Endless layers of constrained suffering

This is the drama to watch when you are in the mood to sit quietly and observe slight glances, small gestures, and single words that embody entire storms of meaning and emotion. It's the slowest, brightest burn I've ever watched.

Director Jo Young Min and screenwriter Ryu Bo Ri steer the ship upon which a close-knit group of characters is trapped beneath endless layers of complex external and internal struggles. Through the characters, we feel the heavy weight of people in authority, debts owed, family expectations, and circumstances beyond any one person's control. The result is relationships that are forever changed because of the pull of a single thread. Every character is suffering in silence that they cannot break through, which would normally make for annoying levels of angst. But the talented directing helps us to never lose empathy for anyone, even those that constantly hurt others. The consistency of direction is reflected in the clean palette of black, white, and cream that we see in the wardrobe and set backgrounds throughout the show.

As the struggling musician Song Ah, Park Eun Bin is masterful at revealing raw emotions underneath an overly disciplined exterior. As usual, her acting is deft, crisp, and poised, and she shows Song Ah's palpable suffocation and powerlessness alongside her quiet strength. Kim Min Jae as Joon Young the anguished pianist, embodies anxiety and struggle through every measured breath. As the two grow their awkward, overly considerate relationship, they share insightful thoughts with us as viewers, along with glimmers of sweet moments. Unfortunately, they don't share enough with each other, especially in the second half of the show. Their transformations are too understated and slow, and reveal too little too late, which cause the show to get stuck in circles, stumbling toward a rushed, unsatisfactory conclusion.

The show features high relational chemistry between all the characters, with subtext woven through every interaction. Part of what makes it amazing is the casting of the elegant Park Ji Hyun as our heroine's formidable rival, and Kim Sung Chul as her supportive but burdened lover. Every interaction between the four characters is multi-faceted. I appreciate that the most power-hungry manipulator is the lone man from the cultural agency, and that women take center stage throughout the show. And special mention goes to Seo Jung Yeon who plays Young In, manager of Kyung Hoo Cultural Center. Her subtle but pointed intelligence and care echo the maturity displayed by Song Ah. There is a special energy in their scenes together.

This is the only kdrama I've seen that features a love triangle that comes off as mature (even if it isn't), and not only that, but it's actually a double love triangle. I picture it as a bowtie with the leads caught in the middle. It's unusual to think that this would work, but it does, except for the way Jung Kyung's role as the angsty antagonist is overdone in the latter half. Like the leads, she misses out on key opportunities to show her personal growth.

Like many viewers, I wished for a more dynamic plot, and to see greater character transformations where the characters share deeper revelations with each other. However, the show delivers a highly intimate and engaging account of the daily lives of people suffering alone and together. Despite the issues near the end, the masterful acting and subtle detail make it a powerful experience.

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Weak writing and surface-level characterizations

I enjoy deep, meaningful slice of life interactions such as those in When The Camellia Blooms, Hospital Playlist, and Because This Is My First Life. In comparison, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was a failed attempt. The script was written without the use of metaphors or stories, only direct, curt lines that are delivered as if spoken by an immature teen. There is zero wit, description, or complexity, which is the whole point of character-driven dramas. The only breath of fresh air was the backdrop of the beautiful seaside town of Pohang, which provided a light, airy feeling to each camera shot.

The directing and writing suffers from flawed execution. Either the cheese factor is overdone and cringey, or an unnatural indifference washes over the characters. For instance, when someone is in tears and pain, the other character just watches them in silence for five seconds before any kind of touch happens and even then, it's the type of pat you give someone who dropped their ice cream, not when there is actual trauma. Characters respond with trivial lines that sound something like, "It will be OK," and that's it. There are no further connections, words of wisdom, or stories shared in those meaningful moments. Characters are robbed of the chance to show how they are feeling, how they have grown, or how they are affected by what is going on. We are left to wonder what else they are thinking in their heads.

The lack of characterization also affects the story itself. The plot challenges in the first 3/4 of the show feel trivial because of the lack of follow-through on character growth and reflection. Even serious issues are glossed over and cut short. It isn't until the last few episodes that the writer suddenly decides to explore dramatic back stories and character development. The time in the first part of the show is wasted.

