THE SHORT VERDICT:

An earthy, charming slice-of-life drama that manages to add up to more than the sum of its parts – even after taking into account its impressive star-studded cast, AND the gorgeous backdrop that is Jeju Island.

Show’s omnibus approach makes each character come to popping life as we delve into their story, and by the end of our journey, it feels like we’ve come to know an entire community of good people.

Our cast is excellent, all putting in performances that feel pitch-perfect and down-to-earth, and their chemistry is so natural across the board, and feels so genuine, that it’s easy to believe that these people have spent many years of their lives together.

Feels a little meandering at times, but is absolutely worthwhile.

THE LONG VERDICT:

I tend to enjoy slice-of-life dramas a lot when they’re done well, and Our Blues is definitely an example of when it’s done well.

To be fair, it’s true that slice-of-life isn’t for everyone. To some folks, this might feel like a story about nothing very much.

For me, though, Show vibes like a vacation to Jeju Island, where I get to know a whole bunch of good people, so much so that I start to think of them as friends, as a bonus.

And honestly, that’s just the breath of fresh air that I needed.

A NOTE ON THIS REVIEW

This review is a curated, condensed retrospective of my experience watching the show.

If you’d like to experience the drama alongside me, episode by episode, you might enjoy checking out my episode notes on Patreon here. They capture my unfolding reactions as the story develops – it’ll feel like we watched this show together. 🥰

If memberships aren’t your thing, individual episode note sets are available for purchase too. ❤️

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s the OST album in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review.

In general, I thought the music worked really well in this show. The tunes tend to be nostalgia-tinged breezy tracks.

They were effective in giving our drama world a feel-good sunshiny sheen, or a sweet wistfulness, or a wash of bittersweetness, in turn, depending on what our story called for.

I have to confess that none of these actually turned into earworms for me, but when they were playing in the background, I enjoyed pretty much all of the songs.

If I had to pick favorites, I’d say Track 2, The Last, Track 17 Happy Song do stand out to me a little extra.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are a few things that I think would be helpful to keep in mind, to maximize your enjoyment of your watch:

1. Show is slice-of-life

Like I mentioned earlier, Show is slice-of-life in its storytelling approach, and while I found this charming, you do need to adjust your lens somewhat, for this.

2. The omnibus approach

What sets Show apart from other dramas, is that it’s billed as an omnibus.

In execution, this means that we dive into certain arcs while keeping others at bay, in turn, in the vein of omnibus movies like Love, Actually.

This means that sometimes, you need to wait a bit, for Show to shine the spotlight on the arc that interests you the most.

3. It can sometimes feel a little heavy

I think it’s helpful to know upfront, that despite its shiny, cheery packaging, Show can and does delve into heavier themes, from time to time.

Sometimes, I needed to take a break during an episode, not because we’d gotten to a particularly difficult plot point, but because I just.. felt a little spent, from engaging with the meaty emotions of the hour, if that makes sense.

4. Show stays engaging, even when it touches on heavier themes

At the same time, I think it’s important for me to mention that Show has a way of dealing with difficult topics and emotions, while remaining engaging.

Even though certain episodes could technically be classified as hard to watch, because of their subject matter, I honestly didn’t find them all that hard to watch.

In fact, most of the time, I couldn’t look away. That’s skillz, I reckon.

STUFF I LIKED

The star-studded cast

When this show was announced, I felt like I had to check it out, if only for the star-studded cast, which by itself is a coup by the production team.

Originally, I’d imagined that with its “omnibus” billing, that these A-listers would only appear for their characters’ arcs, thus making it relatively easier to fit so many big names into one cast.

I was very surprised to find that our characters share more cross-arc screen time than I’d first anticipated. What a nice bonus, not least because so many of our cast members are A-listers.

When these big name stars pop up in scenes that largely seem unrelated to them –

[MINOR SPOILERS] like when Lee Byung Hun’s character shows up at the reunion in one of our early episodes, even though he’s not part of that class, or when Kim Woo Bin‘s character shows up at the carpark to drive the rest of the gang home [END MINOR SPOILERS]

– it gives me an extra thrill.

Like, wow, you got these stars to be around, just to make this drama world feel more interconnected and real? Naise. 🤩

And of course, a big plus of having such an amazing cast, is that the delivery of our cast is top-notch. Almost all our characters end up feeling like living, breathing people rather than characters off a page, which helps to make this drama world feel extra real.

