Meu Diário para a Liberdade (2022)

A half baked story forgiven by masterful scriptwriting and compelling performances.

Let’s start my thoughts off with the elephant in the room, comparisons. MLN is brought to us by the same screenwriter of the heavily praised My Mister. Introducing newcomers to its signature realistic,gritty,and deep tones that many like me were overcome with nostalgia from their previous work. I am part of the minority that wasn’t as fond of My Mister as the rest, and MLN, in my opinion, succeeded in a few areas i felt were poorly handled before, with a much more surreally mute tone I fell in love with immediately.

My Liberation Notes has alot to say, ALOT. It also manages to keep many moments where exchanges or unnecessary dialogue isn’t needed, empty. This was my first encounter with this bold style of narration, nothing has to be said for the characters and the viewer to get what’s happening. You’re thrown in the middle of awkward silence, that’s only awkward because 99% of dramas does not attempt to speak with only expressions and atmosphere. Some will not be fond of this style the writer took on, as this aspect is also a very different feel from their previous work, leaving most jumbled at first.

The direction in this series is with no surprise, top notch. With a very beautiful Ost perfectly mixed in to fill silent scenes and defining moments, which may be quite distractive at times from being..too good? Hell you might even pause the series every now and then to immediately search up the soundtrack and/or spend more time replaying a scene than it takes to complete the episode. Stunning cinematography with a much brighter touch that makes it very refreshing compared to the dark, depressing story being told.

Now with, in my opinion, the strongest(and perhaps weakest?) aspect of this drama, the characters. The main cast has come to express every bit of talent they have in this one. You’re endlessly shocked at how natural these performances are, how drawn you are to them, how much you feel as if you can literally meet these exact characters in your day by day encounters, which in terms of relatability, you can. In terms of the main cast everyone takes an equal hand in making this series as great as it is, nobody drowning the other out, no one noticeably under performing, no thunder stolen here. You have to acknowledge and thank Lee Min Ki, Kim Ji Won, Lee El, and Son Seok Koo for easily one if not their best roles yet.


Now... the weakest aspect of this drama, as this series isn’t without its flaws. I will just put all my nitpicks under one classification that i found MLN severely lacked in at times, believability. Hear me out, as this drama is one of the most realistically written series you'll come across, but there are some mishaps. To list a few:
~Toleration from the supporting cast when unnecessarily deep realizations comes to the fore front from the leads, leaving you confused as to why they’re not questioning where it’s coming from, and why at times their dialogue is only used to set up the leads for these realizations of themselves, unnatural topics being brought up in natural situations.
~Some supporting characters don’t progress unless the main storyline calls for another push.With sudden abruptions of “I have a sob story as well!”, “Well here’s my long awaited confession”, “ Here’s something personal I shouldn’t even know let alone address and belittle you for.. any realizations yet?”

~Gu’s background starting out as a well handled secret leaving all of us curious and guessing, slowly leaking out little by little. Suddenly it erupts at an abnormal pace with abnormal characters making actions that most of the time felt forced, because you’re not given the same amount of time with these new chracters, you’re not given enough explanations to justify the things they’re doing(or haven’t done). You’re expected to accept weirdly paced occurrences in an already established slow and steady paced story in general.

Nonetheless, My Liberation Notes was a powerfully written story, though too deep for some. A work of art worth all acknowledgment and praise it gets. A new personal favorite of mine that fulfilled much emptiness i was left with My Mister. A memorable journey of this fantastic cast seeking liberation. I applaud, i cry, i await the next story to be told.

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The reality of hope. A deeply compassionate drama.

Both writer (Park Hae Young) and director (Kim Seok Yoon) know how to create sensitive dramas built around pathos, but with a cutting edge. Kim directed “The Light in Your Eyes” and Park penned the class act that is “My Mister”. You can imagine what you will be getting, and they deliver on it—in spades.

At the start there is little to attract in the main characters. They are all struggling to find any sort of meaning in soul-destroying lives that are dominated by a long and exhausting commute to the city from their countryside home. But this writer has a beautiful knack of taking that ordinary exterior and peeling away the layers to reach the vulnerability and struggling humanity within. And by the end of episode 2 you are totally captivated by these self-scored 20/100 characters. Add to that a director and cinematographer who know how to capture the smallest twitch of a muscle in a face and make it speak volumes. And actors like Kim Ji Won and particularly Son Seok Koo, who can work with them to reveal the interior life of a character without words.

