Our Beloved Summer (2021)

"A life without love is like a year without summer."

That's a Swedish proverb in my title. I am a winter person, but what good is the cold of winter, without the warmth of summer to give it sweetness? Summer means happy times and good memories as well. One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter in order to remember the warmth that life as well as nature provides you with.

"Our Beloved Summer (그 해 우리는) [2022]" is a story of such warmth, enthusiasm and vehemence; a love story that's worth telling and worth witnessing. It's about the growth, the progress and the upswing of a relationship that thrives even on the verge of vanishing. This is definitely an unique tale that'll bring all kind of emotions out of you and make you experience numerous amount of perspectives of life.

Kook Yeon Soo (Kim Da Mi) and Choi Woong (Choi Woo Shik) were highschool batchmates, persuaded to film a documentary portraying the first and last students of the class together. The documetary goes viral and by the end of the filming, they fall for each other and start dating, which lasts for next few years until they breakup for unknown reason. After 10 years, as they end up working together for a while, they have to film again showing their current situations. How will they cope up with the lingering feeling for each, as they move forward in their lives individually? Well, for that, you have to watch the drama by yourself.

Choi Woong is an Innocent, ingenuous and artless teenage guy whose free-spiritedness has made him the last student of his class though noone has been able to recognize his skills & intellect and what his future beholds. Kook Yeon Soo is a brilliant student, though self-centered and a lil unkind. Despite everyone's assumptions about her she lives an honest life by adapting to her reality.

Kim Ji Woong (Kim Sung Chul) has been the closest friend to Choi Woong since elementary who has now become a documentary PD. NJ (Roh Jung Eui) is a super-successful Idol star who is very honest and kind-hearted. Go Eun Ho (Ahn Dong Goo) is a friend to Choi Woong and his manager. Lee Sol Yi (Park Jin Joo) is the only friend of Yeon Soo and a pub owner. Jung Chae Ran (Jun Hye Won) is the Asst. PD at SBC.

Some old, familiar and experienced faces among supporting character are Seo Jung Yun (Lee Yun Ok) and Park Won Sang (Choi Ho) as Choi Woong's mother and father respectively. Cha Mi Kyung (Kang Ja Kyung) as Yeon Soo's grandmother. Jo Bok Rae (Park Dong Il) as the main PD at SBC.

The child actors for Choi Woong and Ji Woong, Song Ha Hyun and Kim Ji Hoon also did a great job. They were so cute and were able to portray demanded emotions aptly.

Special mention to Lee Joon Hyuk and Kwak Dong Yeon who played guest roles with badboy characters which actually felt like guest roles.

The plot development is steady though it doesn't look like it bcs of longer reminiscences from their highschool days and some flashbacks from their childhood. At the beginning of each episode, they show the progression of the 3 main characters when they were immature teens; combining them won't seem like a consistent tale bcs there are 3 different pov-s for each of them, which is fairly balanced. Also, some of the episodes in the later half, exceptionally, has the pov-s of the current timeline, one of which is given to NJ. Similarly, the ending of each episode is accompanied by epilogues to provide the audience with references.

The pacing is the only problem that lies with the production and editing. It isn't consistent; somewhere slow and somewhere fast. This could have been avoided but it was manageble for me ngl. Talking about the episodic progression, It took me 2 episodes and a half to be hit by the mood of the drama. The furtherance was good, 4th was a bit off in terms of substances, I felt. The ending of 6th felt like an ending of a story itself, I mean ep1-6 somehow felt like a show. And I was wary about what more is left. But to respond my questions, they provided me with a unhurried, warm and beautiful journey while the two parties go on a quest of love and attempt to eradicate all the odds on their way.

The finale week (15th & 16th) came as a surprise. Just when I thought they've forgotten about few things and are gonna end the show with cute moments and jolly fillers, they slapped me with the most important topics to be considered. I am so so so happy they didn't forget them. Honestly, I think those 4 episodes could be better executed but fine. The last 2 episodes are like truckloads of sadness and pain, they got many peak moments and tend to be gloomy for most of the parts. All loose ends were wrapped well in there and even though a lot of things happened in the last episode, it didn't feel rushed.

This is the directorial debut for Kim Yoon Jin PDnim who was, in fact, the producer for one of the 2020 best "It's Okay to Not be Okay". Despite that fact, the job he has done in this drama is so first-rate that it proves all the competence his skills behold. The screen editing, the screenplay management, the storytelling method and the overal execution is well taken care of. The pacing was perfect for the genre providing apt vibes; it's not exactly a warm pure romance but the painfully beautiful vibes wouldn't have been felt without the moderately slow screenplay. The cinematography is perfect; given the genre, mood and messages the story wanted the audience to catch, it was quite successful in doing that. It is beautiful and particularly the warmth could be felt through the camera lenses.

I honestly didn't know about Lee Na Eun jakkanim before watching this drama but given her experience in writing only one short webseries prior to this, she has done a fabulous job, no? I am very much willing to read the original webtoon now. Notably (for those who don't know yet), the drama is a sequel of a webtoon written by the same author and the same title (그 해 우리는 - 초여름이 좋아!). Simply, the webtoon is a prequel for the drama involving the highschool documentary days. I love how she has focused on the character dynamics of not just the 4 leads, but also the seemingly minor supporting characters. I particularly loved Ji Woong and NJ's backstories. The method of storytelling, the monologue notes during the backstory remembrance, the narrations and most importantly the plot development... everything is so good, I swear. I also loved how she has made the characters interpret various thoughts.

Nam Hye Sung PDnim is a super familiar name among the Korean composers and has composed for so many dramas, on the top of that for many excellent ones. There are 13 OSTs in total (by the time I write this) and I seriously love all of them. I usually cite my most fav or top 2 but I wanna mention more than that...

#1 "The Giving Tree" by Lee Seung Yoon is my most favourite. The soft beat song with pleasing vocals is about reminiscing the sweet memories of the past whose warmth is still heartfelt.

#2 "Drawer" by 10cm again is again about reminiscence but with a romantic and aesthetically beautiful tone which could make you cry. 10cm never fails to do his job.

