Every once in a while, a show comes along that I feel grateful to have met. This, my friends, is one of those times.
I had very little idea of what to expect, going into this show, and I’m glad for it. Because, Show then had free rein to tell its story without having to work through any preconceptions on my part, and what a unique, affecting, beautiful story this turned out to be.
If you trust me enough; if your taste in dramas is anything like mine; if you haven’t seen this one; even if you don’t usually like dramas with a fantasy element – do make time for it. It is that special. ❤️
OST INSTRUMENTALS: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE
I loved the instrumental tracks in this show’s OST; here are some of them, in case you’d like to listen to them while reading the review.
MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THIS SHOW
Even though I went into this show with very little knowledge of what I was getting into, and therefore without much idea of what it was about, I found that I liked this one right away.
Right at episode 1, Show felt solid and relatable to me, even with its fantasy element. The people in this world felt real, and their struggles, recognizable and relatable. Hye Ja’s (Han Ji Min) life isn’t whitewashed to be cute for television.
[MINOR SPOILERS]
Hye Ja’s mom’s (Lee Jung Eun) salon is falling apart, even as Mom is working hard to support the family, and Dad (Ahn Nae Sang) doesn’t look like he makes much, driving his taxi.
And yet, they do whatever they can to support Hye Ja’s dream of becoming a news anchor.
That is so earthy and sweet. Hye Ja taking on voice work for p0rn movies is such a huge wake-up call. It gives her the pleasure of being able to give money to her parents, but it devastates her on the inside.
How poignant, and also, how true to life.
[END SPOILERS]
At first, I kind of wished there wasn’t a fantasy element in this show, because I felt like Show didn’t actually need it in order to feel meaty and interesting. But, Show’s fantasy element turns out to be its strength, which I can now say with 20/20 hindsight.
In the meantime, during my watch, I never could tell what was going to happen next, which I considered a very good thing.
My advice? Just put your trust in Show and let it take you where it wants to; it’ll be worth the journey, I firmly believe.
STUFF I LIKED
It’s actually pretty hard to talk about Show’s narrative in specifics, because Something happens in Show’s late stretch that makes it hard to talk about Show in almost any capacity without being spoilery.
So let me just say, very vaguely, that Show is really well-written, with a lot of thought, care, and heart poured into every character, plot point and narrative quirk.
I very much appreciate writer-nim for this, and PD-nim, for bringing everything to life in such an earthy yet dreamy manner. Also, kudos to our cast, who all did an amazing job of their roles.
Here, I’m just going to give some of our major characters the quick spotlight.
Han Ji Min as young Hye Ja
After Han Ji Min’s very winning turn in Familiar Wife, I was excited to see her cast in this, and I’m happy to say, Han Ji Min did not disappoint.
Han Ji Min plays young Hye Ja with a vibrancy and vulnerability that I found perfect for her character, even though young Hye Ja is a good 12 years younger than Han Ji Min’s real age. Kudos to Han Ji Min for delivering Hye Ja with so much heart and raw honesty.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Right away in episode 1, I found myself liking Hye Ja a lot.
There is so much raw honesty in Hye Ja coming to terms with her fears and inadequacy around becoming a news anchor, with said inadequacy pointedly highlighted by Joon Ha (Nam Joo Hyuk), and it’s so great that she articulates it all, to Joon Ha, even though she barely knows him.
Because he’s the one who made her face her truth, she spills it without embellishment, when she sees him at the demonstration, and I couldn’t help but admire her for that.
She’s willing to be honest, and be uncomfortable while being honest, because she sincerely values honesty and will put herself out there to hold herself to that value, even if she embarrasses herself in the process. She endeared herself to me so much, in this moment.
I love too, that Hye Ja is such a generous person. Even though she’s just met Joon Ha, when she realizes that he has much regret in his life, she offers to fix it for him with her magic watch, even though she’s banned herself from using it because of the post-timeslip consequences.
Sure, she’s tipsy when she offers this to him, but she’s sincere in that moment, and I was struck by how giving Hye Ja is, as a person.
[END SPOILER]
Kim Hye Ja as older Hye Ja
Kim Hye Ja is effortlessly natural as Hye Ja, regardless of the narrative context.
From Hye Ja’s moments of bright verve, to the times of cautious hope, to her moments of sadness and despair, Kim Hye Ja delivers in a consummate manner that just makes me believe that she really is the character.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Here are just a handful of highlights featuring older Hye Ja, which I particularly enjoyed.
E3. It was a relief to see Hye Ja come out of her self-imposed prison, and also, eventually give up on running away, but it was a whole different kind of heart-wrenching to watch her try so hard to be strong and cheerful for her parents’ sake, while her parents try to be strong and stable for her sake.
Hye Ja’s overly bright smiles hide the silent tears that match the ones burgeoning in her parents’ eyes.
The sight of Mom having to take a break to cry while dyeing Hye Ja’s silver strands dark, is just so heartbreaking. And Dad always looks like he’s 2 seconds away from losing control over the tears in his eyes.