As with “My Mister” the raw material at the heart of this drama is family and the unfathomable glue that holds it together despite difference, ambivalence and natural preferences. Essentially they are characters weighed down with who they are, wishing they were something else, ignorant of how to change but trying to work out how to make things different. They are trapped and struggling to emerge, like butterflies, from chrysalises of painfully low self-esteem, guilt and negative thinking. If this doesn’t sound like an attractive proposition, it is the skill and wonder of the whole production to make it compulsive viewing. Each of the characters draws you to themselves and touches your compassion as they struggle towards the elusive future that beckons them.

The plot meanders through their realisations and lurches along with them. In the main it works but occasionally loses its way, particularly later on when time hopping causes inevitable fragmentation. I was not convinced that this disordering of time to create tension was strictly necessary as the depth of the characterisations are sufficient to carry you through. However, imo, it would be counter-productive to enforce a regular development on a drama that is essentially exploring the vagaries of the human psyche with all its winding roads, u-turns and blind alleys. The unevenness of it creates the overall mood and ambience of the drama and reflects the stop-go nature of real life.

The drama features the standard three leads and their relationships; but this is not a standard romance drama. Relationship itself is the focal point, not the falling in love. Essentially it examines how we can approach and be with each other whilst still retaining ourselves. And suggests that the only way we can live with both ourselves and with others is by being honest and taking the hit for doing so, as we work towards self-acceptance and self-understanding. Ultimately it is upbeat, but open ended.

There are no generic characters here. Each one, even the minor players, has been carefully created and presented with depth and there are some wonderful observational details and cameo performances.

Lee Min Ki does such a great job with the character arc of the irrepressible, oblivious and impulsive Chang Hee. His confusion and lumbering realisations are beautifully portrayed and provide a flicker of humour darting through the shadows. How can you not fall in love with him? Especially over the car!

I have an affinity with Yeon Mi Jung and the things she prayed about as a child. The character is played elusively by Kim Ji Won who manages to capture the enigmatic exterior that hides the depth and singularity of her character’s thinking and perceptions. You are always waiting expectantly for what left-field thing will emerge from her mouth. Occasionally the script can feel a little pretentious and self-conscious, but it is mainly because the writer is wanting to explore non-intuitive ideas and trains of thought. If there is a reason to rewatch the series, then I think Mi Jung is it. A second time round, understanding the character arc, would illuminate much of her early actions and responses.

Perhaps the most vulnerable of the three is Yeon Ki Jung, portrayed with empathy by Lee El, who manages to undermine herself at every turn and perhaps elicits the broadest spectrum of responses from both the viewer and the other characters, from exasperation to total compassion.

The interloper into the family is played convincingly by Son Seok Koo who manages to capture the multi-facets of Gu Ja Gyeong from brooding to awkward to nasty to vulnerable. The character and his background provide a disturbing contrast to the rest of the drama and sometimes jarred for me. If there is any flaw in the credibility it comes with the ending for this character. But his time on screen is compulsive viewing and many of the scenes between him and Kim Ji Won are very special, full of nuanced, silent communication and unspoken feelings from both of them.

The cinematography and editing has more the feel of a film to it, as though the camera is just a neutral observer hanging around and we see the action though those non-judgemental eyes. It lingers on contemplative faces and reveals hidden depths. In many ways the whole drama doesn’t criticise or condemn, but tries to simply observe. And in that observation there is the balance and compassion that colours the whole production. Nothing is too polished or self conscious. It draws you in and places you firmly in the action as a participant in this slice of life. Beautifully done.

There is also a very restrained use of a soundtrack, so that often it is the silence that holds you in the moment with the character. There is a lot of simple piano music, ethereal voices and soulful songs, which have been carefully chosen to highlight the mood. Did I catch “So Tender” by Say Sue Me from “Nevertheless” in Ep 11 at 47’, playing in the cafe scene between Yeon Ki Jung and Jo Tae Hoon. I think I heard it earlier with regard to this couple as well.

This was a special drama for me and goes straight onto my personally recommended list.

