Yugure ni, Te wo Tsunagu (2023)

Warm and fuzzy atmosphere, it hurts a bit but in a good kind of way, oh and lots of pining

Soramame and Oto meet for the first time and as a watcher you instantly know they have a connection which only deepens as they get to know each other. Both of them are talented in different fields but what they have in common is that they aren't living up to their true potential yet. They can rely on each other and help each other tackle the various hurdles life throws at each of them.

They banter with each other like siblings but at the same time you know they care for each other deeply. The mutual pining will tug at your heartstrings, it may become a bit frustrating at times but all in all their journey is quite plausible to me and I enjoyed it a lot.

It has to be said that the romance part of the series is not the main focus, each lead has a lot on their respective plate. If you're looking for a drama where there's an abundance of skinship or where the couple starts dating in the third episode or so, this drama might not be the right fit for you.

The atmosphere is what I love a lot about this drama. You get those warm and fuzzy feelings when they sit together at dusk (!) sharing what happened that day or to give the other a push in the right direction if they're stuck with something they're working on at the moment. The title of the series fits really well because a lot of the scenes take place in the quiet evenings when you can see the last sunrays of the day on their faces. The setting is very intimate and I liked the conversations they held.

The music underlines the cozy atmosphere, sometimes with a nice song and with the slow piano and strings version of said piece at other times - or no music at all which leaves the deepest impact. I already checked out Yorushika and put some of their songs on my playlists.

I'm by no means an acting expert but I think the cast did a very good job. They made me laugh and shed a few tears (which is not something that happens to me a lot when watching a drama) so in my opinion they accomplished their goal.

Rewatching a series is not something that I do frequently but I can safely say this one will be a candidate.

This has become one of my favorite romantic dramas from Japan. Most of the times there's a point at which I get bored but that was not the case here although I have to admit the ending was a bit drawn-out.

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Lovers in denial

Yugure's premise is the classic premise of a love story. A failed marriage, repeated encounters, and both leads getting trapped to live in the same house are things you can find in most romance dramas.

This dorama tells about the dream and having someone special to support your dream. How both leads support and being affectionate but still being in denial is the main core of this dorama. This dorama is not the slow-burn one but maybe you will get squealed for their unending misunderstanding. The ending is still acceptable. However, I wish Yugure would explore on Soramame and her mother's relationship more and a glimpse of her life in Paris. Also, I personally think it would be better if we got both POVs of the leads. Not only from Oto but also from Soramame. In addition, this dorama also has LGBT character who is supported by her surroundings. Also, the cinematography is an eye-pleasing scenery for me.

Ren and Suzu are really cute as a couple and their chemistry is believable to me. The OST is so beautiful and it spreads good positivity. Cute ending dance in every episode that you may don't want to miss.

Give it a shot if you are looking for a light romance dorama!

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