I laughed and I cried!

Wow, this was a delightful surprise of a watch! Going in I was expecting mainly a lighthearted romcom, but this drama goes beyond that. It definitely has a lot of comedy but what makes this drama special is its perfect balance of comedy with depth in the plot execution. First of all (without spoiling), the plot is quite simple, and in the first half of the drama there is a lot of focus on Deok Mi's 'private life' aka her being a fangirl blog runner of her favorite idol Si An from the group White Ocean. I was slightly worried that the drama would focus too much on the fangirling and idol aspect and stray away from the art/museum curator side of hers but fortunately that didn't happen. Our male lead Ryan becomes the new director at the museum where Deok Mi works at and they start getting entangled with eachother. The acting of our leads was superb, especially Kim Jae Wook as Ryan. I was really impressed by his acting. He can change expressions so fast in such a smooth but subtle way that’s just incredible. In my mind he really IS Ryan Gold/ Heo Yun Jae. Park Min Young was also really good and I liked that she pulled off the comedy but could also switch to serious acting. I didn’t quite like her in Secretary Kim because I thought it seemed a bit robotic / NPC kind of vibe but in this drama I didn’t get that at all, I really enjoyed her acting.

One of my favorite things of this drama is definitely the chemistry between our leads and their playful but VERY healthy relationship dynamic! They really come to connect deeply with eachother and trust eachother and help eachother overcome emotional obstacles and they're always so supportive of eachother that it just warmed my heart watching this. For example, when Ryan finds out Deok Mi is The Road to Si An he didn’t judge her nor impose on her, he truly accepts that passion of hers for what it is without being overly jealous or toxic. Even when she has a moment of verbal admiration for Si An, Ryan only gets a bit jealous but he acts on it in a playful teasing way instead of a toxic controlling way which is further proof of their trust in eachother and I love it. *SPOILER* I also loved that Ryan could paint again thanks to Deok Mi’s support and encouragement. I loved that she emotionally supported him but also pushed him at the same time in baby steps, by letting him trace her hand and in a later episode asking him to trace her profile on a canvas. When he made that painting for Deok Mi’s birthday I cried. *SPOILER END*
Kim Jae Wook and Park Min Young were utterly convincing as a couple and I wish they would actually marry eachother IRL!! I also love the amount of kissing scenes there are; it's not limited to the mere 'confession kiss' or the 'make up kiss', and it's another thing I find unique about this drama. It is really steamy and passionate and cute and it's just so good. They are easily one of my top fav kdrama couples now.
I also love that there is a lot of unscripted improv especially from Park Min Young and it just made it super hilarious to watch and it also made the conversations between them feel even more natural. I watched the BTS videos and I could tell even off screen they truly get along and that really showed on screen. Like sometimes when she’d improvise she’s actually joking around as Park Min Young and they’d end up laughing so hard and getting out of character but they put it in the drama anyway and that just makes it even more funny and awesome!
Comedy appreciation aside, there is definitely enough depth to the characters and plot that balances out with the more lighthearted aspects in this drama. Once again without spoilers both our leads have some baggage but it’s mainly Ryan who has trauma. The drama shows just enough but doesn’t make anything overly complicated either that it becomes boring and confusing, there is a perfect balance. There are also no plot holes which is another thing I appreciate because it happens often in dramas when it’s poorly written or not fleshed out.

Side characters wise I do find some of them less interesting, like director Eom (very one-dimensional and exaggerated) and Seon Ju’s husband (who imo is kind of a wuss but ok), but the others I did like; especially Seon Ju, Eun Gi and Cindy. I liked Seon Ju because she’s Deok Mi’s best friend and she always has her back and I just really enjoyed their friendship. Seon Ju is also very assertive in her own way and I enjoyed that. Then Eun Gi. In the beginning I disliked him because I thought he was just gonna be the ‘jealous annoying childhood friend who has a crush on the female lead’, but he outgrew that and he definitely goes through development and in the end chooses to support Deok Mi and her happiness. With Cindy it’s a similar thing, I thought she was just gonna be the ‘spoiled annoying rival Si An fangirl who wants to knock down Deok Mi’ but she also doesn’t stay in that stereotypical trope, which is why I started to like her. She even learns to do things on her own (coming from being super spoiled and not doing anything by herself) and finds new ambitions at her work in the end which I’m proud of her for. She also ends up befriending Deok Mi and the rest and that makes me happy.
I also enjoyed watching kdrama parents not being stereotypical for once. Deok Mi’s mom seems like a stereotypical mom in the beginning but she actually cares a lot for Deok Mi and definitely shows that later in the drama, in a healthy communicative way.
Overall I did like that the supporting characters weren’t just ‘there’, but they all have their own thing going on as well.

