It was all for "today".
"Right now, you feel like you're falling behind others. Even so, you should live. As you live, there will come a moment when you'll realize, it was all for today." ~ Koo RyeonThe feelings of being constantly torn between killing yourself or killing everyone around you, is dangerous and as unfortunate. In a world, where individuality has become the primary choice of us, what everyone should be attempting is to extract out the positivity out of it. Situations and circumstances definitely play roles in making us commit deeds, that we'd never thought of even. But in the end, it all boils down to the fact that, one needs more courage to live than to kill themselves. Rightfully quoted so, "Sometimes even to live is an act of courage".
Created by 'Studio N' and co-produced by 'Super Moon Pictures', "Tomorrow (내일) [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of the 2017 manga of the same title by Llama. Developed by Hong Seok Woo, the show is a fantasy cum slice-of-life drama, broadcasted on MBC and internationally distributed on Netflix.
"Tomorrow" follows the day-to-day work of the Risk/Crisis Management Team of Jumadaeng (the afterlife company for Korea) which serves to prevent highly suicidal people from committing the deed and strives to bring happiness in their lives. Choi Joon Woong, a jobless young man, gets involved with grim reapers as he tries to save a man from taking his own life. Soon he goes into coma, becoming half dead, and joins the RM team till his recovery. There he meets, Team Leader Ko Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun) and his assistant Lim Ryung Gu (Yoon Ji On); together they save countless lives while facing the threat of disbanding from other departments of Jumadaeng, including the most elite Park Jung Gil (Lee Soo Hyuk), the leader of the escort team. Kim Hae Sook plays the Jade Emperor in Jumadaeng.
The controversial concept and the criticism surrounding it about suicide prevention, might seem futile but I do not wish to discredit and disregard the understandings of people about such a sensitive matter. Nevertheless, it's a relief how this show has been able to create narratives and conversations, about this topic.
Plot development follows both fragmented as well as staircase rule, and I believe this was a best decision in the webtoon writer's part. The pilot episode wasn't very impressive to me, that could have me in it's overall grasp though it seemed decent. I would say the execution in the 2nd episode was also fine. Episode 3 is where it suddenly took me to paradise (not literally because the sufferings of people were so saddening). I mean to say that I could suddenly understand the intentions of the writer and what everyone involved is meaning to relay to all of us. The furtherance was amazing; them handling one case after another, trying their best to sort everything out and put things back to their places, all of that evoked all kinda emotions, making us think, understand and realize about the possibilities that our lives could offer us. The seens involving Jumadaeng and the interactions of all the reapers working in it, was fantastic to witness; particularly Ko Ryeon and Jun Woong conversing was always melting my heart. Everything was okay until the finale week which somehow ended up ruining things for the show. As much as I love this show in overall, the very fact that the ending turned ordinary and rather shoddy, will always bother me, whenever I am reminded of the show.
There are 3 screenwriters for the show: Kim Yu Jin, Park Ran and Park Ja Kyung, and all of them are debutants according to their bios. Nonetheless, as I have opined multiple times, it's not really easy to turn a book into live-action adaptations and the secondary screenwriters needs to be immensely attentive and dedicated while turning books into scripts. So is the case for this; I believe the combined efforts of these budding artists have blossomed into such an amazingly beautiful masterpiece, sparking deeper thoughts and evoking essential emotions. The dialogues are sometimes heart-touching and emotional and as thought-provoking and gut-wrenching at times. The storytelling method with few monologue notes is alleviating and gladdening to a large extents.
Kim Tae Yeon PDnim with the experience of both a screenwriter and a director in both movies and dramas, have been able to do a wonderful job in preserving the eseence of the show. With him co-directs Sung Chi Wok PDnim, who has been a part of several modern well-recieved Kdramas. The tone, scope and subject matter of the show, perfectly corresponding to it's title, has been justified and the inherent messages has been yielded. The pacing was perfect, dedicating each episode to a single case and also narrating the back stories of the main cast meanwhile. The screenplay management, the scenario setups, the screen-editing and the overall execution, everything is beyond 'well done', which reflects in the outcomes that have provided us with gratifying and fulfilling experiences from the show. The only thing that felt off in the initial episodes was the sound production, the background editings, I mean.
The cinematography is pleasing, each episode usually starting with dark colour palettes depicting misery, and gradually shifting to light and colourful hue, implying, the new beginnings and as hope. The designer and makeup team deserves as much credit, for both accurately and demandingly bringing out the best of the characters, through the careful works on the actors. The fighting scenes, as required in few scenes, were exciting and convincing, if not very impressive.
Composed by Jo Seung Woo and Won Ho Kyung, there are a total of 5 OSTs, and I believe this much is enough. I love how they were incorporated into the story and screenplay.
# "Red Ligh"t by J. DON is my most favourite, which is a rap song depicting the mysterious ways in which one's life operates. The vibes of the song matches with that of the show. It makes me happy rap tracks have become the most prominent in modern slice-of-life Kdramas.
# "Still love you" by Yoo Hwe Seung (N. Flying) should have been the no.1 if not for the original track, where he is a co-singer with Lee Hong Ki (FT ISLAND). The track is of high pitch melancholic and sorrow-inducing lyrics, narrating the hardships of life. The vocals of Hwe Seung are amazing enough to make you cry. I suggest you listen to the original one, as well.
# "My Only One" by BEN is a soulful song reminiscing the moments spent with a precious person that you have admired for a long time in your life.
# "My Loneliness Callls You" by SURAN is again, truly a call for having happiness back in your life, soliciting the presence of your love.
# "Don't Leave Me, My Love" by An Da Eun is a beseech of holding back everything that you think is important. I didn't really like this one.
What I liked...
