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Hapimari: Happy Marriage!?
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Had potential. Could have done better
Warning: Potential spoilers.I have not read the manga. I have also never watched a j-drama that's an adaptation of a manga. I actually picked this up after watching a few k-dramas, which I have more experience with.
Story
I was intrigued by the plot, even though it gives away what happens. However, I am evaluating this as a standalone drama and overall, I found the story pacing to be very condensed. While individual episodes seemed long, a lot happens in those 30 minutes. In the beginning we get to know each character well, and why the marriage needs to happen. But in the remaining two-thirds of the show, the couple's relationship is pretty much solidified and focuses more on external issues. It felt like the relationship issues were resolved too quickly. Also, it's easy to see how the pacing is divided, and how conflicts (while they do overlap) increase in order of importance: the marriage, to social circles, then family. I did not like how the ending was handled, because there was too much information at the very end. Unbelievable - withholding such information, only for the drama to finish and leaving the audience unsatisfied. As a viewer, I felt like I held my breath for too long and the ending was not worth the wait. More could be done, pacing could be changed.
Acting
I wanted to keep rooting for the main girl. It was fun to watch in the beginning because she grew and had a lot on her plate. But later on, it was less growing and more adapting. As she got more involved with the husband's side of things, she had less autonomy and therefore became less interesting to observe. As for the main guy, he's so stiff that even when he tries to be affectionate, it seems fake or forced. Despite his humble past, all I could see was a traditional Japanese man who expects his wife to attend to him, their home, and nothing else. You can see it in the sets too: husband is mostly seen at at work/at the office, and wife is also at work and other places, but often seen waiting for the husband at home.
Now my major issue with this drama is this: when exactly did the main characters fall in love? They seemed to understand and empathize with each other's circumstances, but it wasn't until near the end of the drama was I convinced that there was real love in this marriage. The main girl often complained, her dreams of her ideal marriage shattered. They do couple things but it looks forced. I don't know if it's the acting or how the characters are written or it's the culture, I'm just not convinced. I could see them as life partners but not necessarily a loving couple (with the exception of a few scenes but like I said, they felt forced).
Music
The theme song gets stuck in my music the moment I hear it start. Perhaps the remaining music did fit well, but not as memorable because I don't remember anything else.
Overall, this drama felt very story-driven and even then, it could have been done better. Events seemed to happen too fast, and the flow of time was not very clear. Character development was good but the relationship building needed work. If anything, the first half was more enjoyable than the second half. I wish I dropped this when I could but I wanted to see it through to the end and I kind of regret it.
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A Feel-Good Watch
I'm not an experienced K-Drama watcher by any means. But most of what I've seen are rom-coms so I had an idea of what to expect. Personally, I think I found this drama at the right time. Most of my enjoyment comes from how much I relate to the two leading characters (mid-twenties with hopes and dreams but feeling lost, stuck on what to do, etc). But there are other reasons as well.First and foremost, the two main characters SDM and NDS. I like that they're awkward around each other, because I can imagine such interactions in real life. We can't expect everyone to be confident, smooth-talking and flirtatious. I think it's important to show that there are people who are not like that, and are able to make things work in their own way. SDM is more outgoing, and NDS is more introverted, but ultimately they are both very earnest, naïve, and have similar values. They balance and build each other up. Individually though, I think SDM had more spark, and had more potential to grow. She also had more to lose based on her past. As for NDS who had a thriving childhood, he was not as ambitious unless it was something he really cared about, so he didn't grow as much.
Now let me talk about HJP and CWD (who I'll affectionately call Granny, like I did while watching). This was my favourite relationship in the whole show and I wish we saw more of it. So wholesome. I get that one of the main genres is romance, but their relationship is so unique and beautiful that I just couldn't get enough of it. When an act of kindness cannot be repaid, of course you'd be grateful, yet anxious. HJP was on his toes the whole time to help Granny, but there are things that even his incredible resources couldn't solve. He appeared to be a lead but turned out to be more of a secondary character. Despite that, he was a character that made you want to cheer him on until the very end. He definitely stole the show, as many reviewers have said. I personally found him the most likeable.
My critique begins here.
I had mixed feelings on how the story started and how the characters were introduced. The promo poster shows four characters so I expected four leads, but in the show it's more centered around two leads, one secondary character, and the last one is barely there, mostly in her own story. This is the sister, WIJ, who I wish we could have seen more of, as she experienced many issues that were unique to her. Unfortunately, we mostly see her with her sister and not alone.
Another concern are the letters - which drove the start of the show - which are occasionally forgotten until they are brought up to fuel the love triangle (which by the way, was not very convincing). When they aren't mentioned, the characters continue on as if how they were brought together wasn't that important, as they're too focused on the future. It was a confusing back-and-forth. That's where the drama came from.
The character development could have been better, and the stakes could have been higher. Some major conflicts were resolved too quickly despite the suspense. They were missed opportunities for character development. Subplots involving minor characters could have been explored more and organized better. Some things were long forgotten and then came back, and other things happened way too suddenly to make any sense.
Overall, this was a satisfying watch. There was a good amount of comedy. My favourite parts were the bromance. As for the "drama" genre, there is definitely drama in this drama but it doesn't last very long. I'd say it's mostly a rom-com, making it a feel-good watch.
Last but not least: the sound track is wonderful, and is good for easy listening any time. The cinematography is great too: the way they play with colour, transitions, and composition keep your eyes on the screen.