The actors try hard, but I bet even they were cringing at the script. Shin Min Ah plays Hye Jin as your classic cool-but-conceited woman, which could have worked had we actually been shown her inner thoughts and transformations. However, I like that in this role and others, she plays a smart person as opposed to a damsel in distress. Kim Seon Ho as Doo Shik comes across as overly breezy, hollow, and idealistic for far too much of the story, until the end bits. When we finally learn about his past, the weak script and characterization lets us down once again with more meaningless, "It will be OK,"*pat*pat* lines. I enjoyed Lee Sang Yi as the TV producer. He brought charisma and energy to his flat character. I liked that both male leads were good people. Finally, a shout-out goes to supporting actors In Gyo Jin as the bumbling District Head, and his strong, kind ex-wife played by Lee Bong Ryun. Of all the characters, they had the greatest number of heartfelt, meaningful interactions. The rest of the townspeople were one dimensional or just plain annoying. What a shame that this was the case.

In the end, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha paints with hollow, cringey, sepia-sweet colors to create nothing more than a postcard with no message. Although the actors tried to deliver, the writing, directing, and lack of characterization ruined its potential.

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Disjointed and messy

Even the ever-charismatic Lee Je Hoon couldn't save this mess of a show. His grounded acting style was wasted on weak material. This show didn't know whether it wanted to be a cheesy romance or an exciting take-charge adventure, and in the end, it failed at both.

Lee Je Hoon's time travelling So Joon is introduced as a closed off character with a tragic past, but he transforms much too quickly and is mostly good from the start, so there is very little growth. And Shin Min Ah's Ma Rin is written as helpless, ignorant, and rather blank until late in the show, which is both annoying and cringey. The characters get stuck talking in circles or hiding the same secrets from each other for multiple episodes while the exciting elements of the plot are underutilized. Furthermore, the characters' back stories are not fleshed out so we don't care much about what happens to them. The leads both come across as one-dimensional.

The most fun I had was watching Kang Gi Doong in his supporting role as So Joon's best friend and ally. I feel he carried the majority of the show's emotional weight. On the other hand, the antagonists were annoying and angsty, which made it hard to buy in to the major conflicts they created.

Right away, I was turned off by how the main relationship begins. It is so unbelievable, strange, and cheesy that you wonder whether it was taken from a different drama. In the end, I believe the root of the problem is the show's poor writing and direction. The scenes showing the characters' reactions and aftermath of big, dramatic events is frequently cut short or so poorly done that we don't get to see how these events help the characters develop, nor do we even have the chance to emote or find connections with them. The second half was a bit better after time travel became the focus and the entire show switched gears, but it was too little too late.

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Surprisingly mature, with incredible depth

Based on the show's poster, you'd think this kdrama features silly, immature people in over-the-top situations, which does not suit my taste. If you are like me, I've got great news for you: Ignore the posters. Mad For Each Other has surprisingly mature, well-developed characters and relationships, as well as one of the the most tightly written screenplays in kdramaland.

Jung Woo was made for his role as Hwi Oh, the tormented but ever-responsible cop with anger issues, while Oh Yeon Seo plays the suffering Min Kyung with just the right touch of anxiety-ridden ice that warms up layer by layer as the story progresses. The humor as well as the bumpy interactions are heartwarming, not crass or slapstick. They work off an impressive screenplay by Ah Kung who deserves an award for her genius. I am wowed by the way in which the script gets to the point so quickly, yet expresses endless depth in each interaction. I have never seen a show pack so much into just 13 episodes of 30 minutes each. Furthermore, the supporting characters featuring a snooping band of ahjummas, an over-worked part-timer, Hwi Oh's cop friends, and a mysterious young person in the neighbourhood, are fleshed out as much as they are in many shows that take up more than double the run time.

Thirty minutes may seem short, yet the story itself takes steady breaths, with expert pacing and balanced emphasis that focuses first and foremost, on the personal growth of the leads. We see their healing and learning as individuals rather than focusing on romance as an end goal. On top of this, we are given visibility into our leads' internal mental states and changes in their perspectives, rather than simplified, preachy messages about the injustices they face. This is the only drama I've seen in which a man learns how to become a true ally to women. Min Kyung pointedly explains to him why she couldn't just "stand up for herself" and he understands.

