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We reach the final act of the drama and watch as our characters receive closure and start a new chapter in their lives. Some things still feel familiar while some other things are completely new and will take a little time to get used to. Our characters may have gone through a lot but they also have a lot to be proud of. There’s comfort in knowing that each of their stories have their own happy ending.

Note: Oh wow, it was such an adventure chugging at the recaps for this drama and trying my best not to cry or trying my best to get it together. I remembered feeling so anxious to get started on the recaps for this drama because I wanted to use the recaps as a way to process all the overwhelming feelings, emotions, and thoughts that I had about it. Though I already enjoyed “Melo Movie” the first time around, I was able to focus on the details with this re-watch and came out of it learning new things and loving it a little bit more. So with that, I just want to thank all of you who joined me in my recapping journey for “Melo Movie.” It’s going to be so hard to move on because this drama was what kept me going, was and still is my entire personality and obsession, and it gave me so much life and happiness. It feels like it was just yesterday when news came out that Park Bo-young had been cast in the drama with Choi Woo-shik and now here we are. There’s a lot to be grateful for in life and “Melo Movie” is definitely one of them. And of course, I’m grateful for you all too. Until next time, please take care and stay safe!

Melo Movie Episode 10: Life is a Beautiful, Magnificent Thing, Even to a Jellyfish

Gyeom loved movies because anything was possible in them. To him, movies were the light at the end of a tunnel. But outside of movies, things were the opposite. Life was harsh and burdensome. It was lonely. Then Moo-bi entered into the picture and things changed for the better. Gyeom comes to realize that it’s no longer movies that he loves but Moo-bi. Kim Moo-bi.

During a night drive with Gyeom, Moo-bi reveals her secret and confesses that she believes she’s the reason her father died. Moo-bi dives into the resentment she had for her father which started at a young age. Along with neglecting her for movies, he was never there for other moments such as her birthday. So Moo-bi found it easier to just hate on him. All she wanted was just to be loved by her father and he couldn’t provide that for her. Moo-bi considered her father dead to her since he was always absent. But Moo-bi also felt conflicted because she hated the sight of her dad crying. It was weird. She thought she hated him but she also hated seeing him in pain.

Years later in high school, Moo-bi picked up a phone call from her dad who promised her that he’d be there for her birthday the next day. He wanted to make things up to her and felt apologetic for neglecting her over the years. Moo-bi pleaded that if he truly felt sorry, he would leave the filming set and come home right away. But that night was the night when Moo-bi and Mom received the unfortunate news that Dad had passed away in a car accident. Back in the present, Moo-bi cries in the car with Gyeom as she thinks about her dad. She said mean things to him over the years but she never meant any of it. It was just her way of processing her emotions and feelings. She never actually wanted him to die. Moo-bi’s tears won’t stop falling and Gyeom comforts her by holding her hand and listening to her. In this moment, no words are needed. Just having Gyeom next to her is enough and Moo-bi continues to cry.

Gyeom and Moo-bi eventually reach their destination and they watch the stars while sitting in the car outside. The night is beautiful, calm, and relaxing. It’s just the two of them and they feel safe with each other. Moo-bi shared her secret with Gyeom so she asks him about his secret. Even if it’s dark and depressing, Moo-bi still wants to know. Gyeom shares that he loved movies so much as a young kid because he was afraid of being alone. Then it became something that he enjoyed watching with Joon. Eventually, his fear of abandonment led him to being nice and smiley and bright all the time. He was afraid that showcasing any other emotions would cause Joon to disappear at any given moment. Even when Gyeom discovered the truth about Joon’s accident, he didn’t mention anything and pretended to act as if everything was fine. As two people who lost loved ones, Moo-bi and Gyeom agree that death sucks. It hurts to lose someone who you loved dearly.

When Moo-bi arrives home early the following morning, she walks straight to her bedroom. Mom catches sight of her and notices that she seems down. At Vide Bar, Si-joon asks Sang-sik what kind of couple he and Joo-Ah were. What did Sang-sik think of them? Sang-sik notes that it seemed as if Joo-Ah was more like a fangirl than a girlfriend with the way that she always supported him and followed him everywhere he went. He could also tell just how much Si-joon liked Joo-Ah and how he was always glued to her. Sang-sik felt like they made a great couple. This type of love and relationship is rare. It only happens when you’re still young and naive and innocent about life. When it comes to love, what defines that? Si-joon guesses that getting marriage or dying together makes love complete but Sang-sik follows up the question with his own response,

“Love is already complete as is.”

