Tomorrow (2022)

Non è un drama per soggetti sensibili

No, il mio voto è basso per altri motivi.
Il drama è pesante perchè porta un argomento davvero molto delicato scaturente da fattori sempre molto sensibili. Partiamo col botto, con un primo episodio che mi ha fatto dire "Sì, questo è il tipo di drama che voglio!", un episodio che ho sentito vicino e secondo me completo e gestito bene. Da quel momento fino all'episodio 13 ho trovato la storia "carina" tra alti e molto bassi, un episodio in particolare mi ha fatto dire MA CHE CAZZ* STO GUARDANDO????!!!!. Alcune cose secondo me potevano essere gestite meglio, alcune storie sono state poco o mal sviluppate. Tralasciamo il modo indecente in cui Netflix tronca gli episodi, che il drama non ne può nulla.
Il 13esimo e il 14esimo (secondo il taglio netflix) episodio sono una bomba, soprattutto perchè spiega determinati personaggi a cui mi sono legata. Il finale... Il finale? Tra una trashata in stile Lucifer e un modo di chiudere che ti fa chiedere ma allora a cosa è servito tutto ciò per tizio, mi ha lasciata totalmente delusa. Malamente delusa, proprio perchè si era ripreso alla grande e in qualche modo ci tenevo. In ogni caso interessante da guardare per il tema trattato.

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Fa davvero riflettere sul domani!

Da amante dei fantasy questo non potevo che vederlo appena possibile.
Di sicuro non è il solito drama con la classica storia d'amore in mezzo a fantasy o altro.Qui toccano i cuori di tutti chi più chi meno perché questi tristi mietitori affronteranno storie di ogni genere dal bullismo, abusi sessuali, perdite molto dolorose, insuccessi lavorativi, hatters e soprattutto il suicidio,il più grande è imperdonabile peccato da sempre. Salveranno tantissime persone e in mezzo verrà raccontata la storia dei personaggi principali che lascia il segno. Il personaggio principale e di una dolcezza infinita oltre che bravissimo.Il cast meraviglioso di questo drama rende tutto davvero bello e commovente.La storia d'amore si puo dire che non c'è perché è solo un accenno.Il finale che mi preoccupava mi è piaciuto.
Non do il massimo solo perché preferisco più il genere romantico anche bei fantasy ma comunque è un drama che raccomanderei di vedere.Fa davvero pensare al domani!

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mi ha lasciato un segno

QUESTA è LA SERIE PIù BELLA CHE ABBIA MAI VISTO.
è UN FOTTUTO CAPOLAVORO.
La trama di base è qualcosa di geniale e super realistico, gli argomenti trattati vengono affrontati in maniera rispettosa e approfondendo le cose.
Ho notato come in ogni episodio ci sia un passaggio dai momenti tristissimi alla piccola risata e trovo questa cosa veramente figa, infatti lo amo proprio per questo.
Ogni storia è stata trattata nei minimi dettagli e in maniera originale, ho pianto e mi sono sentita con un nodo alla gola ogni episodio ma è stato tutto ricompensato con le belle parole che i tristi mietitori dicevano.
Guardando questa serie ho potuto aprire di più la mia mente, apprendere concetti e capire come alcune cose non vadano trattate con leggerezza.

Parlando di Choi Joon Woong ho capito sin da molto presto fosse come una salvezza lì dentro, sembra fatto apposta per far parte del team Gestione Rischi e ha fatto un ottimo lavoro, per me lui è lo standard, è un ragazzo stupendo.
Inoltre riguardo il team Gestione Rischi, l’ho amato sin dallinizio, infatti non ho mai concordato con il tizio a capo del team di Scorta, per me era vergognoso dire che il suicidio è un omicidio a se stessi e che quindi doveva essere punito con l’inferno, proprio per questo ho sempre concordato con le sagge parole di Gu Ryeon.
Alla fine non mi aspettavo che questi due fossero addirittura sposati nella loro vita passata, ceh avevo capito che le loro vite fossero intrecciate ma proprio come marito e moglie non me l’aspettavo, la loro storia sin dall’inizio era un gran casino e non la capivo ma poi quando hanno fatto l’ep apposito, ho capito tutto e mi si è spezzato il cuore, entrambi si amavano molto.
La fine l’ho amata, molto semplice anche se volevo non cancellassero la memoria a Choi Joon Woong, tanto non avrebbe mai detto nulla di quel mondo.

