Now, We Are Breaking Up (2021)

Jang Kiyong unconvincing as creative, Paris-based, free-spirited, rebellious, footloose photographer

"Now, We are Breaking Up" tries to tell a love story in reverse (e.g. it has been there already). This would be an interesting project in itself, yet...

The plot is emotionally quite complex, the characters are in principle jucily interesting and ambivalent. If a KDrama can't take care of a multi-layered, complex mixture of feelings, then who can? Unfortunately, I have to say that (in my opinion) this project doesn't really work out so well with the casting.

Regarding her emotional intensity, Song Hye-kyeo is (as so often) a major factor for watching. As the heroine, here and there her reservedness, sobered by life, is perhaps a bit much. But in places this cracks open. It is this well dosed mixture and subtleness, that makes her role convincing - the experienced fashion designer in her late 30s has turned away from flirtation and rather concentrates on her work, into which she throws herself completely. Being the talented and experienced professional she is, hardly does she ever get upset by anything. ... until her encounter with the young photographer Yoon Jae-gook, that throws her (emotional) life (supposedly) upside down. Her reservedness so far operated as shelter and imprisonment at the same time. Circumstances don't really offer a chance to free herself from the corset of reason, which is protecting her deeply injured heart - never mind let herself fall and trust emotionally. This inner dynamic is not so nice to look at - or rather endure - for the viewers. But I don't think you can blame Song Hye-kyeo, as she handles this inner tension and the ambivalent moments of her complex role very well.

On the other hand (unfortunately) I don´t buy Jang Ki-yong in his role as a creative, Paris-based, free-spirited, a bit rebellious, footloose, and at the same time successful photographer. For me he behaves way too reserved, well adjusted, well-behaved - a sympathetic, dear, rich, successful boy. So unfortunately, HIS ambivalence doesn't convince me. Perhaps actor Jang Ki-yong lacks the life experience (on the rebellious side)? And since he can´t really fill this side with life, I am not convinced by the chemistry between the two leads. It doesn't get to me how the young man in his supposedly fiery manner, would be able to reignite on an EMOTIONAL level the fire of lust for life and joie de vivre (beyond work) that is still blazing somewhere deep down in Ha Yeong-eun... So the key to all further makjang doesn't really fit into the lock. Too bad. Thus the experiment of telling love in reverse didn't really work out that well.

The KDrama is not bad because of that (...though admittedly disappointing ...). On the pro side: There are freshening subplots, each with actors in good humour, who have actually won awards for their spirited performances. The setting in the creative industries is kind of charming, too. Finally, the Korean family values are (once again, but successfully as always) playing with fire on the drama front...

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A romantic story about life beautifully told in a slow-breathed and melodic narrative.

~Everlasting love is about becoming a part of your loved one’s life.
A part of you lives inside them and stays there forever.~

"The meeting and farewell of love and breakup is similar to life, since meeting and farewell is what life is about." - PD Lee Gil Bok

~ Planning intention ~ (Source: Namu Wiki)

It is written as ‘breakup’ and read as ‘love’.
The sweet, salty, spicy, sour and bitter story of our breakup.

Fashion designers design four times a year.
Everyone wants a classic that will be remembered forever, but
Trends are consumed quickly and out-of-season clothes become a thing of the past.

Maybe the same goes for living.
Dreaming of unchanging, eternal love and repeating countless encounters and separations
But no encounter, no love, is permanent.
Eventually, the relationship runs out, the time allowed is up
Separation is a natural and inevitable part of life.
Perhaps living is a journey towards death
And the parting of the ways with those who have been with us.

But parting comes suddenly, without warning or forewarning
Leaving a lot of self-reproach and regret.
So, if you can't avoid it or postpone it
As Versace says, wear the clothes that are most like you
Live the life you want to live, not the life others want you to live.
Even if it's a failed life, even if it's a love that falls short
At least you won't have any regrets at the moment of parting.

Breaking up is not the end,
But the completion of my love, my life.

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"Now, We Are Breaking Up" is a realistic melodrama. A mix of makjang and realism in this case, to be more precise.

I loved the work scenes around the world of fashion and photography (if you want to know how the industry works, it will be very interesting for you), the elaborate outfits and elegant staging, the sublime soundtrack & cinematography, the opening, the sophisticated vibe, the character development, the dialogue, the poetic aspect throughout the drama, the different visions on the breakup (it's not just literally about two people breaking up but, much, much more), the depth of their love and how meaningful it was.

Many found it to be nothing more than bland and depressing, but I beg to differ, as I found a lot of hope in it. When I finished the drama, I also felt like I was breaking up with it, which would be rather sad but instead it left a warm feeling inside me.

Their love is very special and maybe not so easy to understand for the audience. If you only view love at surface value, full of butterflies and cheesy lines, this is not the kind of love for you. "Now, We Are Breaking Up" is a melodramatic romance while being a deep, thought-provoking and mature drama that deals with the realities of life.

