Tomorrow (2022)

Suicide is a sensitive subject

And they did not fail in my opinion. I mean, it could have been a catastrophe. If you know someone who works with mental health though, you should probably not recommend them this drama... lol. But if you see it as pure fantasy it shouldn't bother you too much.

The good:
- The main cast.
- A few extremely strong episodes, for example ep 6 was amazing.
- Good production values and even the special effects were cool (but its pretty obvious they used up most of the effects budget in the fist couple of eps...).

The maybe not so good:
- Often overly dramatic to make it as tragic as possible, sometimes to the point its even silly.
- The formulaic format. Almost every episode has the same structure and is always magically solved in the end.
- Suicide is an extremely complex subject and sometimes it gets too simplified - for example the person saved by some fried chicken, or the eating disorder episode - the FL literally just talked to the suicidal person a few times and it was all solved... like magic. Thats not really how it works in real life...
- The comedy scenes. I don't think the comedic sense they had in this drama was funny overall, Sorry.
- Many weak/filler episodes, for example ep 7 or the one with the suicidal dog. It made me roll my eyes... The eps were overall very hit and miss, inconsistent.
- After all, the ending felt rushed.
(A bit too many "funny" costumes & heavy make-up in the underworld... but I guess thats just nitpicking, sorry, lol).

So for sure its a bit of a mixed bag - BUT definitely a drama worth checking out! A 7 from me.

Read More

Showing the Good, Bad & Controversial

❤️ Lesson: There will always be hardships, but only you can save yourself from it, live the best version and look around - cause there might be someone to help you look forward to a "tomorrow" which will be beautiful / 아름다운

❤️ Nutshell Review:

Every episode is story of different individuals who will make you think on lines of existential crisis, showing the good, bad and difficult choices we make as humans with complex emotions & relations. But there is also an underlying backstory of the main characters (though not a satisfying one for Rowoon's I feel in final episode, hence -0.5).

Good one-time watch, though some episodes/cases may make you want to revisit (Example - Episode 9 ?)

❤️ Detailed Review:

This show is FOR YOU, if you like a PLOT where:

• great narrative to show the good, bad and controversial side of human nature
• there are elements of mystery, mythology/fantasy
• it is about SECOND CHANCES
• past lives mix with modern times
• female lead is strong with impeccable edgy fashion style
• male lead is righteous, speaks his mind but also goofy & handsome
• there are underlying backstories for characters - main & support cast, both
• visual affects are good-to-great
• people make mistakes, learn and find redemption
• every episode will keep you glued to your screen
• every episode will explore a new character's challenge - yet tie it all together for the main plot and cast
• every week you will wait for the next episode with genuine anticipation
• there is a deeper meaning about values and relationships of life, which are relatable to certain level
• focus on dark/deeper topics like suicide, murder, death in general

❤️ The Cast is Strong

• Kim Hee Sun and Kim Hae Sook (reminder of their previous drama - Room No 9, brilliance)
• Lee Soo Hyuk (cold, calculating, goes by the book, reminds of Lee Dong Wook in Goblin, but am sure there is a history here)
• Rowoon (he is growing and how!)


❤️ So, why did I PICK UP this drama?

99% of the time - I watch a drama that is COMPLETED airing.
• Rarely, a drama like this comes along that demolishes this resolve of mine
• Past Dramas that did: Mr Queen, True Beauty, Business Proposal
• So you can get an idea of the caliber of this drama - that this is not a bad pick, and you can give it a try too!

I was already a fan, before I watched the show:
• I write as a hobby, especially spin-offs of dramas I finish watching
• Usually with themes of alternate endings, or imagining the reader with the lead actor/actress.
• For this show Tomorrow - the premise & trailer itself was so good, that I drafted a spin-off beforehand.

Now at the end, the stories and lessons were beautiful, the background story and end to our characters made me take the rating a notch down to 9.5 - but still a great watch and rewatch anytime!

Read More

Good message but bad delivery ,, tear jerker most of the time

This drama was good and bad at the same time ,, and they are perfectly balanced
It had great message about prevention of suicide but had some horrible solutions sometimes
the writer didn't have any clue about some of the mental disorders he presented so clueless that sometimes borderline dangerous to be solved that way and sometimes just ridiculous
a fan said it in the comment section there was an episode where the suicidal person had anorexia they told her to eat , why can't you love your body and eat and she became all better and ate ,, every thing is fine now LOL
It is like a person with Asthma why can't you breath there is oxygen everywhere LOL
THAT COMMENT was perfect to describe some of the solutions they used in this drama that addresses suicide
Some episodes made me bowl like a baby ,, especially the episode about the women who were captive during the japanese occupation ,, as an Egyptian didn't know about that part of history ,,it was really emotional and touched my heart that they voice these strongest women to the world
So
this drama shifted between hit and mess throughout the episodes and was enjoyable to watch ,, the cast was perfect ,, may be wanted seo hyuk to have much more screen time than this but it's fine not going to rant about that ,, he likes not being the lead of anything
the fictional story about the reapers was laughable and that whole company system for the underworld was laughable ,, the funny part of a sad drama
they didn't give proper attention to the main lead's own story and they wrapped it up badly
Happy ending ,, I'm fine with that
but no second season for this ,, that's enough for one time drama
won't be watching it again too