Show’s earthy charm

I really dig the earthy charm that Show serves up, in terms of our drama world.

Unlike My Liberation Notes, where the hard work of the countryside is laid bare, all stark and sweaty, Our Blues paints the Jeju lifestyle in a charming manner that combines the rustic, the chaotic and the beautiful, kind of in the vein of Hometown Cha Cha Cha.

Like, sure, our characters work hard and earn their keep by the sweat of their brows, but they also look amazing while they do it, and their surroundings are gorgeous, and it’s altogether not a bad lifestyle – is the vibe that I get.

Plus, there’s all that laidback breezy music that keeps playing, that makes our story world feel like a beach holiday escape.

I do like a bit of charm and whimsy in my dramas, thank you. 🥰

The characters feel so real

I was pleasantly surprised to find myself getting quite effortless invested in these characters’ lives, from as early as episode 4.

Not that I wasn’t expecting to; it’s just.. I’m surprised by how interested I felt, in each of their stories, even though Show uses an approach where we get to know our characters according to a different rhythm than most other dramas.

I’d imagined that with only snippets shown to us of most characters, until it’s time for their stories to take centerstage, I’d most likely only feel invested in the story at hand.

However, I found that I’m also very much interested in the characters whose snippets get touched on, even before their arcs get the spotlight. That’s pretty cool.

By Show’s halfway point, watching each episode felt like an approachable, relaxing thing, where I feel like I’m just catching up on what my Jeju friends have been up to.

That’s very pleasant, really.

The sense of community that comes through

There’s no single arc dedicated to this, but the sense of community is woven through such that it appears in many arcs in our story.

I liked these touches a lot, and felt that these really bring out the sense of warmth built into the relationships among our characters.

Here are just a couple of examples.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E7. I have to say, it’s pretty great to see everyone coming together to find Seon A (Shin Min Ah) and get her to safety, after it’s discovered that she’s fallen in to the water.

Our haenyeo are the heroes of the day, for diving in there and saving her, because if they hadn’t been there, and been so ready to go in after her, she really might not have made it.

I like the detail, that all the friction among the haenyeo team is forgotten, as they all band together to get Seon A out of the water.

E8. There’s a lot of baggage to unravel between In Gwon and Ho Sik (Park Ji Hwan and Choi Young Joon), and that’s not surprising, because it’s been years of build-up, and it’s understandably messy and difficult to untangle everything.

I’m just glad that they have friends around them, who will stand by them, even when they don’t understand them.

For example, I love how Jeong Jun (Kim Woo Bin) is so gentle and quiet with In Gwon, after pulling In Gwon out of that fight with Ho Sik. Jeong Jun doesn’t need to say anything at all; just his gentle manner with In Gwon tells me that he’s not judging anybody, and just wants to be there as a friend.

Gosh, I like that a lot.

I also really appreciate Eun Hui (Lee Jung Eun), who does her best to be there for Ho Sik and In Gwon in turn, throughout this episode. She’s not gentle and quiet like Jeong Jun.

In fact, she’s sometimes rather gruff with them, but her care shines through a lot, and I feel like both In Gwon and Ho Sik know that she cares, even if they may not admit it.

[END SPOILER]

The way Show weaves themes together 

It occurs to me that Show has an interesting way of weaving its themes together.

[SPOILER ALERT]

What I mean is, in episode 5, it had juxtaposed Dong Seok’s mother’s (Lee Byung Hun and Kim Hye Ja) terminal diagnosis, with Yeong Ju’s (Roh Yoon Seo) determination to terminate her pregnancy, which had created this somber, death-themed sort of vibe.

And in episode 6, Show juxtaposes Yeong Ju’s inner conflict over her pregnancy, with Seon A’s struggle to gain custody of her son, to create this overarching theme of motherhood.

It lands interesting to me, because Show uses Yeong Ju’s arc both times, but shines the spotlight on a different theme, while doing it.

Very nicely done, I thought.

Show as an overall reflection of life

In the beginning of our story, everything had felt more scattered, but as time goes by, things come together in a way that feels organic and whole.

By Show’s late stretch, it’s nice to begin to see the Jeju people as a community, where, as we look on each of them, we know their stories, and appreciate the little nods that Show gives to each of those stories, in the small moments.