If Si-joon felt as if his love with Joo-Ah was great and complete, then he should be happy with it. There’s no reason to have any regrets or dwell over it. Sang-sik’s comment gets Si-joon’s mind thinking and maybe it was exactly what Si-joon needed to hear to help him make a decision on his feelings for Joo-Ah. Joo-Ah does some thinking of her own. She pulls out a box with memorabilia, photos, souvenirs, and cards that Si-joon gave her during their relationship. She sheds tears and also laughs while revisiting all the items. There’s so many meaningful and special memories packed in this box.

Gyeom stops by Moo-bi’s house to deliver Mom a bouquet of flowers. He had heard that she liked flowers so he wanted to give her not just one but a wagon full of them. LOL. Though Mom is appreciative of the flowers, it is quite a lot of work to plant them by herself in the front yard so Gyeom ends up doing it for her. The interaction gives them an opportunity to catch up from the last time they talked which was at Mom’s meat market. Has Gyeom been able to resolve his weakness of thinking too much and not having anyone to talk to? Gyeom answers that he’s no longer the anxious and worrisome type of person anymore. He’s gotten better and has changed. But there are still times where he has something he wants to say to a person who’s no longer here with him. What should he do in this situation? To that, Mom reassures Gyeom that the person is still there with him even though they are no longer physically alive. As someone who also lost a loved one, Mom understands what Gyeom is feeling. She also kindly asks for Gyeom to take care of Moo-bi since Moo-bi is a worrier like he is. Though Gyeom knows that he’s someone who Moo-bi can rely on, he also points out that Moo-bi relies on Mom more than Mom thinks and knows. Aww. I loved this conversation between Mom and Gyeom. This drama leaves me in awe at how profound, deep, and raw these conversations are.

Moo-bi wakes up to an empty house since Mom’s left for work. While eating some breakfast at the dining table by herself, Moo-bi receives a text message from Gyeom. It’s a selfie of him with Mom from earlier that morning when he planted the flowers in their front yard. His caption? “Mom likes me again!” Haha. The two most precious people in Moo-bi’s world who she relies on are seen together in one photo. Moo-bi is truly loved.

When Mom returns home from work that night, she discovers Moo-bi sitting outside in the front yard by herself. She pulls up a chair to sit next to her daughter and the two chat about Dad. Mom describes Dad as someone who was miserable longer in his life than he was happy. He was a bit foolish. He didn’t know how to give up movies even though he wasn’t the best at it. But the reason why he kept on going was for Moo-bi. He wanted to show her that it was important never to give up. Unlike what Moo-bi thinks, Moo-bi takes after her dad more than her mom. She’s kind and warm-hearted like her dad. And that’s why Mom wants Moo-bi to make more movies. It’s really one of the only ways left that they can remember Dad through; his legacy will live on through the movies that Moo-bi makes. 

Mom proceeds to apologize to Moo-bi. She’s sorry that she couldn’t be a better and nicer parent to Moo-bi. If she was just a little bit better, maybe Moo-bi wouldn’t have been so sad as a child. She felt as if she was lacking. Mom tried her best to be there for Moo-bi throughout her life. From picking up Moo-bi at school after she would get into fights to going to the movie theater with Moo-bi even if she didn’t understand what the movie was about to writing Christmas cards that she signed using Dad’s name, Mom did all she could to make Moo-bi feel loved. On the morning after Dad’s funeral, Mom made some tea for Moo-bi and visited her in her room. Moo-bi was asleep and Mom secretly shed some tears, heartbroken over the loss of her husband but also for the amount of pain that Moo-bi was in. Mom made so many sacrifices and wanted to show that she was there for her daughter. Moo-bi cries upon realizing how selfish and childish she was all along. How could she not notice how much her mom was doing for her? Why did she never see all along that it was actually both her and her mom? She wasn’t alone like how she thought she was. Mom apologizes to Moo-bi for not being good enough for her but Moo-bi apologizes to her mom for not appreciating her enough. Her mom gave her everything she ever needed and wanted. The mother and daughter pair cry together and give each other a warm hug. The tears won’t stop falling (and neither will mine because I’m over here crying again!! If there was ever a #TryNotToCry challenge for “Melo Movie”, I definitely failed). Mom and Moo-bi finally receive the closure that they needed and they strive to live a happier life together from now on.

