My Mister (2018)

I know I’m in the minority with my rating and some of my critiques of this drama, but none without a reason so hear me out.

PSA: this review doesn’t contain spoilers, but it would make more sense to someone who has finished this drama.

For starters, this drama is real, almost too real. It is a melodrama in every sense of the word. Throughout the show I was left wanting insight and conclusions that might have been too unrealistic. That’s not a big flaw on the shows part, but more with my expectations. Also, there were some characters I wanted to know more about and other characters I wanted to know less about. For instance, I wanted to know more about how Song Ki Beom (Ji An’s friend who played video games) met Ji An. I wanted to know what happened to that old man who was a father figure to Ji An. I get that I can come to conclusions about those things myself, but I thought it would have been a nice touch to see things like that added in to tie up loose ends. Personally, I wasn’t too interested in Choi Yoo Ra (the actress), she seemed a bit awkward and towards the end I was more interested in what would happen to other characters, like Jung Hee. So my overall problems with this drama are the screen time distribution of certain characters, and loose ends that could have made the end amazing if tied up nicely.

All of that aside, this was a decent drama. The acting was impressive all around. The soundtrack was magnificent. The song Rainbow (Band ver.) by Vincent Blue set the tone every time. For the most part the story was good, aside from me wanting more from it. The cinematography never disappointed me. For me, the characters are what drove this drama. It could have had any plot with these characters and I still would have watched it. Will I rewatch it? Probably not. Although, it was nice to watch once.

If you’re looking for a slow paced, realistic, melodrama, centering around a tight-knit community, then this show is for you.

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ANOTHER HYPED DRAMA ROMANTICIZING CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS

I’d probably get bashed by fans for this but…

I just cannot absolutely enjoy a drama portraying cheating, stalking and blackmailing that fans keep romanticizing just because the characters have more than one trait that make up their personality. I feel a lot of people are quick to get attached to dramas with seemingly three dimensional characters because that’s something that we don’t see often but being invested to the point of justifying their behaviors that are outright violations is just ridiculous.

People would come at you if you even say that the behaviors are questionable. I don’t get why they keep talking about how the characters are deeply flawed which makes them real but when it comes to judging their behaviors, suddenly it’s all fiction? I swear if Ji an was a guy, they wouldn’t feel the same way.

If you’re looking for a slice of life drama, this is not it. There are other ways to make the characters “human” and the story feel raw without romanticizing their “flaws” that are not actually just unethical behaviors trying to give depth to the characters.

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i skipped a lot of scenes in each episode. it was a compelling and grounding drama. it wasn't overdramatic when it could have easily been. it's a drama that defied the drama genre in that the plot was dramatic, but not at all convoluted. it wasn't over the top and it never bordered on that. I think the female lead was rather bland. The male lead was strong! I saw him in Coffee Prince and the movie Parasite (2019). I saw this show after Parasite (2019). The actor has range.
He played his character really well. You could see his turmoil under his quiet demeanor. There were times where the actor had the potential to become melodramatic or underwhelming at times, but he did NOT! His acting is what makes this show strong.

The rest of the cast was ok. Chemistry was ok. The female lead was pretty bland. I saw IU in that Scarlet Lovers show. Her acting abilities did not improve. The role she plays here is the same role in Scarlet Lovers when that character becomes all sad. I think Park So Dam or Kim Go Eun would have added dimension to the female lead's characters.

not a re-watch.

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The best thing about My Mister is its character driven plot which alternates between nail biting suspense and quiet scenes depicting the tenuous and deep connections between its characters. Ji An, a down and out young woman, involves Dong Hoon, her unwaveringly decent and morose boss, into a precarious situation of intrigue and brutality.

The pacing is varied. Many scenes feel overly drawn out, but each episode manages to move the plot forward in unpredictable fits and starts. It is well acted throughout. Some of the side characters bothered me - particularly the female characters, Jung Hee the bar owner and Yoo Ra the actress. They are so over the top pathetic, it's annoying. They take up too much screen time.

