STORY:
I feel like it had great potential where it could keep one guessing. However it fell short due to an inconsistent plot and pacing. I felt like they didn't have any script editor to look over nor did it feel like the same person wrote the entire thing. There were too many loopholes, too many unexplained things, things that got brushed under the carpet and were never acknowledged. I felt the point of the story was about the characters and not so much about the fantasy aspect of it. I feel like we shouldn't have spent too much time on unnecessary plotlines and some character interactions would have been good enough to drive the story. Nothing about Cha Yu Ri coming to life made sense nor the ways the ghosts and shamans acted. The ending was touching, because the characters were lovely but it was limited by the lackluster writing of the scriptwriter. Of course I was never promised a happy ending but only the probability of it. In the end it's bittersweet but stayed consistent with Yu Ri's wishes. I feel like during the flashbacks and the flashforward, we only see that life goes on no matter what. I would like to take a moment to criticize the screentime given to the flashbacks. It didn't serve much purpose for me and I found myself skipping through a few.
ACTING / CHARACTERS:
The actors were good and Seo Woo Jin is the most adorable kid ever. His smile made smile like a fool the entire time he ever appeared on screen. I wasn't too pleased with the male leads as it ended up being a female-centered drama. The gals were great together and I loved their friendship. Yu Ri's family also had great chemistry with each other. I like that it stayed on course with human interactions and never went towards unnecessary romantic plots.
WHAT WORKED BEST:
I would like to give a special mention to Yuri's mother and her despair were absolutely heartbreaking. Her father's way of grieving was also really touching. Somehow I didn't connect with Gang hwa from the flashbacks. It just seemed out of character for me and his character made the least sense in all aspects of his life. Yuri's back and forth was quite fun with the shaman (who again was amazing). Yuri's friend/sis-in-law was also one of the highlights. Of course, Min Jeong was also wonderful and once we get to know her character, it was wonderful. I felt like some actors gave it their best but the writing fell flat. The ghost family were annoying and funny at the same time. I couldn't give a crap about the other ghosts at all. I did however like the direction and editing. The filters they used to create a mood and ambience stayed consistent throughout which really helped in case of this drama. I might look up the video director / cinematographer.
WHAT SUCKED:
Inconsistencies, how characters acted and the fantasy aspect were a hot mess. It should have been revised and then approved for filming. I feel like the writer had no clue on how to do the world building and handle the ending. They just did whatever fit best and gave us a cop out ending.
THE ENDING:
Oh ma gosh. It was beautiful, heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time. Some things happened too easily and some didn't happen at all. I feel like I missed closures with few of the characters. At the same time how they acted made zero sense. The life lessons and all were something I had to look hard for but it still fares worse than say, '49 Days' in my books. At the least the closing line was thoughtful. But I didn't buy the flashforward. At ALL.
OVERALL:
It was a mixed ride for me. At times I wanted to quit this show. But somehow the ending had me so curious that I couldn't back out. I liked watching Kim Tae Hee in an age-appropriate role. She seems to have improved and still looks hella fine after having 2 kids!
Watch it, don't watch it. It's a sob story by the end but started cool and funny in the beginning. Take your pick according to what you wish to sign up for (includes al the mentioned). I really didn't want the way they ended, but hey - I wasn't surprised either.
Was this review helpful to you?
Waste of a good premise
There was so much potential here in the form of a dead mother who comes back to look after her family and friends, and the meaning she finds and helps to bring back to the lives of the living. However, the story just went nowhere and some of the characters who could have helped it along were either forgotten after their intro, or just spent the show wandering around without purpose.Kim Tae Hee as our main lead Cha Yu Ri does a great job portraying a grieving mom who gets the chance to return to the land of the living. She is energetic and lovely in this role. The cute little Seo Woo Jin who plays her daughter Seo Woo is just the most adorable little thing too. And Shin Dong Mi is brilliant as Yu Ri's best gal friend Hyun Jung, who supports her through it all. She was actually the best part of the show. Her support and longing for her friend was so palpable.
The show could have been fantastic had the side stories of the ghosts been fleshed out. A few of them ask Yu Ri to help them with unfinished business. These opportunities could have pushed the show to new levels. Instead, their stories are introduced and then promptly forgotten. I was also hoping the fun and spirited shaman played by Yoon Sa Bong would have a real part of the story as well. Unfortunately her potential was lost too. Furthermore, important living characters just kind of wander around. Yu Ri's husband played by Lee Kyu Hyung, doesn't do much to actually show his depression or thoughts. It's a missed opportunity. And his new wife played by the gorgeous Go Bo Gyeol also doesn't do much, but has some time to express herself later in the show.