The next morning, Gyeom sells all of his VHS movie tapes to Jeong-hoo since Jeong-hoo’s a big fan of the movies. Jeong-hoo’s not so sure about taking all of the movies (there’s a whole wagon full of them) but he’s forced to take it back to his house anyways. Haha. So who’s the other wagon full of movies going to? None other than Director Ma, haha. Meanwhile, Joo-Ah stops by Moo-bi’s house to talk to her about their movie that was cancelled. There has to be some kind of solution. They have to do something about it. If the movie only involved Joo-Ah, she could have lived with it. But there’s someone else involved with the movie who she cares for so she really wants things to work out. So Moo-bi and Joo-Ah visit Si-joon at his studio to talk about the movie. Moo-bi’s curious as to why Si-joon sent her the song that he had produced for the movie. Si-joon explains that there was no particular reason. Creating the song made him feel good and helped him rediscover his passion for making music. So Moo-bi hopes that Si-joon will keep it going. She’ll figure out a way to make the movie happen and hopefully Joo-Ah and Si-joon will stick it out with her. Once Moo-bi leaves, Joo-Ah reiterates her support for Si-joon and genuinely wishes that he won’t quit making music.

Si-joon follows Joo-Ah out of the studio and they stop outside in the park to talk. Si-joon’s going to quit. And he’s not referring to his music career. He’s talking about their relationship. He wants to end things once and for all and he hopes that they’ll never see each other again. It’s going to be hard. Si-joon’s unsure if he’ll be able to do it. Isn’t Joo-Ah going to miss being with him and spending time with him? But Joo-Ah lets him know that it may seem hard at first but eventually time will pass. It will all pass. And he’ll carry on with his life and she will too. Times truly were great when they were a couple. Si-joon sheds tears just thinking about a future without Joo-Ah and she comforts him by giving him one last kiss. He musters the courage to walk away from Joo-Ah and she cries as she watches Si-joon get further and further away from her. The distance between them grows.

When Gyeom arrives home, he finally gathers the courage to enter Joon’s bedroom. He sits on his brother’s bed for a few minutes and discovers an empty pack of cigarettes while doing Joon’s laundry. While sitting outside on the patio of Joon’s bedroom, Gyeom uses the time to remember his brother. He takes a drink of the whiskey from Joon’s bottle and struggles to properly smoke a cigarette since he doesn’t have much experience with it. That’s when Joon comes to visit Gyeom and he sits next to his younger brother. The two brothers share a smoke together and just like Gyeom realized about the alcohol, Gyeom never knew that his brother smoked cigarettes. There were many things about his brother that he didn’t know about. 

So Gyeom asks Joon for a favor. He hopes that Joon will come visit him in his dreams from time to time. He won’t get mad at his brother nor will he nag at him. He just wants to be able to see him and hang out. Gyeom begins to cry upon sharing his feelings and he leans in to cry on his brother’s shoulders. It hurts knowing that even if he were to call out for Joon, his brother won’t be able to show up anymore. But for Joon who was always worried about Gyeom and was the best brother that he could be, Gyeom reassures Joon that he doesn’t have to worry anymore. He will be just fine. He had such a happy life thanks to Joon. He’ll try to live the best life that he can.

While waiting at the bus stop, Moo-bi is approached by Gyeom who hands her some corn. It’s just like five years ago when they munched on some corn while waiting for the bus. Moo-bi’s still stressed about finding an investor for her movie but Gyeom knew that she wasn’t going to quit. He’s proud of her for fighting and being proactive. He’ll even use some of the money that he makes from selling his VHS tapes to help fund Moo-bi’s movie. But wait, why is he selling them? Gyeom reasons that he’s just a bit tired of movies. He wants to try something different. He’s more curious about the world now which is why he’s going to quit his job as a movie critic. Speaking of that, Moo-bi’s curious if Gyeom ever reviewed her movie in which he claims that he did. And since he doesn’t have the post on his cellphone, he volunteers to verbally tell Moo-bi what he thought about her movie. Moo-bi’s a bit nervous and only wants her boyfriend to tell her the good parts about her movie. Haha. I love them so much. They’re so adorable!

Gyeom takes some time to reflect on his life experiences and the lessons he’s learned over the years. He recounts,

“When I was young, I hoped to become a 20-year-old overnight. Because being young didn’t help me overcome hardships in any way. Then, when I turned 20, I quickly wanted to become 30. I thought I needed to get through those amateur years to numb myself from pain. But even in my thirties, nothing really changed. I only began to miss the moments I once hoped would pass quickly. That’s when I realized that every moment I experience makes my life last longer. So now I’m going to live every moment to the fullest. Because life isn’t a movie but reality.”

Gyeom wanted to grow up quickly and rush into adulthood. Then once he became an adult, time passed by so quickly and he found himself nostalgic over memories and experiences that he didn’t cherish enough. He took those moments for granted. He was always looking forward to the future instead of fully living in the moment and enjoying the present.

