You can go on an entire journey in the course of watching this drama. I went through a transformation because of this show. Each week I watched I felt more and more connected to every character. From the main three leads down to the guest stars. Everyone had a story that was worth telling and learning from and relating to. From just seeing the trailer earlier this year, I was interested, but by the end of episode one I knew it was different and knew I would love it, though as each week went on I fell more and more in love with the show and everything about it.
It's not been too long since I've gotten into the kdrama world but thus far only a few dramas have made me feel even close to what this show made me feel and frankly, this is now my number one drama as of today. There have been comparisons to other shows but I can assure you there is no other show that breaks the mold of what you think may happen quite like this one. From the acting, to directing, the cinematography, the wardrobe, the score and soundtrack...the execution was nearly perfect. And I don't use the word 'perfect' lightly. I will say if you focus on the characters and their journey, you will not be disappointed.
It's all about their journey from pain into happiness, each one broken and shattered and needing the others and their connection to each other find the solace of knowing what it is to truly be a family in every sense of the word. There are moments of joy, moments of terror, moments of bliss, moments of grief...so many emotions and we are all going through them together. Each moment was worth it because the road it led them on reached a destination that made all the pain worth it.
A good metaphorical phrase to describe it is 'you can't appreciate the sun if you never know what rain is.' To appreciate any kind of happiness you really do have to go through the darkness to reach the light, and when that light comes you will know that the struggle through the dark really did make it worth it, you earned the right to be happy. It was said this was a 'healing drama', and to me it is absolutely that. Not just for the characters, but as a viewer, as well.