Hey my theory stands corrected after episode 11. Did you watch it?
Yes, I did and looks like the makers decided to go with what many of us guessed and I wrote as my Guess #3. Though personally I get it - but I did not enjoy it much. I have a lot of questions even post the revelation and justification given, to which I know I would not get the answers. It has somewhat dampened my mood and overall experience for the drama, which initially was a 10/10 for me.
Like its a minor thing and not really a problem, but I can't ignore it 😅😅
I would have liked if they went with Guess 1 or 2 kind of a story, but then I guess its okay - we will take what we get....
Like many others, I suspected that Som-i was actually Hae-Sook herself, the embodiment of a repressed, painful memory (Guess #3). Having lost her child and sunk into deep depression, she reached a point where she wanted to end her life. Though Nak Joon tried to help her forget, it wasn’t effective until one incident caused her to completely erase any recollection of her child.
While the storytelling and emotional moments are powerful, I didn’t fully enjoy this twist. It felt like a deliberate narrative choice meant to serve the main leads—having an emotion take physical form, causing conflict between them. I like when there is consistency in rules for fantasy based stories. I mean enjoy when mains take advantage of loop holes in such rules - but this just felt meh to me.
If Som-i was a personified emotion, Nak Joon, Hae-Sook, the dogs, and Sonya could logically see her. But no one else in Heaven seemed to acknowledge her—so why did Young Ae? Some might argue that Young Ae, like Sonya, was deeply connected to Hae-Sook and could see all her forms. Others might suggest Young Ae herself was a memory. While that explanation makes sense to an extent, it doesn’t feel entirely satisfying. And we know Young Ae was there - she was in transitory state which Hades(?)/Hell President explained - that it happens cause one is stuck between life/death and hence tour of Hell was given.
Also, Nak Joon and Hae-Sook should have recognized what Hae-Sook looked like in her youth. So why were they oblivious in the early episodes? This logical inconsistency, meant to amplify emotional impact, weakened my overall experience. Initially, the drama was a solid 10/10 for me, but the final four episodes felt a bit downer for me.
It’s a minor issue—some viewers might not mind—but I couldn’t fully ignore it. I personally would have preferred one of my other guesses: that Som-i was an actual person, possibly an ex or a stalker, struggling with her own mental instability. But, at the end of the day, we’re not the writers—we just have to take what we’re given.
I had the exact same thought as soon as I saw the 4 guys in basketball team - What in the F4 World is this! 😅…
Yes - sepia tone, yellow/warm natural light tone. And now that you mention about the screeching and night scenes - I was not looking at it consciously but now it is falling together. Great observation!
And also I love the fact that so much is delivered and well done in 18 minutes. It is short and impactful!
I would love to watch dramas like this in the future - am still holding out to finish this drama, this has been so good so am watching the last 10 eps slowly so that I elongate the time I have to say good bye to it.
This is just my opinion - no one has to agree/disagree with it. I needed to write it out, cause that is how I express especially about dramas that I love. Even though many of us predicted it, I wasn’t a fan of the reveal in Episode 11.
The reveal in Episode 11, though emotional, felt overly deliberate—like a special exception for the main leads rather than a consistent rule, which seems odd given the Heaven-and-Hell premise. While I get the drama logic, it left me underwhelmed, especially after such a strong start. I’m still enjoying the show and will finish it tomorrow, but the last four episodes have definitely lowered my overall enthusiasm.
Good show, but it is just smidge less than great or perfect show, for me 🥲 Like am happy overall, but would have liked an alternate explanation. But then we cannot get everything - and that's okay too - just had to let it out, and I do it best by writing.
I had the exact same thought as soon as I saw the 4 guys in basketball team - What in the F4 World is this! 😅…
Yeah - I have been watching Japanese and Korean movies/dramas for a decade now. But somehow have not been able to get into others. I know there are a lot of good stories out there - but I think my major issues were - there are more historical dramas and many of them have the whole flying people/fights and it could get too much. Then ofc the subs and dubbing feels off.
Having said that one of my top dramas is a cdrama, Reset. i also loved the movie Love Light Life* and while I was not able to finish it the White Olive Tree cause CZY. But just has been hard to get into and I cannot guess why - just hope that it gets better.
But this drama - Close to You has been really addictive and Idk what it is - the whole warm tone scenes or the cute main leads, the story is nothing new it is a cliche, but I still like watching it.