Life goes on for our characters and 1 year and 6 months passes. Gyeom applies for a job with a travel agency because.. well, he needed a job. LOL. And just like how he felt during his first movie audition with Director Ma, Gyeom is confident that he’ll get the job this time (LOL I love me some delulu Gyeom!). We also receive updates from Gyeom on the rest of our characters. Moo-bi’s movie ended up being made and though it didn’t hit great box office numbers, people who loved it really loved it. It was also different for Moo-bi because it was quite an artsy movie which was unlike her. Perhaps what was most surprising was the fact that Si-joon hit it big with the soundtrack for the movie. His songs became more popular than the movie itself. As for Joo-Ah, she’s still writing movie scripts and she and Si-joon are still avoiding each other. We also learn that Gyeom no longer lives alone since Jeong-hoo is now living with him, haha. Aww. 

Gyeom hosts a special barbecue dinner at his house that night and Moo-bi and Mom make their way across the street to join Gyeom and Jeong-hoo. Director Ma also joins the group shortly afterwards. Thanks to his investment, Moo-bi’s movie was able to be made. So the group all sit together in Gyeom’s front yard and enjoy some delicious food together. There’s plenty of things to celebrate about in life.

Joo-Ah spends some time at a vinyl record store to listen to Si-joon’s songs that he created for Moo-bi’s movie. Si-joon shows up a few seconds later and catches Joo-Ah inside the store while walking by. He stops to watch her for a few seconds and instead of getting angry or upset, he feels at peace. A small smile appears on his face before he walks away.

Even though Gyeom no longer watches movies and has quit his job as a movie critic, he still follows Moo-bi around on her filming set (according to him, Moo-bi is the only movie in his life now, haha). On one particular day, she catches him staring at papers of her storyboard on set and the two bicker with each other over how she should direct her movie. After flirting engaging in some playful banter with each other, they run off to an isolated part of the filming set and it reminds Gyeom of the time back when he approached her in the same exact spot. The two lovers pull each other in for a sweet and loving kiss. Moo-bi summarizes her relationship with Gyeom, narrating,

“Whenever I’m with Gyeom, we still switch between genres. At times, it’s a tearjerker. At other times, a heartwarming family movie. And the rest, a completely nonsensical action comedy.”

But still, the best one of all is.. melo.”

My Thoughts:

And we’re doneeee! Wow, for starters, it was such an emotionally draining experience recapping this drama (in a good way). For most dramas that I recap, I usually have a lot of fun with it. But there was just something different about recapping “Melo Movie.” It was still fun re-watching every episode but the amount of times I paused the episode, cried, resumed, then paused again to cry and then resume was so tiring. LOL. I cried so much the first time I watched the drama and then cried just as much this second time. And when I re-watch the drama again in the future (because yes, I definitely will go back and re-watch this drama again), I think I’ll continue to cry every single time. That was the kind of impact that “Melo Movie” had on me.

I have so many things to say about this episode and also about the drama in general. First off, the last 15 minutes or so of this episode could have felt rushed for some people but I chalked that up to the drama only having 10 episodes so it needed to find a way to wrap things up nicely for all of our characters. If the drama just had a bit more time and a few more episodes, it would have definitely been able to go deeper into the details and do a much better job of concluding things. But still, the pacing of the ending didn’t bother me. I liked that we still got to see how things wrapped up for our characters and what they did once the year and six months passed. I’m glad that everyone was doing well and that everyone seemed at peace with where they were in their lives.

I loved that this episode focused on Mom and pinned the spotlight on her for a bit. I thought each character in this drama had something to offer and I’m glad that this episode provided some insight from Mom’s point of view. In previous episodes, we watched as she always defended her husband against Moo-bi whenever Moo-bi mentioned anything negative about Dad. She also had great things to say about Dad when Moo-bi asked her questions about him. It made me curious as to why Mom did so, how she felt about Dad, and what her story was. So when we saw things from Mom’s perspective and all the things that she did for Moo-bi to make Moo-bi feel loved, it was so eye-opening and emotional. Mom came off as someone who was cold, aloof, and intimidating but she was also so loving. She loved her husband even if he wasn’t always there with her and Moo-bi. She made many sacrifices to keep the family together when Dad was out and about with his movies. She tried her best to be the best parent she could be for Moo-bi and felt bad that she couldn’t do more. She felt sorry for not doing and being enough for Moo-bi. Mom felt as if she was lacking because Moo-bi was still unhappy in life and with her dad despite all her efforts to be there for her daughter. We saw that Mom was doing the best that she could and that she wished she could have done more for Moo-bi. Learning more about Mom’s side of the story made me cry (surprise surprise) because there was so much more to her and her story than what was presented on the outside. I also thought that sharing Mom’s side of the story was refreshing in that it was consistent with her characterization and what we saw from her in the past.