Ho amato questa serie così tanto che spero in una seconda stagione, veramente è quel tipo di serie che non mi stancherei mai di vedere, so che è impossibile sperare in una seconda stagione ma merita veramente un botto.
La stra consiglio a tutti, anche per coloro che pensano al suicidio, in quanto queste parole possono far riflettere e personalmente ho riflettuto e appreso da tutto ciò che è stato detto. IMPECCABILE.

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Argomento controverso, ottimo drama ma a volte poco rispettoso dei problemi altrui

Suicidio è una parola terribile. Per alcuni un peccato inescusabile, sempre, per altri quella che sembra l’unica via di uscita da una situazione insostenibile, qualsiasi sia la motivazione.
Chi si avvicini a questo drama con problemi personali inerenti l’argomento, farebbe bene a procedere con estrema cautela, perché il togliersi la vita è l’argomento pivotale di tutta la serie, e per come la vedo io, non è sempre trattato nel modo migliore.
Tutto verte infatti intorno alla lotta quotidiana di una piccola squadra speciale di Grim Reapers, tristi mietitori, angeli della morte, shinigami o come vogliamo chiamarli, il cui compito è di impedire il successo agli aspiranti suicidi. Questo perché, nelle premesse di questo drama, l’anima che rinuncia volontariamente al dono della vita finirà all’inferno e vedrà recidere tutti i legami che la collegano alla sua esistenza, senza possibilità di incontrare nuovamente quelle persone nelle reincarnazioni successive. A questa squadra formata dalla energica Goo Ryun e dal suo sottoposto Im Ryung Goo, si unisce per sei mesi un giovane apprendista, Choi Joon Woong, una ragazzo alla perenne ricerca di un lavoro, finito in coma per aver cercato di salvare un aspirante suicida.
Nel corso delle 16 puntate di questa serie ci sarà presentata un’ampia casistica di motivazioni per le quali gli esseri umani (e in un caso addirittura un cane) possono decidere di togliersi la vita. La squadra di prevenzione suicidi riuscirà a prevenirli, ma il focus del drama verte spesso sull’esposizione a chiare lettere di come un comportamento apparentemente non decisivo possa causare conseguenze devastanti in chi ne viene colpito. Bullismo scolastico, cyberbullismo, cattivi rapporti al lavoro, pettegolezzo… tutte cause apparentemente “leggere”, forse, in confronto ad altre più pesanti, come possono essere la rovina finanziaria della famiglia o la perdita di un bambino o una persona cara. Ma per chi le vive da dentro non esiste gradazione di dolore, solo il proprio personale inferno e gli aguzzini vanno messi di fronte alla proprie responsabilità.
Purtroppo, a prescindere dale cosiddette soluzioni che vengono trovate per dissuadere gli aspiranti suicidi, ho trovato a volte un approccio troppo semplicistico al problema. Sostanzialmente è come se ti venisse detto: è tutto nella tua testa, datti una mossa che tutto passa. Ma chi si dibatte in certe reti, fino ad arrivare a pensare di togliersi la vita, difficilmente riuscirà a liberarsi da solo: ha bisogno di aiuto esterno, così come ne hanno i protagonisti di queste vicende. Molto probabilmente, avrà bisogno anche di uno psicologo e, salvo difetti nella mia memoria, di aiuti psicologici in questo drama non se ne vede l'ombra. Eppure, in un paese che ha uno dei più alti tassi di suicidi al mondo, la salute mentale dovrebbe essere una priorità. Il fatto che il problema venga glissato completamente mi fa sospettare che esista un forte stigma contro la malattia mentale, la vergogna sociale di non essere all'altezza. E, in questo, il drama ha peccato di mancanza di coraggio, per cui per me rimane semplicemente un prodotto di intrattenimento che però, in taluni casi, potrebbe addirittura fare più male che bene.
Gli attori sono stati tutti molto bravi. Kim Hee Sun è stata un’ottima protagonista, sia in abiti moderni che in costume, un’eroina dolente dagli occhi espressivi. Rowoon e Yun Ji On sono stati due ottime spalle (perché sinceramente il giovane apprendista non mi è sembrato avere questo ruolo così preponderante, tale da poter dire che è il protagonista maschile). Discorso a parte per Lee Soo Hyuk che, pur non essendo prevalente, possiede comunque un carisma tale da spiccare anche in parti non principali. Anche gli altri attori di contorno, le figure dolenti cui sono stati dedicati via via gli episodi, hanno fatto un ottimo lavoro.
Ho apprezzato molto che una puntata sia stata dedicata alla tragedia delle comfort women, un crimine contro l’umanità per cui i giapponesi ancora oggi rifiutano di scusarsi e che, come il negazionismo della shoah, da alcuni è ancora non creduta.
I costumi sono stati molto soddisfacenti, sia nelle parti moderne che in quelle ambientate secoli fa. Le musiche hanno ben sottolineato l’azione e il comparto tecnico ha fatto, a mio parere, un ottimo lavoro.
Ho purtroppo percepito un poco di stanchezza a causa della ripetitività dell’azione: un susseguirsi di casi umani da salvare, mentre i rapporti tra la protagonista e il Grim Reaper interpretato da Lee Soo Hyuk fungevano da collante, invero non troppo efficace. Anche il coma del ragazzo è stato sfruttato abbastanza poco… insomma per la mia percezione la maionese è rimasta un pochino slegata, ma senza togliere molto al gusto della preparazione. Il finale potrebbe lasciare la possibilità della realizzazione di una seconda serie e, pur essendo soddisfacente, non posso dire abbia terminato la serie col botto.
In sunto, un drama piuttosto cupo, anche se condito con abbondanti dosi di speranza e qualche sorriso per le interazioni degli abitanti dell’altro mondo, coi suoi parallelismi con quello dei viventi. Ottimo lavoro, che avrebbe potuto essere anche migliore. Ma, ehi, ce ne fossero!