#3 "Our Beloved Summer" by Kim Kyung Hee is the theme song for the drama which is a refreshing harmony and pleasant call for love.

#4 "There For You" by Kim Na Young is a soulful and emotional song, which is known to be her forte. It strikes out one's insecurities in a relationship. I particularly loved the rhythms.

#5 "Summer Rain" by Sam Kim which has the softcore melody that makes your heart flutter, no doubt he is proficient vocalist. The song is a very comforting one.

#6 "Maybe If" by BIBI is a song of 'What-Ifs'. It narrates various possibilities while dissecting the decisions of past to pick out the regrettable ones. BIBI's pointed vocal is so on point.

#7 "Christmas Tree" by BTS V is an eulogy to love. It perfectly depicts the art of loving and the feelings of being loved. Taehyung's vocal is like cherry on the top for this track.

Other OSTs are...
"Squabble" by Ha Sung Woon
"I Will Make You Happy" by Jang Beom Jun
"Even Now" by Yang Yoseob
"Home" and "Why" by Janet Suhh
"Red String of Fate"by Kim Kyung Hee

"From a philosophical pov, love is all about giving; it's what you give, and not what you take." This is an anonymously quoted line that we all know of but lemme assure that Our Beloved Summer goes beyond all the definitions and breaks all the barriers, in order to come forward with its own interpretations. I will try my best not to spoil while explaining this and please note that the next few paragraphs are descriptions relating to the show's scenarios.

For the world to become beautiful, the golden precepts to live by are mutual understanding, respect, tolerance, forgiveness, and love. OBS signifies how important these 4 factors are, in love. Love is love, no matter what but one must be aware of how to love and be loved, and to acquire that knowledge, we must be willing to learn each and every day out of it. OBS also shows how important its to learn despite the pacing and time period taken, bcs what matters is when you come back with full comprehension.

The feelings of not being loved anymore leads to insecurity which works like a poison in a relationship. Even in the strongest relationships, the fear of judgement by your partner is the mark of guilt and the burden of insecurities. Self-esteem, ego and reasonable pride are some elements contributing to it and I'm glad they didn't forget to sort out the lil knots left to untie at the end of the drama, even though it was late.

Honesty is the best policy- as you've heard, but my friend! It takes immense courage to be honest in a relationship. We often forget that we are mere human beings, and not magicians who can read others. So it's important that we tell things to others and also become a good listeners. Hiding is like lying to your own and it accumulates to further treachery. At the same time, opening up to your partner not only relieves the pain to some amount but also comforts your soul. This is another factor they've emphasized in the drama.

"Because nothing would happen If I don't do anything" is a line from this drama which implies that our choices or decisions are what shapes our future. It doesn't matter whether we joy over it or regret it bcs it's already too late to go back. We might have another chance to set things straight but that again depends upon the others involved. Because In the end, that was the choice you made, and it doesn't matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did.

"Please keep loving me." was a desperate call from one of the characters in this drama. We all wish to be loved for only ourselves and nothing extrinsic, but what exactly is the necessity and is that entity sufficiently reserved to elicit love alone? Well, the answer lies in our hearts with some reasoning left for our brains to do.

There is a great gift in conflict that is resolved heart to heart—it’s a deeper understanding. You just need to be willing to do your part to dive deep for the pearl. That's the greatest message "Our Beloved Summer" gives away to it's viewers. It simply is being deeply in love than being crazily in love. This drama truly brings out the most basic thing about a dating relationship.

I think I could be the only one but It somehow reminded me of Yumi's Cell. They're not similar in any way but the fact, that both of them are about processes and not constant or regular outcomes, is what makes both of them unique. I came here solely for Choi Woo Shik, Kim Da Mi and Kim Sung Chul bcs I have always loved their performances. Not having read the webtoon, I wasn't expecting much when the drama was still in making but when the hype about it started going up the hill, it took my level of anticipations with it and I am proud to announce that, it has exceeded whatever I thought It'd be.

Final remarks... Our Beloved Summer will remain in the top 10 list of Kdramas based on youth life essence for many years to come. The drama is character-driven and each & every aspect of this drama gets an near perfect score and the credit must go to the entire cast and crew. Couldn't be grateful to all of them for this beautiful piece of art which is thought provoking and very heartfelt. This is definitely a must watch. My ratings reflect how much I loved it and tbh it had it's own flaws whicu are in fact negligible but to be fair, I can't give 10/10 haha.

P. S. Might comeback sometimes to edit bcs I feel this is a bit disorganized since I had a runny nose while writing, hehe.

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This drama gives you butterflies.

As I am seeing this drama roll out every week I find myself fascinated by how good the Main Leads of this drama are in portraying there emotions that it just leaves me mind-boggling and a loss of words. So if you were considering of starting the show then don't think twice and start this show for it's talented actors. The chemistry between the two leads is off the charts. And the way they portray sadness just leaves my jaw dropped and eyes wet. You can actually feel the emotions they are trying to portray. The actors did justice to the script and storyline. The supporting actors also are to die for.
It is slow-paced romance drama which never gets dull at any point of time. And leaves you craving for more. The writers did a great job in not letting the story die at any moment. I personally am a huge fan of slow-paced romance dramas. But not many drama are able to pull them off. The writers have written some very meaningful lines, and the thanks to the translator of this show they have done a really good job,translating into equally meaning lines. As some of the Korean I can see is not what the English meaning is, but it fits the best and I like it more. I remember, how in RUN ON, she loved her job translating films and series, and through that series, I really came to know, translating is hard and meaningful job.
I rate dramas that can make one emotional over the dramas that makes one laugh just because I think it is difficult to touch someone's heart. And only by touching their hearts can you make them connected to the characters and the story. So do give this drama an eye. I assure you that you won't be wasting your time on it.

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my beloved time... wasted.