I highly recommend Mad For Each Other, a deftly executed gem where screenwriter Ah Kung and director Lee Tae Gon mix together well-known kdrama ingredients into something so slick, tight, and thoughtful that you feel like you've spent an hour in-depth with the characters each episode. This may be the best kdrama of 2021.

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Messy and unsatisfying

This show had an interesting premise with people trying to figure out who they are and how they are connected over lifetimes. The real-life historical incidents could have given it some interesting and valuable dramatic aspects as well as relational intersections between the characters.

However, the show just didn't deliver. The beginning was littered with silly, over the top misunderstandings that lead all the characters to dislike each other. Furthermore, the characters are one dimensional and flat. They never share enough with us through dialogue or action, about who they are, what they think, and the challenges they face. Then suddenly, all the characters start to care about each other but we're not sure why. At this point the baddies start doing bad things, but we never really figure out the depth of why either. And then finally, there are a bunch of melodramatic scenes as they sacrifice for each other, in sort of a love triangle version of Romeo & Juliet.

The relationships between the characters never solidified. The historical story could have been so much richer, depicting the danger and risks they were taking and the suffering they were living. And then in the present day, we could have seen the characters overcome their personal challenges and grow their relationships and support each other.

Instead, there is not much for us to care about because there is so little depth. It was a waste of time.

And finally, the most memorable thing I have to comment on in this drama is that Yoo Ah In's super short haircut in the present day was completely the wrong style for him. His longer style in the historical scenes was spot on.

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Glorified toxicity

Many viewers have written about how this drama endorses toxic, abusive, manipulative relationships. I agree with them, and the main reasons why are because of the way in which the relationship is portrayed, and the audience for which this show is intended.

Film and television is an art form and with it, comes freedom of expression and the ability to capture the worst aspects of humanity. I enjoy my fair share of messed-up characters and stories, something for which Korean cinema is well-known, especially when you consider its long history of great films like Lady Vengeance, Oldboy, Thirst, and more recently, Parasite. These works of art portray terrible aspects of human nature, but do so with the intent to make us understand what is wrong in the world. In the case of Nevertheless, some viewers are trying to defend this work on the premise that it's just a portrayal of harm that the creators should have the freedom to show. Furthermore, they argue there have been many instances of MLs that hurt their partners and still end up with them in happy relationships, and yet viewers let these examples slide.

To counter the artistic license argument, I offer that in most cases including classic K-cinema, harmful relationships are clearly portrayed as negative. The creators do not excuse dangerous behaviour. It is clear from the history of the format and the 40+ years of high quality productions, that a strong moral stance lies at heart of kdramas. Furthermore, the intended audience for kdramas like Nevertheless is youngish females. Many modern dramas take a stance on abusive relationships in light of what we know and understand about their harmful outcomes and the impact of systemic portrayals of unhealthy relationships. I know that as an insecure teen/20-something, I would have absolutely been swept away by a manipulator with charisma who could make me second guess myself and confuse it with excitement and sexual tension, like the FL in this show. Making it seem like the ML suddenly changes with teary eyes when he has just physically hurt the FL the night before, without even an acknowledgement of it, is inexcusable. Seeing no growth as the couple smiles their way into the final scene sends the absolute wrong message, even with the addition of a couple subtle pieces of dialogue and actions that tell us there is still something amiss. At the end of the day, they look like two beautiful people on a postcard in a happy ending with an overlay of romantic, catchy music.

Finally, there are many kdramas that excuse abusive relationships and MLs behaving badly. Some people let this slide, and in kdramas harmful tropes are still pervasive, but this does not make it right. Especially with the rise of Me Too, anti-racism, LGBTQII, and other movements, we must take a stand now. Since the creators of Nevertheless chose to take a progressive stance on other aspects of society by exploring a non-fairytale sex-based relationship and a lesbian couple, there is no excuse for them not to take the same progressive stance on the relationship of the main characters.

On a technical note, as an art piece, I enjoyed the cinematography and production values which were skillful and gave an intimate feel (no pun intended). I thought the music was very well chosen. The subtle and confused dialogue created the feeling of tension and gave us a glimpse of the layers beneath. And unlike some viewers, I liked the acting and performances of the entire cast.

However, the message is all wrong. I hope the creators realize they have endorsed something we should all be fighting against.

