Sometimes I wonder if Kdramas have an allergy to happy endings, the element of loss can be very powerful in a drama, however when overused or implemented in a way that creates unnecessary forceful emotions for the audience --I find it frustrating.

What I enjoyed about the drama, up until episode 9, was the balance they had between loss and self-discovery, how loss can lead you to rethink the trajectory of your life and then also to use grief as a measure of satisfaction or dissatisfaction in one’s life.

For me, the main character Yeo Reum was perfect for this depiction of loss and discovery. The drama begins with a loss of a mother, which starts an emotional, but healing journey, for Yeo Reum. This loss leads Yeo Reum to head to the countryside, where we are introduced to a new set of characters that will later influence each other's lives. The townspeople have also experienced loss and are forced to cope with it differently. We have Dae Bom, Dae Bom, and Jae-Hoon who each have a different form of loss within their lives. It's these well-written characters who, without the need for the audience to know immense details, are able to connect with each other on an emotional level.

To me, the cope with loss, and self-healing, began to pick up and continue to help the characters grow through her new friendships (dae bum, Bom, yeo ream, and Jea Hoo) where they found happiness within each other, with their healing at the climax, and the most fun in the show, the death of Bom’s grandma occurs, which I found unnecessary and a plot element that really didn’t need to be there.

The drama did very well to move away from unnecessary drama, giving a fresh outlook on healing and love. There was never any misunderstanding, like you see in many other dramas, between the main relationships. To me, my love for the show stems from each character’s ability to, not forget about their loss but to, live intentionally in the present moment. I enjoyed that, after a major loss from Yeo Reum, the show took a tonal shift towards happiness, especially through friendship. These friendships are central to the show: Yeo-Reum & Bom’s sisterly bond, Bom’s Grandma & Yeo Reum’s motherly bond, and Dae Boms & Yeo Reum’s romantic bond. It’s these friendships that, throughout each episode, increase in strength. As each character opens up to each other as they all begin to heal. That’s why, the death in episode 10 took me by surprise, in a negative sense; all the healing, through bonds of friendship, backtrack because of another loss, therefore, clouding the well-established theme of moving forward.

The drama itself is built upon growth and open communication between characters and yet these established growth patterns seem to disappear in light of Bom’s Grandma’s death. The characters, instead of coming together to heal, begin to separate and lack the open and caring communication that held them together before.

I felt that the show tried to take on too many subplots and got lost within the subplot of the mystery of the billiard hall. I enjoyed this subplot--only in the beginning, as it was an anchor for Dae Beum’s trauma. Initially, it was well-balanced because it didn’t take over the show and set up a means of understanding Dae-Beum’s past and connection to the town. However, with the death of Bom’s Grandma, the mystery takes the spotlight and put the themes of self-discovery and friendship into the shadows. I personally didn’t like this tonal shift and ideally, I would’ve wanted the drama to continue towards a happy tone, where the grandma doesn’t die and the growth of each friendship is delved into further. I decided to stop watching after this point, even though I’m sure the drama does get back on track, later on, about the friendships, however to me the unnecessary death was a frustrating factor that I couldn’t get past.

Despite my gripe with the death of Bom’s Grandma, I still loved the former episodes and wanted to touch on a few other factors that made this drama stand out. The unspoken dialogue between Yeo Reum and Dae Bom is so well written that their relationship is a perfect example of how to efficiently display chemistry without an excess of physical display. They have an unspoken love, that translates into deliberate actions, such as doing hobbies together, and sharing loving glances and smiles; they both know they love each other, without any drama or unnecessary elements to get in the way of their emotions. They both pursue each other in such cute and subtle ways that make their delicate relationship so fun to watch.

I also loved how the drama took a lens that focused on a woman’s perspective, that of Yeo Reom. She didn’t go to the country to find love, rather she begins her adventure for herself and to better understand her present needs. Yeo Reum doesn’t set any expectations, for her self-discovery, but rather allows herself to indulge in her individual happiness. The Yeo Reum in episode one and the Yeo Reum in episode nine are starkly different. In episode one we see how she doesn’t stand up for herself and clings to an emotionally abusive boyfriend. We see a tragic version of Yeo Reum who has sacrificed her “I” to the point of transparency. She can barely distinguish her wants and needs, from that of those around her. In the beginning, she lives for others, rather than living for herself. Yeo Reum, in episode one, is a burnout woman that is a product of her toxic environment,

A part of self-discovery is when a person begins to understand that they no longer need to live as a ‘we’, such as being in a relationship or appeasing a boss, but rather when one lives to uphold and stay true to their ‘I’ while also making room, when needed, for the ‘we’. In this way Yeo Ream discovers herself first, then after she is adamant on focusing on being herself, she naturally attracts friendships along the way. By staying true to herself she is not selfish, but solidifies that whether, her coming to Angok, she finds connections or not, she won’t sacrifice self-discovery and understanding of her desires.

We see Yeo Reum change from a woman who initially lived on the validation of others to one who is able to validate her own self-worth. When she decided that she no longer needed the acceptance of others, and puts herself first, she then lends herself to different forms of love. The drama represents the common motto: for others to love you, you must love yourself. By the end, Yeo Reum has learned to love and accept herself unconditionally. I truly loved Yeo Reum’s character, because, although she is in a relationship with Dae Bum, she makes it clear through her actions that she does not need a romantic relationship to survive and that she is completely capable on her own. The opportunity for a healthy romantic relationship presented itself after Yeo Reum’s acceptance of her self-worth. The relationship was an added bonus, not a crutch.