# Jun woong's character development is what the writer wanted to be the cause of the story. In fact, it was for him, we got to witness jumadaeng and such lovely members and also, the lives of so many people and their different kind of struggles. I could see how he'd turned out to be by the end of the drama.
# Comedy elements in the drama are hilariously funny and glad it was mostly restricted within jumadaeng or among the reapers. Most of it is credited to the Jade emperor (Kim Hae Sook) and equally to Ryung Gu, and Jun Woong was usually the victim of their humors, haha.
# The wide range of personal and social issues introduced and the underlying messages, presented in a fresh way, surely gets through all the way to the heart, viz. school bullying, poverty, career tension, loss of loving ones, ignorance to imperialism victims, life of war veterans, workplace taboos, injustice, sexual assault victims, miscarriage, etc.
# So happy how they thought of involving an animal in one of their episodes, showcasing the importance of pet-human relationship and the subsided emotions.
# Suicide is not something to even think about easily and even so it remains controversial, you really never know what an individual get through while making such decisions, no matter how absurd it seems to me and you. Also, it's not really easy prevent suicidal thoughts of others easily, but we need to understand that this was a fictional show where the writer had to throw light upon various stories and sticking to only one would have differed from the core concept of the story. I personally have nothing to complain.
# That being said, I loved how well the writer emphasized to tell us the stories the persons concerned with the issues in each episode, giving them a bigger fraction of the show. We rarely see the main cast of the show being taken away of this (in a good way, I mean).
# No one can confidently utter that they shall live tomorrow, so death is as natural as to be born. It is very touching the way the the vehemence of death has been propounded. It's nothing new for Kdramas like this, but the ideas and the elements used to represent, definitely move your heart.
# Paralleling jumadaeng (afterlife) with the world of living is another factor that makes the drama .. From the organizational structure to the regulations and operations, everything didn't feel less than any other MNC; they have every single thing, technology, glitches, resumes, editing, and what not.
# The epilogues at the end of each episode were so satisfying and as delightful and truly exhilarating.
What I didn't like...
# The shared past story of the main leads towards the ending is one the biggest (probably the only one) setbacks about the show. I would have loved it if they'd shown it bit by bit from the beginning but the one episode dedicated to the particular matter, that too towards the ending, ruined a small part about the show. Again, it could have been done in a very amazing way, but the way they represented wasn't very likable to me. And as predicted in the 15th episode the finale was rushed.
# As everyone else, I also expected Rowoon to be the part of of something big or let's say have his own share of gut-wrenching past story. Unfortunately, the writers didn't have any such plan, instead he was treated like a supporting character, not all the times though. My disappointment about this particular matter comes from the fact that Rowoon is no rookie or substandard actor at this point.
# Lee Soo Hyuk being shown as the main cast in in the poster and then the makers backstabbing us by giving him unsatisfactory share of screentime is very disappointing. I admit, overally the entire main cast has received half the time, bcs the makers have emphasized on narrating the stories of the victims but of the half, Lee Soo Hyuk gets the least, and I didn't like that.
# I think I have already told how it turned out to be a rushed ending, so saving the elaboration again, I strongly feel the ending could have been a lot lot lot better. sighs.
Final Remarks... Overally, "Tomorrow" bestowed love, hope, everything else that you felt on personal levels. The denouement has been essentially deep, eloquent and worthwhile, provided all efforts contributed by the entire cast & crew. "Suicide prevention by Grim Repears", might interest/intrigue some while making people think for a while, but I suggest you try this out. For me, this was worth my time and emotions and I would cite this as a must watch. My rating of 8.5/10 is the reflection of it's drawbacks, as mentioned, would have given a 9.0 otherwise.
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Tomorrow seems to be a step behind
One can’t say that they didn’t try. In fact, they tried so so hard. Impressive visuals, from shot composition to visual effects, big, big emotions and genuinely good acting moments, relevant subject matters and an important message- Tomorrow went all out. And yet, I am feeling lukewarm about it.Let me tell you what I sincerely enjoyed about Tomorrow, and there is plenty because my heart is not made out of stone, believe it or not: This drama balances a thin line between goofy comedy and over-the-top tragedy, that I think, sort of worked a good amount of the time. The silly moments gave the viewer a much-needed break from all the heaviness on screen, without taking away from the seriousness of the topics. That can largely be attributed to the characterization of our leads, who all had great chemistry together. I genuinely loved all our four protagonists and the end had me shedding a few tears.
Episodes two and three had some visually very impressive moments, I am not just talking about the quality of the CGI, there were clearly also very creative ideas and strong aesthetic concepts present, and while I feel like the rest of the drama was not able to live up to the standard these episodes set, it was still appreciated and overall Tomorrow was a stylish show nonetheless.
Eventhough I was not always happy with the resolutions the narrative offered (I will go into more details soon), there were a few episodes, or at least moments, that tucked on my heartstrings. While undeniably cheesy most of the time, Tomorrow offered genuinely bittersweet moments that were bound to move the viewer, and at the end, I couldn’t help but feel at least slightly touched by the hopeful messages this show at least tried to convey.
But I can’t help but think that Tomorrow just fell short on more levels than I can ignore. Suicide is a touchy topic obviously, and it might be too complex and nuanced for this format. This doesn’t mean that you can’t try but you are bound to run into a few problems sooner or later. There are so many factors that can drive a person to end their life, and those don’t need to include those larger-than-life tragedies the drama relied on. I often feel like Korean cinema does too much when it comes to tragic backstories, they just pile tragedy on tragedy to the point where it almost feels comical. This becomes especially troubling in this format, where the concept is to introduce and resolve a complex issue in the same hour. And even when the narrative wasn’t centered around unnaturally huge disasters, the time constraints this drama set itself, weakened its genuine-ness. Sadly, recovery is not a straight line. The right words at the right time might put you on the right track, but the road to betterment will inevitably include a few steps back at points in your journey (wow have I run that metaphor into the ground yet?).
