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BlackWidow
18 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
aug 29, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 3.5
Verhaal 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Muziek 2.0
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

If the drama never had Son Seok Koo...

These days I tend to hear words like toxic, red flags etc on the internet a lot to which I anticipate if were made in a drama it would be this. Its easy to criticize sitting at home behind a screen where in real world the production team works so hard for, so I tried to empathize with the efforts of the people involved while speaking up. But the level of annoyance I had watching this made me compel to come up with a negative review. The major reason for show's popularity in my opinion was the actor SSK charms (and I am not unharmed btw for if he looks into the screen and I die blushing; hot would be an understatement for this man ) So here I am taking off my SSK lens and asking viewers to take the story as what it is.

The good parts for me was the quality of direction and dialogues (whatever little it had). The silences around the characters were beautiful. The one who stood out the most was Change Hee. By no means he was any different or dare I say likeable to any extent. It was the depth of Chang Hee which was portrayed through his monologues which touched me. He knew life was not what he wanted and he exactly knew why. It takes so much of strength to admit your own shortcomings and blame no one but oneself for it. Given the choice to betray the family and live life on his own terms he would still be there doing his part for the family. He was this kind of a person and the actor suited him well. Such kind of complex character could have been done by a veteran only and respect of Lee Min Ki skills.

Coming to the sisters, one who thought being in love was her only purpose and another who complained how her parents did nothing for her yet when a man who never spoke a word to her bought her all the happiness she ever lacked. Seriously what?! If the main motive of the story was to address the superficiality and taken it as issue, I would have been up for it. However what it did was to romanticize this which really got on my nerves. Even towards the end Mi Jung and Ki Jung never admitted how mean they were to their parents who btw sacrificed so much for their kids and got nothing. The actors were good but the script lacked I guess.

I am choosing to remain silent for Mr Gu's character, period.

There was a concept of the Liberation club which was unique and intriguing, more became a club of people coming together, crying they have an issue (which btw the viewers were already aware before the formation of the club) and then nothing. What do you expect me to do? Empathize with random bunch of persons crying ?

Anyway if you want a good slice of life drama, there are way better ones out there. The very core of this drama was bs for me and would never recommend it in my sanity.








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jlai28
25 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
jun 21, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 3.5
Verhaal 2.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Muziek 5.0
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

Come to watch My Liberation Notes with high expectation and end up with great disappointment

With so many good reviews, I was anticipated this drama to be one of the best. First couple of episode look promising, characters were intriguing and storyline was interesting. However, then the drama started to drag and becoming boring. I end up skip all the middle episodes and watched the final couple of episodes and did not miss anything. None of the characters make me want to continue watching them. The endings were nothing special, you can kind of guess what would happen in the earlier episodes. If I am going to watch three siblings with dead end lives, then my life must be more pathetic than theirs since I am wasting my time watching theirs.

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Sweetandsalty
13 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
aug 15, 2024
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 7.5
Verhaal 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Muziek 6.0
Rewatch Waarde 4.5
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten

Slow but wholesome

I am not the one to wait for something eventful to happen in a drama. if it gets boring, i drop it instantly. But for some reason the liberation notes made me stick to it till the end. Not gonna lie, it was too slow yet i could relate to it. All three siblings and their problems were too realistic. I was rooting for them and secretly hoped to find my way through them. Perhaps some words of motivation or a hope that it gets better.

In a way things did change for them at the end but not soo much as one would expect. That’s why the story is too realistic and bit bitter at times, it’s not those big drastic changes but tiny ones at a time that keeps them going. The portrayal of the family and their bond was soo organic.
Mi jeong wanted to liberate herself from her toxic workplace and her situation.She did stood up for herself at the end and gathered the courage to move to a new workplace. It might not seem like a big deal for some people but for a person who is a doormat, it’s a huge deal to stand up for themselves and it takes a lot. In the end Mr. Gu also returned to her. It wasn’t that grand happy ending but i guess it was a new start for her.
The older sister, ji jeong, wanted love, a partner and got one, even though, he had a complex background and all was not well in their relationship yet it was also a new beginning for her. Change always comes with a price.

And the brother, Chang hee, found a new purpose for his life after working hard for years to get a promotion or to own a store. Yet one thing i didn’t understand was why he and hyun ah broke up?? And why was there relationship toxic?? Also, It was soo sad that the siblings got to move to Seoul after their mother passed.

The only thing that bugged me was that ending could’ve been better. Ending wasn’t a perfectly happy one, it was bit unsettling yet it made a point that in order to get what you want, you need to get out of your comfort zone. And change comes with a price.




