Review notes were previously posted on Letterboxd, on a private list with watched K-dramas. I deleted the list so will publish the notes here.
My Mister (2018)
Watched 11 - 21 May 2022 — 16 episodes (YOUTUBE/ DRAMACOOL)
*Well-acted drama with many heartfelt but also humorous moments, about broken people, human connections, loneliness, kindness, community sense, the bond of family and friends.
*Great cinematography and OST, especially the songs Grown Ups by Sondia, An Ordinary Day by Jung Seung-hwan and Dear Moon by JeHwi.
*The characters are so well written, even the villains.
*At first I couldn’t get into this (it’s slow-paced) and was wondering what the hype was all about and why it was hailed as a masterpiece. But soon enough I connected with the lead and side characters and was totally engrossed in the story. In the end this drama gave me an emotional hangover.
*I love the lead characters played by Lee Sun-kyun and IU, and they have great chemistry. I did feel a bit uncomfortable with IU and her listening in on all of Sun-kyun’s conversations. By doing this she got to know him through and through, and could even recognise the sound of his footsteps and his breathing.
*Love all the scenes with IU and her grandmother, these were really heartbreaking. It was too bad there was no English translation for written text so it was lost on me what grandmother wrote. When she passed away, IU’s pain and heartbreak made me cry my eyes out.
*Love the three brothers and their relationship. That scene with the black suits and the black sunglasses and cool music!!! The support they gave one another and how they stood up for each other was really heartwarming. Also how they and their soccer buddies helped IU.
*Love the side characters, especially Oh Na-ra as the bar owner. Many of the characters are down on their luck and it’s great to see how they pull through with the love and support of their friends and family.
*There’s a lot of eating and drinking soju in this series! And I mean a lot!!!!
*The final episodes in particular were very emotional. I cried so much! I wanted this to end well and was very happy they gave our leads a satisfying and happy ending.
*The scene in the last episode where Lee Sun-kyun and IU say their goodbyes and are parting made me very sad. But there was still about 20 minutes left of the episode so it wasn’t the end and they were likely to meet again. Yet I hadn’t anticipated a lapse in time and them meeting while healed, happy and doing well in their professional lives.
*The ending was soooo rewarding. I watched it over and over again. People have commented on how their story is not a romance but a love story and I agree. Their love for each other is palpable and can be seen in so many silent moments, through gazes and actions. Yet the ending has a hint of romance!
*I love how in the final scene you first see IU from behind and we only really see her when Lee Sun-kyun sees her. I also love how she’s hearing his voice from afar, a voice she would recognise anywhere, and how she follows the trail of his voice. Oof … how happy they both look, meeting again, smiling from ear to ear! I think I already would have been content if they would have met again and just stayed good friends, but I thought this ending is really the promise of the start of a romance. The way he holds her hand and doesn’t want to let go, the way they look at one another. She always has harboured romantic feelings for him, but this is the first time he really sees her as a woman, saying he almost didn’t recognise her. I also think he’s separated or divorced from his wife, who is in the States with their son.
*I’ve read somewhere that the writers had meant for the leads to become a romantic couple but that they decided to leave the ending open. So anyone can interpret it the way they want, but for me it definitely looks like a budding romance. And people who have problems with the age gap should grow up. It’s only about 20 years and they’re both adults in the bloom of their lives.
*Did I mention how much I loved Lee Sun-kyun here? His character, the way he looks, his deep voice and the way he walks and moves.