Crash Landing on You (2019)

Space is closer than North Korea

What I learned from all this is that it's easier to have a relationship with an alien than with a North Korean.

I also learned the importance of money and being born in an important family.

It took me a while to watch this drama because of the hype around it. I kept watching spoilers and I was worried they'd ruin the experience for me. I was wrong. The story did that on its own.
Yes, my expectations were high since I loved this author's past work. The drama wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I thought and it makes it very hard for me to understand all the hype around this drama.

The main thing that still sticks out for me is that Yoon Se Ri is not a likable character. She's not relatable, she comes from privilege and meanness and that makes all the acts of kindness she does seem unauthentic. Even at the end. How is it believable that the CEO of a major corporation spends her lunch hour with her subordinates in subway? They could have least set the lunch up in their meeting room or in the company's cafeteria. I know, I know, product placement and all.

There was no chemistry. I don't know if the main actors were compensating because of the dating rumours but there was no chemistry. The sweet moments were very few. You mean to tell me they meet each other for the first time after being apart and all they do is eat, work, shop for clothes and work and exchange couple rings? There are no demonstrations of love and this is why the very dramatic scenes seem a little artificial, because there was no proper build up.

The secondary story was done better but there was absolutely no reason to kill him off. The scene was dramatic enough. It was just cruel and I didn't even care for that character that much.

There's a difference between being uninformed and being dumb. There was no need to depict North Koreans as dumb. They even did that with the main character. He lived alone in Switzerland, I'm sure he would know how to use a coffee machine or would at least figure it out. I'm not going to talk much about how they depicted North Korea because I don't have enough information, it seemed as if they went with a 70's theme as that's it.

I did have some fun, I did enjoy the story and had some laughs and cried a little bit as well.

The ending is very bittersweet. They misused the fingerprint door thingie. It would have been more impactful if he showed up at her place at some point. Their encounter was a bit anticlimactic.
They spend two weeks together every year. I have a closer relationship with my mail delivery person. Even the alien from another star was able to come back and have a proper relationship. The mermaid had to stay near the ocean but she was present! Why didn't they both move to Switzerland or any other country? He lived abroad before.

Anyway, I'll miss some of the characters.

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The concept is nice but..

I really liked the concept of having a romantic relationship with two nations who are at war or so, especially since North korea is quite mysterious, it was really nice to get an insight on how things are (even if they were not as realistically as it should be, but i understand it is a drama.)


I hated how the ML only solved things because of his status, then at the end he just gave up the army and went to play the piano in Swizterland, like what??? I'm sure they could have done better! And it IS not that easy in North Korea to do such a thing!! That is sadly pretty unrealistic, and I hated the south korea arc, it was very unncessary, it could have had a bittersweet ending and we would have cheered for it, but they chose an unrealistically happy ending which really ruined the story for me.


It is fun to watch, and this drama is how i got into asian dramas in general, but I wouldn't rewatch it.

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First thing first, that 9.1 is over-rated. These are some things that really stands out for me.

The story starts off really beautiful and reasonable. The FL and ML meet, start depending on each other and falling in love. The relationship between all the characters are established very early too. It was nice, good, yes reasonable. Then I don't know where it starts, the story is going sideways. They start playing the 'fate card' on the romance. Over-played it I should say. At the end of the show, I started to think 'well, maybe my Mr. Right is the guy that I passed somewhere. Or is it the guy that helped me years ago?'. I believe in fate, but this left a bitter taste because someone could become delusional into thinking that every person that they met may actually be their fated one, this is especially dangerous for younger audience.

Other than that, the story was good enough. It shows that people are just, people. Wherever they are and their nationality. Bad system and bad individuals are the things that may stain something good and pure into bad. I was really invested in the second couple and the politics. Greed was the sole motivation of all the villain.

The landscape is beautiful, but nothing too catchy. The cinematography too doesn't really stand out for me. But it was beautiful nevertheless. I don't know whether the scene just don't make the cut or it is not written at all, but there are things that should be addressed but doesn't get shown. Such as CCG motivation, how YSR and her mother made up, and The Story of the Handsome One in the NK gang. This left such an unsatisfying feeling. This is a potential to expand the story more and this may add the lacking depth of these things.