At the same time, though, as this coming together is happening, we near the end, which is when death comes into the picture, like with the arc focusing on Grandma Kang’s terminal illness.

It kinda-sorta feels like a reflection of life, in that, it often takes us time to get our lives together, and understand ourselves and the people around us.

And, sometimes, by the time we feel like we’ve kinda-sorta gotten our lives together, we’re arriving at a point in our lives where mortality (our own, as well as that of those around us) becomes much more front-and-center.

[END SPOILER]

The beauty of Jeju Island

This is technically a more shallow sort of thing, but Jeju Island is freaking gorgeous, and Show does a great job of showing us that beauty, without taking attention away from our characters and their stories.

Every time we get a pan of the landscape, my breath catches in my throat, from how surreal it looks, like it emerged from a different world, almost.

I feel like this show would likely be worth watching, for that alone. ❤️

STUFF THAT WAS OK

Show’s “roving eye”

Like I mentioned earlier, Show shuffles its various narrative arcs, so that each one takes turns being in the spotlight.

Sometimes, Show does switch away from an arc, just when you think you’re reaching some sort of narrative climax, to focus on another one.

The few times that Show does this, I did find myself feeling a bit perplexed.

It’s not a deal-breaker for me, by any means, which is why it’s in this section, but I thought it was important to mention.

It takes time for the drama world to come together in your head

As Show focuses on its chosen main arc of the moment, it does often also serve up sparks of story about various other characters and relationships in our story world.

On the upside, this does pique my interest, and give me a flavor for what’s to come.

On the not-so-upside, more so than in other dramas, it does take time for this drama world to come alive in my head, because some arcs only get the spotlight pretty late.

It was really only about halfway through my watch, that I felt like this drama world was coming to life in my head, with all the interweaving of relationships.

As a silver lining, once we’ve gotten to know more of our Jeju friends better, Show becomes more free about interweaving other narrative threads from other arcs with the main episode arc.

I like this, because it feels like the Jeju community is coming together more cohesively in my mind’s eye, as we get into Show’s later stretch.

I mean, they’ve always been an intact community, and everyone’s always had their own stories, but where in earlier episodes, Show would mostly keep the threads separate, in later episodes, it dips us into other threads every so often, even while keeping the episode mostly on its chosen focus.

I really like the effect of that, because I’m still interested to know what’s going on with our other characters.

And on a meta level, it feels like writer-nim’s done an effective job of gathering these characters  and their stories together, in our heads, so that there’s a “coming together” effect at work, if you know what I mean.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS

In this section, I highlight some of my favorite character and relationship beats from the show.

If you’d like to experience the full journey alongside me, episode by episode — with plenty more character & relationship goodness — you can find my episode notes on Patreon here.

(Prefer not to join as a member? Individual note sets are available for purchase too. ❤️)

Lee Jung Eun as Eun Hui

I found Eun Hui so  loyal and good-hearted that I couldn’t help but like her and root for her.

I do love Lee Jung Eun, and loved that she gets so much screen time in this show, as Eun Hui.

I find Eun Hui a very caring character, and I love how she shows up in so many of the other arcs, as a genuinely concerned friend.

Of course, my soft spot for Eun Hui might be amplified by the fact that Eun Hui’s arc with Han Su is the first story that Show chooses to focus on, in our omnibus of stories.

Eun Hui and Han Su

The arc between Eun Hui and Han Su wasn’t one of my personal favorites, mostly because it was hard to watch at points, and because it’s a delicate situation and topic, where you know that someone’s going to end up getting hurt, one way or another.

That said, I do think that Show does a very solid job of teasing out this arc in a manner that feels believable, and then does a just as solid job, of wrapping up the arc in a manner that feels realistic, sensitive and still hopeful.

Eun Hui and Mi Ran

Because of my fondness for Eun Hui, I was glad that Show gives Eun Hui another round in the spotlight, this time with her best friend Mi Ran (Uhm Jung Hwa).

I love the idea of an odd-couple bestie pairing, and Eun Hui and Mi Ran couldn’t be more different, in personality, sensibility and lifestyle.

The way Show teases out the underlying tension in their relationship is very well done, and I thought the resolution was fitting for the friendship as well.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E14. We get a relatively quick resolution of the arc between Eun Hui and Mi Ran, and y’know what, that feels right.

