Come Here and Hug Me

Come Here and Hug Me

8/10

Come Here and Hug Me

Genre:                                               Episodes: 16                                     Year: 2018

Romance

Melodrama
Thriller

Synopsis:

Chae Do Jin and Han Jae Yi are both traumatised by a murder case that took place in their past. Jae Yi is the daughter of a murdered actress, and Do Jin is the son of the man that killed her.

Cast:

Jang Ki Yong (Chae Do Jin)

Jin Ki Joo (Han Jae Yi)

Heo Joon Ho (Yoon Hee Jae)

Nam Da Reum (Yoon Nam Woo)

Ryu Han Bi (Gil Nak Won)

Kim Kyung Nam (Yoon Hyun Moo)

Seo Jung Yeon (Chae Ok Hee)

Yoon Jong Hoon (Gil Moo Won)

Choi Ri (Chae So Jin)

Kim Seo Hyung (Park Hee Young)

General Thoughts:

This drama turned out much better than I was actually expecting it to be. I went in assuming that we’d have some good plot line, but kinda expected it to get bogged down in an unbelievable amount of angst. Because K-Drama writers love their angst, and this set-up is basically the perfect excuse for it. But we happily avoided excessive amounts.

An appropriate amount of angst

This writer is pretty new, with the only credit being a short drama special that I haven’t seen, and I must say she’s off to a pretty solid start. While there were some mechanisms in the plot that didn’t work as smoothly as maybe they should have, the writer absolutely nailed the characters. And if I could only pick one of the two, I’d pick great characters over a flawless plot any day.

Nothing says K-Drama like couple items

All the characters (except I’d argue maybe evil Dad) felt real and raw, and achingly human. Watching such authentic characters as they struggled through their different roadblocks and tried to find their places in the world was much more engaging and heart wrenching than any amount of angsty events could ever be. The story was driven by the characters, not just their situations, which made me much more invested in the outcome of the show. It also helped that these beautifully created characters had some serious talent to act them. I’ve seen Jin Ki Joo in some dramas before, but she’s never really made an impression on me. After her role here though, she’s definitely an actress that I’ll remember. She was excellent at portraying her character’s trauma, but never came across as a weak and useless person, which was a really important distinction to make, else Jae Yi could have ended up an annoying character rather than a likeable one. As I mentioned in my ‘The Boy Next Door’ review, I’ve really started to like Jang Ki Yong. I don’t find him the most handsome actor out there, but I fall for his acting every time.

They're both fabulous

Jang Ki Yong nailed every aspect of Do Jin’s character, and made him a believable and loveable hero. His innocent, childlike expressions really linked him back to his childhood self and enforced the idea that this was a continuation of the same character. But my favourite moments were definitely the scenes in which Do Jin snapped.

I love it when Do Jin went cray cray

For most of the series he’s holding back and keeping his emotions to himself, so I really loved those moments where Jang Ki Yong let out a bit of Do Jin’s crazy protectiveness. Not only was it interesting and exciting to watch, but it also played on that idea of whether or not Do Jin was similar to his father. In all honesty, we all knew he wasn’t, but during those wilder moments we could at least entertain the idea a little, and that was definitely down to Jang Ki Yong’s engaging and explosive portrayal of his character. While I enjoy Bae Suzy and Nam Joo Hyuk, after watching this drama I am so glad they they both turned it down and the roles went to less famous, but arguably more capable actors. The character that really stole my heart was Hyun Moo. I’m a massive fan of broken characters with mildly self-destructive tendencies who learn to love (see the crazy King in ‘7 Day Queen’). They’re just so interesting, and play with your emotions much more than lead characters tend to. Their fates also tend to be a bit more uncertain. Is Hyung going to kill someone? Is Hyung going to accept his family’s love? Is Hyung going to make it out of this drama alive? Nobody knows. And I love it.