The acting is WONDERFUL. I wasn't a fan of Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin, well, am still not. But their chemistry and performance deserves an award. There are some quietness i would say (?) between the actors that I sensed in between scenes. The second couple story and personality is more interesting than the main couple, and both actors are splendid! Also, the supporting characters and acting are just amazing! All the mothers here are so badass and perfectly acted!

The music was beautiful.

Personally, I wouldn't rewatch this because the second half is just bad. My type of drama is realistic, melo, slow burn things like Hot Stove League, Joy of Life, Mr. Sunshine, and It's Okay That's Love. But those who like this type of 'makjang' drama, that doesn't really mind the fate tropes, I think this will be a really worthwhile drama to rewatch.

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"Even if it breaks my heart because it's a dream that can't come true, I'd like to sincerely dream of the future."

I finished this Drama an hour ago and I am still just sitting here, not knowing what to do,..or to write, for that matter.
I am floored. My heart aches. I am happy and sad and amazed and grateful to have been able to watch this masterpiece. I honestly don't know where to begin. My heart is so full.

"Crash Landing On You" is a master class in screenwriting. The pacing, the revelations through flashbacks and unlinear storytelling, the perfect balance between tragedy, romance and humor,...and God, the characters!

How is it possible to make each and every character of such a big ensemble so complex, relatable and loveable? Apart from Se Ri's middle brother and his wife, and Cho Cheol Kang, which were obviously villains we were supposed to hate, I loved every single side character to bits and pieces. The village ahjummas who band together and protect each other, the "duckling" squad who are all so adorable and supportive of Jung Hyuk and Se Ri, Seo Dan and Seung Jun and their own tragic story, even Dan's mother and uncle, god, they are hilarious. The oldest brother's wife is also super funny and cute in her own way.
I was so attached to every single character, that at some point I basically cried through entire episodes, because even when there were happy scenes, I kept thinking that things will probably not stay like that for all my poor babies. At any given time, while watching CLOY, I just had to think of the whole South Korea - North Korea predicament that they are all in and that will probably destroy everything, and the tears started flowing

The scenes between Jung Hyuk and Se Ri are so raw and real that I often cried, as well. They say crying doesn't necessarily mean you're sad, it just means you are overwhelmed with emotion - no matter which emotion. And that's exactly how I felt. I was so overwhelmed that I cried when it was sad, romantic and funny.

I cried buckets and buckets of tears but I also laughed so hard that my stomach was sore the next day. There are so many funny moments in both, North and South Korea, but I think my favorite was the ducklings in Seri's department store, trying to flee and wake Eun Dong. I almost died laughing.

As an aspiring screenwriter and filmmaker, I am deeply humbled by the masterful stroytelling and breathtaking cinematography. There are so many gorgeous settings, such as all the snow scenes, the night of the train break-down and all the scenes in Switzerland.

I am Swiss and I've never seen Switzerland portrayed so beautifully. It made me fall in love with my own country, again. It was strange to see the tram I take every week in a K-Drama. It was strange to see the place I spent vacations as a child. It was strange to see the sights I walk past every day, and have them shown in a new light, looking at them through the eyes of these characters to whom Switzerland represents happiness and their own little paradise. Somehow, seeing some of these incredibly emotional scenes against the Swiss backdrop, made them even more emotional for me.

I can't mention the Switzerland scenes without mentioning how perfect the OST is, especially "The Song For My Brother", "Flower", "Sunset, "Here I Am Again", "The Hill of Yearning" and "Photo of My Mind", which are the perfect musical expression of the Drama's atmosphere and emotions.

The Production design is amazing. There are so many details in every set, you can tell how much heart and time went into it. Furthermore, there are plenty of pop culture references and even a delightful "Secretly Greatly" cameo by Kim Soo Hyun. I feel like you could watch this Drama 15 times and still discover new details and references.

Last but not least, the acting is brilliant! I've loved Hyun Bin ever since "A Millionaire's First Love", and his on-screen chemistry with Son Ye Jin is out of this world. I am also very happy to have been introduced to Kim Jung Hyun, Lee Shin Young and Seo Ji Hye through this Drama.

(My only criticism: They can't have looked very hard for actors in Switzerland cause that guy in the last episode is absolutely horrible! Omg I was so embarrassed for my own people! Has he ever even acted before??)

