One More Happy Ending 한번 더 해피엔딩 Review

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The 2016 Korean drama, starring Jang Na-Ra as Han Mi-Mo, Jung Kyung-Ho as Song Soo-Hyuk, Kwon Yul as Gu Hae-Joon, Yoo Da-In as Baek Da-Jung, Yoo In-Na as Go Dong-Mi, and Seo In-Young as Hong Ae-Ran.



Brief summary: Once upon more than a decade ago, Han Mi-Mo, Baek Da-Jung, Go Dong-Mi, and Hong Ae-Ran were all celebrities in the Angels, a kpop girl group. But now their lives have taken a different turn from what they dreamed and Han Mi-Mo is divorced, Baek Da-Jung is struggling to keep her family together, Go Dong-Mi struggles in her single lifestyle, and Hong Ae-Ran is having second thoughts about her fiancé. True love seems like something of fictions to these ladies, but you never know. Things could change.




I enjoyed watching this drama so much! It was cute and so easy to love! The characters are all relatable in one way or another.



One of the things I love best about this drama is that it presents a variety of circumstances within our characters that can appeal to a variety of audiences. The drama may be a romantic comedy starring Jang Na-Ra and Jung Kyung-Ho as the main leading couple, but it’s a bit more than just that.




A big eye-catcher for this one is Jung Kyung-Ho’s role as the lead male. It’s a bit different from the typical cookie-cutter boyfriend. He captures out hearts with his humor and morals, but also with the love that radiates from him like pure sunshine. Song Soo-Hyuk is a reporter, widower, and single father. He’s a guy that has learned a lot of things through raising Min-Woo on his own, understanding the depths of losing and gaining love. This set-up is perfect as he’s the moral backbone of the drama, the one we’re bound to love in return for all the love he’s spreading. And he has some of the greatest lines!
Ex. 1) “No matter what I say, I think I could be forgiven today. Because it’s snowing outside. So, for the first and last time... I muster up the courage to say this to you. Height, 5 foot 3 inches. With double eyelids. I don’t think you’ve had any plastic surgery. And a petite frame. The lovable, flawed woman. I’m talking about you, fishbrain.” (Ep. 9)
Ex. 2) “Change is inevitable. How you change is important.” (Ep. 15)



The OST is almost bound to make you feel good. The music may set the mood, but I think I would even like all the songs independently of their use in the drama. A great compilation! Especially “If” by Elsa Kopf— induced so many feels!



I thought the drama was just a little cruel to Go Dong-Mi. So what if she’s 34 and single? She’s cute! She’s chosen quite the selfless career path, too. Her main character flaws are that a) she’s quite naive and b) she’s kind of obsessed with the idea of being in a relationship, the perfect relationship. The first flaw is no fault of her own, which might be why we feel so sorry for her on one hand, but that second flaw causes problems that Dong-Mi honestly could have helped. She could have immersed herself in career and been a little more outgoing if she modified her expectations for “perfection.” But the real cruelty is that she didn’t believe she was pretty because no one would tell her so and that she let herself believe it. I may have had mixed feelings about Hong Ae-Ran, but when she was staying with Dong-Mi she told her, in Ae-Ran’s own way, that Dong-Mi was enough as Dong-Mi.



But that didn’t stop us from “ooh”-ing and “ah”-ing when Ahn Hyo-Seop came into the picture.



And get ready for a cameo with Conan O’Brien, of all people!




A final point I loved: In episode 10, an older lady sharing the hospital room with Baek Da-Jung suggests that since all illness starts from the heart, isn’t one that can heal the heart a true doctor? I don’t know that every illness stems from the heart, but most emotional pain does. But the interesting part is that the older lady was referring to a specific doctor, but that doctor had nothing to do with healing Da-Jung’s heart. Instead, Da-Jung’s true doctor, the one that healed her heart, was her own husband. These true doctors might come from the most unlikely places, without any degree in medicine. Can you think of any true doctors that might have treated you?



The final episode killed me just a little. Only a little. I was 100% with Song Min-Woo whispering “Say yes! Tell him yes!” But then we got another hour of drama. Is this a good thing or bad thing?



Either way, we got from the final episode exactly what was promised in the title: one more happy ending. 5/5 stars!