It feels fitting, that their friendship is deep enough, to only need a single honest heart-to-heart confrontation to lay everything out in the open, before they’re ready to embrace each other all over again.

I’m glad that Eun Hui takes that trip out to Seoul to seek out Mi Ran, even though she feels hurt and out of sorts.

While I do think that Mi Ran owes Eun Hui an apology for humiliating her the way she did, when she’d called Eun Hui her doormat in front of her friends, I am mollified by her reframing of the concept of doormat, as someone on whom she can depend unconditionally.

I’m glad that Eun Hui sees it differently too, after Mi Ran’s explanation, and that Eun Hui’s happy and willing to be that someone for Mi Ran, who, despite her colorful life experiences, has no one else on whom she can depend, the same way.

And the same goes for Eun Hui too, even though she’s had very different life experiences than Mi Ran. In her life, Mi Ran’s the only one who understands her too.

Also, I’m glad that Mi Ran makes Eun Hui promise to have it out with her, if she ever feels that Mi Ran ever hurts her again. That feels important too.

The burgeoning tears on both sides, as they blurt out their feelings, is really quite touching to witness, and I’m really glad that their friendship is all good again, just like that.

I mean, yes, there’s a little bit of tentativeness in spots, like when Mi Ran stops to ask if Eun Hui’s upset that Mi Ran’s just doing things her way, but that feels like a healthy component to have, in their friendship, plus, Mi Ran does sound like she’s half joking.

I love the idea of them having identical friendship necklaces as well.

I’d honestly wondered whether their friendship would come out intact, and if so, how long it would take, since the hurt had run so deep.

It’s testament to the strength of their love and friendship, that all it took was a big ol’ spot of mutual honesty, and a few tears, to make things right between them again.

[END SPOILER]

Yeong Ju and Hyeon

I found it a bit of a breath of fresh air, that we get a teen romance arc, among the other various adult arcs.

I thought it was very well-handled and poignant, particularly given Show’s chosen focus.

Shout-out to both Bae Hyun Sung and Roh Yoon Seo, whom I thought did very well in their roles, particularly since they are both relative rookies in the company of so many seasoned A-listers.

On a tangent, I realized during my watch, that Bae Hyun Sung reminds me quite a bit of Park Bo Gum. Bae Hyun Sung’s features are quite similar to Park Bo Gum’s, and he’s got a similar sort of vibe as well.

I’d love to see him and Park Bo Gum play brothers; that would be quite perfect and mind-bendy, I think.

I also think Roh Yoon Seo does a fantastic job of portraying Yeong Ju.

I feel like I can see distinct glimmers of Yeong Ju’s vulnerability, underneath her aloof, tough facade, and that’s credit to Roh Yoon Seo’s delivery, which feels raw and down-to-earth and real.

Really well done, I thought.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E6. I’m honestly relieved that Yeong Ju decides to keep the baby.

She makes that dramatic, almost split-second decision to protect (and therefore keep) the baby, when that fire extinguisher leak starts choking everyone on the bus.

That literally negates everything that Yeong Ju’s been saying to Hyeon, that she absolutely will not consider keeping the baby, and that she’s going to get rid of it, and then leave for Seoul, and never see him again.

I do appreciate how loyal and steadfast Hyeon is being, through the whole thing.

He’s scared and helpless too, but he’s so earnest about wanting to be strong for Yeong Ju and the baby, that my heart can’t help but melt, in the face of his wholehearted sincerity.

That little beat in the rain, where Yeong Ju tries to shield the baby in her belly from the rain, with her hands, and Hyeon likewise uses his hands to try to shield Yeong Ju from the rain, is a little clichéd, sure, but it lands with a sweet note of poetry, for me, and I like it.

In fact, I just like how happy they are, now that they’ve come to an agreement, to keep the baby, and do their best for the baby.

The way Hyeon becomes bold to admit that the and Yeong Ju are dating, when their schoolmates start questioning why they spend so much time together, is also very sweet.

I like how he’s stepping up and being loud and proud about his relationship with Yeong Ju – which I’m sure will be very key, going forward.

E7. I really feel for Hyeon and Yeong Ju, as they embark on the path that they’ve chosen for themselves.