The conversation between Moo-bi and Mom also allowed Moo-bi to receive the closure that she needed to accept her feelings towards her father and to move forward in living what was already a nice life with her mom to one that would be even nicer and happier. I remembered coming across this quote about resentment that stated “resentment is weird because yes, I want to forgive you wholeheartedly but my mind is struggling to comprehend why you did that to me.” I thought this quote applied to Moo-bi’s feelings towards her father which were so complex and multi-layered and intense. She didn’t actually really hate her dad nor did she want him to die. Moo-bi just simply wanted to be loved by him and hated that he was never there for her. This then compelled her to get into movies and to become a director. Eventually, Moo-bi was caught at a crossroads where she either was to give up her movie and ponder what she would do with her life. Or she would fight for her opportunity to stay as a director and create a movie to tell her story. In the end, she chose the latter. Mom told Moo-bi that she took more after her dad than her. This rang true seeing how Moo-bi didn’t give up when her movie was initially cancelled, similar to how her dad never gave up on movies even when things weren’t going so well for him. And just like how Dad wanted to create movies to tell his story, Moo-bi was able to tell her story with her movie. Moo-bi and her dad were truly more alike than Moo-bi thought, realized, and wanted to accept.

All of our characters received closure in this episode including Si-joon and Joo-Ah who ended things for good and didn’t get back together. They stopped the complicated push-and-pull, back-and-forth dynamic that started when they reunited. I think their ending was ultimately the right decision and one that was also realistic. They both knew that they weren’t meant for each other, at least in this moment of their lives. Maybe things might be different another five years from now when circumstances are different and times have changed. But for where they were at in this chapter in their lives, they knew that their relationship wouldn’t work if they were to give it another shot. This was the hardest and most challenging part for both characters: accepting the truth that things were great in the past but that times had changed and you were no longer compatible. You were no longer the same person who you were five years ago. And you also shouldn’t live in the past and dwell on those memories either. You had to be okay with moving on. You can still miss that person and the memories, experiences, and times that you had with them. But you also can move forward and leave these parts in the past where they are and where they belong. It’s not going to be easy at first but eventually time will pass and you will get used to it. You will heal.

Last but not least, we have to talk about Gyeom and his grieving process which the drama beautifully handled and covered throughout and was able to wrap up nicely in this final episode. I loved that it actually all started through Gyeom’s conversation with Mom while he was planting flowers in her front yard. After thinking about it, it seems as if some of Gyeom’s most pivotal moments in his life stemmed from his brief conversations with Mom which I find so fascinating and comforting. Mom and Gyeom may not have interacted much but when they did, it was genuine, honest, and insightful for Gyeom. There were things on his mind that he wanted to say to Joon and he wasn’t sure how to go about doing that. But Mom told him that it was okay to say what was on his mind even if the person was no longer physically there because in some way, somehow, that person will always be with you. This then led to the dream sequence between Gyeom and Joon and Gyeom finally having the courage to bid farewell with his brother. It’s not goodbye forever but it at least gave Gyeom some peace and comfort in seeing his brother again and reassuring him that he’ll be fine. Joon was always worried about Gyeom as his older brother and guardian. This was Gyeom’s way of saying that Joon didn’t have to worry anymore and that they were both going to be okay.

In regards to this conversation between Mom and Gyeom, the same thing could be said for Mom who learned from Gyeom that Moo-bi relied on her more than she knew and thought. This then prompted Mom to finally express her true thoughts and feelings about her involvement in Moo-bi’s life which allowed the both of them to talk things out. I loved that Gyeom and Mom’s conversation from that morning wasn’t one-sided and that rather they both learned something new from it and benefitted from it.

Gyeom’s decision to quit his job as a movie critic was a nice change and pivot in his life. He used to rely on movies to comfort himself. It was his friend. It kept him occupied from everything else going on in his life that he was worried and anxious about. It kept his mind off of things. It kept him busy. But through his life experiences, Gyeom wanted to know more about the world rather than about movies. He realized that there was more to life than just movies and that life was very different from movies. Life was much harsher and brutal for Gyeom but it became beautiful and heartwarming.

Back in episode 5, Gyeom met with a director, Director Kim, who he was previously on bad terms with but eventually made up with. And during this interaction, Director Kim noted that he planned on quitting directing. He wanted to quit while his love for movies was still strong and positive. He didn’t want to get to the point where that love for movies turned to hatred and then it’d be too late and he would come to despise them. I think this situation similarly applied to Gyeom’s decision in quitting his job as a movie critic. Gyeom watched movies because it was a form of escapism for him. He found solace and comfort in them. But as we saw at the end of this episode, Gyeom no longer needed movies. The role that movies played in his life had changed. It no longer served that purpose for him the same way that it did for him growing up. Instead of using movies to hide from the issues and struggles in his life, Gyeom learned to face them head on. He now had Moo-bi who he could rely on; he also had a second family who he could go to to talk and spend time with. So it was best for Gyeom to quit his job as a movie critic while he still had fond, positive memories of movies. If he kept his job as a movie critic where movies no longer served the same purpose as it once did for him, he would eventually come to despise them and all the good memories he associated with them would turn bad. That was why it was best for Gyeom to quit movies. It was better for Gyeom to leave that part of his world on good terms and with positive memories full of love.