The scene of him taking Hye Ja to get reading glasses is quietly heartbreaking too. But the most poignant thing of all, is that Hye Ja tells Dad that because she gained something precious from it, it’s all worth it.
Augh. Hye Ja’s willing to have paid this price, because she managed to save Dad. My heart.
E4. The situation with Hye Ja and Dad and the lunchbox is nicely teased out.
At first, it looks like Dad’s being ungrateful by not eating the lunches that Hye Ja packs, but when Hye Ja really sees how hard Dad has to work, that he misses his lunch, and even gets insulted by other people, that changes everything.
I love how Hye Ja rushes in to stand up for Dad, even though she has to pretend to be his mom. In turn, Dad makes an effort to eat the anchovies which he hates, to make Hye Ja happy.
It sounds like such a small thing, but it’s a thing that’s significant to the both of them, and this whole lunchbox incident seems to be just the thing to draw them closer together.
E6. It is sweet to see Hye Ja connecting with the prickly aloof Lady Chanel and them becoming friends, and it’s really nice to see that Hye Ja’s friendship is the thing to melt Lady Chanel’s cold facade. Aw.
E9. Hye Ja fiercely fighting on Joon Ha’s behalf, even though she’s a powerless granny that no one will listen to, is just moving to behold.
She fights for him because he has no one else, not because she has the power to affect the investigation. She’s moved by her loyalty to him, and that’s so touching.
This brought home to me again, just how pure-hearted Hye Ja is, and what a blessing she is to the people around her.
[END SPOILERS]
Nam Joo Hyuk as Joon Ha
I’ve enjoyed Nam Joo Hyuk before (most recently in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo), and I must say, dude seems to be upping his acting game; this is literally the best I’ve seen of Nam Joo Hyuk, ever. Which is a very good thing indeed.
For a start, I love the studied, thoughtful air that he gives Joon Ha. There’s something very reflective and philosophical about him, which Nam Joo Hyuk brings out, from the twitch of his gaze to the gentle nuances of his body language.
I found Joon Ha very appealing in his quiet thoughtfulness.
On top of that, I must say that Nam Joo Hyuk does an impressive job of the more difficult scenes; a better job than I originally thought him capable of. Serious kudos, I say.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Here are just two examples of scenes where I came away impressed by Nam Joo Hyuk’s delivery.
E2. The scene where Joon Ha hurts himself in order to get his dad away from his grandma (Kim Seung Chul and Kim Young Ok) is really quite dark.
The look in his eyes is really a little on the unhinged side of things, like he’s on the verge of losing his mind, a little bit. Such a huge change from the thoughtful, stable Joon Ha that we met in episode 1.
E9. Nam Joon Hyuk does really well this episode. In the wake of Lady Chanel’s death, with Joon Ha then being accused of murder, Joon Ha’s shock, eventually giving way to grief, and then despair, is so well fleshed out.
I don’t know what or where he’s pulling it out from, but this is the best I’ve seen from Nam Joon Hyuk, period.
[END SPOILERS]
Special shout-outs:
Sohn Ho Jun as Yeong Soo
Yeong Soo is Hye Ja’s annoying Oppa with a heart, and Sohn Ho Jun does a great job of making Yeong Soo impossibly idiotic, but also, impossible to hate.
I mean, Oppa gets more annoying with each episode, which is amazing to me, because with each new milestone, I didn’t think that there’d be more ways that he could be annoying. But, Yeong Soo is the harmless kind of annoying, so I learned to just marvel at his ridiculous antics and laugh along.
Additionally, the thing that makes Yeong Soo impossible to hate, is that underneath his absurdly annoying ways, he really does care about the people around him.
[SPOILER ALERT]
In episode 3, when Hye Ja’s parents are struggling to adjust to her new, older appearance, there’s something assuring about the way Yeong Soo falls right back into treating Hye Ja the exact same way he’s always treated her, even if that means ordering her around and bullying her.
It means that he does see her as exactly the same, and there’s just something very assuring about that.
[END SPOILER]
The three gal pals
I loved Hye Ja’s friendship with Hyun Joo and Sang Eun (Kim Ga Eun and Song Sang Eun), in every time and form that we see it.
There’s something really sweet about the fact that the three of them are completely different in personality and temperament from one another, and yet, are the tightest of besties.
[SPOILER ALERT]
In episode 3, when Hye Ja tells Hyun Joo and Sang Eun about her fantastical transformation, it’s so lovely that they believe her and accept her, the minute she tells them her tall tale.
Even though their deeply ingrained manners prevent them from treating her casually so easily, I love that they continue to hang out with her, and are there for her, pretty much the same as before.
I also appreciate the arc in episode 8, where Show explores the challenges of an older Hye Ja having two much younger besties. I found the treatment of this arc organic and believable.
It’s so poignant and true to life, that Hye Ja would want to continue being friends with Hyun Joo and Sang Eun, but find it hard to keep up in her older body.