It’s really tough to be in a situation like this, where everyone’s looking and pointing fingers and gossiping, but the way they hold their heads up high and encourage each other not to be ashamed, is really quite touching.

[END SPOILER]

In Gwon and Hyeon

The father-son relationship between In Gwon and Hyeon isn’t a major arc, but I like that Show gives this relationship a bit of time in the spotlight nonetheless, and that we get to see father and son come to understand each other better.

It’s not an easy path to mutual understanding and respect, and I appreciate that Show treats this with realism and sensitivity, while still giving us an uplifting message of hope.

In Gwon and Ho Sik

The arc between In Gwon and Ho Sik might just be my favorite of all the various relationships that Show shines the spotlight on, over the course of our story.

I’m actually a little shocked to write this, since, from the very beginning of the show, I had found the animosity between In Gwon and Ho Sik rather too intense for my taste.

Show does a fantastic job of teasing out the deep-seated issues between them, and healing their relationship in a manner that feels real and raw, yet heartwarming and hopeful.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E9. It’s kind of ironic – in a rather poetic sense, actually – that the thing that would bring these two back together again, after years of being sworn enemies, is being put in the same position.

I mean, it’s very reluctant solidarity, and it’s slow in the coming, but essentially, isn’t that what it is?

With each of them in danger of losing their only child, because their opinions and dreams and those of their kids’ are at loggerheads, they are literally in almost identical positions.

And like they say often in dramas, you can’t win against your kids – or at least, not if you don’t want to lose them.

The reconciliation scene, where Ho Sik seeks out In Gwon, might feel fast or easy to some, but to me, it feels organic and believable.

They’re both so exhausted from fighting with their kids and with each other, that they literally have no strength left, to fight each other.

On top of that, they’ve had some important hashing out time in that holding cell, where the truth behind Ho Sik’s anger towards In Gwon finally comes out. That’s a critical piece in their reconcilitation, for sure.

And, they’ve each wrestled with their kids with all they have, and come out exhausted and with little recourse, if they don’t want to lose their kids forever.

Putting it all together, it makes sense to me that Ho Sik, who’s the milder tempered one between them, would reach out to In Gwon, to suggest a peaceful way forward.

I so appreciate the beat when Ho Sik starts crying and demands that In Gwon apologize for saying those mean and insulting things about Yeong Ju, and In Gwon immediately gets on his knees and apologizes, without a single protest.

It’s clear that he sees how much his words have hurt Ho Sik, and that moment feels really precious, with the both of them crying over everything that’s happened.

I also love that when Ho Sik tells In Gwon that he’ll treat him as his Hyung from here on out, In Gwon corrects him, saying that he’s not Ho Sik’s Hyung; he’s Ho Sik’s in-law.

Ahhh. Their old dream, that they’d once delighted in, of being in-laws, has finally come true.

Sure, it hasn’t come true in the way in which they’d hoped, but sometimes life works out in funny ways like that.

Most importantly, these two friends-turned-enemies have now reconciled and are back on friendly terms again. I almost feel like that is worth its own weight in gold.

[END SPOILER]

Kim Woo Bin as Jeong Jun

I must say, I really dig how laidback sexy Kim Woo Bin is looking, in this.

Ahhh. Can’t lie; watching him in this show, I am remembering all over again why I fell so hard for him, in the first place. 😁😍

He’s rocking a very nice tan in this show (which makes total sense, given his role and the setting), and he looks strong, without looking overly buff, meaning, the muscles look functional, rather than just made for magazine covers in the gym.

Layer on that lovely deep voice, and the barely hidden wistful gazes Jeong Jun’s wearing in Yeong Ok’s direction, and his casual efforts to be nice to her, while not overstepping his boundaries, and it really adds up to a very appealing package. 😍

Swoon. And rawr. 🔥

Han Ji Min as Yeong Ok

Yeong Ok’s one of our more mysterious characters, in that, for a good stretch of our story, no one in our story world seems to be able to get truly close to her, and she also seems to be quite secretive in general.

I’m glad that Show works it all out such that we get to learn Yeong Ok’s secret and get to know her better.

Extra credit to Show, for making it such that once the secret is out, a lot of Yeong Ok’s earlier behavior starts to actually make sense.

Jung Eun Hye as Yeong Hui [SPOILERS]

E14. This episode, we’re finally introduced to Yeong Ok’s sibling “Disaster,” and it turns out that she’s Yeong Ok’s twin sister, Yeong Hui, who happens to have Down’s syndrome.