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K-lover61
48 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 31, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 6.0
Verhaal 6.0
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

Slice of life that was just too slow for me.

First I'll say what I liked...
Great acting, diverse characters, intelligent lines (dialogue), which were brought together really well and perfectly executed.
Understated acting in a drama that contains little action or romance to fill in gaps and quite a few scenes that involved little or no dialogue, really tests an actor's abilities.
Viewers will have their own take on what this drama represented. For me, it was about regrets, being stuck in a dead-end life and reaching a point where that hits you and questions then raise their heads about what the point is and if that's it. One's own worth is even questioned.
The pace, however, killed it for me.
There are slow, gently unfolding dramas, that I have loved. I don't need murders, horror, steamy romance or laughs-a-minute. I do need SOMEthing to pull me in though.
If I had watched this drama after it aired, I would have dropped it.
Watching it air, however, I stuck with it, as 2 eps a week I could watch.
I do feel it picked up, but only in the very late episodes. The rest were like watching paint dry.
It was claustrophobic, often miserable and with some horrible characters. I couldn't stand Ki-jung, the older sister; even outside the house, where she seemed to be supposedly 'quirky'. I felt sorry for her once and that was short lived.
Tae-hoon's sister, Kyung-sun, was also repulsive ~ totally selfish and a complete martyr, who made a decision in her life and then used it to whine and bitch.
Chun Ho-jin as the father, was excellent, although I don't think he'd have had a problem learning his lines.
Lee Min-ki's character of brother, Chang-hee, was my favourite. Terribly immature in his behaviour at times, but very self-aware. I think all the father's dialogue was allocated to that character too!
The ending felt abrupt, not so much because of unanswered questions, but because I found 2 storylines really odd in how they were left. It was almost like the script writer couldn't be bothered. Perhaps they didn't know where to go with those aspects, or were trying to be life-like... which doesn't always make sense. I don't want that side of reality in a drama though, thanks, as it's just frustrating!
I don't think I chuckled, never mind laughed, once.
The title that represents what the drama portrays, is tenuous, to say the least.
I found the story and script very disappointing and it is definitely not one I would ever watch again.

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manicmuse
17 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
jun 7, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 8.0
Verhaal 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 7.0

Melancholy Slice of Life

I'm not the biggest fan of slice of life dramas but there is something strangely satisfying and cathartic about this one. "My Liberation Notes" is more about the mood than a specific story, which usually feels too tedious for me to enjoy, but because the characters felt so vulnerable and relatable I ended up liking this drama way more than I expected to. This isn't your usual dose of escapism. The characters here are mostly solemn, depressed, and disappointed with the life they live. Still, there's something inspiring about the way their stories evolve and something honest about how imperfect they all were without being too sad.

The leads in this story are 3 siblings who live with their parents in a rural small town despite working in the big city. The family is very close as far as working and surviving together, but not emotionally. One dreams of success, one dreams of true love, and the third attempts to be less apathetic about life in general by sparking a connection with an alcoholic stranger who works as a day worker for the family while barely saying a word. The alcoholic stranger is actually my favorite character and the mystery surrounding him was my favorite part of this drama. Son Seok Koo as Mr. Gu is just HOT. He has dysfunctional Bad Boy Swag that is somehow irresistable even when he's silent. I'd probably drop by with a few soju bottles if I were Mi Jung too! I'm also gonna steal her "worship me" line, but I don't want to spoil even a little bit about their chemistry by saying too much about them. I'll just mention that I liked Kim Ji Won way better in this than "Lovestruck in the City".

I also liked a lot of the supporting characters. The man of few words dad, the worried mom, the small town friends, the woman from HR, the single dad... every single character supported the main theme well while bringing their own unique perspectives to it. There are no throwaway or one dimensional characters.

Oh, so what are the actual liberation notes? Inspired by every introvert's nightmare, imagine your job forcing you to socialize with coworkers after work as a job requirement. 3 coworker holdouts (including younger sis Mi Jung) presured to join one of the offered after-work group activity "clubs", decide to form their own club that they name the Liberation Club. Although just reactionary at first it becomes a place where they can vent and reflect on what they want to be liberated from in life with the silent support of the other members. They write their thoughts in their own personal liberation journals which inspires the title. It's not the main focus of the plot by any means but it is a benchmark for being more proactive about the lives the characters want to live, which is what I think is the main theme.

