Navillera (2021) 나빌레라
Directed by Han Dong-hwa, starring Park In-hwan, Song Kang, Hong Seung-hee and Na Moon-hee.
Watched 29 February - 7 March 2024 — 12 episodes (NETFLIX)
*Finished this show the day before yesterday and really loved it, even though most of it was quite predictable.
*I cried buckets with the last episodes, and though at times it felt like they upped the drama in order to get the waterworks flowing, it was genuinely touching and heartfelt.
*Show's overall theme of "it's never too late to pursue one's dreams" and "do whatever you want to do" felt a bit heavy-handed and cliché, but the execution of this message is well done. I loved how the series showed the growth of the various characters and how they came to terms with their struggles.
*Initially I agreed with other online reviewers saying that the dementia trope was an unnecessary plot device. I was a bit disappointed when they first introduced it (you could feel it coming and I was like "No, don't go thát road!"). But because of this plot twist the writers were able to develop the relationships between the characters differently. I love how the nice son Jo Bok-rae (my fave sibling — I know him from The Story of Park's Marriage Contract) got a more prominent part, with a focus on his relationship with his father, and I loved how Jo Bok-rae developed a strong bond with Song Kang because of their shared secret.
*It was slightly disappointing that there was no romance between Song Kang and Hong Seung-hee (from Move to Heaven). I did like how they supported one another. There was one romantic couple, though: Kim Tae-hoon as the ballet teacher and Yoon Ji-hye as his ex-wife, also a ballet teacher. I liked how they got back together again.
*In the end the series wrapped up things neatly, there were no loose ends, and the characters got closure. I love the daughter-in-law, by the way, and how she supported Park In-hwan from the start.
*The ending served up two of the most heartwarming scenes: the airport goodbye moment between Park In-hwan and Song Kang (before the time-skip) and their reunion three years later. With snow falling and Park In-hwan asking "Did you soar?", my heart broke. It just illustrates that despite his own failing health he always wanted the best for Song Kang. They truly got each other's back.
*One more praise: I love Na Moon-hee as Park In-hwan's wife! Initially I disliked her for not standing by her husband, but when she turned around she became one of my fave characters. Na Moon-hee's performance is definitely the stand-out, together with Park In-hwan's performance, and they have great chemistry and make their pairing as a couple grown old together very credible. I have to say that I thought Song Kang gave a bit of a one-note performance and his character was not always amiable. At times I felt sorry for Park In-hwan when Song Kang treated him unfriendly.
Directed by Han Dong-hwa, starring Park In-hwan, Song Kang, Hong Seung-hee and Na Moon-hee.
Watched 29 February - 7 March 2024 — 12 episodes (NETFLIX)
*Finished this show the day before yesterday and really loved it, even though most of it was quite predictable.
*I cried buckets with the last episodes, and though at times it felt like they upped the drama in order to get the waterworks flowing, it was genuinely touching and heartfelt.
*Show's overall theme of "it's never too late to pursue one's dreams" and "do whatever you want to do" felt a bit heavy-handed and cliché, but the execution of this message is well done. I loved how the series showed the growth of the various characters and how they came to terms with their struggles.
*Initially I agreed with other online reviewers saying that the dementia trope was an unnecessary plot device. I was a bit disappointed when they first introduced it (you could feel it coming and I was like "No, don't go thát road!"). But because of this plot twist the writers were able to develop the relationships between the characters differently. I love how the nice son Jo Bok-rae (my fave sibling — I know him from The Story of Park's Marriage Contract) got a more prominent part, with a focus on his relationship with his father, and I loved how Jo Bok-rae developed a strong bond with Song Kang because of their shared secret.
*It was slightly disappointing that there was no romance between Song Kang and Hong Seung-hee (from Move to Heaven). I did like how they supported one another. There was one romantic couple, though: Kim Tae-hoon as the ballet teacher and Yoon Ji-hye as his ex-wife, also a ballet teacher. I liked how they got back together again.
*In the end the series wrapped up things neatly, there were no loose ends, and the characters got closure. I love the daughter-in-law, by the way, and how she supported Park In-hwan from the start.
*The ending served up two of the most heartwarming scenes: the airport goodbye moment between Park In-hwan and Song Kang (before the time-skip) and their reunion three years later. With snow falling and Park In-hwan asking "Did you soar?", my heart broke. It just illustrates that despite his own failing health he always wanted the best for Song Kang. They truly got each other's back.
*One more praise: I love Na Moon-hee as Park In-hwan's wife! Initially I disliked her for not standing by her husband, but when she turned around she became one of my fave characters. Na Moon-hee's performance is definitely the stand-out, together with Park In-hwan's performance, and they have great chemistry and make their pairing as a couple grown old together very credible. I have to say that I thought Song Kang gave a bit of a one-note performance and his character was not always amiable. At times I felt sorry for Park In-hwan when Song Kang treated him unfriendly.