THE SHORT VERDICT:

If you enjoy family dramas but tend to be short on time and therefore can’t commit to a 50-episode family drama (coz that’s the length they tend to be, historically), then this one could work really nicely for you.

It’s a little rough around the edges like most family dramas tend to be, and it also manages to serve up the slightly chaotic, warm family feels that come from the type of family dramas that I personally enjoy.

An investment of just 12 episodes, to get family drama type feels? Not a bad deal, I’d say. 😁

THE LONG VERDICT:

If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you might recall that I used to really enjoy family dramas.

My favorite family dramas (like Life is Beautiful, Ojakgyo Brothers and Father is Strange) all gave me warm cozy vibes, and I remember them fondly. 🥲

Honestly, though, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve managed to make time for a family drama – with the exception of c-drama Go Ahead, which is the most recent family drama I watched, about a year ago now, when I was recovering from surgery and was therefore taking a break from blogging.

(I loved it, and highly recommend it, along with its k-remake, Family By Choice. 😍)

ANYWAY.

Like I was saying, it’s been a while since I’d had the chance to enjoy a family drama, and so, to have this show promise those family drama vibes, but clocking in at just 12 episodes, felt like a bit of a treat for me, personally. 🥰

I just couldn’t say No. 😁

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

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

Overall, I found the music pleasant, even though I have to confess that I didn’t really notice it all that much, as a general rule. 😅

The track that actually did leave an impression, was Neverland, which I found very breezy and catchy, and altogether very enjoyable.

Here it is on its own as well, in case you’d prefer to listen to it on repeat. Just right-click  on the video and select “Loop.”

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about stuff I liked and didn’t like so much, before I give the spotlight to selected characters and relationships, in a separate section. Finally, I spend some time talking about my thoughts on the finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

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

1. Show is rough around the edges

As with many family dramas, the production values lean a little less polished in this drama world. Sometimes Show gets a little exaggerated too, in telling its story.

Adjusting your expectations around that, helps.

2. It’s family-forward

There are several lovelines in our story world to entice the romantics in our midst, but I would say that the stronger focus, is on the family itself, and the relationships within the family.

3. Sometimes side characters can be annoying

..But this is part of the territory, in the sense that that’s just the way it tends to be, in family drama story worlds.

No one’s actually hateful, though, so don’t worry about that.

STUFF I LIKED

Show’s premise

I took to the premise of this show right away, honestly.

The idea of Ji Jin Hee coming back in the flesh to his family, as a wealthy, sharp-suited landlord tickled me, and I loved the idea of second chances to come.

Family reconciliations AND the potential for a mature, second-chance romance?

I was sold right away.

But also. Did I mention Ji Jin Hee looking all handsome in a sharp suit? 😁

How Show navigates its story

With most family dramas that I know of, being in the region of 50 episodes, one of my natural concerns, was whether Show would still manage to tell a good story and give us those family feels effectively, in just 12 episodes.

My concerns about Show’s ability to bring about believable reconciliations intensified at about the halfway point, because it felt like we hadn’t actually made significant progress, despite being 6 episodes into a total of 12.

Which is why I was so impressed, when, in episodes 7 and 8, Show makes some narrative moves that actually bring about some very meaningful progress in our character relationships, that still feels organic, despite the turning points being so speedy.

I thought that was nicely done.

The lovelines

I have to admit that I have a huge soft spot for romances, and so, I definitely perked up at the lovelines in our story, particularly the one between Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong (Son Na Eun and Choi Minho), which Show starts teasing pretty early on.

I’ll talk more about the lovelines later in a separate section, but just wanted to mention here, that the romance in our drama world, while not a primary focus, was definitely a personal highlight for me.

The parent-child relationships

Another major highlight for me, was the various parent-child relationships in our story world.

From Mi Rae with each of her parents, to Tae Pyeong with his father, I found myself really enjoying and appreciating the focus on the parent-child love, and how that can be complicated sometimes, and how it can be so much simpler, if we’d allow it to be. 🥲

I’ll talk more about each of these relationships in a later section.

When relationships are portrayed as warm and open

Relationships in this drama world aren’t perfect, and there are more than a few instances of characters jumping to conclusions and being judgey, &/or bickering about things.

But there are times when characters demonstrate really warm and open relationships, and I enjoyed those moments a lot.

This example, from episodes 5-6, really stands out to me, in this regard.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E5-6. I must say, I found the entire way Show dealt with Ae Yeon’s discovery of the photograph of Mu Jin and Jeong In (Yang Jo Ah), quite refreshing.

I mean, yes, Ae Yeon does take the photograph with her, and angst over it, with her thoughts going all over the place, BUT, when Jeong In finds the photograph outside her shop, she goes straight to Ae Yeon, and tells her the truth.

YESSS. I love that.

It feels so refreshing to have the two women talk so openly, and I do think that a lot of it has to do with the way Ae Yeon had helped and comforted Jeong In, back when Jeong Iin had just moved in, all alone and pregnant, and had been so reclusive and reticent, most likely from the shame of it all.

