Untitled Park Ji Eun Project (2024)

IT HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT RESONATED WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE

CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

I want to start by saying that I rated this drama an 8.5. I did so because, for me, this rating indicates that the drama is above average (average is 8 for me). The reason it’s not higher is that, although I think this series excelled in some aspects, the quality of the second half was not as strong as the first half. When deciding on a rating, I consider various factors, but I’m not too fixated on any one of them, nor am I a strict critic. My view is that all the technical and emotional aspects of a drama should serve the sole purpose of making you feel (I think QOT excels at this) and buy into the story the creators are trying to convey. Therefore, as long as this is achieved to a high enough degree, I don’t get too caught up in the individual technical aspects themselves. In other words, I personally don’t care about how they go about doing this, whether it’s done messily or more polished as long as I can feel it and buy into it.

Think about those films where you have one character who is well-trained but lacks that extra spark, and then you have another character who is not technically gifted but has raw talent and passion despite being rough around the edges. Simply put: they captivate you. "QOT" falls into the 'rough around the edges but has something special' category for me. The series managed to resonate with so many people from so many different demographics, which is no easy feat. Its ability to make you deeply empathise with the characters and the story made it such a huge success. Even if you are someone like me who doesn't follow actors and went into this series blind and without bias, you could sense that there was something special about "QOT" that had the ability to draw you in. This doesn't mean the series was perfect—it's not perfect—but you can recognise that there is something about the way in which it conveys emotion that captured a large audience, whilst also acknowledging that it was not as consistently strong in other aspects.

I watched this series week by week while it was airing and I was impressed with how well the narrative was structured in the first half of the series. Everything from the dialogue, scene setting, framing, editing, and story flow was well executed. I noticed how skilfully the story was developed from episode to episode and scene to scene. The narrative flowed smoothly and had a clear direction. It didn't surprise me that it had mass appeal, given its structuring.

I noticed that as with many k-dramas in recent years, the quality of the story presentation tends to decline in the second half of the series. This ultimately affects the overall quality. Until the second half, I was ready to rate this series 9.5 out of 10. I usually base my rating on how well I feel the creators have a handle on the story. While I initially felt that they had a secure handle on things in the first half, it became less so in the second half.

I cared about not only the leads, but also their family and friends. I even enjoyed the characterisations of the bad guys, though I didn't like them as people. Usually, I only care about the main characters in dramas and certain side characters. The rest I'm pretty neutral about as long as it doesn't impact the main leads too much. But with this series, I found the supporting characters equally compelling. I can't say for certain why it's these specific characters in this specific series, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's the show's ability to convey honest emotion in a relatable way that makes it stand out. The emotional resonance of this series brings together heartbreak, hope, and love (both romantic and filial), in a way that keeps it uplifting and prevents it from becoming too despairing.

I particularly enjoyed the family dynamics of both the FL and the ML's families, both separately and together.

We find out a lot about who the two main leads are as people through their love and resentment for each other, which is shown first amidst their broken marriage. The FL is a strong and formidable character, much like the other women in her family. She appears intimidating and cold on the surface, but this is her defence mechanism against her harsh upbringing, particularly with her mother. She is headstrong and a force to be reckoned with, far from the typical naive female lead. The ML is introduced at a point in their marriage where he desires to leave. Initially, he is portrayed as a man traumatised by his wife, seeking to escape her by any means possible (similar to Beom Ja's previous husbands), to the extent that he sees her impending death as his salvation and celebrates his chance at freedom. As the series progresses, my compassion grows for both the ML and the FL. It becomes evident that they still love each other, and something has greatly strained their marriage. Furthermore, the audience gains insight into the strengths and capabilities of the ML. He too is smart, skilled and can hold his own (unlike Beom Ja’s previous husbands). You realise that he matches the FL quite well despite initial perceptions. After a few episodes, you come to view them as a unit/a pair in the way they are characterised. Their interactions and love for each other comes across as genuine and refreshing. The audience becomes invested in their relationship and what they go through.

Above all, I was deeply moved by the relationships the characters had with each other. Their emotions felt nuanced and was palpable throughout. It felt really genuine as if they were those people going through those things. The main credit of course goes to the talented actors who portrayed the roles. Although I usually hesitate to watch emotionally heavy dramas, this series balanced the difficult emotions with an underlying sense of hope. It made me feel optimistic for the characters and their futures, amidst all the heartbreak, pain, and grief portrayed in the series.

There were also weaknesses in some of the characterisations too. Specifically, I felt that the backstories of SML and his mother (the mistress) were leading towards a more significant connection to the main family in the past, but this aspect seemed sidelined in the story. The story functions ok without it, but I can't help feeling that their characters were incomplete by the end. The mistress's motivation being solely about her greed didn't align with the direction I thought the story was taking, and it made her extreme actions to steal the family's fortune less convincing. If there had been a backstory about her scamming other people or if the main family had wronged her in some way, then her character would have felt more complete to me. The same goes for the SML and the grandfather, since their plot-line in the past were interconnected.

What stood out to me about the ML and the FL’s relationship's was that their love for each other was always evident, even when they were not physically together or going through a rough patch in their marriage. The series effectively depicted the complexities of their emotions - they could be upset, distant, or hurtful to each other, yet their love and care for each other remained strong. The main couple felt very real, showcasing the genuine impact of the struggles within their marriage. Despite the typical drama and clichés found in most k-drama romances, their relationship felt grounded, authentic and believable.

The one-sided, obsessive love that the SML had for the FL was interesting. Usually, I get annoyed by the second leads chasing after one of the main leads, but this time, I was fascinated by the layers to this. I believe the toxic nature of the 'love' he felt for the FL was well-explored, as well as how it was tied to the abandonment he experienced when his mother left him for the FL's family. There were multiple levels to his character, such as his desire to possess the person he felt was more deserving of his mother's attention, as if by possessing her, he would become worthy and gain access to the family from which he was excluded as a child. His hatred and contempt for the FL transformed into 'love' as a means to rationalise the intense emotions he felt for her. It's evident that he had never experienced love before, nor learned how to express it in a healthy way. It's unclear whether he truly feels love for the FL or simply believes he does. There's a great deal to analyse here, including the psychotic aspects of his character and how they shape his 'love' for the FL.

Overall, I am satisfied with the ending of the series, though a criticism I often hear is that it ended on too much of a bitter note because it revealed the death of the main character, although she died some years later. Some viewers wished it had ended before we found out she died, which I think is a valid point. Personally, I liked the bittersweet ending because we know she lived for a substantial amount of time afterwards. I found the final scene to be a powerful release of both emotion and conclusion; culminating in the main character joining his wife in the afterlife. The shot of him walking away as he turns into a spirit was very beautiful and emotional. I think the writers could have had their cake and eat it too just by showing a few minutes of a montage depicting their life together after everything transpired, instead of just showing us photos. For example, they could have shown them with their child, with the rest of their family thriving, growing old together, etc. This would have made it feel like less of a loss when we came to the final scene. It would have felt more like a life well lived and less bitter.

This series had its fair share of problems. I believe it had the potential to be a perfect series, but I think it's still a great series with that extra something. I found it to be heartfelt and emotionally beautiful.

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