44
171
8
1
1
1
6
1
5
6
2
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
5
7
A rollercoaster ride of powerful emotions and heartbreaking moments
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75 (rounding up to 9.0)
It’s hard to describe if I love or LOVE “We Are All Trying Here”. This title aptly matches what every single character is going through. There are so many emotional and special moments that it was hard to pinpoint which I love the best. But the first that came to mind is the end of ep 3, ML’s realization of who he truly is after the accident. What a powerful, powerful moment!!
Having said that, in the end, it didn’t quite hit me in the rating scale as “My Liberation Notes” (between 9.0-9.5). That is not to say “We Are All Trying Here” is not as good, it just brings out different emotions, and for someone like me who loves romance, the romance in MLN hits differently and leaves a deeper impact. I mean, there's Mr. Gu in MLN. But I also LOVE the romance here. It just hits differently.
Even though the drama follows the career of Hwang Dong Man (ML), I think the focus is on the different relationships in this drama. I am not talking about just the romance between Hwang Dong Man and Byeong Eun A (FL). In addition to this romance, we have the complicated friendship/competition within The Eight, different family dynamics, co-workers support/competition/camaraderie, traumatic history, and more. Each character brings out a different emotion in me. Some I want to strangle, some I want to hug, some I want to be friends with and some I want to punch. Even for Hwang Dong Man, he did not have a very likable introduction, but I’ve grown to love him.
I want to highlight a few of those special relationships:
Huang Dong Man + Byeong Eun A = Love this pair. They are soulmates with extremely different personalities. Their “Unknowns” break my heart. Their romance is so subtle yet so powerful. They show a different side of themselves when alone. They share their darkest secrets, deepest fears, full emotions, honest feelings and open communication. I am so happy that they found each other.
Hwang Dong Man + Park Gyeong Se = I have to say, I was a little annoyed by their back-and-forth childish behavior in the first half of the drama, and I might have found it a little repetitive. But I was deeply moved when I learned about their deep friendship, and Hwang Dong Man’s confessions and regrets. That confession is one of the highlights of the show for me.
Ko Hye Jin + Park Gyong Se = I love Ko Hye Jin. She’s such a kickass bosslady. I enjoy witnessing the dynamics and relationship between them. Their heartbreaking realization towards the end was further magnified by these two veteran actors' excellent performances.
Hwang Dong Man + Hwang Jin Man = These brothers have an unconventional way of caring and protecting each other. I wanted a little more of their past, but maybe the writer wants me to fill in the blanks given what I’ve been told.
I really didn’t have any expectations coming into this, even with all the rave reviews I’ve seen. I wasn’t sure if it’s really my cup of tea but I was craving something melo. In the end, I am so glad I chose to watch this, and will recommend “We Are All Trying Here” wholeheartedly if you are looking for powerful stories about deeply flawed characters. The acting is terrific all around and their stories bring me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This drama might not have hot oppas (trust me, there isn’t any) but the real plot is enough to keep you engaged and entertained.
Completed: 5/27/2026 Review #690
It’s hard to describe if I love or LOVE “We Are All Trying Here”. This title aptly matches what every single character is going through. There are so many emotional and special moments that it was hard to pinpoint which I love the best. But the first that came to mind is the end of ep 3, ML’s realization of who he truly is after the accident. What a powerful, powerful moment!!
Having said that, in the end, it didn’t quite hit me in the rating scale as “My Liberation Notes” (between 9.0-9.5). That is not to say “We Are All Trying Here” is not as good, it just brings out different emotions, and for someone like me who loves romance, the romance in MLN hits differently and leaves a deeper impact. I mean, there's Mr. Gu in MLN. But I also LOVE the romance here. It just hits differently.
Even though the drama follows the career of Hwang Dong Man (ML), I think the focus is on the different relationships in this drama. I am not talking about just the romance between Hwang Dong Man and Byeong Eun A (FL). In addition to this romance, we have the complicated friendship/competition within The Eight, different family dynamics, co-workers support/competition/camaraderie, traumatic history, and more. Each character brings out a different emotion in me. Some I want to strangle, some I want to hug, some I want to be friends with and some I want to punch. Even for Hwang Dong Man, he did not have a very likable introduction, but I’ve grown to love him.
I want to highlight a few of those special relationships:
Huang Dong Man + Byeong Eun A = Love this pair. They are soulmates with extremely different personalities. Their “Unknowns” break my heart. Their romance is so subtle yet so powerful. They show a different side of themselves when alone. They share their darkest secrets, deepest fears, full emotions, honest feelings and open communication. I am so happy that they found each other.
Hwang Dong Man + Park Gyeong Se = I have to say, I was a little annoyed by their back-and-forth childish behavior in the first half of the drama, and I might have found it a little repetitive. But I was deeply moved when I learned about their deep friendship, and Hwang Dong Man’s confessions and regrets. That confession is one of the highlights of the show for me.
Ko Hye Jin + Park Gyong Se = I love Ko Hye Jin. She’s such a kickass bosslady. I enjoy witnessing the dynamics and relationship between them. Their heartbreaking realization towards the end was further magnified by these two veteran actors' excellent performances.
Hwang Dong Man + Hwang Jin Man = These brothers have an unconventional way of caring and protecting each other. I wanted a little more of their past, but maybe the writer wants me to fill in the blanks given what I’ve been told.
I really didn’t have any expectations coming into this, even with all the rave reviews I’ve seen. I wasn’t sure if it’s really my cup of tea but I was craving something melo. In the end, I am so glad I chose to watch this, and will recommend “We Are All Trying Here” wholeheartedly if you are looking for powerful stories about deeply flawed characters. The acting is terrific all around and their stories bring me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This drama might not have hot oppas (trust me, there isn’t any) but the real plot is enough to keep you engaged and entertained.
Completed: 5/27/2026 Review #690
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