I already raved a lot about Moo-bi and Gyeom’s relationship throughout the drama so I won’t dive too much into them in this final recap. But I will say that I just generally loved how much they were there for each other. As two people who lost loved ones, they could empathize with each other and relate to how the other person was feeling. They also were understanding of each other and gave each other the time and space needed to process their feelings and thoughts. As a movie critic and a director, they weren’t supposed to get along or be compatible but they learned that they had a lot more common with each other than they thought. What was initially a coincidental meeting on a random and sunny day at Director Ma’s office turned into adorable interactions on set and then eventually a reunion that would change the both of their lives forever. Moo-bi and Gyeom were my comfort couple and I loved how supportive, considerate, caring, and kind they were to each other. I’ll also never forget that car scene in episode 8 when Moo-bi cried with Gyeom and helped him during his grieving process.

Moving onto the more technical side of the drama, I sort of giggle when I reflect on some of the things that stood out to me that I initially wasn’t a big fan of but eventually came around to liking. One of those things was the narration and monologues which I honestly didn’t like at first when I watched “Our Beloved Summer.” I remembered finding it irritating and disruptive and thought it was an odd choice that the screenwriter implemented. But over time, I eventually got used to it and I actually really started liking it in “Our Beloved Summer” because of how much insight it provided in showing our characters’ thoughts and feelings. So when the narration and monologues popped up again in “Melo Movie”, I was happy with the choice and I wasn’t surprised by it because it was already something that we had seen in “Our Beloved Summer.” It seems to be one of Lee Na-eun’s trademarks in her dramas and I like the way that she goes about utilizing these internal thoughts and monologues to tell us what the character is thinking or feeling in the moment. I also love the narration and how profound, deep, and intricate they are. These parts add another layer to the drama and allow us to be so much more emotionally invested. Instead of just using dialogue and conversations, it provides insight into the storytelling and characterizations.

Another trademark of Lee Na-eun’s writing seems to be the use of creative work as a way to connect the characters to one another. I remembered being so confused while watching “Our Beloved Summer” because they kept on talking about the documentary and then didn’t actually show much footage of it in the end. Then once I watched “Melo Movie”, I finally understood what Lee Na-eun was going for and how she has this thing where it’s not so much about the creative project but more so how it’s used as a device to connect our characters. In this drama, Moo-bi, Si-joon, and Joo-Ah interacted by meeting about their movie. It also was the reason as to why Joo-Ah and Si-joon kept on seeing each other. Similar to “Our Beloved Summer”, we never got to see Moo-bi’s movie here in “Melo Movie” either. It was never really about the movie itself in the first place but more so the purpose that it served in bringing our characters together.

The other part about the drama that I initially was a little iffy about but eventually came around to really liking was the use and timing of the music. When I first watched the drama, I remembered thinking how it was overdoing it with all the background music in the first two episodes. It felt as if there was rarely a scene without any sort of music playing in the background. For once, I just wanted a scene with a few seconds of silence and peace. I found it rather off-putting. But starting from episode 3, the drama settled down with the music and was able to strategically use it to enhance and elevate a scene or set the tone and mood. It’s funny that the drama emphasized on the importance of Si-joon’s music for Moo-bi’s movie and then ended up actually using his song as an official OST track for this drama. Haha. The drama also was so good with knowing which songs to use at which moments, whether it was an OST track sung by vocalists or one of the instrumental pieces. I really enjoyed all the songs in the drama and thought that the drama used the OST tracks to its strengths.

Releasing all the episodes on an online platform all at once has its strengths and challenges. For people like me, I can watch and re-watch all the episodes all at once. But at the same time, the hype and excitement for the drama eventually dies down a little bit quicker than if it was a weekly release. This then made me curious as to how the drama would have fared if it had rather aired on TV every week. Maybe this might just be me being super biased and naive, but I actually think it would have done pretty well? “Melo Movie” was one of those dramas that got better with each episode. The drama revealed more layers with each passing episode and proved that it was well-rounded and all encompassing. It had a little bit of everything which I think viewers would have found refreshing, appealing, and comforting. There were moments where you would cry but also had other moments where you would laugh and smile. Not to mention the star power in your main leads that are Park Bo-young and Choi Woo-shik. So ultimately, I think the drama would have done pretty well with its rating had it been aired weekly on TV. I wished the drama could have gone this route instead because I wanted to know and see so much more of it.