One of my favorite episodes featured a woman battling an eating disorder. The plot didn’t rely on over-the-top tragedy, the dialogue was at its most poignant and genuine and I feel like this episode was probably one of the more relatable, comforting and helpful ones. But by the end, I could not help but think that the problem had been grossly simplified. The character who had been determined to terminate her mental-illness-ridden existence like a week ago is seen smiling and eating again by the end of the episode. And I won’t say that I wasn’t moved by that moment, that it didn’t put a smile on my face, but to someone who has seen the effects of eating disorders firsthand, this conclusion came across as a bit weak. And I get it, the actual nuance of the topic might not have been a satisfying story. It might not have fit the hopeful message this show is so desperate to convey. You want to show the audience that the character is recovering because that is how illness is usually portrayed: as a challenge to be overcome or a war to be won. Illness is a story told in the past tense. But it’s never that simple or pretty. The actual story of illness might have been less feel-good. But it also might have been the more realistic, important story to tell.
Here is the problem of Tomorrow simply put: Depression doesn’t make good television. That sounds harsh but it’s true. Mental illness is not a three-arc story with a satisfying conclusion. It is a never-ending battle that you have to pick up every single day. And that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get better, or better said, that you don’t get better at fighting, but it means that when your plotline is centered around suicide, you can’t provide your audience with a clean happy ending without coming across at least a bit ingenuine. No deeper issues or the roots of those were discussed. Every problem seemed to only exist at surface level and could be resolved with the right monologue. It felt like at points, Tomorrow was more concerned with giving its leads witty one-liners that save the day, instead of portraying the complexity of the present issues.
There are a few more problems with Tomorrow, the episode centered around a suicidal dog felt laughable, ridiculously out of place, and almost sort of insulting to me, considering the heaviness of other discussed topics. The episode around a veteran was so oozing with patriotism and propaganda, that it was almost difficult to stomach. The main conflict between Ryeon and Joong-gil could, in theory, have been resolved at any given point in the story, so it felt like a plot point dragged along for drama’s sake. The actual rules the suicide-prevention-team has to follow, are incredibly unclear and seem to only matter when the narrative relies on them, there were multiple moments where the cheesiness of this drama got unbearable for me et cetera et cetera. But compared to my main issue with the show, these criticisms seem minor.
When I look at Tomorrow, I see a drama that is desperate to make me feel better. I see a country, that has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and doesn’t seem to understand why. I see a team of people that genuinely tried. I see a story that failed to understand its own nuances.
You can call me bitter; you can look at my review and say that I simply didn’t get it. That the point all this time solely laid in the show’s hopeful conclusions. That it never tried or had to be gritty or complex. That there is no shame in a clean happy ending if it provides someone out there in the world comfort. And you would 100% be correct. If Tomorrow gave just a single person out there hope, it probably did its job. I don’t have to get something, for it to have worth. Maybe this drama simply wasn’t made for me. But all this doesn’t change how I feel. Tomorrow represents a big swing and a miss for me. But maybe I just need to be thankful that it attempted to swing big in the first place.
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Living for Tomorrow
Tomorrow tells the story of a select band of Grim Reapers who perform the exact opposite of the Angels of Death’s conventional job description as we know it. They don’t accompany the souls of the dead to the afterlife but instead seek to ensure that the souls remain very much intact in their current lives. In other words, their sole purpose is to prevent folks (who are intent on dying) from dying.Presented in an episodic format with a series of standalone cases - each story that comes complete with its own unique themes and ambience - against the backdrop of an overarching mystery that spans several centuries in the making. This tale of urban fantasy masterfully blends light comedic undertones with extremely sensitive and serious subject matters, such as the prevailing issue of suicide as well as potential triggers like sexual assaults and violence.
It is not all doom and gloom however as it provides the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” by instilling a hopeful and inspiring closure to each featured case that this supernatural team attempts to resolve, at times with adorably hilarious consequences but for the most part, are stirringly emotive.
Based on the 2017 Naver webtoon of the same name by Llama (her nom de plume), this MBC production is helmed by Kim Tae Yoon (his first drama) and Seong Chi Wook (Kairos). The screenplay adaptation is written by Park Ran (What’s Mama) as well as Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin in what is their first ever drama script. Jo Seong Woo and Won Ho Kyung serve as music directors. Principal photography took place at several iconic locations, amongst others that include Seoul’s Dongjak Bridge, MBC Global Media Center, Yongin Daejanggeum Park, and Jung-gu Freedom Hall.
A total of 5 songs are released as part of the drama’s OST, as follows:
Seunghyup Lee ( N.Flying ) - Red Light
Ahn Da-eun - Don't Leave My Side
Suran (SURAN) - When My Loneliness Calls You
Yoo Hoe-seung ( N.Flying ) - Still love you
Ben - My Only One
What I Liked
Without delving too much into the psychological and mental illness aspects, and having not read the source material, I’m just going to comment on the drama based on its own merits and also the entertainment value that it brings as a webtoon adaptation.
To be honest, this drama is deceptively more profound than I initially expected. It starts off comical and lighthearted before steadily tugging at the heartstrings with the emotions and finally evolving into a full fledged sob story (or stories, for that matter). I usually avoid sad and depressing content, which this drama has plenty of, but I appreciate the way that these elements are conveyed and the overall narrative is one that is ultimately positive even if the viewer has to experience the whole gamut of negativity along the way, if that makes sense. The presentation is powerfully captivating and inducive of no small amount of tears.
