The Good Bad Mother (2023)

WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL CAST

I had been seeing good reviews of good bad mother for a while but didn't fel compelled to watch it because sometimes parents in asian dramas can feel so triggering in their 'i do this to protect you' self-righteouness and I didn't know if I could watch an entire drama revolving around that. But I was waiting for new episodes of my current WIP so i decided to give this one a go.
And boy was i glad i did! Yes at the core it was about a mother-son relationship but it was also sooo much more. This was such wonderful mix of family, drama, suspense, comedy and romance.
One minute I'm so sad, the other I'm angry, the next I'm laughing, the next I'm going awww. The whole village dynamic, the relationships, each character felt fleshed out and nuanced. No one was perfect and cookie cut out and that's what made it beautiful. How the mother comes to realise the damage she did, how the son realises what he was raised to do. The love story between the leads. The weird push and pull friendships. The adorable twins and their banter. Just perfectly done. I also really enjoyed the mi-joo and sam-sik scenes because they were such a doltish yet earnest duo whenever they worked together to do something. The Chemistry between the Mi-Joo and Kang-ho was amazing. This was the first where i didn't need to see too many lovey dovey scene to understand how deeply they cared for each other. Even when the other didn’t remember their history.
I wanted to shake the mother sometimes but I understood that it was part of her story. The actor playing the played it beautifully.

THE ML! GOOD LORD WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL ACTOR. From the seemingly heartless and ambitious man to a heartbroken but determined man to a clueless yet earnest man he played his role so beautifully. He deserves all the awards.

The only reason why i 6 give it a perfect 10 was I think some more time should have been given to resolving things between Mi-Joo and Kang-Ho instead of rushing to the climax.

But all in all, watch this! You won't regret it!

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A rollercoaster of emotions

I think I experienced every emotion while watching this series. Sadness, shock, annoyance, anger, frustration, happiness and joy. It was a rollercoaster.

While I understand what the more negative reviews I found when looking at the entire picture it made sense the way this was written. I don't think the full impact of the ending could have been as powerful had it not. This show needs to be looked at in its entirety at the end to appreciate the rest.

While going through the series can be tough at points it all comes togther in the end. The viewer really needs to sit back and pay attention to the why's if they don't the ending won't be nearly as impactful because the character growth is immense, especially for the mother.

Yes, I did have issues with some things but not with what one would expect! My biggest issue was with the middle because it seemed a but unrealistic. I won't say more here I trust the viewer will understand what I mean as they watch it.

I think this show is definately worth the watch. Just remember keep an open mind and let the why's sink in!

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It's a little bit different than other dramas

Actually the revenge part isn't something new for kdramas, but the relationship between the son and the mother and the feelings behind it is whats new. I guess the west would think that the relationship is abusive and nothing is good about it, but even though the fact that I is really abusive, the east will understand the meaning behind it. Family is actually really important for us and this drama portrayed it well. eventhough the mother was wrongand the drama portrayed it as a "bad mother", the feeling behind it was so great, I am not saying that this is right thought. But we grew up in this, and we can't change anything about it, and we wouldn't leave our family at the very end. We all hated how they treated us when we were teens, but growing up we tend to understand that they are humans they make mistakes, and they love us still. And this drama portrayed this so well.

It's a burst of emotions all at once, eventhough the plot of the revenge was so mid, the feeling in this drama is what makes it on a higher level.

The actress of the mother and the son did a very very very good job at portraying the emotions so well. I am not going to forget the other members of the village, it felt so homey.

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It's chaotic and that's why you should watch it.

Everyone has already listed the best and worst of this series so I won't do that. Instead, I will tell you this - if you want to see the most humane story that could describe people, their actions, emotions, and choices, give The Good Bad Mother a chance.

Some may say this series is trying to justify lousy motherhood, but truthfully, nothing is black and white. We, humans, go through various circumstances in our life that affect the way we react. So, instead of seeing black, let's focus on the shades of grey and maybe we would get better at healing ourselves and others around us.

I am not trying to justify abuse here or bad behaviour towards kids; I am just saying, don't forget mothers are also human and are prone to making mistakes. And this series perfectly depicts how events that unfold in one's life can completely change the course of their future.

Most people watch dramas and movies for entertainment but you can learn a few lessons from this one that could actually prove to be useful.

Lastly, Lee Do Hyun did the most commendable job in this series with his acting skills. His role as Kang Ho will always stay in my heart...❤️😍

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Too depressing for too long for the payoff at the end

The executive summary here is that there was too much sadness and trauma for too long for the final payoff. I don't like series that give you happy only in the last 10 minutes or some such. This series did that

Others have written excellent reviews, as usual, so I'll just put a few points out there to perhaps help folks decide if this is their cup of tea.