I know this review is pretty incoherent and probably full of typos and grammatical mistakes but I am still so emotional, I really don't know what to do with myself.

This drama touched the deepest parts of my soul and will forever stay with me!

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"Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right direction. It was like that for me, too. Throughout my life, I always felt like I was on the wrong train. One time, I wanted to give up. I didn't want to go anywhere. So I thought of jumping off the train. Look where I am now. I took the wrong train again, and a very wrong one at that. Still, you should think about the future, even if things don't go as you wish. I hope you arrive at the right station, no matter which train you take." —Se-ri, Episode 5


Right from the beginning this drama got me hooked. A beautiful love story. The second leads were amazing, sad that Dan and seung-joon didn't get their happy ending.

I loved how his company helped se-ri even though at the beginning it was for other reasons she grew on them. The love story between se-ri and captain Ri is tear worthy. I laughed, jumped clapped my hands and cried, especially last episode.

"I got on the wrong train, and that very train brought me here. It brought me to the place I've yearned to come every morning and night. It brought me to my destination." —Captain Ri, Episode 16

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|| OVERALL ||

A very well-rounded drama that made me feel wholesome by the end of it. The reason it deserves a high rating is the fantastic acting, excellent OST, and interesting plot premise. My main complaint is that the main plot could have more depth or be explored more instead of spending so much time on the side plots. However the chemistry between main and supporting characters enabled flaws to be overlooked so I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The drama deserved the high viewership ratings it got which I couldn't say the same about some other highly rated dramas I watched.

**I recommend this drama to those that enjoy a wide variety of drama genres. Also to those that could appreciate the director’s / writer’s choices in seemingly trivial details. Certain phrases that are repeated, props that are chosen, among other details show the depth of the relationships, so if you were to pick up on that the drama will be much more enjoyable. There are parts that are unrealistic but needed to move the story along so not being too nitpicky on those can also improve the viewing experience.


|| DETAILS ||

= Story =
*Premise - Given the inaccessibility of North Korea, the general idea of the drama to begin with is quite interesting as we get a glimpse of what their lifestyle is like. There is also an even split of showing how South and North Koreans cope in each others’ cultures which was interesting.
*Genre – Excellent balance of romance, comedy, action, melodrama in each episode. Whatever drama you like, each episode will have at least one scene that caters to your tastes. Even in the most serious and sad episodes there are still elements of comedy. However, this could also be seen as a flaw as scenes in the genre you prefer less may seem boring, so you might enjoy the drama less if you have very specific preferences.
*Main Plot / Love Line – To enjoy the drama, it is important to realize and accept that there will be unrealistic parts. Otherwise, the main plot was quite good. The romance exhibited was very mature and straightforward which was very fitting. Each episode had a romance scene that was touching / cute which catered to what I like in a drama. The only comment I have would be that the main plot could be explored or explained more, as some parts seemed rather shallow and progressed way too quickly just to give time to side plots.
*Side Plot / Love Line(s) – The main plot was shared with quite a lot of other characters (second love line, JH’s infantry, North Korean villagers, SR’s family, among others) which could be good and bad. Good in the sense that in certain scenes they really add to the main plot whether it be humour or just to move the plot along. A flaw in the sense that there were times when I wanted to just skip the side plots. Personally, I’d prefer less scenes of the second love line, North Korean villagers, and SD’s family after JH went to South Korea as I think it took away from the main plot.
*Additional features – Haven’t seen this in other dramas but the epilogues were excellent as it gave sort of a behind the scenes to the character’s life. If you are an analytical viewer, you would also really enjoy this drama as there are many small details that allows you to appreciate the relationships a lot more. When rewatching scenes, you could pick up on details you didn't notice before which added flavor to the plot.
*Ending - Dramas could be excellent throughout but if the ending is not well justified, that single episode could drop the rating of the whole drama. Not a lot of dramas achieve this but the final episode was very well executed, reflecting the quality of this drama from the beginning until the end. Each decision or plot progression whether it was a happy or sad resolution was justified and made sense to me.