Hyung needs a hug more than anyone

Kim Kyung Nam was perfectly cast. He was so good at showcasing his character’s desire for a sense of belonging and pairing it with an evasive and combative attitude. It was the perfect recipe for a marshmallow heart in steel casing that we would all want to find happiness. Kim Kyung Nam was so good at acting as the troubled and violent Hyung that my brain still has issues realising that this is the same guy who played the dorky, fan donsaeng in ‘Smart Prison Living’. Yes. It’s the same actor. Mind blown. His range is really incredible. 

The prison drama where he's not in prison                                    The romance drama where he is in prison 

The two younger actors were absolutely amazing. I love coming across promising young talent, and those two really blew me away. I remember adoring Nam Da Reum in ‘While You Were Sleeping’ and I’m glad to see that it wasn’t a one-off thing.

Can't wait for these kids to be leads for a whole drama

He has an unbelievable amount of credits, usually playing the younger versions of characters, so it’s no wonder that the boy has some serious acting chops. Ryu Han Bi has significantly less credits, but is no less amazing. I adored the both of them, and they had a really sweet chemistry that set the stage for the older actors and their romance. For the main villain, Heo Joon Ho was pretty good. He’s got an intimidating and authoritative presence, which really worked for his character here. When you consider that for most of the drama Hee Jae didn’t actually do anything except sit in jail and talk at people, he remained a present threat. Which I put down to Heo Joon Ho being so wonderfully creepy. I think the only actor that didn’t bring his A-Game was Yoon Jong Hoon. And that’s mostly because the way he looked at Jae Yi made me think there was some sort of fauxcest situation going on (like in ‘Kill Me, Heal Me’), only to find out it was a regular brotherly love and desire to protect. Like, wow man I read you completely wrong.The pacing of the show was done pretty well, with enough time spent with the childhood counterparts, but not too much. We got the right amount of angst without Do Jin or Jae Yi ever feeling too whiney or mopey, and the actual danger kicked into gear at just the right time.

Getting stabbed by your brother who secretly loves you must suck

The one thing I will say is that the timelines in this drama were a bit sloppy and confusing at times. The jump between the kids to the adults was obvious because, hello different actors, but sometimes the way a timeline unravelled within an episode was just weird. Like, we’d finish one episode with Do Jin and Jae Yi being happy and together, then the next episode would have Jae Yi kidnapped and Do Jin off to save her,

So snuggly, so cute

before immediately snapping back to Jae Yi safe in her apartment. Obviously I figured out pretty quickly that the first scene was a glimpse into the show’s future, but honestly I could have done without the brief moment of confusion. Especially when sticking that scene in the front of the episode adds absolutely nothing to the drama. While the show did leave itself with enough time to wrap up most of its lose ends, I will say that there were some aspects of the conclusion that could have gone better. I loved how Do Jin and Jae Yi ended up- essentially un-pausing their romance and continuing on where they left off after dealing with their trauma. Perfect, excellent, I love it. Their love story was emotional, whole, and complete. But what about Hyung? What about Dad? We assume that Hyung has made his choice to be a fluffy marshmallow indulging in Mum and So Jin's love for him, but I would have liked to see some confirmation that he wasn't straying while he was in prison. The drama felt the need to show us Hyung passing Dad in prison, but not Mum visiting him. What's with that? I know which scene I'd rather see. And yes, while Dad has been captured (again) and sent to prison (again), quite honestly nothing has really changed from the start. Do Jin and Jae Yi have gone through all their emotional baggage, but the situation is still kinda the same.

Please, can we just go right ahead and carry out that death sentence now?

Crazy murderer Dad is in prison on death row. It's pretty gruesome but I found myself wishing that the show would give some hint that Dad's death sentence was actually carried out. If he broke out once, what's to stop him doing it again? The love line was concluded beautifully, but I was left wanting more of a definitive end to Hee Jae.

What Was Great:

Classic Korean Feel:

While watching this show, I was reminded of all the things in K-Drama that make it so different from Western shows, and what makes K-Drama so uniquely Korean.