I did love that flashback a lot, I have to say, because it felt like such a poignantly wholesome thing, for Ae Yeon to reach out and help and comfort a stranger who had made it clear that she didn’t want to be approached, and then for said stranger to collapse in tears in Ae Yeon’s arms. 🥲

I can see how this would have built a strong foundation for the friendship between Ae Yeon and Jeong In, and I love that open, earnest sort of vibe that we get from Jeong In, when she seeks out Ae Yeon, to tell her the truth.

[END SPOILER]

STUFF THAT WAS OK

The community of neighbors

It’s true that most of the neighbors are on the exaggerated side of things, like the suspicious dude who thinks that Mu Jin might be an arsonist, or even a murderer.

Overall, though, I see them as harmless and well-meaning, despite being nosy and gossipy.

So the neighbors weren’t my favorite thing about this show, but I didn’t find them hateful either.

On a related tangent, I just wanted to say that I got a kick out of seeing Yang Jo Ah play Jeong In, the flirty hairdresser.

I feel like I mostly see Yang Jo Ah in more serious roles, like in The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (review here!), so to see her all dolled up and in flirty mode, in this drama world, gives me a thrill. 😁

When Show gets exaggerated

I know it basically comes with the territory, but Show getting all exaggerated and theatrical, wasn’t one of my favorite things.

I did work to manage my expectations around this, since this is part of the DNA of many family dramas, and I didn’t think I should hold that against Show.

..Which is why this is in the neutral zone, for me.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. One of the things that I find unnecessarily exaggerated, is the competition between Mi Rae and Mu Jin, to win Ae Yeon’s heart.

Honestly, it makes no sense whatsoever, because it doesn’t matter who reaches Ae Yeon first, with a bouquet of flowers, or a gift.

Ae Yeon’s got room in her heart for both their gifts, if she wanted, and if she doesn’t want to receive Mu Jin’s gifts, then whoever reaches her first wouldn’t make a lick of difference.

That said, I can appreciate the idea, that emotions are not logical things, and that Mu Jin and Mi Rae both have an irrational urge to beat the other person, in winning Ae Yeon’s favor – and that irrational urge has something to do with the bet they’ve made with each other.

Underneath all the theatrics, however, I do appreciate the real emotions that are allowed to shine through.

[END SPOILER]

When Show uses red herrings [SPOILERS]

Of course, I’m referring to the whole thing where Show implies for a while, that Jeong in and Mu Jin had been romantically involved, during their time in Thailand.

On the one hand, I will say that it was effective, because I fully bought into it, and for a while there, I was totally judging Mu Jin for being heartless towards Jeong In, and for not being upfront with Ae Yeon.

On the other hand, I do think that Show manipulated Jeong In’s behavior in a way that didn’t quite ring true on hindsight, once we know the truth, which comes out soon enough.

What I mean is, before the Big Reveal, that Mu Jin hadn’t fathered Jeong In’s unborn baby, Jeong In’s behavior is quite misleading, particularly with that drunk scene where she tipsily mumbles that she envies Ae Yeon the most, in the entire world.

In that scene, she doesn’t say it, but it’s the logical thing to conclude that Mu Jin’s loyalty and affection, was the thing that she didn’t get around to articulating, as the thing she most envied Ae Yeon for.

Additionally, in a lot of scenes at around this point in our story, Jeong In behaves like she wants to get back together with Mu Jin, like in the way she is shown to pause quite dramatically, when she overhears Ae Yeon talking about not intending to reconcile with Mu Jin.

AND THEN. When the truth is revealed, Jeong In’s behavior changes dramatically, and she’s shown to be one of the biggest supporters, of the potential reconciliation between Mu Jin and Ae Yeon.

This doesn’t add up to very cohesive character presentation, so taking everything into account, I’d say that Show did “just ok” on the red herring front, on balance.

The character of Hyeon Jae [BROAD SPOILERS]

I ended up having mixed feelings about Hyeon Jae (Yoon San Ha) as a character, which is why I’ve got him in this section.

At first, I thought he was very endearing, particularly in the way that he glommed onto Mu Jin, and seemed to get so much joy from just hanging around Mu Jin, and running errands for him.

I liked the idea that he really missed having a father, or at least a father figure, in his life, and he seemed to be instinctively making up for lost time, which, aw. 🥲

However, it wasn’t long before I found myself rolling my eyes at Hyeon Jae’s immature, naive and presumptuous behavior.

[SPECIFIC SPOILERS]

Not only does he drop out of college on his own, he uses the college tuition money that Mi Rae had worked so hard to give him, to support his desire to become a business owner.

I also didn’t like how he latches onto the idea that Mu Jin, as his rich dad, would invest in his business venture, and that’s why he starts buttering up Mu Jin, and treating him like royalty.

[END SPECIFIC SPOILERS]

I started out finding Hyeon Jae endearing, but I spent so much of my watch feeling annoyed at his whiney ways, that I think it’s permanently spoiled my impression of him. 😅

STUFF I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH

Show being a tease about Mu Jin

I think Show spends wayyy to much time being a tease about Mu Jin possibly being a shady person.

Just based on this show’s genre alone, I could confidently conclude that Show was just teasing, about Mu Jin maybe having done some criminal things, but Show stretches it out for much longer than I would have liked.