This drama may seem boring if you are expecting something major to happen, and I can see being annoyed by hearing some characters constantly complain or being perpetually moody, but I think what this drama does well is making disappointment, loneliness, and depression palpable. Is a good life about changing your circumstances or your perspective? What does it really take to feel happy or satisfied? I think this drama may not have an exciting storyline but it offers up some interesting perspectives on life and life choices.

If I'm honest, I would not watch this drama again unless I was feeling really emo. This is a raincloud sky dressed in all black full Eeyore emo drama. I also wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, although it made sense to the storytelling style. Maybe part of me still wanted something less vague for closure.

Overall, this drama is a mood. If you can relate to feeling lost or unmotivated you may feel seen, or feel inspired to start journaling with no pressure to be profound. I did find out after finishing that the writer (Park Hae Young) wrote "Another Miss Oh" one of my favorite dramas ever, and "My Mister", and although this drama is completely different, the interesting character dynamics, family relationships, and honest to a fault perspectives is refreshing once again. I look forward to her next drama. I was caught off guard with moments of unexpected laughing, ugly crying, and seemingy mundane moments that had me truly intrigued. I recommend giving this drama a chance and you may be pleasantly surprised. Make peace with the slow pace, the unresolved relationships, and the full on sads and you may find yourself truly touched.

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Rohan Jith
38 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 30, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 6.0
Verhaal 4.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Muziek 6.5
Rewatch Waarde 4.0

Pill that is very hard to swallow

This show is a pill that is very hard to swallow..

The initial story setup I felt was really good and had a lot of potential. Characters felt unique and interesting and show had a very promising start as well.
But as the story progressed and reached its final destination it felt unsatisfying and shallow...

I think the ending really puts into perspective what the writing was trying to do in the first place. The writers was more interested in the philosophical aspects( conveyed through dialogue and themes) rather than the characters themselves. Every story arc seems under-utilized. There are so many story threads that was unexplored or blatantly ignored.
The best example was Gu's past. They just used the past just an excuse for why he is drunk all the time. We never fully understand what happened, why was she important to him or whether she was important at all.

Acting was overall top notch special mention should be given to Son Seok-Koo. The charm charisma and the ultimate dread he brings to the role was really great to watch..

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Kate Flower Award2
52 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 29, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 19
Geheel 7.5
Verhaal 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 9.0
Rewatch Waarde 6.5

Each new person we meet is a new chapter in our life.

I want to be completely honest - this is my subjective take on the show. I feel like My Liberation Notes is a drama one either vibes with, or they don’t. I don’t. It’s not like I hated it, but I was not as moved, touched, absorbed by it as other people. It had a fair number of elements I enjoyed, but overall, I was not invested.

I think my biggest reason for disconnecting was the fact I did not relate to any of the characters and, at the end of the day, it is a character driven show. Yeom Mi Jung? Extremely unlikable for the majority of the episodes. I completely gave up on trying to like her when on one hand, she complained how no one ever made her feel alive and whole, but at the same time said she herself never really liked anyone.

I understand that all the depression (probably more specifically dysthymia) symptoms she presented must have been something many people related to. I am not a stranger to these feelings myself, and yet, I could not be on board with what they tried to present with her. Admitting on the side though, the last episode changed my perception of her character quite a bit, and I liked that a lot. They hammered a specific picture of her, and then gave me a 180 change with a new perspective delivered with just one line. Whatever I did not like about how she was written became less valid at that moment.

That said, putting aside whenever she was likable for me or not, I do appreciate some aspects of her personality. The fact they broke away from the “shy introvert” portrayal many dramas have. She was not shy, she was simply not interested in people. Sometimes people who don’t engage in every social interaction are not shy, they just don’t care. At times her inner dialogue and conversations with people made me think she might even be asocial, one step further than introversion. If we truly listen to what she was saying, I still have to appreciate that it’s just who she is - there is no trauma, no social phobia. She just does not like people that much and prefers solitude.

Then we have Mr. Gu. I liked him a lot at first. The mystery around his character in that rural area made me curious about his story, but they dragged it for too long. When I finally found out more about who he is, I was not that interested. It was a well done suspense, since me and many people wondered about his identity, but I feel like keeping the viewers in the dark for so long took away from him as a character. On the other hand, one could say he serves as a good contrast to Mi Jung’s journey, and the different pace they both took in figuring themselves out.

