It may not be for everyone, but a day on the slopes with fresh powder, short lift lines, calm winds, temperatures that aren’t too cold and a bit of sunshine is absolute heaven for fans of snow skiing. The combination of some of the most drop dead gorgeous locations on the planet, the adrenaline from racing down a mountain at the just the edge of comfort and a luxe base for snacks and refreshments is a magical combination. It is also one of the worst returns on investment when purchasing an expensive lift ticket only means a few hours of numb-from-the-cold appendages and long lift lines and icy conditions under foot.

“Uncle” is a show that has similar wild swings of enjoyment. It has captivating moments and many excellent characters mixed in with some tremendously dull filler material and a meandering narrative.

As for the positives, it has to start with Jeon Hye Jin who plays Wang Joon Hee, the sister of Oh Jung Se’s Wang Joon Hyuk, and mother to Ji Hoo, the nephew who is Joon Hyuk’s sidekick. It’s more than a bit implausible that Joon Hee would somehow end up married into an abusive conglomerate family, but aside from that, Jeon Hye Jin infuses Joon Hee with warmheartedness, inner strength and moral clarity without also demonstrating her weaknesses. She’s the emotional center and a calming presence and the portrayal by Jeon Hye Jin hits every note perfectly.

The supporting cast mostly carries their own weight as well. It’s a diverse group of characters from a crossdressing bar owner, his daughter who is Joon Hyuk’s irascible ex-girlfriend, his new girlfriend and Ji Hoo’s teacher, a bevy of nosy neighbors, Joon Hee’s dimbulb ex-husband and his new self-centered flame. Two youngsters have really nice performances, Choi Gyu Ri as the daughter of a troublesome Mom’s group leader and Yun Hae Bin as a preteen girl in a single father household.

At times, “Uncle” has some outstanding arcs. Joon Hee tragically has a personal demon resurface and she develops a connection with Choi Gyu Ri’s character. Hwang Woo Seul Hye is a welcome diversion as a mom’s group lieutenant that doesn’t always fall in line with the leader’s demands. And there’s an arc where the malevolent grandmother of Ji Hoo switches modes to charm her way to her goals. All of these are engaging and well-executed storylines.

For Oh Jung Se’s Joon Hyuk, he’s a peaks-and-valleys experience like the show itself. Oh Jung Se is such a talented performer that he takes Joon Hyuk through a gauntlet of troubles and good times and can unload a massive spectrum of moods, tones and expression. And that’s both good and bad. There’s always something new with Joon Hyuk but there’s not enough of a central core to his identity. He’s such a “go with the flow” that there’s nothing to anchor who he really is.

Part of the difficulty is that the show as a whole whips through one subplot after another - the initial reconnection between Joon Hyuk and Joon Hee is followed in short order with conflicts and resolutions between Joon Hyuk and Ji Hoo, several instances of Joon Hyuk and the Mom’s group, Joon Hee and her ex’s family, a group effort with a political figure, a misguided and misinformed ex-boyfriend, a recording company that is not what it seems, Joon Hee’s romance with the single father with his own questionable history and yet the main arc is supposed to be the uncle-nephew-mance between Joon Hyuk and Ji Hoo. But this main storyline is beset by it really being pushed aside at most of the climactic moments and by the fact that Ji Hoo is being played by an extremely young actor, Lee Kyung Hoon, that is being asked to be in a spotlight role that is beyond his capabilities.
The erratic nature of Joon Hyuk’s own character and the show’s plot hold up for a period of time, but it becomes wearisome once the nefarious grandmother’s arc has resolved. And the show needlessly spends time trying to humanize her which is exasperating and the unquestionable nadir.

It’s a show that is an enjoyable watch for a good fraction of its run so it gets a lukewarm recommendation, but nothing more.