SPOTLIGHT ON SELECTED CHARACTERS / RELATIONSHIPS

Son Na Eun as Mi Rae

I feel like Mi Rae is positioned as a very key character, given that she’s the one we’re introduced to first, and while I feel like there are a fair number of viewers who find her unlikable, I didn’t find myself feeling the same way.

Sure, she does start our story on the grumpier side of things, but I feel that Show does a solid job of giving us the context around why she is that way.

Add on the fact that this is a story world where a lot of things can be exaggerated for effect, and I found it quite easy to accept Mi Rae, and even root for her.

Oh, and I did like the fact that Mi Rae’s very competent at work, and stands out from among her peers.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. Although Mi Rae isn’t one to complain about her lot, we do get glimpses of her inner exhaustion, like when she feels so back into a corner, that she wishes the world would come to an end, or when she remarks that she’s contemplating whether she should just jump into the Han River.

I don’t believe that Mi Rae is actually suicidal, but I do believe that her mental and emotional exhaustion is real, and that she has very little bandwidth left, to consider reconciling with Mu Jin, when he shows up at the end of episode 1.

[END SPOILER]

Mi Rae and Ae Yeon

I love that there’s a strong bond between Mi Rae and Ae Yeon (Kim Ji Soo).

Clearly, mother and daughter make a great team, and I love the idea that they work in the same department store, with Ae Yeon even being on Mi Rae’s tteokbokki team, serving up samples of tteokbokki, and ramping up sales, like a boss. 😁

To my eyes, they’ve built up their strong relationship over years of looking out for each other, and being there for each other, as they took care of their household together, and I really liked the strong mother-daughter bond.

And, I thought it was touching, that each would automatically think of the other’s preference / well-being, when considering, well, anything. 🥲

[SPOILER ALERT]

I thought that the arc, that Ae Yeon and Mi Rae had become overly dependent on each other, and that Ae Yeon needed to let Mi Rae go, so that she could be independent, was quite interesting.

Mostly, dramas tend to focus on healing broken parent-child relationships, like we see in other relationships in this story world, but here, we have a much-needed recalibration of a parent-child relationship, which I thought was quite refreshing.

[END SPOILER]

Choi Minho as Tae Pyeong

I really liked Minho as Tae Pyeong; I thought the role suited him perfectly.

To my eyes, it felt like Tae Pyeong was a nice spot of calm, in the midst of an otherwise mostly chaotic story world.

I thought this was perfect, since Tae Pyeong literally means “peace.”

Very quickly into the show, we get a little snippet of his morning at his apartment, where he eats this wholesome cereal breakfast on his rooftop, before cycling to work, and I just really liked how simple and wholesome his life appeared to be – which is completely unlike the kind of life that we see Mi Rae leading.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I really like that Tae Pyeong’s quick to offer help when he sees that it’s needed, like when he sees Mi Rae getting publicly dumped by her ex-boyfriend (a hilarious cameo by Daniel Choi, as the most needy Mama’s Boy, pfft), and offers her a ride on his bicycle, so that she can get away from the prying eyes of her colleagues.

What I like about Tae Pyeong is, he honestly doesn’t seem to have any kind of agenda, when it comes to Mi Rae.

He helps her because he perceives that she needs help, but if she declines, he is quick to excuse himself, and go on his way.

There’s just something about that, that appeals to me.

I think it’s partly the casual nonchalance, like he doesn’t take it personally when she declines, and the fact that he actually respects her opinion when she gives it. Both of those things appeal to me.

E5-6. A surprise for me, these episodes, is Tae Pyeong’s chaebol backstory.

I don’t know why it hadn’t occurred to me, that perhaps his family background wasn’t so simple, given that chaebol families in dramas are often super complicated.

These episodes, I was taken aback twice, because at first, it had seemed to me, like Tae Pyeong might have been born of an affair that CEO Dad (Jung Woong In) had had, but then, we learn that, nope, CEO Dad is actually Tae Pyeong’s half-brother, and Tae Pyeong’s actually born of an affair that the late Chairman had had. Eep. 🤪

With the gossip and finger-pointing that must come alongside, in the family, it’s little wonder that Tae Pyeong wants as little to do with the family as possible.

Even though Tae Pyeong acts firmly nonchalant, we see later that it does hurt him, judging from the way he goes drinking on his own, and looks so down, when he bumps into Mi Rae.

[END SPOILER]

Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong

From the moment that Show introduces Tae Pyeong’s character, it was clear to me as a viewer, that there was going to be a loveline between Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong, I was on board instantly, honestly.

I guess it’s my rom-com hardwiring as a drama fangirl coming out? I found myself lapping up all the various interactions that we see them have, each episode, and this potential loveline quickly became a highlight of my watch.

In a story world where this loveline isn’t actually the Main Event, I do feel like Show does a solid job of demonstrating a growing connection between this would-be couple, that feels natural and organic.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. The fact that Mi Rae barely registers the appearance of the handsome stranger in her orbit, is, I think, a great testament to the fact that she’s over-stressed, over-exhausted and over-stretched.

Which is why it’s so apt that the way they meet, is when Tae Pyeong literally piggybacks her to the hospital, because she collapses from exhaustion at work. Boy, talk about running yourself ragged. 😅

E3-4. I do think it’s quite a delicious idea, that Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong are both inadvertently privy to each other’s secrets, and find themselves promising to keep each other’s secrets, well, secret. 😁

With this, it feels like they’re suddenly partners in crime or something similar, and I like this sense of sudden closeness that’s between them, because they are guarding each other’s privacy.