K-Drama Rule 1: All first loves must end in disaster

The wistful first love, slow and nostalgic pacing, and beautiful scenery (particularly snow and cherry blossoms) are all aspects of the show that felt unique to a culture that is not my own. This difference in feel is why I fell in love with Korean dramas in the first place- my first K-Drama (‘My Love from the Stars’) had so many of these moments, and I adored how completely K-Drama this show was. Recently I feel a lot of K-Dramas are trying to make themselves more marketable worldwide, and are even remaking a fair few American shows. I loved that ‘Come Here and Hug Me’ felt kind of old school, even as it was telling a new and modern story.

It's so pretty!

It’s not to say that the show felt old or dated, but its sentimentality and quietly introspective nature really reminded me of what makes K-Drama so different to everything else. The stunning scenery, lovely sad soundtrack, and intermittent voice overs just felt so beautifully Korean.

Characters:

All the characters in this story were interesting and engaging, and made the show easy to watch. I adored Do Jin and Jae Yi’s love story, but I particularly loved Do Jin’s family dynamics.

Mum loves all her kids, even the crazy ones

Mum was an image of pure love and kindness, truly caring for Do Jin and Hyun Moo as her own children (after her initial flight response of course). The scene of her at the police station convincing Nam Woo/Do Jin to come and live with her was done beautifully, and expressed both of their hearts perfectly. Hyun Moo's journey overall was just so fascinating. His desperate attempts to get his father's attention and approval were pitiful, and honestly a little frightening. This poor boy was willing to go to such extremes just for a bit of acknowledgement, and it’s not hard to imagine how much worse his life would have turned out if he hadn’t had Mum constantly nagging at him (in that endearing, loving way). Hyun Moo’s desire to protect Mum and So Jin from the shadows was heartbreakingly sweet, and I’m glad the show gave him opportunities to step up and protect each of them, showing that he truly did care for him. Honestly, without the threat of a psychotic murdering father, Hyun Moo might never have let his guard down around the two people who acknowledged and loved him more than anyone else.

I'm so glad they didn't kill off Hyung

The question of whether sons are the shadows of their fathers is not exactly a new idea in K-Dramaland, but it remained interesting nonetheless for both the boys. While Hyun Moo was trying to reach for similarities to tie him to his father, Do Jin was trying to push those similarities away. To be honest, I still kind of fail to see what made Do Jin so much more ‘similar’ to Hee Jae (even if only in Hee Jae’s eyes).

If you don't wanna be like Dad, maybe don't use a hammer

The show never really went as far as to address what Hee Jae actually saw in his youngest son, but the psychological influence Hee Jae’s belief had was interesting to watch. Do Jin was a layered and complex character that was so much more than a son trying to break away from his father. While he had to carry a tremendous guilt that he didn’t deserve, his innocent childhood love remained unshaken, and gave Do Jin a sweet and almost naive undertone. Jae Yi/Nak Won was less intriguing as the male characters, but was an interesting heroine all the same. She was charming, yet resilient, and her kindness never felt fictional the way that some K-Drama heroines’ innate goodness sometimes comes across. While throughout most of the series Jae Yi was being protected by Do Jin, I enjoyed that in the final conflict we got to see more of her backbone. She never came across as a useless or weak character, but I’m glad she was given a chance to stand up to Hee Jae and protect Do Jin on her own.

Great role reversal

All of the characters felt unique and interesting, right down to those that only appeared for a short amount of time. I found both of the reporters truly fascinating, particularly in their differing moral codes. Honestly, I was hoping that Hee Young was going to get a bit more backstory, as at the time of her death I was left wondering what the point of her character had been, but I enjoyed her inclusion in the story simply for the fact that she had the ability to rile Hee Jae up. Which no one else seemed capable of doing.

She seemed like she was going to be way more important than she actually was

What Wasn’t:

Get Out of Jail Free Card:

As Hee Jae was our main source of conflict, it was kind of obvious that he would at some point bust out of jail to actually shake things up. Because honestly, having our characters actually have to visit Hee Jae of their own volition just to listen to him spout profuse nonsense felt a bit…silly.