= Cast =
*Acting – I personally felt Son Ye Jin’s acting was the best followed by Hyun Bin. They both were able to show a lot even when they were just looking at each other in certain scenes. Their acting made me feel as if they were together for real on multiple occasions. For supporting cast, Yang Kyung Won (Pyo Chi Su), Oh Man Seok (Cho Cheol Gang), Kim Sun Young (Na Wol Suk), and Kim Jung Nan (Ma Young Ae) stood out for me. I haven’t actually watched Korean dramas that much to know lots of actors / actresses but I think the abundant cameos also added a lot of buzz to the drama.
*Chemistry – Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin had great chemistry, I don’t think I need to elaborate further. For the supporting characters, the different groups had a different vibe from each other which was very refreshing. Even within each of the groups, each supporting character had their own personality which added a lot to the colour of the drama. In other words, chemistry between the supporting characters and between the supporting cast with the main actors / actresses were excellent. However, in all honesty, I wasn’t too absorbed in the Seo Ji Hye and Kim Jung Hyun relationship (though I quite liked Seo Ji Hye’s character), maybe because Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin’s chemistry was too overpowering.

= OST =
My favourite soundtrack so far. There was great variety and the songs were very fitting. The OST is suited for those that enjoy mellow and slower music that portrays deep feelings which is the type of music I enjoy.


|| A LESSON ABOUT FATE ||

Perhaps we are only fated to love one person. Some date around wondering why they never work out, some long to be in love, some have given up on love, some might not have ever planned to be in love. However, this might just be part of waiting for the fated one to show up. When they do, everything you thought you knew about love changes. You would be willing to do drop everything and do anything for them. In the end, the fated one may or may not be by your side, but either way, there is beauty in dedicating your life to that one person no matter how brief your paths cross.

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First of all, I'm not one to give more than 8.5 as rating for a rom-com but CLOY is one of a kind imo and will probably stay with me for a very long time. Some may think it's overhyped/overrated but same can be said about Goblin, DOTS or even Mr Sunshine. But unlike those dramas, CLOY has made me warm up to all its characters and care for them deeply. That's a winner in my eyes.

Story:
The premise hooked me up from the get- go. Yeh, it's cliché, cheesy and borderline ridiculous but believe me it's super addictive. It reminded me of those old school rom-coms and I loved it! A forbidden and implausible love story between a North Korean soldier and a South Korean heiress. There's fate involved, dangerous situations at every turn, lives at stake, heartwarming and hilarious moments, sadness, undying love, beautiful friendships..... Ending was fitting despite my initial disappointment (where are my wedding and twins, chaka-nim? And the fact they can only meet for two weeks a year is so very sad and bittersweet...I understand that it was probably the best ending they could come up with given the circumstances but still it has dampened my enthusiasm a bit:/ This and the anti-climatic death of Go Seung Jun are the biggest letdowns of this otherwise lovely show (Was that really necessary?!?)

Acting:
The top-notch casting is definitely this drama's strength. Hyun Bin beautifully portrayed this at first aloof yet warm and devoted North Korean and Son Ye Jin totally nailed her role as the badass heiress. Second leads were also a treat to watch (so glad to see Kim Jung Hyun back in action)
Main couple ooze chemistry in spades, they are a match made in heaven...the best I've seen in ages.
Ducklings squad is another highlight...their antics were gold and the strong bond they shared with our heroine was so precious and fun to watch (her constant bickering with Pyo Chi Su was one of my favorite things about this drama)

Music:
Beautiful OST. It suits the mood perfectly. I might listen to it from time to time. IU's ost being my favorite.

Rewatch Value:
I will probably rewatch some scenes...mostly to keep fangirling over Hyun Bin until his next project ...I'm so thankful to this drama, it rekindled my love for him...swoony Captain Ri is perfect boyfriend material. I've lost count of how many times I wish I was Yoon Seri lol
Did I already mention how dreamy Hyun Bin is?!?xD Ok I stop.

Final Rating: 9/10

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Crash Landing on You is a kdrama you'll probably find yourself binge-watching and falling head over heels for the main characters' love for one another. The cinematography and showcasing of South Korea and North Korea was on another level.