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Slow burning idealist romance

I've watched many kdramas and this is the first cdrama that I've finished. The others I tried were full of overacting and cringey characters that I couldn't watch. I feel like cdrama fans must be much more critical than kdrama fans. The rating for this show is currently 7.9 while some sub-par kdramas are rated at 8.7 or higher.

This slow-burn of a romance drama balanced with corporate politics has a modern feel to it. Our heroine played by Qin Lan, is a near-perfect person. Intelligent, rational, thoughtful, and poised no matter what comes her way. Although it can be hard to buy in to such a perfect character, her very natural acting brings it to life and she's very enjoyable to watch as Shen Ruo Xin. Dylan Wang as Qi Xiao is also an idealist archetype, but with a earnest and straightforward nature, and he pulls it off too. Their romance is mature, sweet, and calm.

The balance between the main leads and the supporting characters is well done. They grow their interconnections in smooth ways, and you get to know them quite well. I really enjoyed the innocent sweet relationship between Su Yang and Si Jia. And I absolutely loved the energetic, confident, and fearless Zi Yan as Ruo Xin's best friend. The two had such great chemistry as BFFs.

Some might call this drama flat or boring. I think it could have used a few more dramatic plot challenges, and the ones it did have could have brought more variation to the tone. However, I feel the script was very well written, almost as if it was capturing real life interactions, without cutting any lines out. If you are in the mood for following interesting and well-written dialogue, you will enjoy this and it won't seem boring.

This drama is filled with idealist representations of people. The maturity in the relationships and the smooth way in which the characters interact with each other and form relationships that go beyond isolating the main leads from the supporting characters is well done. The production values are beautiful. And the calm, mature feel of the show makes it really enjoyable. I'm so glad I watched this and now I'm off to find more cdramas like it!

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Great ingredients gone astray

More often than not, a rating of 8.7 or higher on MDL equals something that delivers. This however, did not. I can see that the screenwriter, actors, and director have talent. Unfortunately, the individual elements just didn't work. What a disappointing ride.

First, the positives:

Every line was delivered naturally by charismatic actors. Lee Sung Kyung as Bok Joo played her part naturally (as much as she could), and I enjoyed her expressive way of acting in this character. Nam Joo Hyuk as Joon Hyung was super earnest in his portrayal of the young, fun swimmer. I also applaud a show focused on a female lead who is supposed to break the norm of appearance and gender stereotypes, especially in a society that focuses so much on gender roles. Finally, the script included straightforward lines that were endearing in their honesty, even if they were overdone sometimes.

Now, the negatives:

The entire plot was based on immature and silly misunderstandings and dramatic twists that didn't fit. It was as if the writer didn't know how to create challenges naturally so they resorted to making up far-fetched dramatic build-up for the characters to get tangled in. Instead of simply presenting unrequited love, they had Bok Joo make excuses and steal away to the clinic and have friends cover up and then get in trouble from coaches and parents for it all. Instead of letting Joon Hyung's childhood trauma play out naturally, the writer added lies that the adopted family kept up for years, tried to tie this to his relationship with his adoptive brother, and had the parent return to cause more drama. The list of ways in which natural drama could have built up and how each character could have grown as they dealt with it was completely wasted. And the heap of random characters and side plots were brief and distracting.

What could have made this show great:

- Focus on Bok Joo and have the drama in her life revolve around: sick father, working on accepting her unconventional appearance and value as a weightlifter, slowly falling for Joon Hyung, and of course, her actual training and competition hardships (which were handled so minimally and poorly in the show)
- Focus on Joon Hyung and have his story revolve around: abandonment, inability to start races, maybe throw in a rival swimmer to push him forward in swimming, and slowly falling for Bok Joo
- Get rid of all the rest of the meaningless characters and random tiny dramas and let the athletes actually show us what it's like to be an athlete: train hard, win and lose, get injured, pick themselves up again, have conversations about all of this, and sprinkle in a bit of drama and romance

All the ingredients above are things we've seen in dramas before. Even if they were handled in conventional ways, it would have yielded great results: deep conversations, personal growth, and inspiration. Unfortunately, we are left with the opposite.