FULL REVIEW, SOME SPOILERS

i have never been as disappointed in a drama as i was with this one. because truly, i wanted to love it. it started off well, with beautiful cinematography and osts, with a fun plot and good actors, but thats where it all ends. after the first few episodes it all felt monotonous and repetitive. i expected fun bickering, lovey dovey moments, thought out characters, an unexpected twist with the documentary, DEPTH. the initial trailers seemed fun, fresh, nuanced and promised all of this, which the first few episodes somewhat delivered. afterwards, everything was a dull filler. let me explain.

my biggest issue was this: despite all the love professions and cute moments, i didnt care for the couple very much. after showing us how yeonsu constantly broke up with him whenever she wanted, the immature miscommunications, the imbalances in the relationship, i just didnt want to see them together. your first love is not often the person you stay with forever, and thats okay. this wouldve been a great healing drama, where the leads heal individually and learn to love themselves without the other. instead i felt the opposite, like they were codependent: ung could only sleep with yeonsu by his side, yeonsu felt empty without him.

therefore I think the drama should’ve gone in a different direction- a story of forgiveness, growing up and growing apart, getting closure. i wanted them to meet again, learn more about each other now that they were broken up, heal separately and stay separated. that would sent a better message, and it also wouldve worked better given the set up. if they were to end up together, there shouldve been a different backstory. all we saw initially was them bickering, which was cute in highschool, but we never really saw them grow to like each other. more specifically WHY they liked each other.

they were complete opposites and the drama never went deeper with their relationship past superficial conversations and longing gazes. this lack of depth made it hard to imagine how this was a love strong enough to last YEARS. they had so many problems, i mean, yeonsu’s “if i leave you just come back to me” what? how is this in any way cute or goals?
speaking of, i felt that the characters werent created equally. yeonsu was given so many flaws while ung… wasnt (especially in the beginning) and it made yeonsu look like the bad guy. i wish he had been more stubborn, or complacent in the misunderstandings so i wouldnt have to “pick a side”. especially when ung was defending yeonsu to us, saying he saw a different side of her: her ripping notes just to give it to ung, her refusing to see the flowers then bringing ung petals, etc. this whole “mean to everyone but me” trope is outdated. if the ending had to be them together, then the backstory should’ve been more “right person wrong time” and less “pointless couple break up for dramatic effect”.
and yes, they matured in the present day relationship, and there were cute moments. but yeonsu and ung were kinda boring , both in and out of the relationship. i didnt ever feel that they had that strong of a connection, and i never even got why they kept breaking up and getting back together in the first place. overall their relationship just didn’t work for me. and yes they were cute during the end, but it doesnt make up for everything else.

everything outside of their relationship was also undercooked. yeonsu went to work every few episodes (to not do work), ung barely drew. and these were their main traits. rather than being fully developed it felt like they got a traumatic little backstory which led to them having ONE issue: yeonsus pride and ungs attachment. what happened to the first few episodes, to the driven yeonsu? why didnt they explore more of how she burnt herself out from working too hard? or what jobs she had before landing the one we barely see her go to now? why not delve more into ungs wishes to live a peaceful relaxed life? how he even got famous considering it’s the complete opposite of his life goals? these questions are all unanswered because all the drama cares about depicting was their relationship.

lack of depth affected the other characters as well, with them being mere stepping stones for the main relationship. producer ji for example, giving him mommy issues and a never ending crush doesnt make up for the lack of personality. and am i supposed to believe he hung onto his crush with the girl he barely talked to… for YEARS? why not go more in depth to his relationship with ung and ungs parents instead, or even his won parents? in the present day he didnt seem like a very good friend, so depth is much needed. his documentary thing wasnt developed at all, even though the documentary aspect was initially what made this drama so unique. it felt like filler instead of its own character, and didnt connect with jiungs arc at all.
yeonsus best friend- aka the only character with some pizazz- was not on screen nearly enough. all we know about her is that she had a lot of boyfriends and has a strict family. ungs manager just fangirls over nj, i found him unbearable. couldnt he have been given ONE personality trait? nj pops in and out when we need some drama when she couldve been such a GREAT character. we had her tiny subplot with online bullies, and that was it. why not showcase the pressures of being an idol, or maybe even ONE scene of her singing or dancing or modeling or acting or SOMETHING?? mr jang, who i assumed would be the SML, never showed up after the first few episodes after he said he liked yeonsu?? what even was that ?? yeonsus coworkers are only there to gossip about her love life and their boss- i dont even know why hes there. i just wish the other characters were more delved into, like in hometown cha cha cha. its been proven that this CAN be done and still leave enough time for the main couple. and they certainly couldve spared some screen time. i know this is a romance drama, but there is such a thing as too much romance.

overall,
this drama felt undercooked. it could’ve been fantastic, really. highschool romances, bickering couples, cold leads, this has all been done well before. look at fight for my way, hometown cha cha cha, its okay thats love, etc etc etc. this drama shouldve taken notes from those that did it well. instead, they created a perfectly average drama that relied on cute moments and filler to make up for poor writing and direction. no slice of life, just romance. a poorly written, average romance.

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Started off well, but lost it's way. Overrated drama, just because of famous leads

Many people will disagree, but I feel this is just so overrated, Okay, so what if the cast is renowned and they act well. There is hardly any script inn here. I mean nothing really happens. Initial few episodes, which revealed how 2 teens of very opposing nature keep bickering, and eventually fall in love, through those videos and flashbacks, were cool, and had a good thing going. The moment t hey got back together, which was no surprise, the show turned super cheesy and then there was nothing left in story at all, but still it dragged on like forever. The subplot with NJ was kinda cute but unnecessary. The side-plot with the other Woong was boring and unnecessary as well. More so was his subplot with his mother, and the love interest from his assistant. All these plot points were complete fillers for a stale drama. The subplot with the protagonist being adopted, and about his art being criticized was also unnecessary and did not contribute to the plot in any way. The female lead was shown as such a strong character in the beginning, but towards the end was insufferably cheesy and a waste of character. At the end, the leads get separated as they focus on their respective careers but immediately get back together because they just so "missed each other".. the whole thing felt forced, as if they wanted to put in some dramatic moments before they ended the drama. I was utterly bored in last few episodes. Sorry to anyone who finds this drama likeable and disagrees with my review, but I hope this will help someone save their few hours of life by skipping this drama.

