Moving. Beautiful. Perfect.
I started watching this one skeptical about seeing such great reviews, and I'm so happy I did, even though my tears have barely dried as I type this. This is one of the most emotionally moving dramas I have ever watched. I didn't trust the high ratings and reviews, and never saw or heard of the original Japanese version, so I had no real expectations. "Mother" is listed as a suspenseful melodrama about an abused child and her unlikely substitute mother/kidnapper, but don't consider that a spoiler because this drama is so much more than that. This drama deeply explores motherhood through so many brilliant characters and their interconnected stories. The title may be simple, but it's perfect. This drama goes in on what it means to be a mother.One of my favorite things about this drama was watching such a deep connection develop between the two leads. Heo Yool is absolutely amazing and it's hard to believe that someone so young could give such a strong performance. Aside from her terrible wig in the early episodes, her performance is flawless. She's definitely a young actress to watch! Even her stares were perfect. She's smart, brave, wise beyond her years and so endearing that Kang Soo Jin's actions seem completely justified. Lee Bo Young's portrayal of Soo Jin was equally powerful as I watched her transform from extremely guarded and cold to a woman filled with so much compassion I couldn't help but root for! They worked so well together, and even when their actions were frustrating or heartbreaking I fell in love with their relationship.
The rest of the cast is also amazing, and there are so many great characters. The beauty of them all, I think, is that so many of them are flawed/imperfect. There are definitely some clear villains and heroes, but the villains were at times sympathetic and the heroes challenged what is considered moral/right. There were also characters who blurred the lines between good and bad by doing what was morally right but still seeming to be on the wrong side. These nuances made the story feel more real. The writing and performances in this drama keep this story engaging from the start. Yes, there's some traditional suspense, but the true suspense is in seeing how all of these character's lives will be changed by this non-traditional mother and daughter relationship. Yes, every single person in the cast is that good, but I still have some favorites worth mentioning. Lee Hye Young as Yeong Shin was a character I didn't get at first but became one of the characters I was moved by the most! It was great to see her as not just the bad mom stereotypical role I'm used to seeing her in (because she's so good at it). Next, there's "Dr. Sexy" aka Lee Jae Yoon as Jin Hong. One of my only complaints about this whole drama is that again he is the ultimate second lead even when there is no romantic lead to compete with. He was a great addition regardless. I also have to applaud Son Seok Koo as Lee Seol Ahk. He truly made me frightened and disgusted yet still managed to give his character depth and I even empathized with him a little. Even without the content ever being too graphic be gave me chills.
It feels bad to exclude some of the other great performances, but there really are just so many.
Besides the performances, the storytelling is also top-notch. The writing is so good, although I have no idea how much is similar to the original. The cinematography is breathtaking whether an intimate scene, a suspenseful moment, or gorgeous scenery, every image seemed perfectly crafted. I was drawn in completely by the first episode, but it just kept getting better and better. There was also never a moment that felt like filler, you can tell careful attention was paid in telling this story. Each episode built on the last and kept me engaged whether with it's crime drama style cliffhangers or engrossing conflicts between the characters. There were still some obligatory product placement moments but even those were handled without being distracting. I was very satisfied with the ending too. The writing, the directing, the acting are all easily at 10.
Even the music is great, just not memorable enough to justify an all 10s review... but so close!
Would I watch this again? Without a doubt. With such attention to detail, it's the perfect drama to rewatch. Yes, the suspense over what happens next will be gone, but not the emotions the story provokes. Let me warn you this drama definitely had me deep in my feelings. I cried so much during the final episodes that I should have been dehydrated. I also loved that the ending was simple yet poignant. Watching the journey of Yoon Bok and Soo Jin wasn't just sad, it was also extremely inspiring which is another good reason to rewatch.
"Mother" is certainly not a lighthearted drama, but in so many ways it was heartwarming. I will never think of motherhood the same way again. This is far from the Kdrama romances and comedies I'm usually drawn to, but with a story this good I'd recommend it to anyone no matter what genre they usually watch. The themes in this drama are definitely heavy and dark, exploring extreme abuse and neglect, but without being gratuitously graphic or too melodramatic. Prepare for it to rain from your eyeballs throughout this drama, so have plenty of tissues nearby. I hope this doesn't deter people from watching. The ratings aren't just hype, there is not one bad review for a reason.