Music wise there weren’t a lot of OST tracks, but they were simple but memorable. My favorite one has to be ‘Think of You’, it’s Ryan and Deok Mi’s song and I love it.

Overall I would highly recommend this drama. It’s heartwarming, funny, easy to watch, but also has depth and it’s definitely refreshing!

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Heartwarming and hilarious, but also deep

Things I disliked (or could be better)

1) When being guilt-tripped by Seo Jun, on top of his already existing guilt regarding Se Yeon’s death, Suho decides to make Ju Gyeong distance herself from him by lying to her and saying that he only ‘looked out’ for her and ‘cared’ out of pity. But later when she confronts him about it and says how he shouldn’t ‘lead her on’, he doesn’t even give her a proper explanation for this. I was hoping he’d do that later in the series but he doesn’t, and I think he should have.

2) I did not like how Ju Gyeong refused to try to listen and understand Suho when he expressed that he was uncomfortable with her being around Seo Jun so much (working part time at the cafe together, doing a couple photoshoot together), and that he ‘didn’t like it’. She only acted defensive and was so dense that she couldn’t even realize that Suho’s jealousy and discomfort are totally reasonable? Especially considering the fact Seo Jun DOES like her, and after the school literally spreads tons of rumors about her and Seo Jun dating. Like, how does one not realize that?
Suho even literally said ‘So you don’t care about dating rumors between you and Seo Jun being spread, but announcing we are dating is not ok?’ which was a very valid point.

3) I found it weird how everyone in the class reacted so poorly and judgy after Ju Gyeong’s ‘true face’ was exposed as well as her bullied background at Jongpa. Yes, she did get selected as visual representative for the school and I get that some people may feel fishy and salty about it and judge, but her own classmates after getting along so well for a while already? Even Su Ah acted avoidant and I did not get why. Then in the end it had to be the teacher Han Joon Woo to ‘educate’ everyone to not judge and act like that. That was disappointing.

4) Suho and his dad honestly have a lot more complexity and tension to their relationship because of multiple things, not just because of the ‘Se Hyeon being falsely accused and forced to his death’ thing. Yes, his dad wasn’t aware that that’s what Director Oh did in order to cover up his own possible scandal (the photo with him bringing home a young actress). He does genuinely apologize for this to Suho, but to me their relationship seemed to heal too easily and too quickly. I can understand that when it comes to life and death you can disregard a lot of things, and considering his mom already died he only had his dad now. So when Suho’s dad gets a brain hemorrhage problem and has to be treated overseas he immediately comes along with him. But that still doesn’t erase all of the things his dad did previously in the past, when Suho was younger. For example the ‘affair’ he caught his dad having with some woman on the day his mom died. That’s just fucked up. How does that not get addressed?

5) The reason that Suho states when he breaks up with Ju Gyeong I honestly find quite weak and not convincing. Ju Gyeong expressed not minding to wait for him at all while he’s in America taking care of his dad, and yet he insists that waiting is ‘too painful for her’ and breaks up with her. I felt that was unnecessary, and that it wasn’t a right choice in the writing at that point in the drama. Considering point 4 (my previous point), I think the rest of the episodes should have addressed that instead of making up more ‘drama’ because of this.

6) Then after 2 years, when Suho comes back again he acts as if the breaking up and dumping Ju Gyeong and not replying for a full year just didn’t happen at all, and doesn’t even explain things and apologize to her right away as he should have. Instead, he tries to take her back like it's no big deal and I found that really hurtful and disrespectful. Ju Gyeong’s hurt reaction and avoidant behavior are totally reasonable and understandable. In the end they do make up, but I just didn’t like this.

7) It’s unclear what happened to the bullies from Jongpa High. Ju Gyeong does fight them and beat them up and teach them ‘a lesson’, but I feel it would have been better if the bullies got officially punished and addressed by the school or some legal authority. Bullying is something that will continue if serious measures aren’t taken by schools, or by other authorities. It is a happy ending for Ju Gyeong, but the bullies could still terrorize other people. Especially because this drama centers around this topic quite a bit I was hoping for some sort of ‘closure’ in that sense.