Story:
Se Ri (Son Ye-jin), a wealthy South Korean fashion business owner, finds herself in North Korea and has a chance encounter of Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin), a North Korean military captain. The drama may start off slow to you, but the way their relationship unfolds is really what pulls the drama together. We see Se ri and Jeong Hyeok grow to rely on one another, despite coming from different realms. The supporting leads, Seung-jun and Seo Dan are an integral part of the drama as well, and their relationship develops over the course of time. The ahjummas that live in Jeong Hyeok's village and Jeong Hyeok's comrades liven up the story and support the main characters.

Acting/Cast:
10/10 all around.
Hyun Bin's character won me over. He portrayed the courageous, loyal, soft-hearted, Jeong Hyeok so well. Hyun Bin's facial expressions were spot on, whether he was supposed to appear jealous, heartbroken, or smitten. I can't say enough about how much I loved Hyun Bin's role and the way he portrayed it!

I had never watched a kdrama with Son Ye-Jin before, but I have become a fan of hers after Crash Landing on You. Her voice was soothing, and she delivered her lines with conviction and emotion.

The lead characters were perfectly casted in my opinion. Their chemistry was believable and their acting is clearly seasoned.

Music:
I've had the OST on repeat since I started watching the drama! Almost all of the songs are ballad-like, but they paired with the scenes well. Like the one campfire scene.

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Before I start, I just want to say that I am usually a person who is the first to criticize any series which are popular among the majority. In addition, I am the person who has never experienced that feeling you are just going to cry due to some movements or sounds coming from the TV series/movies which want to cause emotions to you. But this k-drama... DAMN... Up to now, I considered Game of thrones (seasons 2-5) and Mr. Sunshine objectively as the biggest masterpiece when it comes to series, but I guess, this k-drama totally overtook this position.

Firstly, all hail to the actors. I think, I have never been so hooked up into literally ALL of the characters. Each one of them (leads, seconds and supports) did an excellent job. I always take care of not doing any sounds when everyone around me sleeps and I am watching dramas, but they made me laugh as hell even at 2AM, made me cry (it is true that only for a few seconds, but I have not cried for 15 years) multiple times and made me totally fangirling over them.
Secondly, the story was really well written. Not even a single scene was a waste of time (what, in my opinion occurs quite often in other series), the story let you nervous almost whole the time and you never know what will happen next. The only one thing which was not perfect was the totally last scene (about the last one or two minutes). I think, the end without that scene would be much more satisfying in my opinion.
Lastly, I have never really been into re-watching any series (expect a few favourite moments), but I am definitely for watching this k-drama one day again.

And here, there is some final sum of the points.
Actors: 20 Hyun Bins from 10
Story: 9.99999999 flying tractors from 10 (sorry last scene)
Music: 10 downloaded albums from internet cafés from 10
Would I go through this emotional hell again? Definitely YES!
Overall score: 85648356187451 bugs from 100

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First of all the casting done is so perfect from the main leads to the second to all the supporting characters and even the cameos, they all are bang on perfect. The story was beautifully written and very cute. One thing which makes it more interesting is the North Korean background and the details which they have looked into purely loved them.
The chemistry between the Main leads as well as the second leads were perfect. Aaah how can I forget the breathtaking beautiful swiss scenes! The supporting characters couldn't have been better than this. I loved almost everything of this drama it was beautifully and ended without haste.

One thing which I personally would have loved would have been more OSTs something which clings on to your mind, Sejeong and IU have done a wonderful job but I think it needed some more punch. Most of them were female sung I would have loved to see a male singer too.

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Oh my God! One of the best dramas I have watched .just finished watching it. I have been crying like a little baby and also don't want to stop watching it.Whatever ,let me just give my review without wasting any time. But I want to tell something that I don't usually write reviews unless those dramas are heart touching to me. so the acting ,the story line, the production unit are topnotch . There is no complaint on these criteria.The male and female actor and actress are great. Their acting was so heart touching and the other support actors were also great. I am really really thankful to the writers of this drama that they have ended it with a happy ending .Seriously if they had ended it with sad ending then I would have sued them. cuz I have cried a lot while watching it.I want to watch it again. I am sure that i will watch it many more times later.So just go and watch it ,it's worth of watch.it's a kind of drama that you will start laughing then crying then laughing then crying and it will go on like this so for surely watch this. it's a great drama.Man o Man!! I've fallen in love with this drama.??

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