This review may contain spoilers
Solid Premise, Uneven Execution
(Watched 9 episodes then read episode summaries for episodes 10-12)
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Our Unwritten Soeul starts off incredibly well. The opening episodes are tightly written, emotionally engaging, and hook you right away. The identical twin-switch premise is handled with intrigue and care, setting up a compelling foundation for the story.
What truly elevates the drama is the acting. Park Bo Young plays both twins as adults, while Lee Jae In portrays both twins in their teenage years. Since the characters are identical twins, the show cleverly uses the same actors for both roles, which means both actresses are essentially acting opposite themselves in many scenes. Despite playing two people who look exactly alike, they bring out the unique personalities, emotional differences, and inner struggles of each twin. It’s a demanding challenge, but they pull it off with nuance and conviction, making each character feel distinct and authentic.
However, the drama starts to lose its momentum around the end of episode 6, right when Yoo Mi Ji and Lee Ho Su get together. That moment felt like a natural, satisfying conclusion, and if the twins had switched back at that point followed by the confession, it could have served as a powerful emotional peak. Instead, the show delays the switch, which weakens the payoff and drags out the tension unnecessarily.
The subplot where Mi Ji lies about being Mi Rae when Ho Su runs into people from his university adds nothing meaningful to the story. It comes off as filler and does little to move the plot forward or deepen the characters.
When the switch finally does happen, it feels rushed, and the aftermath is surprisingly underwhelming. Practically everyone either finds out or is simply told by the twins that they had switched, which deflates the dramatic tension that had been carefully built in the first half of the show.
Park Sang Yeong’s sudden decision to tell the Director about the switch also feels out of place. Earlier in the same episode, he explicitly mentioned that he owed Mi Rae something and wanted to repay her by helping her in some way, which made his actions seem supportive and trustworthy. However, later on in that episode, he ends up revealing the truth, and from my standpoint, it felt inconsistent and unearned. I was skipping a little because the pacing was getting slower and slower, so I may have missed a few details, but the shift in his character didn’t feel properly built up or justified within the story.
The episode runtime, around 1 hour and 20 minutes each, becomes more of a burden as the drama progresses. While the longer format works in the beginning, the slower pacing in the second half makes each episode feel more drawn out than necessary.
In summary, this drama starts strong, with a gripping concept and stellar dual performances by Park Bo Young and Lee Jae In. Unfortunately, it loses momentum in the second half, with pacing issues and missed opportunities holding it back from being great. It’s still worth watching for the acting and early episodes, but don’t expect it to stick the landing.
-
Our Unwritten Soeul starts off incredibly well. The opening episodes are tightly written, emotionally engaging, and hook you right away. The identical twin-switch premise is handled with intrigue and care, setting up a compelling foundation for the story.
What truly elevates the drama is the acting. Park Bo Young plays both twins as adults, while Lee Jae In portrays both twins in their teenage years. Since the characters are identical twins, the show cleverly uses the same actors for both roles, which means both actresses are essentially acting opposite themselves in many scenes. Despite playing two people who look exactly alike, they bring out the unique personalities, emotional differences, and inner struggles of each twin. It’s a demanding challenge, but they pull it off with nuance and conviction, making each character feel distinct and authentic.
However, the drama starts to lose its momentum around the end of episode 6, right when Yoo Mi Ji and Lee Ho Su get together. That moment felt like a natural, satisfying conclusion, and if the twins had switched back at that point followed by the confession, it could have served as a powerful emotional peak. Instead, the show delays the switch, which weakens the payoff and drags out the tension unnecessarily.
The subplot where Mi Ji lies about being Mi Rae when Ho Su runs into people from his university adds nothing meaningful to the story. It comes off as filler and does little to move the plot forward or deepen the characters.
When the switch finally does happen, it feels rushed, and the aftermath is surprisingly underwhelming. Practically everyone either finds out or is simply told by the twins that they had switched, which deflates the dramatic tension that had been carefully built in the first half of the show.
Park Sang Yeong’s sudden decision to tell the Director about the switch also feels out of place. Earlier in the same episode, he explicitly mentioned that he owed Mi Rae something and wanted to repay her by helping her in some way, which made his actions seem supportive and trustworthy. However, later on in that episode, he ends up revealing the truth, and from my standpoint, it felt inconsistent and unearned. I was skipping a little because the pacing was getting slower and slower, so I may have missed a few details, but the shift in his character didn’t feel properly built up or justified within the story.
The episode runtime, around 1 hour and 20 minutes each, becomes more of a burden as the drama progresses. While the longer format works in the beginning, the slower pacing in the second half makes each episode feel more drawn out than necessary.
In summary, this drama starts strong, with a gripping concept and stellar dual performances by Park Bo Young and Lee Jae In. Unfortunately, it loses momentum in the second half, with pacing issues and missed opportunities holding it back from being great. It’s still worth watching for the acting and early episodes, but don’t expect it to stick the landing.
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