Beyond Goodbye

A coffee loving piano player who is deeply in love with his gf, dies in an unfortunate bus accident on the day he was going to propose to her. After his death some random man with a heart problem receives the piano player's heart. This man has a wife, does not play the piano and never drinks coffee. Surprise, surprise, you won't see this coming but after he's recovered this man now all of a sudden is at the exact same spot as the dead piano player was years before, playing the exact same Jackson 5 song on said piano and of course the widow fiancee happens to be there at the exact same day and time as well and hears him playing from afar and obviously starts running to him. LOOOL. She just fails to encounter him but soon after she meets him anyway and he develops confusing feelings for her (duh) but remember he has a wife and then finally there is no clear resolution. What a waste of time, story is full of absurd coincidences and plot holes. Not worth it. 3/10.

I actually read a study about how memories are stored in the heart and it's documented that there are people who remember what the previous owner felt, so I was really interested to watch this show. I think the writers did a decent job with the plot but personally, I felt like something was missing from the show. It was definitely quite emotional and the cast did an amazing job, however towards the end, the pacing was a little off and some scenes felt rushed.

Regarding the relationship between the characters, I think it was written well because it showed the many grey areas experienced by the human heart, and it was hard for me to blame any of the characters for their actions as they were simply human beings with complex emotions. I could easily understand and empathise with the characters. Also, the sceneries shown are breathtaking and it made me want to go to Otaru just to experience it. The cinematography is my favourite part of this show honestly.

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.

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.

Kentaro Sakaguchi's best act. He carefully portrays herself as someone who changes due to a heart transplant.

His wife Miki and her heart donor fiancée Saeko's feelings are shaken by his change.

He perfectly portrays how he firmly accepts the feelings of others inside him and the loved ones around him and moves forward.

Uncommonly seen in Japanese love stories, she responds kindly to the love of forward-looking and outgoing women, but is unable to resist her urges. Kentaro Sakaguchi's kindness saves them both.

The beautiful scenery of Japan's Hokkaido and Hawaii is also a highlight.

This is a wonderful love story that you should watch this winter.