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Soulful spot on: South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate

According to WHO data, South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate. (Germany ranks 42nd in comparison.) Not only stars and starlets are affected, but it runs through all sections of population. And with that, it holds up a bitterly serious, socially critical mirror to turbo-capitalist South Korea, whose tradition still places more value on appearances/make-believe than authenticity/true-being.

"Tomorrow" throws the spotlight on this socially problematic aspect. It is definitely a tough topic! It is based on a webtoon that enriches people's limited view by looking at the bigger picture from the perspective of the spiritual world. By providing an emotional link between the two worlds through the protagonist Choi Joon-woong, the worlds inspire each other with their insights and impulses. (After all, a wound can even heal in the afterlife...)

In short, the approach might at times seem light-footedly playful. Yet the content is profound and serious. It´s no feel-good-series. Sometimes it's fast-paced and action-packed, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, but mostly the story wants to touch, move and make you think. And it does. Overall the narrative style once again finds the right tone and the successful mix to work through the difficult, complex emotional area of conflict. Thus it is carefully, sensitively and differentiatedly illustrating the example of very different fates.

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The weight of your words; Is it heavy enough to save/kill people?

Are "mere words" enough to save someone who wants to end his own life? I think many people who are emotionally struggling need someone to talk it out… a simple talk may not end their years of problems and make them a smiling person again but it could be of little help.

Words can save people but they can destroy them too. "Tomorrow" is about the other side of the coin. The reasons, the thinking and the words that could've hurt a person so deeply that he wants to avoid this "tomorrow." This drama teaches us the real value of the words we speak. they are NOT trying to convince us that suicide is the right option rather they want us to be caring towards people and choose our words wisely.

Tomorrow is a fantasy drama that brings to you the right balance of emotional cases and stories of people suffering (who are at the verge of ending their lives) but the Risk Management team of Jumadeung is right there… just like Koo Ryeon says – "Our job is to offer them comfort, sympathy and support rather than a solution. They're the only one who can free themselves." …So they're grim reapers with angelic twist…

The best take by the writers are those stories, nothing very superficial or highly imaginative. They're social and human problems that may be relatable at some point. Since related to death and people's conflicting mental state, they tend to be dark sometimes… and the words in every scene are so quote-like. Every sentence with deeper meaning. I liked that.

Based on the webtoon "Tomorrow" (내일) by Llama, tomorrow is impactful with cruel reality of society. One thing which stays with all stories is 'Self love'… "Stay strong, have that trust in yourself and face them"… Like one line that hits me highly from Episode 7 is "My standard for happiness is myself."

Many people were curious… is there any romance? Yes there is. It is for a little part only but they looked so good together. Of course, I wish it was longer but that's all we get.

The subtle and spiritual acting by the leads makes everything better.

✧ Kim Hee-Seon (as Koo Ryeon) – my eyes were stuck on Hee-Seon's beautiful-sassy red hairs, badass, i like her her kicks and how she stopped time on her finger tip.
✧ Rowoon (as Choi Jun-Woong) – Rowoon and this role, both keeps impressing me all the time, he takes decisions emotionally, cries with them and gives his all sympathy and support.