8) Even if Su Jin apologized to Ju Gyeong, it seemed off to me how everyone else, including Suho, were happy to see her when she appeared at Hee Gyeong’s wedding as a guest. I would imagine being quite disappointed and off-put by your childhood friend whom you’ve known for so long and cared for for so long to do something like that to your girlfriend. I would appreciate the apology (given that Ju Gyeong told Suho that Sujin apologized), but I’d still be stand off ish. But that’s just me. Suho’s reaction just didn’t seem realistic to me.

9) This isn’t a plot point, and I appreciate the amount of kissing scenes in the drama, but honestly they can be a lot better. Cha Eun Woo’s kissing is stiff and he barely even moves his lips when he kisses Ga Young, and if he does it looks kind of unnatural. We are way past the ‘peck and freeze’ era now, that’s literally so 2000s kdrama kissing style. Then their kiss at the end of the last episode also felt kind of awkward. He was holding a comic book in his right hand, but Ju Gyeong’s arms were free. She could at least put her arms around his neck or something like that, instead of once again freezing in the position and just staying like that (that being said I did like the kiss after he confessed to her during the school trip). Overall it could just be better.

Things I liked (or that were funny)

1) The ‘panty incident’ when Seo Jun dances by himself half naked when he’s out of the shower and then turns around and sees that Ju Gyeong is there, and then he continues to dance on his way to his room and then quickly ‘breaks’ character in embarrassment. That was hilarious.

2) Suho makes Ju Gyeong do stuff for him in return for keeping her bare face secret. But in reality he was just using those as excuses to see her and spend time with her. One time he even asks her to come to Prince Comic to bring him something but then she quickly leaves, not giving him time to invite her to eat ramen with him (which was his real intention). Then the camera zooms in on the two bowls of ramen that are prepped laying on the table.

3) Tae Hoon and Su Ah being THAT pda couple is cringe to some, but super adorable to me (ok Tae Hoon did have some cringey moments but I don’t mind it given his character setting lol). I loved the part where Tae Hoon prepared a whole surprise for their 100 day anniversary in the classroom, with all the other classmates and friends participating as well.

4) On the playground when Ju Gyeong trips while they are playing basketball and Suho catches her, but then he hugs her. Then he tries to play it off as making her smell his ‘new detergent’. Then the Prince Comic owner happens to pass by and he rushes over to hug him as well to make it look like he wasn’t specifically just hugging Ju Gyeong. LOL.

5) In episode 6 (and end of ep 5), when a singer at the school festival performs one of Se Yeon’s songs as a tribute, Suho gets a panic attack. Even after being told he only looked out for her ‘out of pity’ (which is a lie unexplained to her) and being hurt by it, Ju Gyeong still rushes to care for him. When he runs off and ends up on the rooftop crying alone, she finds him and stays with him, embracing him and comforting him. This really shows how much she loves Suho and that when push comes to shove she can put all things aside and still be there for him.

6) In episode 7, Suho goes to great lengths, from making everyone at school yell ‘apologize’, to hacking his computer during a game in an internet cafe, to telling on his dad, to the point of even losing sleep, just to make Lee Sung Yong apologize to Ju Gyeong for kidnapping her. That was true dedication.

7) In episode 10, Suho visits Ju Gyeong’s room for the first time and sees a photo of her younger self laying on a couch (that appears to be at Prince Comic). He finds out that Ju Gyeong was the same girl he met as a little boy at Prince Comic who called him a crybaby, and then tried to cheer him up by doing animal impressions. He then takes that photograph home with him.

8) In spite of point 3 from ‘things I disliked’, I love how Su Ah speaks up and confronts Sujin about her deeds. Even if Sujin doesn’t admit her fault or show remorse even then, Su Ah stands up for Ju Gyeong. Afterwards she reassures Ju Gyeong that she is not ‘that kind of person’ and admits feeling hurt that JG thought she’d be shallow, then they ‘make up’ and hug eachother.

9) In episode 13, Suho records an aegyo video at Prince Comic and it’s HONESTLY ADORABLE. He sends it to Ju Gyeong in order to cheer her up. (Ngl Cha Eun Woo pulls off aegyo really well and his voice also sounds cute when he does it.)

10) At some point Suho reenacts the animal impressions to Ju Gyeong, and Ju Gyeong finally realizes they’ve met before as kids. The way he did it is very cute.