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Thanks for introducing us to this very special profession

I have huge praise for screenwriter Yoon Ji Ryun for creating a show about trauma cleaners, a profession I didn't know existed. Especially in a culture that is fairly judgemental about people's jobs and superstitious about death, it's doubly important to tell stories about it. Not only does it address trauma cleaners and humanize the dead, but it also tries to portray people with ASD as valuable, capable, and human.

The story is simple and easy to digest. Each character has one main conflict plotline that is punctuated by each encounter with a deceased person as the team cleans up their belongings and learns about their life. The simple treatment is actually why I don't think the show deserves a high overall rating. It is simply too conventional. The conflicts and challenges the characters face and their resulting transformations are too predictable. The dialogue and interactions that show character transformations, though well written and well delivered, are too perfect. The flashbacks of Geu Ru and his father are too smoothly heartwarming. I feel that this show could have taken the highly engaging material and challenged us as viewers. It could have pushed us to rethink what we already know, and asked us to question what it means to live, love, and die, what intelligence is, what family means to us, and what we are willing to sacrifice. Instead, it gives us something to pat ourselves on the back with because most of us already believe what the show is trying to tell us.

Furthermore, one big issue is the show's treatment of Geu Ru. It gets some of the mechanics right about his abilities, but exploits his character to help others learn lessons or change their thinking. I found this to be behind the times in terms of how shows should portray neurodiverse people. We hardly get to know him as a person. We don't understand his inner thoughts at all. If the year was 1980, perhaps this show would have been groundbreaking (in case you didn't know, Rain Man was released in 1988). But alas, it is 2021 and we expect better.

The acting is outstanding, especially Lee Je Hoon as our conflicted underground fighter Sang Gu. I feel he played the sensitive uncle with depth and understanding. I also really enjoyed Hong Seung Hee as Na Mu. She never overplayed her energetic character, despite the fact that her role was basically written as "the responsible nag". Finally, Tang Jun Sang's performance as Geu Ru was understated and he really connected with the other characters even when his character had differing goals.

I will be along for the ride next season, and I sincerely hope this show will grow and challenge us further.

Also, if you are interested in this theme, read The Embalmer, a well crafted manga by Mitsukazu Mihara, which tries to break superstitions and judgement about death and this particular way of preserving the dead.

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Can clichés soar?

Kudos to the creators for putting an elderly man in the front seat of a major drama. We need more stories featuring older people. And it's great to make a story that breaks gender stereotypes, especially in such a patriarchal society. However, that's pretty much where the praise ends.

Unfortunately, the story is nothing but clichés and predictableness. It wouldn't have been so terrible if the challenges faced by each character were presented with more depth, but on top of the clichés, the script was so generic that it seemed like every character was saying the same thing over and over again. Every person was simply there to tell us to "do what we truly want to do". Our ballerinos, the former doctor, the failed politician, the ex-football player, the white collar worker, his counsellor wife, and their daughter seeking her first job, had the same challenges and the same script.

Of course, Park In Hwan as our grandpa ballerino is the obvious highlight. Despite the terrible script, he delivered each line with wisdom and quiet, thoughtful strength. His talent came out but he deserved so much better material to showcase what he has to offer. Song Kang as our young ballerino Chae Rok was directed to play his part with too much annoying angst at the beginning and then his transformation didn't even get to breathe. One day he just changes, and the transformation of the entire cast is presented in the same way. There is no real progression. Kim Kwon as the blonde haired punk did well too, despite the shoddy script and lack of dimension in his character. The scene where he is leaning over Chae Rok in the stairwell gave us a glimpse of his acting talents. Finally, the relationship between ballet instructors Seung Joo and So Ri was the only one that provided a tiny bit of interest, but only a few drops.

I started watching this one night when I was absolutely exhausted and wanted something that demanded nothing from me. However, the lack of depth and the absolutely terrible script made it hard to get through. In the end, the talent and time was wasted even though I did smile and tear up a few times. And watching the professional dancers was a treat.

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Slowing down and getting deep

I recommend you watch season 1 before season 2 of this show. I read that season 2 included a new production team as well as a change of two of the lead cast members, which would have made for significant challenges. I feel the writers and producers handled these changes well with just a few tiny missteps in the process. After the overly silly first episode meant to explain the changes, the show found its footing again and it was fantastic from then on.