✧ Yun Ji-On (as Lim Ryung-Gu) – Ji-on is also great as the Mr. Lim who has a soft heart inside his casual look.
✧ Lee Soo-Hyuk (as Park Joong-Gil)– Soo Hyuk literally comes to the screen for 5 minutes every episode yet he leaves a good after effect with his charm.

What I didn't enjoy here —
—•• The ending was really rushed but we don't get any cliffhanger, it was all clear, yet that one story of leads had so much potential. I hope it was given enough time.
—•• less screen time for Soo Hyuk… I thought he is the main lead but we see him barely in the early episodes and only towards the ending he looks like an important part of the drama.

All four have their own mysterious story that could make you cry buckets. Jumadeung is an afterworld organization that includes many Grim Reapers so this drama isn't going to be all about suicide cases… there will be some natural/accident death cases…
From the OSTs I liked —
♪Red Light♪ – sung by Lee Seung Hyub 이승협 (J.DON) …and… the cover in episode 5 ♪Summer flower♪ – sung by Kang Seung Yoon.

So, DO I RECOMMEND THIS?
— YES… but NOT TO EVERYONE.
Tomorrow does have a special concept "related to suicide/death" and they can be triggering for some people… anyone who is doubtful about whether to watch or not or whoever is scared to get affected by them can ~
✼ try out some episodes and then decide
✼ look out for what are the topics covered and if any topic looks upsetting just avoiding those particular episodes is enough.

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This drama caught my attention from the get go. A team of grim reapers who're on a mission to save people who wanted to kill themselves. It was such an interesting premise that I can't help to go look for the original webtoon ahead of the drama airing to familiarise myself with the story.

And I have to say that the webtoon was also very well written. I like how so far the drama's writing stayed pretty close to how the webtoon was written. While I do notice that there are some details from the webtoon that ended up portrayed differently in drama, it doesn't really affect the main story much. And I love how the drama still retain the qualities that made the webtoon well loved.

I also really loved the casting, especially with regards to Kim Heesun and Lee Soohyuk. It really felt like Gu Ryeon and Park Joonggil had literally come out of the webtoon to real life!

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Found My favorite comfort series!

I wont write much except this show is Easily the best series in this genre. Each episode is better than the other. Its real issues wrapped in fantasy lore. Its Intriguing, Emotional,Funny, Thought Invoking and all the best qualities it could be. The actors did a great job. Hope they make a season 2 with these leads with a different story line but same premise.
Whoever pitched this idea and whoever wrote this idea into a script did a REALLLLL good job!!!!

P.s if you struggling with mental issues please seek the help you need. It may seem hard and you may think people will make fun but there will 1 person who will listen to you. Hold on to that hope. You are not alone and definately not the things people say you are. ❤️‍?

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It was all for "today".

"Right now, you feel like you're falling behind others. Even so, you should live. As you live, there will come a moment when you'll realize, it was all for today." ~ Koo Ryeon

The feelings of being constantly torn between killing yourself or killing everyone around you, is dangerous and as unfortunate. In a world, where individuality has become the primary choice of us, what everyone should be attempting is to extract out the positivity out of it. Situations and circumstances definitely play roles in making us commit deeds, that we'd never thought of even. But in the end, it all boils down to the fact that, one needs more courage to live than to kill themselves. Rightfully quoted so, "Sometimes even to live is an act of courage".

Created by 'Studio N' and co-produced by 'Super Moon Pictures', "Tomorrow (내일) [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of the 2017 manga of the same title by Llama. Developed by Hong Seok Woo, the show is a fantasy cum slice-of-life drama, broadcasted on MBC and internationally distributed on Netflix.

"Tomorrow" follows the day-to-day work of the Risk/Crisis Management Team of Jumadaeng (the afterlife company for Korea) which serves to prevent highly suicidal people from committing the deed and strives to bring happiness in their lives. Choi Joon Woong, a jobless young man, gets involved with grim reapers as he tries to save a man from taking his own life. Soon he goes into coma, becoming half dead, and joins the RM team till his recovery. There he meets, Team Leader Ko Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun) and his assistant Lim Ryung Gu (Yoon Ji On); together they save countless lives while facing the threat of disbanding from other departments of Jumadaeng, including the most elite Park Jung Gil (Lee Soo Hyuk), the leader of the escort team. Kim Hae Sook plays the Jade Emperor in Jumadaeng.

