Move to Heaven (2021)

A moving final move (to heaven) – a meaningful drama

STORY
The male lead, Han Geu-ru (Tang Jun Sang) ran a cleaning company called ‘Move to Heaven’. This is unlike your usual cleaning company, but one which offered trauma cleaning services. Geu-ru ran the company with his father but the latter passed away suddenly and he was left to run the company with his uncle who became his guardian, Cho Sang-Gu (Lee Je Hoon) and his neighbor, Yoon Na-Mu (Hong Seung Hee), both of whom were newbies to trauma cleaning.

ACTING
I am not familiar with the cast in this drama and I do not think they are famous celebrities, but I have no complaints about their acting. All of them did their job well, especially the 18-year-old Tang Jun Sang. His portrayal as Han Geu-ru with Asperger’s Disorder was very believable. Kudos to him.

I started watching this drama with no inkling of what it was about because I did not read the synopsis, comments or reviews. I was only attracted to its 9.2 rating in MDL and after watching this 10-episode drama, I think it does deserve the high rating, but also feel that perhaps more episodes would have been better.

‘Move to Heaven’ was called upon each time by the police, funeral homes, the family of the deceased or in one case, the deceased himself (made advance booking) to clean, disinfect the place, clear away the belongings and clean up the detritus from bodies sometimes found dead after a few days or even weeks and months after death. Basically, to help the deceased in their final move, as the drama put it.

At the threshold of the place he was about to clean, Geu-ru would always recite a prayer and play a sentimental classical piece. He would then first clean away dried blood and body fluids if there were any, that might have stained the floor, walls of the place before picking up the items in the place and organizing the more intimate belongings in a yellow box which he would then pass to the next-of-kin or the closest or most intimate person of the deceased. Lastly, he would disinfect the place if deemed necessary before leaving.

This drama gave us good glimpses of what a trauma cleaner was about and how the job was done, a job considered gruesome and even inauspicious by some, judging from the drama. It was an eye-opener for me.

It was helping families in distress as it would be a stressful and difficult time for family members who might be emotionally disturbed or busy with last-minute arrangements for the deceased. And whenever they see the blood, it might remind them of the deceased. It was a truly meaningful job.

I did however wonder about the accuracy of the job portrayal as my understanding was trauma cleaners would be cladded in personal protective gear, armed with tongs and wore rubber gloves, but in this drama, Geu-ru wore only his uniform and sometimes picked up the items with his bare hands.

There was never a boring moment, however, when Geu-ru did each case (on average there was a new case every two episodes), because every deceased and every story behind the death was different and portrayed realistically.
In fact, the only boring scenes of the drama were those when Geu-ru was not doing his job and that was mainly the scenes of his uncle who was previously a boxer. Nothing interesting about those scenes with his uncle trying to get away from his past and overcome the trauma of his friend’s accident. Those, to me, were not the focus of the drama and seemed more like fillers.

This was a drama about life, death and bidding farewell to the dead and to add on emphatically, it was not just a drama about trauma cleaning, because Geu-ru was a young man with Asperger's Disorder, a developmental disorder with difficulty relating to others socially and their behavior and his thinking patterns tended to be rigid and repetitive.
Perhaps it was because of his disorder that he did not get too emotional on each job, I guess.
God was fair. He gave him an extraordinary photographic memory, resulting in him being able to piece together the stories of the deceased and bring closure to the lives of many of them. It was satisfying in a way. Exceptional ability, I would say. It was as though the items spoke to him through his heart. That was perhaps why he was able to pass the belongings to their closest or intimate people himself. I believe this was not part of a normal trauma cleaner’s job so I saw it as a special service by ‘Move to Heaven’.

As the drama progressed, I realized that this drama was not just about trauma cleaning. It was also about Asperger’s Disorder. When his father left the world, I was actually worried for Geu-ru, I wondered how he was going to survive by himself after having lost the person who had impacted his life so much and taught him how to live. It was touching to see frequent flashbacks of his father’s words continuing to spur him on.

He was able to eventually bid farewell formally and put aside his emotions to clear his father’s room in the house - as a trauma cleaner. That scene to me was sad as he went through his father’s items, almost all of which were filled with memories of their lives together. Those personal items, in a normal typical case for him, would have just been belongings of ‘another deceased’.

I would not say that this drama was depressing or ‘heavy’ for the heart. Nevertheless, it was not a light-hearted drama either, because after all, this was about death.

The cleaning was portrayed in a respectful and matter-of-fact way which I liked, but the stories behind the items were heartbreaking. I shed tears of sadness and pity because there was one who took his own life (actually his own and his wife’s lives) and the rest of the deceased did not predict their untimely death and things were left uncompleted and words left unsaid. Watching this drama made me cherish life more. We need to treasure our relationships with our loved ones, our friends and our families because anytime we can just say goodbye.

If there was anything negative to comment, it would be that there were too few episodes which I mentioned earlier above. It was not rushed in any way, but I would have liked to see more cases, more variety in the cases faced by Geu-ru, more depth into trauma cleaning like showing the challenges of the job, more of Geu-ru's character development as well as more relationship development between him and his uncle.