The Good
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- The acting!

Ra Mi Ran is great as the mother, although the role was really annoying to watch.

The twins were, as everyone said, adorable.

Ahn Sun Jin was fantastic, We watched this series because of her, after seeing her in Hospital Playlist.

- The few, and unfortunately only a few, funny moments were done well.

The Not So Good
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- As noted, too sad for too long. We needed more of the happy times with Mi-Joo and Kong-Ho after the trauma was (mostly) resolved.

- Not enough Ms. Ahn! She is great and we did not see enough of her in this series.

- Something about Young-soon's mourning was just off. I can't place my finger on it, but that scene just did not work.

- The side characters were too over the top. For a very serious series, they may have wanted some comic relief , but it was often out of place.

Recommendation
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This is actually hard to recommend, which really bums me out. But if you are looking to being bummed for the great majority of the series, and need a big dose of sadness, this may be for you

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It's not "the thought that counts" but "our actions that show who we really are"

As series about an abusive parent, it lacks a bit of self-awareness. The mother is mostly bad and horrific with very little good and redeeming qualities. During the story she does reflect a bit and becomes remorseful about certain things but we as the audience see that it happens only in her head - even when she regrets her past actions, she does not learn from them, she literally does not learn anything from her past mistakes.

* In the past she is very strict and overbearing with her son's education (and overall life), in the present her methods for his rehabilitation are very strict and overbearing (to take away the food when he can not control his arms, to dump him in the lake when he can not stand up).

* In the past she burns almost everything that shows his love and accomplishments for drawing, in the present she burns almost everything that shows his work and accomplishments as a prosecutor (carrier path chosen by her).

* In the past and in the present she makes all the decisions for him, in other words she is not raising a son, but a submissive, accommodating robot, to do and be as she dictates. It is called out only once or few times but very briefly, and she never apologises for taking away a lot of agency from her son. (She does, however, apologise for other things on few occasions, which is commendable).

The main message of the show now reads as "mother is always right" no matter how psychotic or abusive. It would have been more believable, if the son hated his mother more, and would come to realise that along the hate there was also love, only AFTER he found out that she was dying. Better yet after her death. (Death and end of things are good drives for introspection).

In my eyes, mother was too glorified and judged too little for her terrible actions towards her son, because as much as we would like to believe that it's always "the thought that counts" it is actually "our actions that show who we really are".

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An Emotional Masterpiece

“There’s a saying, ‘A mother can replace anything in this world. But nothing can replace a mother.'” – Mr. Son

"The Good Bad Mother" is an absolute masterpiece! From the very first episode, this captivating drama leaves a lasting impression. The perfectly balanced pace keeps viewers engaged, with never a dull moment. The meticulous storytelling ensures every scene contributes to the emotional impact.

At its heart is the intricate relationship between a mother and her son. Kangho's character development is a tour de force, showcasing his growth, joys, traumas, and love for drawing. Youngsoon's flawed yet vulnerable portrayal evokes empathy. The well-rounded, relatable characters are a rare feat.

The supporting characters shine individually, contributing to the tapestry of emotions and genres. The exceptional acting immerses you in the story, with special mention given to the adorable twins. Their talent and potential are remarkable.

This show explores the depths of imperfect motherhood, sacrifice, redemption, and the enduring bond between parent and child. It's a triumph in storytelling, acting, and emotional impact. Prepare for a journey of love, forgiveness, and a connection that will stay with you. Bravo to the entire team behind this exceptional drama!

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Never a dull moment

I loved way more about this than I didn't.
The very few gripes are honestly not worth mentioning.
Fabulous cast, many actors/tresses I love, all of whom played their characters so well.
It is quirky at times; the character of
Young-rak's wife is totally off the wall. I loved her! Her outspokenness made for some really funny scenes and, at times, not low level discomfort too.
I so felt for Kang-ho and as his story was revealed, thought him so brave. Lee Do-hyun portrayed him excellently.
There were many scenes that made for a tough watch. How cold, heartless and thoroughly evil some of the characters were.
Those were tempered by opposites, however, and that prevented this drama from becoming overly melodramatic and depressing.
I completely disagreed with the methods of the Mother in question. Yet I still liked her character; she was forced to toughen up, make sacrifices, cope alone, keep going and work her arse off. However, for me that didn't excuse her dictatorial approach toward her son as a child, or actions that bordered on abuse. Nothing can excuse some of the things she did. Yet I still couldn't dislike her.
Her character seemed to mellow through the story and her capacity for forgiveness, on several occasions, I found a bit unbelievable, but given her circumstances at that point, I did get it. She also repeated one of her previous mistakes regarding another character, which disappointed me, but she came through in the end.
Kang-ho's behaviour, I thought was out of synch at times, with what his character's age was supposed to have reverted to, but, I could care less. He had me in bits on numerous occasions.
I also loved Mi-joo. What a great young woman, with real strength of character. She never played the victim and was so tenacious. I really liked the relationship she had with her twins, too.
In fact, all the village women in this drama were tough in their own ways really.
Life wasn't particularly easy or a bed of roses, for any of them.
The men were funny, capable, but rarely the bosses ;)
Sam-sik was a conundrum for me... I loathed, liked, was amused and shocked by him, in turns. Drove me nuts.
The foreign character, Andrea, was weirdly likeable. I wasn't sure at first. The way he spoke was odd at times (and not when he was practicing his Korean), but then I find many of the foreign characters represented in K-dramas to be a bit odd in general. He helped out a lot though and wasn't insignificant. How they interacted together was lovely.
Plenty of suspense and a terrific watch. I never got bored, was pleased with the ending and so enjoyed the actors, who really made the story shine.