Like season 1, writer Park Yeon Sun continued to explore what is below the surface of our assumptions about others. This time, she showed us so much more of the acting talents and back story of our feisty journalist Ji Won, played brilliantly by Park Eun Bin. The writer made amazing strategic decisions starting in season 1 that carry over to influence season 2 in some genius ways and Park Eun Bin nailed every nuanced hint written into her character. She has an expert ability to relate her character to the other characters in complex ways. This is especially fun to watch when she shared scenes with her pseudo-boyfriend Sung Min, played with understated but overflowing concern by Son Seung Won. The way they played off each other and cared so much without being direct about it is masterful and beautiful.

As well as giving more screen time to the most talented actress on the cast, there were a few other big changes this season. One positive change was the pace slowed down and we got to see more dialogue and interaction between the five women which was a treat. It fit well with the progression of their growing friendship. I also enjoyed the introduction of the new housemate, Choi A Ra as Jo Eun, an "alternative" representation of femininity. Although I believe her history could have been written with more detail, I understand it was hard because she was a new cast member so we had to get to know her from the very beginning. Although it was fantastic that she ended up in a positive relationship, I was originally rooting for a lesbian couple when we were first introduced to her and her best friend. I guess my progressive hopes are ahead of current mainstream kdrama culture. Another shining change was the further development of eldest Sunbae character Jin Myung played by Han Ye Ri. After her harrowing experiences in the first season, she used her thoughtful empathetic leadership to support each of the women and help them through their tough times. Finally, I liked the progression of girly Ye Eun played by Han Seung Yeon. I applaud including the lasting effects of trauma in her storyline and the fact that it showed in a realistic way that it changed her permanently. I also enjoyed the addition of her growing relationship with neurodiverse engineer Ho Chang played by Lee Yoo Jin, although for me a friendship rather than a coupleship would have fit better.

One change that didn't work so well for me was the re-casting of Ji Woo as shy, young Eun Jae. Although the character grew a lot more confident over the course of season 1, the new actress portrayed what seemed like a completely different character, quirky and curt instead of deliberate and quietly deep. It just didn't click with me. However, her storyline is a common consideration for women and an important one to feature.

Overall, both season 1 and 2 showed us great depth of character and relationships in a way that doesn't tie everything up with a perfect bow. The show asks us to focus on what's beneath the surface in our assumptions about people. And it's a treat to watch Park Eun Bin's acting talent pull the whole cast together.

Finally, just a reminder to watch all the epilogues that run after the end credits during this season. They add a lot to the story, *hint* *hint*.

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All that is left unsaid

If you enjoy watching well developed characters show as much through what they don't do and say as what they do, you will enjoy this show. Here, writer Park Yeon Sun allows silence and subtext to do the heavy lifting, and challenges us to understand what's beneath the surface. It asks us to consider whether our assumptions about people's motivations are correct when we base them only on what we have seen when we don't know someone's inner thoughts or history.

Half way through this drama, I realized that the writer made many intentional decisions that paid off well. Despite a few inconsistencies, the strategy and planning was evident as you continue watching. This was far more dramatic than the posters indicate, with lots of depth of acting talent. I appreciate the focus on females as well as the very important challenges they bring forward, such as sex, personal trauma, workplace abuse, and relationship abuse. I also liked the way the writer handled the relationships between the ensemble. Like real life, housemates don't have to be close friends or share all their deepest secrets with one another. The five women actually share far more dialogue with people outside the house than they do with each other. This allows us to get to know them as individuals with their own storylines, even if, at times, it is frustrating that they share so little with each other. I will note that there is a change of pace in season 2 that allows us to see more dialogue between the characters now that we know them, which was another great intentional choice.

The actors were fantastic. There are a number of stand-outs for me. Han Ye Ri as the eldest woman, Jin Myung was one of them. She portrayed her anguish and depression about her family and workplace challenges in a melodramatic way without overdoing it or manipulating our heartstrings. I also liked Ryu Hwa Young as the sassy, sexy and strong Yi Na dealing with her personal childhood demons and her various relationships with men. Her portrayal was mature and thoughtful. Finally, I rarely enjoy crazy, silly characters, but Park Eun Bin as our feisty journalism student Ji Won was spot on. She played her part with such depth, which allowed her character to bring the entire ensemble's stories together and connect them all. Even though her own story took a back seat until season 2, the time she spent on screen was genius and delightful. She has so much talent!

