Full disclosure: I\'\'m writing this right after having seen the last episode, and I\'\'m in still in tears, so please bear with me. If I had to choose two words to describe the feel of this drama, they would be: somber and contemplative. Not that there aren\'\'t any cute moments, because trust me there are plenty. However, the overall muted color palette and the restrained acting from the cast really invites the viewer to really think about life, love, and death along with the characters, to realize that death is needed to bring new life, and that old love must be released to allow new love to flourish. What I found most compelling was the friendship between Shin Ji Hyun and Song Yi Kyung, which placed the romances on the back burner for me. Granted, I\'\'m new to the K-Drama scene, so there might be plenty of dramas that depict such a beautiful relationship between women. However, 49 Days was my first encounter of such a thing, and I became emotionally involved in how Ji Hyun comes to care for her unsuspecting host, and how Yi Kyung in turn grows to care for her unexpected friend. The way these two help to bring closure to each other was a joy for me to watch. The soundtrack also both perfectly captures and amplifies the mood of the series, especially Jung Il Woo\'\'s contribution entitled \"Scarecrow\". The story, based on a somewhat esoteric bit of Buddhist after-life theory, is original, extremely well written, and perfectly paced so that the story is constantly progressing and never stagnating over some little plot point. There has been much griping about the ending, and although there are clues clumsily given in the later episodes, I understand how some find the ending unexpected. However, this drama never billed itself as a light drama or as a romantic comedy, so I think it\'\'s a bit disingenuous to claim that the ending hoodwinks the audience. I was unsatisfied with one unnecessary storyline that was introduced, and instantly wrapped up, in the last episode, hence the 9 for story. Overall, despite centering around death, this is one of the most life-affirming dramas I have seen. It might be a bit premature, but this drama has my vote for one of the best in 2011.