I want to hold on to this drama a little bit longer. Because I loved it and I learned so much from it. But IU and Park Bo Gum are waiting, and I can't get myself to watch them when I have something pending. So, here goes.
Plot
Melo Movie tells the story of two people who are in the movie industry for seemingly different reasons. Ko Gyeom (Choi Woo Shik) is a film buff who used movies to keep him company when he was growing up as an orphan. He was raised by his brother, Jun (Kim Jae Wook), and the siblings bonded over movies. Gyeom was also a frustrated actor who loved to hang around movie sets even if he was mostly cast as an extra. He was also a movie critic.
On the other hand, we have Kim Mu Bee (Park Bo Young), a girl who despite having a film maker dad (Kim Da Heen of Love Next Door and Crash Course in Romance), actually hated movies because she felt it took her dad away from their family. But that little girl still seems to have that hidden desire to please her dad because she actually ended up working in the movie industry and went on to direct her own films.
The story takes us through how two broken people, brought together by movies, help each other live their best lives, while imparting lots of life lessons we can all learn from.
Park Bo Young as Kim Mu Bee
I loved Park Bo Young's super cute character in Strong Girl Bong Soon. So it was quite a change for me to see her in a more reserved character. Yes, she's still feisty as Mu Bee. She speaks her mind, especially against people who annoy her like her dad and Gyeom. But her thoughts are just as, or even more, interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed her quips about people like how she should avoid people like Gyeom who always want to be the center of attention. I loved the depth of Mu Bee's character and I feel like she's someone I'd love talking with non-stop.
This show just made me love Park Bo Young even more. It's amazing how she can take on a grown-up character with that baby face of hers. Must watch her more!
Choi Woo Shik as Ko Gyeom
Ahhh...our boy Woo Shik. I feel like a proud mom or aunt who has seen her son/nephew evolve into a better and more serious actor. We've seen his fun and naughty side in Summer Vacation, Youn's Stay, Jinny's Kitchen Mexico and Iceland. And we watched him in more serious stuff like Train to Busan, Parasite, Fight for My Way, and Our Beloved Summer. But he was a revelation here.
Yes, we still had some of naughty Woo Shik here. Gyeom was such a ball of sunshine that you can't help but root for him because he deserves to succeed and be happy after everything he's been through. But Woo Shik was at his best when he showcased Gyeom's sentimental side. When in his quiet moments and alone time, you see and feel his pain through his face and eyes. Must we blame him for appearing numb and carefree when in fact he's just trying to show a strong facade to cover up for all the unhappiness deep within him? I loved how Jun described him - being carefree is his coping mechanism to handle his pain inside. And it would even be better if he were just truly carefree for no reason at all.
I'm so proud of how Woo Shik is slowly turning into a serious actor and I can't wait to see more.
Gyeom and Mu Bee
I super loved Gyeom and Mu Bee's chemistry. And I'm pretty sure a big reason for that is how the show excellently handled this storyline. And how magnificently interspersed the light and heavy moments were. They were cute and they made me feel giddy. But they were totally relatable because they had issues and flaws like us mere mortals.
Some of my favorite parts were Gyeom's heartfelt and straightforward apology for ghosting when Mu Bee demanded one. And Mu Bee's cute fixation on Gyeom reviewing her movie. Or how Gyeom foolishly confessed to Mu Bee's mom (Kim Hee Jung of Start Up and Warm and Cozy). Then there's Gyeom's fear of asking Mu Bee if he can like her again. I totally felt his anxiety, thinking how misfortune might befall him again when he chooses to fall in love. And while it was anticlimactic, I also understood why Mu Bee responded that way.
I loved how Gyeom worked his way to Mu Bee's heart. That pizza date that led to Mu Bee finally opening up to Gyeom and Mu Bee joining the brothers' movie nights. How Gyeom won her over with his "coincidences," of doing little things that mattered like giving her an umbrella when it rains or waiting for her at the bus stop when she comes home late.
Yes, I found Gyeom's lack of communication (and also Mu Bee's refusal to reach out to him) bothersome and problematic. But I guess that was the show's way of injecting more conflict.
The show's cinematography, especially in Gyeom and Mu Bee's scenes, was amazing. Like when Mu Bee finally mustered the courage to ask Gyeom why he disappeared and then she confessed her feelings, letting go of her own fears. You just can't help but fall in love with them.
Si Jun and Ju-A
Initially, I didn't really care about the second leads, Si Jun (Lee Jun Young of D.P. 1 and 2) and Ju-A (Jeon So Nee of Encounter). I didn't really get their issues, especially why Ju-A needed to rub in things about how Si Jun seems unmotivated when she already broke his heart. I think she somehow lost that right already.
But then we were shown flashbacks. And then I understood her. I empathized with them because their issues were relatable - especially Ju-A's. How she was like all of us at some point in our lives - doing pathetic stuff to please other people. It was painful to hear her admit that she liked udon but she refrained from ordering it because it was hot and she couldn't eat it quick, while Si Jun always wanted to leave right after he's done eating. Or how clingy he was that she had to set aside her own deadlines just so she can cater to his needs (like going with him to an interview because he was not confident enough). Ju-A was nothing but considerate the entire time. Sure, it might have been stifling for Si Jun. But I'm glad that Ju-A finally had the courage to break free, to admit that she was tired, and to finally choose to take care of herself. Yes, he tried and he was proud of her but sometimes, it's just not enough.