Its actually a little surprising to me that I watched this drama all the way through because its not really my taste. There is an oppressing bleakness that permeates everything in this drama - literally shading their world a dismal bluish gray in most every scene. Everyone is having a hard time here - the young, the old, the rich, the poor, the good, the bad, the successful, the defeated. Basically the overall message is that it sucks to be human. At times this message feels pretty heavy handed. There are several too many monologues about the bitterness of life by its many characters. But quality storytelling and character development win out and this drama drew me into its dreary world from the first episode.

Sympathizing with these characters, often stirred up my own feelings of fear and inadequacy that sometimes keep me up at night. Don't watch this if you are looking for a feel good show or are having anxiety in your own life. But I couldn't help being drawn in and hoping that these characters would eventually find some solace or maybe even happiness in their connections with each other.

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IU

I know it won’t resonate with everyone, but for me it is a very rare 10/10.

An emotional rollercoaster that'll leave you feeling a whole range of things. It's one of those shows that slowly creeps up on you, quietly tugging at your heartstrings until you're a sobbing mess.

IU's performance as Ji-an is simply breathtaking. She completely embodies the character, bringing a raw, unfiltered emotion to the screen. You can feel her pain, her loneliness, and her resilience in every scene. Her transformation from a lost, troubled soul to a stronger, more hopeful person is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Every glance, every gesture, every tear – it's all so raw and real.

Lee Sun-Kyun, as always, delivers a stellar performance. His portrayal of Park Dong-hoon, a weary, middle-aged man, is both poignant and relatable. He captures the character's quiet desperation, his loneliness, and his gradual growth with such subtlety and nuance. You can see the weight of the world on his shoulders, and his slow, steady journey towards healing is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

The supporting cast is equally impressive. Each character, no matter how small, is a fully-realized individual with their own unique story. The show delves deep into their backstories, adding layers of complexity and depth to the narrative. From the quirky and lovable office workers to the troubled family members, each character brings something unique to the table.
My Mister is a slow-burn drama that rewards patience. It's a show that's not afraid to tackle tough issues like loneliness, grief, and the meaning of life. But it's also a show about the power of human connection, the importance of empathy, and the beauty of finding solace in unexpected places.

One of the things I love most about My Mister is the way it explores the complexities of human relationships. The bond between Ji-an and Park Dong-hoon is a unique and beautiful one. It's a testament to the power of human connection and the transformative nature of empathy. Watching their relationship develop, from initial distrust to deep friendship, is a truly heartwarming experience.

The cinematography is perfect. The soundtrack is perfect.

• The power of connecting with someone
• Amazing performances by IU and Lee Sun-Kyun.
• Loneliness, healing, and friendship.
• GOATed OST
• Great supporting cast

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I feel like all my reviews these days start off with me saying that this type of drama isn’t USUALLY what I watch, but that’s only because I’ve really been pushing myself out of my rom-com comfort zone. My Mister was a drama I kept hearing about, and one day, when I was unsure of what to watch because of my long-ass watchlist, I went on r/kdramarecommends on Reddit and put up a post that I will watch someone’s favorite drama, because I probably already have it on my watchlist anyway. It’s a long watchlist. I literally just don’t have enough time in my life for all the dramas that I want to watch. Anyway, the very first person to comment on that post told me to watch My Mister, and at first, I was like, really? The last non-romance drama I watched I ended up rating a 5/10, and oh, look at that, the one before it was also a 5/10. For some reason I am fucking incapable of being interested in dramas that don’t follow some sort of romantic storyline. But oh, man, My Mister sure is one hell of a trailblazer in that regard. I do admit the first episode was boring as hell to me, and I had to rewatch it because I kept spacing out and was very confused when it ended. The more I got to know each of the characters in this drama, you could not have physically pulled me away from my laptop, because I was INVESTED and needed to know what happens next. By the way, this is coming from a person who sincerely believes that she has some undiagnosed mild ADHD. I just cannot for the life of me sit through this much of a kdrama on a normal day, but there was something about My Mister that just captivated me so much that I didn’t want to stop watching. When the drama ended, I sobbed for about 10 minutes straight (this might be a tad of an exaggeration) and sat there for a little while, not knowing what to do with my sad life now that my only source of entertainment in a while is finally over. I loved all the characters of this drama (even the “evil” ones) because none of them were written to be completely good or completely evil. Our main leads, even, have done some questionable things in this drama, however this type of unexpected behavior coming from seemingly predictable characters is what added the depth to their personalities. I could relate so much to the less moral characters, because as fucked up as their actions were, you could understand where they were coming from. There aren’t villains or heroes in My Mister. There are just regular people who do what they need to do for their and for other people’s happiness. The OST was absolutely incredible, and I loved the atmosphere of this drama quite a bit. The pacing was on the slower side, but this was totally okay and still engaged me throughout the whole series. If I have any parting words, it is to just watch this drama even if you don’t think you’d like it, because I, too, was incredibly turned off by the seemingly boring synopsis that MyDramaList provided. This Kdrama will be one I will not forget for a long time.