Among all the individual cases presented, my personal favourites would have to be the earlier ones involving the singer-songwriter and the old army veteran. That is not to say the others are not as good but rather they are compelling in a somewhat more sobering and gut-wrenching manner. I don’t want to scare people off watching this show but you have to be emotionally and mentally prepared for what is to come.
In terms of the production values, Tomorrow is a high quality offering that utilises many special effects, for obvious reasons and which are decently rendered. I love the aesthetic intro which is accompanied by the stylish opening theme. The costuming aspect is nicely done with a range of contemporary, futuristic and traditional (Joseon) outfits. I particularly like the FL’s styling as well as the overall set-up of the Grim Reapers’ appearances. The classy touch to the design and set-up of their headquarters alongside the more unsophisticated workplace of the Risk Management team provides an interestingly vivid juxtaposition to the roles of the various factions of Grim Reapers in the story.
The extensive cast for this show provides some memorable performances indeed. Kim Hee Sun’s Goo Ryun is a character that possesses more layers than meets the eye at the beginning. There is a remarkable duality in her evolution from being the cold and inexpressive leader of the team to one who is emotionally vulnerable yet enduringly resilient. Rowoon is the biggest surprise for me by showing that since his recent appearance in The King’s Affection, he has grown by leaps and bounds in this show as the ML, Choi Joon Woong. I still think comedy would suit him best but there is certainly potential for versatility and further improvements.
Perhaps the most intriguing portrayal of all is provided by Lee Soo Hyuk as the antagonistic Park Joong Gil. This man would make an excellent villain in any production but he is convincing as an extremely grey character with anti-hero vibes as well. Yun Ji On rounds off the main cast with his depiction of the stoic and deadpan Im Ryung Goo.
Certain supporting and guest cast members are worth mentioning for their unforgettable appearances, including veteran Jeon Moo Sung as the ex-soldier Lee Young Chun, the adorable child actress Noh Ha Yeon, Min Ji Ah who plays Ryung Gu’s mother, and Kim Young Ok as Lee Jeong Mun, just to name a few.
Final Thoughts
I was left breathless at the end of it all. Tomorrow doesn’t really warrant major criticism, in my humble opinion. Perhaps the slight comedic tone might come across as subtly jarring, at least at the start, but that general sense of levity eventually evaporates into something intensely complex and deeply heartfelt, if not agonisingly heart-wrenching. A drama worthy of recommendation but not without due preparation and ample supply of tissues.
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Controversial Concept Tomorrow
First of all, my respect to the writer/s of this entire story, it must not have been easy for them to publish the idea and they must have been meet with a lot of controversy, since the main topic of “Tomorrow" is suicide. With this focus it may gain a lot of attention and a higher platform to spread awareness for mental health, however, they will also be meet with a lot of criticism because these personal matters that affect everyone, will never be non-offensive. With this emotional and tricky concept it is very likely that some of those suffering from mental health problems such a s ST might feel heard but some people with ST might feel misunderstood, … . Is it a risk that should be taken? That is for you to decide.Music/ Production >> 9.0
Personally, I like the vibes of the BGM and the OST tracks that are used to undermine the vibes of this series. Sometimes they’re upbeat, whenever the show has slight comedy, and the music can also turn dark in any second. Overall, I’d say it was a good idea to use various music types because it reflects our world, on which various people, personalities and emotional states states are daily and important to consider when choosing the OSTs.
Not only the music makes this series so acknowledgeable for their variety, but also the filming and editing crew are proofing themselves as truly capable. Starting from the smoothly filmed scenes, over to the well-chosen angles and perspectives and then to the outrageous editing, which not only consists of Inception-like VFXs but also talented coloring and montage techniques. If this series fails, it’s definitely not because of the after effect team.
Plot >>8.0 >> 9.0
Generally, I think the idea behind this series is a good one, but sometimes I think some comedy moments kinda feels off in a series with these concepts and topics. However, I enjoy how the characters are written and the direction this series is going. Especially choosing such a bubbly but pathetic protagonist definitely was a good choice to avoid the show being too dark and heavy. I can see a lot of possible character developments in all of them and the first episode had me hooked and interested in the main characters already. I really hope they won’t take this concept into the wrong direction and instead use the possibilities to spread awareness and destigmatize therapy. I personally adored episode 9 :(
Acting/ Cast >> 9.0
The grim reapers as well as the humans all deliver a solid performance.
Rewatch Value >> 8.0 ?
The concept is very intriguing + eye-opening to me, occupied my mind and may result in a deeper reflection of myself. However, I mentioned in the beginning that some people may not like the portrayal / the usage of this topics and stories to get cloud. Therefore I wish that this series will use their views to not only make money but also to raise awareness and change the mental health system, especially in Korea.
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Another day to keep fighting is essentially the moral of Tomorrow.
Tomorrow is highly recommended because it touches upon topics SK should really learn from - in fact - the entire world.It is a fictional, fantasy drama, therefore the characters or props does not despict reality. However, each episode's plot does represent reality to a certain extent. Its main focus is essentially about depression and its level of negative energy.
The main characters of Tomorrow are a team built in the after life- to save people on the brink of suicide. Its very heartwarming, and poignant. Some of the episodes may even relate with you, at least for me it did. It can be heartwrenching, so prepare some tissues please. Romance is not the main focus, its mostly about mental health and its why I highly recommend it cause its a deep drama. A remarkable drama that deserves high ratings, albeit it can be cringey not going to lie. Regardless, please do not hate on this drama over a fictional name/bday. Just watch it and you won't regret it.