11) In episode 14, when they are dating Suho itches to call Ju Gyeong, but then he imagines the worst case scenario where he ends up being ‘the tiring type’ (as said by Tae Hoon), in which Ju Gyeong runs off with Seo Jun on his motorcycle, leaving Suho alone on the track field. He then kneels down and screams ‘NO!!’.

12) The beach date was honestly so wholesome and romantic as well, I loved seeing them go on an ‘official’ date like that.

13) 'OH MY EYEEEEES, OH SHIIIIIIIT' - Im Ju Yeong

14) While my previous points in the ‘things I disliked’ still stand, I did enjoy watching how the show extended beyond the high school setting. I really loved seeing Ju Gyeong pursue her ambition and passion in makeup. I also loved seeing Seo Jun make his way back to music and eventually debut, and that Suho decides to pursue music again too. I also really enjoyed the sub-plot of the relationship between Hee Gyeong and Han Joon Woo and how it progresses to them getting married. The show wraps up in a lovely way.

Final thoughts

Visually, I enjoyed it in all aspects.
Firstly, the cast. I haven’t read the webtoon (yet) but I think the casting is just perfect when comparing the actors to the drawn versions of their characters. Cha Eun Woo is literally perfect as Suho, I don’t think anyone else can match better. Ga Young and Hwang In Youp are perfect as Ju Gyeong and Seo Jun as well. Even the casting for the side characters match super well. For example Goo Woon, or Hee Gyeong. Even Selena’s actress pulled off the vibe really well. The acting was also really good, I was especially impressed by how well Cha Eun Woo did considering his performance in some previous roles were underwhelming.
Secondly, the cinematography is beautiful, the colors are soft but vibrant.
Thirdly, the fashion is also on point most of the time (some of Suho’s outerwear and outfits are kind of questionable tho imo). Also, I don’t know how Ju Gyeong suddenly leveled up her fashion sense by 100 after ‘the makeover’, but I did really enjoy her cute outfits. I especially liked her academic outfit variations. I like how she wore different colored knee socks, sometimes grey and sometimes white. Her matching pastel colored outerwear goes well with her uniforms too.
The soundtrack is also very memorable, both songs with vocals as well as atmospheric instrumental tracks.

I loved the characters. First of all, I need to give a big shout out to Seo Jun for being such a respectable and good character. Even if he loves Ju Gyeong, he never acts selfishly by crossing the line or boundaries and always respects her and Suho.
He also does so much for her behind the scenes, it's admirable.
The side characters are awesome too. Ju Gyeong's sister and brother are also so fun and have unique personalities as well. Hee Gyeong (older sis) is very confident, tomboyish and funny with her interactions with Han Joon Woo (the teacher), but she has a really righteous side. Ju Yeong (younger brother) is a goof and banters with Ju Gyeong a lot and seems like the usual 'obnoxious' sibling, but he definitely shows a more serious, mature and caring side to him as well. For example when he tells Suho to not play around with Ju Gyeong's feelings and actually be serious if he really likes her, or when he fights someone at school when they talk shit about Ju Gyeong (after she got 'exposed'). His protective side definitely shows.
Then another side chara I especially liked is Yoon Tae Hoon, he was hilarious. He was a bro to Suho as well, trying to give him tips and help him out. That scene where they broke the 4th wall talking about drama cliches was HILARIOUS.

Plot wise, as I’ve stated in the points before, it’s not perfect. However, the characters and their backgrounds and personalities are very well developed and I think that really uplifts the show and carries it in places where it lacks plot structure.
This show gave me many laughs, especially in the first half. It also gave me some tears. There are definitely a lot of cliche moments like in a lot of kdramas, but those honestly didn’t bother me.
Finally, I just loved how organically and naturally Ju Gyeong and Suho’s romance develops throughout the show, it doesn’t feel forced at all. I loved seeing their relationship and interactions change from ‘cold’ and ‘on edge’ to being warm and fluffy and silly. Suho definitely learns to ‘let loose’ and show a more playful and cute side when their relationship progresses. It was also relieving and heartwarming to see him and Seo Jun reconcile in the end and become friends again.
All in all, despite having some flaws, True Beauty is a show that has a great combination of fluffiness/comedy and deeper themes. I honestly didn’t expect it to address things like panic attacks, trauma, serious family issues and OCD. However these are real things that happen on a daily basis for many people and I can fully appreciate the show addressing these, while still being balanced with the more lighthearted side of it. I enjoyed this show a lot and I’m going to miss it.

