Crash Landing on You (2019)

why did i watch this so late??!!?

everyone got their happy ending which was lovely but seung joon… his death broke me. i full on sobbed when seo dan was recalling their past together. i wish he had a moment with rest of the comrades they wouldve gotten along so well together. he was effortlessly funny i loved that he got to have a hearty meal with the nk ladies too. seung joon & seo dan u are so loved.

this drama was lovely. the comrades and the 4 ladies are my absolute favourite i looked forward to their scenes tiny bit more than the main couple.

the ost esp sigriswil is so beautiful as soon as i heard it in the opening i was entranced. this drama will live with me forever.

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Ensemble cast with a disappointing and sappily charmed story

Despite Crash Landing on You's excessive use of k-drama tropes, the talented ensemble cast will still have you swooning and smiling from ear to ear.

CLOY tries to give a refreshing insight of North Korean culture but fails to give a unique spin on the romance. After finishing the first episode, I was able to discern how the story is extremely generic on the surface. The gunfights and gunshots got me rolling my eyes. Most of the conflicts are too corny and mawkish for my liking. The writer could have put new narrative ideas but she solely relied on the chemistry of Hyun Bin and Ye Jin to cover the clichés and predictability.

The real pleasure of watching this k-drama comes from experiencing the characters. They are relatable, funny and precious. The cast is charismatic enough to keep my eyes glued to the screen. Most of the time, I had my eyes on the second lead couple as they have the gentle appeal and quiet chemistry than the first leads.

To sum up, CLOY is strictly the usual k-drama romcom but with less substance than I expected. It is a joy to watch but it is equally disappointing and sappily charmed.

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THE PLOT was definitely one of the most interesting and original ones that I've seen in a while, however it's also one of the main reasons this drama was so successful. I believe out of the millions that were tuning in while this was airing, there were many viewers just curious to see how the plot will unfold, as well as how North Korea and it's people would be portrayed. If I'm being honest the main drive for me to finish this WAS the plot. I mean, a handsome North Korean army officer who stumbles upon a South Korean heiress by chance? Surely this won't end well.

THE CHARACTERS were all very enjoyable. The officers under Ri Hyeok were quite charming. They were apprehensive about Se-ri coming into their home, but as the story developed, they became so close to the point where they put their own lives in danger to make sure she was out of harm's way. The character growth with them was cute to watch. Seo Dan and Goo Seung Jun were my favorites among the cast. Honestly I got more invested in their storyline than the leads, idk I just got kinda bored after a while with Ri Hyeok and Se-ri. They DID NOT deserve the endings they got. I feel the end to their stories deserves a rewrite. I think they got a sad ending just to follow the "someone has to die during the finale" trope. If anything I think they are more victims than antagonists. I wanted to see Se-ri's mother's character in a better light but she was just reduced to being Se-ri's father's wife, which was a waste of potential. I feel like the negative dynamics between Se-ri and her mother were just thrown into the story for unnecessary emotional conflict.

THE MUSIC was excellent. At times I think the OSTs took over some scenes but once Yerin Bark's "here I am" started playing I feel like time stood still for Se-ri and Ri Hyeok. I personally found the music memorable and even downloaded some of OSTs to my playlist. I felt the music for each scene was just right.

THE ENDING kind of had a neutral ending. Given the current situation between North and South Korea, I figured that Se-ri and Ri Hyeok would not get that happy ending that everyone wanted. But I'm fine with the way the writers decided to wrap up their story. Not entirely sad but not entirely happy. Just neutral.

Overall I give this drama a 8.5/10. It's a good drama to binge watch during the weekend. I probably won't rewatch it because the episodes are 1 hour long and midway through the story things slow down.

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Only thing I can add after many rewatches (sic) is:

Simply, a classic!
(oh , 500 characters, huh…ok…)❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Comedic. Heartfelt. Dramatic. Action packed.

One of the more unique stories. One that allows us into a whole new world than the usual one we're used to in K-Drama land. And in most aspects, it's excellent. The comedy is really great and well written. It blends with the more serious tones of the drama really well. It varies as wel from being situational, fish out of water humour, to be jokes told. The two leads and the soliders really made this drama what it was. Outside of the main story, this was the real heart of it all. But the main plots were really exciting and tension filed. The twists and turns allowed the story to play out without any questions in plausibilty. I dug how the story split into two half way through and gave us double to fun. Obviously the Cpt Ri and Se Ri together is wonderful and touching. But the relationship between Dan and Seung Jun is just as warm, albeit sad by the end. One aspect of the story that I didn't like too much was how Se Ri's suicidal attempt weren't really taken with any weight - obviously its sad and not totally blown off but I would've liked something more emotional. It's simply just a means to connect the two leads rather than to convey any message about self-hating.

The acting was really great. The actors really knocked it out of the park, capturing all the themes and story elements needed. Hyun Bin's strong but sweet character was the perfect hero of the story. Hyun Bin's chemistry with Son Ye Jin was off the charts, instantly striking. It's rare that two people are able to play off each other with such great effect. Son Ye Jin was really great in her female role too. Incredibly mart but naive about the smaller things, the lack of luxuries that the North Korean have. It fits into the comedy well though. Seo Ji Hye gave maybe the best performance of the drama though. Her character came off very tough and stubborn but there is a soft side to her character, a hidden sadness and willingess to be loved by someone. It's a very nuanced character and she knocks it out of the park, pardon my cliches.