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I'm sorry, but I need to like SOMEONE in the show

Maybe I was watching a different show than everyone else, maybe I was in a bad frame of mind, or maybe I just didn't get it, but this show irritated me no end. It was full of unlikeable characters, especially the FL. She was self-centered, self-absorbed, and every other "self" word that you could come up with. This is someone that wouldn't have any friends, because she can't think of anyone other than herself. There was a lot of name-calling, and overall, the relationship between the FL and ML was just toxic. Break up, make up, repeat ad nauseum. Then, at the end, when he is baring his soul to her, she continues to nag him. I just wanted to tell him to run away while he could.

I did like the music though.

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All is fair in love and war…

… And this is a little bit of both.
Delightful is the one word that comes to my mind when trying to describe Our Beloved Summer. I will not lie, this series nearly lost me in its second half, but now that is done and all wrapped up, I can’t help but miss it. I try not to have too high expectations in dramas these days no matter what I hear as to not set myself up for disappointment and then be too harsh on a show, as it has happened in the past, but I couldn’t help but be excited for Our Beloved Summer before it even aired. I love the cast and the mature concept and good God- I just love a mockumentary format. It’s a trope that I will never ever get tired of. So yes, I would say that had pretty high hopes for this drama. And while this is definitely not flawless, it still delivered what I wanted from it.

Even at its weakest moments, Our Beloved Summer felt comfortingly youthful from start to finish. The actors, as expected were great. I adore Kim Da-mi, I find her oh so charming and looking at the webtoon, she seemed like the perfect choice for her character. And without a doubt, she definitely did end up being my favorite aspect of this romance. Gook Yeon-su is such a great female protagonist, I couldn’t help but fall for her. Strong-willed, smart, competent, cold but never cruel, childish but never annoying. She was just a wonderful lead.
Second lead syndrome also definitely hit me hard here, Kim Ji-wung was my second favorite character by far. I read many complaints about him being hung up on a girl for years despite having little to no contact with her and while I will gladly admit that he was annoyingly whiny about it at parts, I always viewed Ji-wungs affection for our female protagonist as an extension and manifestation of his jealousy towards Ung: His best friend already got the restaurant chain named after him, the loving family to come home to, how come he has to get the girl as well? So even though I didn’t necessarily agree with our second-leads actions at certain points, they made sense to me from a storytelling-perspective. Him being in love with Yeon-su didn’t feel like a plot point shoe-horned in for a love-triangles sake, it was pretty clear from the beginning on, that his romantic attraction was entirely one-sided. Instead, his unresolved feelings were something for him personally to overcome, and considering that, he felt like a more well-rounded and realistic second-lead than what I am usually used to from my K-dramas.
The chemistry, the most important thing in any romance, was definitely there. Our two leads were great together and a joy to watch through all their bickering and loving scenes. It’s hard to convince an audience, that two characters are good for each other even if you see them constantly fighting and making each other miserable but I think this was achieved here. There was never a doubt in my mind, that our two protagonists deeply cared for each other. Their relationship felt heart-warming and believable and I just had a lot of fun watching them interact.
I don’t think that Our Beloved Summer’s cinematography was necessarily anything special in terms of shot-composition but the color-grading definitely stood out to me and largely contributed to the youthful vibe of the show. Also: the documentary format worked excellent here. The many hand-held shots made this feel even more intimate, like I was genuinely eave-dropping on this couple and experiencing their love with them. The interview parts also fit in really well and were the shows main source of humor. In not many stories do we get to see the dissonance in how a character views themselves and how they actually behave, I thought it made a really fun addition to the show and allowed me to get to know the two leads on another level.

But I had mentioned in the first paragraph that this show nearly lost me in its second half. Even though this is a pretty mature and fresh story in concept, I can’t help but feel like this series still fell into all too many K-drama tropes it really didn’t need.
I loved Ungs family, they were incredibly lovable characters, but I am so sick of secret-adoption plot-lines. No matter how maturely they are handled, and I feel like Our Beloved Summer did its best with it, they always seem so cheesy and needlessly melodramatic to me. Like, was this plot point really necessary? His adoption wasn’t something for Ung to work past, he kind of just makes his peace with it without any major events, and I wouldn’t say that this detail about his past really added to his character. The whole thing felt like something written in solely for a plottwists-sake. I don’t think you need to justify a character having adoptive parents, unconventional families are definitely something that should be represented more in media, but I much would have preferred it, if Ungs adoption hadn’t been like a grand reveal or something his parents kept from him. If this was an attempt to further normalize adoptive families, I think it would have been much more sincere and overall tasteful, if Ung had simply been adopted by a loving family, aware of that fact and at peace with it. To me that way, this plot point would have felt much less out of place.
Speaking of out of place, I don’t know what to make out of NJs character. In no way did I find her unlikable or unpleasant, if anything I think she is rather cute but something as glamorous and otherworldly as an idol didn’t really fit into a story that, other than her, felt pretty grounded and somewhat thrived of its relatability. I don’t know, I have to admit that I enjoyed her dynamic with Ung but I can’t help but feel like her presence took away a lot of realism from the show.