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A deep expansion from the film

“There is one thing I learned after getting young. No matter how old you get, there is always something new to learn. If you think of it as a regret, that’s the end of it. But when you think of it as a lesson learned, it brings a new beginning.”

First of all, I just want to say that I really applaud the producers for choosing to make a k-drama based on ‘17 Again’, which is a movie I really liked the message of. I think it’s a bold and respectable choice, since the themes and lessons in the original aren’t exactly ‘fantasy’ friendly as they’re very realistic ones, therefore the drama is not your typical romance. In fact, this drama isn’t even about romance. This drama is real life.

I will start with the plot. There is a lot of overlap with the original plot of the movie for sure in the beginning of the drama, some scenes are even literally recreated exactly like the movie. For example the “You reaaaaally look like my husband!” and the ‘dad confronting the bully at school’ scene, even the script was true to the original (with its own spin in addition) and I found that hilarious!
However, what the k-drama really dives into that the movie didn’t get to show is Da Jung and Dae Young’s exact struggles in their relationship and marriage and the raising of their children. The miscommunications, the ‘just bearing it by yourself’ things, taking the other for granted, how they started drifting apart etc. It really shows all kinds of details from the start of their timeline of when they first met in high school until present day. Si Ah and Si Woo (their children) also get more expansion and characterization. There is the main plot but also ‘sub plots’ revolving around them, whilst everything is still connected at the same time. We get to see Da Jung pursuing her dream to become a news anchor and it’s one of the main things that the drama revolves around as well, which I find interesting.
So in the movie Mike started projecting his own unhappiness on Scarlet and blaming/resenting her for it because he regretted not having pursued basketball, and that’s how they eventually divorced. In the k-drama however, it’s not so much just about the basketball thing, but also about how Dae Young started taking Da Jung for granted as well. As I mentioned earlier, there was a lot of miscommunication, or rather, a lack of communication to be more precise, which caused both of them to make negative assumptions about each other, and that started causing cracks in their relationship. Both of them were unhappy at some point and started losing respect for each other, and it showed in the way they treated each other.
For example, in the flashback scene at the beginning of episode 12, Da Jung took her time and prepared a beautiful breakfast, but then Dae Young suddenly gets up all hasty and irritated and yells at Da Jung for not having woken him up in time (yelling = red flag #1), which Da Jung responds to with an apology calmly. Then, he proceeds to say “Nothing stays in your brain. It must have so much space!” in a condescending tone (red flag #2). He is irritated, I get it, but that is a straight up disrespectful/mean comment, which frankly I would have never just brushed it off if I were Da Jung, it’s just not okay. It always starts with the little things, and it really builds up over time. The thing is people often don’t even reflect over what they said because they subconsciously think it’s justified just because they said it when they were angry. Which it is certainly not.
It also happens the other way around. When Dae Young gets mistreated by clients and then scolded and blamed for it by his boss repeatedly, he becomes miserable, and ends up drinking regularly. When Da Jung comes home to him drinking she thinks he’s just ‘pathetic’, instead of making an effort to find out his underlying reasons for doing that and trying to understand him and be there for him. This is also an act due to lack of respect, since she practically ‘gave up’ in her mind and created this narrative about her husband who is ‘just a pathetic alcoholic at this point’ before she even really took the time to dig deeper. When your partner says ‘nothing is going on’ but they clearly look miserable, that’s a definite cue to actually take it even more seriously and take the time to understand what the other one is going through. I’m sure she knew him well enough to be able to tell he wasn’t ‘just drinking for the sake of it’, but since her belief was set she didn’t want to do that. People see what they convinced themselves of and this is a prime example of that.
Back to present day, Dae Young is now back to his younger self and he, just like in the movie, enrolls into Si Ah and Si Woo’s school as Go Woo Young to look out for them. This is his whole ‘redemption’ arc, and he does a really good job at it. I won’t go into every single detail but I like how through his redemption he starts to really understand his family, and starts to learn how to appreciate them better. He starts to notice the little things that contribute to one’s happiness.
What I don’t like however, is that in the end the kids never find out that Go Woo Young is Hong Dae Young. I think he should have revealed it to them, since he really bonded with them as Go Woo Youg. Besides, I find it weird that Ji Ho, an ‘outsider’ in this context (bc he’s not part of the family), gets to know whilst his kids don’t. I just find it a shame since if I were in their place I would feel sad that my really close friend (aka Go Woo Young) is just suddenly gone with a vague explanation. I also think they deserved to know that their father was right beside them this time around, because they wouldn’t know it was his effort if they didn’t know it was him! However I can’t say I dislike the ending, this was just one of the things I would have preferred.
I also found it a bit off-putting that towards the end of the drama when Da Jung finally knows Go Woo Young is Hong Dae Young, she suddenly gets upset and insists that Dae Young should pursue his basketball dream this time and that she doesn’t want to ‘ruin his life again’. I think she should have communicated that differently. I get that she felt doubtful and guilty that it was all her fault that she ‘stopped’ him from his dreams, and regretted telling him she was pregnant, but I’d have preferred if she’d listen to Dae Young’s feelings first before pushing this on him.