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It was such a great show but they ruined it so badly in last 4 episodes that I wont reccomend it to anybody who loves cinema.
Story- 10/10 I am giving 10 because main heart of the story was mid life crisis and all other mental problems faced by middle class adults of all ages. It was frighteningly real. I will not go into romance part bcoz I will not even consider it in actual story.
Writer - (7/10) Park Hae-Young wrote such a wonderful script but in order to write a romance she ended up ruining it. It could have been a perfect masterpiece but it felt short of it bcoz of Romance. Writer lost her sense of purpose in last 4 episodes. In first episode it has been clearly said that without romance drama couldn't be successful thats why they included woman in the drama and it actually felt like it, romance was the most unnecessary part of this drama and that's what ruined the last 4 episodes. They could have easily skipped the romance part and presented as normal healing relation bw boss and employee. I will deduct 3 points out of her work because I feel like she forcefully added romance to make it a hit, either she was forced or decided to earn money by sacrificing a great story. She is such a big writer she could have easily held her ground and would have decided against it but she didn't.
Camera work: (5/10 ) Camera work for such a great drama was not upto standard, felt like somebody has employed novice to the work. In the first five minutes of drama they chose shaky effect but it was so shaky that I felt dizzy and in later episodes it was quite lacking too. In one of the episodes where ML enrters in the restaurant to meet his ex director, just when he opens the door, his face is covered with foggy apearance and not clear bcoz of shitty camera work. Effect chosen for the Drama are of some1 who is new to effects.
Director- I didn't find much of reason to criticise the direction, director pretty much held the drama together.
OST- 10/10. I have not found a single drama where IU has acted and OST want good. Every IU drama makes me wanna search for OST.
Acting-7.5/10 Although Acting was decent on everybody's part but some stalwarts like Park Ho-san seriously failed to give his best, he is such a good actor but I felt like he never really felt like acting in the Drama hence he decided not to put his heart into it. This drama made good actors look bad. And dont let me start on actress Lee Ji-Ah, her acting never looked good in front of great actors. I dont get it who decided to emply her for the role.
Makeup artists, Costume designer- (4/10) in last 4 episodes it felt like even they have given up on drama. They dressed the ML so badly in last 4 episodes that it felt like ML has changed to some other actor. To make IU look too miserable, they chose a makeup that would look good on a person who has been forzen in ice, I mean what's up with too much red undereyes.
Apart from that a great story depicting the realistic lifestyle of Korean middle aged men, Hardships in life faced by both young people who didnt get to meet right persons in their childhood and Hardships faced by adults even after trying living their life the way society expects them to be.

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This drama says the real meaning of this sentence : the true love is when he loves you while you don't even love yourself !
Indeed, if someone has a man like Park Dong Hoon in her life, will never be hopeless in life !
But I thought Kang Yoon Hee should will get a bad luck in her life cause of the treason... It's not justice to continues to life like nothing happens !
And about IU, this cute girl i've to say, she is perfect ! But i think she could use more feelings in her character as any person !
Overall, it's one of the most amazing dramas I've ever seen ! <3

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