Jang Ki Yong and Song Hye Kyo did an excellent job interpreting their characters and they were able to portray the nuances well. I could genuinely feel their vulnerability, though it was subtle. The depth in their portrayal was impressive. All the cast felt very convincing and natural, while at the same time having their own charm. It isn't so surprising because they played characters of their age and close to their selves, which also created a great dynamic between them.

Even the way they speaked french was so charming, and that is very rare because most of the time it is incomprehensible in other dramas (I'm french for your information). Besides, they never looked so good on screen.

The pacing is certainly slow but over time I found myself really into the story and attached to the characters. Actually, I loved the fact that everything was happening slowly. There are important life lessons about family, friendship, love, happiness, work... There are also topics such as society's expectations of women, adultery, divorce and illness, all dealt with brilliantly.

There is no doubt this drama will not please a lot of K-Drama fans, but for me it was a beautiful one. And at least, it did well enough in Korea. I shared my thoughts on the ending and other parts in the comments, so, do not read if you haven't finished it.

Thank you for reading !

Highly recommended press conference : https://youtu.be/7MPkeRirpu0 - the quote at the beginning of my review from PD Lee Gil Bok was taken from this video

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After writing a response to someone in the comments section (at first it was short lol), I had too much to say so I decided to make it a sort of second review. Read it or not, it's your choice.

They have many similarities on the outside, but Encounter is much more of a fairy tale. It's a romcom, not a melodrama. However... You could say Young Eun and Jae Guk's story is a fairy tale. Like it is said in the synopsis, "As if in a dream, Young Eun and Jae Guk find themselves falling for each other. But not all fairy tales have a happy ending. Is theirs a story that will end in heartbreak or will they manage to find their own version of happily ever after, after all?"

Other mature dramas would be hated because the leads are very flawed and thus unlikeable for most, but it wasn't the issue here. They are very mature, certainly more than most of us viewers who don't have as much life experience as them.

Many hate on the drama, the actors and their characters because they don't get it. There is a reason why they don't show a lot of emotions on the outside - especially Song Hye Kyo's character, and it doesn't mean that she's not a good actress. Unfortunately a lot of people like to hate on her for no valid reason, and NWABU was the perfect drama for them to do so - saying she's an overrated actress who doesn't know how to act, who picks romance over and over and that she took this one solely because of her divorce. Of course there wouldn't have this problem if it was a drama that's meant to please everyone. Look at The Glory. Suddenly everyone loved her again...

I follow her since I watched NWBU, and I can tell she's a wonderful person, other than being a great actress. Thanks to this drama, she found a new family after taking a break for 2 years (she divorced Song Joong Ki in June 2019 after almost 2 years of being married), and by that I mean that the bond between her and the rest of the cast is precious. Not to mention that as Jang Ki Yong was turning 30 and Kyo 40, it was another reason for them to pick this project.

Each role and drama of hers is different, yet it is true that she took the romance drama again. However, there's a reason why she took on this role, she's a mature person as well as an experienced actress and she took it because she thought it was a script worth doing. I believe that this drama was perfect for her to start anew. Why? Because this is exactly what NWABU is about. Both in her career and in her emotional life. This way, you will understand the ending. The storyline is pretty much the surface of the drama.

"Someone will accuse me of taking the romance drama again, but I don’t feel any regret after shooting it. No matter what others say, I’m glad that I chose the drama "Now, We Are Breaking Up" at this point in my life." (Hye Kyo's words)

On the other hand, Ki Yong's character is more expressive. His acting was kept realistic and nuanced for his mature role. He's younger, without as much experience, and there's obviously always room for improvement (even for Hye Kyo, a real actor never stops growing), but his performance was objectively good, as he really worked hard on it, tried his best to BE Yoon Jae Guk, and made me feel that he was Yoon Jae Guk, just like Hye Kyo made me feel she was Ha Young Eun. I cannot imagine anyone else than them for the characters. Hye Kyo said herself that she felt how much he felt like Jae Guk himself in the press conference and how surprised she was (and vice-versa actually, Ki Yong said that he was surprised at how Hye Kyo was able to become Young Eun in the fraction of a second), and coming from an experienced actress like her, it says a lot.

Believe me or not, I loved watching Young Eun and Jae Guk. People are so accustomed to watching characters with strong expressive/emotional reactions in dramas, that as soon as it's too subtle and withdrawn, they call it bad acting. What I saw was nothing but believable adults. No matter what people say, such complicated emotions are not easy to act out.

Then again it's subjective, we have our own preferences, but that comes down more to the characters themselves, or the actors (yes, there are some actors I don't like to watch *personally* and not because they're bad, just like there are characters I didn't like watching). For me both of their portrayal was solid and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The targeted audience would be adults in their thirties and above. I am far from it, so that's not only about age but also about the kind of stories we like to watch, though this won't be the cup of tea of most in their twenties or less. Nonetheless, I also think that it's one of these dramas where young people can learn from. It can even be quite healing, depending on people.

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