Not so scary while locked up

Like, why go and see him at all? I actually didn’t find Hee Jae to be a truly terrifying villain to be blunt (and I can’t quite put my finger on why- perhaps it was his love of monologuing the same three lines), but he definitely felt like more of a threat once he escaped from prison. My issue was with how his escape came about. What possible reason would you have for transporting a highly dangerous criminal with a known fanbase outside the prison to a new location. Because some reporter was suing him? Really? I’m not sure how the law works in Korea, but I feel pretty confident that Hee Jae would not have needed to attend that small trial. Or even if he did, haven't yu people heard of Skype? It was unnecessary to even move Hee Jae from prison, but then to have him easily take out two police officers and break out of hospital seemed kinda simple. Would you really only have two regular police officers guarding a mass murderer?

It's almost like the police wanted him to escape

And then once he had escaped it drove me insane that no one thought to check his old dog farm. You know, the place where he killed people and destroyed the evidence. Yeah, that might be a good place to start looking for him and his whacko groupies. 

Citizen protection seemed pretty low on police priority

But perhaps the thing that annoyed me most about the whole situation is that people that were highly likely to be targets were given pretty much no police protection. Because apparently the young girl he tried to kill before he got arrested needs no extra protection, because why would he want to kill her? And of course the woman he says he loves should only have the protection of one old detective. And it definitely makes the most sense to have all these people at different locations. Like come on people. You would have made your lives a whole lot easier if Mum, So Jin, Jae Yi, Hyun Moo, and Do Jin all stayed in the same place with a huge security squad. Probably would have been able to avoid Mum and Hyun Moo nearly getting murdered. Jae Yi also probably would not have gotten kidnapped. I’m aware that these things needed to happen for the development of the show, I just wish the show had been a little more subtle with the way it set things up is all. Rather than having everyone in danger cuz they’re too silly to stick together with highly trained security.

Recommend?

If you like the classic K-Drama wistful, nostalgic love stories this is a drama for you.

There were an adequate amount of hugs

The Boy Next Door

The Boy Next Door

7/10

The Boy Next Door

Genre:                                               Episodes: 15                                   Year: 2017

Romance

Comedy

Synopsis:

Neighbours Park Kyu Tae and Sung Ki Jae end up living together after Kyu Tae’s apartment needs renovations. They have a mutual friend, Min Ah, who misunderstands their relationship.

Cast:

Choi Woo Shik (Park Kyu Tae)

Jang Ki Yong (Sung Ki Jae)

Jang Hee Ryong (Kim Min Ah)

Yoon Jung Il (Won Hyung)

General Thoughts:

I’m super into web-series right now. They are the perfect way to de-stress after a week at work. They’re fun and humorous, and usually lack the patch of angst that accompanies full length rom-coms.

Yup, no angst here

What I must say about this drama, is while I found it laugh-out-loud funny, I also thought it approached its humour in a sensitive way. Granted, there are people who will be offended by anything, but I personally thought that the show handled the gay misunderstandings in a way that was fun and not offensive.

I love hilarious misunderstandings- I love them a lot

No one reacted badly to the misunderstandings- they were always upset for a reason other than that they thought these two boys were gay. It was because they had walked in during an ‘intimate’ moment, or because the guy they liked wasn’t interested in them, etc. This prevented the show from seeming like it was presenting homosexuality as a bad thing. I appreciated the inclusion of an actual gay couple, and how the show maintained its middle ground. It wasn’t celebrating nor condemning homosexuality, it was simply showing it as it is- two people who like each other dating. Which I think is a pretty great accomplishment from a small, lighthearted show. Web-dramas usually use lesser known actors whose acting is still developing, so I was delighted to see Choi Woo Shik and Jang Ki Yong heading this one. I’ve loved Choi Woo Shik since seeing him in ‘Fool’s Love’, and think he’s brilliant at doing comedic with a dash of heart. Jang Ki Yong has been slowly growing on me for a while, and I actually think it was this little drama that has pushed him over from being an actor I’m aware of to an actor that I enjoy and would actively seek out his dramas.