That incident in the restaurant is unpleasant to watch, but as Yeong Ok points out, for Yeong Hui, this is a common occurrence.

It sucks that people can be so rude and so cavalier about it, but the silver lining that I see in this, is that we also see that Yeong Hui is more capable of taking care of herself, than most might expect.

The way she has that one-on-one time with that little boy, and explains to him that he doesn’t like it either, when she stares at him, feels seasoned and mature, like Yeong Hui’s experienced similar situations before, and has given them enough thought, to have this insight.

Jeong Jun and Yeong Ok

The noona romance between Jeong Jun and Yeong Ok is one that I definitely looked forward to a little more than the others, not least because Kim Woo Bin is extra charming, when he’s wearing those smitten-wistful looks. 😍

Guh. Swoon.

Overall, I do love how steadfast Jeong Jun is, in his love and affection for Yeong Ok, and I enjoyed rooting for him to win his lady love.

I do wish that we’d had a little extra time with this loveline, but overall, I thought Show did a nice job of bringing us the feels, while also balancing this loveline with its other narrative arcs.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E4. I’m half rooting for Jeong Jun to get his girl, because he’s just so charmingly serious about her, and I’m half bracing myself, because Yeong Ok keeps telling Jeong Jun that he should stop liking her, because he’ll get hurt.

Ah, but Jeong Jun is so charmingly steadfast in his regard for her.

I mean, I feel like most men in his position would back away from Yeong Ok pretty fast at this stage, with the warnings that she’s giving off, with descriptions of her colorful dating past, and her overt warnings about getting hurt.

But Jeong Jun just wrestles with himself over this for a bit, decides that he can love her anyway, and asks her to date him.

And, when she warns him again, that he’ll get hurt, it’s downright swoony, the way he tells her to just try not to hurt him, then. Like, why is she so determined to hurt him anyway?

Guh. It’s all very disarming, and I can totally see why Jeong Jun would be able to make Yeong Ok’s heart waver, such that she’d respond to his invitation, with a kiss.

Ahhh!! I don’t know whether to squee, or bite my nails, because while I am rather thrilled for Jeong Jun, that he’s made his move and been rewarded for it, I’m also nervous, because I don’t want him to get hurt, like Yeong Ok keeps saying he will.

E6. How swoony, that when Yeong Ok asks him when he’d started to like her, he whispers, “From the moment I saw you.”

Eee! So sweet, and so swoony. 😍 Why can’t we have more of this, please?

[END SPOILER]

Yeong Ok and Yeong Hui [SPOILERS]

The story between Yeong Ok and Yeong Hui was one that I really appreciated, among Show’s various arcs.

Not only does this arc give us insight into the life and challenges for someone with Down’s Syndrome, it also shines the spotlight on the psychological effect that this can have, on family members, particularly siblings who feel that it is their duty to take care of them for life.

There are no easy answers to this situation, but I appreciate that Show approaches this delicate topic with realness and sensitivity.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E15. For all of Yeong Hui’s limitations, I do feel that she has a keener sense and maturity about her, than most people give her credit for.

It feels quite perfect, that in the end, Jeong Jun and Yeong Hui put up the pieces in his bus, so that Yeong Ok gets to enjoy them in private, after Yeong Hui boards her flight back to Seoul.

Aw. I kind of wish that Yeong Hui would have shown Yeong Ok the paintings in person, but this is meaningful too.

I’m glad that Yeong Ok gets to see just how talented and loving Yeong Hui is; Yeong Hui’s literally poured her love for Yeong Ok, into all of her drawings of Yeong Ok.

It’s overwhelming, and poignant, and bittersweet, and heartbreaking, and I can see why Yeong Ok would be brought to deep, guttural sobs, as she processes all of it.

There’s no easy solution to Yeong Ok’s and Yeong Hui’s situation, but I’m glad that in the time we’ve spent on their arc, they’ve come to a better place of mutual understanding.

And that can only help them going forward, yes?

[END SPOILER]

Shin Min Ah as Seon A

Seon A’s story is one of Show’s more difficult arcs, because it deals with the difficult topic of depression, and its effects, not only on the person suffering from it, but also, on the people around them.