Or that Hye Ja would find it more comfortable being around other people who would be able to empathize with her struggles, only to have Hyun Joo and Sang Eun feel strange and left out of her life.
I like how Show resolves it, with Hyun Joo and Sang Eun firmly pooh-poohing Hye Ja’s question of whether they wanted to continue being friends with her, and even making the effort to get involved in the Hyo Ja Exhibition Hall activities, so that Hye Ja’s social worlds would intersect. How sweet. ❤️
[END SPOILERS]
THEMES / IDEAS
This show feels really rich in terms of themes and ideas, more so than the average drama, I think. Each episode really did have quite the thought-provoking effect on me, with Show’s themes and ideas sometimes leaping off my screen to confront me.
Here are some of the themes and ideas that resonated with me the most.
[SPOILER ALERT]
1. The idea of being noticed – even if it’s via harsh criticism – in order to feel alive.
Poor Sang Eun, who felt so invisible, as she strived to sing better at the agency, where nobody paid her any attention whatsoever, who then cried tears of relief, at receiving the harsh criticism from netizens.
2. The idea of everything in life having a price, and then the idea that that price isn’t one that you’d be able to bear.
Hye Ja thought she’d saved Dad, but in saving his life, she’d taken away his leg. And in the aftermath, there were so many ripple effects, like the impact his poorer health had on his mood, his ability to work, and on his marriage as well.
3. The idea of regrets. If you had the ability to turn back time and do things over, would you, and what would you do over? And what would be the price you’d be willing to pay, to do it over?
4. The idea of learning to live with the consequences of your actions, even if your actions have left your life in shambles.
5. The idea that you can’t fight fate and win. Hye Ja fought so hard to prevent Dad’s death, but is paying such a heavy price for it personally. On top of that, her family pays a heavy price that they don’t even realize.
6. The idea of friendship, and how that doesn’t have to be boxed in by social boundaries.
7. The idea of how society views the elderly. Hye Ja’s confrontation with the snide young man at the plastic surgery clinic showcases society’s expectations of the elderly, where they’re supposed to just be silent and invisible, and not have the audacity to want to look nice, or talk back when they’re disparaged.
8. The idea of treasuring oneself, even if no one else does. That’s the powerful message Hye Ja gives Joon Ha, even as he collapses in despair, and that’s the message that Lady Chanel should have received, for it might have saved her life.
[END SPOILER]
THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE 10 REVEAL [MAJOR SPOILER]
What a rollercoaster of an episode, with a fun and funny old people adventure where the oldies not in danger band together to save the oldies who are in danger, and also, Joon Ha, who’s been kidnapped.
And there’s Yeong Soo trapping himself in the car trunk and inadvertently getting sent to Africa, only to have all of that come to a screeching head and spin on itself, to reveal the biggest twist of all: this is all in Hye Ja’s mind as she struggles with Alzheimer’s. Woah.
It’s no wonder the entire show has felt strange and sometimes fantastical, even with its fantasy premise. Some portions feel surreal, as if we’re watching some kind of dreamscape, and now, we know that it has been a dreamscape of sorts.
Everything suddenly looks different now. Mom and Dad are actually Hye Ja’s son and daughter-in-law, and Yeong Soo is actually her grandson. And they’ve all been humoring her and working to care for her, while she’s likely babbled fantastical based on her fragments of memories.
This whole story is Hye Ja’s now handicapped brain trying to make sense of the various memory fragments that she still has. How heartrending.
Also, everything comes into focus in a whole new way, with this reveal.
Prior to this reveal, everything had felt surreal, kind of like a camera trying to come into focus, but not quite getting there. With this reveal, it feels like that camera has finally come into focus, and we see everything – literally everything – in a whole new light.
Nicely done, Show. Really nicely done. *slow applause*
QUICK THOUGHTS ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODE [SPOILERS]
Augh. What a painful yet beautiful episode.
That shot of Hye Ja lying motionless in her hospital bed, then panning to show us young and vibrant Hye Ja, out with her friends, happily anticipating her first date with Joon Ha, is just gloriously bittersweet.
It’s sad that Hye Ja is confined to a hospital bed with no cure for her condition, but it’s so poignant to see that her mind is in that space where she was young and hopeful and so full of life.
It’s almost like she’s in an alternate reality, in her mind, which is exactly how we’ve experienced the first 10 episodes of this show.
I found it poignant yet comforting to watch the scenes detailing Hye Ja’s younger days with her friends, and her deep love for yet deep frustration with Joon Ha. It’s such a contrast to her present reality of being weak and old, with her slipping in and out of lucidity.
But at the same time, it’s somehow comforting to me, that in her mind, and in her youth, Hye Ja is truly alive.
What a tilt on our perception, as we see the various characters populating Hye Ja’s Alzheimer’s-affected fantasy world, now showing up similar-but-different in the real world.
