Welcome to Kdrama and Ramen

“Move to Heaven” tells the story of a young autistic boy, Geu Roo, and his uncle, Sang Gu, who run a business as “trauma cleaners”.  Their job is to clear out the belongings of people who have died.  While cleaning, they look for clues as to what final wishes the person might have and try to carry out those wishes as best they can.  The drama also follows the story of Geu Roo’s relationship with the uncle he had never met, until he is appointed as Geu Roo’s “temporary” guardian following the sudden death of Geu Roo’s father .

Tang Jun Sang as  Han Geu Roo

Han Geu Roo is a 20 year old man with Aspergers syndrome.  Life hasn’t been easy for him, but his father has always been there to root for and support him.  When his father suddenly dies, he is left alone with an uncle he has never met before and a business only he can run.  As he teaches Sang Gu the ropes of their company “Move to Heaven”, he also learns how to cope with life now that his father is gone.  Luckily the lessons he learned from his father while he was alive continue to guide him through the most difficult situations.  And although his uncle is rough around the edges, Geu Roo begins to see other positive qualities that are hidden under the surface.  

Due to his Aspergers, Han Geu Roo faces plenty of challenges in his life.  But he is not a character that the audience should find lacking or pitiful.  He handles every situation with a single-minded determination and a logical attitude that leaves no room for anything but success.  What I loved about Geu Roo’s character is that, although it was difficult, he found ways to understand the thoughts and feelings of his clients.  From my limited experience, Tang Jun Sang did a remarkable job in this role, and played Geu Ru’s character sincerely, without overplaying his struggles.

Jung Ae Yun as Madame Jeong

Madame Jeong is the “villain” of this drama.  She runs an illegal fighting ring and has been blackmailing Sang Gu to keep him fighting for her for years.  She is heartless and greedy.  Madame Jeong appears to have no conscience, even though her actions have caused Sang Gu to lose the student he loved like a brother and serve time in prison.  

♥ Social Commentary

“Move to Heaven” does a great job of bringing up important social issue without ever sounding preachy.  From homophobia to neglect of the elderly, and plenty in between, “Move to Heaven” gently reminds us that we all have scars and weaknesses. And in a society where self-righteous greed is prevelant, it never hurts to be kind.  It also reminds us that kindness doesn’t have to end with life;  if we listen carefully, the dead can still speak.  

♥Interesting Sub-Plots

One of the strengths of this drama is the diverse sub-plots that venture into many different topics and genre.  While the main story is great on it’s own, the lessons learned through the people they help are also valuable and interesting. Each story gives us food for thought and each character adds their own unique richness to the drama as a whole.

Season 2?

This drama definitely opened the door for a season 2 in the final scenes, even though nothing has been confirmed by Netflix yet.  While no existing storylines left us hanging for an ending, introducing a new character in the last minutes was an interesting teaser.  Without a second season, this scene could just be a sign that life and work go on, but it left me curious enough to hope for a chance to see what happens next.  

Na Mu’s Mom

I’m sure for the Aspergers community, Na Mu’s mom represents a whole group of people who never try to understand or accept them as they are, but I found her very unlikeable.  While Na Mu had such a sincere relationship with Geu Roo, it was difficult to watch her mother devalue and criticize him.  I’m sure many people like her exist in real life, but it didn’t make her character any less distasteful.

Because “Move to Heaven” finished each sub-plot as the series went along, there isn’t a lot to break down for the ending.  For our leads, I think it was a happy ending.  Sang Gu is forced to fight for Madame Jeong again.  Geu Roo and Na Mu find out about it and get the police involved.  While the raid errupts into chaos, they sneak an injured Sang Gu out the back door.  Lawyer Oh meets with Sang Gu and tells him that he doesn’t think Sang Gu is qualified to act as Geu Roo’s guardian and the illegal fighting is just one example of why.  Defeated, Sang Gu turns to leave, but Lawyer Oh continues that his opinion isn’t really that important.  Geu Roo wants Sang Gu to continue on in his role, so he will finish the paperwork to make it official.  The final scene shows Geu Ru in front of the Move to Heaven van when a young woman approaches him.  She says that she would like to hire them and the client is herself.  Geu Roo seems flustered and interested in her, but also confused.  And that’s a wrap.  So our Move to Heaven team are still together, with Na Mu finally telling her parents that she intends to work with them full-time, and ready to take on their next job.