Just about everything around Tae Pyeong being the Chairman’s son tickles me.

From the way Mi Rae accidentally finds out, because of how the elevator doors open just as Tae Pyeong’s yelling, “Father!,” to how chagrined she is, thinking of how she’d threatened to get Tae Pyeong fired “with the authority of the head office.” 🤭

I do really like the “kind indifference” that they land on, as their way of being around each other; it feels spot-on as the kind of support that they’d immediately appreciate from each other, and there’s no burden here, of being more involved with each other than absolutely necessary.

Like I mentioned earlier, it just doesn’t seem to me that Tae Pyeong has any specific intentions around Mi Rae; he seems to just genuinely want to help her, when he runs into her.

And we do have them running into each other quite regularly, thanks to how closely interlinked their worlds are; their homes are in the same neighborhood, his judo studio is in that neighborhood as well, and they work at the same store.

Out of their various run-ins, I do have a soft spot for the time Mi Rae’s looking to blow off steam pretty desperately, and runs into Tae Pyeong, who lets her break a bunch of boards at the judo studio.

I thought that was very kind of him, and it also feels like a really timely and on-point sort of way to help Mi Rae, at a time when she’s feeling particularly frustrated.

And then the other run-in I really liked, is the one at the end of episode 4, when Tae Pyeong spots Mi Rae crying in the park, and goes off to get her an umbrella, so that she can cry with some privacy, at least.

Aw. He’s really so thoughtful, and I love how he always approaches Mi Rae with that open gaze that indicates that he isn’t judging her at all, and just wants to help. 🥲

With the two of them seeing more of each other, and therefore sharing more with each other like this, I’m really looking forward to them choosing to spend more time together, and be closer, rather than just depend on chance.

E5-6. I am enjoying nicely, the little run-ins between Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong.

That little motif, where Tae Pyeong keeps meeting Mi Rae in the elevator, and keeps holding it for her, or pressing the floor number for her, or just asking after her, is all quite low-key, yet quite cute.

The way Mi Rae perks up at meeting Tae Pyeong, in spite of herself, is also quite cute.

Given how Mi Rae’s decided that she has no room in her life for romance, I can see why she would try to talk herself out of allowing the connection with Tae Pyeong to form naturally, and try to nip it all in the bud.

At the same time, I’m glad that Tae Pyeong doesn’t actually avoid her, even though she tells him to.

I really liked that quick little jaunt to the beach, because he’d volunteered himself to go with her, in order to persuade his grandmother to keep supplying the store with tteokbokki, even though Gran has already stated that she won’t.

And it’s also thoughtful of him, to insist on driving her home, when he sees that she’s very tired.

E7-8. One of the relationships that I’ve been looking forward to getting some progress, is the connection between Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong, so I’m perfectly happy to have Tae Pyeong keep running into her, to be the help and support that she needs, while things are topsy-turvy at home.

Again, because they live in the same neighborhood, these run-ins feel believable and organic, rather than far-fetched and random.

I mean, it makes sense to me that Tae Pyeong would be out jogging, since he’s an athlete type, and it makes sense to me that he’d spot Mi Rae looking lost while standing next to her suitcase.

I did think it was a little silly that he and Mi Rae tussle over the suitcase enough to cause Mi Rae to fall flat on the ground, but y’know, I’d buy that it would take that much, to convince Mi Rae that she should take up Tae Pyeong’s offer, to clean up at his apartment.

The whole rooftop BBQ thing with Tae Pyeong’s friends is pretty nice, and Tae Pyeong gawking at the sight of Mi Rae in a dress, and then jumping to put a jacket around her shoulders so that she won’t catch a cold, is cute too.

Plus, Mi Rae wearing Tae Pyeong’s big hoodie on her tiny frame, does give me couple vibes. 🥰

More importantly, I really like that this affords them the opportunity to have a proper conversation, where they end up sharing more deeply about their lives.

It hadn’t really occurred to me before, that they would be able to provide solidarity to each other, but they do exactly that, on the point of feeling like they shouldn’t have been born – and isn’t that such a deeply personal thing?

I feel like once they’re connected in solidarity on this, that just naturally deepens their liking for each other, which is already clear to see.

I like this; it makes their connection feel so organic and therefore unforced. 🥲

It’s really quite touching, how they take turns stroking each other on the head, with Mi Rae offering words of comfort, understanding and acceptance, and Tae Pyeong looking like he’s trying to decide whether to reciprocate with similar words – or a kiss. 😁

The idea of Tae Pyeong becoming more ready to acknowledge and articulate his feelings for Mi Rae, is kind of thrilling, honestly.

I do love that the next time he runs into her, he takes her to dinner because she hasn’t eaten, and then fusses over every little thing, because he wants to take care of her while she’s hurt.

And then he asks if, instead of running into each other, they can plan for a date, next time.

Eee! Cute!