The controversial concept and the criticism surrounding it about suicide prevention, might seem futile but I do not wish to discredit and disregard the understandings of people about such a sensitive matter. Nevertheless, it's a relief how this show has been able to create narratives and conversations, about this topic.

Plot development follows both fragmented as well as staircase rule, and I believe this was a best decision in the webtoon writer's part. The pilot episode wasn't very impressive to me, that could have me in it's overall grasp though it seemed decent. I would say the execution in the 2nd episode was also fine. Episode 3 is where it suddenly took me to paradise (not literally because the sufferings of people were so saddening). I mean to say that I could suddenly understand the intentions of the writer and what everyone involved is meaning to relay to all of us. The furtherance was amazing; them handling one case after another, trying their best to sort everything out and put things back to their places, all of that evoked all kinda emotions, making us think, understand and realize about the possibilities that our lives could offer us. The seens involving Jumadaeng and the interactions of all the reapers working in it, was fantastic to witness; particularly Ko Ryeon and Jun Woong conversing was always melting my heart. Everything was okay until the finale week which somehow ended up ruining things for the show. As much as I love this show in overall, the very fact that the ending turned ordinary and rather shoddy, will always bother me, whenever I am reminded of the show.

There are 3 screenwriters for the show: Kim Yu Jin, Park Ran and Park Ja Kyung, and all of them are debutants according to their bios. Nonetheless, as I have opined multiple times, it's not really easy to turn a book into live-action adaptations and the secondary screenwriters needs to be immensely attentive and dedicated while turning books into scripts. So is the case for this; I believe the combined efforts of these budding artists have blossomed into such an amazingly beautiful masterpiece, sparking deeper thoughts and evoking essential emotions. The dialogues are sometimes heart-touching and emotional and as thought-provoking and gut-wrenching at times. The storytelling method with few monologue notes is alleviating and gladdening to a large extents.

Kim Tae Yeon PDnim with the experience of both a screenwriter and a director in both movies and dramas, have been able to do a wonderful job in preserving the eseence of the show. With him co-directs Sung Chi Wok PDnim, who has been a part of several modern well-recieved Kdramas. The tone, scope and subject matter of the show, perfectly corresponding to it's title, has been justified and the inherent messages has been yielded. The pacing was perfect, dedicating each episode to a single case and also narrating the back stories of the main cast meanwhile. The screenplay management, the scenario setups, the screen-editing and the overall execution, everything is beyond 'well done', which reflects in the outcomes that have provided us with gratifying and fulfilling experiences from the show. The only thing that felt off in the initial episodes was the sound production, the background editings, I mean.

The cinematography is pleasing, each episode usually starting with dark colour palettes depicting misery, and gradually shifting to light and colourful hue, implying, the new beginnings and as hope. The designer and makeup team deserves as much credit, for both accurately and demandingly bringing out the best of the characters, through the careful works on the actors. The fighting scenes, as required in few scenes, were exciting and convincing, if not very impressive.

Composed by Jo Seung Woo and Won Ho Kyung, there are a total of 5 OSTs, and I believe this much is enough. I love how they were incorporated into the story and screenplay.

# "Red Ligh"t by J. DON is my most favourite, which is a rap song depicting the mysterious ways in which one's life operates. The vibes of the song matches with that of the show. It makes me happy rap tracks have become the most prominent in modern slice-of-life Kdramas.

# "Still love you" by Yoo Hwe Seung (N. Flying) should have been the no.1 if not for the original track, where he is a co-singer with Lee Hong Ki (FT ISLAND). The track is of high pitch melancholic and sorrow-inducing lyrics, narrating the hardships of life. The vocals of Hwe Seung are amazing enough to make you cry. I suggest you listen to the original one, as well.

# "My Only One" by BEN is a soulful song reminiscing the moments spent with a precious person that you have admired for a long time in your life.

# "My Loneliness Callls You" by SURAN is again, truly a call for having happiness back in your life, soliciting the presence of your love.

# "Don't Leave Me, My Love" by An Da Eun is a beseech of holding back everything that you think is important. I didn't really like this one.

What I liked...
# Jun woong's character development is what the writer wanted to be the cause of the story. In fact, it was for him, we got to witness jumadaeng and such lovely members and also, the lives of so many people and their different kind of struggles. I could see how he'd turned out to be by the end of the drama.

# Comedy elements in the drama are hilariously funny and glad it was mostly restricted within jumadaeng or among the reapers. Most of it is credited to the Jade emperor (Kim Hae Sook) and equally to Ryung Gu, and Jun Woong was usually the victim of their humors, haha.