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Not exactly poetic
Imagine Robert Frost traveling along a path in the woods and finding a fork. On the right, the more beaten path. On the left, the proverbial “one less traveled by”. He chooses left and moves forward. But after a bit, reconsiders and returns to the fork. Then chooses the right and, again, proceeds further into the woods. Unhappy with his choice, he returns to the divergence and resumes his stroll on the left. But he is no happier on the left than he was on the right and retreats again, this time with certainty to take the path on the right. After multiple repetitions, he wanders aimlessly in a circle at the fork, traveling in no particular direction at all for any length of time. Not a particularly compelling poem had his most famous work followed this trajectory.But this is a pretty fair metaphor for “Tomorrow”.
Like an aimless wander through some woods, it might not go anywhere meaningful but that’s not to say that it’s entirely unpleasant. There’s some marvelous casting. In his previous work, Rowoon has demonstrated a relaxed and natural vibe and he’s got a pretty full toolbox of skills to capably lead any tentpole drama. Kim Hee Sun is a terrific match for the role of Goo Ryun. Kim Hae Sook is a welcome sight in any production.
The concept is a refreshing mix of grim reaper and the Hollywood blockbuster “Men in Black”. Rowoon’s Joon Woong, through an unlikely chain of events, finds himself working as a not-yet-dead grim reaper assigned to the Crisis Management Team, a special unit that is tasked with helping souls on the brink of suicide. It’s very dark and heavy stuff, but the production manages to find some lightness and humor. Joon Woong’s childlike, adventurous personality aids the entertainment quotient enormously. There’s lots of Barry Sonnenfeld-style touches too like Kim Chil Doo’s multiple mute appearances. And the production value matches the need for outlandish hair and wardrobe, otherworldly sets and occasional specific effects.
The photography and OST aren’t award-winning but neither do they detract.
And where “Tomorrow” takes an approach as a procedural show, it has some exquisitely outstanding episodes. Several of the episodes in the first half of the series (which has a more procedural bent) are powerfully emotional. The characters and guest acting performances by the targets of the Crisis Management Team are wonderful. Rowoon’s interactions with these characters show off his acting strengths.
But this production can’t stay committed to this path. It’s got a serial narrative underneath and eventually the procedural approach dissolves and things go backward. Or south. Maybe down? It’s not clear.
Among the most problematic elements are some very awkwardly introduced backstories. There’s also too many of them as Kim Hee Sun’s Goo Ryun, Lee Soo Hyuk’s Joong Gil and Yun Ji On’s Ryung Goo characters all get period piece backstories. But none work well. Goo Ryun’s is in fragments that don’t fit together. Joong Gil’s seems to be threaded with Goo Ryun but it’s so haphazardly edited in to the present day storyline that it becomes an unwelcome distraction. The worst, however, is Ryung Goo’s episode-long slog well past the halfway mark. Had it been shorter and earlier, it’s conceivable it could have contributed. But Ryung Goo’s character is not exactly a breath of cool, crisp mountain air to begin with and spending an entire hour in a historical era where everything goes badly and then even more badly and then just goes downhill at an accelerated pace is simply unpleasant. Even had there been an overwhelming positive outcome in the present day, it’s not enough to balance out the misery of the backstory.
As for the present day, Joong Gil is a mess all-around. The character is dull. Lee Soo Hyuk’s portrayal is unwaveringly one-note which is an expression of no expression at all.
Kim Hae Sook has some lovely moments early on in the series, but as the episodes progress, she appears less and less frequently.
Rowoon’s Joon Woong is a solid character and has a perfectly good setup where his adventures put his mother and younger sister into a precarious predicament. Like with so much else though, after a promising start, the focus wanders away in other directions.
Most problematic is that the main characters, whether it’s just Joon Woong and Goo Ryun, or if the main characters also include Joong Gil and Ryung Goo, they simply don’t fit well. Chemistry is an overused term as professional actors worth their salary should be able to fool an audience that they genuinely have feelings for each other. But a lack of chemistry is precisely the most apt description of what ails these group. The characters just don't fit together and, frankly, "Tomorrow" doesn't seem to care that they are only somewhat interesting characters separately and wholly unconvincing as a team. Although some blame might fall on the actors or casting, more of it should be borne by the writing which introduces too many sideplots and the directing which invests heavily in creating a modern, quirky and fantasy setting and then jettisoning it to play it safe with worn-out themes.
“Tomorrow” has enough bright spots to recommend it but expectations should be tempered.
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‘Tomorrow’; Death Meets Satire In Rowoon’s Latest Fantasy Series…
Mortality is never an easy subject to tackle in dramas. Based upon the eponymous webcomic (‘ 내일’) by Llama, fantasy series ‘Tomorrow’ decided to bring forth the topic of death in a powerful smorgasbord of social issues and topics. Instead of reimbursing the old cliché of grim reapers being harbingers of doom and death, ‘Tomorrow’ rebrands its morbid psychopomps as fashionably suave members of the Crisis Management Team, attempting to save certain unfortunate souls from suicide.
The series focuses upon an alumnus from a prestigious university, Choi Jun-Woong (SF9’s Rowoon-‘Extraordinary You’, ‘She Would Never Know’ and ‘ The King’s Affection’). Struggling to land himself on the job market, Jun-Woong’s life is changed forever when he ends up encountering angels of death Goo-Ryeon (Kim Hee-sun-‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Angry Mom’ and ‘ Alice’) and Lim Rung-Gu (Yoon Ji-on-‘Dear My Room’, ‘Be Melodramatic’ and ‘Jirisan’ ).
Waking up outside of his corporal body after an accident, Jun-Woong discovers that he has been physically rendered in a comatose state. He is given the choice by Director, Jade Hwang (Kim Hae-sook- ‘Precious Family’, ‘My Father Is Strange’ and ‘Inspector Koo’): he can choose to be trapped in his unresponsive body for three years, or he can work with them in a ‘’half- dead’’ state, reducing his comatose state to six months and then landing any job he wants after he wakes up.
