A Joseon woman has her husband die on their wedding night.  While she is still in mourning, she is kidnapped and thrown into a well.  But instead of dying, the woman wakes up in a rooftop swimming pool in modern times.  And the man who saves her from drowning looks exactly like the husband she lost.  The couple end up in a contract marriage to satisfy his grandfather’s pressure to continue the family line.  And as she spends time with him, she learns that this present day version of her husband is not the same man that she married in the past.  But he is someone she could grow to love.  Now she will need to make a choice whether to try to get back to her original life or stay in present day Seoul and build a new life .

Bae In Hyuk as Kang Tae Ha

Kang Tae Ha is heir to SH Group.  His parents both died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by a jealous and overbearing stepmother and a doting grandfather.  He suffers from a heart condition, which he has hid from his family.  One day he meets a strange woman on the roof of his company’s hotel.  At first he wants nothing to do with her, but later he approaches her about a contract marriage that would keep his grandfather from pushing him into marriage with some well connected stranger.  As he gets to know the woman, he begins to believe that, no matter how impossible it seems, her story of traveling from the past seems to be true.  And as his injured heart begins to accept her as his wife and one true love, he tries to persuade her to stay with him instead of going back to Joseon Korea.  

Kang Tae Ha lived a lonely life after losing both of his parents.  His grandfather has been supportive of him, but he is also a driven business man who puts the success of his company above all else, including family.  And as Tae Ha uncovers more about his grandfather’s involvement in the death of his mother, he begins to realize that he is not the warm-hearted man he had always thought.  Bae In Hyuk portrayed this character well, although he is creating a niche for himself in playing cold, more reserved characters, without much emotional depth.  I hope that as he grows as an actor, he will be able to take on more complex roles.  

Yoo Sun Ho as Kang Tae Min

Kang Tae Min is Tae Ha’s half brother.  He is a free spirit who doesn’t really care about the family wealth or business.  Although his mother has spent his whole life grooming him to be the next Chairman of SH Group.  Tae Min develops a crush on Yun Woo, but he is quick to realize that her heart already belongs to Tae Ha.  

 ♥ Modern Day Yun Woo

While it is a bit unrealistic to think that Yun Woo adjusts so quickly to modern life, I loved how we see her as free-thinking and ahead of her time, even before she time travels.   And it is great to see her embrace the freedom she gains and really spread her wings and make her own opportunities.  I also love the way they included her clothes designing skills and used it as a way to show off some beautiful designs that incorporate traditional Korean clothing with modern day fashion.  

♥ Sa Wol and Seong Pyo

Most fans seem to agree that Sa Wol and Seong Pyo are both great side characters in their own right.  And they are even cuter as a couple.  This quirky duo provide some nice comic relief without being too heavy-handed.  And they were an easy couple to root for.  Although they didn’t get a ton of screen time, I felt like we saw a nice development of their relationship. 

Joseon Tae Ha Ending

I did like the way they gave past and present Tae Ha their own story and character.  But I really felt bad for the ending they gave our Joseon friend.  First he loses the woman he has loved since he was a kid to someone he can’t even see. When she first returns, Yun Woo avoids him all together, which must have been confusing and heartbreaking for him.  And then she just lives with him long enough to wait for him to die before returning to the man she actually loves.  I mean, what was the use of saving him on their wedding night if he was just going to die anyway?

Past and Time Travel Story

My biggest issue with this drama was all the inconsistencies in the time travel parts of the story.  First of all, if Cheon Myeong saved Yun Woo by helping her travel in time, then how did Sa Wol also end up there?  And how did just deciding to go back suddenly make it happen.  Aren’t Yun Woo and Sa Wol somehow connected through time?  Also, how are the past and present actually connected?  How does the grandfather fit into the story and what does the painting have to do with it?  And what happens when Yun Woo leaves for good this time?  Does she go back to being dead or does her family forget she ever existed?  This is just the tip of the iceburg, but let’s suffice it to say that I have a lot of questions.

I’m not really sure you can classify this ending as a happy one, but our couple does end up together, so that is good.  But first, our cast of villains each receive their own unique punishment.  Myung Soo goes to prison for trying to kill Tae Ha and Sang Mo.  Hye Suk has to step away from the business entirely, and live a quiet life.  And Sang Mo loses his memory, due to Myung Soo’s hit to the head, and lives out his life in a blissful delusion.  I’m not sure justice was entirely served, but I appreciate the variation.  Now back to our leads.  To save Tae Ha’s life, Yun Woo decides to go back to her time.  She gets some closure with her family, saves Tae Ha on their wedding night, and then stays with him until his heart finally gives out.  Although Joseon Tae Ha’s original death didn’t save present Tae Ha, this second death somehow makes it so Yun Woo can finally go back to modern day Seoul and present day Tae Ha, who has been waiting for her, spending countless time at the rooftop pool.  And right on cue, during one of his visits, the crepe myrtle tree blooms again and there is Yun Woo. She tells him that his prayers are the thing that brought her back.  The couple kiss and I’m sure they will live happily ever after.  

An unemployed man is overcome by his unhappy life circumstances and decides to take his own life.  But instead of dying, he finds himself face to face with a spirit called death.  Angry that he would look for death before his appointed time, she punishes him by sending him into the bodies of 12 different people who are all about to die. If he can find a way to keep them alive, he can live on in their body but if he fails to keep any of them alive, he will be sent to Hell.  And as he experiences life through the eyes of the bodies he inhabits, he begins to understand that life itself is a privilege that should not be squandered.  But saving their lives proves harder than he expected.  