There were a couple holes in the story, and the pace in season 1 seemed like it was racing toward a finish line. This kept things very exciting and surprisingly, it never lost depth, but some of the dramatics never gave us the chance to breathe. However I did enjoy how the actors broke the fourth wall in the fun little epilogues that play after the final credits of various episodes.

To sum up, this was a surprisingly strategic show with a lot of pre-planning that pays off later. The characters and actors brought tons of depth to the story, and it was entertaining as well as heartfelt. It would be a fantastic re-watch if you enjoy looking for hints and figuring out all the little details the writers included across both seasons.

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Wisdom personified

This masterpiece by writer Noh Hee Kung is a heart wrenching and hopeful look at moments of multilayered joy, tragedy, love, regret, and life through the eyes of a young woman as she captures the experiences of a group of elderly friends.

Don't be fooled by the cutesy poster for this drama. It is not roses and nostalgia. You cannot watch this to fawn over "cute old people" as objects that are used to bring a smile. Instead, you will be absorbed into a cascade of real life struggles, emotions, and deep relationships spanning decades and generations. I strongly believe this show should actually come with a trigger warning. The hardships depicted include family violence, suicide, emotional abuse, intergenerational trauma, and plenty of tragedy. It looks at how the past connects to the present and the future, and shapes the way we move in the world. When life gets heavy, you draw upon your personal experiences, and try to overcome obstacles any way you can. And you help your friends because you understand them the way no one else does. The show captures layered lifetimes of memories, relationships, and moments, as the cast bring their characters to life expertly. The actors deliver quality like no ensemble I have ever seen. When you reflect on the superb performances, it becomes clear that hundreds of years of life experience (not to mention acting talent) comes together to leave you breathless and in awe.

The script is phenomenal. The direction by Hong Jong Chan is confident and classy. The actors are incredible, nuanced, and detailed. Everything in this show exudes experience as it tells a both tragic and beautiful story.

The cast is the obvious highlight, including: Kim Hye Ja as the dazed Hee Ja, Na Moon Hee as the determined and kind Jung Ah, Youn Yuh Jung as the always-learning spinster Choong Nam, Park Won Sook as the kind-all-over Young Won, Go Doo Shim as the sassy business woman Nan Hee, and Kim Young Ok as Nan Hee's mother who understands so much more than she lets on. These women embody resilience and sisterhood in the most wise and willing ways. They accept and understand each other with the subtlety and depth that only decades-long relationships can foster. Then there are the men: Shin Goo as Suk Gyun, Jung Ah's ignorant husband, and Joo Hyun as Sung Jae, the learned retired lawyer. The men are smaller players in the story, supporting the women as they shine.

The supporting cast is just as amazing. I think their performances are a reflection of the show's writing and direction. My favorites include Yeom Hye Ran as Jung Ah's adopted daughter, Lee Kwang Soo as Hee Ja's son, and Jang Hyun Sung as the handsome guitar man. They occupy only a little screen time and yet they have dimension and help to show us so much about the main group of women.

Finally, Go Hyun Jung as Park Won, the young woman who tells the story, is just fantastic. She exudes naïve passion, love, and longing as she observes and participates as both a part of the group and an outsider. Her character experiences rich moments of understanding as she plays her part on the borrowed wisdom of her elders.

I only have two small complaints. First, the younger people in the story needed more dimension. They get a big chance to reflect on their relationships with their parents when Park Won invites them to talk about it for her book but they don't use it. Secondly, the very last bit of the show lost some steam. Maybe it's because it's impossible to sum up the loose ends in 9 interconnected lifetimes.

If you are looking for something with depth that just keeps digging deeper, and an appreciation for what life experience and wisdom can teach us, this is the show for you. It is anything but boring and cutesy. It is everything you want to watch when you need a break from unbelievable teenage love triangles and fantasy. You don't swoon over this one; you grow.

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Amateur with a capital A

I used to watch the original Power Rangers with my younger brother. All the heroes were good and all the baddies were bad. The characters were stilted and simple, but somehow the show wasn't cringey enough for me to grab the remote and fight to change the channel. This is what The Uncanny Counter reminds me of.

