There's something magical in the simplicity of this storyline that made it captivating from start to finish.
Each character had it's place and time to grow and I really appreciated the effort to do so in such a short drama. The fact that we do have mains, but they didn't overshadow the other characters was another plus for me. I enjoyed seeing the intertwine of relationship -from forming, being destroyed, put back together- showcased between both the main characters love line, and the other members of the package tour.
This drama wasn't over the top in any way but tasteful and highly realistic... we have a couple on the brink of separation, an older couple faced with the possible loss of one partner, another that looks promiscuous from the outside, but is actually very organic and lovable, and a newly forming one out of tragic love behind them. All four couples compliment, guide, encourage, speak truths and appreciate each other by the end that I was overwhelmed by the family aspect of the travellers and their guide in the final episode.
Romantically, the natural succession of Yoon So So and San Ma Ru into dating whilst on this small vacation was highly appreciated by me, especially as there was no holding back on the skinship or physical needs like in most dramas. San Maru's childlike curiosity and yet masculine attributes to his personality easily made him my favourite character from the get go. He isn't afraid to approach situations, or accept his failures either. He teaches So So far more than she has experienced in the 7 years of being in France and I think by the end of the drama, it's apparent that France has a home value in her heart, but the people she was avoiding back in Korea are her true home. Again, I really liked how open minded So So was from the French culture, and how she didn't allow Maru's old school way of thinking to have room in the more progressive country that way. It was refreshing to find a female lead comfortable with that side of herself, and not balling her fists up and looking to have a nervous breakdown when a man merely breathes on her, haha.
My favourite character by the end was actually the one I found the most annoying in the beginning. Oh Gab Soo starts off as brash and very irritating, to me as a viewer, as well as the rest of the tour group. However, as his story with his wife unveils more of the history, his behaviour becomes more bearable. By the end, he had me sobbing into my blankets over his despair and heartache from keeping silent for so long about knowing of his wife's condition. It was beautifully portrayed and I still feel sad thinking about it a day after watching.
The representation of France within the drama from a historical and travel destination view was tastefully done. I appreciated the information shared to the travellers as if I were too there learning and exploring. I felt towards the end it did run a little out of steam from becoming repetitive - "here is a place, do this, now it's free time, meet up here" - but I understand also why that occurred. The drama isn't perfect,there were scenes that in my opinion could have been more explored, or omitted, but it was pleasant overall and left me intrigued to know how it would go as I progressed through each episode.
The Package offers a lot in its small 12 episodes, and I think more k-dramas of this length would benefit the industry. It gets a beautiful story across, delivers what is needed and wraps up with the ending of what will come next in a positive way.
10/10.