You're both fabulous

Jang Hee Ryung was new to me, but I found her sweet and cute, and her character endearing. While I wouldn’t call the humour of the show sleek and witty, I wouldn’t call it crass either. It was almost satirical in a way.

♫ You are my destiny ♫

It went beyond simply using situations to create humour, and used lighting and sound to enhance the comedy. The show parodied common rom-com moments, and used the same moody lighting and emotional music when recreating those scenes which only made it funnier. It never felt like the show was mocking standard rom-com moments, but it had more of a teasing vibe where it showed that with the right camera angle, slow-mo and music, any scene can be construed as romantic. The humour wasn’t the only thing this show had going for it, though it was the most prominent. There was a little bit of plot sprinkled throughout each episode- just enough to separate the misunderstandings. The love-triangle was hinted at early on and developed more as the show progressed. This added an extra layer of comedy, as there’s something so funny about two guys liking the same girl while the girl thinks they like each other. It’s just a situation that is ripe with hilarious moments. Of course, the two boys actually started to become friends, which was cute to watch as well. 

Those feels when you think that your ex and your crush are dating

What Was Great:

The Boys Next Door:

Obviously the stars of this show were the two boys. Both the actors and the characters were excellent.

Pepero- bringing people together since 1983

The boys had enough character that they felt well thought-out and carefully created, rather than just making the actors do all the work. While, Choi Woo Shik and Jang Ki Yong did amazingly well at bringing the characters to life, it was clear that the characters themselves were well constructed- a perk of basing the drama off a manhwa I’m guessing. Either way, the two boys drove the show and made it something that was truly enjoyable to watch. Choi Woo Shik and Jang Ki Yong had great chemistry, and it felt like they (and the staff) really enjoyed working together and had a blast filming this fun little show. The acting felt relaxed, even though some of the scenes could have been potentially uncomfortable to shoot. It was obvious that both actors were really invested in making sure the audience had a good time watching the drama, and they did a great job at making the show fun, but not childish or ridiculous.

What Wasn’t:

Why So Short?:

I honestly could have watched this drama for many more episodes. While I question if there would have been enough story to stretch it out, I just had such a fun time that I was actually a bit bummed out when I made it to the last episode.

I really wanted this drama to keep on going

The episodes themselves were only about 5-10 minutes long, and I just felt like I wanted to watch so much more of this delightful drama. I kid you not, I could watch this for hours and hours. 

Recommend?

Yes, yes, yes. This is just the thing to watch on a lazy weekend afternoon when you’re in need of a bit of a lighthearted laugh. 

Season 2? Please?

Go Back Spouses

Go Back Spouses

7.5/10

Go Back Spouses

Genre:                                                Episodes: 12                                        Year: 2017

Romance

Comedy

Synopsis:

Choi Ban Do and Ma Jin Joo got married after meeting at university. 18 years later both are unhappy with their lives and their relationship is breaking down. After getting a divorce, the two wake up in their 20 year old bodies in 1999, the year they met for the first time.

Cast:

Jang Na Ra (Ma Jin Joo)

Son Ho Joon (Choi Ban Do)

Jang Ki Young (Jung Nam Gil)

Ko Bo Gyul (Min Seo Young)

Heo Jeong Min (Ahn jae Woo)

Han Bo Reum (Yoon Bo Reum)

Lee Yi Kyung (Go Dok Jae)

Cho Hye Jung (Cheon Seol)

Kim Mi Kyung (Go Eun Suk)

Im Ji Kyu (Park Hyun Seok)

General Thoughts:

It’s a cute and fun drama that is an absolute breeze to get through. The conflicts are interesting and heartfelt, but makes room for a whole bunch of adorableness. Jang Na Ra was the perfect fit for our heroine, as she has such a babyface, and is really one of the only actresses that could successfully pull off being 38 and 20 in the same drama- although Son Ho Joon did a pretty convincing job at both ages too.