The other visitors to the exhibition hall are fellow patients at the hospital, and the shady folks running the hall are staff at the hospital. It really shows us how Hye Ja’s worlds crisscross.
I’m so touched by Hye Ja’s moment with her daughter-in-law. So much gratitude and penitence and empathy, at the same time. I’m so moved by Hye Ja’s apology, and her earnest request that her daughter-in-law free herself from her burdens and finally live for herself.
It occurs to me that Hye Ja is still deeply in love with Joon Ha, decades after they first married, and decades after his death.
Even in her final days, as she struggles with Alzheimer’s, he’s clearly the love of her life. Gulp. That’s just so beautiful.
THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]
I was a touch reluctant to go into this finale, partly because I didn’t want to say goodbye to this show, and partly because I kind of knew that this final episode would tug at my heartstrings, and hard.
I’m grateful that Show serves up a generous amount of sweetness to temper the sadness.
It was heartbreaking to see Hye Ja’s condition worsening over the course of the episode, because I knew in my gut that the inevitable would come.
In the meantime, though, I was moved to tears when Dae Sang realizes that Mom had been sweeping the path near his home of snow all these years, because she was afraid he would slip and fall.
This is the moment that he finally understands that behind all her tough words, she had always loved and cared for him. When Dae Sang says to Hye Ja, who doesn’t remember him, that her son wouldn’t know, Hye Ja smiles and says simply that as long as he didn’t fall, that was enough.
Oof. What quiet, unwavering love.
When Dae Sang weeps, my heart wept with him. What a momentous lifting of a burden that he’s carried on his heart, all these years, to finally understand his mother’s heart.
I loved, too, the quiet determination of Dae Sang’s wife, to continue to care for her mother-in-law, even though her mother-in-law doesn’t remember her anymore. Her acts of love spoke so loudly, of how grateful she is to Hye Ja, for her care and support over the years.
The flashbacks to Hye Ja’s youth, where we see her rejoicing in her marriage to Joon Ha, and embracing the changes and challenges of parenthood, were so precious.
At the same time, it was heartbreaking to see this bliss being shattered when Joon Ha is detained and eventually dies while in detention. How awful. And then to see little Dae Sang then get in an accident that resulted in him losing his leg, even more tragic.
Through it all, we see Hye Ja grit her teeth, blink back the tears in her eyes, and just bear down to keep on keeping on.
While it’s completely heartbreaking to see Hye Ja’s bubble of familial happiness burst into thin air, it’s equally moving to see how she draws on those memories to keep her going.
Joon Ha may not have been with Hye Ja for much of her life, but he never left her heart in the decades that followed his death.
Finally, when Hye Ja reaches the end of her life, no longer tormented by the desire to get back Joon Ha’s lost watch, but her eyes fixed only on the love of her life, my heart couldn’t help but surge with emotion.
It feels like a moment she’s waited for all her life; to be reunited with the one that she loves; the one that she wishes to spend eternity with.
And it feels like Joon Ha’s been waiting for her all this time too, quietly patient until the day that Hye Ja’s done with the requirements of her earthly journey, so that she’d be free to join him for a shared heavenly one.
Beyond this lovely, bittersweet reunion, Show also leaves me with lingering thoughts, of how Hye Ja was dealt a hard lot in life, but managed to make the most of her happy memories, to live a life that she ultimately finds worthwhile and fulfilling.
Thank you, Show, for reminding us that we can find beauty and meaning, even amid the sorrow; that we can all live our best lives, no matter who we are or what we face.
A lesson worth learning indeed. ❤️
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Poignant, beautiful and pure.
FINAL GRADE: A
TEASERS:
MVs:
WHERE TO WATCH:
You can check out this show on Viki here.
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I went into this show thinking it would be a lighthearted comedy and love story I needes to lighten up my mood during a time of sadness. I laughed and laughed and then bam, the big reveal happened and my heart broke. I was so upset when the truth came out I stopped watching for a few days. It was hard for me emotionally to finish the series when I was in a bad place in my life but I’m glad I stuck with it because this series is unique and the actors were brilliant. I’m watching it for a second time now 2 years later. I’m going to cry again many times but it will be worth it.
I still remember watching this drama back in 2019 and I cried a lot and I still do ,this is really one of those dramas which I would want to watch for the first time again and again,coz that feeling was just out of this world ,it was simply so pure and beautiful
I started this show on a whim, in search of something light for some instant romantic gratification, and I got…definitely not that (why Viki has this tagged as a “Romantic Comedy” and literally nothing else is beyond me). but i kept with it, because the characters were so charming and i was only a week or so out from finishing Twenty Five Twenty One and instantly spotting Nam Joo Hyuk and deciding ah yes if nothing else I will keep watching for him.