[1] The Villain: Why do I feel the antagonist will be the Grand Prince (Kim Jae Wook)? The painter = mastermind…
But I was correct about the identity of the painter. And little off about the SML - SML/Orabeoni in one-sided love usually are good characters and sacrificed like in Mr Queen, Love in the Moonlight - this had it too but it was unexpected to have detour in the middle. Still ended in same way as I guessed.
I had the exact same thought as soon as I saw the 4 guys in basketball team - What in the F4 World is this! 😅…
Oh I agree with you - it is not easy to balance it out, youth dramas can be a hit or miss, and yes the short format makes it good. The plot is not great, it is simple and yet enjoyable cause it breezed though. I mean I am still slightly rolling my eyes at some cringe scenes, but it is okay. Even I am unable to keep it down, just feel like watching "1 More Episode"
Not sure about 4 good looking guys in C-drama together fact - have not seen enough to comment. But yes in general dramas - they usually make two of them extremely good looking - one would be the ML, and another SML, while the others are great but just there in terms of looks and character arc.
I am yet to finish the drama, but hoping it will end in a great note. My Cdrama list is very very low - I somehow am unable to get into it - but glad that this is breaking that curse, and really a simple, sweet drama for sure ✨
Well I went from ep 1- 29 in 2 days. Why am I getting Boys over flowers vibes?By the way this web version although…
I had the exact same thought as soon as I saw the 4 guys in basketball team - What in the F4 World is this! 😅 And I agree with you regarding the direction and cinematography - it is so wonderfully done. I don't usually watch C-dramas, and especially not high-school or university setups since have outgrown that phase. But this is really beautiful in terms of scenes and main characters! 💖
The whole Mi Ran heart monitoring system and the firefighters - hilarious. It reminded me of the anime - Cells…
Ahh - I have not seen Yumi's Cell, while I love the FL, but the MLs did not "inspire" me enough to watch 2 seasons of it 😋
But yeah I love cross-overs like this - it makes you so happy that you are able to realise which show it is from and just feel amazing in general, idk if it makes sense but I hope people get what am saying 😅
His reactions are so cute - he has such a handsome face - which can be sexy and baby-ish as he wants. The whole…
Pearls! 😅😅😅 that's one way to put it - I love it! That man is hilarious. I am not sure why - there are not enough BTS videos online. I need them - like Right Now! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
His reactions are so cute - he has such a handsome face - which can be sexy and baby-ish as he wants. The whole…
I love him in every role but the look(s) in Love and Leashed will be my favorite. He switched so well from nerd/cutie to hottie - that movie has been watched on repeat just for these duality in a single film 💖
His reactions are so cute - he has such a handsome face - which can be sexy and baby-ish as he wants. The whole…
Hehehe I had thoughts that were going in another direction especially with the shower scene 😉 but yeahh - loved how funny it all was! ✨ Totally understand Kang Sol and Mi Ran 💖
I Love My CHHHHESSSTTT! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼and then that evil grin and eye squinting Love Love Love - Lee Jun Young!
Director Do is too much and I love every bit of it. He's become an iconic character with this one for sure, at least in my long history of drama watching.
He just accepted that he’ll have to slut himself out to save the gym HAHAHA why is he like this
His reactions are so cute - he has such a handsome face - which can be sexy and baby-ish as he wants. The whole time he though he'd have to "literally give himself up to Sol for the gym" was so innocent and then turned determined and then defeated - this man is just too much and it was so fun to watch 🤣🤣🤣
“I love my chest!” “Look at how big her waist is. She must have removed organs.” This show has the most…
The whole Mi Ran heart monitoring system and the firefighters - hilarious. It reminded me of the anime - Cells at Work in case anyone has seen it OR the animated movie - Inside Out 😅 I have not seen Yumi's Cells but am guessing that reference too!
I too would have preferred something else but yeah it is what it is
I mean it is not bad - but then am not totally jumping with joy and emotions at the big reveal.
Like its a minor thing and not really a problem, but I can't ignore it 😅😅
I would have liked if they went with Guess 1 or 2 kind of a story, but then I guess its okay - we will take what we get....
Like many others, I suspected that Som-i was actually Hae-Sook herself, the embodiment of a repressed, painful memory (Guess #3). Having lost her child and sunk into deep depression, she reached a point where she wanted to end her life. Though Nak Joon tried to help her forget, it wasn’t effective until one incident caused her to completely erase any recollection of her child.