Woong is assigned to the Crisis Management Team alongside Goo-Ryeon and(, by default of being her protégé,) Rung-Gu. As the unlikely trio attempt to work together as a team, Jun-woong soon discovers that his new position is far from being a walk in the park.
Adapted to the small screen by novice screenwriters Park Ran, Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin, ‘Tomorrow’ places heavy emphasis upon prominent social messages and themes.( Including sensitive issues such as suicide, the trauma of war, inequality, bullying, the generational trauma of South-Korean comfort women, depression, peer pressure and eating disorders.)
Without a doubt, ‘Tomorrow’ is a varied accumulation of satire, provocative angst and mirthful wit. Although the series was often tactful within its approach to various subject areas and themes (in particular helping to offer light-hearted respite in-between heavy-hearted points of the narrative), the screenplay could admittedly feel somewhat out of place at times with its attempts to balance between hard-hitting messages and comic relief.
Of course this is not necessarily to say that the comedy shouldn’t have existed at times. Certain issues tackled in ‘Tomorrow’ were certainly supposed to be heavy-hitting and the requirement for an interim of slapstick comedy or comical exchanges was certainly necessary. (In particular, this was shown at times by Park Ran, Park Ja-Kyung and Kim Yu Jin being able to strike a surprisingly harmonious balance for most of the series through the kaleidoscopic array of themes and contrasting tones for their audience.)
However despite certain commendation certainly having to be given to the trio of screenwriters for their consistently provocative themes and tones, ‘Tomorrow’ could sometimes feel as though it disengaged between its plot and themes. To explain this further it is important to reiterate that comic relief was often quintessential within the screenplay in order to offer respite from darker themes and subject areas.
On the other hand, it did become noticeable at times that the series would often fall victim to divulging deeply into comic exchanges. This would often divert attention away from building-up the narrative events and characters, or alternatively struggling with the opposite problem by failing to allow a necessary brake or moment of light-hearted respite for audiences to grapple with events or characters. ( This seemed to flare at times later in the show in episodes such as ‘’Someday, Because Of You’’. Although the episode tackled a heartfelt subject area and was surprisingly bittersweet , it often felt as though the prominent meanings behind the messages in the episodes weren’t as reinforced as they could’ve been.)
Of course, this is not to make out that the entirety of the writing for ‘Tomorrow’ was inadequate or unwatchable in any way. Although perhaps certain issues ( in particular mental health and eating disorders) were perhaps
not fully explored by the screenplay or given speedy outcomes , ‘ Tomorrow’ often placed a certain level of open finesse with addressing issues and helping the audience and the characters coming to terms with them.( In one of the later episodes of the series entitled ‘’Spring’’, the audience were supposed to be particularly hit home with an onslaught of emotions with the controversial and historical subject area of Comfort Women, focusing on a dark chapter in South-Korean history.)
Naturally this brings up the discussion surrounding character-writing within the adapted screenplay for ‘Tomorrow’, as well as the performances by the main cast. Perhaps one of the most notable roles in the drama is given to main male lead Choi Jun-Woong, played by idol-actor Rowoon.
Rowoon has often been the subject of intrigue and debate with his previous career trajectory as the ‘’ leading man’’. Nevertheless, Rowoon offered a fairly consistent onscreen performance as the main male lead and it is fair to say that for many viewers, this could easily be seen as one of Rowoon’s best performances yet. As the main character of the narrative and storyline, Jun-Woong embodies what many would probably classify as the ‘’everyman’’ trope.Of course, this wasn’t a bad approach per say. It is sometimes common in fiction to see a main character become a medium for the audience, especially with a character being uprooted from their mundane, everyday life and being placed in an unfamiliar world or setup.
For main lead Jun-Woong, this was evident through being caught between two worlds: the afterlife and then the everyday mortal world. ( This was also shown arguably through Woong being conflicted in initial problems with common problems of interview and job struggles and then again with attempting to navigate his new role as a member of the Crisis Management Team .)
However, this also brings up an intriguing debate with regards to Jun-Woong’s character-arc. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jun-Woong is purposefully supposed to be flawed at times. Naturally this did not always enforce Woong to be placed as ’ heroic’’ figure at all times within the series.
He had his evident flaws and ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon some of Woong’s values feeding into an evident critique of social conformity by South-Korean society vs developing subjective morality and beliefs. ( In particular the screenplay would sometimes bring this idea up in early episodes with Woong’s shared social views on issues such as bullying, before contrasting this in later episodes with the main lead developing his own values and standpoints.)
Although it certainly allowed Woong to act as an embodiment of social views, it is noticeable that this often forced Woong into playing “ certain roles” in order to propel the storyline. Again, this isn’t always a bad writing decision but it did often feel as though there were some poorly tied loose ends such as Woong’s own personal struggles with his situation, his backstory and personal goals were often disregarded until the ending of the series.
In addition to the casting choice of Rowoon, it is hard to ignore Kim Hee Sun’s performance as grim reaper Goo-Ryeon. Hee Sun’s acting career has been eclectic and while respectfully her acting performances have varied, the actress’ pink dye job certainly helped Kim Hee Sun to embrace her suavely mysterious onscreen persona as the female lead. Alongside fellow costar Yoon Ji-On who played her laidback mentee Rung-Gu, audiences will likely find themselves tearing up and laughing at the antics of the two characters’ interactions and appearances onscreen.
As an onscreen character, Goo-Ryeon is arguably one of the most enigmatic and intriguing characters in the series. She is often fairly detached from overtly emotional displays like Woong but she is impassioned by her cause to help others. Initially viewers are supposed to remain uncertain of Ryeon’s onscreen presence. In particular, her unconventional acts of tough love towards the main lead and those she is seemingly supposed to save will bring about topics of intriguing debate for viewers.
