The stories of loosely related characters take place on the volcanic island of Jeju, far from the thrills and electric pace of the mainland. Jeju's a place where you can only run so far before reaching the shore to contemplate upon yourself; a place where flashing wealth is not in style; a place where the wealthy still haggle for the best fish prices (or so the setting has us believe). Through music, cinematography, and short stories, the show's ambience encourages us to examine the human heart with a magnifying glass. And that is what Our Blues does so well - invite us to look at the human condition intimately, intensely, and to the point we want to run away and cleanse ourselves of these heavy feelings. It's so intense, that I took several days' breaks from watching the show to seek out lighter fare. It's not all melancholic plot; there are many moments of humor and joy.

The show isn't particularly plot driven, or even character driven; they're important but development is limited due to the omnibus-style narration. What the story does well is invite us to slow down and contemplate the universality of being human. Every human struggles with hardship, relational stress, and craves acceptance. The stories also remind us how much effort goes into living with self, with others. If we work on communication, work through difficult experiences, the potential to find permanent solutions, or at least respite from problems, is achievable. It's when we realize others are hurting and working to get through life that we may back away from hardened feelings, and find opportunities to heal, forgive, and re-connect.

I wouldn't listen to any of the soundtrack in my personal listening, but it was an effective accompaniment to the show. Many tracks evoked the wistful, playful vibe of an island. Perhaps a bit folky. Not a lot of virtuosic guitar solos at the end of the fretboard if you know what I mean. The natural scenery was impactful, soothing, and we see the sea in its many forms, both day and night. The lodgings, market places, and community spaces all looked authentic and humble.

It's difficult to comment succinctly on characters. Overall, a terrific ensemble. Several stories are not believable, but succeed in evoking emotional reflection. One of the scenes that captures the show's overall ambience is when Lee Dong Seok gets angry when his regular customers purchase products from another vendor. In mainland commerce, everyone knows that competition drives life. But here on the island, working together means survival. The haenyeos reinforce this for us as well - "We move together".

Don't feel you have to watch this show in one go. Take a deep dive (watch what you can handle), catch some pearls of wisdom, and return to the surface for air when you need. When you're ready for the next dive, go for it.