My Korean Drama Recommendation: ‘Enemies from the Past’

For those who do not know, I am an avid fan of drama series, mainly from Korea :).

For those looking for some beautiful watch, be sure you consider ‘Enemies from the Past.’ It has been my addiction recently.

1. A quick look at the TV shows

Name: Enemies from the Past
Hangul: 전생에 웬수들
Episodes: 123
Network: MBC
Date of Release: November 27, 2017 - June 1, 2018
Language: Korean
Synopsis:
As a breadwinner, Go Ya (starring Choi Yoon Young) works part-time diligently to support her family. Her dad had an affair and abandoned her and the family ten years ago. She is now searching for a full-time job. Ji Seok (starring Gu Won) is an established lawyer whose specialty is in divorces. While he is wary about marriage, he meets, gets attracted, and falls deeply in love with Go Ya. They face and overcome a lot of difficulties with love.

2. ‘Enemies from the Past’ review

First off, do not let the number of episodes discourage you. It is worth it! When compared to many other family Korean dramas, this one is less dragging; it is engaging from the first episode to the final.

You may love how purely innocent and kind-hearted Go Ya is. Honestly, I find her character to be too good to be true. Sometimes, she is not strong enough, unintentionally allowing the antagonists to bully her - and that frustrates me pretty much. With that being said, overall, watching her may make you want to try and become a better version of yourself, aside from finding this world to be sweeter to live in. As Ji Seok once said, she is like “pure water.”

That is not all; the male lead Ji Seok is genuinely handsome and attractive - Prince Charming as he calls himself, and he is not wrong in this light. His eyes, lips, skin, and facial expressions are mesmerizing. His loyalty and supportive, protective actions towards Go Ya should melt any woman’s heart! I hope Gu Won, who did a decent job in describing this character, gets more recognition that he deserves. In case you do not know, Gu Won also stars in Love with Flaws (I have not watched this series yet - Is it good?)

3. Acting

- Choi Yoon Young:
This is the first time I have seen her as an actress, and she does not disappoint me. At first, she does not look appealing to me, but over time I find her to be pretty. Notably, her eyes show excellently what a nice girl she is.

- Gu Won:
He nails funny scenes through his eyes and face and body expressions. In emotional scenes, though, his acting does not touch my heart hard. While he may not do an impressive job, he does deliver the necessary emotions that his character should show. Good job!

- Other actors:
Their acting is no joke, and the veteran actors impress me!
Sorry but I do not get involved in the story of the second lead couples and do not find the chemistry between them. I skip most of their scenes, so there is no say from me on their part.

4. Favorite quotes

“When you cannot do anything, consider it as a vacation. When I was going through a rough patch, it helped.” (Ji Seok comforts Go Ya when she has hard days)

“You did a great job. You did your best. Cheer up. It will be better next time.” (Ji Seok comforts Go Ya when she fails her job interview)

The bottom line

What you may like:

• The visual of the male lead is no joke.
• Decent acting.
• Not a boring storyline.
• Enough romance to flutter your heart
• The chemistry between the main leads is excellent.
• Fantastic for those who want to know what love is.
• Satisfying ending.
• Meaningful quotes.

What you may not like:

• The female lead is sometimes so innocent and kind that she takes the unreasonable blame.
• I would not say I like the twisted logic of people in this drama. (I have not watched some episodes yet and read comments instead to know how the story is going. Just do not want to get frustrated.)

Overall rating: 3.9/ 5