With the mess of a story and frustrating lack of follow through, you'd think the show would have little impact on the viewer. Fortunately, it's still able to tug some heartstrings, mostly through monologues and flashbacks about Yu Ri's life and family so it's a decent cry if you're looking for one (if you can get over the other frustrations).
Unfortunately, this show just isn't worth the time.
Was this review helpful to you?
as a mom, as a daughter, as a sister, as a wife and as a friend. what will you do when your position is taken? how will the people react to that?
well, it didn't need 16eps, and they knew it that's why they added the side ghosts. and at the end of the day they served no purpose but to drag the eps.
sure they gave them a little sentimental value, but if they took them out, this could've been done in 4eps max.
I didn't have any problems with seo woo being played by a boy, but woojinie felt a little too mischievous and smart for a quite girl that was "behind" other kids. woojinie was too adorable and playful ;)
I think my favorite part was the unexpected sismance between Yu Ri, Min Jung and Hyun Jun. tbh if that didn't exist, my rating would've been lower.
also, they had a couple of sweet heartbreaking moments between the main dynamics, so that was nice as well
the ost was nice enough, and I never rewatch stuff ;)
Was this review helpful to you?
- It can be a bit fuzzy, and has moments of being just absolutely unnecessary. There are also pockets of random stories of characters woven inside the drama, which may be considered good for the depth of characters. However. they just break up the already choppy continuation of the plot line of this drama, so I was kinda annoyed by this fact.
- Moving on, I found the crying scenes in this drama to be a bit excessive. It drowned out quite some time, and while it was sad at first. They kept pushing it, which I thought was a bit excessive.
- Finally, the timing and flow of events were spaced out in quite an uneven way. It just seemed to be very strangely spaced out, as I really didn't get why some events didn't come quicker, which is because of unnecessary filler moments that eat up the time. The ending was also predictable, which I get was kinda obvious. They should have at least outlined the last episode in a better manner, like with a more conclusive and satisfying epilogue.
- Overall, the acting of this cast was great. They gave solid performances, and I have no complaints. If anything, the crying scenes are a bit much, but that's all the qualms I have.
- The music, it was atmospheric and incredible. I loved it as the music blended with the scenes it was woven into. It was great, and I enjoy listening to it.
- All in all, Hi Bye Mama! is a show that I found to be good, but not great. It had plenty of flaws, but overall, it was still a fine show that I didn't regret watching. I wouldn't exactly say that I would personally re-watch this show, but I know that many would consider that a possibility. Hi Bye Mama! had an incredible cast, and the music was fine as well. I would say that for anyone who likes the genre of unresolved problems, returning from the dead, and revisiting friends and loved ones would love this show! I recommend this show to anyone interested, and wish you all to be safe!
Was this review helpful to you?
Life changing
Hi Bye Mama has totally changed my mind about people getting remarried after their partner’s death. I think i even wouldn’t mind my husband getting a new wife after i pass away if she’s similar to Oh Minjung, caring so much for the little girl as if she was her birth mother. It was impossible to hate on any character (except for the jealous moms), all of them were truly beautifully written from the Grand-Mother to the Ghost Family and each story made me cried. Spend time with your loved ones before it’s too late.Was this review helpful to you?
In my opinion, everything was perfect plot-wise, the last few episodes were real tearjerkers. My only concern was the utilization of the other side characters. The ghosts were there because they have unresolved stories and couldn't leave their loved ones behind, but then suddenly in the middle of the show their stories were suddenly cut off, rushed, and messily written. The plot from then on became solely focused on Yuri, her hiding the truth and Ganghwa finding it out. Aslo what happened to Jang Pil Seung's interest toward Yuri that was first shown on the character chart?
Acting-wise, Lee Kyu Hyung only proved to us once again how versatile of an actor he is! The way he portrayed pain, loss, longing, and suffering was on point. I am glad the casting directors chose him for this role because I dont think anyone could pull it off as well as him. Also his chemistry with Lee Tae Hee was amazing! I think this was also by far Lee Tae Hee's best work, maybe because she already has children of her own, but she was able to depict the role of a mother who loved her child dearly well.