What I do like about the ending is that they didn’t go with the ‘and then we lived happily ever after’ route. Even when Dae Young and Da Jung get remarried, their ‘new’ marriage isn’t perfect either, as none is. I like that they still show them fighting, being ‘petty’, being frustrated at times, but in the end having the respect and appreciation for each other to try and learn from it and to communicate better and be better for each other. So this time while still imperfect, it’s different. It’s hopeful.

Acting wise, I DEFINITELY have to say Lee Do Hyun carried the show! Yoon Sang Hyun (adult Hong Dae Young) did amazing too, but since the majority of the drama is about 18 y/o Hong Dae Young’s redemption, we see more of Lee Do Hyun. His acting is absolutely amazing. His crying scenes really break my heart. His expressions are so rich. It’s also interesting to me because for the majority of the time he has to ‘act normal’, and not look suspicious, so he often times ends up watching over his family more quietly in the background, which I found kinda sad but it still managed to be impactful in some kind of inexplicable way.
Kim Ha Neul (Da Jung) I’m actually not so sure about. I don’t know if it’s the writing or her acting or both, but I didn’t find her execution that good in this drama. There was always a sort of ‘I’m acting polite because I don’t know you well and I don’t feel that comfy/free yet around you’ vibe when it came to her interactions with any character. I wasn’t convinced she was close to anyone even if she was, because she always spoke and acted in such a ‘careful’ and ‘formal’ manner? I didn’t feel chemistry between her and most of the cast to be honest, except maybe with Wi Ha Jun (Ji Hun), but I think that’s because Ha Jun is just incredibly charming that it’s hard NOT to vibe with (elaboration will follow lmao).
I also didn’t like that whenever Dae Young spoke from his heart to Da Jung, she would ‘tch’ him (not in a bad way but in a ‘staaaahp why u so cheesy’ way) and just sort of brush it off instead of properly responding back? I really wonder if the ‘tch’ thing is just Kim Ha Neul’s actual habit or if it’s Da Jung’s ‘written habit’. This happened many many times in the drama and I didn’t like it. I also found it kind of weird that whilst hosting the divorce program Da Jung admitted she regretted divorcing Dae Young, and that she wanted to thank him for everything he did, but in the end she didn’t actually do it? As in having that honest, open and heartfelt talk from her side too. It was one-sided because it was mostly Dae Young being candid. But I think this is more of a writing flaw than an acting flaw. However that being said, I also didn’t feel chemistry even between young Da Jung and Dae Young. To me it felt like that Dae Young was always more into Da Jung than it was equal for some reason. I definitely think this could have been done better. Because the plot overall is very beautiful still, I just wasn’t always convinced of her love and affection for him and the depth of it (mostly because of a combination of Kim Ha Neul and Han So Eun’s acting and how Da Jung’s actions/lines are written). For example, back in school, when Dae Young said to go out with him if he scored, Da Jung just said no when he did and walked away, but later reveals she only said no because she thought that attempt wasn’t ‘fancy enough’. With that info, instead of writing it like that, I would have written it like “I like you too Dae Young, so of course I would go out with you! But I want you to make a bit more effort. Arrange a date and ask me ‘officially’ again okay? *winks*”. I just think this would have been way more endearing and playful, and would create more of that flirty vibe between them. It conveys her standard, but it’s not dismissive of Dae Young, and still expresses her feelings towards him all at the same time.
That being said, I think everyone else did well acting wise, I don’t have anything particularly extraordinary to point out regarding the others’ but it was good!