i didn’t know what i was getting into, obviously. but God, what a wonderful and bittersweet ride! i loved almost every minute and ate through it in a few days (sometimes watching at inadvisable times but we don’t have to talk about that). i could be in stitches one second over Old People Heists or Oppa Idiocy then in tears because Joon Ha just! cannot catch a break! and that episode ten twist at the end after the fun (and danger! because i do confess to liking my heroes a tiny bit unheroic and a tiny bit beaten up) of the rest of the episode i did not see coming! and tbh i wasn’t totally sure how to feel about it at first, but the way everything came together in the last two episodes was nothing short of amazing. thank you for putting this wonderful poignant series that i might’ve otherwise overlooked on my radar
(now will i check out Nam Joo Hyuk’s other projects? almost definitely ha)
Hi Reem, that’s so great, that you loved this show even though it wasn’t a romantic comedy like you were expecting. Nam Joo Hyuk’s really come into his own as an actor, I have to agree. I thought he did great in The School Nurse Files, though that show is so different and quirky that it doesn’t have a great deal of mainstream appeal. If you’re looking for a Nam Joo Hyuk rom-com, I highly recommend Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. LOVED that one, and I can verify that it is, indeed, a rom-com. 😁
So it was just yesterday, I was a young man in my late twenties, down at the bottom of Grand Canyon, the ribbon of sky high above a shoal of stars peaking out of the deep purple firmament, glittering diamonds, the black schist and granite, nearby inner canyon walls still radiated heat almost all the way to the river, making its quiet sounds, maybe the wash of a rapid a half mile away one way or the other, the water lapping the shore, warm sand under our feet as we made our way away from the rest of our group to find a secluded spot and do what young people have always done on such a night in such a place. It was just an affair of the moment, although I still remember her face, her hair, her name…and I also remember, yuk, her breath smelled horribly bad. Just yesterday, I ran rivers, walked across deserts, climbed up waterfalls, made love to beautiful young women. And just like that, I woke up this morning alone in my bed again to find the same anvil in my lower back falling the same perpetual three inches as it has everyday for months, and I but a half month away from becoming 75 with all aging’s attendant complaints, not the least of which knowing there was a time in my life, just yesterday, when I was beautiful.
This metaphor…of one moment being young, the next still young at heart and spirit, but old carried the better part of the first half of the show for me; even though I am really leery of time travel shows, it felt so effing true.
I dropped show right away on first watch cause…well I just have a problem with fantasy elements, but I am glad so many here in so many posts have chatted it up, encouraging me to give it a second look. A beautiful show, and this along with its classic sageuks is exactly the kind of show that distinguishes K Drama from dramatic serial television in the rest of the world–while being utterly faithful to its time and place, unflinching in its ability to address the difficulties facing those facing their steady decline into the end of life.
Fortunate with its raft of distinguished elder actors, the queen among them Kim Hye Ja; its mature character actors, Ahn Nae Sang–so solid in so many other roles, given the opportunity to really stretch in this from generous arms-open-wide dad to bitter and utterly disheartened, disfigured man old before his years, not so very different if one reflects upon it, from his character’s father’s youthful morose moodiness–and my out and out favorite female supporting actor–Lee Jung Eun, who can play any role with a range of emotion going from utterly understated to pitch perfect broken down, from tough and open-eyed to touchingly warm and embracing, an actor in every role who raises the game of everyone with whom she is onscreen with an almost egoless generosity–I want to watch everything she is in; I wish I had married her when I was her age and the both of us young.
Loved the younger supporting cast as well, the inestimably attractive Kim Ga Eun and Son Ho Jun (too bad we did not get a chance to see him wake up in Zanzibar), got a kick out of some of the cameos, not the least of which Choi Moo Sung as the egg guy, and a shout out to old pro Woo Hyun for his dog dish faced, macho, spurned suitor and all around ready, steady, go.
Ahh, I’m glad you gave this one a second chance, BE!! So glad that you liked it a lot more this time around! Yes, the actors were all so good in this, but honestly, it was Kim Hye Ja’s show, ultimately. She is so very wonderful in this! 🤩🤩🤩
She is a wonderful actor period. And there is a reason, she actually was the first lead among the phenomenal elder actors in Dear My Friends. I do think on rewatches, especially given your familiarity with these actors, you will also find a richness in the support players. Certainly I was taken by how much more Ahn Nae Sang was given to chew on in this than in so many of his other roles.
The reason I noted Choi Moo Sung is that I imagine lots of actors line up to get in on productions with Kim Hye Ja. She has an amazing quality and singular flavor. One can only hope she keeps getting vehicles with other good actors in them.
Is it significant that you didn’t mention Han Ji-min?
In my original comments, I just wanted to speak to all the actors previously unmentioned. I enjoyed all the actors, but somewhat surprisingly the two young leads not as much as some of the others, especially as so many young couples populate the K drama world, young women attractive, fetching, and bubbly among them.
And I do not think Lee Jung Eun is as widely appreciated as she should be and in this to just watch her as all the other characters play off her, how they are all terrific in scenes they share with her. She was the family rock all around, the story core.