While Yeom Ki Jung was entertaining to watch and one of the reasons I pushed forward and finished the drama, I found her arc a bit one dimensional. At some point I started to feel like her obsession with finding a man was overshadowing the underlying issues she has. It felt like a comedic bit, that is not quite funny when you truly think about it. That said, her romantic endeavors were enjoyable and endearing and for me, she was easily the most likable of all the siblings.

I don’t really have much to say about Yeom Chang Hee, except for the fact he was underused. His interactions with Mr. Gu were amazing and I would love to see more of them - that friendship could have been an interesting addition to the story. I am honestly not sure what his purpose in the drama was. I get the vague idea, but for me his characterization lacks focus? He shined the most in the last (around) four episodes, and I probably enjoyed him the most at the time, out of all the characters.

One of the aspects about the drama that can be either viewed as a positive or negative thing depending on the preferences, is how the main characters were not that well defined. A lot of aspects were left for interpretation. I was discussing the show with many people as I was watching, I also read many comments and takes on the plot progression and characterization, and I have to say - many people had quite different takes on who the characters were.

As far as I see it, it’s a good thing. It’s not a “play in the background” type of a show. The true value comes from wondering about it as the episodes end. Trying to understand the characters. And since everyone looks at them from the lens of their own private experience and personalities, it’s given that they will see different things in them. It’s the viewers who add depth to them, their interactions and plot development. So for me, who was not engaged enough to feel motivated to do that, the drama lost one of the most important aspects.

I know a lot of people love the dialogues and inner monologues in this show. I completely agree they were well written, but they were also repetitive. A lot of them were talking about exactly the same thing, just with different words. So at the end of the day, we end with exactly the same issue - you either relate to the lines and love them, or you don’t and you find them boring.

While they went into detail about Mi Jung’s inner struggles which led to many people appreciating the show, I also feel like a lot of aspects suffer because of it. The relationship between the parents being one of them. Literally all the supporting characters. The biggest let down? Underuse of Liberation Club. I wish there was more focus on this rather than Mi Jung and Mr. Gu together. Using the writing note as a way to deliver the inner monologues was used just a few times, overshadowed by emo train rides that took the spot for the narration time.

That said, with all the complaints I had, they are all subjective. The same things I complain about, other people name as the reasons for loving the show - depending on the perspective. As I said, you either vibe with it or you don’t. It’s really consistent with how they deliver the mood and message, creating a well composed picture. The acting, writing, directing, editing, soundtrack - everything fits well together.

Overall, would for sure recommend to anyone who likes slow paced, character driven shows that focus on daily lives and struggles of normal people. There is no reason not to check it out. It's a good drama, it just does not try to cater to every viewer, and as a result, it might not resonate with everyone. But you won't know if it's something you will see as a true gem, unless you check it out yourself ;)

Ps. Refrain from telling me maybe the genre is not for me. It’s not the genre, it’s this specific show.

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Lopend 15/16
AtlLee
30 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 30, 2022
15 van 16
Lopend 1
Geheel 3.0
Verhaal 1.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Muziek 1.0
Rewatch Waarde 1.5
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten

Not so lovable losers - the most unsatisfying liberation.

I’m writing this as I’m watching the episode 16. It’s so bad that I couldn’t wait to review it.

I think the writer was hoping that somehow, we would connect with these people. We can either empathize with these characters or identify with one of them blah blah…

I’ll just make it short. The main character has no character. She’s dull and ultra passive. She basically doesn’t speak up at all and her dull personality was, of course, pushed to such an extreme that my blood would boil. She also wears gray and beige exclusively just to make sure we visually understand that she’s dull and depressing. Her siblings and parents are losers as well. It’s so frustrating watching them going through their lives fumbling around. Nothing endearing about them. I could go on and on.

In the end, nobody got liberated from anything. The most unsatisfactory liberation ever.

I’ve seen some bad k-dramas but this tops them all.

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Tova
30 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 29, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 3
Geheel 4.5
Verhaal 4.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 3.0
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

Good concept executed poorly

I know this drama is highly beloved by the people who've watched it. And I understand, there are certainly many parts of it that are lovable. However, I don't think it managed to carry the wheight of what they set out to do, all the way to the end. The beginning was brilliant, but ending did nothing for me personally.

The best part about this drama was the acting. All the actors played their characters like they were real people. They all felt so incredibly real. Even when they said and did and thought things that didn't seem like someone would say or do or think in real life, they still acted it very believably.

I even enjoyed the overall concept of the drama. A story about ordinary people trying to make the best out of their own situation.