No one ages quite as ambiguously as Koreans

Jang Na Ra also has a beautiful innocence about her that fit the character of Jin Joo perfectly. She may be an ahjumma back in her 20s body and life, but she still exuded a sweet naivety, particularly when it came to boys. That being said, one of the better aspects of the show was the way that our leads’ older personalities remained in tact even as they journey back to their younger days.

Petty but also kinda funny

They carried with them a maturity and wisdom that helped them give their friends some great help and advise that actually turned their lives around- particularly in the case of Seol and Hyun Seok’s rich girlfriend. The writers did a great job at balancing these moments of wisdom and maturity with our characters' well…less mature moments. Jin Joo and Ban Do had a lot of petty fights throughout the show, but thankfully these were played more for comedic effect, which reduced the intensity. The two had just the right amount of anger towards each other to warrant getting a divorce the first time around, but the writers did an excellent job at showing how their dissatisfaction with each other came from their lack of communication and understanding, rather than any actual real resentment. Even before the time skip it was clear that there was an underlying love that both our leads simply weren’t expressing, and that spiralled and snowballed until neither believed the other still cared for them. The show did an excellent job at bringing the leads back together with common purpose- getting revenge on Hyun Seok.

A rewarding K-Drama moment

As a doctor in the present, we already hated him for lording his position over Ban Do, and making Ban Do do all the dirty work. It was a relief to see he was still the same slime-ball 20 years ago, so that Ban Do’s small revenges seemed funny rather than petty. And of course showing the way he treated girls (our leading lady included), was just icing.

Back before the figurative sh*t hit the figurative fan

Hyun Seok was a mutual enemy of our leads, and gave them cause to work together. He also provided a way for Jin Joo to come to understand Ban Do better, as at home he’d never mentioned Hyun Seok or how terrible his job was. During the revenge plan the poor way Ban Do was treated at work came out, as Jin Joo needed to know how he knew Hyun Seok and why he wanted revenge on him. It was a natural way for our leads to fall into an alliance that then repaired their friendship, and brought back memories of how they used to be together. Another point of connection between the two was of course their son. Having a son in the present who would cease to exist should the leads decide to stay in the past and not get married definitely added some higher stakes. It’s something that a lot of people tend to ignore in time skip media or even in real life- saying that if they could go back they’d never meet that person. Of course this means that any children with that person would also disappear. It was obvious that both parents loved Seo Jin very much (how could you not love that precious face?), and all the perks of travelling back in time (youth, family, correcting mistakes) seemed less exciting once they realised that it came at the expense of their child.

So precious- just look at his little face!

Despite Jin Joo’s joy at seeing her mother alive again, she still carried a deep grief with her, this time from losing her child. Ban Do was given less screen time where he was shown grieving his hild, but there were enough moments there that we knew he felt the same heartache as Jin Joo. The show handled the situation well, as the end result could have been seen as our leads returning to the present just to meet Seo Jin again.

Everyone take a minute to go phone your mum

However, by the end it was clear that Ban Do and Jin Joo had learned to communicate effectively and had grown in their understanding of one another, and I was confident the their return to the present was as much a desire for them to continue their lives together as it was for them so see Seo Jin again. In that vein, one of the more heartbreaking aspects of the show was definitely Jin Joo’s relationship with her mother. It really went to show how much we all tend to under appreciate our own mothers. Jin Joo’s Mum was obviously a strong and much loved presence in Jin Joo’s life, yet she didn’t express this much until she came from the future where her mother was no longer alive. The way Jin Joo followed her Mum around was just too cute. Not only was Jin Joo’s Mum the cause of such cuteness, but she was also the underlying cause of Jin Joo and Ban Do’s misunderstandings. Ban Do (unintentionally) made Jin Joo miss her mother’s last moments alive, and that of course led to some frustrations, but it was Ban Do’s inability to grieve with Jin Joo and Jin Joo’s inability to recognise Ban Do’s attempts to comfort her that really paved the groundwork for their unhappiness.

Just look at all those hidden feelings and lack of honesty

Neither was willing to express what they wanted, and that inevitably led to a breakdown in their marriage. I also appreciated how Jin Joo’s Mum gave the go-ahead for Jin Joo to return to the future.