I liked Han Ji Min’s voice. I did think she had a hard time making the transition to a tough love mom, but that may have been because show did not quite set it up to understand it clearly until after the fact. I thought she fared better alone or with Nam Joo Hyuk, especially in her sensitive understanding of him, her girlfriends in their own ways tended to be more animated when all of them were together.
Her mother and father such accomplished pros provided a depth for her animation when with either of them. I am more familiar with both actors and having seen them in so many other things I could really pay attention to what they were doing.
I did not mention Kim Hye Ja much because…well what is there to say beyond she is one of the world’s great elder actors, and it impossible to miss how great she is. Perhaps if I had been the first poster, I would have written a five to ten paragraph essay of appreciation. Have you seen Dear My Family yet?
No, I haven’t see Dear My Family yet. It’s on my list, though. We did see Kim Hye-jan in the 2009 movie Mother. She is over the top excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIJAJiIIOwo
Hi KFG: This must be one of these destiny things for I have no idea why I started watching this show. I saw your “A” rating and brief description but I’ve seen the same for other shows and I haven’t started them. Maybe it was the 12 episode length which drew me in but who knows? I just started idly watching and then couldn’t stop. This is a powerful, wrenching, often painful, very human drama that treats difficult issues (aging, life struggles, place of older people in society and the impact of all of these factors on different levels of relationships) with sensitivity, empathy and understanding without being patronizing or condescending. But it’s not all dark, moments of humour and the sweetness shine through naturally when they should, they never feel forced, are just organic within the show
Truly a show of the highest calibre, the cast is excellent and the writing and directing are tight and well paced.
Thanks for your recommendation and your review which was spot on and insightful as usual.
I’m so so glad you loved this one, Geo!!! 😃😃 This truly is one of those shows where it’s best to go in blind, and just let Show lead you where it wants to go. I had no idea what to expect, and ended up loving this one so much more than I imagined I would! ❤️ It is, as you said, powerful, wrenching, and very human, and all-around worthwhile and excellent. 🤩🤩 I’m so happy you decided to give this one a try!
I agree that going in blind on this show is the right thing to do. I usually do so anyway, I just try to limit myself to your brief overview, avoiding any spoilers and I think this is even more critical to getting the most out of this particular show. I was expecting something of a rom-com with a fantasy element but this is so much more than that. I actually don’t think I would have appreciated the show as much if I knew more about the storyline before going in.
“If you trust me enough; if your taste in dramas is anything like mine; if you haven’t seen this one; even if you don’t usually like dramas with a fantasy element – do make time for it. It is that special. <3”
Having seen a copy of reviews here…..I think this is up on my to-watch list now. Will return after I’m done watching!
That’s great! I really hope you enjoy this show as much as I did. It’s.. different, and very special. ❤️
Truth be told, I watched this after watching Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo cos I wanted to see more of NJH 🙈 and you had given the show an A rating.
This show drew out so many emotions for me! I laughed, cried, felt angry, heartbroken etc at various scenes. Like you said, I could not predict what would happen next. Just as they were getting close, it ended abruptly (in an early episode, no less!). This unpredictability kept things fresh.
I loved the cast so much too. Han Ji Min was the right amount of cute and my favourite scene was when she hugged her dad in the room and said I’m so happy you’re my father. Nam Joo Hyuk was so good in every role he played, I could even look past the hideous mullet. Old Hye Ja was just exceptional whether she was her own age or when she thought she was 25. Yeong Su cracked me up with his antics. All the residents at the nursing home and their very real issues were a joy to watch too (like when they had to execute their plan at 10am instead of midnight cos most of them got sleepy after dinner).
Lastly, I loved that the show didn’t have any unresolved issues or unanswered questions for me. Everything was handled beautifully. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed it and my advice to ppl who have not watched it is to reserve judgement until the end.
Memorable line from the show: “I’m sorry I let you go alone after being lonely all your life.” (😭😭😭)
Oh I’m so glad you decided to trust my recommendation and that you ended up enjoying the show, Edji! 😀 I know this show requires quite a bit of trust in the show, coz things can feel weird and wonky, and people might be tempted to drop the show at those points. But it was so worth hanging on and seeing this through to the end. Like you, this one brought up a lot of emotions in me too. So good! 🤩🤩 I completely agree with your advice to those who haven’t seen the show: it’s best to reserve judgment till the end indeed!