Now I definitely feel compelled to watch the original as well, but on its own, this stands as one of my favorite dramas of all time. It also made me extremely grateful for my mother and all of the mother figures in my life.
Was this review helpful to you?
I do want to caution the wary, that this drama is not for the faint of heart. This drama does not shy away from difficult topics such as abuse, abandonment and loss.
Heo Yool, the child actress who portrays Kim Hye Na is absolutely incredible. At such a young age she is able to display such depth and seem so wise for her age. To think this young lady is only seven, just about blows me away. Mother also features a lot of great talent in Lee Bo Young, Lee Hye Young, Go Sung Hee and Nam Ki Ae. These women are absolutely breathtaking in the roles.
Though it took me a little time to warm to this drama, Mother proved to be extremely moving. It’s hard to find dramas that depict such realistic portrayals or women like this drama. This is such a compelling drama about female to female relationships. I strongly recommend this one!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Lost three gallons of tear
I too, like other reviewers, never wanted to write a review. Somehow this series is stuck in my head. When I see that the series is one of the top 15 show, I added to my list. However, I've avoided watching it for a year or so. I have soft spot for children. Anything involve sad stories about children, I skip. Another word, kiss is a yes, tear jerking is a no.This series is just simply beautiful. After 3rd episode, I thought to myself how they will carry the story to the number 16, there is no way. But NO, one plot is settled, another one is risen. It has all kind of flavors. You will experience it all, family, criminal, law, and, the most important, the unconditional love.
I have watched many of Lee Bo Young's series. She is great as usual. The child actor, Heo Yool, is the rock star in this series. She is AMAZING. The way she expresses the emotion through her eyes. She is really baked into her character. The love, the pain, the fear, I can feel it all. Totally incredible.
Prepare yourself a box of tissue. This will get you one way or another. Enjoy a deep meaning of mother, anyone can give birth to a child, but not everyone can be a mother.
PS. I give the rewatch score lower, not because the series is not worth the 2nd time, but because I run out of tissue.
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama could move stones
Criminally speaking I don't think it's really accurate, but overally speaking I couldn't care less.It's really emotional, I think that I could count in one hand the times I cryied watching tv, I can been moved, but crying it's really hard for me, but I did it twice watching this drama. It's really well done, Lee Bo Young is amazing, even though she's a cold person in the drama she made you feel the warmth, you could only watch her eyes to see various emotions. Heo Yool, around 9 years old when she filmed, was capable of doing a phantasmagoric performance, she acted with adults and famous people and she handled it marvelously. She was just an innocent, naive, happy kid that had to grow up too fast, she had to face expereances that nobody should face and the actress shows us perfectly all the different feelings. Another character that really moved me was Lee Hye Young, and to say the truth I cryied both times in her scenes, at the beginning I didn't know how to get her, I was a bit confused about her character, but after awhile I started to really like he, her acting skills were no joke, she hits with her eyes, just a glance to understand.The thematics are multiple, it's not only the kidnapping, it's also adoption, family issues, assoult, abuse, sacrifices.. And they linked everything, it's like a huge puzzles that comes together piece after piece. The story grows slowly and at the same time really fast, gifting us with lots of emotions and amazing performances, the journey is like an obstacle couse, not only against the world but also with themself.
Was this review helpful to you?
Emotional Story About One of the Most Basic Relationships in Life
"Mother" is the drama that makes use of all the characters to turn words on a script into a piece of art that moves the viewer. As much as I enjoyed the drama, I will try to write a review that truly considers, not only its strengths, but flaws.Story: The first couple scenes in "Mother" gave me the impression that it would be a slow-paced drama that may bore viewers. This doesn't last for long until they show just how awful the little girl is treated at home. My heart raced as she faced the man in her house and kept a straight face throughout the entirety of his actions. After the teacher chose to save the girl, they embarked on a frightening journey that began with their identities changing into mother and daughter. The bond between the pair grows as they rely on each other even when the world is after their every move. The beauty of this drama is that the writers/director recognized that everyone has a special relationship with their mom. I won't spoil the details, but if you watch carefully, you can see how almost every character is affected by their mom's presence/absence.