# The wide range of personal and social issues introduced and the underlying messages, presented in a fresh way, surely gets through all the way to the heart, viz. school bullying, poverty, career tension, loss of loving ones, ignorance to imperialism victims, life of war veterans, workplace taboos, injustice, sexual assault victims, miscarriage, etc.

# So happy how they thought of involving an animal in one of their episodes, showcasing the importance of pet-human relationship and the subsided emotions.

# Suicide is not something to even think about easily and even so it remains controversial, you really never know what an individual get through while making such decisions, no matter how absurd it seems to me and you. Also, it's not really easy prevent suicidal thoughts of others easily, but we need to understand that this was a fictional show where the writer had to throw light upon various stories and sticking to only one would have differed from the core concept of the story. I personally have nothing to complain.

# That being said, I loved how well the writer emphasized to tell us the stories the persons concerned with the issues in each episode, giving them a bigger fraction of the show. We rarely see the main cast of the show being taken away of this (in a good way, I mean).

# No one can confidently utter that they shall live tomorrow, so death is as natural as to be born. It is very touching the way the the vehemence of death has been propounded. It's nothing new for Kdramas like this, but the ideas and the elements used to represent, definitely move your heart.

# Paralleling jumadaeng (afterlife) with the world of living is another factor that makes the drama .. From the organizational structure to the regulations and operations, everything didn't feel less than any other MNC; they have every single thing, technology, glitches, resumes, editing, and what not.

# The epilogues at the end of each episode were so satisfying and as delightful and truly exhilarating.

What I didn't like...

# The shared past story of the main leads towards the ending is one the biggest (probably the only one) setbacks about the show. I would have loved it if they'd shown it bit by bit from the beginning but the one episode dedicated to the particular matter, that too towards the ending, ruined a small part about the show. Again, it could have been done in a very amazing way, but the way they represented wasn't very likable to me. And as predicted in the 15th episode the finale was rushed.

# As everyone else, I also expected Rowoon to be the part of of something big or let's say have his own share of gut-wrenching past story. Unfortunately, the writers didn't have any such plan, instead he was treated like a supporting character, not all the times though. My disappointment about this particular matter comes from the fact that Rowoon is no rookie or substandard actor at this point.

# Lee Soo Hyuk being shown as the main cast in in the poster and then the makers backstabbing us by giving him unsatisfactory share of screentime is very disappointing. I admit, overally the entire main cast has received half the time, bcs the makers have emphasized on narrating the stories of the victims but of the half, Lee Soo Hyuk gets the least, and I didn't like that.

# I think I have already told how it turned out to be a rushed ending, so saving the elaboration again, I strongly feel the ending could have been a lot lot lot better. sighs.

Final Remarks... Overally, "Tomorrow" bestowed love, hope, everything else that you felt on personal levels. The denouement has been essentially deep, eloquent and worthwhile, provided all efforts contributed by the entire cast & crew. "Suicide prevention by Grim Repears", might interest/intrigue some while making people think for a while, but I suggest you try this out. For me, this was worth my time and emotions and I would cite this as a must watch. My rating of 8.5/10 is the reflection of it's drawbacks, as mentioned, would have given a 9.0 otherwise.

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Tomorrow seems to be a step behind

One can’t say that they didn’t try. In fact, they tried so so hard. Impressive visuals, from shot composition to visual effects, big, big emotions and genuinely good acting moments, relevant subject matters and an important message- Tomorrow went all out. And yet, I am feeling lukewarm about it.

Let me tell you what I sincerely enjoyed about Tomorrow, and there is plenty because my heart is not made out of stone, believe it or not: This drama balances a thin line between goofy comedy and over-the-top tragedy, that I think, sort of worked a good amount of the time. The silly moments gave the viewer a much-needed break from all the heaviness on screen, without taking away from the seriousness of the topics. That can largely be attributed to the characterization of our leads, who all had great chemistry together. I genuinely loved all our four protagonists and the end had me shedding a few tears.
Episodes two and three had some visually very impressive moments, I am not just talking about the quality of the CGI, there were clearly also very creative ideas and strong aesthetic concepts present, and while I feel like the rest of the drama was not able to live up to the standard these episodes set, it was still appreciated and overall Tomorrow was a stylish show nonetheless.
Eventhough I was not always happy with the resolutions the narrative offered (I will go into more details soon), there were a few episodes, or at least moments, that tucked on my heartstrings. While undeniably cheesy most of the time, Tomorrow offered genuinely bittersweet moments that were bound to move the viewer, and at the end, I couldn’t help but feel at least slightly touched by the hopeful messages this show at least tried to convey.