And I do like that Mi Rae’s eventual answer, is that after she’s made up with Ae Yeon, they can go on that date. 🥰

After that, how about how he’s quick to volunteer to help Mi Rae at the supermarket, because her hand is hurt, and how he’s also quick to grab her hand, while pulling her out of harm’s way – from a passing shopper’s cart, hee. 🤭

And then, he’s also quick to confirm with her, that she’s made up with Ae Yeon – because he’s been sincerely looking forward to that, more than anyone. Cute!

Afterwards, when Tae Pyeong realizes that Mi Rae had rejected CEO Dad’s request for her to persuade Tae Pyeong to work in the company, that galvanizes him into action, yesss.

It’s pretty great that after Tae Pyeong calls her, Mi Rae shows up to their meeting with a birthday cake, to surprise him.

Aw! This feels especially fitting, since they’d previously talked about how he’d felt like heh shouldn’t have been born. 🥲

It feels like the natural next step, that Tae Pyeong tells her, that same evening, that he likes her.

I was on tenterhooks along with Tae Pyeong for a while, coz Mi Rae starts to talk about how she can’t ignore him being the CEO’s son – but then she finishes by saying that it’s harder to ignore her feelings for him, yesss!

And then they seal it with a kiss, awwww. 🥲

I do love the idea of them finding solidarity, love and acceptance in each other, which they hadn’t ever believed they would find. 🥲🥲

[END SPOILER]

Mi Rae and Mu Jin

One of the reconciliations that I looked forward to the most, in our story world, was the one between Mi Rae and Mu Jin.

There is a lot of hurt there that’s unresolved, and for a long time, it looks like it might be too big to ever really resolve, but Show does a nice job of giving us little baby steps in the right direction, and I really liked that.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. Underneath the petty competition and theatrics, I can sense Mu Jin’s sadness and sense of resignation whenever he contemplates his past with Mi Rae, and how he’d let the family down, and how she’d told him that she wanted him out of their lives.

You can tell that he’s sorry, and that he acknowledges the wrong that he did, and that he’s wistful for the past, and dearly wants to start afresh, with his family.

On Mi Rae’s side, you can still sense the hurt and disappointment that she’d suffered, still hanging over her, and the resulting responsibilities that she’s taken on, weighing her down.

In a way, she’s had to grow up very fast, in order to help take care of her family, but at the same time, it feels to me like there’s still a part of her that’s still a little girl, who’s crying because of the hurt and disappointment.

Honestly, the moment that really got under my skin, with these two, these episodes, is when Mi Rae gets overwhelmed after the big scare that Ae Yeon had gone missing, and she goes off on her own for a walk.

I found it very touching, that Mu Jin would follow her, and then tell her that she’s done really, really well, and that she’s nothing like him, so she doesn’t need to worry.

It really struck me that Mu Jin might have been out of Mi Rae’s life for a long time, but he does instinctively understand her, as her father.

In just these few minutes, he’s spoken to the core of the burdens on her heart, and I find that very poignant and bittersweet.

It honestly makes me want this father-daughter pair to overcome the pain of the past, and reconcile. 🥲

E5-6. In every moment when Mu Jin does or says something that gives Mi Rae pause, I perk up a little bit at the possibility that they might one step closer to reconciling. 🥲

Like when Mu Jin talks about wanting to lighten Mi Rae’s burden, even if it’s late in the coming, and when he replaces that fake CCTV camera with a real one, because he knows that Mi Rae is worried about Ae Yeon.

He genuinely cares, and he’s really trying, and it feels like maybe it’s starting to make a glimmer of a difference.

After all, we do get the first instance of Mi Rae using a gentle tone with Mu Jin, these episodes, when she tells him to do his part as a parent, and take in Hyeon Jae.

It’s.. not a whole lot, but it’s something, yes?

E7-8. We finally get a reconciliation between Mi Rae and Mu Jin, and I’m very pleasantly surprised that Show manages to make it feel pretty organic and convincing.

We’ve seen that Mu Jin really does care about Mi Rae, and wants to reconcile, but all we’ve seen from Mi Rae in response, is a deep sense of bitterness and hostility.

That flashback, however, put everything into perspective.

Their relationship had soured, not because of all the failed business ventures, but because Mi Rae had overheard that conversation where Mu Jin’s friend had said that everything had gone south, because Mu Jin had had Mi Rae.

Ouch. That must have hurt a great deal, and I can see why Mi Rae would have taken it very badly.

And yet, she doesn’t truly hate Mu Jin, and that’s why she puts herself at risk in order to save Mu Jin from what could have been a bad accident.

I’m so glad that Mi Rae’s accident leads to some honest outpouring of feelings, followed by a reconciliation that’s cathartic and tearful, which then settles into a truce between them that feels endearingly awkward and restrained. 🥲

[END SPOILER]

Tae Pyeong and CEO Dad

Although their relationship is a more secondary sort of arc, I found myself having a soft spot for the relationship between Tae Pyeong and CEO Dad.

I think it’s because, underneath their butting of heads, I could sense that CEO Dad was truly wistful for his son, and I found that very endearing and touching.

And so, I found myself looking forward to their reconciliation a great deal as well.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. I found CEO Dad’s visit to Tae Pyeong’s rooftop apartment very cute, in that you can tell that Dad misses his son, as much as he tries to be gruff about it, and he really hopes that Tae Pyeong would just come home already.