However, both of these flaws really didn’t bother me all that much, they were just minor things that took me out of the show a bit. My main critique is something else and it’s a sentiment I don’t think is shared by many people. In my opinion Our Beloved Summers biggest weakness is Ung himself.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Ung, he is funny, kind, intelligent and thoughtful. He is basically flawless, perfect even. But herein lies the problem: Ung is too perfect.
“It is her fault we broke up”, is something Ung says about Yeon-su in one of the first few episodes. Through the majority of this show I was under the impression that this attitude would be something he would have to overcome. That Ungs weakness was supposed to be his ignorance about his own shortcomings. Very rarely can you blame a break-up entirely on one person, I thought that would be something he would have to come to realize. But then a weird thing happened: The plot validated his thought-process.
It is very subtly implied, that Ungs immaturity and sunny mindset are the reason our female protagonist doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her pain with him. That his nonchalant attitude seems othering to someone who has had it rough and I figured that, since he, for the most part, had lived a comfortable life, Ung can sometimes be ignorant about the struggle of others. But then the show portrays it as if that is something for Yeon-su to work past alone. She should just get over it and open up more. It is stated by herself that the reason they broke up was her own pride, no questions asked why she never felt completely safe to share her burden with her boyfriend. Ung never has to self-reflect. He is someone that was wrongfully left by his girlfriend because she had issues to overcome. His carelessness not only gets portrayed as something that makes him more lovable but as an actual strength Yeon-su has to learn from. Meanwhile her strengths, like her strict work ethic, are actually also portrayed as her biggest weaknesses that made her miserable all her life while her ex-boyfriend got to follow and achieve all his dreams.
I don’t understand why so many K-dramas are so terrified of giving their male protagonists actual tangible flaws to overcome. Maybe it’s because romance dramas mainly serve as female wish-fulfillment and the writers are terrified that we will lose interest if the love interest is not perfect in every single imaginable way, but it is something I am starting to grow really tired of. It’s especially tiring because Yeon-su is such a great example of a perfectly imperfect character, with an equal number of strengths and weaknesses. She had an actual character arc, wisdom to share but also things to learn. I just feel like the same thing can’t be said for our male lead. That is why this felt more like a story about Yeon-su’s growth than like a story about two people both working past their issues to rekindle their relationship. That didn’t make this drama unenjoyable, I love Yeon-su and her learning to open up was still an interesting character arc I enjoyed watching, but I just think that this show could have even better if it had provided Ung with chances to grow as well.

All this doesn’t change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed Our Beloved Summer. I feel like 2021 had been somewhat disappointing on the romance-front but this drama truly was a breath of fresh air. Hopefully this is a good sign and I can expect more out of 2022. Despite its flaws, Our Beloved Summer really felt like summer to me, keeping me warm through this cold winter season.

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Dull and repetitive!

As expected of Netflix´ standards, the directing, the cinematography and the musical scoring are outstanding; full of eye candy scenes. Quite beautiful and very melancholic heavy, which I´m a sucker for. So the experience was a joy for my eyes and ears, with that in mind it was easy to sometimes overlook the non interesting story and the lack of character development in the early episodes. But once it hit episode 12 everything just fell apart and the story/writing/main and supporting characters shortcomings became apparent. Once the main leads´ internal conflict was resolved which happened in episode 11 the remaining five were just abysmal and the beautiful cinematography was not enough to keep me interested.

Should I recommend this series? Yes, if you´re into young angst, love beautiful productions and you´re willing to overlook story and characters.

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Shiny But Dull…

I’m probably in a small minority here with ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ but the series really, really, really didn’t do anything for me.

Don’t get me wrong. I have always had a lot of respect for Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi as they are both brilliant actors and their roles over the last few years have been really varied. Even here I’d say that their parts as the main leads remained a really strong factor throughout the show.

But the chemistry? It’s hard to describe really. I guess it was a bit lacklustre. It shouldn’t have been because Woo Shik and Da Mi were really brilliant together in ‘ The Witch’ but it was hard to really feel any dynamic charm between their characters. It was existent but it felt a bit fabricated imao.

As for storyline it’s nothing really new or exciting per say. I really like how the series did take on a lot of old-fashioned tropes though and gave them a bit more depth than just the second female lead/ male lead being purely “ potential love interests” and having their own feelings and reasons also.

I felt as though the pacing was a bit off personally. As much it was kinda sweet to see characters grow, the plot did feel as though it had run its course by about episode 12. After that whilst there was still some element of plot, it was a bit overstretched. I felt as though the series could’ve done with either stopping at 12 episodes, or at least bringing in a more exciting plot-drive rather than feeling a bit repetitive after the 3/4 mark. The ending was to be expected in all honesty.

The scenes and cuts were arguably one of the strongest factors of the series. The colors were really bright and bubbly and helped to reflect a lot about the characters and the actual tones were glossy and slick. I felt as though maybe the series could’ve been a bit more creative with certain shots than just including standards sequences, but apart from that, I can’t deny a that the filming was pretty much eye candy. The OST was also good personally also.

I felt as though maybe like a lot of romance dramas with big names, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ was a little overrated for what it was worth as the storyline and pacing were a bit tedious and dragged in parts and there wasn’t really anything new offered to the table. Yet I can’t deny that it was quite pretty with scenes, the acting was very good and the OST did particularly stand out. A strong 7.5/10 for me; not perfect but a decent romantic melodrama.

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"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away" - Philip K. Dick

Confused by my title? You will understand after you watch the drama.

Our Beloved Summer is the first modern rom-com drama I'm rating 9.5. I don't usually rate an ordinary modern romance drama more than 9, unless it has some fantasy in it. But, this isn't any ordinary slice of life rom-coms that we see here and there. This isn't ordinary at all! This beloved drama just came, stole my heart and went. Let's look why:

THE STORY

This drama is inspired from a webtoon 'Our Beloved Summer' created by Han Kyoung Chal and original work by Lee Naeun, who is also the screenwriter of this drama. The webtoon can be considered as the prequel of this drama as it focuses on the high-school days of the characters. Honestly writing, I haven't read the webtoon. So, I came here with am empty slate and went away (I don't think I'll be able go veryfar. I'll soon come back.) with my heart full of love.

This drama is a coming-of-age, which tells us the story of ex-lovers Choi Woong and Gook Yeon Soo (will hereby be mentioned as CW and YS). They had broke up with a promise to never meet again. But, fate brought them together again. They were forced to come in front of the camera and into eachother's lives as a documentary that they shooted 10 years ago, in high school, goes viral. This series shows their complicated feelings for eachother and their growth, how they managed to organize their feelings.

The thing that I loved in the story was how the story is said. The perspective of the story changes throughout the drama, which helped to focus on all the four main characters's emotions. Also, the portrayal of the relations between each characters is done so amazingly that we could relate to our real lives. This is what a true slice of life really is.

This drama also had many realistic quotes that are hard to realise but will make you stronger.

I also liked the titles given to each episodes that is a summaryof the whole episode. Though we don't get why the episode it named such at the beginning of the episode, we would surely get it at the end. This helps us to digest the whole meaning os an episode.