Overall, this drama may have its own minor flaws, but despite that, it really made a deep impression in me. I cried a lot because it made realize my actions. Me being a mean daughter to my parents who I know loves me despite the way I am, I wonder if I was able to show them how much I love them, despite not being able to express it well?
Hi Bye, Mama is a true wake up call for us who are busy with our daily lives, we run and worry towards the future so much that we sometimes forget to thank and appreciate all those we love. It reminded me to treasure each moment with our loved ones before its too late, to appreciate life and living as a gift, and to not do anything we would regret.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This drama died with plenty of regrets
This drama definitely had potential (my beloved Lee Kyu-hyung plays the sad dad!) which ended up being squandered in its entirety. And the score I gave is reflective of the enormous disappointment I suffered.I can be petty like that.
Also, I would not recommend this drama to anyone except for Lee Kyu-hyung fans (who will get the chance to see his dimples in every episode).
The story is a quirky one and starts in medias res. I was truly invested because I love discovering things little by little and, above all, I love wacky supernatural plots.
The dead coming back to the living world after time and life went on beyond them is entirely fascinating to explore as a concept (one of my favorite shows is the French drama Les Revenants). I think it is one of those what-ifs we have entertained collectively since the beginning of human experience and a fantasy that confronts us with deep reflections on death, relationships and society. Therefore, I always have great expectations when a story takes up such themes.
Despite this promising start, I feel like the writer never really committed to any of the concepts they introduced.
The trauma, grief and the bereavement we are invited to delve into seem underdeveloped, left unresolved (in my opinion May I Help You does a better job on the subject). One might argue that for most of us the loss of a loved one, in particular a traumatic and sudden loss, stays an unresolved matter for life.
Still, I watch drama to escape the harsh reality and lose myself in impossibility and parallel universes of perfectly finite stories! And I would have loved to see the characters really explore the implications of the absurdity they are facing and grow their relationships beyond the state we find them in. Instead we are constantly bombarded with new arcs, fillers and one too many emotional scenes.
That is why I felt that the pacing was off and I was bored the majority of the episodes.
I am deeply supportive of mixed tones (I am a fan of dramedy and cry laughing all the time), but there were too many failed funny-cute moments in this and, at times, it was a bit awkward.
The ghost characters in the columbarium are funny and Kim Tae-hee is brilliant in her role and gives her character a natural charm that will win everyone over. Lee Kyu-Hyung is equally strong in his portrayal and I especially liked the adorable kid dressed as a girl (genius actor Seo Woo-jin that made me his eternal admirer with Young Lady and Gentleman).
All the characters cry very convincingly throughout, yet the writing was too weak to really amount to anything of depth and value.
Female Empowerment Score 3/5 Oh Min-Jung is a really sad character in the beginning with her tepid marriage and pseudo-motherhood but the last episode implies that it gets better and she won't be striving to fit in someone else's life. Plus points for the comradery between mothers.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Romanticization of tragedy
As an artist and creator, I understand just how life can already be filled with enough sadness. We lose loved ones, we age, and face a multitude of other misfortunes. Therefore, I believe it's our responsibility as creators to craft stories that make life more interesting. I would not romanticize the premature end of a life, dramatizing it to an unbearable extent for over 17 hours, for those who dedicated their time to engage with my work.Having said that, the show has many aspects to be appreciated. The actors' performances were flawless, and they are the reason behind my positive review.
Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting premise and strong start marred by uneven finish.
For the first 10 episodes this drama had me completely enamored. It wasn’t at all what I expected. The trailer features mostly Kim Tae Hee in the most comical elements of the show and barely hints at the melodrama and heartache that makes up the lion’s share of the story. Unlike most shows I choose to watch, I went into this one cold. I didn’t read any of the reviews beforehand. I’ve been on a Kim Tae Hee kick recently, and I wanted to see her in her first role since taking time off to start her family. For 10 to 12 episodes I was all in, then what had been a strong start fell apart nearly completely.The premise is an interesting one. A young, first-time mother dies suddenly, then remains on earth as a ghost that inhabits the lives of the family and friends she left behind, helplessly watching them struggle with life without her. At first, her ghostly interaction with the world is played for comedic effect but as the story unfolds, we see how heartbreaking it is for her to watch the unbearable grief her sudden death caused for those she left behind, and the mood shifts from comedy to melodrama. In one of the more poignant moments, we learn that instead of being jealous of the woman who took her place, Yu Ri (Kim Tae Hee) is actually grateful that her husband and daughter now have someone as kind as Min Jung to take care of them.
