4
This review may contain spoilers
Maudlin, depressing, heartwarming and uplifting. Wait! That's just the trailer.
It took a bit of effort to start writing this because I'm in two minds about this drama.
I suppose we might as well start from the beginning. The FL played identical twins with different personalities. Both are in a bad place when the show starts. One is labelled a no-hoper just marking time in her hometown while the other is the breadwinner working in Seoul. The fact that she suffers every day at her coveted government job is kept a secret. An existential crisis caused the twins to switch identities.
I’m just going to declare outright that I’m a fan of PBY so two roles in one show is twice the goodness. Bring it on! :)
This series starts promisingly. The show literally doubled down on the fish out of water trope. We see their struggles and how their lives diverge as they grow up. For a single parent family in a country town, their struggle is real. This is also the ground zero of resentment and preconceptions.
As the drama progresses, we watch the twins discover each other's world. One twin would think that the other is living the best life. You can sense their initial resentment and growing confusion as they find out it was not all beer and skittles. There are moments of lightheartedness and small wins, but the daily grind is relentless. There is an unshakable sense of despondency and weariness.
I'm glad to report that PBY came through again. She delivered both roles adroitly. The young actress playing the teenage version also did well. The MLs and most of the support cast are solid actors. Some of the scenes involving the veteran actors are heart-rending. My issues is not with the acting nor production value, but with the pacing and how some of the narratives are handled.
While the first third of the show is engaging and set up the main theme well, the pacing for the middle third is languid and circumspect. Pot boilers are everywhere, and they are set to simmer.
They faced challenges in the workplace and in the friend zone. We are also treated to historical misunderstandings from different perspectives delivered via many flashbacks. I can understand if this is something horrid and unforgivable, but it was almost trivial once the truth came out. It was a life changing moment for our OTP but it feels overblown.
BTW, can someone please drop the Communication Breakdown trope down a deep hole, pretty please? Our twin sleeps next to each other and the ML is their next-door neighbour. A few choice words would have cleared everything up. It was not resolved for 10 YEARS! I get it as a story element but it is definitely head scratching. I suppose the show would be 6 eps instead of 12. (Laugh/cry/facepalm)
Speaking of EP’s, the length of each episode is LONG. We are talking telemovie length. In that sense, the total runtime is on par with a typical 16 eps run. It can be a challenge to sit through one of the bleaker ep. I won't be surprised if a casual viewer throws in the towel. That would be a mistake because the last third of the show is so much better.
The growth in the characters are rewarding and uplifting. It more than compensates for the nadirs. Not only is our OTP in a happy place but there are gains on many fronts. Lots of fan service and rewarding moments packed into the final hours. Huzzah!
Sadly, it is not all rainbows and unicorns. There's a tearjerker twist which signifies a conclusion, releases and new beginnings. Have tissues handy.
Lastly. we have the unresolved 2CP. Granted they look ready to launch but we are left dangling. Enough with the meaningful gazes! Is it too much to ask, dear writer-nim, to grant us one last "seal it with a kiss" scene? We beseech thee!
In the end, this is one show that the sum is greater than its parts. It helps if you FF some of the more draggy bits. Have faith, this show does deliver. I won’t rewatch the whole drama but the last third will be an easy binge for me.
Always remember, “Yesterday is over. Tomorrow is yet to come. Today is yet unknown.” Peace.
I suppose we might as well start from the beginning. The FL played identical twins with different personalities. Both are in a bad place when the show starts. One is labelled a no-hoper just marking time in her hometown while the other is the breadwinner working in Seoul. The fact that she suffers every day at her coveted government job is kept a secret. An existential crisis caused the twins to switch identities.
I’m just going to declare outright that I’m a fan of PBY so two roles in one show is twice the goodness. Bring it on! :)
This series starts promisingly. The show literally doubled down on the fish out of water trope. We see their struggles and how their lives diverge as they grow up. For a single parent family in a country town, their struggle is real. This is also the ground zero of resentment and preconceptions.
As the drama progresses, we watch the twins discover each other's world. One twin would think that the other is living the best life. You can sense their initial resentment and growing confusion as they find out it was not all beer and skittles. There are moments of lightheartedness and small wins, but the daily grind is relentless. There is an unshakable sense of despondency and weariness.
I'm glad to report that PBY came through again. She delivered both roles adroitly. The young actress playing the teenage version also did well. The MLs and most of the support cast are solid actors. Some of the scenes involving the veteran actors are heart-rending. My issues is not with the acting nor production value, but with the pacing and how some of the narratives are handled.
While the first third of the show is engaging and set up the main theme well, the pacing for the middle third is languid and circumspect. Pot boilers are everywhere, and they are set to simmer.
They faced challenges in the workplace and in the friend zone. We are also treated to historical misunderstandings from different perspectives delivered via many flashbacks. I can understand if this is something horrid and unforgivable, but it was almost trivial once the truth came out. It was a life changing moment for our OTP but it feels overblown.
BTW, can someone please drop the Communication Breakdown trope down a deep hole, pretty please? Our twin sleeps next to each other and the ML is their next-door neighbour. A few choice words would have cleared everything up. It was not resolved for 10 YEARS! I get it as a story element but it is definitely head scratching. I suppose the show would be 6 eps instead of 12. (Laugh/cry/facepalm)
Speaking of EP’s, the length of each episode is LONG. We are talking telemovie length. In that sense, the total runtime is on par with a typical 16 eps run. It can be a challenge to sit through one of the bleaker ep. I won't be surprised if a casual viewer throws in the towel. That would be a mistake because the last third of the show is so much better.
The growth in the characters are rewarding and uplifting. It more than compensates for the nadirs. Not only is our OTP in a happy place but there are gains on many fronts. Lots of fan service and rewarding moments packed into the final hours. Huzzah!
Sadly, it is not all rainbows and unicorns. There's a tearjerker twist which signifies a conclusion, releases and new beginnings. Have tissues handy.
Lastly. we have the unresolved 2CP. Granted they look ready to launch but we are left dangling. Enough with the meaningful gazes! Is it too much to ask, dear writer-nim, to grant us one last "seal it with a kiss" scene? We beseech thee!
In the end, this is one show that the sum is greater than its parts. It helps if you FF some of the more draggy bits. Have faith, this show does deliver. I won’t rewatch the whole drama but the last third will be an easy binge for me.
Always remember, “Yesterday is over. Tomorrow is yet to come. Today is yet unknown.” Peace.
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