So glad you were able to give this show some love. ❤️
I actually felt quite uncomfortable throughout my watch from episode 1 to 10, because everything felt so strange and floaty and almost nightmarish. I found this drama to be quite painful and heartrending :'( And I don’t think I can rewatch this, even if it’s to look at the first ten episodes through a new lens. But I did think it was so brilliant as a whole – the way her memories were intertwined with her present reality, her deepest regrets/desires and her love for Dae-sung and Joon-ha. And it encompassed a beautiful message and perspective on life. A message that I’ve probably heard before, but have either forgotten somewhere along the way or never truly understood. I think great dramas are ones that make us think and feel long after they are over, and this is one of the rare dramas that’s managed to do just that for me. I also deeply appreciate that it exists not for fanservice or to please anybody (though I completely gave my heart to Nam Joo Hyuk in this one ❤️) and that it portrays love not as a summation of cute/sexy OTP moments but in the form of deep connection (that could be felt almost in its entirety from just their soju-udon scenes), longing and the treasuring of memories. So poignant and experimental. I wish I had the emotional capacity to take it all in once more and I’m a greater measure. Thank you for your review!!! I really held onto your advice to trust in the drama throughout the ride, and I’m glad I did 😀 Back to binge-watching weightlifting fairy kim bok joo 😭😭
Aw, thanks for trusting me on this one, taitai_cole!! <3 This really is a very special show, but it also really requires you to put your trust in Show to be able to tell its story. I went in blind, so I'm not entirely sure why I trusted Show so much. Maybe the writing just felt assured, despite the puzzling bits that only become clear so much later.
I agree, this was painful, and heartrending, and so brilliant and compassionate, all at the same time. This show absolutely didn't care about fanservice or even ratings, necessarily, coz there's always that risk that audiences lose faith in your ability to tell your story, especially with this story's particular trajectory. It just boldly told its story and stood by it, and I am so grateful that it did. <3 I'm so glad you decided to give this one a try, and that you hung in there even when it appeared to be odd. <3
Enjoy your watch of Weightlifting Fairy! Such a heartwarming lovely show. 🥰🥰 A great companion show to this one, I think, coz they both affirm life, but in very different ways. 🙂
We were too sad to finish this one for a while. But I just watched the final episode and wanted to say thank you for your A rating. Such a moving show. The final episode was very well done. I cried buckets just telling my gal how it ended.
Dang. I’m sorry for this late reply, MeriJ! I see now that you did watch Dazzling! Truly, this was so moving, and I cried at this one too. So poignant, and so painfully beautiful. 😭😭 I’m so glad you made time for this one though. It’s really very special. <3
KFG, have you seen Dear My Friends yet, with Kim Hye-ja (the actress who plays the older version of the protagonist in The Light in Your Eyes?
I’ve watched a few eps, and found it very good. I wandered off because I got scared that some of our key characters would die, and I just haven’t made my way back to it yet. I have every confidence that it’s an excellent show tho!
NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Poor Joon Ha died! So sweet and gentle…and Poor Hye Ja, left all alone with her memories. I totally lost it when Wheelchair Grandpa tried to return the watch to Hye Ja and she let go of it. Such a beautiful show….
I remember watching a news footage on TV back in the 1980s about student protests in South Korea. The police was dispersing the protesters with tear gas and water. I still remember the big plastic shields that the police had. At the time, I had now idea what exactly was going on, but this image has stayed with me. Now that I have seen several dramas and movies that touch on these troubled times (Answer Me 1988, Healer, the movie Taxi Driver), I am able to understand a little what was going on in the lives of ordinary people back then.
Ah, I see you’ve gotten to the end of this one, Snow Flower.. Indeed, it is so beautiful even in its sadness, isn’t it? <3 You're right, it really does make those news reports come to life, by showing us how an event might impact actual individuals and families. A precious lesson in empathy indeed. <3 I'm glad you gave this one a chance! 🙂
One more episode to go. I still don’t know what happened to poor (real) Joon Ha, but it must be really bad…
I agree that knowing the twist makes for a different sort of viewing experience, and it actually adds more poignancy to the scenes. Poor (imaginary) Joon Ha. This show combines the vibes of two of my favorite shows, Dear My Friends and Reply 1988, and the movie Miss Granny, but it is very original and fresh. Kdramas truly excel in showing family life in all of its glorious messiness. I have 6 more episodes to go, and the box of tissues is ready…
Oh yes, there is that retro feel that the earlier timelines provide.. I loved Miss Granny as well, and yes, now that you mention it, I do see a little bit of similarity, though this show is definitely its own beast. Enjoy the rest of your watch; this one packs a big emotional punch, and while I loved that it did, I also did cry big fat tears while watching it. So very good. <3
I am watching it now. I, too, stumbled upon a spoiler, but I am loving it so far. I thought that I have never seen the actress who plays young Hye Ja, but when I looked her up I realized that I had seen her in Rooftop Prince and Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum). I like her acting. The main male character is becoming my newest kdrama crush. As for old Hye Ja, she is great! I highly recommend Dear My Friends, a show with wonderful cast of veteran actors and actresses.
