Beyond Goodbye

BEYOND GOODBYE (2024) was a good Jdrama, especially initially, and started out strong but really lagged in the middle as far as the story went.

The story started out with tragedy but slowly twists into somewhat of a confusing romantic plot. The cinematography, settings, acting, music, and parts of the story were all very excellent.

"Saeko falls into deep despair after her boyfriend Yusuke dies in a car accident. A few months later, she meets Naruse who received heart transplant from Yusuke and now he feels something for Saeko in his heart."

This series was very compelling drama but I was never truly invested in the love story, or at least the romance in second half of the show, partially due to lack of chemistry between actors.

Overall, this was a pretty good watch, but the earlier episodes were definitely better. This series was definitely worth a watch.

The first episode started with a bang, but the show buries itself in an avalanche of ambivalence and a soapy cross between blah and meh. Major casting issues with this one. Kentaro Sakuguchi as the romantic male lead is a dud from the get-go. Zero star quality. And the "Mr. Nice Guy" piano player was a clueless yawn. Maybe to a lot of people, this love story has depth and heart (quite literally), but I had to stop watching midstream because of its total lack of chemistry between Kasumi Arimura and her rizz deficient love interests. It's not like Arimura is normally an ice-queen either. Her astonishing work with Takeru Satoh in Rorouni Kenshin: The Beginning was scorching, and in her more recent work in shows like Meet me after School, Call Me Chihiro and Ishiko and Haneo her hidden sizzling desires had me like "d*mn, that woman is hot.". Bottomline is that Beyond Goodbye's arty editing and top tier cinematography just wasn't enough for me. Chemistry is just one of those things where you know it when you feel it. And I just wasn't feeling it here.

Beyond Goodbye is a heartfelt series that beautifully captures the essence of love, loss, and healing. Its poignant storytelling gently tugs at your emotions, while its characters' journeys are relatable and uplifting. The show shines with its tender moments, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the bonds that endure. The stunning cinematography enhances the narrative, showcasing breathtaking landscapes that feel almost like characters themselves. Each scene is a visual delight, pairing emotional depth with serene beauty. A truly sweet and moving series, perfect for the soul.

Overall, Highly recommended.

As a viewer from Greece, I was so excited to come across this series and appreciated each and every episode of this series. The cinematography was sublime, the acting incredible. I will never forget this series and the stories/lessons it told... it will remain with me forever. However I have also noticed that others have rated this not too kindly, and from my honest opinion, I think its a cultural thing. Ive notcied that certain well crafted J dramas or K dramas have a lower rating when there isnt a happy ending. Some feel invested in a series and just expect a happy ever after ending. This drama depicted real humane issues and dealt with them with sensitivity and realism. Orange Days was always my fave J Drama, but this probably tops it.

With the first 2 episodes I really think that this series started strong. Like the premise of a love story that is kind of confusing at the same time frustrating, mix it up with a storyline like this. But, towards the end, what happened? It is like there is no clear point as to where the story is leading. There could have been a better story for the characters. The supposed lead here is the female lead but why is it the male lead the one that experienced all the pain? It is unfair to his character unless the story is in his POV which is clearly no. Also, there is no clear justification on the action of the male lead.. if he is acting on his will or still controlled by the 'transplanted heart' cos seriously if he acts in his own volition then clearly he is cheating on with his wife.. that just makes no sense. There isn't actual committing of feelings. And in the last episode with the call of the wife reminding the female lead of not hot having sex with her husband is too ridiculous! Like a cringe moment.

Im sorry but this is a little messed up. But this really started strong. Give this to a Korean production I think they'd give better storytelling and a proper ending.