I also thought that it was interesting that Dad seems to understand Tae Pyeong well enough, what with being able to guess Tae Pyeong’s passcode to the apartment, while Tae Pyeong doesn’t even know that Dad suffers from diabetes.

I suppose it’s one of those things, where as a kid, you don’t quite pay attention to your parents, until you’re older and more mature, and perhaps Tae Pyeong isn’t quite there yet?

I did find it quite touching, that Dad would know enough about Tae Pyeong, to know what to guess as his passcode. Aw.

[END SPOILER]

Ae Yeon and Mu Jin

This was the OTP that I wasn’t actually sure would be an OTP, heh.

The thing is, I found that I wasn’t super fussed, really, about whether Ae Yeon and Mu Jin would reconcile; I just knew that I wanted them to at least get along, and that I wanted to see the family get along again.

Overall, I feel like Show did a nice job of working through this relationship.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E5-6. I’m not certain that Ae Yeon really will reconcile with Mu Jin, but I thought that her reaction to everything felt quite believable and organic.

What I mean is, I totally buy the idea that she believes that she has absolutely no interest in wanting Mu Jin back, but then catches herself actually caring, when she thinks that he might have had a thing with Jeong In, in Thailand.

Sometimes – oftentimes? – we might not fully understand our own hearts, and I do think this is the case with Ae Yeon.

That’s why she’s able to refute the possibility of a reconciliation repeatedly, and so vehemently, and that’s also why she goes into such a daze, when she thinks that Mu Jin might have been the father of Jeong In’s unborn baby.

These episodes, I feel like there are several times when there are little glimmers of hope for Mu Jin and Ae Yeon to start over, like when he gives her that big bag of things, and each item turns out to be a thoughtful little gift for her to enjoy.

With Ae Yeon continuing to clean furiously after eating a bit of the snack that he buys her, I guess it’s safe to say that she might be wavering a little. Or at least confused. 😁

The thing that really signals a possible breakthrough, I think, is when Ae Yeon drinks with Mu Jin, and then drunkenly bemoans what a terrible mother she is, because it’s her fault that Mi Rae grew up too fast, and Hyeon Jae hasn’t grown up yet.

Aw. That’s just a poignant, motherly sort of thought, and so personal too, and the fact that she gives voice to those thoughts in front of Mu Jin, feels like a significant thing, doesn’t it? 🥲

Maybe we will get a reconciliation between these two after all..

E7-8. I’d honestly been doubtful that Mu Jin and Ae Yeon would get back together, given how strained things have been between them, and also, given how Ae Yeon’s already stated firmly that she would not reconcile with him.

But, the way Show works it, I can believe it – which I do very much appreciate.

Through it all, we’ve seen Mu Jin demonstrate a great deal of sincere concern for Ae Yeon, beyond the childish competition for Ae Yeon’s attention that we saw in earlier episodes.

When he thinks that Ae Yeon’s unwell, he’s so worried, and so quick to put her to bed, so that she can rest.

And, we can see too, that Ae Yeon still cares about Mu Jin, pretty much in spite of herself.

Like when she sees his old “friends” making snide remarks to his face outside the funeral hall, she can’t help but go to his defense, even if it means pretending to still be married to him.

I found it quite amusing, that she wouldn’t be able to talk herself out of going ahead with it, even though her brain is cognizant enough, to protest. 🤭 I guess she just cares about him that much, yes?

More importantly though, we do get that burst of honesty, when Mu Jin later questions Ae Yeon about her actions, and she tells him point blank, that his problem is assuming that he’s the only one who lost a lot, in everything that had happened.

I do think that that’s an important nudge in the right direction, because with this, I feel like they’re finally getting to the meat of what’s really keeping them apart.

Another major thing, is how Hyeon Jae shows Ae Yeon the contents of Mu Jin’s big bag of secrets – and it turns out to be all the mementoes of Ae Yeon and the family, lovingly labeled and carefully kept, all these years.

Awww. Y’know, I’d really wondered what that bag was about, and had imagined that the bag had something to do with the secret of Mu Jin’s sudden wealth, and it’s so touching to realize, that the things in the bag, which he’d treasured so much, weren’t about money, but his family. They had been his riches all along.

Isn’t that such a touching thought?? 🥹

I do think that that breaks through Ae Yeon’s last defenses, against Mu Jin, and that’s how we end up with a reconciliation, right there at the baseball game.

Which is so fitting, really, because that’s where their relationship had started too. 🥲

It’s so sweet and heartwarming, how Mu Jin grabs her for a hug, once it dawns on him that she’s asking him to be part of her life again, and won’t let go – and tells her that he’s barely holding himself back from kissing her in public, hee!

Cute!

[END SPOILER]

SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]

E9-10. Considering that these are our penultimate episodes, and that penultimate episodes in kdramas have a reputation for being angsty and hard to watch, I’m actually really happy with these episodes.

Not only do we get some more meaningful steps forward in our key relationships, we also get some important reveals, AND, it isn’t even much angst at all, in the grand scheme of things.

I think I rather like what seems to be a trend of shorter family dramas coming our way. 🥰

Backing up to episode 9, I thought the episode title was a cute pun, since the episode it titled “Back to the Mi Rae,” and “mi rae” actually means “future.”

