Go Back Couple (Korean Drama): A Review
Image credit to the owner.
Today, I finished watching this Korean Drama titled “Go Back Couple” starring Son Ho-Jun (Choi Ban-Do) and Jang Na-Ra (Ma Jin-Joo). It’s composed of 12 episodes (more or less 1 hour each).
In this TV series, they are 38 years old, married for 18 years, and with a son named Seo Jin. They were both unhappy in their marriage (no third party, not a you-and-I-against-the-world conflict) because of some conflicts and misunderstandings. Choi Ban-Do was pressured being the family’s breadwinner while Ma Jin-Joo was a plain housewife with low self-esteem. They both loved each other so much, but love alone can’t stand. They both expressed that they regretted they met in the very first place.
They ended up divorced, and this circumstance brought them back to the past (find out how!).
They found themselves at the time when they were just 20 years old - also, the day they officially met for the very first time. At first, they did their best to avoid each other so they won’t become lovers in the future. They made each second count by enjoying their youth and the space between them; but fate made its way to make them officially acquaintances in that same day.
However, since their goal was to correct the past (to not meet each other), they did not date each other when they were supposed to do so. Instead, Choi Ban-Do went after his beautiful first love while Ma Jin-Joo somewhat entertained other guys - especially Nam Gil, the one who considered her his first love.
WATCH IT AND YOU’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENED. :)
Image credit to the owner.
This series showed a big transformation in the physical attributes of the characters especially in the 1999 scenes. The fashion, music, norms, and infrastructures are depicted as something which was 18 years ago.
Ma Jin-Joo and Choi Ban-Do, though they became 20 year-old freshmen students AGAIN, their original memories and maturity were retained. Their “prophetic statements” and pieces of advice showed the age of their souls while their actions, words, and mannerisms manifested the real score between them.
They both realized that young people really acted as if: they have all the time in their hands, they would still hold their present beliefs until they grow old; and they would become whatever they wanted to be in the future (idealistic).
The set of friends they had gave balance to the story. There were some personalities which complimented one another while there were some which may be kind of off but actually clicked.
Ma Jin-Joo has a boyish friend who was a hot chic, brave, heavy drinker, loves effeminate guys, and defending women’s rights. She also has this friend who seemed to be nerd, innocent, and matured.
On the other hand, Choi Ban-Do has an effeminate friend (love interest of Ma Jin-Joo’s boyish friend) who has a warm and sincere heart and seriousness in life. Also, Choi Ban-Do has this friend who was very manly but conceited, somewhat crazy, and energetic.
Choi Ban-Do’s first love (whom he promised himself and his friends that he would date if ever he would be given a chance to go back in the past) was a lovable character. If you did not know that it’s Ma Jin-Joo and Choi Ban-Do’s story, you would actually ship them. She was very beautiful, charming, and sweet. However, since Choi Ban-Do was already matured this time, what happened was not according to what he had ever imagined.
Ma Jin-Joo’s rich admirer was also competent whenever I compare him to Choi Ban-Do. Aside from being handsome, tall, and rich, he also has a heart for emotionally-wounded people AND he always appeared whenever Ma Jin-Joo needed a protector (which Choi Ban-Do couldn’t fulfill ever since).
Choi Ban-Do’s and Ma Jin-Joo’s parents were also adorable. Choi Ban-Do got a cranky father and a sweet mother while Ma Jin-Joo had a funny mother and somewhat-strict father.
Image credit to the owner.
Choi Ban-Do and Ma Jin-Joo developed friendship with Kim Ye-Rim (originally the ugly rich wife of the gold-digger Dr. Park) after Ban-Do and Jin-Joo revealed young Park Hyun Seok’s true colors.
Dr. Park is a good type of antagonist - intelligent, handsome, looks kind and can act kindly. Indeed, a dangerous cloaked antagonist!
*Dr. Park’s failure in the past served as a light in giving Choi Ban-Do and Ma Jin-Joo’s married life a better shot*
The start of this story was kind of funny and heavy, and there are a lot of scenes that will make you laugh and in love but will take it away from you as if you never had it. However, what I love about this Korean Drama series is its being realistic (even though it is mixed with fantasy) and light.
It is realistic because their problems as husband and wife actually lie within themselves. It is not a kind of story wherein the antagonist will do its best not to let the protagonist happy or successful. There is no murder or kidnap scenes. It shows the rel problem that long time married couples really face - lost of interest, lack of communication, lack of understanding, lack of appreciation, piled up little issues, financial problem, and time. They showed that even if lovers were so in love from the start, once they become married, be together everyday, and be 100% comfortable with each other, it’s possible to lose the thrill, to not pay attention on the simple gestures of love, and to give more quality time (since they would start thinking that since they are together everyday, there’s no need to have a quality time anymore).
95%, I love this KDrama.. I can’t say anything bad. The transition of the scenes, the sequencing, the quality of the story, and the unfolding of reasons and secrets - they’re all excellent.
However, here’s the missing 5%:
- Everybody had their closure, but what happened to Choi Ban-Do’s first love? Do they still keep in touch? Is she even friends with Ma Jin-Joon? How about Ban-Do’s friend who was manly but somewhat crazy?
- Who became the wife of Nam Gil (Jin-Joo’s admirer)? Why didn’t he and Ma Jin-Joo at least manifested friendship in the end?
- What happened to Seo Jin while Jin-Joo and Ban-Do were in the past? Were the days they spent in the past just equivalent to an hour? a day?
- When they arrived in their original time (with some details changed to positive), how did Ban-Do know where he was working for (since Doctor Park was once one of his bosses)?
- What day did they arrive in their original time? (though I got it that it was before the court finalized their divorce)
Go Back Couple gave me a lot of realizations to ponder on. It tapped my humor, emotions, sentiments, and worries about the future. This is not simply a love story . . . it comprises all the components of life that make it sorrowful, happy, complicated, and worth it. This TV series shows that in any kind of relationship, we must give our 100% love, kindness, sincerity, understanding, and time because time is not in our hands. Efforts and even simple gestures of love must be appreciated and acknowledged. The more time we spend with our loved ones, the more we should know how to not take anyone and anything for granted.
For lovers, well, everything is usually smooth sailing in the start. Love is a decision, but love alone can’t stand. It should be supplemented with communication, quality time, appreciation,, understanding, consideration, and companionship. Thrill is not the foundation of love. Unhappiness should not be the cause of separation. Instead, the lack of thrill and the manifestation of unhappiness should be the drive to communicate and to work on the relationship.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Anyway, the ending was cute. :) Overall, I felt almost all the emotions.
P.S. I did not mention the name of all the characters to avoid confusion. :)
P.P.S. If you think this post is a spoiler and you think you no longer need to watch it because I have already said it all . . . well, you’re wrong. :) The content of this post doesn’t even comprise the 30% of its value, quality, plot, and process.
Watch it guys! You’ll know why.