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Very Unexpected

*outline*
I wasn't expecting to like this drama as much as I did. The fact that the story has so many twists and turns not only makes the series more dramatic, but also adds a perfect amount of heartbreak, shock/surprise, and love. I felt empathetic and sympathetic throughout, something to credit the actors for. The pacing was perfect till the very end.


*thorough*
STORY : Having a screenwriter write up a story based around North Korea was quite innovative, so it really caught my eye when it was introduced to me. This gave us a break from the cliche Korean story lines we usually find, not that they're any bad but I felt refreshed. The whole drama up until the last episode were really good. My emotions were being played with, which is a good thing of course. However, that sort of changed in the last episode. Episode 16 didn't exactly live up to my expectations which were slowly being built throughout. It's almost as though the screenwriter and Director got tired of the drama and just wanted it to finish quickly. But that's my own take on things... I just feel that the ending should've been a little different. In conclusion, the pacing was off for Episode 16.

ACTING/CAST : I found myself being hit by various moods and emotions because of the actors. They portrayed their roles perfectly. I felt all the love, heartbreak, shock, and even the war. The best played out role was definitely the antagonists. You'll only realize when he's defeated, just how much of a lonely life he's lived. Unlike other antagonists, he didn't use this as an excuse (maybe to even reform), it just showed how deserving of his end was.

MUSIC : Okay, I'm sorry, but I hated CLOY's OSTs. From the very beginning. Literally. It did nothing for me, definitely not set the mood. I only remember two songs now that I think about it... Is that all there were? Meh, not like I'm gonna look for them anyways. The intro was the most disappointing one for me, so I just skipped all of them on the first beat. The other OST I remember was the one that was played during every sad scene (or love scene? or both?). It was decent enough to be able to listen to, and it even set some of the scenes.

REWATCH VALUE : This drama was way too long to sit through. If there were more episodes which were also shorter in time length, maybe I'd be willing to rewatch it. But I doubt that's going to happen. And even in the ending, the Yoon Se Ri and Ri Jung Hyuk aren't that memorable as a couple. Apparently they're dating in real life, but I find it hard to believe how they must act in real life because the love really wasn't portrayed. I 'aw'ed at the love scenes because of the innocence to it, despite them both being quite... erm- well, older than average Korean actors and actresses today. However, it felt very dry otherwise...


*p.s.*
I would definitely recommend this to someone, even if they've been watching K-dramas for a while. It's an amazing drama and it definitely deserves its high ratings. I really vibed with the drama and it was continuously interesting.


*recommendations*
'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim' if you're looking for more rom-com

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A marvelous story diminished by hidden scenes

Kdrama episodes typically end with photo cards - pictures that capture key moments of that episode. If you watch these shows on Netflix, that signals the episode's end, and to click to the next episode.

Shockingly, “Crash” includes key scenes after the photo cards roll. These “hidden scenes” can provide significant character insight and plot development. For instance, in episode 2, the hidden scene reveals Yoon Se-Ri visited a euthanasia clinic in Switzerland to end her life because of severe depression. She’s also seen standing near Ri Jong Hyeok as they both gaze at the paragliders.

This scene adds significant insight to Se-Ri’s character as well as enhancing the notion of fated love. That such material is buried in the credits section is inexplicable (unless the viewing public, beside me, is in on this secret).

And one last comment, the suicide scene mentioned above is offensive. The counselor who rejected Se-Ri for euthanasia suggested she go sightseeing instead. So, a suicidal patient comes to a clinic seeking to end her life and the advice she receives is literally, “Go take a hike?”

This is just sloppy, lazy writing. In the real world, Se-Ri would have received counseling from a suicide prevention specialist, a professional every euthanasia clinic employs.

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Far-fetched, but I came around to it

I really couldn’t make up my mind about this drama. I think watching it so disjointedly didn’t do it justice as I kept thinking it was a drag/boring. Initially I was put off by the really long episodes, and I had to watch it at a faster speed anyway just to push through it at times. Alas, once I got back into it and picked it up from episode 11, I was quite engrossed.

A major downfall is derived from the show’s title. I haven’t bothered to read any other reviews but I am sure people have beef with this: the scene that involves Se-ri crash-landing in North Korea and those that follow. Now it’s a drama, so I get the fact that they are ‘dramatic,’ and this would have been acceptable in my eyes if the scenes had have been done right! Oh my gosh! Where do I start!? Imma just copy and paste my thoughts that I wrote straight after witnessing one of the worst moments in filming history!

The beginning when the tornado struck and the tractor and cow? Was floating in the air. Also, the way Se-ri was doing circles in her paraglider - like, it’s not believable at all.

