El Sr. Plancton

South Korea are masters at delving into emotions and relationships between people, and when they succeed, as in this series, no one stands next to them.

The series is honest and vulnerable about how we live with trauma, which survival strategies we use and how we protect ourselves.

The main characters are two young adults who fill the entire series with their stormy, charming and tragic lives. Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yoo-mi have a good chemistry, and she rises against his masculine radiance, something not everyone can master, I think.

The balance between them is fine, and intensity and depth come across in a touching way. The film jumps a bit in time, and at the beginning the communication and behavior between the main characters was a bit uncomfortable. This was quickly cleared up because they know each other well from before, and when they meet again they continue roughly where they previously left off. But now life has become even more complicated for both of them.

The series is bittersweet and with humor, hope and action. Love is stronger than death, and there is nice symbolism. Mr. Plankton says that plankton is at the bottom of the food chain - at the lowest level in the ocean, and I thought about how much a human can endure before we burst. Mr. Plankton thinks of the bonds of heaven, and I can feel in my heart the longing and fear that lies behind it.

It is good that obvious clichés are avoided and that 30-year-olds dont behave like innocent teenagers. Certain scenes could have been shorter, but it still gets a 10 because the story and authenticity triumph throughout the series.

Once again: Cheers South Korea, keep making these amazing series that take us on adventures and grip our hearts. Thanks to everyone behind the production.

At first, I didn't like the editing; it felt chaotic and not fluid. I also didn't like how the director dragged out some scenes. For example, there's no need to make me watch someone cry for over a minute - I understood they were sad and crying after the first 20 seconds.

But despite that, the show manages to make you feel something, and that's the most important thing for me. If a show succeeds in creating a connection between the viewer and the characters, moving the audience's emotions to the point where they feel like they're part of the story, that's a major success.

The acting was realistic and free from the usual Korean drama clichés. The actors weren't afraid to show themselves in unflattering ways, whether crying, falling, or getting hurt. There wasn't any bad acting in this drama; there was a good harmony between the cast.

The show contains a mix of warmth, sadness, depth, joy, and unspoken emotions. It has a bit of everything.

I highly recommend it.

I have watched so many boring Kdramas this past year and this show grabbed me on the first episode and held me for the entire ride. The pace is perfect and the production value was amazing. I was so engaged to the action scenes, the visual effects, and the beautiful cinematography highlighting the provinces. I thought this was going to a be a rom-com with a great ML, but instead some veteran supporting actors stepped up and brought tons of comedic relief to an emotional story. The massively under-appreciated Oh Jung Se made you laugh, cry, and cheer. I have always been a fan of the ML, but this was his best role yet. Dripping with charisma and his "Bloodhounds" physique, Woo Do Hwan brought his charms and that smile. One of the best elements was the smiles. There are a lot of depressing kdramas where the main actors barely crack a smile the entire series. Where there is love, there is joy, and this show had so many kids of deep warm love, joy and smiles. I will definitely put this on the rewatch list. Truly one of the most beautiful and high quality kdramas I have ever seen. It has a lot of "It is ok to not be ok" vibes, but this surpassed that show in pace and writing.

We learn how this Kdrama would end in the first 10 minutes, still it came it was a gut punch nevertheless. Woo Do-hwan plays the abandoned child/cynical man with grace and emotional honesty. His soulmate, played by Lee Yoo-mi, suffers and delights in turns as he steals her away from her hard-won opportunity to belong to a well-off family whose cheobol son she charmed. But their bad luck follows them like their shadows on a sunny day.

Beautifully written and acted. The misfortunes they have overcome and the misfortunes they have yet to face bring them into contact with deadly thugs, a judge-y mother-in-law-to-be, a hapless minion, and others who con and disappoint but never succeed in ruining their lives.

The head-scratcher of a title is explained in a lovely, touching scene that reveals just how deeply Woo Do-hwan's character feels, yearns and denies.

Funny (really), twisty, touching, graceful and ultimately life-affirming. Have kleenex handy. Very high production value and A-list cast make this extraordinary, too.

I recently watched a fantastic series where unique characters tell a powerful story. Rather than simply portraying the beauty of youth, this work realistically captures the pain and losses that come with it. While I laughed, I also felt the underlying tension brought on by heavy themes, and I noticed myself wanting to focus on the characters' smiles while avoiding the struggles behind them. As I learned more about each character's wounds and backstory, I realized that every viewer would likely have a different favorite to root for. Youth is often challenging, with much to lose, but looking back, we smile at the thought of having endured those times. This series is filled with stories that evoke a deep empathy for youth. I wouldn't want to spoil even the smallest detail - I highly recommend experiencing it from the beginning. Don't miss it.