What made me dislike this drama however, is that too many episodes, especially in the middle, felt stagnant. They did not further the story very much, and was mostly the inner musings of the main characters. I understand some people like that, but I mainly watch dramas for the escapism. And there was very little of that in this drama. You can't fault it for its realism. But you also can't fault me for finding it very boring.

The final nail in the coffin was the ending though. The entire drama had about the same pace all throughout. But suddenly in the last 3 episodes or so they sped it up way too much. Entirely skipping over some important conclusions, to get to their final ending. I would much have preferred it if they'd shortened the middle part and lengthened the ending parts. That way it would have felt less boring during the middle, and less rushed at the end.

I understand why people love this drama so much. But I don't.

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cc5
66 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
apr 15, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 10

Finally found something so relatable.

Living these days is not just physically exhausting but also mentally. You get up morning, go to work at a job you may or may not like and come home late at night only to realize all your day is spent on just making a living and surviving. My Liberation Notes is a drama that speaks about tired lives of this mundane society through its characters. The drama doesn't whine, but instead it profoundly creates impact through the simplicity of its set up where each character in this drama are not some extra ordinary or dramatic that you would only think they can exist in a fictional world, but instead you relate to them in every manner. At a point you will find yourselves saying "I faced the same thing just like these characters". This drama is that relatable to everyone.

For me the best part is Kim Ji Won character who speaks volumes with her courage and many find it so relatable. And Son Suk Koo aka Mr. Gu whose screen time even though is 10 to 20 min per episode with less dialogues initially, but makes every minute of his appearance impact the whole episode itself just through his expressions and powerful words.

What can I say about Lee Min Ki who well portrayed himself as a talkative sibling going through the frustration of achieving something big but couldn't because of the restrictions in his life. And finally Lee El as GI jeong who vividly expresses the fears of single women in their late 30's where finding love always seems to be far away. The characters dialogues in this drama is not just a mere dialogue but they are poetic and resonate well to the audience. I never seen a drama where dialogues don't act like fillers but has a significance.. And unlike melodrama this drama is a slice of life plus melo that has a witty sense of humor that makes you laugh.

Now that I finished this drama, the one thing I respect about this drama is that it has always depicted realistic problems of people who are suffering emotionally and mentally, so it never gave a fairy tale ending where everything seems good at the ending and everyone is happy. Instead it gave a realistic answer to those people. It told them, be brave a little, find happiness for few minutes a day at least if possible, it's okay if you are making a choice that may not seem a totally idealistic way, cause the world doesn't run perfectly, do your best little by little till you feel liberated. There will be days you qre happy and there are days where nothing goes in your way. But trudge along, and try to liberate a little by little.

A must watch if you like realistic slice of life dramas. I won't say this drama is 100% perfect in terms of writing but I still say it is one of the best I have come across in a while. Seon suk koo became my favourite actor through this.




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Jeana Flower Award2
50 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mei 29, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid 14
Geheel 9.5
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 7.0

This Is Me Worshipping You.

Raw, real, emotionally charged live wire of a drama that feels like home; My Liberation Notes is powerful in its simplicity.

Have you ever felt down and depressed? Like nothing makes sense anymore? Have you ever felt listless or too lazy to make the effort. Have you ever felt giddy with joy? Nervous about a crush? So incredibly weak and out of control? Anxious about the future? Disappointed from life? Happy about the smallest things? Self conscious without reason? Devastated after a breakup? Struggled with your weaknesses?

Basically, have you ever just lived life and experienced all its beautiful, tumultuous, heartbreaking ups and downs? If yes, you’re living this drama because this is about you and me. It’s about us all. It’s about family, love, heartbreak, growth, sorrow, joy and just trying your fucking best to survive.

It’s about people who each carry their own baggage, they lose, they win, they cry, they celebrate, they are broken but so fully human and every single day they wake up and find a reason to live life in all its complexity.

Here are a few reasons why you absolutely need to watch this:

☑️ Wildly atmospheric
This drama is gorgeous. It makes you feel the emotions through beautiful sceneries and stunning shots. Coupled with the excellent cinematography, you get one of the best sound tracks ever. You feel the summer heat, the lonely winter and the dangerous rain. Every scene in this drama is punctuated with feeling and is brimming with emotion.

☑️ Romance Of The Year
While the story showcases multiple lovelines (each bringing their own flavour to the table) our ultimate ship is our prickly Mr. Gu with eccentric Mi Jeong. What starts as a relationship that’s merely a distraction grows into a sizzling, passionate bond between two people who are flawed but are utterly compatible. The chemistry between them is combustible and they have real and intense moments where they are wholly attuned to each other baring their truest form. God, their love is believable and it makes you root for them fully as you watch them grow and evolve both as individuals and together.