What my rating means: 9+   A drama I totally fell in love with and is endlessly re-watchable. It ticked all the boxes and had some serious wow factor. It would go on my personally recommended list.

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Trudging on step by step...

Aren't we all same? Striving to survive our day to day life for the unclear tomorrow.

Our frustrations and sentiments that sometimes we cannot put into words are shown in this drama.

This drama depicted the ordinary people's day to day life and struggles. The script is unbelievably good. Most lines are like inspirational life quotations. I love the writer!

It is surely different from other dramas. It made me realize a lot of things in life. It made me laugh, cry and reflect a lot about my self.

CH, MJ, GJ- these three are all so relatable in many ways. Their work-life balance, issues with colleagues, issues at home and their everyday hardships are what most of us are experiencing.

CH- He is the Character that have the most development.

GJ- She is the most vocal and honest among the 3 siblings and I love how until the end she remains the same.

MJ- She wants to be freed from boxing herself and although not yet fully freed she's getting there gradually.

MJ and Mr. Gu - just like how MJ feels like Mr. Gu is her sanctuary, both of them find peace with each other. Only the two of them can understand each other without even saying anything. They can both relate with each other with a lot of things. I believe they are made for each other.

Liberation Club- I love how it all started and I love how they will continue their club activities to further find its purpose. I would love it if they will make a book about their notes.

The ending:
It ended but doesn't feel like it did.
Maybe because the writer doesn't want us to be liberated from our liberating thoughts.

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Pill that is very hard to swallow

This show is a pill that is very hard to swallow..

The initial story setup I felt was really good and had a lot of potential. Characters felt unique and interesting and show had a very promising start as well.
But as the story progressed and reached its final destination it felt unsatisfying and shallow...

I think the ending really puts into perspective what the writing was trying to do in the first place. The writers was more interested in the philosophical aspects( conveyed through dialogue and themes) rather than the characters themselves. Every story arc seems under-utilized. There are so many story threads that was unexplored or blatantly ignored.
The best example was Gu's past. They just used the past just an excuse for why he is drunk all the time. We never fully understand what happened, why was she important to him or whether she was important at all.

Acting was overall top notch special mention should be given to Son Seok-Koo. The charm charisma and the ultimate dread he brings to the role was really great to watch..

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Liberating and Worship Worthy

My Liberation Notes is a drama that resonated with me in many ways. Just watching it made me feel like I, too, am being liberated, and I wasn't even half as deep as where the characters were, if at all. But then, who can't relate to the struggles of fading youth, wanting to love and be loved, managing mounting responsibilities to the extent of losing the will for idle talk, and the unavoidable frustrations and challenges of daily lives when even living itself is burdensome, not many.

I loved how the story handled itself, and the message that liberation is realizing the voices in our heads aren't who we are, and only when we see that can we indeed be free. I felt liberated by how this drama depicted human relations, giving me the sense to appreciate the people in my life and opening me up to accept those to come in the future, something my old self before My Liberation Notes wouldn't have done. Every relationship in this drama mattered no matter how small, which made it so special.
I loved how real this drama was in expressing real people's thoughts and actions; how it addressed the fact that some people put others down, not because they are evil or rotten human beings, but because sometimes it's the only way they know how to feel better about themselves. And that sometimes all a person needs is the knowledge that someone cares to make a difference.

More than any other drama, My Liberation Notes made me realize how blessed I was in my life rather than the life I think I should've had. I would not have had that without going on this fantastic, silent yet deeply touching and meaningful journey with Gu, Mi Jung, Ki Jung, Chang Hee, Tae Hun, and everyone else who was part of this story, whether in a prominent or supporting role. There were many touching and emotional moments in this drama, but the Yeom children gathered for their father's birthday, and him finally opening up to them is one of the best. The geninue moments between Gu and Mi Jung, Ki Jung her boss and Tae Hun, Chang Hee at work and with his friends -- all of the little nuisances in the storytelling made this drama one of the best if not the best of 2022. A thousand and one kudos to the writer who excelled at making me feel and live each step of this drama's journey. The director for bringing it all to life, and the actors for quietly yet forcefully imparting to me the message that life is what we make it, always has been, and always will be; we just need to believe that. I felt worshiped just watching this drama.