CHARACTERS

I have never seen such cute wand warm chacarted in any modern romance drama. In most of the modern rom-coms, either the female lead is annoying or the male lead is a goof. I'm not saying I don't like these types of dramas but that the main reason I most of the times give these kinds of dramas a 9 or below is because of the characters of the story. But, in this drama, I saw the kind of characters that can be related to real life.

The character growth in this drama is another aspect that made me give this drama a 9.5. YS was an independent, no-nonsense, aloof and hardworking girl. She was the top of her class. She cared about everyone but was forced to wear a cold nature in front of others due to her poverty. She didn't want others nor herself to be bothered about her feeling. She thought she could handle everything by herself but, ultimately, found out she was not the master of her own emotions. SHe also realised her mistakes and realised that her life too is beautiful.

CW was a free-spirited and unruly last ranker who always avoids doing works. He loved drawing buidings from high school. He was the type of person who don't bother being hurt or uncomfortable, if he can hurt the people around him. As the story went on, he changed into a more matured and understanding person. He, for the first time in his life, followed his heart.

Kim Ji Woong (KJW) was the type of person who is almost like YS, although he is poor. He too didn't want others to bother about his feeligs and always confined everything to himself. He also changed in many ways. He understood his mother, most importantly.

NJ is a kind of person who is always excited and kind. She always want everything to go her way. She is cute and friendly. Also, I have not seen any SFL who is less annoying than her.
The other supporting characters also have fully formed characteristics, which helped to enhance the story line of the drama.

This drama is all about realising mistakes and finding our trueselves.

ACTING AND CAST

I just recently ventured the lands of k-dramas. So, I was utterly umfamiliar with the cast. Through this drama, I became the fans of both Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi. They nailed their character with such degree of emotional depth that there is an intensity of the convincement that touched my heart. They are simply perfect for the roles and their chemistry made me think they are meant for eachother.

And as far as the other characters are concerned, I can say that they all did a good job in portraying their characters. Supporting roles like Ahn Dong Goo and Park Jin Joo madethe drama lively. Also the actors who portrayed Choi Woongs parents did a commentable job.

THE MUSIC

This drama have a whole lot of OSTs, which were just amazing! There were OSTs in English as well as Korean languageThe is another thing that raised my rating for this drama. Most of the episodes introduced new OSTs of the drama. Christmas Tree
and Home are my personal favourites. Some of the notable OSTs:

"Drawer" (서랍) by Kwon Jung-yeol (from 10 cm)
"Maybe If" (우리가 헤어져야 했던 이유) by Bibi
"Squabble" (티격태격) by Ha Sung-woon
"There for You" (이별후회) by Kim Na-young
"Christmas Tree" by V (from BTS)
"Home" (집) by Janet Suhh
"Why" by Janet Suhh
"The Giving Tree" (언덕나무) by Lee Seung-yoon
"Summer Rain" (여름비) by Sam Kim
"Even Now" (아직도 좋아해) by Yang Yo-seob
"I Will Make You Happy" (행복하게 해줄게) by Jang Beom-june
"Our Beloved Summer" by Kim Kyung-hee
"Red String of Fate" (우리가 다시 만날 수 밖에 없는 이) by Kim Kyung-hee

All these OSTs also have their own instrumental version too.

OVERALL

I don't usually favour rom-coms, especially the ones without any special elements like sports, crime or supernatural. But, I'm glad that I didn't avoid this by categorizing it into an ordinary rom-com. Although, primarily looking like an ordinary romance drama, this thakes us through a roller-coaster of emotions, without wasting its potential. It beautifully captures different perspectives of life and thus lives upto its slice-of-life tag. As I said before, I went in with a blank slate and this show truly went beyond by expectations.

Thanks for reading!
Please notify me in case of any mistakes and errors as this is my first long review.

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A PERFECT drama!

Our Beloved Summer actually pulled it off — a PERFECT drama! You have no idea how thrilled I am about this fact, and how much I love this show. It has layers and depth. It has impeccable acting across the board. It has the most beautiful, calming OST. And I can watch scenes over and over again. Heck, I can see myself coming back and watching the whole thing over to pick up on things I hadn't noticed the first time. This is THAT comfort drama. I feel so lucky to have watched along with this show as it aired.

It's not often that a show comes around and makes you feel something, yet Our Beloved Summer makes you run the gamut of emotions. I laughed out loud, I cried in front of others, but mostly, I found myself smiling from ear to ear. You go in expecting a light, fluffy romcom, but you end up getting so much more. Every episode has a clear theme that brilliantly ties to the episode title (all of which are named after famous movies). The production choices are immaculate (let's talk about that ep 8 turning-point montage or the ep 10 thematic switcheroo!). And the biggest feat of all was how tight the story was. I can't help but compare Our Beloved Summer to the Reply series/Prison Playbook/Hospital Playlist — that writer/director duo pulls off uno-reverse-cards on the viewers in a high impact way, but geez, those episodes are always HEFTY. In contrast, I commend the Our Beloved Summer team for doing more with less and keeping every episode to a neat 60-minutes. It is not easy to convey all the depth, heart, and meaning that this show does with such limited time. Somehow, every episode offers a contained and thoughtful lesson, but all the episodes together also demonstrate progression... with overarching themes, behaviours, and character arcs that simply make sense. So many shows start strong but lose the magic in the second half, while Our Beloved Summer goes from strength to strength. In fact, the second half was even better than the first! My favourite moments in the whole drama came from episodes 10-12 and 15. The weakest episodes were 13 and 14 though; I'd say they contributed little to the story (but at least they didn't actively sabotage the story, unlike many other dramas that self-sabotage after certain plot points get resolved).

As for the acting... OSCAR-WINNING CHOI WOO SHIK DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I've seen Parasite, but this is my first time watching him in a "fluffy" role. He killed it as Choi Ung; a deceptively challenging protagonist who could easily become an unsympathetic, annoying or bland caricature in a lesser actor's hands. I am so proud that he's a fellow Canadian countryman and a veritable TALENTED STAR. Beyond Choi Woo Shik, all the other leads brought top-tier performances of their own. I can't imagine another actress as Kook Yeonsu. There were moments I loved Ji-ung and NJ more than our 1st leads, and they serve as a perfect foil. And the rest of the supporting cast rounded out the drama beautifully. Every single character serves multiple purposes, even the minor ones. How did the writers craft such a compelling story without any hatable villains? Everyone is so delightfully human.