Acting: Lee Bo Young did a magnificent job in controlling her expressions and emotions. KSJ had been through so many trials throughout her life, and Lee Bo Young was perfect in encapsulating the details that made KSJ such a distinctive character. Similarly, Heo Yool, the little girl, deserves all the praise. "Mother," undeniably, is a heavy drama even for the viewers. I can't imagine how she must have felt to become a child who went through so many difficulties at such a young age. Her acting is extraordinary, and I'm looking forward to her future projects. All the actors and actresses in "Mother," were terrific, but the one person I applaud the most is Son Seok Hoo, who played the abusive man. His acting is realistic, that every time I saw him on screen, my heart pounded with fear.
Music: I have nothing bad to say about this ost selection for this drama. I'm especially enjoying "Kind of Love" by Seungkwan. As a Seventeen fan, it was surprising to suddenly hear his voice during the emotional scenes. Right now, as I am writing this review, I have pulled up the drama's ost on spotify.
Rewatch Value: I never rewatch dramas, so I rated this category based on how likely I would be to rewatch clips of "Mother" on youtube. Because this drama is so heavy, I would need to be in a specific mood to rewatch scenes. However, I do think I will revisit the drama's message quite frequently.
I have so many things I want to say about this drama, but it is difficult to form the right words at the right moment. But I do want to mention that I cried while watching. Even when I tried to hold my tears, there was one scene where I couldn't help but cry. I do hope that everyone reading this will try to watch "Mother," even if it isn't the type of drama you usually watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Healing comes when someone starts to care
You want to know what a mother’s heart is like, in this drama it is shown that becoming a mother starts with caring for a child, not just giving birth to one.This left me crying from shock, happiness and sadness. So many emotions come over you. Beautiful story and interesting topic. It shows different perspectives of family, and tackles topics like adoption, abandonment, abduction and child abuse. I was in tears for most of the series. Much of the scenes and acting were too graphic and shocking for me, but the ending made up for it. The feeling of what a mother is was well transferred!
The actors did their job very well, the emotions were amazingly conveyed. Becoming a parent can be a scary and difficult thing and this drama showed this in many ways. It made you understand the story from different perspectives, and brought people together. There are broken families all over the world, but this series gave me hope that there can always be a way to be united again, or rescued, when someone is daring and wiling to care. Loved every character, and although difficult to watch, even the bad characters how evil they may have been, I could understand. The drama does show very bad abuse towards children, but still does not condone it or sensualize it. The drama gives a deeper understanding of motherhood and the importance of family, while having shown revelations of the past. I have rewatched it several times. Would recommend this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
What is motherhood?
It's been a long time since I've rated something a full 10 out of 10 but wow. The amount of emotion I felt watching this and the amount of tears I shed...this drama has immediately skyrocketed atop my list of favorites.The plot and pacing were perfect. There were absolutely no filler moments and even when we were following other characters like the biological parents or the detectives, I felt like more was being added to the story (and to my stress).
Every character is extremely three-dimensional and well-written, and through the way they were intertwined we were able to see the different ways in which "family" could be formed or broken.
The best part of this drama is its moral questions — questions about whether Soojin's actions morally vs. legally, about cycles of abuse, about parenthood and its responsibilities...there were so many scenes and moments of dialogue that were really thought-provoking.
But the best part of this, undeniably, is Soojin/Yoonbok and watching their relationship develop into mother/daughter. It was beautiful, it was heart-wrenching, it was PAINFUL. But the chemistry between the actresses was top notch and the acting performances were amazing.
Thematically I absolutely love that this is a female-centric drama, and I would recommend everyone — literally everyone — to watch it.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is the frist time i ever cried after watching a Korean Drama with so much sweet pain along with some smile behind.This is a kind of Drama which left you some deep emotions. I proudly saying that Call Me Mother Aka Mother is one of the best series ever made in the world. It is travelling through all the human emotions. everyone will fall in love with all the character especially that littile kid And Her true Mother.
Mother is the official remake of a Japanese drama released in 2010 and i think this is first time i Seeing in series that a remake is better then the original version.More over so far i didn't watch the orginal Japanese version but so many critics reviews are saying that the Korean Version is the best then the Japanese.
Mother telling a story of a 38 year old lady who took a littile 9 year old child and run away from her biological Mother because the child is suffering Abuse from her own mother. The Police and Media is chasing after them . From the first few eipsode the story is so normal and we have so many confusions so far like why she took her,what is her intention,if they caught what will they do. The truth is that they are looking for a safest Place to hide and not to show up ever again.