Lmao where did the parachute COME from and WHY/HOW is it perfectly in tact!? Did she WASH her purple jumpsuit? The grip this man has on her while they’re FLOATING down - it’s literally defying physics! If anyone should be clinging on, it should be HIM to HER, not the other way around lmao!! This is SO beyond far fetched! I mean he has one hand RESTING on her head, and the other RESTING on her shoulder!! 😩😭 Like that’s. Not. Going. To. Support. You.

This couple’s composure during all of this - wtf!

Soooo they got back safely and he rocks up at a market??

Honestly, the only people I like in this show at this point are the group of soldiers Se-ri is hanging out with. Edit: this low-key still kinda stands true. Don’t get me wrong, I came around to Se-ri eventually, but in the beginning she was a really hard character to warm to and I’m assuming that was the director’s intention. By the end of the show we grew to love her and obviously this just proves the self-development of her character which is always a good thing to see.

My last rant is about the staring. The amount. Of. Staring. Omg - I hate the really dramatic staring into each others eyes that just goes on and on that I actually have to keep pressing the 10 second button!

Okay, onto the characters - so I liked Jeong-hyeok from the beginning despite that one terrible scene *cries*. I liked how he handled Se-ri and he taught her things that she didn’t appear to know.

As just mentioned, I grew to like Se-ri. Her character was quite funny which made up for the serious tone of the show.

Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok’s relationship had good chemistry (and how could they not seeing as the actors are married now1)

The other couple intrigued me and I grew to like them more and more so it is an understatement to say I was sad when Seung-jun died and Dan showed emotion. It made me cry! I was really rooting for them by the second last episode so was sad to see him go.

The boys/the gang whatever you may call it, were so funny and endearing. I could just watch them on repeat. In the second half of the drama when they were in South Korea, it was so amusing to see their reactions to everything they weren’t quite familiar with or aware of.

Overall I guess I did end up liking it. It’s nowhere near the top of my list, but it also isn’t at the bottom.

-E

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No matter what your type is...this surpasses them all!!!

I always put off this drama cause I avoid death related things...

It's same with every military drama...(I am still putting off descendents of the sun)

But I watched you are my hero which is a Chinese drama and its again a splendid stand alone

I never thought I would ever watch it..no matter how hyped up it was
Many reviews are already here so probably no one would reach this one...but I want to write cause that is how I will move on from it(desperate try )

LEADS:-

Captain Ri:- Innocent ,cold but warm, lovable strong, handsome
You ask it you have it
You'll literally cry and smile with him
I have never seen seen such coy smile as his in any guy.. every time he smiles it feels like he is blushing
Complete package

Se ri:- lively, cute, naive and witty both, loving passionate and what not
She will literally make you laugh and awe with her strong headed ness

Second male lead:- my heart broke... can't speak more..or it would be a spoiler
He was most attractive among all men out there
Handsome quirky cool and melancholic
Second female lead:- stay strong

RI five boys company:- aaaaaahhhhhhh...I loved them the most
They were awesome from start to end
One who is youngest and cute and lovely
One who is friendly and fan of Korean dramas and expert in modern Korean dialect
One who is workaholic, handsome, sensible and caring
One who is always mocking ,bad mouthing but caring and praying from inside
One who is not from their group but helps them out putting his family at stake

And what's common in them ??
They would take bullet for captain and se ri
The way they explored new things in South Korea was sooo cute and funny..you would laugh out loud
Their bonding with Seri will give you bestie goals so pure and emotional
You will long for such bromance!!

Village women:- ohhh god!!! Funny lot of women..who were naive funny aunti vibes
Cared protected loved and fought for each other...
Seeing them was so refreshing..
Can't get enough of them

SET UP:-

The village set up was awesome..it showed the North Korean life authentically..
Whatever problem they face..what kind of things they use in day to day life
It was enlightenment!!
I never knew it's soooo much of suffering

The whole story is just amazing and the last ep was goosebumps...
But just be ready for one sad death

I regret not watching it sooner
The ending I would not say I completely liked but somehow it was satisfactory...
I mean ofcourse it's a happy ending but not exactly what happens in any other drama
Everyone met their good or bad ends
And you long for another season

GOD!!! HELP ME MOVE ON!!!!!

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Your emotions will be played with

This was a very good drama that showed a different side to K dramas. They gave a new concept that we don’t really see that often. This show can mess with your feelings a little bit. It can make you feel conflicted towards certain characters. This show does get kind of emotional towards the end of the series so beware of your waterworks (crying). The actors of this drama played their part very well, it made you think that they were really that character, they blended really well with the characters. Watching them slowly fall in love was great as well. The 2nd time you watch it, you will probably know the story and what happens like the back of your hand.

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Hyun Bin is a god (though I only knew Son Ye Jin before this, and that's the reason I watched it). Great UST, but it was kinda ridiculous to not see when or even if it was resolved. These are almost forty year olds, who even had the house(s) to themselves. Such an unnecessary past connection backstory though. Also, it's such a pity that this writer is so unwilling to write relatable FLs. Lastly, and I know that this is a highly unpopular opinion, I didn't like the way Seri completely disregarded the fact RJH was in a serious long term relationship with someone he'd promised to marry. We know it was an arranged marriage and that he'd told Dan he had feelings for another woman, but Seri didn't seem to know that.

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