I didn't expect to gush about this drama on every single criteria, but I must also point out that the OST is top-tier. V's soothing voice made a wonderful primary OST, with so many other shining gems. I don't think I've ever saved this many songs off a single OST before (seven songs, in case you were wondering). Also, can we talk about the gorgeous cinematography? The changing seasons make you feel like time is passing by. Speaking of time, I've spent way too much of it writing out this review. The tl;dr? Make sure to watch Our Beloved Summer — it's one of the best in the business.

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Our Beloved Summer; The “ Break Up” Story With A Twist…

The “ break up” story is a trope in rom-coms which is timeless. Main lead meets main lead, a love story ensues only for the characters to end their relationship through an acrimonious breakup. However whilst Lee Na Eun’s screenplay alongside the directing reigns of Kim Yoon Jin offered viewers a fairly heartwarming coming-of-age tale with an element of mystique , it is important to establish that the drama rarely touched upon new subject areas or topics either.

In the past Choi Woong ( Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-Su(Kim Da-Mi) were high school classmates and polar opposites. Whilst Yeon-Su was an intelligent, hardworking and top-achieving student, Choi Woong was a laidback teen during his high school days; caring little about being a low-ranking student and being focused upon his artistic abilities instead. By a whim of fate, Yeon-Su and Woong discovered that they were chosen as the main subjects (,out of wide selection of candidates,) for an indie-style filmed-documentary.

Even after the documentary finished filming , Woong and Yeong-Su’s mutuality for one another soon grew into sincere feelings as the duo began to date during their college years. However, shortly after finishing their respected diplomas, the former sweethearts went their separate ways with the intention of never meeting one another again,but, fate has an odd way of bringing people back together . Several years into the future , the documentary has become gained a viral cult -following and consequently both main leads find themselves reunited once more.

‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is a fairly lighthearted watch for the most part. Whilst the series does run highly upon certain elements of angst and melodrama surrounding certain relationship dynamics and unrequited feelings , Lee Na Eun’s focal drive of the series surrounded mainly the relationship dynamic between its main leads.

Of course, it’s wrong to say that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ wasn’t entirely
absent from its more droning “lovey-dovey exchanges” and tedious romantic setups, but, in a series where the focal point surrounds a niche break-up story and potential love story ( which could either irk or appease audiences), satire is sometimes quintessential to helping break the ice. Director Kim Yoon Jin presented the series as a self-conscious reflection of popular culture influences and references. The insertion of evident allegorical homages to different genre films such as; I Know What You Did Last Summer’, 10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘ Pride And Prejudice’, ‘ Catch Me If You Can’ ‘ Love Actually’ helped to present the different emotional stages of the main leads’ relationship in an obvious yet admittedly intuitive manner.


Yet whilst Kim Yoon Jin’s clever usage of titles and filming will certainly not go amiss amongst viewers, there is admittedly one elephant in the room which should be addressed openly surrounding the series; , the pacing. For the most part, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is slow-burn. Whilst the average episode could last around an hour and did take time to focus upon certain elements of relationship and character building, the series could feel somewhat dragged out by the latter-half also.

Naturally it isn’t always necessary for a series to have a specific antagonistic force or evident end goal. However for a series to keep viewers engaged characters can often be presented with motives, drives and personal goals in-between the main storyline to give flare or help to flesh-out character building. Whilst we did see some opportunities for this to happen with certain characters, the main leads were rarely given a more dynamic or personal raison d’être as characters. ( Aside from the potential impositions of their relationship or character drive for the “sake of plot”. ) As a consequence, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel as though it was slightly conflicted and dragged down by its pacing. Instead of either compacting the series into twelve episodes or attempting to add a more decisive plot-motivation, cliche misunderstandings, misconceptions and niche setups began to arise as the storyline entered its final part.


Nevertheless, the main cast were fairly dynamic as our main leads. Choi Woo-Shik versatility as an actor is proven again within his charismatic performance as main lead Choi Woong; a formerly deadbeat student and a successful artist and illustrator in adulthood who has shared complicated feelings for female lead Kook Yeon-Su.

Admittedly, Choi Woong could often feel shoehorned into “ plot” moments and tension in order to keep the storyline “ intriguing” . ( Incliding through several main subplots .) Yet rather than allowing the main lead to become the reimbursed “ vengeful lover” or “ cold and aloof” trope, screenwriter Lee Na Eun adds an air of subtlety within his equilibrated character strengths and flaws. He has an endearing relationship with his father ( Park Won-Sang) and mother ( Seo Jeong-Yeon) as well as with his best friend Kim Ji Woong ( Kim Sung Chul).

Costarring alongside Choi Woo-Shik is Kim-Da Mi. The actress likewise presented her persona as main female lead Kook Yeon-Su with a dynamic ambience onscreen. At times, Yeon-Su initially could often feel like a carte blanche female lead; enforced to become the “ polar opposite” to Yeon-Su. However , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ rarely shied away from giving golden opportunities for viewers to understand more about her as a character . Her misconceptions and labels placed upon her from others, a surprisingly heartwarming relationship with her quick-witted grandmother Kang Ja Kyung ( Cha Mi Kyung), as well as most notably coming to terms with her mundane office job , did allow some intuitive insights into Yeon-Su’s persona.

From being at one another’s throats in ‘ The Witch; Part 1’ to former-lovers in ‘Our Beloved Summer’, Kim Da-Mi and Choi Woo-Shik’s onscreen chemistry was undeniably one of the driving strengths of the series. However whilst Da-Mi and Woo Shik’s chemistry was sweet and heartfelt, their characters’ onscreen relationship could admittedly a feel a little shoehorned at times through plot and did place slight strain upon the written relationship feeling natural.