I will miss My Liberation Notes. As much as I already enjoyed Lee Min-Ki and Son Seok Koo's acting skills in other projects, their natural way of depicting their roles in this one made me realize how talented they are, and the same goes for Kim Ji Won, Lee El, Lee Ki Woo, Chun Ho Jin and the rest of the cast. Next to My Mister and Lost My Liberation Notes will remain with me for a long time to come for silently making me hear the things I unconsciously and sometimes consciously ignored. Ignore what you may have heard or read about this drama; watch it you will never be disappointed; on the contrary, you may learn something about yourself you didn't know before.

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A promising drama about finding happiness and moving forward pulled back by awful tropes

Finding joys in life and learning to enjoy the many details in things is difficult, and that struggle is amazingly captured in this drama. Three siblings find themselves in a hopeless rut, commuting, working, and barely living. What ensues are antics, attempts, and pledges to live better, more fulfilling lives.

Unfortunately, this drama is plagued by some of the most common tropes in Kdramas. A mysterious character (Mr. Gu) is actually running from mafia-themed problems. This kind of random action genre isn't needed in a drama like this, and is often jarring in terms of pacing and storytelling. Not every mysterious character needs a dramatic backstory like this, and in my opinion he would have been a better character without it.

However, the sisters' arcs are the bigger issue. How can two main female characters have their story arc be resolved by relying on a man in 2022? Yeom Mi Jeong finds solace in having Mr. Gu worship her, and slowly gains confidence from them being acquainted. Her older sister, Yeom Gi Jeong, is worried about finding a relationship, and how to deal with all the emotions she has when she eventually gets into one. Both sisters are built up by their relationships in the end, learning to take life one step at a time. But do we really need both of them to learn this by seeking a man? Yes, you will need to rely on others and their support to get you through tough times. No, you do not need to explicitly have a relationship with those people for that to happen. Frankly, it's just unacceptable for two female leads to still require romance arcs in 2022 to actually learn or do anything.

Overall, the drama is well-acted, and it's pacing is excellent but can be too slow for some. The inclusion of bad tropes though is a huge negative for what this drama could have been. The drama does not live up to the potential it has, and I think it would be more well-received if it kept with the slow-burn slice of life genre throughout the entire show.

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Each new person we meet is a new chapter in our life.

I want to be completely honest - this is my subjective take on the show. I feel like My Liberation Notes is a drama one either vibes with, or they don’t. I don’t. It’s not like I hated it, but I was not as moved, touched, absorbed by it as other people. It had a fair number of elements I enjoyed, but overall, I was not invested.

I think my biggest reason for disconnecting was the fact I did not relate to any of the characters and, at the end of the day, it is a character driven show. Yeom Mi Jung? Extremely unlikable for the majority of the episodes. I completely gave up on trying to like her when on one hand, she complained how no one ever made her feel alive and whole, but at the same time said she herself never really liked anyone.

I understand that all the depression (probably more specifically dysthymia) symptoms she presented must have been something many people related to. I am not a stranger to these feelings myself, and yet, I could not be on board with what they tried to present with her. Admitting on the side though, the last episode changed my perception of her character quite a bit, and I liked that a lot. They hammered a specific picture of her, and then gave me a 180 change with a new perspective delivered with just one line. Whatever I did not like about how she was written became less valid at that moment.

That said, putting aside whenever she was likable for me or not, I do appreciate some aspects of her personality. The fact they broke away from the “shy introvert” portrayal many dramas have. She was not shy, she was simply not interested in people. Sometimes people who don’t engage in every social interaction are not shy, they just don’t care. At times her inner dialogue and conversations with people made me think she might even be asocial, one step further than introversion. If we truly listen to what she was saying, I still have to appreciate that it’s just who she is - there is no trauma, no social phobia. She just does not like people that much and prefers solitude.

Then we have Mr. Gu. I liked him a lot at first. The mystery around his character in that rural area made me curious about his story, but they dragged it for too long. When I finally found out more about who he is, I was not that interested. It was a well done suspense, since me and many people wondered about his identity, but I feel like keeping the viewers in the dark for so long took away from him as a character. On the other hand, one could say he serves as a good contrast to Mi Jung’s journey, and the different pace they both took in figuring themselves out.