I would not recommend this drama if you are looking for a light-hearted one that makes you laugh, but if you want to watch one which makes you ponder a little more about your life or simply if you want to have a better understanding of what a trauma cleaner is about, consider this drama.

Do know that there are one or two gruesome scenes in the beginning, but this is all part and parcel of the job and they are handling with what was a human life after all.

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So glad I found this drama

Honestly one of the best kdrama I've watched.
It was so heartbreaking yet so beautiful at the same time. There's multiple stories that are told and they make you think a lot, it literally touch your heart.
I loved how we were able to see how much relationships are important in our life and how much death is unpredictable. I was really really attached to all the characters in this drama even the ones we saw only for 1 or 2 episodes. They were all so special and well written and every death had a really deep meaning behind it.
I think I'm not even ready to move on from this drama and now I'm going to think a lot about how precious my relationship with people I love is.

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Heartwarming story about family and their hardships

Hmm.. where do i start...

This show has 10 episodes and each episode has different story about each person that has moved to heaven (passed away). It also has a bigger main story that will unfold slowly. The epic one is in the last episode. It’s so heartwarming, i want to cry. This story taught me a lot to learn that we must stay grateful no matter how hard our life is because everyone has different history, we as people should try to communicate better, be more understanding, don’t assume anything until we clarify the fact tru communication. Don’t stay bitter and childish because everyone has their own reason to do something.

It’s not everyday that we get this kind of story. Not sure why the rating is not that high. This show is practically one of the top kdramas in my opinion.

Netflix original series kdramas never disappoints me.

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:’)

I’m not good at writing reviews but I just want to say I loved this drama. It was a very simple in terms of storyline. There was nothing too dramatic that happened.
I can’t speak on the portrayal of Asperger’s but I’m glad to see people with Asperger’s say that there was an accurate representation.
While I do agree with the reviews saying Geuru’s character wasn’t developed enough, I’m still giving this drama a high rating. I do wish we had gotten to know more about Geuru and even Namu. The “cop friend” was introduced just for us to barely see him. I don’t know if there’ll be a season 2 but if there is, I’m intrigued to see how Sanggu and the social worker’s story will progress.
Personally, I found the drama very sad and it made me cry almost every episode. Maybe I’m just soft lmao but I do think it was a tearjerker. I would say the rewatch potential is high because if you ever want to cry you might put it on. I don’t think it’s something you’d watch just to watch though.
The soundtrack wasn’t anything extremely special. But since I enjoy classical music from time to time I quite liked it.
Overall I enjoyed this. The actors did great. I hope Joonsang wins best new actor or something cuz he’s doing amazing!! I didn’t even realize Jehoon was in Time To Hunt. Either way the cast was great. It was nice to see some familiar faces. Hope y’all enjoy this the way I did :)) and if you’re an emotional person, don’t forget your tissues.

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AN AMAZING AND A BEAUTIFUL DRAMA!! There were so many things that I love about this drama ughh. First of all, the trauma cleansing itself, never heard of it before, so I kinda learn something new and it gives me a different perspective about life, about how the deceased could speak. Of course, the stories about each of the deceased as well as the main character themselves, they were interesting, amazing, heartfelt and gives me roller coaster of emotions. I lost count on how many times I cried, but what I know for sure is ep8 and ep10 were a crying fest :'((( And love love loveee their relationship so much Cho Sang Gu, Han Geu Ru and Namu, every single episode I want to know more about them and looking forward for their scenes together. Their characters ugh love themm and of course top tier acting. I just don't know how to describes even more, amazinggg please watch it. and I need season 2!!!

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both heart-warming and heart-wrenching

the character development of sang gu might possibly be one of my favourite things to witness in a kdrama. i went from hate, to pity, to love. i don't think i've been so attached to a character before. i couldn't find myself hating any of the recurring cast, for any of their actions that irritated me briefly were completely justifiable (with the exception of na mu's mother- i understand her concern for her daughter but she was incredibly judgemental and close-minded). na mu's protectiveness of geu ru might be an example. it can appear that she was too judgemental of sang gu, but it makes sense seeing as geu ru is incredibly vulnerable and sang gu's initial plan was to indeed exploit his position as a guardian for financial security, and his occupation did indirectly put geu ru in harm's way.

as for possibly the most important aspect, that being the portrayal of autism, i don't personally have the experience, but my brother sits on the spectrum. i'd say that, as far as i could tell, the traits of geu ru weren't too overstated...it addressed the issue of their pure intentions being perceived as malicious (eg. ep 1 where he follows the nurse to ask where she got the badge) and how many undermine or maybe even overestimate their intelligence, as well as difficulties accepting change, grief etc. as an autistic person. i really hope that more kdramas will give proper representation to autistic people that doesn't necessarily dominate the plot, but is just a feature of the protagonist.