Like the Power Rangers of yore, the protagonists are always together. Every fight is basically the same, and done to the same degree. Because our heroes are almost always together, they have little opportunity to show who they really are through their actions. In addition, the writers break a cardinal rule of "telling" us instead of "showing" us the story.

My favorite actor here is Yeom Hye Ran as the motherly noodle chef. Her experience shows, and she delivers in every role she plays. Yoo Joon Sang plays the ex-detective with heaps of care and concern. Kim Se Jeong plays the closed and tormented Ha Na well. She is the only character who is written with a tiny a pinch of mystery. Ahn Suk Hwan is fun as the cool rich dude. And finally, Cho Byeong Kyu plays So Moon as a sensitive and tearful teen. I liked that he expressed a lot of emotion throughout the show. It's great that a guy can cry. On top of this, a huge shout-out goes to So Moon's best friends played by Kim Eun Soo and Lee Ji Won. They radiate care for him and are rightfully described as his pseudo-parents. Choi Yoon Young also plays her role as the police officer standing up to corruption in a delicate balancing act. She deserved more screen time. I appreciate that our main actors worked so hard to deliver their lines with as much depth as they could muster through the generic and terribly written script. Even the baddies did well in this respect. On the other hand, the afterlife characters in Yong really struggled.

The entire production is clearly an amateur undertaking. The unrefined camera angles and awkward blocking affects every scene. The script and writing is bland. The direction is lacking and inexperienced, but then again, they didn't have much to work with besides great actors. When I think about the Power Rangers, at least I knew they had their own way of speaking and individual interests. Here, they have these heartfelt scenes without layered context. We only care (a bit) because the actors are so good. The flow and rhythm of the story is simply devoid of characterization. The plot just keeps hurtling at the protagonists. One minute they're eating noodles and the next minute they're fighting. It's as if the story is being done to them and they are just there to react constantly. There is no build-up in between scenes. There is no foreshadowing to help us anticipate what comes next. There is no exploration of our heroes' pasts in order to push the story forward. There were only fragmented flashbacks without purpose. The whole show is campy and unsatisfying.

And let's talk about the violence for a second. How many scenes can you film of people stomping on other people's heads and beating them up? And murdering people with lots of blood? After a while it has no meaning, even for a teenage audience. Stop already.

In the end, I am surprised that I actually finished season 1. I can't quite pinpoint why. It has a youthful spirit. And I like a middle aged lady who can take down evil spirits. I didn't expect the depth of Stranger Things, but I at least expected better production values. Maybe I like Power Rangers more than I care to admit.

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Waste of a good premise

There was so much potential here in the form of a dead mother who comes back to look after her family and friends, and the meaning she finds and helps to bring back to the lives of the living. However, the story just went nowhere and some of the characters who could have helped it along were either forgotten after their intro, or just spent the show wandering around without purpose.

Kim Tae Hee as our main lead Cha Yu Ri does a great job portraying a grieving mom who gets the chance to return to the land of the living. She is energetic and lovely in this role. The cute little Seo Woo Jin who plays her daughter Seo Woo is just the most adorable little thing too. And Shin Dong Mi is brilliant as Yu Ri's best gal friend Hyun Jung, who supports her through it all. She was actually the best part of the show. Her support and longing for her friend was so palpable.

The show could have been fantastic had the side stories of the ghosts been fleshed out. A few of them ask Yu Ri to help them with unfinished business. These opportunities could have pushed the show to new levels. Instead, their stories are introduced and then promptly forgotten. I was also hoping the fun and spirited shaman played by Yoon Sa Bong would have a real part of the story as well. Unfortunately her potential was lost too. Furthermore, important living characters just kind of wander around. Yu Ri's husband played by Lee Kyu Hyung, doesn't do much to actually show his depression or thoughts. It's a missed opportunity. And his new wife played by the gorgeous Go Bo Gyeol also doesn't do much, but has some time to express herself later in the show.

With the mess of a story and frustrating lack of follow through, you'd think the show would have little impact on the viewer. Fortunately, it's still able to tug some heartstrings, mostly through monologues and flashbacks about Yu Ri's life and family so it's a decent cry if you're looking for one (if you can get over the other frustrations).

Unfortunately, this show just isn't worth the time.

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