a story of religion versus love. It’s about religion AND love. It shows that one doesn’t have to be the enemy of the other, and that they can and Should coexist harmoniously. A little masterpiece about two people who have to rebuild the meaning of love, faith, and freedom after being taught that those things could never go together.
Highly, highly, highly recommended!
Tanrak is a deeply religious, orphaned young man who believes that by faithfully following his faith and becoming a priest, he’ll be able to reunite with his parents in heaven. His religious calling isn’t just a choice, it’s deeply tied to his grief and his longing for his family. But everything he believes in is shaken to its core when Barth arrives at the school: a rebellious guy with family issues and a lot of emotional baggage.
Living together starts to change them both, bringing a growing intimacy. Tanrak gives Barth emotional safety, while Barth gives Tanrak the freedom to actually feel. Eventually, they stop pretending it’s just friendship and realize they’re truly in love. But Tanrak still believes he has to choose between Barth and his religious calling, constantly living in fear of being found out. One scene that really got to me was when he gathered all the little things Barth had given him and burned them, trying to convince himself that if he destroyed the memories, he could destroy the love. At the same time, Barth is hurting too, because he feels like loving Tanrak might be destroying the most important dream of Tanrak’s life.
Ticket to Heaven isn’t just a typical teen romance about coming of age, It’s a story that handles the conflict between faith, religion, and a supposedly forbidden love with so much delicacy and wisdom. It’s a beautiful journey of spiritual growth. Tanrak starts out close to God and learns not to be afraid of love. Barth starts out far from God and learns that faith doesn’t automatically mean rejection.
The series was a total emotional rollercoaster. It made me smile and it made me cry. When Tanrak says, “I’m scared God will reject me,” it genuinely broke my heart for him. The last two episodes were absolute masterpieces and had me crying an ocean. How can anyone ever be 100% sure who is closest to God? Just looking religious or going to church doesn’t mean you have true spirituality and that’s what both characters learn.
As for the cast: A powerhouse ensemble with solid acting that just made the whole series shine even brighter. It was so great to see Gemini and Fourth in a much more mature, dramatic series than the ones we’re used to seeing them in. Both of them did an incredible job. I’m so glad they got the chance to really show off their acting skills.
The character who won my heart: Auntie Lek. So much wisdom! “I did wonder, I wondered if, after leaving, God would still love me. But in the end, here I am. I can still love Him just the same.” I love her with all my heart.
The character who surprised me: Father Arnon. I’ll admit I started the show fully prepared to hate him, but when Tanrak goes to him and confesses that he loves Barth, the father’s reaction caught me completely off guard. Tanrak’s confession is heavy with guilt and fear, but instead of condemning him, Father Arnon comforts him. He tells him that God will always love him, that love isn’t wrong, but that he has to take responsibility for his actions and choose how he wants to live. He gives Tanrak the freedom to choose his own path in life and faith. And when Father Arnon hugs Tanrak, he gives off the energy of a parent who doesn’t stop loving their child just because they chose a different path than imagined, He’s someone who will always be there, no matter what. Father Arnon is a drop of water in the desert, both in fiction and in real life.
As for the pacing/direction: I was worried about how the story could possibly develop in only 6 episodes. But they were perfection. No need for filler subplots or unnecessary characters. They told the exact story they wanted to tell and delivered the exact message they wanted to get across. If it had been any longer, the plot probably would have gotten lost in unnecessary clutter. Smart writing filled with powerful metaphors and sensitive direction turned this into a little masterpiece.
“If God teaches us to love, but we’re not allowed to love each other, then what’s the point of having God in this world?” If God is love, why would Tanrak’s love for Barth automatically push him away from God? Is loving someone really wrong? Ticket to Heaven isn’t simply a story of religion versus love. It’s about religion AND love. It shows that one doesn’t have to be the enemy of the other, and that they can and Should coexist harmoniously. A little masterpiece about two people who have to rebuild the meaning of love, faith, and freedom after being taught that those things could never go together.
Highly, highly, highly recommended!
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