While Yeom Ki Jung was entertaining to watch and one of the reasons I pushed forward and finished the drama, I found her arc a bit one dimensional. At some point I started to feel like her obsession with finding a man was overshadowing the underlying issues she has. It felt like a comedic bit, that is not quite funny when you truly think about it. That said, her romantic endeavors were enjoyable and endearing and for me, she was easily the most likable of all the siblings.

I don’t really have much to say about Yeom Chang Hee, except for the fact he was underused. His interactions with Mr. Gu were amazing and I would love to see more of them - that friendship could have been an interesting addition to the story. I am honestly not sure what his purpose in the drama was. I get the vague idea, but for me his characterization lacks focus? He shined the most in the last (around) four episodes, and I probably enjoyed him the most at the time, out of all the characters.

One of the aspects about the drama that can be either viewed as a positive or negative thing depending on the preferences, is how the main characters were not that well defined. A lot of aspects were left for interpretation. I was discussing the show with many people as I was watching, I also read many comments and takes on the plot progression and characterization, and I have to say - many people had quite different takes on who the characters were.

As far as I see it, it’s a good thing. It’s not a “play in the background” type of a show. The true value comes from wondering about it as the episodes end. Trying to understand the characters. And since everyone looks at them from the lens of their own private experience and personalities, it’s given that they will see different things in them. It’s the viewers who add depth to them, their interactions and plot development. So for me, who was not engaged enough to feel motivated to do that, the drama lost one of the most important aspects.

I know a lot of people love the dialogues and inner monologues in this show. I completely agree they were well written, but they were also repetitive. A lot of them were talking about exactly the same thing, just with different words. So at the end of the day, we end with exactly the same issue - you either relate to the lines and love them, or you don’t and you find them boring.

While they went into detail about Mi Jung’s inner struggles which led to many people appreciating the show, I also feel like a lot of aspects suffer because of it. The relationship between the parents being one of them. Literally all the supporting characters. The biggest let down? Underuse of Liberation Club. I wish there was more focus on this rather than Mi Jung and Mr. Gu together. Using the writing note as a way to deliver the inner monologues was used just a few times, overshadowed by emo train rides that took the spot for the narration time.

That said, with all the complaints I had, they are all subjective. The same things I complain about, other people name as the reasons for loving the show - depending on the perspective. As I said, you either vibe with it or you don’t. It’s really consistent with how they deliver the mood and message, creating a well composed picture. The acting, writing, directing, editing, soundtrack - everything fits well together.

Overall, would for sure recommend to anyone who likes slow paced, character driven shows that focus on daily lives and struggles of normal people. There is no reason not to check it out. It's a good drama, it just does not try to cater to every viewer, and as a result, it might not resonate with everyone. But you won't know if it's something you will see as a true gem, unless you check it out yourself ;)

Ps. Refrain from telling me maybe the genre is not for me. It’s not the genre, it’s this specific show.

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Life piece for those who fell stuck

I am a fan of slow pace dramas with a slice of real life. So I started this one with big expectations and by the end I think this one will stay at my top 5 dramas.

First of all I could relate to characters so much. The feeling of being stuck in the routine… I think all of us at some point feel that. So I could just watch and think “ah, I am
Not the only one who feel this way”. As an introverted person, I could see myself in MFL almost in every scene.

The romance part was interesting in terms of acting, because it’s not all fluffy and touchy, but it still shows. So that a good job from actors.

And of course the main point here is that we do not get a “happy” ending, more of an open one. Still for me it is a happy ending.
This drama is about process, not destination.
We see how people break free from their misery of everyday life and find themselves, start to understand their emotions and feelings, pay more attention to themselves and find new way.

It’s not an easy going drama. Although there are a lot of happy moments, it gets a little more “depressing” in the last couple of episodes but still I am very very grateful for this drama.

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Come to watch My Liberation Notes with high expectation and end up with great disappointment

With so many good reviews, I was anticipated this drama to be one of the best. First couple of episode look promising, characters were intriguing and storyline was interesting. However, then the drama started to drag and becoming boring. I end up skip all the middle episodes and watched the final couple of episodes and did not miss anything. None of the characters make me want to continue watching them. The endings were nothing special, you can kind of guess what would happen in the earlier episodes. If I am going to watch three siblings with dead end lives, then my life must be more pathetic than theirs since I am wasting my time watching theirs.

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