This then leads me to my next point in that the drama was marketed as a rom-com/romance heavy type of drama (and it didn’t help that it was released on Valentine’s Day) and I get that title of the drama played a small role in this. But I wished that the drama had been promoted a bit more honestly to reach a wider audience. The drama was so much more than just about two couples reuniting after five years. The teaser and trailer made it seemed as if it’d be a simple one about two couples which was such a disservice to the drama. Yes, the drama focused on the two couples but it was also so much more than that. You had no idea that the drama was about family or that Joon would play a big role or that a big part of Moo-bi’s story was about her dad. I get that you don’t want to spoil everything and provide any spoilers, but you can also be honest by highlighting the various strengths that this drama had to offer. “Melo Movie” was about the beauty and pain of love and romance but it was also about family, friendships, and work.

I understand that “Melo Movie” may not be everyone’s cup of tea and some people found the drama to be boring. But I guess that’s just the challenge that comes with dramas that are character-driven. You follow their day to day life. There’s not a whole lot that’s happening. It’s more slice of life. The drama sort of has to get it right or else things get boring. But obviously, as you can tell, I loved this drama so much and I thought it did many things well. If “Our Beloved Summer” was a character who was in high school, “Melo Movie” felt as if that character had graduated high school and was now in college. It felt a bit more mature but still very much sentimental, emotional, and beautiful. It was thought-provoking. It made you reflect on your life and the relationships in your life as well as the decisions that you made throughout the years. It also made you grateful for those around you and reminded you to cherish the time that you have with your loved ones. The drama wasn’t perfect by any means (and I’m still trying to figure out and understand why smoking/cigarettes was such a thing in this drama LOL) but it was so good at delicately and carefully handling topics that were sensitive in such a real and raw way. The drama felt genuine; it didn’t feel pretentious. The first time I watched episode 10, I focused more on how the drama was going to wrap things up for our characters. Then this second time around, I paid more attention to each of our characters and the specific conversations they had. By the end of it all, the drama left me in awe at how profound, nuanced, and intentional the dialogue, conversations, and narrations were. The drama was able to convey lessons and messages in a way that was so heartwarming and heartfelt. I was also amazed at how good and consistent the drama was at drawing parallels and themes whether that was comparing what happened five years ago to five years later or starting an episode one way and then coming full circle and ending it similarly.

Another part about the drama that I thought was interesting was the storytelling and its pacing. The first few episodes was more focused on the romance between Gyeom and Moo-bi. Then the middle focused on Gyeom’s job as a movie critic as well as Moo-bi’s relationship with her dad and how that related to Gyeom. Then the third act focused on Gyeom’s relationship with Joon as well as Moo-bi’s job. Rather than providing little updates on everything in each episode, the drama told the stories of our characters in parts which I found interesting and rather refreshing. By splitting each character’s story into parts, it allowed the drama to fully hone in and focus on just that specific aspect of the character’s story for a few episodes before proceeding to focus on the next aspect of their life. It showed that our characters were multi-dimensional and that they were human. They had a lot more going on in their lives than just love. They had a whole lot going for them in general.

The last thing I want to address before I wrap up this recap and say goodbye to this drama (for now) is the casting. One of the reasons as to why I was so attached to this drama and was so excited for it was because of Park Bo-young and Choi Woo-shik. They’re both actors who I love and support and I never thought I’d see the day where I would get to see them both in the same project together. I think that they both did an incredible job in this drama. Park Bo-young’s drama once again made me cry (ahem ahem I’m looking at you “Daily Dose of Sunshine”) and we got to see her play a character that wasn’t as cheerful and upbeat and bright compared to her previous dramas. Choi Woo-shik was also brilliant in this as the extroverted, cheerful, and funny guy. I like him as an actor in general but I just found him sooo charming as Gyeom and I loved his comedic timing. He truly was so good with the comedy and humor in this drama and just as good with the more serious, heavy, and emotional parts. I thought both actors had great chemistry with each other and it never felt forced or manufactured. A part of that could be because both Park Bo-young and Choi Woo-shik are same-aged friends and they mentioned that they felt comfortable and happy on set during filming. Another reason for that chemistry could be because they’re both such good actors individually so when paired together, their acting skills shine and feel natural.