Quite fun, yes? And it’s apt, too, because while it’s not about time travel, it is about Mi Rae finding the life that should have belonged to her, if she hadn’t been so wrapped up in the past, and the responsibilities that she’d taken upon herself, because of that past.

Honestly, I’d say that that applies to Ae Yeon too, these episodes, so the title feels extra apt.

I do think that Ae Yeon’s method of giving Mi Rae her independence was rather far-fetched, in that, I doubt any normal parent would resort to that, unless a normal discussion about this with their child had failed.

And we don’t actually see Ae Yeon attempt to talk with Mi Rae about it, and it’s even more far-fetched because the two of them had always been close.

However, I get that this was basically Show’s way of adding some drama and zing to our proceedings, so I’ll roll with it, and I do also give Show some credit for at least attempting to explain Ae Yeon’s extreme measures.

More importantly, the emotional beats feel relatable and believable, and that helps to ground everything, even though I still find the method on the more stylized, dramatic side of things.

The way both Ae Yeon and Mi Rae start out feeling uncertain of what to do with themselves, feels true to life; I can believe that they’ve lived so long while depending on each other, that they would struggle to adjust, once the situation is changed like this.

I also like that both Ae Yeon and Mi Rae come to realize how much the other person had contributed to their lives, while they’d lived together. I guess this is what it means to say, “Absence makes the great grow fonder”?

Like Mi Rae realizing how perfectly Ae Yeon had managed to keep house, so much so that she’d never noticed it, because it had been so perfectly done.

And Ae Yeon realizing that there’s no one else in the house, to help run errands like buy bread, or help with expenses.

I do like the idea that Tae Pyeong’s there to help and support Mi Rae as she settles in, and that Mu Jin’s there to do the same for Ae Yeon, as she adjusts to her new goal, of taking things easier, and not living so hard, as she’s always done.

On that point, I have to say, I really like Mu Jin’s answer, when Mi Rae asks him if he’s confident of making Ae Yeon happy; that he doesn’t have the confidence, but just wants to be next to her, while she reaches for the goals that she wants.

I also really like what he says about his reason for buying the villa.

It’s not that he was intent on reuniting with his estranged family; he’d just wanted to be be in the same space as they, and be there for them, if they needed him.

Awww. That is very endearing and very sweet; I love that he just wanted to be near them. 🥲🥲

As for Ae Yeon, I love that she gets scouted as a model for that live broadcast, and gets to taste her long-ago celebrity dream, a little bit.

Mu Jin getting all excited and acting as her manager for the day, is also very cute.

And I thought it was very meaningful, that Mi Rae got to be there to witness Ae Yeon doing well, on camera. 🥲

That moment when Mi Rae discovers the letter from Ae Yeon, where Ae Yeon lovingly gives her advice on how to make things work for her despite having a full-time job, was very lovely.

I found it both healing and empowering, like, you could feel Ae Yeon’s heart pouring out of the letter, and her words are ones of wisdom and experience, enabling Mi Rae to get things right, without too much trial and error.

I liked that a lot.

I also really like their reconciliation, when Mi Rae runs home right away, and they finally talk things out.

Mi Rae’s conclusion, that all these years, she’d told herself that she’d been living for Ae Yeon and protecting her, but really, because Ae Yeon had been her world, she’d really been doing it to protect herself, rings true to me.

Afterwards, isn’t it so heartwarming, that Ae Yeon and Mi Rae talk on the phone even more regularly than before, when they’d lived together? I thought that was very heartwarming. Yesss for mother-daughter bonding! 🥰🥰

One of my personal highlights, these episodes, was watching Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong enjoying themselves as a newly minted couple.

The highlights of them going on dates and doing fun things together, were really sweet, and I really liked the idea of them feeling like their ordinary lives had suddenly become special and exciting – all because of the other person. Schweet. 🥰

Tae Pyeong joining the company as an intern, and being assigned to Mi Rae, was pretty amusing to me.

I’m beginning to see that CEO Dad really does want the best for Tae Pyeong, and that he really does miss Tae Pyeong and want to spend time with him.

That beat, where CEO Dad says that they’d do the cross-country bike trip that they’d promised each other, after he retires, is actually pretty sweet.

It shows that CEO Dad is quite wistful for the time that they’d be able to spend together as father and son, and I like that he’s purposefully keeping the bike trip as a thing that they will do together, at a set point in the future. 🥲

I thought it was sneaky of him to assign Mi Rae to mentor Tae Pyeong, because, honestly, who else would be able to make Tae Pyeong work hard, and yet enjoy himself while doing so? 😁

The whole “secret dating in the office” thing is also quite cute and thrilling, and I can see why Mi Rae and Tae Pyeong would find it so exciting to be around each other in the office, stealing little handholds and exchanging secret, meaningful looks.

I actually like her strategy, of being strict and businesslike with Tae Pyeong at work, and then comforting and consoling after hours. The way Tae Pyeong readily accepts this, and cheerfully goes along with it, is also very endearing. 🥰

Everyone else bending over backwards to be nice to Tae Pyeong, now that he’s outed as the CEO’s son, is low-key amusing, in a bonus sort of way.

Finally, Show reveals the truth behind what had happened between Mu Jin and the late landlord, and of course Mu Jin hadn’t contributed to his death.

