First Impressions: Just Between Lovers

After a fatal building collapse that kills 49 people, three people affected by the accident meet ten years later with a fate that’s tied closely together. Lee Gang Doo (Junho) has recurring nightmares of the day of the accident, having been trapped underneath rubble and injuring his leg, and shattering any dreams he had as a child. Ha Moon So (Won Jin Ah) has her own nightmares but lives with a sense of guilt over the death of her sister.

She works as an architectural model maker who earnestly tries to prevent structural flaws from ever happening, regardless of what her superiors think or say about ‘cutting costs.’ And lastly, there’s Seo Joon Won (Lee Ki Woo) a Director of a small architectural company who wishes to design and construct buildings with honesty, thinking of the people who will inhabit or enter the buildings his company’s name is attached to. 

There are so many good things to say about this drama, mainly the acting because the cast seems well-fitted for each other. I feel like I’m watching a film since the chemistry is akin to a glossy, high production movie. And having said that, I absolutely love the interactions between the main male and female leads. It’s refreshing to watch ‘young’ actors who can portray their characters without garnering criticism from viewers.

Won Jin Ah reminds me of a younger mix of Soo Ah and Lee El if I had to name actresses who give off the same feeling. Won Jin Ah has never been in a drama before, so this is her debut and I really hope she lands more roles because I find her to be a natural talent (that’s to be expected of a film actress right?).

Junho on the other hand, does not appear like an idol turned actor. I’m glad to have placed all my faith in his abilities since he’s so likeable and earnest when conveying the character he’s playing on screen. 

Another great thing about the show is its plot since we’ve been getting a lot of Lawyers, Doctors, Prosecutors, etc., in dramas this entire year. The show explores Architecture and building developments, and the significance of having a blueprint and team of engineers or developers who are sincere and thorough with their work. Through the drama’s emphasis on this, it makes the viewer consider what it would be like to walk into a mall, something so mundane and have it collapse on you – that’s fairly heavy and food for thought.

If you’re one who likes watching something with deeper emotional tones then this is a good watch. The psychological scars the characters are suffering with are displayed with realism – there’s guilt, physical pain, and trying to move on but attempting to find some sort of balance by never forgetting those you lost. The Writer seems knowledgable about such emotional issues and even considers the use of painkillers and other drugs as a means to heal or to cope with pain – something I found to be very real. Their terrifying experiences aren’t glamourized or excessively used to connect the character and the story, so kudos to the Writer for creating a drama that weighs its substance material perfectly. 

Release Date: December 11, 2017 (Eng Sub available on Viki)