Park So Dam as Death

Death lives in dark chamber in Hell, where she has control over the end of human lives.  She is outraged at the audacity which allows a mere human to think they can choose when to meet her.  So, when Choi Yi Jae ends his own life, she decides to punish him for his arrogance.  So she plans a punishment that forces Yi Jae to experience death 12 more times, by taking over the bodies of people set to die soon.  And if, by some miracle, Yi Jae can find a way to stop any of them from their inevitable death, he will be rewarded by having the opportunity to continue living their life until God calls them.  

Death is cold and unconcerned with the human condition.  But her inital disdain for Yi Jae does seem to evolve into a kind of reluctant interest.  It is obvious that she doesn’t have much affection for human kind in general, and yet she does seem to give Yi Jae a few crucial clues to his predicament.  Park So Dam plays this kind of steel edged character well.  And even though there is very little character development to the role of Death, she portrayed the character with a flair that made her interesting.

Kim Mi Kyung as Yi Jae’s Mother

Yi Jae’s mom has raised Yi Jae on her own her whole life.  Taking difficult jobs and working long hours, she has devoted her life to make a better future for her son.  But Yi Jae has no idea how his death would make her feel until it’s too late.  So he is saddened and shocked when his final life turns out to be that of his mother.  And he will do everything he can to cherish the body that gave everything for him.  

 ♥ Cast

I can’t say enough good things about this extensive cast.  I don’t think there was a weak link to be found.  I especially loved Kim Ji Hoon as the evil villain.  Kim Ji Hoon has already shown us that he can play this role in spades, but he was chilling as Tae Wook.  I loved how each character’s story gets told in increasing detail.  A lesser cast might have left me missing Seo In Geuk’s charming face, but instead they each carried their own stories with a clarity that made them important in their own right.   

♥ Tight Story

There is so much to say about the storytelling of this drama.  First the 8 episode format kept things fast paced and intriguing.  The writers did an amazing job of pulling all the story thread together carefully so that every character had meaning in the overall plot.  While the ending itself may have been a bit predictable, there were plenty of little surprises along the way to keep us satisfied.  

Death’s Character

As much as I loved Park So Dam as Death, and I think she played the role well, I didn’t always understand the character.  It was unclear how much power she actually had as Death.  Even though she seemed to really hate Yi Jae in the beginning, there were points where she almost seemed to be giving him clues as to how to beat his punishment.  And she seemed glad when he did.  Also, her getting involved in the death of Tae Woo seemed out of character for her.  I just didn’t always feel like her personality, roles, or motivations were very clear.

Ending Questions

The end of this drama left me with a whole lot of questions.  If I understand this right, Yi Jae has gone back to before his death.  So does that mean that all the good he did in the lives of the others is now pointless?  There is still a pyschopath and a serial killer running around then?  And if everything else changes, will Ji Soo and his mother still die?  I could almost imagine a season 2 where Yi Jae goes out to try to save them all again as himself.  Left the way it is, it just seems a little sad.  

“Death’s Game” has a rather predictable outcome that gives it something of a happy ending for Yi Jae.  Yi Jae’s final life is in his mother’s body.  And he makes this one count.  In the end, he spends 32 years in his mother’s body, before she finally dies peacefully.  Back in front of Death, Yi Jae begs for a second chance to live his own life.  Death agrees to one last game.  She loads a single bullet into the gun, spins the cylinder, and lets him pull the trigger himself this time.  The final scene shows Yi Jae, back on the roof.  But this time as his mother calls him, he stops to pick up the phone.  Yi Jae has learned that he is irreplaceable in the lives of those who love him.  And although his circumstances haven’t really changed, it seems like he has gained the strength to go on trying.

A young high schooler dreams of becoming a singer just like her idol, Yoon Ran Joo.  When she befriends a lonely classmate, the pair make a plan to escape their abusive fathers and strike out on their own in the big city.  But while running away, the girl falls from the ferry and spends the next 15 years on a deserted island.  When she is finally rescued, she will go back to a world that has changed incredibly over the past 15 years, not just in terms of technology and society, but also in the popularity of the once unstoppable Yoon Ran Joo.  But together with her favorite singer and the brothers responsible for her rescue, she will work to rekindle her own dream of becoming a famous singer.  

Chae Jong Hyeop as Kang Bo Geol

Kang Bo Geol also grew up with an abusive father.  And when he met Mok Ha as a student he immediately felt a connection with her.  He plans to help her go to Seoul and meet Ran Joo, but when Mok Ha’s father shows up, Bo Geol sacrifices his own escape to try to save her.  Eventually he does leave their hometown and meet his mother and brother, who have been waiting for him.  They begin a new life with new identities.  But Bo Geol never stops looking for Mok Ha.  So he is thrilled when they find her and bring her back to Seoul.  At first he hides his true identity because he doesn’t want to endanger the rest of his family.  Eventually Mok Ha finds out the truth and their love is rekindled.  But when his father shows up back in their lives, threatening to expose their new identities as fraud, he will try to find a way to protect them all from this dangerous man.  

Kang Bo Geol is fiercely loyal to his family, which is what allowed him to lie to his brother about their past.  It is also is why he didn’t tell Mok Ha who he really was when they first found her.  But once the truth is revealed, he is determined to help Mok Ha realize her dream and protect his family from his dangerously abusive birth dad.  I didn’t find Bo Geol to be a particularly complex character, but Chae Jong Hyeop did a nice job of creating a likable hero whose self-sacrifice is commendable.  He handled the role easily, and I hope to see him tackle more difficult characters in the future.  

Kim Hyo Jin as Yoon Ran Joo

Yoon Ran Joo is the idol that Mok Ha is obsessed with.  But when Mok Ha comes back after 15 years, she finds Ran Joo to be mostly forgotten by her fans and suffering from vocal nodes that jeopardize her whole future as a singer.  With Mok Ha’s help and encouragement, Ran Joo finds a way to recharge her career and make a plan for her life moving forward.  

 ♥ Family Energy

The family that Bo Geol’s mom created for herself after finally breaking free from her abusive husband is precious and delightful.  Kang Sang Du deserves a husband/father of the year award for all the things he did to love and protect this precious family. I loved the scenes of the family together and the joy they found in their new beginning.  Without Sang Du, they never would have been able to find happiness, and his humble love of them is beautiful and pure.  

♥ Park Eun Bin’s Singing

It seems that Park Eun Bin is planning to use this drama as a jumping off point for a music career.  And she is definitely deserving of it.  It was really fun to see this musical side of her and her clear, bright voice was nice to listen to and somehow uplifting.  I never realized she was so talented and I look forward to hearing what she records in the future.  

Who Is Ki Ho?

The mystery of which of the brothers is actually Ki Ho carries the earlier episodes.  And the set up for the story is interesting.  But, they spent so much time trying to keep us confused, that we end up with our loyalties divided.  And Bo Geol looks more like the detached, uninterested family member instead of the young man who has spent years searching for his lost first love.  I wish they had revealed the true identities of the brothers sooner, and saved some time for a revived love story between Bo Geol and Mok Ha.  

Castaway Theme

For a drama that is supposed to be about a young woman who spent 15 years as a castaway, I feel like that part of the story gets tossed out way too quickly.  I would have loved to see more examples of Mok Ha adjusting to modern society and current technologies.  There are so many missed opportunities for social commentary and highlighting the charming innocence of Mok Ha’s character.  

“Castaway Diva” gives us the happy ending we hoped for.  Bo Geol and his family are finally cleared of all criminal charges.  But this drives Bong Wan to one last desperate act.  He stabs Sang Du before killing himself.  Luckily Sang Du survives the attack and celebrates a warm homecoming.  Ran Joo turns her attention to writing songs and mentoring Mok Ha as her career takes off.  In a full circle moment, we see Ran Joo blowing up balloons and handing them out to fans just like Mok Ha had done for her that first concert.  The ending shows Mok Ha with a wall of awards behind her.  Bo Geol and his family have all gotten their lives, names, and original jobs back.  And Bo Geol and Mok Ha are happily in love.  

Set in 1990’s Gangham, a small town detective is recruited to go undercover to expose an organized drug ring.  He enters into a dark and dangerous new environment of night clubs and violence.  But his effort to gain the trust of the powerful boss seem to be succeeding.  So, he is shocked when his wife, who is also a detective, joins the operation.  And her surprising connection to the boss’ past complicates their mission and their marriage.  Now he will have to tread very carefully if he is going to bring down the criminals while protecting both his wife and his own safety.

Wi Ha Joon as Jung Ki Chul

Jung Ki Chul used to go to school and church with Eui Jung.  The pair shared a young, first love before Ki Chul’s family had to move away suddenly.  From that time, Ki Chul started working as a DJ and later rose to power, recruiting a gang of faithful companions to help him maintain control of the area.  Recently Ki Chul has entered into a drug ring, working with Japanese and Chinese gangs to introduce an intoxicating new drug into the clubs of Korea.  When Ki Chul meets Eui Jung again by chance and she tells him she is divorced, he begins to dream about an average life, away from the crime and nightclub scene.  Little does he know that his new right-hand man, Seung Ho, is Eui Jung’s current husband and that the two of them are both involved in a sting operation to expose his gang activities and send him to jail.  

Jung Ki Chul has done what he needed to  survive, but he always hoped to put it all behind him some day and settle down.  And when he meets Eui Jung again, he is ready to give up everything he has worked to build to spend the rest of his life with her.  And as his friendship with Seung Ho begins to develop, Ki Chul is also sure that he has found the perfect person to hand his business over to.  Unfortunately for him, neither of those things will ever happen.  Wi Ha Joon has embraced the ability to play villains, or at least, characters who walk the line between good and evil.  He is at once so charming and so cold.  I love it!  And this is another role that he brought to life in a realistic way that made you both pity and respect him.  

BIBI as Lee Hae Ryeon

Lee Hae Ryeon is the daughter of the Chinese crime boss working with Ki Chul.  She comes to Korea to protect their assets and make some kind of deal with Ki Chul and the Japanese boss.  But when Hae Ryeon meets Seung Ho she immediately falls for him.  While Hae Ryeon is very open about her desire to be in a relationship with him, Seung Ho tries to keep her interested without betraying his wife.  But that becomes harder with time, and soon Seung Ho finds himself trying to protect Hae Ryeon rather than arrest her.  

 ♥ Lead Chemistry

The complex relationship with Seungo Ho and Ki Chul was one of the highlights of this drama for me.  There are moments when the pair are bonding, and we definitely get those friendship bromance vibes.  But these scenes are counter-balanced with points where they realize, each for their own reasons, they can’t fully trust each other.  Its the intricate dance between these feelings that gives this drama a unique feel that I appreciated.  

♥ Joon Mo’s Transformation

I read plenty of criticism for Ji Chang Wook taking this role.  But I have to say that I thought Joon Mo’s journey into the darkness of evil was so well played. It’s true that this is no happy-go-lucky rom-com, but it was a great opportunity for the actor to portray a complex, emotional character  The moment when he sees Eui Jung watching him fight, and for the first time he sees himself and who he has become through her eyes, was poignant and heartbreaking.  There is no black and white for him in this situation, and that truth will likely follow him for the rest of his life.  

Marriage Story

The “love” story of this drama is easily the weakest part for me.  The sporadic flashbacks never do enough to paint a picture of Joon Mo and Eui Jung’s marriage.  I feel like if the drama has taken the time to show them as a loving couple in the beginning of the series, it would have made their separation at the end much more impactful.  As it is, we see Joon Mo take off on assignment without even telling his wife he was leaving.  That makes me feel like their relationship may have just been broken to start with.  Even the few times we see them have a quick moment alone or talking on the phone, there is no chemistry or emotion there.  

Investigation

The story of this investigation just doesn’t seem realistic to me.  First of all, they recruit a no name police officer with no undercover experience from some small station to try to take down a big name gang leader.  That in itself doesn’t make much sense.  But then, they send in his wife for back-up?  Really?  Not to mention, not only is she Joon Mo’s wife but she has a personal history with their main target.  This seems like a conflict of interest waiting to happen.  And the idea that this single-handed sting gets backing from Japan and China to take down the entire drug ring with hardly any advanced preparation seemed like a real stretch to me.  

Well, good luck finding the silver lining in this one.  Seriously, no one gets a happy ending here.  Detective Seok and Detective Hwang are both dead at the hands of those they sought to protect.  The police from Korea, Japan, and China all sweep in to arrest and capture their respective gangs.  The only exception is Hae Ryeon who is warned by Seung Ho to lay low in Hong Kong until things die down.    Joon Mo and Eui Jung ackwardly return to their apartment to find Ki Chul standing in front of their wedding picture. Ki Chul raises his gun to his own head, vowing to haunt their memories for the rest of their lives.  But before he can pull the trigger, Joon Mo pulls out his gun and kills him.  Later, we see Joon Mo and Eui Jung sitting apart in an empty auditorium as they receive awards for their work.  It’s obvious that Joon Mo finally got his promotion, but it came at the cost of his marriage and his integrity. The final scene shows Joon Mo at Ki Chul’s gravesite.  A bouquet of flowers tied with Eui Jung’s necklace shows she has been there.  Joon Mo lights a cigarette for his old friend and as he turns to leave, he takes off his wedding ring and sets it down.  

A talented painter has lived her whole life being neglected and taken advantage of.  From an adopted family who has always treated her as an outside to a husband who only married her because he was in love with her sister, everyone she has ever cared about has treated her cruelly.  But when she is suddenly killed in a car accident, she wakes up 1 year in the past.  Now she has a second chance to make different decisions and find true happiness.  And that happiness starts with a man she barely knew before going back in time.  Unfortunately, according to the timer on her wrist, she only has 1 year to live out this happier life.  But she is determined to make the best of it. 

Jung Yoo Min as Han Yi Joo

Han Yi Joo had her whole life blow up around her on the day she found out that her husband had never loved her and her family had been using her to create and sell forgeries of famous art pieces.  Distraught and heartbroken about the true intention of those she cared about, she runs from the gallery event she is attending.  But her reckless driving leads to a serious car accident.  And her luck goes from bad to worst when she survives the accident, only to be killed by someone hired by her adopted mother.  Strangely, when she wakes up, she finds herself 1 year in the past, before her disastrous marriage and with the knowledge of all the things her mother and sister have done to take advantage of her.  And when Yi Joo gets the chance to marry the man her sister is chasing, she sees an opportunity for revenge and a partner who just might be willing to help her.  But the marriage that started out as a business proposal soon turns into something much more real.  Yi Joo can’t help but believe that her marriage this time around will have a happy ending, but a glowing time stamp on her wrist seems to be counting down to her eminent death.  

In the beginning of this drama, Yi Joo is a naive and eager to please daughter, wife, and sister.  But after finding out the truth about the people in her life, she comes back stronger and determined to live life on her own terms.  Sure, at times, she still has a long way to go, but it is fulfilling to see her character blossom and develop.  Jung Yoo Min played this wide-eyed innocent well and her portrayal was believable.   You couldn’t help but feel sorry for her horrible luck in life and root for her to finally find true love and happiness.

Kang Shin Hyo as Seo Jung Wook

Seo Jung Wook is Do Guk’s half brother.  When they were younger, Jung Wook was involved in a boating accident with left him with a permanent limp that requires him to use a cane.  He hates Do Guk because he claims that Do Guk caused his accident on purpose.  But his emotional struggles are actually rooted in the fact that he was abandoned as a young boy.  Jung Wook teams up with Yoo Ra to try to make trouble for Do Guk and Yi Joo, and later he is arrested for illegal business practices.  He escapes from prison and kidnaps Yi Joo, which is how she ends up back at the accident site at the appropriate time.  

 ♥ Pacing

This drama is 12 nicely paced episodes that keep the story moving along smoothly.  There are no wasted episodes or drawn out side plots.  I wouldn’t have minded some development of some of the side characters, but I also appreciate the single-minded development of the plot and the lead characters.  They did a nice job of keeping the revenge story fairly simple while also giving the audience enough twists and turns to hold our intrest.  

♥ Do Guk’s Family

This is a chaebol family with real heart.  First off, how can you not love Do Guk’s mom and grandmother.  They comes off all stiff and stuck-up, but they quickly fall for Yi Joo’s innocent charm.  I love how outraged Do Guk’s mom gets on Yi Joo’s account when she learns what she went through growing up.  And even though Jung Wook is mean and ill-tempered, their father tries his best to not take it out on Do Guk.  It’s true he could have done better by just listening to Do Guk’s side of the story, but at least he was never unfairly cruel to either of his sons.  And because of this, their reconciliation after the truth comes to light is not so difficult.  

Yoo Se Hyeok

Yoo Se Hyeok’s storyline felt a bit incosistent for me.  First of all, the obvious.  Like on what planet do you think you can win back the fiance who has just found out you were in love with her sister instead of her the whole time.  But if you were going to make him such a pitiful excuse for a human being and punish him in the end by saddling him with a miserable, pregnant Yoo Ra, then maybe there should have been a bit more of his story in between.  And how exactly did he manage to be dumped by a fiance, start and end a romance with Yoo Ra (at least from his opinion), and get another fiance all within a year?  That is a pretty eventful year for anyone!

More Lead Love Story

The leads of this drama has some great chemistry, which left me wishing we could have seen a bit more of them together on screen.  I love that Do Guk has seen Yi Joo at her worst and weakest, but he loves her anyway and works to help her get the revenge she deserves.  But I would have loved to see more of Do Guk falling in love with her from afar in the beginning.  And as their marriage transformed from a fake business arrangement to a real loving relationship, I wish we had gotten to watch them interact more.  Obvioiusly it is to their credit that they left me wanting to see more of them, but still it’s sad we didn’t get it.  

Well, this wild ride finally gave us the happy ending we were hoping for.  And some pretty satisfying retribution for our villains.  Yi Joo’s adopted mom goes to prison for her crimes and even Yoo Ra turns her back on her, now that she is of no use to her.  With Jung Wook in prison, a pregnant Yoo Ra finally gets kicked out of the hotel room she’s been living in.  She tries to push her way into Jung Wook’s family home, but they send her packing. With no other option, she crashes the engagement celebration of Se Hyeok and a new mystery fiance to announce that she is pregnant with Se Hyeok’s baby and intends to move in immediately.  And she isn’t the only one expecting, as Yi Joo happily tells Do Guk that they are also expecting a baby.  Jung Wook escapes from prison where we find out he never actually needed a cane at all, kidnaps Yi Joo and ends up stabbing Do Guk.  Obviously this is the last straw for his family, who disown him.  A couple months pass and Do Guk has been in a coma but he finally wakes up to see Yi Joo’s worried face.  The ending shows Yi Joo and Do Guk living as a happy couple with an adorable daughter who they both adore.  Yi Joo is still painting and she has finally found the love and happiness that she always dreamed of with Do Guk at her side.

In the 1600’s, Korea struggles under the heavy hand of the Qing Dynasty.  During this uncertain time, a sassy noblewoman meets a mysterious strangers who shows up in town on business.  And as much as she dislikes his greedy outlook on life and his worldly perspectives, she is strangely drawn to him.  As she gets to know him, she finds that under his selfish facade lies a kind and generous heart. But just as their feelings for each other begin to deepen, both of their lives are changed dramatically by the political turmoil of the country.  Despite many obstacles, the pair will try to find their way back to each other, but their love may not be enough to overcome the darkness faced by the country as a whole.

Ahn Eun Jin as Yoo Gil Chae

Yoo Gil Chae is a noblewoman with an adventurous spirit.  Her first love chose to date her best friend, but she still hopes to steal him away.  When a mysterious trader shows up in town, she feels her heart begin to waver.  So she is brokenhearted when the stranger decides to become an interpreter for the Crown Prince and even more brokenhearted when she mistakenly learns that he was killed.  Much later she marries and is abducted along with her trusted servant and sent to the Qing Dynasty to work as a servant.  There she suffers from both physical and sexual abuse before Jang Hyun finds her and rescues her.  But if she and Jang Hyun hope to have a future together, there are many more obstacles they will have to overcome.  

Yoo Gil Chae is independent and spirited.  In the beginning, she seems very immature although we see her character grow and mature as the drama goes on.  The strength that she finds as she fights to protect herself and those she cares about is admirable.  I have enjoyed Ahn Eun Jin in several past roles, and while I did like her in this role, I did find that her 1000 watt smile seemed a bit dim in this drama.  So I was relieved to hear that this was partly due to a case of facial paralysis that she suffered when she started filming.  Having said that, her acting itself was well done and I liked her in this role.  

Lee Da In as Kyung Eun Ae

Kyung Eun Ae and Gil Chae grew up together and their fathers were close friends and fellow scholars.  She is fragile and gentle.  She loves Yeon Jun because he seems like the kind of man who will take care of her.  But when enemy soldiers raid their town, Eun Ae is forced to flee with Gil Chae and some of the other town women.  And as she fights for survival, she will learn that she is much stronger than she ever imagined.

 ♥ Strong Women

I loved the fact that while their men were off fighting battles, this group of women learned to protect themselves.  These are no fainting flowers.  While they may have known nothing about how to survive on their own in the beginning, they soon learned to rely on themselves and each other.  Yes, they may have recieved some help along the way, but that doesn’t detract from their courage and resilience in the face of life-altering tragedy.  

♥ Historical Context

This isn’t the first kdrama that has used the Qing Invasion as its backdrop, but this topic is certainly not as common as many other periods in history.  And for that, I appreciate the effort to show some of the true events that occurred within that slice of time.  While it is true that placing drama characters into a historical event can come off a bit like “Forest Gump”, it is nice to see these real life historical moments presented in an interesting and informative way.  

Ryang Eum

Ryang Eum was a great character in this drama who never seemed to get the peace or closure he deserved.  After watching this sensitive soul pine for his mentor and closest friend through the whole drama, it would have been nice to see him get some kind of ending to his own personal story.  Our final look at him shows us he has at least been released from prison.  He and Gil Chae share a special moment remembering the loved one they think they have lost.  Hopefully he hasn’t seen the end of Jang Hyun, since Jang Hyun is never one to break a promise, but I would have liked to see Ryang Eum get some kind of happy ending.    

Gil Chae’s Story

The second half of this drama didn’t give us much character development for Gil Chae.  Toward the end, she seemed to only show up when it was time for yet another tearful goodbye with Jang Hyun.  After maturing to such a strong force to be reckoned with in the first half, I would have liked to have seen more of her personal story unfold in between her endless waiting for Jung Hyun to come back.  Even her marriage story with Won Moo seemed rushed and underdeveloped.  And he was gone almost as quickly as he showed up.  In my opinion, Gil Chae and her amazing female counterparts deserved more screentime in the second half.

“My Dearest” does eventually end with a happy ending for our leads.   Gu Jam and Jong Yi get married and seem to be living happily ever after.  Yeon Jun decides that his love for Eun Ae is more important than the Confucian morals he has let dictate his life and conscience.  Consumed by guilt for all of his wrong-doings over the years, Jang Cheol kills himself.  And we see Ryang Eum out of prison, despite the King’s vow that he never see the light of day.  Ryang Eum and Gil Chae share a drink and bond over their love for Jang Hyun, who they both believe is really dead this time, after being surrounded by the King’s army on the beach. Luckily, Jang Hyun isn’t dead, but he does have amnesia once again (Oh, please, drama gods, NO!!).  His only memory is a woman he loves sharing their dream about living in the countryside with him.  Gil Chae finds Jang Hyun waiting for her on the piece of property she had described and immediately becomes aware of his memory loss.  The drama ends with Gil Chae’s dream sequence finally coming true, as she finds Jang Hyun alone on the beach. And as he turns to her, she can tell he finally remembers her.  I guess we should have known from the beginning, from Gil Chae’s dream, that this would be a long, drawn out journey, but I’m glad they finally got their happy ending.  

This continuation of the Arthdal Chronicles takes place 8 years after the last installment.  The King’s position in Arthdal has started to weaken, throwing the kingdom into political and cultural upheaval.  And as prophecies come to fruition, the legend of the 3 coming heroes gains momentum.  While Tanya leads her followers from within the city walls, Eun Seom brings the tribes from the plains together to fight for power. And this fight will bring him face to face with his brother, Sa Ya, who is currently leading the King’s army.  Now the trio will need to determine where their loyalties lie and if they can bring peace and unity to their war torn land.  

Shin Sae Kyeong as Tan Ya

Tan Ya grew up with Eun Seom and has always loved him, although it took him awhile to understand and return her feelings. She was raised as the future Great Mother of her Tribe. When they are taken to Arthdal as slaves and her mother dies, Tan Ya is the only hope for their future.  Ta Gon appoints Tan Ya as the Priestess so he can use her to win over those who oppose his leadership.  Tan Ya represents the bell in the prophecy.  She is the spiritual leader of the people. Hidden safely away in her cavern behind the city walls, she waits patiently for Eun Seom’s return as she lays the groundwork for the coming battle to win the hearts and minds of the people of Arthdal.  

 Tan Ya feels a great sense of responsibility to those she loves.  She doesn’t understand the greed and selfishness that is commonplace among the people in Arth.  She has no desire for earthly materials, but she agrees to help Ta Gon as a way to gain power while she waits for Eun Seom to come back to her.  Unlike the strong, bold Tan Ya of the first season, Shin Seo Kyeong gives us a more elegant and soft-spoken priestess.  Her ethereal beauty fits the character well, but I missed the gutsy and determined heroine of the first season.  

Kim Ok Bin as Tae Al Ha

Tae Al Ha is the daughter of Mi Hol, who is the chief of the Hae Tribe.  Her father sent her to spy on Ta Gon and his father, but she fell in love with Ta Gon and betrayed Mi Hol.  She is greedy and power hungry,  Since marrying Ta Gon at the end of season one, she has ruled by his side as Queen.  She wants to make sure that her and Ta Gon’s son Arok is named to be Ta Gon’s heir in case anything should happen to Ta Gon that would jeopardize her own power.  But Ta Gon has continued to groom Sa Ya as a possible heir, which infuriates Tae Al Ha.  And she will stop at nothing to make sure she rules Arth for as long as she lives.

 ♥ Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha

The vivid and complex characters of Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha were always a highlight of this drama.  But with so many casting changes to this season, they were truly the glue that held this installment together.  Their constant distrust and games are tempered by the fact that when it comes down to it, they still love each other.  Their emotions are honest, and actually a bit heartbreaking when all is said and done.  Do I like their characters?  No.  Not a chance.  But I applaud their strong portrayal of these roles and the humanity they bring to obvious villains.

♥ Momo Tribe

I said it last season, and I’ll say it again.  I just love the Momo clan.  While I would have liked to see more of them, and especially Karika, who only got a few seconds worth of screen time this season, I love that whenever Eun Seom has been in trouble, the Momos have shown up to rescue him.  And I love that the writers have wrapped their power over water into each of the stories.

Change in Characters

This drama is already confusing enough with the complexity of building a whole new world with its own history, mythology, and languages. But with the long intervals between the various installments and the large number of characters who had to be recast, fans have an even harder time keeping some of the finer details straight.  And this is especially true when, with the new casting came a character that seems very different from the original.  While it is true that 10 years have passed, the leads all have very different personalities from their previous season.  And this is also true for characters like Ipsaeng, who was once silly and carefree, but is now an overly serious military adviser.  

Nun Byeol

I really felt like they teased Nun Byeol to be a major part of this season and her story as the last remaining female Neanthal.  But the story of her and her people really only appeared on the peripheral of all the developments for the people of Arth.  And her fated love story was relegated to a couple sudden confessions of interest from her counterpart.  After hating her own people for years, her sudden decision to go with them lacks any context.  It just seems like a missed opportunity to tell the story of the Neanthal people and their future.  

“Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun” manages to tie up most of the lose ends well, while still leaving a few juicy strands in the event of another season.  Sa Ya helps Eun Seom and Tan Ya finally defeat Ta Gon, before he disappears from the capital.  Tae Al Ha arrives in time to have a tearful goodbye with Ta Gon before she kills him.  Tan Ya learns that Ta Gon has poisoned the whole water supply of the capital through a small well.  Sacrificing her own safety, she dives in and stops the water from spreading.  Now in critical condition from the poison, she goes back to the central square of the city to declare Eun Seom the true and rightful king of Arth.  After which she collapses on the stairs.  Tae Al Ha gives Eun Seom the antidote for the poison but says only the gods can decide if she actually survives.  After a jump in time, we see Eun Seom ruling the city and waiting for Tan Ya to wake up, which she finally does as they share a happy reunion.  But in other locations, we see Sa Ya living among his mother’s people, the Neanthals, as he dreams of returning to Arth.  And he isn’t the only one.  As we see a grown Arok living with Tae Al Ha, as she also plans her revenge on Eun Seom and the people of Arth.  

Seol In Ah as Choi Se Kyeong/ On Eun Yu

Choi Se Kyeong is the girl Yi Chan has a crush on.  It is her challenge that makes Yi Chan start the band in the first place.  But when she secretly leaves to study in the US, Yi Chan’s heart is broken.  So he is especially thrilled when she shows up again in time for the competition.  But we soon learn that this new, recently arrived Se Kyeong is actually Se Kyeong’s daughter, On Eun Yu who also travelled from 2023, like Eun Gyeol.  But Eun Yu and Eun Gyeol end up at odds when Eun Yu decides to make Yi Chan fall in love with her, thinking he is her mother’s long lost first love.  And although she is sure her mother loved Yi Chan, she finds herself much more drawn to Eun Gyeol, without knowing she and Eun Gyeol are both from the present.  Eventually, Eun Yu realizes she is wrong about her mom and Yi Chan and begins helping Eun Gyeol make sure his parents end up together, so Eun Gyeol can be born.  

When On Eun Yu first shows up in the past, her plan is the exact opposite of Eun Gyeol. While Eun Gyeol is desperate to make sure his parents end up together, so that he will still exist, Eun Yu intends to “commit suicide” by making sure her mom ends up with her long lost first love, who she thinks is Yi Chan, so that she will never be born.  But her plan is foiled when she discovers that actually her dad is her mom’s first love after all.  Eun Yu’s life in the present is full of pressure from her mom and her parent’s divorce.  But her time in 1995 gives her a fresh perspective on the value of life and love.  And getting back to present day Eun Gyeol becomes a priority.  Seol In Ah is a cute actress who has played an interesting range of characters lately.  I thought she handled the role of Eun Yu well and her role brought modern day problems into the idyllic past in an interesting way.  

Shin Eun Soo as Yoon Cheong Ah

Yoon Cheong Ah is a deaf girl who goes to school with Yi Chan.  She is raised by an abusive step mother who refuses to allow her to use sign language or communicate with anyone at all.  Cheong Ah falls in love with Yi Chan from afar, but he is too busy chasing Se Kyeong to even notice her.  When Eun Gyeol shows up, he exposes Cheong Ah’s step mom’s actions, becomes Cheong Ah’s sign language tutor, and vows to help her win Yi Chan’s heart.

Eun Ho

I know that Eun Ho doesn’t really fit into the time travel aspect of this story, but I really enjoyed the little bit of his character that we got to meet.  He is great example of a young deaf person who is living his life to fullest and not ever letting his lack of hearing take away from his opportunities.  From school, to sports, to love, Eun Ho embraces it all with an admirable enthusiasm.  So, I wish there had been a way to somehow see more of him, whether as himself in the present, or some other figure in the past.  And I’m curious about whether he actually meets and develops a crush on Eun Yu in this new version of the present.

Choi Se Kyeong’s Story

While Eun Yu is one of the main stars of this drama, I felt like her story with her mom spends most of the time on the back burner.  And in the end, it just kind of dissolves without any real resolution.  With all of the other side stories they spent time on, it seems like they could have devoted a bit more time to showing how the Se Kyeong of the past becomes the unhappy Se Kyeong of the present, and how Eun Yu’s trip to the past might have impacted all of that.  

“Twinkling Watermelon” doesn’t have the strongest ending.  Nor does it gives us all the happy ever afters we may have wanted, which I actually kind of liked.  But at least for our leads there is some closure and plenty of happy feelings. Even after all his efforts, Eun Gyeol does not manage to stop his dad’s accident or keep him from losing his hearing.  But Yi Chan promises that he will overcome this.  We see Cheong Ah’s step mom and step siblings get kicked out of the house.  And all of those loose ends get tied up for Eun Gyeol just in time for him and Eun Ju to go back to his own time, and leave their parents to determine the rest of their destines on their own.  As Eun Gyeol leaves the music store in 2023 he gets a parting shot of Viva in the store, proving he is behind all of this.  Back in the present, things have changed radically.  While Yi Chan and Cheong Ah did get married, they now live with Cheong Ah’s father in their family mansion and Yi Chan runs her father’s company, Jinsung Instruments.  At a company function, Eun Gyeol finds out the Watermelon Sugar members are all still friends and that Eun Gyeol’s band SPINE9 has become famous.  And as his father gives a speech from the stage about how he went to college and graduated with Cheong Ah, Eun Ju comes into the auditorium and then runs away.  Eun Gyeol chases after her and couple share a kiss.  I do have to agree with many fans who complain that the ending felt very rushed and there are many questions that are left unanswered, especially dealing with what people remember of the past, how Yi Chan and Cheong Ah actually end up together, and what happens to Se Kyeong and Eun Ju in the present.  But the endings we do get are satisfying and warm.

Yeon Woo Jin as Dong Go Yoon

Dong Go Yoon is a proctocologist who suffers from OCD, which causes him to uncontrollably crack his knuckles.  But no matter how many times he consults the doctors in the Neuropsychiatry Deparment, they seem unable to help him.  On one such trip, he meets a new nurse who is charming and kindhearted.  And when he learns that she is the best friend of Go Yoon’s friend Yu Chan, he is thrilled with the chance to meet her outside of the hospital.  Go Yoon quickly falls for Da Eun, which makes him the first person to notice that something seems off with her after Kim Seo Wan’s death.  And when her mental health takes a drastically dangerous turn, he steps in to get her the help she needs, even if he has to keep his distance while she gets it.  

Dong Go Yoon is a skilled doctor with a quirky personality.  He struggles with his own mental health issues, which makes him sympathetic and also helps him notice Da Eun’s unusual behavior before everyone else.  He is also very respectful of Da Eun when she tells him that she needs some time to deal with her own problems before she can start any kind of relationship with him, even though the distance feels unbearable for him.  Yeon Woo Jin is a great actor and I liked him in this role.  He is funny and relatable at the same time.  But I do wish we had seen more character development for him.  I feel like there was a lot more he could have offered in this role, given the chance.  

Lee Jung Eun as Song Hyo Shin

Song Hyo Shin is the Chief Nurse in the Neuropsychiatry Department.  She is fair and fiercely protective of her staff.  She became a nurse because she grew up with a sister who suffered from schizoprenia.  She supports Da Eun through her treatment and encourages her to come back to work once she is released.

Deul Re and Yeo Hwan

I had a couple issues with Deul Re and her storylines.  First of all, I felt like she and Yeo Hwan had more relationship development than the leads did.  Which is fine, and understandable since Da Eun spent the last bit of the series hospitalized.  But I wish they had spent more of that time focuses on the lead couple.  Also, Deul Re’s backstory was interesting, but it was the only part of the series that didn’t deal with mental health.  It felt like this plot belonged in a totally different drama.  I liked her as a character, but I didn’t feel like her character fit into the theme of the drama at all.  

Easy Endings

While I appreciated this look into mental health issues, it did feel a bit like every case ended a little too easy and kind of the same.  There seemed to be a message that, with the exception of Seo Wan, if you just take your medication and have one heart to heart with your doctor or family member, everything will magically be alright.  There seemed to be a lot of care that went into creating interesting characters with relatable mental health issues.  But some of the ending seemed too neat and simplified. 

“Daily Dose of Sunshine” gives us happy ending for our hospital crew.  Hyo Shin and her sister are finally able to move into their new apartment after introducing themselves to the residents.  Deul Re decides to quit nursing and go on a year-long cruise job.  When she starts to get cold feet, Dr. Hwang encourages her to go.  Yu Chan finally gets a new office job.  And although he is haunted by panic attacks in the beginning, he soon decides to do the job on his own terms.  That means not taking on every task someone else doesn’t want to do and always going home on time.  And eventually, his co-workers learned to respect those boundaries.  With Hyo Shin’s passionate defense of Da Eun and her work, things go back to normal for Nurse Da Eun.  And she and Go Yoon are doing things like early morning walks together to help Da Eun stay healthy.  Both Yu Chan and Da Eun’s mom have accepting the two as a couple, so their future is looking like it might actually be full of sunshine.  The final scene shows Nurse Seung Jae back again.  It seems he finally has his panic attacks under control too and he is thrilled to be back at work thanks to Da Eun’s help.