This is fertile ground for exploring life, love, loss, gratitude, and regret, and the best parts of the story take full advantage of it. But somewhere around episode 11 or 12, things begin to feel repetitive. Plot lines that seemed full of promise—like Yu Ri’s promise to do one favor for each ghost—get abandoned, while others, like the character Guk Bong get introduced and dropped for no apparent reason. And there are tears. Lots and lots of tears and “I’m sorry” and more tears from nearly every character. (In hindsight I wonder how the script read on paper because in scene after scene, each character’s line seemed to consist of “I’m sorry [then cry].”) It wasn’t enough to save this drama, but the ship gets righted during the final episode, and the story comes to a more or less satisfying conclusion.
The cast is mostly terrific and the chemistry between them good as well. The exception was Lee Kyu Hyung as the widow Jo Gang Hwa. I didn’t think he had much chemistry with anyone other than Kim Tae Hee. Granted, the script called for him to mostly grieve and cry and 70% of his lines were “I’m sorry”, so I’m not sure how much of the problem was his or the script’s. Nevertheless, it was hard to buy into the love story between Gang Hwa and his second wife Min Jung. The only thing we had to go on was Yu Ri telling us repeatedly that even though no one else could tell that he loved her, she could.
This isn’t a bad drama, and it is worth a watch—especially for fans of Kim Tae Hee like I am. It is simply an OK drama that could have been much better. What started out so full of promise and could have been a very good 10- or 12-episode drama was stretched past the breaking point, ruining an interesting idea and mostly stellar performances by a very good cast.
Was this review helpful to you?
I love it but...
I love this drama however, i am so bothered by THE FACT that seo woo is a boy. Why cant they just let him play as a boy though? He was dressed as a girl, played as a girl. Idk, it just bothered because he's just a child. Second is I got so worried about that girl that was hit on her face with an egg when hyeon jeong helped geun sang from sang bongs fans. I wondered what happened after taking that scene. Hope she's okay. Apart from those 2, I really enjoyed it. I cried alot too ?Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I fell in love with this drama for many things, but mainly because it made me value this life so much, and it made me rethink the way I’m treating those around me.It ended with two questions from Yu Ri... Were you happy in this life time? And Did you make others feel happy around you? For most of us, we always think about the former, but rarely about the latter. This show made me realize how your death, and how people react to your death definitely says a lot about the way you lived your life.
Realizations aside, this story was well written. I’m always a sucker for these kind of episodes, where epilogues exist and characters do voice overs to introduce the episode and end the episode with a certain theme. These kind of dramas definitely give me a sign that the writer planned this drama well, and that It’s really worth something. And this drama definitely was worth something.
The acting was definitely top notch. There was a lot of crying that felt natural, and even humor on the side. New found respect for these actors since they were able to pull off situations that don’t really happen much in real life. Wow.
My favorite part about the whole thing was the fact that there was no antagonist. It’s simply about death, its initial and lingering effects, and how life continues to turn despite one leaving permanently. It also shows us that in our own lives, maybe, there really are no antagonists, rather only people who play different roles in our lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching this. It wasn’t fast paced and there were no cliche twists. Only life and death, and family.
P.s. was a bit sad for the few happy family moments between yu ri, seo woo and gang hwa. But i guess that was necessary for the plot to be effective. However, I had such a soft spot for this couple. My favorite scene of this entire sceries was when they pulled off the “what if you never died, what could have been our tomorrow?” Epilogue. This made me cry a lot.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Message That The Drama Wants To Send.
It was the third drama of Kim Tae-hee that I watched. The first one that I watched was IRIS and the second one was Yong Pal. But out of all the three drama what i liked the best is Hi Bye Mama. It is because of the story line. I have watched a lot of dramas in the same genre but this one was the only drama that became my favourite at once. It has great message that the actors and actresses want to share to the world. In this drama the child actor Seo Woo-Jin did a great job of playing the role Seo Woo which is a very great job by such a small child. It is not an easy job to play a role of a mother but here Kim Tae-Hee did an awesome job. This drama is a very heart touching one which will definitely make you cry. As per me this drama is a best drama because of all the actors. actresses and staffs hard work. People who are new to K-Drama must definitely watch this drama atleast once .Was this review helpful to you?