I appreciate that Show demonstrates that there are no easy answers, and that dealing with depression is an on-going process that requires time and professional intervention.

At the same time, I very much appreciate that Show chooses to wrap up this arc on a note of hope and progress.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E11. It makes sense to me that when we wrap up Seon A’s story, her journey is still something that’s very much a work in progress.

I’m glad that she finds a way to talk things out with Yeol so that he understands what she’s going through, and what he means to her.

That conversation that Seon A has with Tae Hun afterwards, where she clarifies that she only plans to appeal for custody of Yeol, when she’s stronger and better, feels very significant.

This is Seon A making a firm decision to concentrate on getting better, so that Yeol will be the one who needs her, and not the other way around.

I’m so glad that Tae Hun sees that too, and tells her that when that day comes, she doesn’t need to appeal; that he’d be glad to have her raise Yeol.

Aw. That is such a gesture of peace and understanding from Tae Hun; I like it a lot.

[END SPOILER]

Dong Seok and Seon A

I have to admit that the arc exploring the connection between Dong Seok and Seon A wasn’t a personal favorite of mine, even though Show leans into this arc quite a bit.

However, I must say that I am impressed that Show finds a way to connect these two individuals in a meaningful and believable manner, even though they are as different as chalk and cheese, and appear to have a great deal of emotional baggage between them.

It wasn’t always easy watching these two, but I have to admit that by the end, I did find it worthwhile.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E11. This episode, we get closure for Dong Seok and Seon A’s arc, and I must say, I really like how Show ties up this arc.

For one thing, I’m really happy with how things don’t take a romantic turn, between Dong Seok and Seon A.

I mean, that handhold that we got last episode, had looked platonic to me, but I have to admit to feeling relief, that we get confirmation this episode, that it really had been purely platonic.

I also really like the tone of Dong Seok’s and Seon A’s interactions.

They really do talk openly  and honestly with each other, and I’m actually most struck by the fact that Dong Seok would even tell Seon A that listening to her talk about Yeol, has made him curious about how his mother feels about him.

First, it feels like such a significant thing, that Dong Seok would even talk about it, since he’s always seemed consistently touchy about the subject, with a tendency to explode in a fit of anger, whenever anyone tries to talk to him about his mom.

On top of that, I’m amazed that Seon A is able to respond to that, by talking about her own experience with her father, and how she regrets not asking him about things, or encouraging him with her presence, when she’d had the chance.

I feel like Seon A is quite possibly the only person in the world who could talk to Dong Seok like this, and not have him triggered into a deep-seated rage.

While it’s a bit of a bummer for Dong Seok that Seon A decides to stay in Seoul in order to be near Yeol, I do think that this is the decision that makes the most sense for Seon A. I just can’t imagine her living anywhere else, if Yeol is going to be in Seoul.

Additionally, I feel like she’d be in a better position to get therapy while in Seoul, which is something that she needs.

I’m glad that Dong Seok sees the wisdom in her decision, and is quick to brush aside his disappointment, and just focus on helping Seon A get her life together.

It’s an unconventional idea that Dong Seok floats, of bringing Seon A’s bed out into the living room, and turning the master bedroom into a dressing room cum living room for Seon A, but it really does seem like the best solution, given her situation.

I really enjoyed watching them making those changes, and getting the apartment rearranged in a new way, to accommodate Seon A’s new direction in life. That feels fitting and perfect.

Overall, I really like the vibe that Dong Seok and Seon A settle on. They’re not romantic, but they agree to stay in close contact, so that Seon A feels supported whenever she needs it. It’s pretty great.

I’m also glad that Seon A isn’t the only one benefiting from the time that they’ve spent together.

I’m glad that when Dong Seok texts her, he tells her that thanks to her, he now believes in “next time” again. That’s nice.

[END SPOILER]

Grandma Hyeon and Eun Gi

Grandma Hyeon’s arc with Eun Gi is a pretty tough one to watch, not gonna lie.

However, like I mentioned earlier in this review, despite the tough subject matter, Show manages to remain engaging.

Without getting into spoilers, let me just say that I found myself fully invested in this arc, even as I braced myself for possible heartbreak.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E17. We spend the bulk of the episode on Grandma Hyeon’s arc, and it works out to be really heartbreaking stuff.