After the 8 the episode once we enter into the Main plot we will worry about them and also our feelings and emotions will defenetly travell along with them. Episode 11 To 16, I can't forget each and every moments of these episodes. Am speechless to express the Experience that i got while watching the finale Scenes. Its like an edge of the seat moments for me.
Here the presentation is a Deep Dramatic and realistic way. Pls watch it and experience with your true emotions.Over all It is a must watch korean Drama you will never forget, a worth watching experience guaranteed to all drama lovers.
Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing. Beautiful. Brilliant. Breath taking. Wonderful.
This has to be one of my favorite dramas. It was an emotional roller coaster, I have on the edge of my seat for every single episode.
The story and message is absolutely beautiful. I thought it will be a tragic ending so I delayed watching the last episode. The ending was light hearted but beautiful. I shed so much tears in every episode.
The plot is so intense, there's always a cliff hanger in every episode. Waiting a week for the next episode felt like a 1000 years. The suspense is real!
The actors are brilliant. Everyone played their role wonderfully. I am so amazed at Heo Yool acting skills. Such a young child could make me move to tears. Her acting is so natural. She portrays Yoon Bok emotions out superbly. I hope she continues to act and become a successful actress.
The message the drama conveys to the audience is significant to the real world. And is still an ongoing issue. Child abuse. Children all over the world are being abused and neglected, but the child doesn't speak up. The drama really puts this into perspective. Kudos to the director and writer.
I love how it also approaches child adoption positively. The happiness and significance of when you adopt a child. And the importance of being a good mother.
"There are people who think that a woman becomes a mother only when she gives birth to a child. But A woman becomes a mother when she gives all of her to an existence smaller than her"
"A long time ago, there was a baby rabbit that wanted to run away. "Mom, I'm going to run away." When the baby rabbit said that, the mother rabbit said, "If you run away, I'll come after you, Because you are my cute child." Then, the baby rabbit said."Then, I'll become a fish and swim away." Then, the mother rabbit said, "If you become a fish, I'll become a fisherman, and Bam! I'll catch you."
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Motherhood comes in differents aspects.
I did not see the Japanese version and I'm not fluent in English.Honestly, the drama didn't move me at much as it did for others because I couldn't get into how SooJin was portrayed and I found some of her actions self-centered.
One line that I agree with wholeheartedly in the whole drama was "Getting to Iceland isn't the problem rn."
I won't say that I don't understand why she did what she did, but I would've not let a little girl recently abused alone, in a hotel room nor in a park, when I know we're on the run AND she's traumatized. It was so disturbing for me to see her being left alone multiple times, when she could've been brought along. Her only goal was to escape to Iceland, no matter what and I understand that, but she left a tray of problems behind her everytime she passed somewhere. The start was beautiful but it was getting very frustrating for me.
The drama however, conveys really well the dynamic between all the characters. I do not hate a single character except Seol Ak. We can see how the relationships play, how the power between moms - child or just partner - mom can influence a life VERY strongly so I did like that.
Was this review helpful to you?
Don't forget your tissue boxes
I'm not going to go too in depth with this review because simply writing about Mother won't give it the justice that it deserves. I watched Mother months ago, but my heart still aches whenever I think about it (I promise that I'm not crying as I write this review). I believe that Mother is the true definition of an unforgettable series. Every element of the show, from the story to the music, enhanced each other in such a way that without even one element, the show wouldn't be the same. This unity within the show might be why it's so unlike any other Asian dramas out there. Along with how unified the show is, I felt that the story was amazingly executed. No matter how interesting a story is, if it's not executed properly, then it's meaning will be lost. So, it's truly amazing that the story of Mother is carried out so well that the meaning isn't lost. I also appreciated how every character and every part of the story always related back to one thing; the "kidnapping." Sometimes, shows get so carried away with their side stories that it becomes really confusing. So, it was refreshing to see that everything in Mother always related back to the "kidnapping" in some way. Honestly, I still don't understand how something as genuine and as brilliant as Mother could ever be created, but it was created, so we should give ourselves a chance to appreciate this masterpiece.PS: I gave a low rewatch value rating because Mother is so special that I wouldn't want to ruin it's impact on me by rewatching it.
Was this review helpful to you?
