Full immersion required, not for light viewing

I've been holding back from reviewing this show, my ultimate favorite drama. I feel like I'm not eloquent enough to convey the essence of the show as I would like to. But alas, I think it's time to give it a try. This show deserves at least this much love from me.

My Mister takes you on the familiar road of the mundane, daily worklife in the city; of struggling to make ends meet; of under achievement in life as you grow older (at least for me lol). It is a melancholic story of two unlikely friends, finding a kindred soul with each other.

Each episode may feel slow and heavy, so definitely not for a casual following or even binge watching. I had to stop myself everytime after watching 1 or 2 episodes, feeling drained from the emotions the story has stirred in me. If the first episode doesn't at least intrigue you on how the story will unfold, then it's better to find other, lighter or brighter shows. This show needs your full attention, or none at all. If you go in half hearted, you only set yourself up for disappointment.

As the story unfolds and we discover our main leads' motivations, we also become familiar with a wealth of supporting characters that you either love or hate, for what they each represent to the lives of our main leads. Many support cast get a bit of focus too, adding layers to the story as a whole. I could only peel some of these layers upon rewatching, appreciating alot of nuance I've missed the first time around.

One example (minor SPOILER) would be the twisted dynamic between the loanshark son and our female lead. Lee Ji An's friend asked why she let the son beat her like that, when she would normally not let anyone mess with her. The show won't tell you the answer, but it's one you would naturally arrive to after putting all the clues together. You'll have to watch the show to find out the answer lol. I love that the showrunners trust the viewers to get it, even though I missed it the first time because I'm dull.

Besides the wonderful cast and a richly layered story, the OST is on point in capturing the scenes' mood and emotions. This is such a poignant drama for me that I always tear up when I see people talk about it or even just hearing the theme song. I hope I was able to convey my love for this show despite being so vague in what I wrote. I wanted to set the right expectation before you dive in into this immersive but demanding experience. Cheers!

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