Editorials 
The love story of a single dad
This is a gorgeous drama about deserving and finding love even when society has decided that you are somehow less deserving of it. In particular, it explores the stigma attached to having a child out of wedlock, something that remains taboo within broader South Korean society.
But the drama is about much more than a love story. It is also a quietly incisive exploration of misogyny and the ways in which women's autonomy can be continually abused, overlooked and disregarded.
The female lead's father and her current boyfriend repeatedly make decisions about her life without consulting her, treating her future as though it is something they have the right to determine. Perhaps most disturbing is the way the drama explores the bartering of women for men's economic and professional advancement. Her father effectively uses the possibility of his daughter's marriage to his boss's son as a means of securing his own position and advancing his career. Her life and her choices become currency in a transaction from which she is expected to benefit simply because the men around her have decided that they know what is best for her.
The two leads have to fight against all of this as they choose one another and, importantly, stand firm in that choice. Their relationship is not presented as a grand, sweeping romance. It is sure, steady and deeply affectionate. There is something wonderfully mature about the way they come to know each other and make the conscious decision to build a life together despite the opposition surrounding them.
The restaurant scene where she reaches across and takes his hand under the table, quietly telling him through that gesture that she chooses him, is one of my favourite moments. It is such a warm and understated expression of love because there is no grand declaration necessary. She simply makes her choice.
The direction in this drama is sublime. Ordinary actions are given a quiet significance through repetition. Entering the house and taking off one's shoes by the door; walking up the stairs of the apartment building as the lights switch on floor by floor, with the movement visible from outside — these seemingly mundane actions recur throughout the drama and gradually acquire their own emotional meaning. They become markers of familiarity, routine and progression. There is something deeply reassuring about watching these small rituals repeat as the characters' lives and relationships evolve.
The love story itself is sweet precisely because it feels so certain. The couple are sure of each other, and they are willing to fight for their relationship against the expectations and demands imposed upon them by everyone around them.
The acting is assured, and the supporting cast does an excellent job of making the world around the leads feel fully inhabited. The music is equally evocative, complementing the quiet emotional quality of the drama rather than overwhelming it.
One Spring Night is a beautifully made drama about love, autonomy, social expectations and the courage required to choose one's own life. It understands that sometimes the most radical thing a person can do is simply insist on having the right to make their own choices.
10/10.
But the drama is about much more than a love story. It is also a quietly incisive exploration of misogyny and the ways in which women's autonomy can be continually abused, overlooked and disregarded.
The female lead's father and her current boyfriend repeatedly make decisions about her life without consulting her, treating her future as though it is something they have the right to determine. Perhaps most disturbing is the way the drama explores the bartering of women for men's economic and professional advancement. Her father effectively uses the possibility of his daughter's marriage to his boss's son as a means of securing his own position and advancing his career. Her life and her choices become currency in a transaction from which she is expected to benefit simply because the men around her have decided that they know what is best for her.
The two leads have to fight against all of this as they choose one another and, importantly, stand firm in that choice. Their relationship is not presented as a grand, sweeping romance. It is sure, steady and deeply affectionate. There is something wonderfully mature about the way they come to know each other and make the conscious decision to build a life together despite the opposition surrounding them.
The restaurant scene where she reaches across and takes his hand under the table, quietly telling him through that gesture that she chooses him, is one of my favourite moments. It is such a warm and understated expression of love because there is no grand declaration necessary. She simply makes her choice.
The direction in this drama is sublime. Ordinary actions are given a quiet significance through repetition. Entering the house and taking off one's shoes by the door; walking up the stairs of the apartment building as the lights switch on floor by floor, with the movement visible from outside — these seemingly mundane actions recur throughout the drama and gradually acquire their own emotional meaning. They become markers of familiarity, routine and progression. There is something deeply reassuring about watching these small rituals repeat as the characters' lives and relationships evolve.
The love story itself is sweet precisely because it feels so certain. The couple are sure of each other, and they are willing to fight for their relationship against the expectations and demands imposed upon them by everyone around them.
The acting is assured, and the supporting cast does an excellent job of making the world around the leads feel fully inhabited. The music is equally evocative, complementing the quiet emotional quality of the drama rather than overwhelming it.
One Spring Night is a beautifully made drama about love, autonomy, social expectations and the courage required to choose one's own life. It understands that sometimes the most radical thing a person can do is simply insist on having the right to make their own choices.
10/10.
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