The journey is the goal? - Endearing with a side of heartache
(If you want a easy going viewing experience: watch until episode 10. They have a great trip together! It's sweet.)I started watching this show knowing fully well how it would go. Well, people said it went badly... they were right. Kinda!
But not really!
**FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The show started off strong with our refreshing Na Hee Do being a fierce strong willed protagonist.
The writer makes smart moves, using Na Hee Do's daughter as a framing device through which the story is told. In present day (2022) she reads her mother's old diary entries. Flashbacks done right!
Na Hee Do knows exactly what she wants to achieve and does her best, overcoming adversity and making new friends along the way. Rivalry turn sinto friendship and their bond is so heartwarming to witness. The entire friendgroup get up to funny adventures that truly reflect the stage in life of growing up and becoming young adults. Everything feels so real. So important. Feelings are felt stronger during that youthful time.
But when looking back, you realize that such feelings are fleeting. Ouch! This drama stings, but in a good way!
**CAST:
The acting is certainly the highlight of this show, with incredible performances throughout. The main cast of four were amazing. Na Hee Do's and Go Yu Rim's friendship is so refreshing. Especially the chemistry between Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk was off the charts. It makes want to see them act as a couple again in another drama.
The only lacking performance to me was Kim So Hyun's who portrays an older Na Hee Do. Her portrayal of Na Hee Do seems like an entirely different character to Kim Tae Ri's version. And it is completely worse because of it. I don't know whether it was due to lacking direction, but the older Na Hee Do lacks the emotional nuance of her younger self.
**MUSIC:
If you're somehow disencouraged to watch this drama to due other reviews, I'd totally recommend giving the OST a listen. Usually I only pick out 1 or 2 songs I like in a soundtrack, but this drama's OST is worth listening to in its entirety.
My personal favorites are tracks 3 (Bibi - Very, slowly), 4 (Wonstein - Your Existence) and 7 (With). The latter is sung by the main cast and is very cute.
**ENDING, or rather the last quarter:
The first three quarters are fantastic and I would completely recommend watching up to episode 10 as stated previously.
But from that point onward the pacing is all over the place. I'd say it's okay until the final 2 episodes. Our previously strong willed unstoppable protagonist Na Hee Do suddenly is capable of giving up. Not only that, but rather easily?
At least that is the tonal whiplash you get as a viewer. Baek Yi Jin similarly changes, but his change doesn't seem as drastic. He was already characterized as someone who suffers quietly. But not to this extent.
This might be controversial, but I don't mind the ending. At least not nearly as much as other people.
I get what they were going for, but the story might have benefitted from an additional episode.
Turns out, the framing device I initially praised was next to pointless. The more you think about it, the worse it gets.
They needed more time to establish distance, that way the final 2 episodes could have reached their full potential.
As it stands, it's a weird 8/10 for me. The strong beginning paired with equally strong performances make the ending more forgiveable. Also, it introduced me to this beautiful OST.
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