Drama Special Season 8: You Are Closer Than I Think (2017)

I really didn’t expect much when I decided to watch this drama special, but man am I glad I didn’t miss out on this gem!

Its short runtime doesn’t prevent it from telling a compelling story, and it’s done in such a way that viewers are right alongside the male lead as he tries to make sense of his fiancee’s sudden departure on their wedding day. I was hooked, trying to guess her motives and how different characters were connected as the story skillfully reveals past events through people’s memories. It’s done so well that as soon as I finished it the first time I wanted to immediately go back to the beginning and watch it with a new perspective.

The cast were also excellent, making their characters sympathetic as I got to know them. I love how none of them ever come across as willfully malicious, even though their actions sometimes hurt one another. They’re simply flawed humans who don’t always make the best choices. That said, I’m a big fan of how the second male lead handles things.

I find the ending especially interesting, because I can see two different ways to interpret something one of the characters admits. Either it’s a truthful confession, or a lie for the sake of the happiness of people they care about, but the fascinating thing is that it sort of doesn’t matter either way because it plays into an idea brought up that what the heart feels is more important than the truth.

Not to overlook the music among everything else, understandably there’s not much given the limited runtime but what’s there is nice.

My one critique is that I wish this special had been a bit longer so it could’ve gone into a little more detail in a few places, particularly regarding the second male lead. On the other hand, I appreciate that it’s not overly long so it doesn’t drag things out unnecessarily.

Overall I adore this little story and would wholeheartedly recommend others give it a shot if it sounds intriguing to them. It’s not a big time commitment at slightly over an hour long, and I’ve already watched it multiple times and can easily see myself coming back to it again whenever the mood strikes me.

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