ÔÇ╗ This article contains spoilers. ┬á You Are My Spring certainly shows off its star-studded team ranging from Bubblegum writer Lee Mina and Search: WWW director Jung Ji Hyun to prominent actors like Seo Hyun Jin, Kim Dong Wook, Yoon Park, and Nam Gyu Ri. You canÔÇÖt help but raise your hopes up for the project. Now that it has reached its turning point, is the series living up to peopleÔÇÖs expectations? Kang Da Jung, the heroine of the show, is nicknamed the ÔÇťgarbage collector.ÔÇŁ The men she has dated or attracted to prove why sheÔÇÖs called as such. Psychiatrist Joo Young Do points out KangÔÇÖs tendency to ÔÇťcollect garbageÔÇŁ at once, and feeling upset, Kang grabs him by the collar. But their relationship that saw a rough start changes after one major incident. Soon, Chae Jun, a handsome, kind, and persistent man who has pursued Kang, kills himself after confessing that his real name is Choi Jung Min and that he had killed several people. Kang is traumatized and dejected as she learns the man she had cautiously opened her heart has turned out to be a murderer. Joo, who knew that Choi was a sociopath, also feels guilty for not actively stopping him and helps Kang to pull herself together. From this point on, the drama unfolds two stories simultaneously: the romance between Kang and Joo and the mystery over ChoiÔÇÖs last will. The process of the two main characters falling in love brings butterflies to the stomach. Knowing enough about love and life as a 34-year-old woman and a 38-years-old man, they are afraid of blindly falling in love with someone. When you see these two people getting to know each other while comforting the pain and sharing the little things of life, your heart would tickle like how the title, You Are My ÔÇťSpring,ÔÇť sounds like. The mystery surrounding the murder case is also very intriguing. The detectives who have lost their partners to Choi start to take a deep look into his last will to see if it is authentic or not. Yet, the confusion doubles when a person who looks exactly like Choi, his twin brother Ian Chase, shows up. Now, it has been revealed that Choi, Chase, Kang, and Joo have all met in one place together when they were young, and the fact leads to the murder case. Why did Choi approach Kang? Choi or Chase, who is the real killer written in the will? The mystery in it aims to find answers to these questions. The thing is, the series just canÔÇÖt seem to find harmony between the romance and the mystery. Although the plot that connects these two stories was delicately prepared, sometimes it feels like weÔÇÖre watching two separate dramas. And this aspect seems more extensive in the early part of the story before Choi dies and Chase shows up in front of Kang and Joo. It is not only the script of the show that concerns us but also the use of two narratives, each screaming a distinctive vibe that could have made a difference in delivering the story. This difference acted as the biggest obstacle for viewers to understand what the drama is about. Fortunately, as Kang and JooÔÇÖs feelings deepen, and as Chase and Kang get to know each other more, the sense of disparity fades little by little. Still, actorsÔÇÖ performances are totally off the charts. Seo Hyun Jin and Kim Dong Wook show unparalleled performances. Let it be romance or mystery; they can flawlessly pull off anything, including light comedy, romance, and emotional drama. Whenever Kang and Joo are together, like in the scenes of childish bickering, serious confession, and moments of giving comfort to each other, the two actors boast fantastic chemistry. And the characters of Yoo and KangÔÇÖs friends and colleagues are also three-dimensional, not to mention the awesome work by the actors. The best role that grabs our eyes is Ahn Ga Young, played by Nam Gyu Ri. Ga Young is a famous actress and JooÔÇÖs ex-wife. Though she is a self-centered woman, she does not have malicious intent and, in fact, is quite lovely. Impeccably playing a role with an unexpected charm, Nam speeds up Kang and JooÔÇÖs romance and lightens up the mood in the show. Yoon Park does a brilliant job wearing two hats in the drama, playing a sociopath pretending to be a sweet indiviadual and a man who holds dark secrets. The actor has put great effort into minor details so that the viewers can see a clear contrast between Choi and Chase. You Are My Spring is a drama that beautifully portrays love, and it gets more interesting as the story unfolds. However, due to the unclear early plot and the uneventful development, less and less are hoping to find the true value within the work. And, of course, the ratings arenÔÇÖt everything. Yet, because I know that this attractive drama deserves more attention, itÔÇÖs a pity that many people didnÔÇÖt choose to watch it. ┬á Verdict: If only theyÔÇÖve done a good job pulling off either the romance or mystery (6/10) ┬á Editor Seo Hae Lan: IÔÇÖm not picky and like all genres. I am in constant search of a balance between criticism and a fanÔÇÖs heart. Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.