However as the series soon reveals, Ryeon’s root cause for her actions are sourced from genuine sincerity for her position as a member of the Crisis Management Team, especially as a result of her complicated backstory. Naturally as a consequence of this writing point, ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon her mysterious backstory in the latter half of the series, similarly echoed to a lesser extent with side character Rung-Gu also.
Despite both characters having their fair share of traumatic and difficult backstories, it often felt as though Ryeon’s character arc felt a little rushed in particular. . Of course while audiences certainly did see a few hints of foreshadowing at times earlier on in the series ( in particular with Ji-On’s trauma), it certainly felt as though some of these backstory revelations and plot twists could’ve been developed or built up. There was a lot for viewers to digest with regards to Ryeon’s past and her important connections to other characters but due to an anticlimactic buildup, the momentum of these events rarely felt as though that they had reached their entirety even by the finale.
Aside from the main characters, it is also important to mention about some of the reoccurring characters of ‘Tomorrow’ also. Model-actor Lee Soo-hyuk ( ‘ Vampire Idol’, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ and ‘ Doom At Your Service’) starred as Park Joong-Gil, the straight-laced head of the Humanitarian Management Team who shares a complicated past with Ji-On, as well as Kim Hae-Sook playing the role of the Jade Hwang, the head director of the afterlife and the bureau of grim reapers. The supporting characters certainly had their necessary roles to play in the events of the narrative. In particular during the later events of the series, viewers are given several surprising backstory revelations but admittedly these side characters felt as though they deserved more screen time or interactions with the main cast in order to build up their character arcs slightly more.
Then of course there is the discussion surrounding the execution of the series. Perhaps it is important that ‘Tomorrow’ decided to offer viewers with a fairly systematic approach; introducing viewers to main lead Woong’s predicament and his unlikely alliance with the main leads, the new dilemma or issued faced in the episode, the reactions and causes of debate for the characters and viewers, the dilemma reaching its climax and then helping to resolve or bring a conclusion to the events of the episode.
This approach by the trio of screenwriters certainly allowed the screenplay to tackle a wide array of issues and problems. However, it certainly did not come without its problems either. A lot of the storyline’s early plot objectives were rarely sketched out aside from the “ mission of the team”, leading seemingly important events or obstacles for the main leads being disregarded at times and then being given half-baked conclusions by the ending of the series. As a consequence, the ending of ‘ Tomorrow’ will likely leave viewers with mixed-feelings; bittersweet and certainly offering a denouement to the events of the storyline but rarely tying off all loose ends or bringing a complete feeling of satisfaction for viewers also.
Stylistically under the leadership of directors Kim Tae Yoon (‘Another Family’, ‘New Trial’) and Sung Chi Wook ( ‘Special Labor Inspector Jo’,‘ Kairos’), ‘Tomorrow’ was often caught up in an impressive onslaught of aesthetic shots and glossy gradients, with mood lighting and tones helping to add emotional turbulence and significance for characters and viewers in certain scenes. Perhaps one slight nag with the cinematography came through a lack of consistency. Rather than attempting to stick to a particular consistent form of filming or shots and tying these scenes and moments with the worldbuilding and lore of ‘Tomorrow’, the extravaganza of surrealist scenes and panned shots heavily influenced by big-budget movies felt somewhat disengaging from the screenwriting and world building at times. Nevertheless it is fair to say that ‘ Tomorrow’ did boast an impressively stunning array of imagery and scenes.
The OST for ‘Tomorrow’ was comprised mainly of a collection of modern pop tracks, varying somewhat dependent on personal tastes. Perhaps there may be certain songs such as the surprisingly upbeat rap song ‘’Red Light’’ by J.don and the morosely lovelorn ballad ‘’My Loneliness Calls You’’ (‘’나의 외로움이 널 부를 때’’) by Suran which will appeal across the board for viewers.
The sixteen-episode webcomic adaptation will offer viewers with a surprisingly heart-wrenching mixture of social commentaries, traumatic character backstories and comic relief. At times, ‘Tomorrow’ often struggled slightly with maintaining a harmonious balance between its writing and messaging. ( This often lead to parts of the storyline feeling rushed or lacking a sense of completion such as the ending or certain character arcs.) However for those looking to indulge in a fantasy series beyond the surface level with some prominently current social and critical commentaries with a touch of traditional Korean folklore and mythological beliefs in the modern world , then ‘Tomorrow’ will certainly offer viewers with a good watch.
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Suicide is a sensitive subject
And they did not fail in my opinion. I mean, it could have been a catastrophe. If you know someone who works with mental health though, you should probably not recommend them this drama... lol. But if you see it as pure fantasy it shouldn't bother you too much.The good:
- The main cast.
- A few extremely strong episodes, for example ep 6 was amazing.
- Good production values and even the special effects were cool (but its pretty obvious they used up most of the effects budget in the fist couple of eps...).
The maybe not so good:
- Often overly dramatic to make it as tragic as possible, sometimes to the point its even silly.
- The formulaic format. Almost every episode has the same structure and is always magically solved in the end.
- Suicide is an extremely complex subject and sometimes it gets too simplified - for example the person saved by some fried chicken, or the eating disorder episode - the FL literally just talked to the suicidal person a few times and it was all solved... like magic. Thats not really how it works in real life...
- The comedy scenes. I don't think the comedic sense they had in this drama was funny overall, Sorry.
- Many weak/filler episodes, for example ep 7 or the one with the suicidal dog. It made me roll my eyes... The eps were overall very hit and miss, inconsistent.
- After all, the ending felt rushed.