At the press conference for the drama, there was a journalist who asked Park Bo-young which actor out of Choi Woo-sik, Park Seo-joon, and Park Hyung-sik she had the most chemistry with (yes, I’m that person who religiously followed all the promotional content and videos for this drama very closely, haha). This prompted me to think about the question myself and which actor I thought Park Bo-young had the most chemistry with. For one, it was interesting to see her dynamic with each actor. Park Seo-joon is older than her and I felt like they matched visually. For Park Hyung-sik, I think their personalities matched each other and they synced up well both on and off the screen. It seemed like they got along really well because they’re both balls of sunshine and are pretty upbeat and cheerful. Choi Woo-shik though was the most confusing. I honestly had no idea what his dynamic with Park Bo-young was going to be like. He was the one that I was the most curious about and that’s why I was really looking forward to seeing his interactions with her. After watching interviews and reading news articles, I think his chemistry with Park Bo-young was chemistry that was based on comfort. It felt a bit different. It seemed like there wasn’t any pressure for them to manufacture or create chemistry because it was already there since they felt comfortable with each other. And if there’s anything we know about Lee Na-eun’s dramas, it’s that the chemistry between the two main actors is crucial. Maybe I might just be delulu like Gyeom was about his feelings for Moo-bi but I sensed a level of comfort between Choi Woo-shik and Park Bo-young that in turn allowed them to have great chemistry with each other and sell us on the romantic relationship between Gyeom and Moo-bi. It would be such a waste to not have them in another project or drama together. They have so much potential and I’d love to see them on the screen again in the future.

So with that, all I can say is that withdrawals are real. They are reaaaal. I tend to get a little sad when I finish a good drama from start to finish but those feelings usually disappear within a few days. But it’s been more than a week since “Melo Movie” has been released and I’m still not over it. I thought I would only get strong withdrawals from BTS concerts but no, withdrawals from K-dramas are real too. Especially for “Melo Movie.” It’s a drama that I will love and cherish. It’s a drama that I will carry with me and remember for a very long time.

I’m usually not the type to go back and re-watch dramas but “Melo Movie” is definitely the exception. It’s crazy to think just how much time flies by. The filming for the drama ended at the end of August and then here we are six months later. I thought post-production would take a little bit longer so it was a pleasant surprise that the drama arrived earlier than expected. I was so excited once news came out that Park Bo-young had been cast in the drama along with Choi Woo-shik. Then once news came out that the drama was going to be released in February, I checked everyday for updates. I just remembered feeling like the wait for February 14 was soooo long but it was also what kept me going everyday. I watched all the clips, trailers, teasers, interviews and promotional content and I still go back and rewatch them to this day. It’s a good thing that the episodes were released all at the same time but now that I’ve finished the drama twice, there’s also this emptiness inside of me that lingers after. I’m not so sure how I’m going to fill this void and emptiness and maybe that’s why I was so anxious to start on my recaps for this drama. I wanted to use my recaps as a place and space to process my thoughts and feelings and to receive some closure. I’m sad that the drama is done and I’m also sad that I’ve finished recapping it (omg I feel like I’m being so dramatic in which I probably am but it’s the truth!! Why do I feel a bit like Si-joon right now LOL). But like Joo-Ah mentioned, time will pass. And like the movie poster at the bus stop that Gyeom and Moo-bi sat in front of said, “we have tomorrow.” I will eventually recover and carry on with life. And when times get rough and I want to feel a sense of comfort and peace again, I know I have a tomorrow and can always come back to “Melo Movie.” It will always be there for me. Oh how it was both a blessing and curse to have watched a drama that provided me with so much comfort and love. Oh how fortunate I am to feel so sad and hesitant in bidding farewell with a drama that moved me dearly.

I loved a lot of things about this drama but I also enjoyed it so much because of how I could relate to Gyeom’s story regarding losing a loved one. I really resonated with the emotions and grief that he experienced. I related to how he felt, to him missing his brother, to him wanting to move on but also wanting to hang on just a little bit longer, to him asking for his brother to visit him in his dreams. Even the part about him being Joon’s caretaker was so sad because I too experienced something similar. Goodness, I cried so much watching his grieving process and story because it hit close to home for me but there were also so many other beautiful aspects about the drama that made me cry. I’m curious as to how I’m going to feel about this drama six months or a year from now when I’ve (hopefully) calmed down and have settled back into my daily routine. Will I still view it fondly? Or will I be able to watch it in a more neutral stance? But I feel like no matter how much time has passed, “Melo Movie” is a drama that I’m going to look back at fondly and with warm fuzzy feelings. The way that I feel about it right now is how I’m going to feel about it many years from now. Even if and when everyone else has moved on, I will still be here. I will always be here.

So to “Melo Movie”, thank you for everything. You were exactly the drama that I needed; you were everything that I expected and so much more. You are my comfort drama; you will always be my home.