See You in My 19th Life (2023)

A Dance with Destiny: See You In My 19th Life's Alluring Tale of Memory and Love!!

This drama stands out as the most beautiful and captivating production of the year, boasting top notch cinematography, mesmerizing OSTs, and exceptional performances from the cast.

Rather than being a direct adaptation of the Manhwa, the concept is taken from a webtoon, and the writers created their own world with beautiful characters. Although there were several changes from the webtoon, I found myself genuinely liking the drama, which left me spellbound. The storyline revolves around a female protagonist who recalls her past 18 lives, embarking on a journey to fulfill an unfinished love from her 18th life while uncovering intriguing mysteries.

One of the drama's standout elements is the portrayal of an unconventional relationship, where the female lead exudes strength while the male lead grapples with post traumatic issues. Their dynamic is refreshing as she takes the lead and he follows, creating a unique and endearing relationship.

The ending of the drama was satisfying, with the female protagonist starting afresh by forgetting all her past memories, putting an end to a 19-life-long curse.

The relationship between the female lead Ban Jieum and her 60+ year old niece Aegyeong from her 17th life was heartwarming to watch.

Among the many memorable scenes, the bridge scene in the 9th episode stood out for its creativity. It beautifully depicted all of Banjieum's past lives walking behind her, symbolizing the interconnectedness of her experiences across time.

Shin Hye Sun's portrayal of Ban Jieum was nothing short of phenomenal, impeccably capturing the emotional depth, strength, and love for her closed ones from past lives.

Equally, Ahn Boh Hyun's casting as Seo Ha initially raised doubts, but he skillfully displayed Seo Ha's vulnerabilities and romantic side, proving himself to be an excellent fit for the role.

The chemistry between the main leads was undeniable, making them my favorite on screen pair from 2023. While the second leads had limited screen time, they also did well, with Ha Yoon Kyung shining in the role of Cho Won.

A character that left lasting impression was Mingi, whose mysterious aura captivated the audience from the beginning until the end. Lee Chae Min's portrayal was stellar, much like his performance in his previous drama CCIR.

The chemistry between the actress playing Aegyeong and Shin Hye Sun was palpable, just as evident as their on screen chemistry in their previous drama, Mr. Queen.

The drama was masterfully filled with numerous plot twists, keeping viewers engaged from start to finish. The character portrayal was praiseworthy, as none of the villains were entirely negative; instead, they were complex and shaded with grey, making them more realistic and intriguing.

The cinematography of the drama was simply breathtaking, elevating every scene to an awe inspiring level. Notably, Episode 9 stood out for its exceptional cinematography, making it an unforgettable visual experience.

The OSTs were perfect additions to the narrative. "Juicy Juicy" by Jo Yuri and "Star" by Colde has to be my most favourite OSTs of 2023.
However, BGM department could have been better as some scenes didn't align well with the background music.

In conclusion this drama is an absolute masterpiece, with brilliant performances and flawless execution. Fantasy lovers should not miss out on this mesmerizing series.

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A mixed up jigsaw puzzle that didn’t quite make a beautiful picture

I had reasonably high hopes of this one after the first episode. The characters were intriguing, the scenario showed promise, the acting was good, the cinematography on point. But all that promise was gradually gambled away by a plot that was so clunky you could hear it grinding.

This was a scenario that could have been so good in better hands but unfortunately there was zero finesse to the unfurling of the mystery. It relied totally on incredible coincidences, cringeworthy conveniences, inexplicable premises and unrealistic actions.

The unfolding of a plot is not about what happens, but how it happens and therein lies the skill. How information is revealed in such a way that characters can discover it credibly/naturally and the viewer can gradually see the bigger picture unfolding. But here, it was like the writer didn’t have the patience (or attention to detail) to complete the jigsaw properly, so cut random pieces to fit the gaps and rammed them home. Leaving characters clinging onto the edges like loose pieces that didn’t quite fit anywhere and blue sky questions sitting in the middle of muddy field explanations. It had all the hallmarks of seat-of-your-pants writing rather than well structured and planned writing.

Too much of it relied on inexplicable premises that I continued to hope would be explained, but never were. The hotel plot in the present was not really tied to the plot in the past or maybe I just missed the point. All this increasingly became the focus of my frustration leaving me very little energy to appreciate the good things, which is a shame because there were some really good things.

One thing the writer did get right (ably assisted by the director and the actors) was a cast of interesting and engaging characters. Both the leads played their parts well and created a believable chemistry. I really liked Ahn Dong Gu as the tsundere Ha Do Yoon. This type is always difficult to make sympathetic and he did very well in revealing the emotional undertow of the character. Also an honourable mention for the child actors, particularly Kim Shi Ah who totally captured the enigmatic aura of the 18th incarnation.

I really enjoyed the cinematography in this show. The clever use of angular sets and monochrome environments was notable and there were some stunning set shots throughout.

So overall, if I hadn’t been so distracted by the plot I would have really liked this show and given it a much better rating. If you’re not going to be affected by that, then go ahead and watch, there’s plenty to enjoy.

What my rating means: 6+ Some aspects of it were OK but it had serious flaws. It will pass the time but you can find something better.

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