Kim Sung Chul’s role as Kim Ji-woong played a pivotal role within kicking off certain events of the series. Admittedly Ji Woong’s presence during initial events and revelations of the series could admittedly feel a little staid at the best of times but his involvement in later events of the drama is provided as necessary for plot-drive.

Then there’s also second female lead NJ ( Roh Jong Eui) ; a popular K-pop idol who becomes enamoured by main male lead Choi Woong after he doesn’t fall for her charms. Unsurprisingly, NJ’s role in the series was evident from the beginning to present an “ obstacle” within the battlefield of affections for the main leads. However , rather than reimbursing NJ as the “ jealous second female lead” archetype, the series does provide some golden-opportunities to explore some more depth behind NJ’s feelings as well as her personal-growth.

Director Kim Yoon Jin seemed to have a fairly tactful eye behind the camera also. Professional long distant shots and close-ups were cleanly cut , unobstructed and slick in order to delve into the characters’ mindsets and daily lives. In particular, Yoon Jin’s presentation of vivid palettes and tones stood out through the frequent usage of mellow-yellows, tonal whites and blues in order to bring about a hazy tone of nostalgia throughout the entirety of the narrative.

The OST was mainly subtle and predominantly composed of gentle instrumentals - sweet and helping for viewers to focus on dialogue ( instead of lyrics), but admittedly certain tracks delivering a more emotional and memorable impact also.

It was evident to see from the outset that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ would attract a lot of intrigue and interest from its main cast; particularly A-listers Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi’s dynamic onscreen reunion and performances. However despite the series offering a different take on old tropes and diverging from expected character archetypes with a touch of depth , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel weighed down by its predictable setups and inconsistent pacing in parts. Nevertheless, whilst ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ did not possess an original setup, the series was a surprisingly heartwarming watch also.

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We Go Through 4 Seasons for A Reason

More mellow than a comedy-one of a kind drama that affect viewer emotionally in a marvelous way. I rarely rate romance drama with a full score or even above 8.5, but this drama made me otherwise. It reflects perfectly how my life is, especially the female lead narrative. Like the life in summer, the change from the fall, farewell for winter, and the growth of spring. I can relate to their story of pain, longing, and sincerity as if I am the one in the story. From the conflict that stop the main characters, a reason why we should sympathize and rooting for them, and how the characters change and finally getting their goals at the end. This story journey is unraveled through the theme of weather and season like a pacing stage of life, it lives up to its title "Our Beloved Summer" and the reason why I named my review, "We Go Through 4 Seasons for A Reason". Let's start~

[ Compelling Plot ]
The drama is started on the leads most memorable season, summer. It is the season where they entail the growth of love which strengthens the bond and distance between them. They start and end their journey with documentary filming, a lively concept from this drama. The unfolding between the past and the present is another 'fun' point. The stories are told from different perspectives by Choi Woong, Guk Yeonsoo and Kim Jiwoong maximized immersion in the narrative and emotions of each character. The story that was still hidden will be unfolded anew through the second half like a reversing mirror. Their past story, which encompasses the reality they face, providing a warm touching sympathy beyond laughter and excitement. They show us how real and valid the leads try to rebuild a strong relationship that can stand the test of time, by understanding the different stage of life they go through. This drama isn't only about romance, but it is also about balance between friends, lovers, family and this drama express how that could influence our lives's priority.

[ Warmful Character ]
Every season has a set of associated traits and it shows in the four main lead personalities. They are introduced like a different weather. Choi Woong is summer and Yeonsoo is winter. Both leads are a really contrast and different person with a strong similiar traits that compliment each other. Choi Woong is like the bright blue sky of summer for Yeonsoo, and she is like a warm christmas gift to Choi Woong. Jiwoong is fall by his complexity of emotions. While NJ is spring represents exciting beginning. The characters have fully-formed personality. We can imagine them as existing person as they have both strengths and flaws. Most importantly, from main leads to supporting characters they each have personal goal that determines their arc. The cast also did a great job delivering emotion in the most realistic and natural way. Good acting and good story truly can make interesting play.

[ Attention of Details ]
I found crazy little thing everytime I rewatched. Like the time-shift narrative method they used. Then the episode title that is referenced by a lot of classic movie and how it connects the two stories. The number and date details on the flashback scene. The staff also give a lot of attention to property, showing a hint of colors from both main leads, a change of hairstyle on actress, handphone version to determine era, and filming setting with words of referenced korean literature. What I like the most is decalcomanie dialogue and scenario between two main leads. These 'easter-eggs' add to the excitement of watching this drama. Throughout episode, they have hidden messages and references to other works as a little game eagle-eyed viewers can play to enhance the experience.

[ Unique Perspective ]
I must say this drama is another watching experience. Aside from eagle eyed game from easter egg they give through all episode, at the same time you can also look the perspective from their past 10 years before drama timeline by reading the prequel webtoon. While watching the drama, I strongly suggest you all to read it so you can get better understanding how the main couple grow, learn, fall in love with each other and why their reuniting has bigger chance than them moving on. The story is like two sides of same coin and if you only watch or read one of them, it might become one sided bias.

[ Impressive OST ]
The OSTs are also top one. I always think good OST are songs that make us focus what is going on the screen while still listening to it at the same time. One that remind us the scenario in the drama without having to watch it. One that is perfectly in tone with the story and our life. And for me, this drama truly has those soundtracks. When I listen to "Maybe If" I will remember the hand holding scene. "There For You" reminds me when Yeonsoo broke down into tears. "Christmas Tree" recall the kissing scenario. That is just three songs I mentioned and more soundtracks you have to discover from this drama. All of it perfectly conveys the story of the characters - their yearning, hope, heartache and the struggle to be fine despite the pain of their break up that resurfaced when they meet again.

[ Overall An Emotional Satisfying Love Story ]
Our Beloved Summer is an outstanding drama that has a message revelation that stays with me and that is the biggest reason of my high mark. This drama might have a simple premise but I promise, the story captures well beautifully and realistically complex how relationship work from various perspective. It remind us the different view between people and how to keep the harmony and discord in relationship balance of people around us. Because we know relationships are not all sunshine and rainbow! Will I recommend it? Of course yes.

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