(A bit too many "funny" costumes & heavy make-up in the underworld... but I guess thats just nitpicking, sorry, lol).
So for sure its a bit of a mixed bag - BUT definitely a drama worth checking out! A 7 from me.
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And a bit of sailing ships I preferred more than romance genres. It's sad non romances have great ships but they're never the focus.
The bad: a bit flat characters and connections. Too easily solved and brushed past depression, bullying and suicide. Sadly it's not how real world works and sadder cuz this probably won't "teach" people to be kinder.. the bit at the end made me tear up because it is that simple to just stand up and be there for someone but no one wants to do the "extra work". It was a bit too long and I can't say I actually watched it full heartedly
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Showing the Good, Bad & Controversial
❤️ Lesson: There will always be hardships, but only you can save yourself from it, live the best version and look around - cause there might be someone to help you look forward to a "tomorrow" which will be beautiful / 아름다운❤️ Nutshell Review:
Every episode is story of different individuals who will make you think on lines of existential crisis, showing the good, bad and difficult choices we make as humans with complex emotions & relations. But there is also an underlying backstory of the main characters (though not a satisfying one for Rowoon's I feel in final episode, hence -0.5).
Good one-time watch, though some episodes/cases may make you want to revisit (Example - Episode 9 🐶)
❤️ Detailed Review:
This show is FOR YOU, if you like a PLOT where:
• great narrative to show the good, bad and controversial side of human nature
• there are elements of mystery, mythology/fantasy
• it is about SECOND CHANCES
• past lives mix with modern times
• female lead is strong with impeccable edgy fashion style
• male lead is righteous, speaks his mind but also goofy & handsome
• there are underlying backstories for characters - main & support cast, both
• visual affects are good-to-great
• people make mistakes, learn and find redemption
• every episode will keep you glued to your screen
• every episode will explore a new character's challenge - yet tie it all together for the main plot and cast
• every week you will wait for the next episode with genuine anticipation
• there is a deeper meaning about values and relationships of life, which are relatable to certain level
• focus on dark/deeper topics like suicide, murder, death in general
❤️ The Cast is Strong
• Kim Hee Sun and Kim Hae Sook (reminder of their previous drama - Room No 9, brilliance)
• Lee Soo Hyuk (cold, calculating, goes by the book, reminds of Lee Dong Wook in Goblin, but am sure there is a history here)
• Rowoon (he is growing and how!)
❤️ So, why did I PICK UP this drama?
99% of the time - I watch a drama that is COMPLETED airing.
• Rarely, a drama like this comes along that demolishes this resolve of mine
• Past Dramas that did: Mr Queen, True Beauty, Business Proposal
• So you can get an idea of the caliber of this drama - that this is not a bad pick, and you can give it a try too!
I was already a fan, before I watched the show:
• I write as a hobby, especially spin-offs of dramas I finish watching
• Usually with themes of alternate endings, or imagining the reader with the lead actor/actress.
• For this show Tomorrow - the premise & trailer itself was so good, that I drafted a spin-off beforehand.
Now at the end, the stories and lessons were beautiful, the background story and end to our characters made me take the rating a notch down to 9.5 - but still a great watch and rewatch anytime!
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Self harm is last cry for help
Tomorrow deals with controversial topic of suicide. In most of the religious texts suicide is the greatest sin you could commit. It leads to one way ticket to hell. Harshest punishments are given to those people committing suicide.Rowoon due to some circumstances ends up on RM (Risk Management) team, whose sole job is to prevent suicides. They identify people at risk and try to convince them using appeal, request, threats etc to not end their lives. Both of the cases dealt in first 3 episodes were quite good.
Though the tone of the show is sombre, still tries to show you ways of fighting despair. It is filled with hope. Words of encouragement. Till now Rowoon steals the show with credible empathy as required by his character.
Failure means you just need to try again!
I wasn't gonna do any review update until I finished it. But, must I say this show became better, though it was good to be begin with. The subplot involving old soldier and lady with eating disorder definitely evokes some deep buried feelings in you. One good thing about this show is that it always ends every story with an optimistic tone.
It went downhill in second half.
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Sensitive topic handled well
S Korea has the highest suicide rate in the OCED. It is therefore unsurprising that some brave souls have decided to explore this sensitive subject. Without pontification or moralistic judgement, the show explores the motivations for suicide and takes a sympathetic look at the personal life histories, as well as societal pressures and judgements surrounding the would-be suicide victim.To achieve this sensitive exploration, the show takes a step back and relies on the introduction of the supernatural - not the Grim Reapers but a protection team that goes in and tries to stop the suicide from even occurring. How nice that Heaven would think of that (and this is addressed at the beginning of the series!) To do so, they delve into the victim's past. Although they're not allowed to change the past, they help the victim to come to terms with a turning point in their lives that caused great regret and thus led to repercussions for the rest of their lives.
The drama could very easily have been a pseudo time-travel cum afterlife show, and we've also seen many Grim Reaper shows where someone tries to help the deceased resolve his/her last wishes or right an injustice that cause them to lose their lives. However, this show is a fresh take on the genre of supernatural Grim Reaper/karma shows. Each episode or so deals with a different victim, so the show is kept fresh because if you find a certain story boring (some stories are quite draggy), you know that it'll end. Also, always stay tune for the Epilogue at the end of each episode.
I enjoyed watching the show because the ups and down kept me entertained. There were humorous bits that made me laugh, touching bits that made me cry, as well insightful ponderances by someone on the verge of death that left me reflecting for days about the meaning of life. My favourite episode was episode 7, about an old man who spent his life collecting recyclable junk. Without giving too much away, that was my favourite episode as it was extremely meaningful.
Kim Hee Sun has chosen good scripts throughout her career, and this one hasn't disappointed either.
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