While the storytelling and emotional moments are powerful, I didn’t fully enjoy this twist. It felt like a deliberate narrative choice meant to serve the main leads—having an emotion take physical form, causing conflict between them. I like when there is consistency in rules for fantasy based stories. I mean enjoy when mains take advantage of loop holes in such rules - but this just felt meh to me.
If Som-i was a personified emotion, Nak Joon, Hae-Sook, the dogs, and Sonya could logically see her. But no one else in Heaven seemed to acknowledge her—so why did Young Ae? Some might argue that Young Ae, like Sonya, was deeply connected to Hae-Sook and could see all her forms. Others might suggest Young Ae herself was a memory. While that explanation makes sense to an extent, it doesn’t feel entirely satisfying. And we know Young Ae was there - she was in transitory state which Hades(?)/Hell President explained - that it happens cause one is stuck between life/death and hence tour of Hell was given.
Also, Nak Joon and Hae-Sook should have recognized what Hae-Sook looked like in her youth. So why were they oblivious in the early episodes? This logical inconsistency, meant to amplify emotional impact, weakened my overall experience. Initially, the drama was a solid 10/10 for me, but the final four episodes felt a bit downer for me.
It’s a minor issue—some viewers might not mind—but I couldn’t fully ignore it. I personally would have preferred one of my other guesses: that Som-i was an actual person, possibly an ex or a stalker, struggling with her own mental instability. But, at the end of the day, we’re not the writers—we just have to take what we’re given.
And also I love the fact that so much is delivered and well done in 18 minutes. It is short and impactful!
I would love to watch dramas like this in the future - am still holding out to finish this drama, this has been so good so am watching the last 10 eps slowly so that I elongate the time I have to say good bye to it.
The reveal in Episode 11, though emotional, felt overly deliberate—like a special exception for the main leads rather than a consistent rule, which seems odd given the Heaven-and-Hell premise. While I get the drama logic, it left me underwhelmed, especially after such a strong start. I’m still enjoying the show and will finish it tomorrow, but the last four episodes have definitely lowered my overall enthusiasm.
Good show, but it is just smidge less than great or perfect show, for me 🥲 Like am happy overall, but would have liked an alternate explanation. But then we cannot get everything - and that's okay too - just had to let it out, and I do it best by writing.
Having said that one of my top dramas is a cdrama, Reset. i also loved the movie Love Light Life* and while I was not able to finish it the White Olive Tree cause CZY. But just has been hard to get into and I cannot guess why - just hope that it gets better.
But this drama - Close to You has been really addictive and Idk what it is - the whole warm tone scenes or the cute main leads, the story is nothing new it is a cliche, but I still like watching it.
Not sure about 4 good looking guys in C-drama together fact - have not seen enough to comment. But yes in general dramas - they usually make two of them extremely good looking - one would be the ML, and another SML, while the others are great but just there in terms of looks and character arc.
I am yet to finish the drama, but hoping it will end in a great note. My Cdrama list is very very low - I somehow am unable to get into it - but glad that this is breaking that curse, and really a simple, sweet drama for sure ✨
What the Waiting! What the Suspense! What the ARRRGGHH 🤣🤣🤣
But yeah I love cross-overs like this - it makes you so happy that you are able to realise which show it is from and just feel amazing in general, idk if it makes sense but I hope people get what am saying 😅
That man is hilarious. I am not sure why - there are not enough BTS videos online. I need them - like Right Now! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
The iconic duo - if they were to be in a drama together it would be LIT 🔥🔥🔥
I mean can you blame me when he does this:
Exhibit 1: https://www.tumblr.com/divineandmajesticinone/782074268272984064/love-and-leashes-2022-weak-hero-class-2-2025?source=share
Exhibit 2:
https://64.media.tumblr.com/a9cf97ff72593b3a67423779656c012c/79e9fe035fc9dc3d-4f/s540x810/ea5d3c1cbd7ec78dbf8aeec6acc19febf1c1cfb9.gifv
Totally understand Kang Sol and Mi Ran 💖
Love Love Love - Lee Jun Young!
Director Do is too much and I love every bit of it. He's become an iconic character with this one for sure, at least in my long history of drama watching.
It reminded me of the anime - Cells at Work in case anyone has seen it OR the animated movie - Inside Out 😅 I have not seen Yumi's Cells but am guessing that reference too!