Cast

• Kim Woo Bin as Shin Joon-Young
• Bae Suzy as Noh Eul
• Lum Ju-Hwan as Choi Ji Tae
• Lim Ju-Eun as Yoon Jeung-Eun

Plot

Alright. So how do I start this? This drama is probably too emotional for me to watch on the month of December, but whatever, I liked it anyway so I’ll try to review this to the best of my ability.

Kindly note that this is a 20-episode series so I’m gonna give it my best shot to keep it as short as possible.

The series focuses on the lives of two childhood sweethearts, Shin Joon-Young and No Eul. Two young people who were beaming with positivity and ingeniousness, too impatient to chase their dreams but were both blindsided by the cruelty of the world.

Shin Joon-Young was a happy go lucky schoolboy but had once been bullied for not having a father. However, it did not deter him from going to school. His lack of determination to finish school overturned when he learnt that his absentee father is a famous prosecutor. The once “dumb” kid soon started acing his exams and was on his road to becoming a lawyer just like his dad is.

No Eul, on the other hand, was a principled school girl who would get into fights because of her trying to meddle in everyone’s affairs. She can’t handle seeing anyone being wronged so she tries to settle it by herself. She’s also a kind-hearted individual and would often get scolded by his dad because she would offer his dad’s product from his food cart for free, which would end up with his dad earning lesser than what he wanted to.

Days after, due to recklessness, No Eul’s dad got hit by a car. Later on, her dad succumbed to death. The driver of the car is from a powerful family and had managed to tamper with the evidence which made it impossible for No Eul to follow through with his dad’s case. The hospitalizations, later on, got No Eul involved with loan sharks who made them go from place to place just to escape their threats.

Years later, destiny made them cross paths again. This time, No Eul has been dampened by adversities she had faced in such a young life. Shin Joon Young, now a law student, driven by his dream to become a good prosecutor before he meets his father. Their feelings became deeper but mishaps will soon insert its way between the two causing them to part ways yet again.

Then they met again, in their grown up years. No Eul, now a producer who films controversial documentaries to extort money from big companies and Shin Joon-Young, a sought-after movie actor and endorser. Both seasoned by what they went through and yet their feelings toward each other remains the same.

Review

What do you want?

Noh Eul: A world where the least of justice, common sense and principles prevail.

This series, however depressing it might seem to be, is full of wisdom and principles I wish everyone, who are enduring what this couple went through, would also watch.

They won’t apologize even if the sky falls down. I can fight them my whole life, but they’ll never apologize. No one ever listens to what I say anyway. Even if you try to protect me, they can rush me just like that. So why should I fight? I know I’ll lose anyway. – Noh Eul

No Eul’s character haphazardly changed from that naïve and principled young woman who wants to defend everyone who is wronged. I guess there is just so much that a person can take and at some point, she needs to break down so she could get back on track again. She’s such a strong character that despite everything that happened to her, she managed to protect her brother and they managed to survive. At some point, she went to the dark side and lost hope. With the way our society works, it’s so easy to just give up and just let them take over. It might have eased up a bit compared to the older days, but today poor people are still at a disadvantage. Money still works. Money can get you admitted to the best hospitals, best schools, and yes; it can get you acquitted from the worst case you could commit.  My heart goes out to this girl who was forced to be an adult so she could survive. Who was forced to hustle with the loan sharks to escape their grips, who was forced to bow down to the powerful people so that her sibling is spared from threats, who was forced to eat her pride and accept bribes because she has to put food on the table.

I thought she was okay. Time has passed so I thought she put everything behind her. But she still remembers everything. I thought she was okay, but she was still living in darkness. The assailant forgot about everything he did and is living in paradise. But that’s not right. That’s not how this world should be. – Shin Joon Young

Shin Joon Young, as a grown-up, is seasoned by the choices and decisions he made as a young adult. He lived with his guilt and conscience tethering on the edge. He gave up his dream with the belief that this will compensate for the negligence he did. What’s even worse is that he can’t share it with anyone. He isolated himself from his loved ones, choosing to atone alone.

We’re just two undeserving men who happen to like the same woman. That’s the unfortunate tragedy. – Choi Ji Tae

Then there’s Choi Ji Tae. One who had a silver spoon upbringing. Nothing to worry about. Had all the chances for bigger opportunities without any hurdles. And who later on learned about his families involvement in a lot of anomalies and misconducts. Chased by his guilt, he made it his mission to help Noh Eul by assuming a different identity allowing him to interact with her normally.

I wouldn’t get any deeper into the story, but I just want to give you an idea regarding the series. It wasn’t only about romance, it was about hope, principles, fighting for what you believe in, forgiveness, accepting your fate and making the best out of it, dreaming big. That karma is a bitch and for whatever choice you make, there’s a corresponding consequence. This series reminds us to live our lives to the fullest and not to love money and material things too much. Sometimes, life can be enjoyed even with just the presence of those close to your heart.

P.S. I really hate the villains here. Urgh! Prepare your BP monitors for a roller-coaster of your blood pressure. 😀

Quotes

I’m afraid I’ll die before I get to tell you how much I love you. That’s my biggest worry. – Shin Joon Young

I like you. I love you. That’s why I can’t stand wasting another minute, another second not being with you. That’s why from now on, I’ll do nothing else but look at you. I’ll stay at your side and stare at your face until I bear a hole in it. Will you give me a chance? I miss you. – Noh Eul

How could I have told you? It would’ve ended your life, too. Every day is full of pain. Every hour is torture. Your smiles are fake, and you can barely breathe. If happiness makes you forget for a second, you think about how your dad died and wonder if you deserve to be happy? Do I deserve to smile? Do I deserve to eat something this tasty? Do I deserve to sleep in comfort? Your whole life is riddled with guilt! I couldn’t put you through that. –Noh Eul

I’ll be gone soon, but you’ll have to continue living your life. You have to build the world you believe in. Don’t live in despair. Don’t blame other people. And stop making excuss. You’ll win if you don’t give in. – Shin Joon Young

I’m really good at waiting. I’m fine with waiting hundreds of thousands of times, but the thing that I fear the most is that there will come a time when I won’t have to wait for him anymore. – Noh Eul

You were a total bastard who thought he was the coolest guy ever and had a really nasty way of saying things. And so, you were really good at hurting others too. You thought you were always right and tried to do all the cool things yourself. You were a bastard who chose the rudest words to say, but everything you said was the truth. You didn’t have to, but you went out of your way to do crazy things and made cowardly guys like me feel worthless and humiliated. – Choi Ji Tae

Rating: 4/5