Read More

Good nothing more and nothing less

The fantasy is not my style of drama that I usually watch but the beautiful photo and the rare theme of suicidal make me want to try.

It’s a disappointment after all. The acting is really bad for me. Nothing is natural expect for gu ryon , Jung Gil and the directrice. The other main actor lack a lot for me and overreact which harm a lot the drama. The chemistry for the GR team is totally missing and it’s difficult to believed that that are some good feelings between them.

The theme of suicidal is sure extremely difficult to treat as a subject for a drama. For most of the stories, I think it was a success even if often the story is a little bit too long or the actor not so good. But as we continue the drama we look into the main character story and it’s when things don’t work for me. Ep 9 was useless and the story Ryung gu too long. I feel like as soon as the main characters are involved personally something is off and become a totally mess. To be honest I was sick of the protagonists and just want the last mission to be solve without all this sentimental talking from the principal characters. I end up missing empathy for them.
With the rise in tension between gu ryon and Jung Gil, I was expecting more for the final but it was just flat on my opinion.

Overall It is good, nothing more and nothing less. There was some more potential but the lack in acting and chemistry from the actor waste it. The scenario wasn’t enable to treat the story of the main characters without being annoying at the end.

Read More

Peeling back the curtain at suicide

This had a similar vibe to Mystic Pop Up Bar, though with a rather more edgy feel. The cinematography was beautiful and the characters slowly reel you in until you root for them - even the anti-hero, stroke villain Park Joong Gil , who appears unforgiveable at times and yet he's exactly the type of aloof, cold-blooded creature girls hate to love.

What I liked:
This one made me reach for the tissues in a good way. The writers took us on a journey through people's pain, their darkness and agony, until you related and felt it with them. It was easy to understand why each character wanted to give up on life. I have nothing against 'It's Okay to not be Okay' but this is the series I'd recommend for peeling back the rabbit warren of a person's brain, and the dark paths our thoughts can take us down. Each episode pulled me in, and though perhaps a little preachy, made me value life more. Totally worth the watch!

What I wasn't sure of:
Not necessary for the enjoyment of the show, but dependent on whether there's a second series I thought the writers made a mistake with Goo Ryun & Park Joong Gil's fated/not-fated relationship. It's clear from the get go there's chemistry and I'm not good at math but how long did Goo Ryun wear rouge on her eyelids because the love of her life liked it? The resolution felt hurried and ambiguous, and not measured well against the range of emotions expressed in the history of both characters.

What I didn't like:
Personal taste but seriously Choi Joon Woong yelled a LOT. Couldn't quite buy in to his righteous-anger scenes.

I thought the ending was OK, it didn't disappoint me but it didn't give me that nice feeling of a present wrapped in a bow. A few reviews comment on the humour being misplaced, I actually quite liked it. I think the seriousness of this drama needed a bit of levity. And actually that's what life is about - finding joy in the shadow.

Final recommendation is please watch it. This one deserves it.

Read More

Don't be fooled!

Why did I watch this again? I got sucked into another disappointing fantasy drama by the stylish appeal and the allegory of running a suicide hotline like a risk management team stuck in a corporate hell.

Don't be fooled! Tomorrow pretty much just ran its course as a predictable formulaic save the victim of the week. The drama tries to tackle difficult topics like bullying and sexual harassment but they all seem to fall pretty flat unable to tap into any real emotional pull. I found that the fantasy setting really detracted from the drama and eventually became a barrier for me taking this drama seriously. The characters often came off as predictable and even cartoony. Emotions seem forced, and the melo is relentless. It's disappointing to see a drama attempting to address these difficult topics completely lack any substantial depth or gravity. It just ends up feeling weirdly empty, embarrassingly cliche, and shamefully laughable ...

Dramas like these remind me why I'm supposed to ALWAYS stay away from fantasy. Look elsewhere, if you are looking for a drama with real heart. This isn't it.

Read More

I binge-watched this drama... send help...

I honestly have no idea why I binge-watched this drama. I'm still recovering from the emotional damage every episode gave me.

