A Comprehensive Look at Dear Hyeri 2024
Dive Into the Complex World of 'Dear Hyeri'
Explore every aspect of ‘Dear Hyeri’ in this comprehensive review. Dive into character insights, strengths, and weaknesses. If you haven’t seen the drama yet and are looking for a spoiler-free review, check out the link below.
Spoiler Alert
Please be advised that this review contains significant spoilers about the plot and characters of ‘Dear Hyeri’. If you have not yet watched the drama, we recommend viewing it first to avoid any spoilers.
Series Details
General Information
Air Dates: September 23 – October 29, 2024
Episodes: 12
Where to Watch: Viki
Genre: Romantic Drama
Starring: Shin Hae Sun and Lee Jin Wook
The Story
After suffering two painful traumas, a woman develps Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID). For several years now, she has lived two full lives with no memories of each other. But when she starts to have unusual memory flashes, her lives suddenly begin to collide and the work of healing begins. As she gets to know more about her alternate personality and the people who have loved and supported her, she will be forced to make some difficult decisions about the life she will live from now and who she will share it with.
Meeting the stars: Shin Hae Sun and Lee Jin Wook
Shin Hae Sun as Ju Eun Ho / Ju Hye Ri
Ju Eun Ho’s world was rocked when her sister disappeared from a school field trip and was never seen again. And the trauma is triggered again when she goes through a painful break up with her boyfriend, Jung Hyeon O.
What is even worse is that she has to see Hyeon O at work every day, where they are both television announcers. On the surface they are intense rivals, but in truth neither one has moved on from their relationship. And when Eun Ho begins to remember things from her alternate personality, she will be forced to deal with not only her childhood scars but also her break up with Hyeon O and whether they will reconcile or say goodbye for good.
Following her break up with Hyeon O, Eun Ho develops DID and assumes the personality of her missing sister, Hye Ri. As Hye Ri, Eun Ho is fulfilling her sister’s lifelong dream to live a simple life working as a parking attendant. Hye Ri has a secret crush on Kang Ju Yeon, who works in the building where she is an attendant. And she is thrilled when a chance encounter leads to them dating. When Hye Ri begins to remember her life as Eun Ho, she leaves Eun Ho a note begging her to surrender her own personality to Hye Ri, who has finally found happiness.
While Eun Ho is driven by success, Hye Ri is only interested in finding peace, happiness, and love. And as Eun Ho begins to realize the way she has been living her life as two separate personalities, she will look for ways to re-integrate the best parts of both of them. I thought Shin Hae Sun did a great job in this drama. Her portrayal of each part was distinct and believable.
Lee Jin Wook as Jung Hyeon O
Jung Hyeon O became a television announcer and his career quickly skyrocketed. Now he is a star anchor for PPS. He and Eun Ho had a long but volatile relationship before breaking up several years ago. Due to his own difficult family situation and his responsibility to take care of his aging “grandmothers”, Hyeon O had always told Eun Ho that he never intended to marry, although he never shared his reasons with her. When Eun Ho tries to force his hand, he decides to just break up with her. But despite their break up, Hyeon O always hovers close by, trying to protect and care for Eun Ho however he can.
When Hyeon O finds out everything Eun Ho has been through since he left her, he is consumed by guilt and determined to help her find healing. He is also jealous when he hears that Eun Ho’s alternate personality also has a boyfriend. And he promises to stand by Eun Ho while she deals with her mental health and the tragedies that led her to this place.
Jung Hyeon O grew up with a father who couldn’t control his gambling. So when a tough loan shark offers to let him live with her if he can promise to take care of her and her friends in their approaching old age, he jumps at the chance to finally get away. But his rough start and the burden of his promise make him cold and distant. He doesn’t open up easily, even after years of dating Eun Ho. I really like Lee Jin Wook, but I wish we could have seen more repentance and growth from this character. I feel like he owed that to both Eun Ho and himself.
Supporting characters
Kang Hoon as Kang Ju Yeon
Kang Ju Yeon is a news announcer at PPS’ rival station. Hye Ri has had a crush on him for a while, but they have never actually had any interactions until fate throws them together suddenly. Over time, he falls in love with Hye Ri and wants her to stay with him instead of surrendering herself to Eun Ho.
Jo Hye Joo as Baek Hye Yeon
Baek Hye Yeon works with Ju Yeon as a news announcer. She has feelings for Ju Yeon, but he has always been too busy and distant to actually notice her efforts to grow closer to him. He considers her more of a casual friend and co-worker. She is jealous when she finds out that Ju Yeon has fallen for Hye Ri..