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idealistic yet realistic
I watched this with my mom and she summarized it best: this kdrama is "mild." I couldn't agree more!Story:
After putting her foot down at work, the protagonist took a great leap by moving out of town to start her own clinic - which in reality is not easy to do - but her strong will and determination made it look easy. This beginning part of the story happens quickly and starts to feel far away, as the majority of the drama is set in the seaside village. We watch her follow through with her decision as she learns to adjust in the new small town environment. The main lead's appearance often lead to comical interactions, and he plays a strong role as he gradually helps her adjust to his hometown. With time and effort the protagonist grows to appreciate the village and the villagers that she seeks to be a part of. We also get a good understanding of the villagers and their stories as they come to embrace the protagonist as part of their community. The environment is overall painted with seaside hues of blue and sand, often using pale, pastel colours. It really helps with emphasizing the easygoing pace of the drama.
Part of the idealistic, feel-good aspects of this show was how little drama there was in conflicts. If you like intense drama, you won't find it here. The drama level here would be little to just enough, making it not too far from reality. Almost all conflicts were resolved in a peaceful way. What I found most interesting and enjoyable was the way the romantic relationships were handled. The drama shows us that when both sides are willing to communicate clearly, honestly, and want to resolve the issue, it is possible to stay on good terms. It seems simple but is much easier said than done. That's why I was so impressed: it was so satisfying to watch adults maturely handling their relationships, wanting the best for each other without any ill intentions.
Pacing:
This drama is more relaxed than most as it's not very fast-paced or high stakes. There are still tense moments, but nothing to stress over. The beginning half is more action-oriented, and the second half is more relationship-heavy, and perhaps a bit rushed near the end as most dramas do. Overall, this is a very character-driven drama and a lot of character development happens, which I think is hard to find, so it's nice to see.
Instead of slow-paced, maybe the better term is regular-paced as the show does a great job of demonstrating how all things take time, just like real life. This is not to say that the viewer's patience is tested, but that things will work out with effort and timing. This is done successfully by sharing the villagers' stories throughout the show, which I found very well paced. I was on the edge of my seat for most of their backstories, but many of them are tangled with each other so of course we had to wait! Being the protagonist, her growth was consistent over time since she was the main focus. What was kind of disappointing was the male lead, who remained fun and relationship-driven for the most part, until the majority of his backstory is brought into the later half of the drama. When this happened, it felt like the show became indecisive on who to focus on, or maybe I was the one who had trouble focusing. When I said that the second half is relationship-heavy, I meant that at this point most of the character conflicts were further ahead: nearly resolved, or already on the path to improvement . It was a back and forth of the other characters almost at their peak in the show, and then the male lead lagging behind, still in the middle of his conflicts. Perhaps this was intentional, as the drama did make his past to be something like the town secret, mystery, or the greatest conflict in the drama. It would have been a smoother transition if there were more hints of this at the beginning, but we were mainly focused on the protagonist and the other villagers. This left little room for us prepare for the male lead's backstory, so in the end it felt a bit forced. It didn't seem fair since he was the second most important character in the show, but he did not get the growth over time treatment like everyone else.
Additional Observations:
-How the drama may have successfully kept our attention was with the amount of short scenes it had. I noticed this around the halfway mark of the show, where there would be a good interaction and just when it seemed like there would be more, it would suddenly cut to another character. It's as if the drama didn't believe we had the patience to sit for longer scenes. Maybe that's why it felt like a lot happened.
-Something that almost all the characters did was this: when they were asked a question and they didn't want to answer, they would just change the topic, like "the weather is nice today". This didn't only happen in tense scenes, but in casual conversation as well. It was done too much, and was the only type of character interaction I did not enjoy because of how dismissive and rude it was.
Acting:
The characters and their interactions really carried this drama, especially the villagers once we met them. To see the village setting itself would be to see a deserted set, but to have the actors playing their role and feeling at home in the setting really brought it to life. I don't mean to state the obvious but I really mean this. The way the villagers interacted show how they all have good chemistry, and are an example of what a warm and friendly small town would be like. Not that they are realistic or completely accurate, but that the acting was believable and convinced me that I could meet such people in real life. Their backstories were also great at keeping the environment in focus. For a cast of so many side characters, this show was able to keep my interest in all of them.
The protagonist was impressive. I found her unlikeable at first because of how prickly, and hot and cold she was. But as the story progresses, you come to understand that she is a product of her environment when she grew up in the big city. I found her to be the most relatable character, especially with the way she reacted when adjusting to the village. It was adorable to see her rely on the male lead over time, as if she was slowly coming out of hiding behind him to eventually interact with the villagers and eventually depend on them. Once she was in the right mindset, her perseverance became admirable and I began to root for her. It's not flashy but consistent. I would say that the majority of her growth went to watching her cool down and opening up.
The male lead was a little too good to be true, but was still entertaining to watch: an ideal of a carefree, handy, community-oriented small town guy who is good at almost everything. A likeable, adventurous person that you would want to get to know. He is also a product of his environment, which shaped him to be positive, thoughtful, and ready to lend a hand, nearly the opposite of the protagonist. His interactions with the protagonist at the beginning were funny and cute, where he creatively fought back at her hot and cold attitude. I also enjoyed watching the growth of his and the protagonist's relationship over time, because they had space to go from acquaintances to friends before becoming something more. As previously mentioned, his backstory did not have the greatest pacing. So seeing him get more emotional and reactive in the later half of the show felt very sudden. The actor's performance was great and really drew you in! But it's the story's poor handling of his character that made him appear inconsistent.
Music:
I did not pay much attention to the music, but it definitely fit the mood that the drama was going for (relaxing, by the sea, etc) and did well in putting emphasis on the important scenes.
Rewatch Value:
Definitely putting this higher on the list if I ever need something chill, comforting or low commitment since I don't know too many dramas like this. To watch this again would be like visiting old friends. No drama is perfect, but I definitely enjoyed this one!
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