These first impression posts are theoretically supposed to help our readers decide if they want to check out a drama or not. I’m here to say that by the end of this post, you may not be any closer to making that decision. But we can at least try!

I will admit that the sole reason I decided to watch this drama and do a first impression is because of my bae, Doo Na. She usually does quirky and relatable women who are strong and have lots of layers. Her character Kang Whee Roo is no different. We see her character at the beginning of the drama through her jaded husband’s eyes and she seems flighty and messy and all around not the most stable wife material. But as the show progresses it becomes clear that he only knows tiny parts of her. They’ve been married for three years, and haven’t known each other that much longer than that.

Jo Seok Moo (Cha Tae Hyun) isn’t the most likable character, but I also don’t hate him either. He seems to have given up on life and his dreams and settled for his marriage and job. I find his character very realistic in the current job market and dating climate. Again, like his wife, as the show progresses his layers are peeled back to reveal that he’s been jaded since he was a little boy and his childhood has shades of reality that have shaped who he is as an adult. Pretty much like most humans in the world. LOL

An example of that is a story about a puppy that his father gave away when he was young. He thinks his dad was cruel and did it for no reason, but we’re left with the feeling that there is more to the story that he chooses not to believe. And little things like this have rotted his relationship with his family. Though… his sister and her family do seem a bit on the entitled side.

Another example is his relationship with his first love. Right when he decides he wants to divorce Whee Roo, the old flame shows up. Yoo Young (Lee El) is married to a man with a wondering… uh… eye, and through several encounters, Seok Moo figures this out. So he’s newly divorced (on paper, they still live together) and here is his first love that seems like she needs saving. But maybe Seok Moo is the last person she’d want to save her.

In the first two hours, they introduce both of their extended families. I love his grandma, and the two girls that work in her café (I think one of them is a sister and the other is the roommate). Whee Roo and Grandma curling as a hobby is pretty cute. With each layer of the married couple that we see, the family will become a more important feature in figuring these two out.

And that is possibly what is intriguing me about this show. This is based on a Japanese drama, and I can feel that already in the storytelling. We’re going to pick apart these two characters and see what makes them tick. They seem to have no idea why they got married or why the even ended up divorced. And I’m not sure if they should even try to save their marriage. But I do know that both of them need to figure their life and if they want to be happy. Whether that’s together or with someone else, I don’t know.

So… there you have my first impression. If you’re looking for a quirky case study of life and love, then this may be a good fit. Or if you just can’t say no to Bae Doo Na, then you’ve probably already watched the first few episodes.

Still trying to figure this out,

Drama Geek 

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi