A young athlete makes his living on the county ssireum team for traditional Korean wrestlers.  He has grown up with a father and brothers who have all been ssireum champions.  But despite his early reputation as a child prodigy, he has never been able to win a championship.  Just when he is ready to retire from the sport a new manager comes to town who looks just like his childhood friend and first love.  And when she encourages him to continue working toward his dream, he begins to believe in himself again.  But the new manager has a secret past that threatens to shock their small community and cast a shadow on some of it’s respected members.

Lee Joo Myung as Oh Yoo Kyung/ Oh Doo Sik

Oh Doo Sik is Baek Doo’s childhood friend and first love.  She is forced to leave town when she is young after her father is accused of murder.  Although he is acquitted, many in town still believe he is guilty, so they move away to find a fresh start.  But Doo Sik always believed that her father was purposely framed for the crime he didn’t commit.  Now as an adult, Doo Sik has followed her dream of becoming a detective.  And when a case similar to her father’s comes into her department, she begs her mentor to let her go undercover to investigate.  Posing as Oh Yoo Kyung, Doo Sik takes a job as the county ssireum team manager.  But of course her old friend Baek Doo immediately recognizes her. And although she tries to maintain the secret of her identity, she is eventually forced to confess and swear him to secrecy.  Now the pair, with the help of Doo Sik’s partner and their childhood friends, will try to solve the current case and clear Doo Sik’s dad once and for all.  

Oh Doo Sik is tough and outspoken.  As the only girl in their friend group, she took charge of every situation and beat up anyone who disagreed.  As a “tomboy” whose father was the ssireum coach, Doo Sik grew up loving the sport and her friends who competed.  Because of this, she is thrilled to have a chance to come back to the hometown and friends she has always missed.  I enjoyed Lee Joo Myung as Oh Doo Sik.  This character would have been easy to overplay, but I thought she kept the role balanced and consistent all the way through. I especially loved how her character could go from mature police detective to overbearing and immature leader of the pack in the blink of an eye.  It gave her character a nice, yet understated complexity.

Kim Bo Ra as Joo Mi Ran

Joo Mi Ran runs the small cafe in town.  No one knows where she comes from and her habit to randomly close the shop whenever she wants seems like a confusing business model.  But little do they know that Mi Ran also grew up in Geosan.  Although she was younger than them, she used to follow all of them around and try to play with them when they were kids.  Mi Ran’s father was the wrestler Doo Sik’s dad was accused of killing.  Mi Ran is also back in town hoping to find closure from the trauma of her past.

♥ The Sport

I am not a huge sports enthusiast, but Netflix seems to have found a formula for sports dramas that draws me in.  And while I knew nothing about ssireum, I am a huge fan of sumo, which shares some rules and strategies.  So I loved watching their training and matches.  The focus on the sport gave the drama a unique appeal and I felt like I got to learn a bit about it.

 ♥ Baek Doo and Doo Sik

I loved this sweet romance.  Their characters reminded me of one of my all-time favorite couples from “Fight My Way”.  The childhood friend to lover trope can be tricky, but I really enjoyed the way this one is written.  Yes, there is a huge amount of head hitting and silly childhood games, but I feel like this fits two friends who haven’t seen each other since middle school.  They are fast forwarding through the adolescence they missed together so they can get to know each other as the adults they have become. 

Culprit

It seemed like the actually murderer was pretty obvious from the beginning.  First, because Lee Gyung Myoung’s character was so grumpy and unlikable. And second, because Ahn Chang Hwan is so good as a criminal.  I don’t know why, but he just felt like the natural choice from the start.  I mean, even his on-screen wife, who coincidentally is also his wife in real life, doesn’t seem to like him much. The revelation of the cause for the crime is interesting enough to make the mystery fun, but I wasn’t surprised by the culprit himself.  

Poor Mi Ran

You have to feel for Mi Ran.  First her father is killed and she is left alone in a new place.  But when she comes back to her hometown, none of the kids she used to idolize even remembers her.  Yet Doo Sik comes to town with a new identity and they still figure out its her.  Mi Ran is left, as usual, watching from outside of the inner circle and wishing they would be her friends.  Of course, she does finally get the friendship and healing she deserves, but I sure felt for her during the early parts of the show.  

“Like Flowers in Sand” comes away with a sweet, satisfying ending.  The real killer is revealed, bringing restoration to Doo Sik’s dad’s reputation and closure to Mi Ran for the wrongful loss of her father.  The killer, Lee Kyung Moon, the owner of the rice cake shop, is caught and arrested.  Baek Doo finally wins his championship after a hard-fought match that again comes down to a last minute decision.  Luckily, this time, the decision goes his way.  And after the match, he finally gets a confession from Doo Sik that she does have feelings for him too. The couple finally share a kiss before meeting up with the gang at the coffee shop.  At the shop, the friends joke and reminisce together before going out to take a walk and play along the beach.  In the end, we find out that Baek Doo’s dream for his future self was much more than wrestling or his love for Doo Sik. He wished he could spend time together with all his friends. It looks like he is going to have to start a new bucket list, because with his recent win, Doo Sik’s confession, and his friends suddenly closer than ever, he has achieved everything he has ever wished for.  

A dying woman discovers that her husband is having an affair with her best friend and they plan to kill her for the insurance money.  But instead of dying quietly, the woman wakes up 10 years in the past.  With a second chance on life and knowledge about the people she has mistakenly trusted, she will seek revenge while trying to change the cruel fate that destroyed her the first time around.  And she will find that, as she looks at her life with a fresh perspective, there are plenty of friends and supporters that she had overlooked before.

Na In Woo as Yoo Ji Hyuk

Yoo Ji Hyuk is the marketing manager at U&K Food, where Ji Won works.  Although no one at work knows it, he is also the grandson of the company CEO.  Ji Hyuk met Ji Won years ago when she had too much to drink, and the couple spent the night sleeping along the Han River together.  Since that day, he has never been able to forget her, so he is thrilled when she gets a job at his company.  But Ji Won doesn’t remember Ji Hyuk from that night.  And Ji Won eventually ends up marrying another co-worker, much to Ji Hyuk’s disappointment.  But when Ji Won comes back after her death, Ji Hyuk is determined to help her get revenge and also win her heart.  And Ji Hyuk has a secret of his own about second chances.

Yoo Ji Hyuk is quiet and socially awkward.  His grandfather arranged a marriage for him with a family friend.  But Ji Hyuk broke off the engagement because he was never actually interested in her as more than a long-time friend.  But Ji Won is the only woman Ji Hyuk has ever had feelings for.  I love Na In Woo’s calm appearance and easy charm.  I did feel that his character could have had a bit more depth and growth.  At times the role came off a bit too flat, but I thought he played the part well with what he had.

Song Ha Yoon as Jung Soo Min

Jung Soo Min has been Ji Won’s best friend since they were students.  But Soo Min is petty and jealous of the love that Ji Won got from her parents.  She befriends Ji Won out of a need to be needed and Soo Min’s desire to eventually triumph over Ji Won in life.  But when Ji Won gets her second chance, she is no longer fooled by Soo Min’s duplicity and plans to give Soo Min all the misfortune that she had to suffer the first time around.  

 ♥ Soo Min

In my opinion, Soo Min was one of the best characters in this drama.  Not that I liked her, mind you.  But she was so easy to hate!  She played the role with just enough rye humor to appreciate the actress and her abilities.  And her self-delusion was easy to see and believe.  Soo Min’s character dove deeper than the average one-dimensional villain.  There is a complexity to her motivations and feelings that elevates the role to something noteworthy.  

♥ Fresh Perspective

While this is a time travel story, I thought it was interesting that in the end the things that brought Ji Won happiness were things that had been there all along.  She just needed a fresh perspective to see them for what they were.  This series also had a powerful message about learning to believe in yourself so others can believe in you too.  Much of Ji Won’s success the second time around was born out of her fresh sense of confidence and worth.  

Yoo Ra

The addition of Yoo Ra to this cast really seemed unnecessary.  The presence of an ex who doesn’t even seem that interested in marrying Ji Hyuk is pretty pointless.  And I’m not sure why we needed a villain for our villains.  All in all, the character never really integrates into the main story and the role just isn’t that noteworthy.  While it’s truth that with a bit more development, Yoo Ra might have played a more important part, I still don’t see the need for her character.  

Mixed Message

While a good revenge story is always a bit cathartic, there is a darkness to the message of this drama.  The inference is that no one should have to suffer the horrible life and abuse that Ji Won experienced, unless we don’t really like them, and then it’s fine.  And in the end, whether she earned it or not, Ji Won does kind of become one of the mean girls we are supposed to hate. Luckily this is just a short-term transformation, born out of necessity, that she will later atone for by setting up a foundation to give others a second chance in life. Obviously this is all in fun, but it is interesting in light of the overall themes about positivity and self-love.  

Well, the villains all get their comeuppance and all of our couples seem to be on the road to happiness.  Min Hwan and Yoo Ra are both killed after ending up living out Ji Won and Ji Hyuk’s destinies.  Soo Min is alive but living a delusional life in prison, where she continues to insist that she is an innocent victim.  Joo Ran’s cancer surgery is successful and she finally gets a divorce from her awful husband.  And she and Suk Joon have finally admitted their feelings for each other.  The same is true for Hee Yeon and Eun Ho, who are happily dating.  Our lead couple have a big wedding celebration with their friends and family.  As the years go by, they have children and seem to be taking advantage of their second chance at life and love.  The final scene shows them meeting at an art museum on the day of their “deaths”.  They take a moment to be grateful for their life together and all they went through to close this chapter from their former lives.

A young man who can’t hear meets a beautiful stranger while relaxing on Jeju Island.  Despite their differences and the difficulties presented by trying to communicate with each other, the pair share a meaningful conversation through writing and easy sign language.  But at the end of the night, they go their separate ways with just their memories of each other.  So he is shocked when they run into each other near his job at home.  And he is even more surprised when she greets him with sign language.  When she starts working part time at the art gallery where he teaches, the couple begin a careful friendship.

Shin Hyun Been as Jung Mo Eun

Jung Mo Eun is an aspiring actress, who has told her family she is studying for the civil service exam.  When she recieves a call for a small role being filmed on Jeju, she drops everything to go.  But the director isn’t impressed with her performance, and fires her before she can finish filming her scene.  And as she wanders the island aimlessly, she meets a deaf artist who peaks her interest in him as a person and drives her to study sign language.  Returning home after her trip, she runs into the man at the art gallery her best friend works at.  And when her friend recruits her to work at the gallery part-time, she jumps at the chance to get to know Jin Woo better.  But for them to have any kind of long-term relationship, she will have to break through the emotional and communication walls that surround his heart.  

Jung Mo Eun is shy and quiet, but her desire to act has helped her to gain confidence and courage.  There is a part of her that is actually jealous that Jin Woo is able to live in a quiet, peaceful world, where hurtful words are completely blocked out. Maybe because of this, she becomes fascinated in learning sign language, and she is a quick study.  Soon she is able to communicate with Jin Woo, at least on a simple level. But as their relationship deepens, she becomes frustrated with the limitations. I like Shin Hyun Been as an actress and I thought she played this part well.  She is good in these kinds of quiet, introspective roles and I liked the development in her character.

Lee Jae Kyoon as Yoon Jo Han

Yoon Jo Han is one of Mo Eun’s best friends.  When they were young, Jo Han would go to Mo Eun’s house when he had struggles with his own family.  Now he is a successful music producer.  He has always had romantic feelings for Mo Eun.  But even when he confesses that he has someone he likes, Mo Eun does not guess that it is her.  So he is less than happy when Jin Woo shows up on the scene. But he can easily tell that Mo Eun’s feelings for him are not the same as her feelings for Jin Woo.

♥ Ki Hyun and So Hee

Ki Hyun and So Hee were such a cute couple and I enjoyed the scenes with them together.  I think they are the perfect reminder that while it isn’t easy for a hearing person to marry a deaf person, it can be done.  And that relationship can be strong and healthy with a little effort and a lot of love.  I also loved Ki Hyun’s friendship with Jin Woo.  His loyalty to his “brother” was such a gift to Jin Woo, and I think at times it was all that kept Jin Woo going.

  ♥ Silence

So much of this drama is done with no verbal sound.  It is oddly calming and I feel like it gives us an insight into the world Jin Woo lives in.  The quiet stillness of fingers moving and pens scratching give just enough sound to create an intimate mood.  And yet, many of those silent periods give us the most profound moments in communication and understanding.  I have always loved the graceful movements of sign language, and I loved watching these characters as they navigated complex thoughts and emotions with only the movement of their hands and the expressions on their faces.  

Ji Yoo and Mo Dam

I thought Ji Yoo and Mo Dam were adorable together and it’s easy to see how they could have ended up falling for each other.  But I really can’t see how Mo Eun didn’t manage to pick up on it. It’s true that she had a lot going on in her own life.  But to live with Ji Yoo and spend time hanging out in the evenings with Ji Yoo and Mo Dam together, and never pick up on their chemistry just doesn’t seem very realistic.  Maybe the wrong roommate was trying to become an actress?!

Do Hoon

Do Hoon’s character was so weird to me.  First of all, the idea that he kept hanging out at Ki Hyun’s restaurant like they were just old friends, after everything he did, seemed strange.  They weren’t ever close to begin with.  And in the end, we find out that Do Hoon didn’t start the fire, which makes him less of a creep.  But he still stalked Seo Kyung, and that whistling thing was really manipulative and scary.  I’m glad that there is some resolution in the end between him and the others, but I still think he is kind of a jerk.  Are we, as the audience, just supposed to forgive him for all he put them both through?

While I have seen some arguements to the contrary, most agree that “Tell Me That You Love Me” has a happy ending.  First, Jin Woo meets his mom and gets some closure to that story. He also has a heart to heart with Seo Kyung where they both have a chance to share their true feelings.  And Seo Kyung has finally realized that it wasn’t as much Jin Woo she has been chasing all this time, but a sense of who she was back then.  She also forgives Do Hoon and, strangely enough,  there seems to be some hint that Do Hoon may finally win her heart after all.  Jin Woo and Mo Eun break up, although they are both brokenhearted to have come to this.  But both of their careers take off and offer them some distraction.  A year later, Jin Woo is finally back in Korea, after showing his art around the world.  Ki Hyun and So Hee are expecting another baby, which everyone is thrilled about.  Jin Woo’s old students are doing well and gift him a ticket to a play.  Mo Eun is starring in the play and the lines are the opening segment from episode 1.  And it’s clear that Mo Eun is speaking them directly at Jin Woo.  When the play is over, Mo Eun rushes to talk to Jin Woo and has to chase him outside.  Jin Woo walks slowly toward her and introduces himself, as if it’s the first time they met.  The credits roll as we see the couple, back “on track” in the same place they had broken up. Now arm in arm and happy together.  Some believe this last segment is just a bittersweet glimpse into what could have been.  But I prefer to believe that they have finally found a way to embrace their differences and stay together.

A convenience store worker loses his temper and kills a stranger on the street on the way home from his job.  But when he later learns that the man was actually a dangerous serial killer, the man taps into an unknown superpower which allows him to know when someone he meets or passes is a seriously bad person.  With this new knowledge, he becomes a vigilante who kills those who have escaped proper punishment through the law.   But an astute detective with experience with this kind of vigilante becomes suspicious of the man when he begins investigating the mysterious murders.

Son Suk Ku as Jang Nan Gam

Jang Nan Gam is an easygoing detective.  He is investigating the murder of the man Tang killed.  Even though there is no proof or motive for Tang to have killed the stranger, Nan Gam feels something suspicious that he can’t seem to let go of.  And as more cases pop up with similar, details he is reminded of Roh Bin, the skilled profiler.  He starts putting the pieces together, but every time he gets close some crazy “coincidence” ruins the evidence.  When he tries to pressure Roh Bin into making a confession, the man live-streams the investigation and when the questioning gets out of control, Nan Gam is removed from the case.  But of course, Nan Gam is too stubborn to walk away without a fight.  And now he is more determined than ever to find out the truth once and for all.  

Jang Nan Gam has a troubled past and a broken relationship with his sick father.  He became a detective to show his father that you can do the job without becoming abusive to the ones you love.  But his last shred of professional respect for his father is shattered when he finds out his father was a dirty cop, taking bribes and hurting others along the way.  Son Suk Ku is amazing in every role I have ever seen him in.  He plays this kind of gritty, determined character especially well, and I thought he was fabulous in this role.

Kim Yo Han as Roh Bin

Roh Bin is a superhero fanatic who runs an online group called “Only For Heroes”.  He sees himself as a warrior of justice. He is also a skilled hacker and criminal profiler.  He sees Tang’s ability before Tang does, and contacts him with an offer to work together.  Although most of Tang’s early crime scenes were cleared of evidence by some strange coincidence, his later murders are aided by Roh Bin to get rid of any evidence.

 ♥ Cinematography

So much of this drama is cinematography.  The camera angles, jerky motions, and dreamlike hallucinations.  And did you catch the “deep-fake” photography that turned a picture of Son Suk Ku as a young person into a flash back of Nan Gam’s character. Fascinating stuff! Add to this the well-placed background music that creates just the right emotional vibe.  There are plenty of things that frustrate me about Netflix and kdramas, but lack of budget and production are not on my list.  

♥ Anti-Hero

Lee Tang is the absolute opposite of a hero.  At his best, he is pessimistic and apathetic.  At his worst, he is delusional and violent.  And through the course of the series, we see him fall deeper into his dark tendencies.  But is he a purveyor of justice or a criminal as dark as those he professes to fight against?  This drama embraces themes of true justice, personal morality, and the ambiguity of evil.  And it leaves you with a choice of your own.  How do you feel about Tang and his actions?  Where do you draw the line on morality?

Superpower??

This drama keeps everything just vague enough to leave you wondering.  Was Tang’s ability to see evil people a true superpower, a coincidence, his imagination, or a little of everything?  I mean, it wasn’t a superpower that made a fly land on the security camera.  Or was it?  The drama offers no concrete explanations of what is really happening and Tang proves himself to be a very unreliable narrator.  So should his version be taken at face value?  While I love a drama that plays with your mind in this way, I’m still left wondering what the answer is.

Song Chon

I liked Song Chon’s character and I understand his role in the story.  But I can’t help feeling that this drama didn’t have enough episodes to introduce another main character.  And his story takes over the second half of the series, leaving little time for Lee Tang’s journey.  I would have rather spent that screen time observing the continued transformation of Tang from mild mannered to brave, confident vigilante.

I think a “happy ending” would be too much to hope for in this drama.  But we can be satisfied that most of our loose ends get tied up before the story opens the door for a second season.  Chon finally gets revenge on Nan Gam’s dad by killing him. Bin plans to escape the country, but first he joins forces with Nan Gam to try to bring Chon to justice.  When Tang realizes that Bin is in danger, he rushes to save him.  They all chase Chon to an abandoned warehouse for one last showdown.  In the end, Bin is killed by Chon and Nan Gam, in turn, kills Chon.    With just Nan Gam and Tang still alive, Nan Gam makes the choice to let Tang go free, with a warning that some day he is going to get caught.  A time jump shows Tang living and working in The Philippines.  But he returns home when he finds out there is no warrant out for his arrest.  We learn that a fire in the warehouse destroyed any evidence of their fight with Chon.   The final scene shows Nan Gam seeing a case on the news that matches Tang’s previous pattern and it is obvious that he thinks Tang is at it again.  This leaves an open door for a season 2, although no news of another season has been announced.

A struggling badminton coach takes a job working with a middle school team in the countryside to help support his family.  But his children aren’t thrilled about the move.  And when they arrive to find a team on the verge of disbandment, who don’t even have enough members to compete, he realizes that he is going to have his work cut out for him. His task is easy.  If he can win a championship, the team will continue to get funding, otherwise it will cease to exist.  To make matters worse, the dorms are forced to close and he has no choice but to take in his 3 team members.  But  the surprises continue when his wife, who is also a coach, shows up with 2 of her team members as well.  Now they will live as one big happy family, as Coach tries to raise up a competitve, winning team.

Lee Jae In as Han Se Yoon

Han Se Yoon is a successful badminton player who is accepted as the forerunner for all future titles and a spot on the national badminton team.  But the pressure of living up to those expectations often leaves her feeling lonely and overwhelmed.  When her coach takes her home to live with her and her husband’s badminton team, she is reacquianted with Hae Kang.  The two had met on the child athelte circuit years ago, and Hae Kang’s kind support of her had never been forgotten.  And as she gets to know the more grown up version of Hae Kang, she finds someone who understands the difficulties of being a leader and can offer her support during her more challenging times.  

Han Se Yoon is quiet and keeps most of her emotions bottled up inside.  Even with her closest friend and partner, Han Sol, she is careful to always appear steady and in control of her situation.  It isn’t until she is reunited with Hae Kang that she starts to feel like she can show her true feelings.  Lee Jae In did a nice job with this role.  Her character did lack some of the complexity and development that Hae Kang had. But her portrayal of this lonely, anxious athlete was believable and I enjoyed seeing her character learn to embrace some of the joy of being a young person.

Oh Na Ra as Ra Young Ja

Ra Young Ja is a legendary badminton player who coaches a girl’s middle school team.  But she still uses her connections in the sport to help promote her players.  She is Hae Kang and Hae In’s mother although she has spent most of their childhood coaching away from home.  Now that her family has moved to Haenam, she has moved home with her star players in tow.  

 ♥ Interesting Villagers

This drama did a nice job of giving us interesting local folks, who have their own stories to tell.  The balance here is nice and it gives us some more mature stories.  Each villager had a reasonable story arc that presented their particular backstory, gave it a bit of arc, and then closed it with an even hand  that never overshadowed the main story.  For many, I think a whole drama that only focuses on the limited life experience of middle schoolers may have felt a bit lacking.  Between our coaches and the village residents, we get an even dose of life drama at its best.  

♥ Cameos

There were so many fun and unexpected cameos in this drama.  The familiar faces, many who have worked with this writer in the past, were such a warm touch.  At first, when I saw such big name actors showing up, I wondered how they would fit into the overall story.  But it was even more special when I realized they were just passing through.  I always enjoy cameos, but these ones seemed especially well done.  

Redevelopment

While I have praised the weaving of the local resident into this story, the one plot line that just didn’t work for me was the whole redevelopment story.  First, it felt way too predictable. But also, the need to create a villain seemed unnecessary and uninteresting to me.  These kinds of small town politics stories don’t tend to be my favorite anyway, but I felt like our town people were interesting enough on their own, without bringing in the greedy big business angle.  

Ra Young Ja

I felt like we didn’t get enough of Ra Young Ja’s story as a mom.  What motivated her to chose work over being home to see her kids grow up?  With the success she had as a player, you would think she could have worked in any capacity she wanted.  Why did she decide on a life on the road and how did that impact the kind of coach she became.  We did get some insight into her character with the death of her mother, and maybe that influenced the kind of mom she chose to be.  But I would have liked to see more about her and her relationship with the kids, both in the past and now. 

“Racket Boys” give us a nice ending with both victory and some chances to work harder and grow more.  I appreciated the balance.  By the final episode, most of our local characters have gotten closure to their particular stories.  So that leaves us with our young athletes.  Most importantly, Haenam beats the Seoul boys in the school championship.  This secures the future of both Coach Yoon and the badminton program. It also allows Hae Kang to keep his promise to finally tell Se Yoon how he feels.  But despite his confidence, Hae Kang does not win the position with the national team.  But even that is not all bad. It sets up a very sweet scene where Hae Kang goes to Se Yoon and cries on her shoulder, while she gets the opportunity to comfort him in the same way he had comforted her.  It also means, that Hae Kang will continue to work toward his dream, which means staying with his friends.  The following school year, Yong Tae is the only member of the team left in middle school.  He has become the team leader and mentor to the new, younger players who have joined.  And the other four members are now in high school.  And while they talk big about taking charge of this new team, they all jump to attention when they are called.  The final scene shows a heated match, but surprisingly it is now Hae Kang and Se Yoon playing together against their former partners, Yoon Dam and Han Sol.

A young woman with the supernatural ability to hear whether someone is telling the truth earns her living as the “liar hunter”.  But her gift is also a curse, because it has taught her to always be distrustful of others.  And when she meets a mysterious new neighbor, she is shocked to find that he always tells the truth, even when it isn’t easy.  So she is shocked to find out that, despite his inability to lie, he has been living his life in hiding after being accused of a terrible crime.  Now she is determined to help him find out the truth of what really happened that night so she can clear his name and help him go back to living a normal life.  

Hwang Min Hyun as Kim Do Ha

Kim Do Ha was accused of killing his girlfriend when he was a college student.  But his mother, who was a well-connected politician, paid off the police to dismiss the case.  Although he was declared as innocent, he has spend the last years in hiding, always wearing a mask wherever he goes.  He is a successful composer, who writes music in the privacy of his own home, and then hands it off to his best friend, Jo Deuk Chan, who owns a pop music label.  But when a rumor about him and a young pop star goes viral, Do Ha is forced to hide out in an extra apartment owned by Deuk Chan.  And when he keeps running into his beautiful new neighbor, he finds himself actually interested in life outside of his own 4 walls, and the possibility of finding love again. 

Kim Do Ha has never had a great relationship with his mother, and after a toxic relationship with his high school girlfriend, he has become cold and withdrawn.  The only person he trusts is his old friend Deuk Chan.  But when he meets Sol Hee, his frosty exterior starts to melt away.  Her straightforward attitude and unwavering support, even when he believes he is responsible for Eum Ji’s death, win his trust and eventually his love.  Hwang Min Hyun has gained quite a following since starring in “Alchemy of Souls” and I expect we will continue to see him in upcoming dramas.  He is ackwardly charming and reflects a sweet disposition that makes him good for these quiet, misunderstood kinds of characters.

Yun Ji On as Jo Deuk Chan

Jo Deuk Chan is Do Ha’s best friend from high school.  After Do Ha was arrested and cleared, the pair started a music label that would allow Deuk Chan to run everything from the top while Do Ha wrote award-winning music in secret, under a pseudonym.  But what Do Ha never imagined, is that there is another reason Deuk Chan has stayed by his side all these years.  He has had romantic feelings for his friend since high school, but he has never had the courage to admit it to anyone.  And those feelings led to a fatal accident he has kept hidden.  

 ♥ Exposing the Gray

I love the way this drama played with the idea that truth and lies are not as simple to discern as we may think, even if we were a human lie detector.  The fact is that the truth is often a murky shade of gray and not all liars are motivated by some kind of evil disregard for the truth.  There are white lies, that we tell to save someone’s feelings or pride and there are lies that we tell because we have convinced ourselves that they are true.  Sometimes knowing the truth causes us to miss the motivations of certain lies.  Right or wrong, this is a great reminder that lies come in all shapes and sizes.

♥ Jang Jung Gyu

I really enjoyed the relationship between Do Ha and the local jazz club owner and musician, Jang Jung Gyu.  Jung Su is  proof that Deuk Chan is not the only one Do Ha has, even if he doesn’t exactly know it.  Somehow, it was comforting to know that Do Ha could count on his mentor to always be there.  Jung Gyu’s quiet guidance, gentle teasing, and sincere concern is heartwarming to watch.  I would have enjoyed many more scenes between these two. 

Terrible Mothers

I could not stand either of these mothers.  Sol Hee’s mom was whiny and self-centered.  She never seemed to care about how Sol Hee felt about her gift, or the fact that her mom’s lies had put her in an impossible situation.  Meanwhile, Do Ha’s mom automatically assumes her own son is guilty, no matter how many times he swore he was innocent.  I was fine with Do Ha’s mom ending up in jail where she belonged, but I think Sol Hee’s mom got off way too easy.  She didn’t deserve either Sol Hee or her sweet, handsome husband.  

Side Story Development

As I have mentioned, I felt like this drama had way too many secondary characters with unsatisfying stories and development.  There was a lot of potential there.  Whether they had focused on the music industry element, the neighborhood shop owners, the tarot card shop, or the parents, there was way too much material and far too little follow-through.  Personally, I would have loved to have seen Syaon and Chi Hoon get featured as more of a second lead couple.  And how about some present story for our handsome ex, Kang Min?

“My Lovely Liar” gives us several happy endings.  But first we have the two jailbirds, Deuk Chan and Do Ha’s mom.  They have both apologized to Do Ha for what they did to him and he has forgiven them both.  In the neighborhood, Cho Rok and O Baek finally get back together.  And Boro goes on a reality dating show.  Chi Hoon leaves the Tarot Shop to become Syaon’s bodyguard, and love is in the air for the sweet couple.  Do Ha has a new artist to support in Ethan, and he is working with the brothers to put out more great hits.  While Sol Hee does lose her gift briefly, she gets it back.  But even still, she decides that she is no longer interested in living her life focuses on other people and their lies.  The couple get engaged and take a familiar bus trip back to where it all began.  

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.