Character wise, I MUST just give a big honorable mention to Ji Hun! Honestly if Dae Young wasn’t the main character, Ji Hun would and should have been. I have to frankly admit that I actually shipped him and Da Jung!! I really like how even though Ji Hun was always clearly into Da Jung, he never overstepped any boundaries or came off too strong. He stayed her friend and encouraged and supported her genuinely, without an expectation of ‘getting her’ in return. He truly is a good person and I really admire that. I also love that they exchanged heartfelt talks and opened up to each other and just bonded as people, regardless of romantic or platonic love. Seeing how he lit up whenever Da Jung got along with his niece was so wholesome as well I melted. I also find it beautiful to see how he got encouraged by Da Jung and decided not to retire from baseball and to continue being him and doing him. Another detail I liked was when he saw how Seo Yeon (his niece) clearly liked it better when Da Jung read to her with those fun voices, he tried it too later and texted her later about it when it worked. I thought it was really cute.
Also, even after being rejected when he confessed to Da Jung, he still stayed friends with her and supported her. He just never had any ulterior motives to whatever he did and I just love that purity about him. Ji Hun is definitely my favourite character in the whole show. And of course he’s hot LMAO (but that’s a bonus).

As for Da Jung, as I explained earlier I disliked some of her script, but if we’re just talking about her as a character there are lots of qualities to appreciate. She’s really strong, really caring, kind-hearted but also resilient. I find it admirable she fought so hard for her dream, and even when she was knocked down multiple times she never gave up. She trained so hard to become a news anchor, and she is really skilled in improvising, which is what got her to where she was and which I find impressive. She also doesn’t seem to hold a grudge even when people aren’t nice to her. She saves Yumi from sexual harassment even when Yumi was a bitch to her before. What I do need to say is that I wish the drama showed more of her interactions with Si Ah and Si Woo though, so I can’t comment too much on that part. However I could still see her being a very caring and protective mother to them. As for Dae Young I don’t have much to say about his individual character without relating it to his family and to Da Jung, but I know that was not the point either so I am fine with that. He becomes a true friend to his kids as time goes on and I found that really beautiful.
Regarding the (other) side characters, I actually really wanted to see more of Deok Jin and Ms. Ok (aka the geek couple), but sadly the drama didn’t show too much of them nor give them enough interactions (in my opinion). Since they’re both geeks and gamers, I wish they would have met in game or something and then decided to meet up and find out each other’s identity, I think that would have been hilarious. Them running into each other at a cosplay con is still funny though! I also must say that that last move of his was IT. Like how can you say no to that? That was just epic. The kiss was also epic (you know what I’m talking about). Their deadpool wedding gift was also hilarious LOL
Choi Il Kwon is trash, while watching him I just hoped for his sub-plot and him to be over and gone asap. His face just looks punchable imo. Yumi was also a bitch but she helped Da Jung later and changed for the better. I also liked that they didn’t make her out to be the typical ‘bitchy shady character’ pulling something cliche.
Chu Aerin is a good friend to Da Jung, but I also liked how she respected Dae Young’s decision to keep his identity a secret when he went back to his younger self.
Si Ah and Si Woo I don’t have that much to comment on either without relating it to Dae Young, but I really enjoyed seeing them get closer to each other. I especially enjoyed seeing Si Woo and Dae Young grow closer through playing basketball together. I found Si Ah bratty in the beginning, but later I understood more of her character. I also think she’s a badass when displaying her self defense moves. That scene where they were beating up the stalker at the police station was hilarious. First Da Jung came and hit the dude whilst saying ‘HOW DARE YOU TRY TO HURT MY DAUGHTER’, followed by Si Ah’s grandma doing the same and going ‘HOW DARE YOU TRY TO HURT MY GRANDDAUGHTER’. We love a good protective family.
For Ji Ho I actually wish he got more screen time/elaboration. Since he grew up together with Si Ah, they must have experienced a lot together. I just think it would have been interesting to see more of him because of that reason. I did find it a bit strange how Si Ah suddenly agreed to go out with him as she didn’t really display any romantic interest to him prior? Not that I’m against them as a couple but just a critique point.
I also enjoyed Hwang In Youp’s cameo as Goo Ja Sung, even if he didn’t have that much screen time either. He starts off as a typical bully but later changes and improves and apologizes to Si Woo for taking his own frustrations out on him. I actually also felt bad when he got turned down by Si Ah…I thought his confession move was really romantic!! Hwang In Youp can SING ok. I just have a weak spot for singers. His character actually reminds me of Han Seo Jun from True Beauty, since there he also starts off as a ‘bad boy’, but is actually a sweet guy. The way he protects Si Ah even after getting rejected also reminds me of how Seo Jun still helped and supported Ju Gyeong even after getting rejected too. HWANG IN YOUP IS JUST CUTE.