At first, I was doubtful of the story. I wasn't sure if transforming the concept of a "grim reaper" into a company would be a good idea. I'm so delighted I was proved false. Each episode focuses on a different issue that today's society faces, such as bullying, academic failure, body dysmorphia, and so on. There were various subjects covered, but each episode did so in a respectful and consistent manner. But I warn you to keep a box of tissues nearby whenever you watch. You. Will. Need. It.

The acting was fantastic. The main cast, as well as the supporting and guest actors, performed excellently in emotional scenes. Although we only know a character for an episode or two,  the actor/actress captured each expression so well that viewers bawled their eyes out. It was difficult for me to pick a standout, but in my opinion, it was Lee Soo Hyuk who plays Park Joong Gil, the uptight and serious leader of the Escort Team. Despite having only an average of 5 minutes of screentime each episode, Joong Gil manages to steal the show. This series has turned me into a fan of all of the key characters. (*^_^*)

There are 6 OSTs in total.
➀ J.DON - 'Red Light'
➁ An Da Eun - 'Don't Leave Me, My Love'
➂ Suran - 'My Loneliness Calls You'
➃ Yoo Hwe Seung - 'Still Love You'
➄ BEN - 'My Only One'
➅ Bo Ra (Cherry Bullet) - 'VLV (Viva La Vida'

Out of the 6, my favourite is ➀ J.DON's 'Red Light.' I really love happy-sounding rap songs. 'Still Love You' is also pretty good and I actually prefer it over the original with FT. Island's Hong Gi.

My only gripe about this drama was the ending. I won't go into detail but I just expected a little bit more, y'know??

Honestly, I think this show is a gem. Even after watching the show I'm still thinking about all the characters and their heartbreaking stories. Eun Bi, Jae Soo, Woo Jin, Young Chun, Ye Na, Kong, Yun Hui, Yun Jae, Yu Hwa, Bok Hui, Cho Hui; I hope they live well in their fictional world T0T

aight byeee~

Read More

The subject

Real sensitive issues of day to day life are brought on screen.
And they have added an element of fantasy to it which makes it interesting.The production team has done a brilliant job.
Cast is fabulous.

They have different actors for each epsiode plots and they all are brilliant.
If u want a break frm the stereotype rom- coms then u will definitely enjoy watching this.
Rowoon has done justice to his webtoon role as an actor.
Hats off the webtoon artist who came up with such a story.

The BTS controversy is unnecessary and toxic. I hope fans wouldnt create a controversy over trivial matters and ruin the hardwork of an entire team..

Read More

Too Unrealistic For Its Subject Matter

This drama was very entertaining. It's funny, has decent VFX, and is overall wholesome. However, it was unrealistic in how it covered its suicide prevention.

There were victims who were mishandled and what the Risk Management Team does just doesn't do the topic justice. For example, multiple victims are told to either give up or get over it in a manner that triggers their fight or flight response. There's an eating disorder victim who is basically told that it's all in her head and it's her fault she's struggling because no one thinks badly of her at all. Then they don't even lead her to getting proper help. Instead they have her meet someone with a positive view of their body image. Another example is how there are victims who are experiencing grief through their loved ones dying and the drama's solution is to have them meet their dead loved one. Again, they do not lead the victim to proper help like therapy and give them an unrealistic solution. Finally, this drama felt like it wanted to be more in the vigilante justice genre.

As I mentioned before, this drama has decent VFX. It also has a decent amount of action. The story often involves the main characters executing some form of vigilante justice on behalf of the victims. There are also flashbacks of war and fight sequences. However, what does all this action and have to do with suicide prevention? Maybe instead of these vigilante scenes, they could have shot scenes of the victims going through therapy and update on their healing before moving onto the next victim.

Read More

Accurate and Life Saving

Having read a good portion of the webtoon (up to ep. 143) I was thrilled with how accurate the characters are in their looks and personalities and that specific cases/stories from the webtoon were represented almost verbatim. The acting is over the top as intended considering its webtoon origin.

Many different issues were addressed that are high risk situations that often lead to suicide and I believe it was all very eye opening and helpful to see who may need help. Mental health is still a touchy issue in South Korea but they're starting to break barriers by addressing suicide as a real and preventable issue.

I intend to keep the things I learned from this drama in my mind in order to be on the look out for people who may need someone to simply talk to them and let them know there is someone who sees them and notices that they are having a hard time.

I highly highly recommend this drama even though it's not finished yet because I know how important these issues are and more people need to hear the messages they're sending. Please don't bea part of silencing these voices and be aware. Someone near and dear to you may be struggling and you have the power to do something before it's too late.

Read More