The final snuggle

It was an impossible situation she was in- spending time with her mother who she knew would die in 10 years, or returning to her child. As unbelievable as her mum’s quick acceptance that her child was from the future was, it was a nice touch to have Jin Joo’s Mum tell her to go back to Seo Jin. In regards to the time travel, this show went for the less-is-more approach which I’m always on board with. The magic rings weren’t explained at all (unless you count that final epilogue of fighting gods), but they made complete sense. Taking off the rings transported our couple back to the past so it stands to reason that buying and wearing them again would send them back to the present. Keeping the ring marks on our characters’ fingers was a nice way of reminding us that these were versions of our leads who had come from the future and didn't really belong there, and also worked for cluing Ban Do in on what might take them back to their time.

What Was Great:

Second Leads:

I don’t think there’s anyone that didn’t get a good dose of Second Male Lead Syndrome here. Both the second leads were pretty excellent- the characters and their actors.

Most awkward accidental double date ever

Seo Young was the perfect example of a fairytale first love. She was sweet and gorgeous and the exact type of person a guy would hold in their heart for years. The show handled Ban Do’s expectations really well. In the present he was dissatisfied with how his own life had turned out and had fantasies about how he would have lived if he’d dated Seo Young instead of Jin Joo.

You're the perfect match for her...when you're 38...

We as an audience of course know that nothing drastic would have changed- he’d still probably hate his job, and he’d still fight, just with Seo Young instead of Jin Joo. However, in his mind Seo young was the perfect ideal and a missed opportunity. When he was transported to the past, Ban Do had a new confidence that came from knowing how things would pan out and not fearing rejection. This set him up nicely to get close to Seo Young, and the friendlier he got with her the less romantic their relationship became. As he got to know her his image of the perfect girl faded- as everyone has their faults, and Ban Do instead started looking out for Seo Young’s best interests. I’m glad that she caught on pretty early that Ban Do had more of a parental love for her, as it saved her from becoming a character that was too pitiful. Instead, the two had a sweet friendship where Ban Do helped Seo Young express herself and find ways to relieve her stress. Ko Bo Gyul has the perfect features for a past first love. She’s very innocent and sweet looking, and was able to express Seo Young’s loneliness well. She had great chemistry with Son Ho Jun, without it coming across as too romantic.

They were cute without being too cute

Then there’s Nam Gil. Ohhh poor Nam Gil. I kind of wish he’d got the girl, but I know that Jin Joo and Ban Do belonged with each other. He was hopelessly sweet and his crush on Jin Joo was unbelievably cute.

I don't want him for Jin Joo, I want him for me

He came around in a realistic way. It made sense that he’d never really liked the haughty and slightly snobby Jin Joo from before, but the new mature Jin Joo was the perfect match for him. As he’d never really experienced motherly love, Jin Joo’s concern and worry over him effected him quickly, and made her stand out in his mind. His awkward courting of Jin Joo was definitely one of my favourite things about this series. While a part of me really wanted Nam Gil and Jin Joo to date, another part of me equally enjoyed their brief encounter. Jin Joo opened up just enough with Nam Gil to know that any sort of romantic relationship just wouldn’t work, and Nam Gil opened up just enough that he learned he could be a great partner to someone else in the future. The way the show avoided too much hurt on the Nam Gil front is that Jin Joo always acted and reacted with the mindset of her 38 year old self. Which definitely put a hold on that ship. Despite how swoony and romantic Nam Gil was being, Jin Joo was always thinking of herself as an ahjumma, and as someone who was much older than him.

Making Ahjumma's heart flutter

Despite the fact that her body was actually younger, Jin Joo herself had already drawn a line and viewed Nam Gil as a much younger kid. With both Ban Do and Jin Joo viewing their peers as younger kids there was really no way there could be a romantic relationship with anyone else. Like the leads, it was fun for us to imagine for a little while what it might be like for them to date Nam Gil or Seo Young, but at the end of the day we wanted them to sort through their issues together. It’s a great feat that the writers were able to make the second leads so loveable, but didn’t end up burning their main ship. 