So glad you’re enjoying this one, Snow Flower! Even with the spoiler, this would still be an excellent watch, I believe. It would be a slightly different watch, given the knowledge of the spoiler, but some folks actually prefer to watch while knowing than not. And, others who watched without being spoiled have actually gone back to rewatch, just to re-experience everything with a new perspective. 🙂
Han Ji Min who plays young Hye Ja is an actress who’s done some very solid dramas of late, and I’ve come to enjoy her very well. If you haven’t seen Familiar Wife, I do recommend it. She and Ji Sung do an excellent job of portraying our leads in that one. 🙂
I did start watching Dear My Friends quite some time ago, but chickened out after a few episodes because I knew Show was going to make me ugly cry. I have vague plans to go back, because I know it’s an excellent show. Let me gather up some courage and make some room on my drama plate first! 😅
Hi! my name is Melisa, I was one of the readers that recommended you this drama in a comment on your “currently watching” page as soon as I finished it. Thank you so much for watching it!! and wow as always you never disappoint with your reviews! its so beautifully written, and so detailed it expresses all the feelings most of us viewers had while watching it; i hope more people can get to watch and enjoy this beautiful drama after reading your thoughts. Thank you always for taking the time to read and reply to all the comments, i hope you have a good day!
Aw, thanks for recommending this show to me, Melisa, and I’m so glad you enjoyed this review! <3 Thanks for your encouragement on the reviews.. it makes my day! 🙂 I really hope that the review will encourage more folks to give this show a chance as well; it's just so special. <3
I was in a drama rut and needed to find a show to watch from someone whose recommendation I knew I could trust, so of course I came to your blog. Been a silent fan for years, but thank you for always exposing me to thoughtfully written shows that always manage to move me. This was a delightful watch.
Hi Maelin! I’m sorry this reply comes late, but I really wanted to say, thank you for allowing me to persuade you to give this show a try! It really is so special, isn’t it? <3 Also, thanks for coming out and leaving a comment to let me know; it really makes me feel like the reviews are useful! 😀 I hope you're not in a drama rut anymore, and are enjoying your drama journey! <3
Have you watched my fellow citizens? Kbs
No I haven’t. Are you watching it right now? 🙂
I’m loving My Fellow Citizens. It’s a well-written drama with strong female characters. But, most of all, it’s just so much damn fun.
I haven’t been inclined to check out My Fellow Citizens (possibly a mood thing), but it’s great to hear that you’re loving it! 😀 I’ll keep it in mind as a possible watch, thanks!
I have very little to say . This show blew me away with how brave and uncompromised the writer’s vision was.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the contract between the writer and the audience and how they set up expectations and either fulfil or renege on that arrangement. It’s rare for a writer to be able to break its contract with the audience and get away with it but in this case they succeeded spectacularly. I’m sure there were a few people who signed up for a fluffy romcom who got annoyed but most were blown away by the “twist” – as was I.
It really was a tragic and beautiful show.
I love that you loved this one, Dame Holly. <3 You are so right; the writer was just so BOLD, to stick to the original vision and not be swayed by audience opinion or ratings, and just tell the story they wanted to tell. And it was, as you said, spectacular. What a special show indeed. <3
I unfortunately saw a spoiler for The Light in Your Eyes before I even started it, so up until episode 10, I kind of watched with some resentment that part of “the ride” had been taken away from me. That’s one of the few problems with my style of waiting until a show is complete to watch it! Oh well.
I agree that this show was just something extremely special, from the level of acting, to the cinematography, to the storytelling. There’s a scene with the elderly people on a bus, on the way back from what might be the last great adventure of their lives, and they are watching the sunset and there are pictures of their younger selves next to their beaming faces. It’s absolutely beautiful, and a Kdrama memory that will stick with me for a very long time.
Ah, sorry to hear you were spoiled for this show, Buckdawna! That can throw a real spanner in the works, when it comes to enjoying the drama fresh. I struggle with that too, from time to time, since I’m usually a little or a lot behind most folks. On the other hand, there are some folks who said that with this show, they preferred to be spoiled, because they didn’t have the time to revisit the show after the reveal, to process what it all meant. I do admit that after the reveal, my brain lingered on this show, trying to make sense of all the little details that had come prior. Perhaps there is some sort of silver lining to your experience of being spoiled..? 😛
Oh yes, that scene on the bus was just so poignant and wistful and beautiful. Very special indeed. I’m glad you managed to enjoy the show in spite of not wanting to be spoiled. <3
Thank you for a lovely tribute to a wonderful little drama gem. 🙂
I initially thought Drama would be a cute romance with a fantasy element but it turned out to be a lot more than that. It’s funny how my notions of what the drama was about kept changing/evolving as episodes went by. Then came ep 10 and suddenly everything made so much more sense. Even the little odd things and whimseys I’d begged on as part of the fantasy package. That was definitely a game changer I did not see coming. Well done Drama, indeed!^^
YAY that you watched and loved this one Timescout! 😀 It really is a gem. <3 I also originally thought this would be a romance with a fantasy twist, but I was so wrong, and I was so glad to be so wrong. I just want everyone to watch it now, so that Show can get more love. <3
Thanks for great recap. Show is called Radiant on Viki. Soooo glad I watched it. Excellent in every way!
I’m so glad you watched this one and loved it! 😀 It really is excellent. <3 And yes, how weird, isn't it, that everyone wants their own, different, English titles for the dramas? It's so confusing to keep track of 'em all! 🤪