OST wise nothing stuck out to me except 'Hello'. It's a really pretty song and the lyrics is sweet too, but I think the composition/melody itself leans a bit towards sad sounding? It's still a good song though. The rest of the OST is fine, just not that special imo.

Overall, I really enjoyed this drama. It dares to be different, it dares to be realistic. It’s not a perfect execution in my opinion, but the sincerity and heart and messages override the flaws. I probably wouldn’t rewatch it because for me the chemistry between the lead actors is essential and I just personally didn’t feel it, but as this wasn’t so much about the pure romance I didn’t mind it as much this time. I would still highly recommend this drama to everyone as it’s very heartfelt.

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Original but left me with questions

First of all, I find the concept very interesting, as I didn't know what trauma cleaners were at all before this. I like how even if this drama mostly features one character per episode and their story (the deceased I mean), it was still deep and engaging and managed to make me care about each character within a limited amount of time. This doesn't happen often for me at all so I applaud the writer for that, and also the director and actors for the execution.

The main cast was great and I think they all did a good job, but let me start with Ji Jin Hee as Jeong U.
Jeong U is so compassionate, patient and optimistic, and it was heartwarming to see how he managed to be such a strong and loving father to Geu Ru despite dealing with the fact that his wife died and that Geu Ru has Asperger's Syndrome. He encouraged Geu Ru a lot and embraced him for who he is without ever judging. He taught Geu Ru many things and how to be empathetic as well (or as close as it gets to being that) and I really appreciated that. Even after Jeong U dies, Geu Ru remembers the things his father said and taught him and he gets reminded of his encouragement when he is uncertain. It was touching to see how he ‘stayed’ with Geu Ru like that. I also like how the last episode really dives into Jeong U and how he adopted Geu Ru and it just added even more to his character for me.

Tang Jun Sang did a wonderful job portraying Geu Ru. I found Geu Ru interesting as a character. It may seem ‘robotic’, but I found it endearing whenever he tried to show his care in his own way to the other characters. Also, sometimes when decoding the deceased’s stories he’d act a bit like Sherlock Holmes, deducing and solving mysteries. He also has a photographic memory, and it’s funny how Sang Gu joked that he’s like an AI and a recorder at the same time (as Geu Ru can also recall conversations exactly how they went in the exact tone people talked).

As for Na Mu, I don’t have much to say because she’s more of a side character ish. But I do really find it commendable that she’s such a supportive and caring friend to Geu Ru and she even ends up working with Move to Heaven as well after Jeong U passes. Although I don’t like the way she’d act towards Sang Gu at times, I also think it’s understandable considering the way Sang Gu ‘introduced’ himself and all the shady things he seemed to be doing at the time.

Sang Gu, as one of the main characters, definitely had character development throughout the drama. He starts off indifferent and kinda rude and salty about the fact he has to take care of the kid of his brother who ‘abandoned’ him (to his assumption) and is ‘forced’ to work with Move to Heaven. But as time goes on, he starts to become more compassionate and he starts to genuinely care for Geu Ru.
However, I find it incredibly disappointing that some key things about him aren’t elaborated. For example, what happened to him when Jeong U couldn’t pick him up at the train station? How did he grow up and live all those years? How did he end up in the boxing field? When the drama elaborated the backstory of him and Su Cheol I was hoping to see how he ended up in the boxing field at least, but it was still not explained.
I also don’t think it’s convincing that Sang Gu didn’t want to see or talk to Jeong U only because he couldn’t pick him up that one time. Like yes it must have been hard as a kid to be left alone like that, but if he talked to Jeong U the misunderstandings could easily be resolved. I just find the writing here to be a bit lacking because I feel like there should have been other things that made Sang Gu feel so distanced and resentful, and not the mere fact that his brother didn't come to the train station as promised. Again, what did he actually have to go through alone all those years?
This is a big question mark for me and flaw since Sang Gu is one of the main characters, and that’s why I can’t empathize with Sang Gu on a deeper level even if I want to.
Another question I have is what led to Jeong U starting a trauma cleaning service? Is it because of his wife? Is it because of some other things he experienced or saw? Also unanswered.

Overall, I did enjoy this drama, but I hope that if there is going to be a S2 that these questions will be answered.

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