Love as a form of personal liberation
This drama is so sweet, calm and a bit of a comfort watch and I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I ended up doing. It's quite the slow burn, built around emotional restraint, loneliness, class disparity and the idea that love can become a form of personal liberation.
The drama showcases visual poetry, symbolism and a fairy-tale structure that's character driven rather than plot driven.
The drama didn't feel very conventional, it's more of a modern fairy tale wrapped in soft winter lighting, ocean imagery, quiet music and lingering silences. From the very first episodes in Cuba there's this dreamlike atmosphere where ordinary moments like sharing ramen, walking down the street at night or sitting together in silence have high emotional resonance.
The biggest message I got from this drama is that love can create temporary freedom from suffocating lives. The drama moves gently and deliberately, prioritising mood and emotional texture over plot mechanics.
I appreciated the reverse dynamic between the leads, where the female lead is the cold CEO type who's usually depicted as male in most other dramas and the younger, quirky love interest who is male rather than the usual female; there's another twist to this dynamic in that the male lead although younger, less rich and less powerful than female lead is still the hero who rescues her from the ivory tower. He rescues her by teaching her how to live as a person rather than as a business asset.
What makes this romance work is that it grows through consistency, patience and emotional steadiness. The relationship feels enduring because both characters slowly become a place of rest for each other and the drama takes its time showing how trust is built through countless small acts.
I've been enjoying the older, contemplative Kdramas that showcase "ordinary happiness" and Encounter fits the bill perfectly.
Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo are well matched in their roles. It's my first time watching Park Bo Gum and I really enjoyed him in this role.
Beautiful, atmospheric, thoughtful and vulnerable. I give this drama 8/10
The drama showcases visual poetry, symbolism and a fairy-tale structure that's character driven rather than plot driven.
The drama didn't feel very conventional, it's more of a modern fairy tale wrapped in soft winter lighting, ocean imagery, quiet music and lingering silences. From the very first episodes in Cuba there's this dreamlike atmosphere where ordinary moments like sharing ramen, walking down the street at night or sitting together in silence have high emotional resonance.
The biggest message I got from this drama is that love can create temporary freedom from suffocating lives. The drama moves gently and deliberately, prioritising mood and emotional texture over plot mechanics.
I appreciated the reverse dynamic between the leads, where the female lead is the cold CEO type who's usually depicted as male in most other dramas and the younger, quirky love interest who is male rather than the usual female; there's another twist to this dynamic in that the male lead although younger, less rich and less powerful than female lead is still the hero who rescues her from the ivory tower. He rescues her by teaching her how to live as a person rather than as a business asset.
What makes this romance work is that it grows through consistency, patience and emotional steadiness. The relationship feels enduring because both characters slowly become a place of rest for each other and the drama takes its time showing how trust is built through countless small acts.
I've been enjoying the older, contemplative Kdramas that showcase "ordinary happiness" and Encounter fits the bill perfectly.
Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo are well matched in their roles. It's my first time watching Park Bo Gum and I really enjoyed him in this role.
Beautiful, atmospheric, thoughtful and vulnerable. I give this drama 8/10
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