I was honestly rooting for them. But I totally understand why they could not be together. They were not good for each other, given their differences and hang ups. I was just happy that they were brave enough to admit that it was over and it was really time to let go and just be grateful for what was. Who knows, Si Jun might mature eventually and they can get a second chance.
Gyeom and Jun
Ahhhh, my favorite "couple" in the show. I was truly in love with their relationship. It was nice to see Kim Jae Wook again (the last being in The Last Princess and long before that in Coffee Prince). He was the perfect big brother Jun to Gyeom.
You can't really say that one sacrificed more for the other because I saw how both of them endured things even when the going was tough. They were both very selfless with each other. Seeing how Jun worked so hard to raise and be there for Gyeom explained why Gyeom was willing to give up everything (even love) for his brother too. That's why it must have been extra heart breaking for Gyeom to realize that at one point, Jun wanted to commit suicide. Was he too heavy a burden for him already?
I loved how the show executed Jun's final days beautifully. That whistling kettle was like a time's up sign that finally prodded Jun to want to explore the world around him and have fun. And a signal that he needed to prepare Gyeom for a life without his big brother. It was so painful to hear Gyeom ask Jun if he really wanted to live. And how Jun handled that moment really well. I felt the burden they've both been carrying for a long time - Jun having to raise Gyeom and Gyeom having to care for his sick brother. How their options were limited because they were bound to each other.
I was glad that Jeong Hu (Cha Woo Min) was there as a brother to all of our characters - to Mu Bee when she was younger, to Jun when he was sick and could no longer go out a lot, and to Gyeom after Jun passed on. He might have just been an annoying character to some but I was grateful for his presence because somehow, he was instrumental in making our main leads' lives a little less lonely.
Everything surrounding Jun's death was sad. The shots of the empty chair and shelves. The montage of how the brothers' shoes were always beside each other by the door throughout the years. The photo used during the wake being the same photo taken during Gyeom's graduation. Gyeom's pain resonated with me. And he did it without even having to say anything. And my biggest question with the entire thing -was Jun ever happy at any point in his life? I hope he was because that would at least be comforting for Gyeom.
Execution
The show started slow but it picked up quickly. Imagine having your main couple meeting, kissing, and hinting on breaking up all in the first episode. Even if things sped up eventually, I was concerned that the drama would be boring, showing the same old stuff that we see in K dramas. But I was pleasantly surprised at how it drew me in with how heartwarming and pretty it was. I mentioned this earlier, that I loved how the show tried to balance things out. It was funny when it needed to lighten things up. Yes, there were a number of coincidences, like how Gyeom moved to the house across Mu Bee's. But I don't think they were overdone.
I think what really worked well for the show was how it was melancholic and nostalgic but it was never too dark and depressing that you'll get tired of it. The scenes and the dialogues were well thought of. Like that first meeting between Gyeom and Mu Bee after the first ghosting. It was awkward yet very realistic, with Gyeom fumbling and wasting the opportunity to explain himself.
Or how the drama depicted the natural cycle of life - how sometimes we're up, sometimes we're down. How we can't always have it all like when Gyeom the movie critic was slowly becoming popular, only to be cancelled because of an incident that actually had nothing to do with him.
Which brings us to how the show presented the harsh realities of having trial by publicity. Like how Gyeom was blamed for an alleged suicide attempt by a director whom he criticized heavily, when in fact, the director just took the wrong combination of medicines and alcohol. How people need to realize that critics don't dish out personal attacks. That you can be a good person and be honest about your assessment of things at the same time. I'm just glad that Gyeom was able to resolve things with the other director who was humble and courageous enough to admit that it was time to quit.
I appreciated the people who were there for Gyeom when his brother died. Director Ma (Ko Chang Seok of Encounter, Miracle: Letters to the President, 1987: When the Day Comes, A Taxi Driver, Secretly Greatly, and Reply 1988) telling Gyeom that the death of someone you love will make you feel numb in the beginning until you get that creeping realization that the one you always depended on is now gone. Si Jun and Ju-A celebrating Jun's life. With Si Jun sneaking in to Gyeom's car to bring him supplies because he didn't know how to comfort him. Jeong Hu telling Gyeom not to rush his mourning. And of course, Mu Bee who was there to help Gyeom admit that he was afraid of going into their house because it felt empty and that he was not okay. And how Mu Bee told Gyeom that he's not alone and how that seemed to be all that he needed to hear.
I loved the ending too. How Director Ma mentored Mu Bee, telling her that some stories need to be told at certain times of our lives and how that led to him investing on Mu Bee's film.
It was nice to see Mu Bee open up to Gyeom about her dad, which will hopefully free her from the guilt of thinking that she caused her dad's death. And it was perfectly intertwined with how Mu Bee's issues with her mom were finally resolved, how they finally talked about things they tried to sweep under the rug for a long time, so that they can stop living in pain.
Although it didn't end well, I liked how Si Jun finally got his closure in his relationship and a break in music.
Oppa found it creepy but I liked how Gyeom's dream of Jun helped wrapped up whatever loose ends his relationship with his brother had. I loved how he bravely promised Jun that he will be fine and that he will live his best life for Jun. Although it was sad to hear him say that he regretted not doing fun stuff with his brother like smoking and drinking.
In the end, all's well. That might be too simplistic for some but with the things our characters went through, that simple ending was more than welcome. It was a well-deserved respite from all their bad experiences. And most importantly, the show got its message across that we all need to live in the moment and enjoy the little things that matter. (With nice music too!).
Oppa says...4.8.
Noona says...4.75.