In fact, Mu Jin had tried to persuade both him and Jae Geol not to invest their money in that scam, but neither had listened.

..Which means that when the late landlord’s daughter had approached him for money, when he’d actually lost it all, he’d made the decision to set his apartment on fire for the fire insurance money, in order to help her – and just hadn’t managed to get out of the apartment in time.

Ackkk. This means that the daughter had actually caused her father’s death, by asking him for money in the first place.

That’s terrible, and no wonder she’d automatically looked for a different way to understand the situation; she likely couldn’t bear the guilt of admitting the truth – that her father’s death had inadvertently been her own doing. 💔

But of course, trust our good-hearted Mu Jin to still blame himself for it, aw.

I’m glad that Ae Yeon leads the way in vouching for his character, and then goes after him, to comfort him.

It’s cute how she even goes so far as to sing for him, like the way she’d sung for him, way back when they’d first gotten together.

And then, when that fails to get him out of his funk, she even kisses him.

Ooh! Well! I guess this reconciliation is going beyond just companionship then, hee! 😁

I’m sure Mu Jin’s beyond thrilled, as he kisses her back, and I feel like we are basically very well on track, for a wholesome, happy ending, in our upcoming finale episodes. 🥰🥰

Nicely done, Show. Nicely done. ❤️

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E11-12. It’s a happy ending all around, which I totally expected, given the kind of show it is, but it’s not a conventional happy ending, which I think adds a refreshing sort of twist.

Some stuff was admittedly a little silly and over-the-top, like the telling of the true story behind Mu Jin’s sudden wealth, and the fight between Mu Jin and CEO Dad, both of which I found rather eye-rolling.

Some stuff was also a little rushed and convenient, like Jeong In and Jae Geol starting to date, and also, the whole thing Hyeon Jae and his desire to start a business, and how upset he is, at the way his entire family isn’t supportive of that desire.

Overall, though, I did like Show’s overall message of reconciliation meshed with independence.

It is quite fresh, for a kdrama, I think, particularly a family drama, to emphasize that you don’t have to live together, in order constitute a happy family, or a happy ending.

We see that consistently across the board, from Ae Yeon choosing to live on her own instead of getting remarried to Mu Jin, to Mi Rae choosing not to get married, even though she’s in a serious relationship with Tae Pyeong.

Honestly, I think it would have been nice to have had one of these couples choose to get married, because on hindsight, this does feel like the opposite of all the neat bow happy endings where everyone just ends up getting married.

That said, it was still very enjoyable to see our various characters learn to put themselves first, and figure out what they wanted in life, independent of everything and everyone else in their lives.

Ae Yeon doing more modeling work and getting a driver’s license; Mu Jin choosing to coach baseball; Tae Pyeong returning to teaching judo; Mi Rae choosing to live on her own; Hyeon Jae continuing to pursue his business dream; it’s all very heartwarming, honestly.

One of my favorite bits, in these finale episodes, is that scene where Tae Pyeong asks to meet CEO Dad, and father and son talk over drinks at the pochangmacha, for the first time.

I love that when Tae Pyeong asks CEO Dad why he’d chosen to be his father, CEO Dad talks with such gentle affection about baby Tae Pyeong running to him and calling him, “Father,” so much so that, before he knew it, he’d become Tae Pyeong’s real father.

While I did find the fight between CEO Dad and Mu Jin really silly, I like that the effect that this has, is that it helps Tae Pyeong to feel, for the first time, that CEO Dad really is his father, after all, with the way CEO Dad had bragged about his judo achievements to Mu Jin. 🥲

The two of them telling each other that they were glad to be father and son, was one of my favorite moments of these episodes. 🥰🥰

Tae Pyeong then following the moment, with telling CEO Dad, with the same respectful gentleness, that he’s finding the office work more enjoyable than he’d expected, but that it’s still not for him, and Dad accepting it, because Tae Pyeong’s given it an honest try, is also very heartwarming.

The other arc I consider a highlight, is the scene where Mi Rae visits Mu Jin on the baseball field, and asks him why he hadn’t told the family about having caught the scammer, when he came back.

It feels like a very significant step, that Mi Rae tells Mu Jin, in this conversation, that he did well, to come back, and that she’s glad he’s back.

Ahhhh. I feel like with this, this father-daughter reconciliation is finally complete, and that makes me happy. 🥰

Clearly, even though I do enjoy the romances in our story, it’s the parent-child relationships that grab my heartstrings the hardest. 🥲

As we close out our story, it’s very pleasant to see the family being so happy, and so close-knit, even though they aren’t living together like they used to.

I like the idea that they’re happy as they are now, and will take things one step at a time, making choices that feel true to themselves, as they seek to live their best lives, independently, but also, together. 🥰

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Not very elegant, but heartwarming and pleasant, nonetheless.

FINAL GRADE: B

TRAILER:

MV:

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’m covering on Patreon, in place of  Romance in the House, is Tell Me That You Love Me [Korea].

You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on Tell Me That You Love Me on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +The Judge From Hell [Korea]

Early Access Plus (US$10): +A Virtuous Business [Korea]

VIP (US$15): +Tell Me That You Love Me [Korea]