On one level, Grandma Hyeon might come across as cold, for how practical her actions are, but for a particular generation that’s seen a lot of hardship and loss, this is not that unusual. This is their way of coping, while the pain is hidden and internalized. 💔

We only really catch a glimpse of Grandma Hyeon’s true heart, when she returns to Jeju and Grandma Kang asks her about Man Su.

You can feel all of Grandma Hyeon’s heartbreak in her voice, as she tells her best friend that she’s informed her daughter-in-law that she should let her son die. 😭

It’s deeply heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to Grandma Hyeon so much, because in this situation, it really feels like there’s nothing to do, but let Man Su go.

I do find it touching, that Grandma Kang feels the pain so acutely, that she would sob and grieve in her own way. That’s how close she and Grandma Hyeon are; she feels Grandma Hyeon’s pain so viscerally, that it feels like it’s her own son who’s in the ICU.

Although it’s painful to watch Grandma Hyeon finally lose her cool when Eun Gi inadvertently pokes at her wounds in asking after the people in the photographs, I do think that it’s needful, for Grandma Hyeon to allow herself to vent and cry and wail and sob, because that pain needs to be acknowledged and processed.

The silver lining here, is how everyone comes together for Grandma Hyeon, to create the 100 moons that Man Su had promised Eun Gi.

That really is very poignant, to know that Grandma Hyeon and Man Su are so loved by the Jeju community, that every boat captain would go out on the water at night, on short notice, some agreeing even when it was still storming, in order to fulfill Grandma Hyeon’s promise to Eun Gi, to show her the 100 moons.

[END SPOILER]

Grandma Hyeon and Grandma Kang

I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the friendship and sisterhood between Grandma Hyeon and Grandma Kang.

Even though they are typically so reserved and gruff, the love and care that they have for each other, is so clear to see.

I completely believe that they see each other as family, and for life.

It really moved me, to see them care about each other, and each other’s family, like their own. It literally feels like there are no boundaries or secrets between these two, and I found that very touching indeed. ❤️

Dong Seok and Grandma Kang

The relationship between Dong Seok and Grandma Kang is pretty painful to watch, from the get-go.

There is so much angst and even animosity in Dong Seok, that you just know that there’s going to be a great deal of emotional baggage to unpack.

To Show’s credit, I do think that it does a solid job of exploring this relationship, and providing as much healing and closure as can be realistically expected, given the circumstances.

Ki Jun and Byeol

Technically, Show doesn’t give this arc a proper slot in the spotlight, but I wanted to give it a quick shout-out anyway, because I was really rather taken with the idea of it.

At about the episode 14 mark, Show teases that Ki Jun (Baek Seung Do) has a crush on Byeol, and I thought that was very endearing and adorable, particularly since he seems a little bashful about it.

I do wish that we’d gotten more time with this little loveline, but I’m reasonably satisfied with what we did get, in the end.

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E20. The fact that I feel wistful at saying goodbye to these characters, despite having spent 20 episodes with them, and despite this finale episode being a whopping 1.5 hours long, says a lot about this show and its characters.

Show’s done such a good job of bringing each of these characters to life, that by the time I got here to the finale, I felt like I was part of the Jeju community, albeit in the capacity of a fly on their walls.

Thankfully, Dong Seok’s arc with Grandma Kang wraps up with more closure than not, and it becomes a source of release, not only for Dong Seok, but for Grandma Kang herself as well.

It’s extremely moving to see each and every member of the community break down in tears, as they hear of Grandma Kang’s passing. She really had been dear to all of them.

Typically, I’m generally not super enthusiastic whenever a drama serves up some kind of sports day or field day, but y’know, I was really enjoying this particular field day, because it brings the entire community together in such a rowdy, heartwarming sort of way.

I love that Show brings back some of our characters from the mainland, like Han Su, Mi Ran, Eun Gi and Yeong Hui.

There’s something so special about seeing everyone in one place, after having gotten to know each of them, during their specific arcs.

As the camera pans over the various sets of characters, I’m reminded all over again, of some of my favorite pairings – like In Gwon and Ho Sik! 🤩 – and it makes my heart warm, to see them all having such a fun time together, and knowing that they will be there for one another, not just in this moment, but for many more years to come. 🥰

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Feel-good and charming, yet poignant and bittersweet, at the same time, and deeply heartfelt, underneath it all.

FINAL GRADE: A-

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