I watched another IU drama and I had no regrets (My Mister Review)

Hello, 2021!

I am back for another review of some good Korean drama. Now don’t get me wrong, but my love for Korean drama is slowly coming back. Ever since quarantine started and I’m forced to work remotely, I had enough time to watch, and I’ve been watching the ones I missed out on. I’ve only watched a handful of dramas, ones that have a compelling and beautiful story. But don’t get me wrong, I’ve also reviewed other dramas and you can check them HERE. With that being said, I only post reviews of the good best Korean dramas I’ve seen. And what a wonderful time to start this year with a drama starring- you guessed it- Lee Ji Eun.

Now, the last review I posted on this blog was another Lee Ji Eun drama, and it was just fantastic. Lee Ji Eun, if I’m correct, has no formal education for acting. But her performance in her previous works is proof that her skill is no joke. Her dramas also show her versatility with roles. In Hotel Del Luna, she is a greedy soul with some anger issues. But the drama that I’m talking about today portrays her as the opposite.

My Mister (나의 아저씨) is a South Korean melodrama written by Park Hae-young and was released in 2018. It stars Lee Sun Kyun and Lee Ji Eun, with supporting casts including Park Ho San, Song Sae Byeok, Lee Ji Ah, Kim Young Min, and Son Sook. It tells a story of an unlikely friendship between a middle-aged engineer and a young woman working multiple jobs to repay her mother’s debt.

My Mister is not your typical Korean drama. If I were to describe it, the story is too beautiful and enthralling that you don’t want to miss a single episode. But it’s also a drama that makes you not watch it with a back-to-back episode. That is because you need a lot of time to absorb and digest every episode of it. The simple, pragmatic story, the dramatic urban location, the tender yet sensible portrayal of characters will immerse you deeply into the drama and makes it hard to recover quickly. To be honest, it took me almost a month to finish all 16 episodes. Even though I have time, I couldn’t watch more than one episode. Well, I tried once, but it took me more than a week before I could watch again. This is what makes an outstanding drama.

What got me to take on My Mister is not Lee Ji Eun, but the trailer. I am not the one who likes romantic comedies (although I watch them at times), so watching the trailer gave me the impression that it’s a melodrama. But it was more than a melodrama. I love that it’s the story of Park Dong Hoon (Lee Sun Kyun) and Lee Ji An (Lee Ji Eun), two people clinging to life without knowing that they’re saving each other. As someone close to her siblings, I love Dong Hoon’s strong bond with his brothers. I love Ji An’s heartfelt love for her disabled grandmother. Most of all, I love that it’s also a story of friendship among childhood friends, growing up in the same neighborhood, and how they are surviving life in their 40s. I love how Dong Hoon and his childhood friends cared for Ji An until she got back on her feet and started living. The story taking place in an old neighborhood is very nostalgic and reflects the characters’ thoughts and feelings. Watching this drama also made me nostalgic about my hometown.

I would like to thank the production staff for casting a group of outstanding actors for this drama. Lee Sun Kyun really delivered in portraying Dong Hoon, a quiet man who chose to fight back for the people he cares about. His deep and smooth vocals and charming looks suited him to be the ‘Mister.’ On the other hand, I applaud Lee Ji Eun for taking in the challenging task of portraying Ji An- a young, smart, and broken woman who does almost everything to survive, even if it meant snitching on her own boss.

Is this a tear-jerker drama? It’s not, least for me. The only time I shed a tear was during the last episode. Speaking of which, I also applaud the veteran Son Sook for a terrific portrayal as Ji An’s grandmother.

TvN offers dramas with magnificent cinematography. Avengers Social Club, Hotel Del Luna, and even the ongoing Mr. Queen- are some of the dramas I love with stunning cinematography. Although I think that these were produced by different production companies, TvN seems to carefully choose the dramas they showcase.

I am also not the one who is meticulous when it comes to soundtracks, but this drama has one of the best OSTs I’ve heard. Personal favorites are Sondia’s ‘Grown Ups’ and Ko Woo Rim’s rendition of ‘One Million Roses’.

My Mister is not a typical Korean drama. It will not make you laugh. It won’t make you cry either. Every episode leaves viewers a heavy feeling but makes them ponder more life and survival, and in the end, will give you the feeling of realization. One may find it depressing, but it’s not. It’s a healing drama and a good reminder of how one can still lead a good and happy life despite the hardships he endures.

My Rating: 10/10