I mean I like Ban Do, but boy if you weren't already married to her I'd be cheering for Nam Gil for sure

First Leads:

In dramas about relationship breakdowns I find that blame is usually allocated to one of the parties involved, they deal with the problem, and then get back together. Which unfortunately tends to make one of the leads a bit of an a-hole.

The beginning of the end

This drama was able to balance the faults of its main couple quite nicely. While I did tend to feel a tad more sympathetic towards Jin Joo (perhaps it’s because I’m a girl and relate to her issues more), as Jin Joo’s shortcomings in the marriage were revealed I could equally sympathise with Ban Do. Neither character was totally responsible or completely innocent. Both of them contributed to the marriage falling apart, and both of them contributed to building it up again. Even when they were fighting, the show took care to show how both characters were feeling and where they were coming from. We might see Jin Joo find a bill for hotels and breakdown thinking Ban Do was cheating on her, but we also see Ban Do being abused at work. Because we see these scenes separately it makes sense when they blow up at each other. Due to understanding on the audience’s part, we can sympathise with the characters and feel sad for their situations without becoming too frustrated. Their lack of communication was very realistic in that it’s not like they didn’t communicate at all, they just left out small (but often key) aspects of their emotions, which prevented their initial fallout from being too annoying.

Too embarrassed to be truthful

It’s not as though the couple did anything drastically different or simply failed to solve an issue, but they fell into a habit of communicating poorly and ineffectively. Both Ban Do and Jin Joo refused to open up about their deep underlying issues which put a strain on their relationship, until they no longer had the strength to hold it all together anymore.

Communication is key

It’s a common cause for relationship breakdown, and sadly one that can be avoided. Despite how simple it seems, putting your pride away to talk about where things went wrong is a difficult task. Only because Ban Do went back in time and saw his mother-in-law alive again was he able to open up to Jin Joo about his own grief at her mother’s passing. In this moment of vulnerability and honesty Jin Joo herself sees how hard Ban Do was trying for her sake, and how she shared the responsibility for their fallout for not telling him how she wanted to grieve and simply expecting him to understand. This is the key moment where both Jin Joo and Ban Do realise that the other still loves them and they both start making steps towards returning to their time together. Ban Do and Jin Joo are both so relatable and easy to sympathise with that the story becomes very touching. It could almost be a story about any couple that has broken up due to poor communication. The leads were what gave the show its heart and made the story so engaging, and I’m glad the show found a way to reconcile them that wasn’t painfully unrealistic. 

And the fam's back

What Wasn’t:

Only for Laughs:

The only real downside in this drama for me was that the side characters lacked any real depth. There were moments that hinted that there was more going on beneath the surface for the two guys and two girls that filled in the friendship circle, but there was no great detail to their stories.

I wish the friendships had a bit more depth

Tae Woo and Bo Reum were mostly played for comedic effect in their odd-couple relationship, and as I wasn’t a huge fan of their love-line I did find myself getting a bit bored during their segments. They had no moments that were any cuter than what was going on around the leads, and there was no greater meaning behind their story. I mean, sure they were super into each other so it was nice that they eventually sorted out their issues back in the present, but there was nothing intellectually intriguing about either of their characters. Seol had slightly more background than the rest with her sudden disappearance and withdrawal from university being the bulk of her story. But again, she was mostly used to fill in space using comedy. Granted, I found her cuter and funnier than Tae Woo and Bo Reum (her sly looks of disgust at Ban Do were quite hilarious), but she still didn’t have much to do as a character. And I don’t even think Dok Jae was in a single serious scene.

Level of seriousness- zero

Every moment of his was played for comedic effect- some hitting the right note, and some not. It’s not that I wish the show had been less funny, I just wanted a few of those serious, heartfelt moments to be shared by the friend group as well as the families and second leads.

Recommend?

Yep- it’s cute and fun, but direct with its message and filled with painfully, realistically flawed characters.

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