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Enjoyable but frustrating watch

I have mixed feelings about this drama. Although I thought the drama was an enjoyable watch, I don't think I was completely satisfied by the story at the end of it. I could not tolerate the mother most of the times esp when she was making such bad parenting decisions, although I know the drama is literally called The good bad mother. Sometimes it was so harsh to even watch those scenes, I would skip it. But other than that, I really enjoyed Kangho and Mijoo's story. Mijoo was my favorite character in the drama, along with the twins.
The acting was top though. Both Lee do hyun and Ra miran did so great.

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Embracing Motherhood, Forgiveness & Redemption

This drama had me hooked from the start and took me on a wild emotional ride.

First off, let's talk about Seo Eun-ji, played by the amazing Lee Ji-eun. She brought so much heart and realness to the character. As a single mom, she faced all kinds of struggles, but her love for her child never wavered. It hit me right in the feels, man. I was rooting for her every step of the way. (and hated her at the same time initially)

The show really dives deep into the ups and downs of motherhood. It shows you the sacrifices moms make and the unbreakable bond they have with their kids. It made me appreciate my own mom even more, you know? It's a reminder of the love and strength that mothers have.

But it's not just about motherhood. "The Good Bad Mother" also tackles forgiveness and personal growth. It's all about second chances and learning to let go of the past. Seeing the characters evolve and find redemption was powerful stuff. It made me think about my own life and the importance of forgiveness in moving forward.

Now, I gotta be real with you, there were a few things that could've been better. Some side characters could've had more depth, and a couple of plot points felt a bit rushed. But you know what? Those things didn't take away from the overall impact of the drama. It still hit me right in the heart, man.

"The Good Bad Mother" is a drama that tugs at your emotions and leaves you reflecting on life. It's a reminder of the power of love, the strength of motherhood, and the possibility of redemption. If you're looking for a heartfelt journey that will have you laughing, crying, and cheering, this is the one for you. Get ready to feel all the feels, my friend.

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Directionless and incredulous show with a psycho mom

The show started out pretty good. Initially, I figured the show would be about a prosecutor on a path of revenge or a path of corruption that took away his father’s life. Either way, both interesting. Then the accident happen which was an unexpected twist that could’ve made things more interesting.

But once Kang-Ho came back home, the story devolved into a bunch of country bumpkins acting like fools. There’s no clear direction and the writers just randomly tossed in every known K-drama cliche such as family car death, major illness and unnecessary misunderstandings. All happening at once! Once country bumpkins take over, we see less and less of two villains who are much more interesting. They’re wasting so much time adding incredulously improbable plot lines during Kang-ho’s “recovery” process, it’s gotten hard to watch. The show constantly switches from comedy to cringy drama trying to make you cry.

What really gets me about this show is how Kang-ho’s mom comes across. I get that she’s had a hard life but she’s an absolute nut job! The way she treats Kang-Ho is way past child abuse and she should be jailed for it.

Speaking of child abuse, how Min-Joo lies to her two kids about their father is a next level psychological abuse. How will they recover from this?

We also cannot forget newly discovered ways to treat quadriplegic people. Starve them so they can use their own hands and then throw them in water so they can start walking. Someone actually wrote this crap.

Who else is so sick and tired of the main character losing her crap every other scene?

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Greatness of motherly love drama

OMG watching ep 10 and don't want it to end!! It is such a good drama depicting how a mother can do anything no matter how life is so tough and hard with a son who behaves like a 7yo after an accident. You can expect to cry, laugh, feeling warm from the village's unconditional help.

I was expecting there's very harsh revenge plot but everything was subtle, the focus is on mother and son's rekindled relationship which is so heartwarming and touching.

Totally worth watching and pls prepare tissues!! Lee Do Hyun's performance is outstanding BUT I think Ra Mi Ran should win a Baeksang!

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