the exploration of things that couldn't be said in words but could be shown in belongings is so intriguing and heartbreaking...i mean, i didn't expect to burst into tears when seeing shoe boxes or punching gloves, but here we are; however, not only are unwritten messages of love to the bereft sent by move to heaven, but so is justice (e.g. episodes 3-4). i did find the abusive boyfriend's acting to be a little bit too stereotypically villainous, like cackling when he was caught etc. though i understand that it was meant to demonstrate his ability to play the victim and switch.

if i absolutely had to make a criticism, i suppose that it would be the very end of the last episode, in which geu ru appears to be enchanted by a girl. there might not be any romantic connection, but the ambiguity of the scene mildly irked me. is she terminally ill? or is she planning to bring an end to her own life? what did the white butterfly symbolise? life? purity? surely, the connotations contrast what she is saying, unless her transition to heaven is symbolised in the butterfly. maybe this is a set-up for season 2 (?) if i was being optimistic.

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Needs a season 2!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DRAMA OF 2021!! I loved it with all my heart and now I need a second season or else I'll die for sure. The acting on point, chef's kiss. Lee Je Hoon hottie as always. And the storyline was amazing heartbreaking at moments.

From like episode 6 until the end I just kept crying. It was non-stop. I felt bad for the uncle the whole time like poor thing suffered, but omg that I was glad that he became the official guardian it made my heart burst with happiness, hopefully, that girl from the fights will just go to jail cuz I already sense the bad coming. Na-mu was so cute of a friend also she a real one, even though she was a little dramatic in certain things but it was all in good intentions. And my boy Geu Ru was just the sweetest bean.

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That series defines the meaning of a blessing in desguise

Geu- ru, portrayed by a magnificent Tang Joon -Sang, loses his (probably) everything, his father. He has asperger's syndrome, so he relied in his father for all Life up to that point. So here there Is his uncle that take on stage ! He Is not the best option, but here we are, when It seems to be like a mess, he becomes for Geu-ru his new family.
Emotions are really difficult to understand, sometimes also for people without autism and the fact that the protagonist as to deal with It, makes the things more difficult. I can't describe how beautifully made Is this series, it heals my soul. This teaches me to not miss the boat and never give up! If you have an hard time, you have to rest yourself and if you have, like the protagonist, to let someone new in your Life, give them a chance. Maybe they will became your " a blessing in desguise" !

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CRYING

I just finished moved to heaven and I'm crying so that I am with headache! in every episode I was crying, bawling my eyes out

this drama made me feel so happy and sad at the same time, it made me look at the world with another vision... how life can be so short, how we think that our life is bad but it actually isn't and how we need to do things today not tomorrow, not let things for the future

I would totally recommend to everyone that I know and I would rewatch every single episode again

And what can I say about the casting?! it's amazing 10/10!!

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What a ride!

Honestly, I really didn't think I would love this drama at first. I just started watching as if I wouldn't finish it crying. This is the first time I am writing a review on here but not gonna lie, it is worth it.

First of all, the concept of the show is wonderful. You can get all types of emotions while watching this. The stories of each defunct are all well-written and beautiful. I really was scared to watch this, I thought this would get me bored but it definitely didn't, I got stuck in my room watching 7 episodes in a row yesterday, I am not even kidding! This show got me addicted to the characters and their stories.

The acting. THE ACTING !!! I just realized how good of an actor Tang Jun Sang is, his acting was so touching I thought it was real. The character of Han Geu-ru was literally made for this actor, I cannot see someone else portray him. Jun Sang needs to get an award for this drama, I swear, every scene of his were well-done.

Overall, this is a sad drama but it helps you to learn a life-lesson. It helps you realize how important your social life can be and that, even if you die, someone will always remember you somewhere. This drama even has that slight of comedy, and I sincerely love that, from Na-Mu and Sang-Gu's fights to Na-Mu's parents, I laughed a lot. That's why I call this drama an emotion ride, you cry but you still laugh. Well, watch it, you will not regret it ! <3

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It's interesting the level of high scores this received and I wonder if it partially has to do with the exposure of being an original Netflix series. I'm still up in the air on firms like Netflix increasingly capitalizing on anime and the international sphere but eh.

You know the shows/movies where your eyes are glued to the set and you demand no interruptions? This one started off as such but then trails off a bit during the middle. The uniqueness of the plot is what really makes this one great but outside of it, it does still consist of the similar predictability you come across in many k-dramas. But also as with many k-dramas tropes, even while knowing the direction they're taking you in, you'll still give into the emotional roller-coaster.

In no way an expert in autism but the similar shortfalls found in the Good Doctor, was also evident here. While I love when anyone who is viewed as different in the world being celebrated for their differences and strengths, there feels to be a heavy hand in highlighting positives when convenient which causes inconsistencies through various scenarios. And maybe because it was only 10 episodes but the flow from switching focuses of your main characters didn't flow too naturally.

If you happen to be in emotional mood, prepare yourself with a tissue box. While it's not really as profound as it had the potential to have, it will still offer many viewers a good visualization of seeing things from a different perspective. It's worth the watch but hopefully they will follow up with a good continuation, particularly because of the ending where they tried to create some type of mystery but instead of creating anticipation, it felt out of place.

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