But I can’t help but think that Tomorrow just fell short on more levels than I can ignore. Suicide is a touchy topic obviously, and it might be too complex and nuanced for this format. This doesn’t mean that you can’t try but you are bound to run into a few problems sooner or later. There are so many factors that can drive a person to end their life, and those don’t need to include those larger-than-life tragedies the drama relied on. I often feel like Korean cinema does too much when it comes to tragic backstories, they just pile tragedy on tragedy to the point where it almost feels comical. This becomes especially troubling in this format, where the concept is to introduce and resolve a complex issue in the same hour. And even when the narrative wasn’t centered around unnaturally huge disasters, the time constraints this drama set itself, weakened its genuine-ness. Sadly, recovery is not a straight line. The right words at the right time might put you on the right track, but the road to betterment will inevitably include a few steps back at points in your journey (wow have I run that metaphor into the ground yet?).
One of my favorite episodes featured a woman battling an eating disorder. The plot didn’t rely on over-the-top tragedy, the dialogue was at its most poignant and genuine and I feel like this episode was probably one of the more relatable, comforting and helpful ones. But by the end, I could not help but think that the problem had been grossly simplified. The character who had been determined to terminate her mental-illness-ridden existence like a week ago is seen smiling and eating again by the end of the episode. And I won’t say that I wasn’t moved by that moment, that it didn’t put a smile on my face, but to someone who has seen the effects of eating disorders firsthand, this conclusion came across as a bit weak. And I get it, the actual nuance of the topic might not have been a satisfying story. It might not have fit the hopeful message this show is so desperate to convey. You want to show the audience that the character is recovering because that is how illness is usually portrayed: as a challenge to be overcome or a war to be won. Illness is a story told in the past tense. But it’s never that simple or pretty. The actual story of illness might have been less feel-good. But it also might have been the more realistic, important story to tell.
Here is the problem of Tomorrow simply put: Depression doesn’t make good television. That sounds harsh but it’s true. Mental illness is not a three-arc story with a satisfying conclusion. It is a never-ending battle that you have to pick up every single day. And that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get better, or better said, that you don’t get better at fighting, but it means that when your plotline is centered around suicide, you can’t provide your audience with a clean happy ending without coming across at least a bit ingenuine. No deeper issues or the roots of those were discussed. Every problem seemed to only exist at surface level and could be resolved with the right monologue. It felt like at points, Tomorrow was more concerned with giving its leads witty one-liners that save the day, instead of portraying the complexity of the present issues.

There are a few more problems with Tomorrow, the episode centered around a suicidal dog felt laughable, ridiculously out of place, and almost sort of insulting to me, considering the heaviness of other discussed topics. The episode around a veteran was so oozing with patriotism and propaganda, that it was almost difficult to stomach. The main conflict between Ryeon and Joong-gil could, in theory, have been resolved at any given point in the story, so it felt like a plot point dragged along for drama’s sake. The actual rules the suicide-prevention-team has to follow, are incredibly unclear and seem to only matter when the narrative relies on them, there were multiple moments where the cheesiness of this drama got unbearable for me et cetera et cetera. But compared to my main issue with the show, these criticisms seem minor.

When I look at Tomorrow, I see a drama that is desperate to make me feel better. I see a country, that has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and doesn’t seem to understand why. I see a team of people that genuinely tried. I see a story that failed to understand its own nuances.

You can call me bitter; you can look at my review and say that I simply didn’t get it. That the point all this time solely laid in the show’s hopeful conclusions. That it never tried or had to be gritty or complex. That there is no shame in a clean happy ending if it provides someone out there in the world comfort. And you would 100% be correct. If Tomorrow gave just a single person out there hope, it probably did its job. I don’t have to get something, for it to have worth. Maybe this drama simply wasn’t made for me. But all this doesn’t change how I feel. Tomorrow represents a big swing and a miss for me. But maybe I just need to be thankful that it attempted to swing big in the first place.

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Living for Tomorrow

Tomorrow tells the story of a select band of Grim Reapers who perform the exact opposite of the Angels of Death’s conventional job description as we know it. They don’t accompany the souls of the dead to the afterlife but instead seek to ensure that the souls remain very much intact in their current lives. In other words, their sole purpose is to prevent folks (who are intent on dying) from dying.