Oh Kyung Hwa as Kim Min Yeong
Kim Min Yeong is Hye Ri’s only real friend. The pair work together as parking lot attendants. Min Yeong is shocked when she finds out that Hye Ri has a whole other life and personality as Eun Ho.
3 things i loved about ‘Dear Hyeri’
1.
Hye Ri:
I really enjoyed the fact that Eun Ho’s alternate personality wasn’t just some random character created in her imagination. She is the sister that Eun Ho loves and misses. And that made the telling of her story so much more interesting. It also made her saying goodbye at the end much more emotional than it would have been otherwise.
2.
Grandma Mi Ja:
Grandma Mi Ja was a fascinating and complex character to me. In a culture where it is assumed that your family will care for you in your later years, she had no one. Her offer to raise Hyeon O was not completely selfless, but it was also born out of a mutual need and potential affection. And more importantly, she grew to love him as if he was her own son.
3.
Kim Sin Jung:
It was fun to see a boss like Kim Sin Jung. Rather than the overbearing bully boss we often see in these kinds of dramas, Sin Jung was fair and caring to both Hyeon O and Eun Ho. He watched them fall in love and then suffer a devastating break-up, but he continued to protect and care for both of them in his own way.
3 things i didn’t love about ‘Dear Hyeri’
1.
Spitting Grandma:
I’m sorry, but I really couldn’t deal with the grandma whose only personality trait was making disgusting spitting noises. And maybe I could have forgiven once or twice, but it felt like every single scene. It just felt so unnecessary.
2.
The Forest:
I love the mysterious forests of Korea, but the episodes where Eun Ho just goes to live there were weird and pointless. And in the end, her time there did nothing to move the story forward or change anything. It felt like wasted screen time to me.
3.
Moon Ji On:
Moon Ji On’s whole character felt unneeded to me. We already had a strange love “square”. Why did we need someone else who was interested in Eun Ho? Even his role as Hyeon O’s brother could have been taken care of withn his sister, Su Jeong’s character, who had a lot more scenes with Hyeon O anyway. I don’t understand why he was included in the drama at all.
The Conclusion of 'Dear Hyeri'
The Ending
‘Dear Hyeri’ ends with a mostly happy ending. Eun Ho continues with her therapy until her counselor says that Hye Ri is no longer showing up. This is both good and heartbreaking news. To lessen the pain of letting go, Eun Ho decides to look for closure by hosting a dinner that brings together all the people who were close to her and Hye Ri to tell her about Hye Ri and help her say goodbye. Hyeon O’s grandmother’s host the farewell dinner, and most of the family accept Eun Ho, with the exception of the jealous siblings. As dinner wraps up, Hyeon O proposes and Eun Ho says yes.
The final scene shows Hyeon O and Eun Ho going hiking in the forest together as they bicker over Eun Ho wanting a kiss. Many fans were disappointed that Eun Ho went back to Hyeon O without him ever really apologizing or seeming to change much. I held out until the end that maybe Hye Ri wasn’t actually dead after all. I mean, if Eun Ho could find her way out of the forest, then couldn’t Hyre Ri? But the mystery of her disappearance is never solved and the scenes in the forest remain mostly pointless.
My Personal Thoughts and Ratings
‘Dear Hyeri’ is a romantic drama with a psychological focus. Shin Hae Sun did a wonderful job with this dual role. The story is engaging and the message of hope and healing is positive and motivational. The view into Disassociative Identiity Disorder gives an insightful perspective about mental health and trauma.
Unfortunately, the pacing can be inconsistent. Certain plot points and characters seem completely out of place and pointless. And while the female lead shone through the story, the male leads suffered from unlikable and undeveloped characters. While there were some weak points in the writing, I enjoyed the overall story and its examination of psychological disorders. I give ‘Dear Hyeri’ a 7 out of 10 ramen.
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜
Want More Reviews?
Did you enjoy this review of ‘Dear Hyeri’? Dive deeper into the world of Korean dramas by exploring more of our content. Click below to return to the homepage and discover a treasure trove of reviews, ratings, and entertainment news.
Still thinking about this drama and want to know what others think? Check out what others are saying about 'Dear Hyeri' on MyDramaList.
Recent Full Reviews with Spoilers
Stay updated with our latest reviews and dive into the captivating world of Korean dramas. Our recent full reviews section helps you explore in-depth analyses of your favorite series. From heartwarming romances to spine-chilling thrillers, we’ve got you covered.
See How Other Drama Stack Up
If this review has made you curious about where your other favorites stand, here is break down of the other reviews by rating. Links to both spoiler-free and full reviews are available on each page. Feel free to explore all the wonderful dramas I have watched.