☑️ Dialogues, story and writing
The dialogues in this drama are excellent. To the point, that you want to just grab a notebook and jot everything down. The pacing of the show, while slow at the start is oddly captivating as you go on. It has an aura of mystery that hooks you in and doesn’t let you go. Aside from the slightly rushed last few episodes, plot progression and the writing is almost perfect with little to no loopholes. Instead of a single climax scene, the episodes contain numerous small but powerful and highly nuanced moments that somehow make everything that happens important. Like a detail you can’t miss because nothing is filler.

☑️ Acting & Characters
There’s not a single character in this drama that you aren’t fully invested in. The three siblings are each badass in their own wholly human way and are extremely lovable. Every single person in this show comes to their own phenomenally by the end of the drama. The fact that the acting in this is brilliant across the board just brings it full circle.

☑️ Mr. Gu is the sexiest man alive
Oh my God, that man can walk into my life and I’ll gladly lay down my lashes for him to step on. Not only is he handsome as all hell. His personality makes him the tall, dark, just the right amount of toxic and dangerous mystery man that screams trouble for all women.

He is played excellently by SSK who uses his expressions like a masterful puppeteer and strings us along dancing to his tune. You feel Gu’s rage, volatility, his pain and desperation in a way that gives you chills.

☑️ Full of heart and FEELS
Just after a couple of episodes, it’s clear you can’t passive watch this show because you’re already in too deep. You care about everyone in this drama too much. These are your people and you worry for them, hurt for them, laugh with them, cry besides them and cheer them on.

There are hard hitting moments complimented by some top notch comedy, coupled with a sprinkle of action, served with a side of tears and heartbreak, peppered with a lot of love, nostalgia and feeling of home. There is something for everyone.

☑️ Binge Watch or a Weekly Watch?
I binged these episodes when it was halfway out and wanted more. When I ran out of airing episodes, I waited for it with bated breath, every weekend. And every weekend it felt like a comfort blanket that wrapped itself around me until I was right there in Sanpo with these characters that I had come to adore.

However, because the first few episodes do have a lot of vacant stares, depressing quotes and slow buildup, if you can’t binge, it’s okay to take breaks between the episodes. It’s the kind of show that you can always come back to and pick up where you left off.

✅ Final Thoughts:
As someone who usually doesn’t like slow paced, slice of life shows, believe me when I say this drama has the power to change your mind.

A fantastic journey, that brings forth a delicious, immersive blend of both darkness and light- My liberation notes is possibly the most stylishly executed and deeply captivating drama of 2022.

An absolute must watch.

Go ahead and get liberated, I dare you.

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Park Min
8 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
feb 4, 2024
16 van 16
Voltooid 0
Geheel 5.5
Verhaal 5.5
Acting/Cast 6.5
Muziek 5.5
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

Modern-Day Delusional Liberation

The cinematography and visuals were great although they went overboard with tilted shots and angles, surpassing their creative limits. The drama had a decent melodic score that blended with the shots just okay but no particular track stood out. Enough technicality, no matter how I look at it, the drama boiled down to be a cheap mix between Thirty-Nine (2022) & My Mister (2018), lacking soul and a unique identity. The self narration bits were a hit or miss, some lines were brilliant and fit the mood, while others were just nonsensical pretentious scribbles. There was a good opportunity to give these narrations to other characters as well but these were mostly done by Yeom Mi Jung. The end of episode 2 made it seem like a tacky show in a fancy wrapping, signaling that it wouldn't stay grounded and would resort to impractical moves to progress the plot forward and grab attention. This is one thing the drama constantly kept contradicting itself with. I didn't like their approach for the ending; they should've just wrapped it up instead of sneakily dancing around it for way too long. Don't excuse its shortcomings by calling it a slow show. Both the writer and director have succeeded in creating slow shows before, but this one missed the mark and sacrificed other important elements along the way. Even with a very relaxed 16 episodes, most of the characters didn't get the development they deserved, but I guess some slice of life scenes were more important. That one major transition around episode 13-14 was embarrassingly poorly done and was a real cowardly move by the writer to escape the writer's block. It left an unerasable stain for what could've been a decent show. Although there were aspects to like and appreciate, the drama didn't quite reach its potential.

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My Liberation Notes (2022) poster

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  • Score: 8.6 (gescoord door 22,609 gebruikers)
  • Gerangschikt: #433
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