Presented in an episodic format with a series of standalone cases - each story that comes complete with its own unique themes and ambience - against the backdrop of an overarching mystery that spans several centuries in the making. This tale of urban fantasy masterfully blends light comedic undertones with extremely sensitive and serious subject matters, such as the prevailing issue of suicide as well as potential triggers like sexual assaults and violence.

It is not all doom and gloom however as it provides the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” by instilling a hopeful and inspiring closure to each featured case that this supernatural team attempts to resolve, at times with adorably hilarious consequences but for the most part, are stirringly emotive.

Based on the 2017 Naver webtoon of the same name by Llama (her nom de plume), this MBC production is helmed by Kim Tae Yoon (his first drama) and Seong Chi Wook (Kairos). The screenplay adaptation is written by Park Ran (What’s Mama) as well as Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin in what is their first ever drama script. Jo Seong Woo and Won Ho Kyung serve as music directors. Principal photography took place at several iconic locations, amongst others that include Seoul’s Dongjak Bridge, MBC Global Media Center, Yongin Daejanggeum Park, and Jung-gu Freedom Hall.

A total of 5 songs are released as part of the drama’s OST, as follows:

Seunghyup Lee ( N.Flying ) - Red Light
Ahn Da-eun - Don't Leave My Side
Suran (SURAN) - When My Loneliness Calls You
Yoo Hoe-seung ( N.Flying ) - Still love you
Ben - My Only One

What I Liked

Without delving too much into the psychological and mental illness aspects, and having not read the source material, I’m just going to comment on the drama based on its own merits and also the entertainment value that it brings as a webtoon adaptation.

To be honest, this drama is deceptively more profound than I initially expected. It starts off comical and lighthearted before steadily tugging at the heartstrings with the emotions and finally evolving into a full fledged sob story (or stories, for that matter). I usually avoid sad and depressing content, which this drama has plenty of, but I appreciate the way that these elements are conveyed and the overall narrative is one that is ultimately positive even if the viewer has to experience the whole gamut of negativity along the way, if that makes sense. The presentation is powerfully captivating and inducive of no small amount of tears.

Among all the individual cases presented, my personal favourites would have to be the earlier ones involving the singer-songwriter and the old army veteran. That is not to say the others are not as good but rather they are compelling in a somewhat more sobering and gut-wrenching manner. I don’t want to scare people off watching this show but you have to be emotionally and mentally prepared for what is to come.

In terms of the production values, Tomorrow is a high quality offering that utilises many special effects, for obvious reasons and which are decently rendered. I love the aesthetic intro which is accompanied by the stylish opening theme. The costuming aspect is nicely done with a range of contemporary, futuristic and traditional (Joseon) outfits. I particularly like the FL’s styling as well as the overall set-up of the Grim Reapers’ appearances. The classy touch to the design and set-up of their headquarters alongside the more unsophisticated workplace of the Risk Management team provides an interestingly vivid juxtaposition to the roles of the various factions of Grim Reapers in the story.

The extensive cast for this show provides some memorable performances indeed. Kim Hee Sun’s Goo Ryun is a character that possesses more layers than meets the eye at the beginning. There is a remarkable duality in her evolution from being the cold and inexpressive leader of the team to one who is emotionally vulnerable yet enduringly resilient. Rowoon is the biggest surprise for me by showing that since his recent appearance in The King’s Affection, he has grown by leaps and bounds in this show as the ML, Choi Joon Woong. I still think comedy would suit him best but there is certainly potential for versatility and further improvements.

Perhaps the most intriguing portrayal of all is provided by Lee Soo Hyuk as the antagonistic Park Joong Gil. This man would make an excellent villain in any production but he is convincing as an extremely grey character with anti-hero vibes as well. Yun Ji On rounds off the main cast with his depiction of the stoic and deadpan Im Ryung Goo.

Certain supporting and guest cast members are worth mentioning for their unforgettable appearances, including veteran Jeon Moo Sung as the ex-soldier Lee Young Chun, the adorable child actress Noh Ha Yeon, Min Ji Ah who plays Ryung Gu’s mother, and Kim Young Ok as Lee Jeong Mun, just to name a few.

Final Thoughts

I was left breathless at the end of it all. Tomorrow doesn’t really warrant major criticism, in my humble opinion. Perhaps the slight comedic tone might come across as subtly jarring, at least at the start, but that general sense of levity eventually evaporates into something intensely complex and deeply heartfelt, if not agonisingly heart-wrenching. A drama worthy of recommendation but not without due preparation and ample supply of tissues.

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