Kdrama Review
“Summer Strike” is a 2022 Korean Drama based on the popular manhwa “I Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything; by Joo Young-hyun. The show features the charming Im-Siwan as the librarian and Seoulhyun as our main character “Yeo-Reum”.
Yeo-Reum, transitions from a dreary corporate job that most of us aspire towards, to a small village called Angok, in the countryside of South Korea. Following her mother’s death and the bleak existence she lived while working her dead-end and uninspiring job, an abrupt move provides her with a much-needed spark to turn her life around.
Watching “Summer Strike” is an escape from the daily grind. The main character spontaneously boards a bus and shifts her entire life around, just not in the way society sees it. She is visibly happier and it’s contagious!
A certain episode shows Yeo-Rum selling all her furniture and other knick-knacks while preparing to empty her apartment in the city. While ransacking through her storage, her internal monologue remarks upon the unnecessary items she had collected. Too many shoes, too many clothes, all forgotten in favour of new ones. (Ah, I do feel rather… called out. I’ll “Marie Kondo” my closet before winter arrives). She packs a select few pairs of clothes and we see her repeating those outfits throughout the show. A rarity for Kdramas, I must say, where even poor people can afford the latest Samsung.
We see her deriving pleasure from mundane activities, like spontaneously moving to an unknown place, renting out a former arcade to live in, becoming friends with a feisty teenager and adopting an entirely adorable doggo… these cannot be described as mundane activities, after all, but you get the gist.
She meets an adorable librarian too (the guy from “Run-On”!), and yes, he’s the male lead. The romance in this show is quite scarce, though it only adds to the charm. Oh! There’s also a murder-mystery plot. No further explanations to keep the mystery alive
The main character has achieved something most of us do not think twice about. The joy of living; the joy of truly being alive, regardless of what material possessions we own, or don’t own. Being grateful for connections that truly enrich our lives. Despite her deep melancholy, she creates a new family, and with these beautiful moments, life becomes livable again.
The show seems breezy and light, but there is a bittersweet undertone to it, reminiscent of dark chocolate; it seems sweet at first but leaves behind a bitter trail when you swallow it. A terrible act is committed, and it is a reminder that happy vibes are not all there is to “Summer Strike”.
The ending is ambiguous. We don’t know if Yeo-rum will spend all her life in that tiny village. But for now, she seems happy. And perhaps, that is how life was meant to be approached. Not knowing everything, but still enjoying this moment at least. When we die, we don’t take anything with us, so why not find joy in and around ourselves? It made me ponder. This show doesn’t need to be a piece of media that I consume and eventually, forget about. I would like to allow myself to be inspired by its simplicity.
The last episode truly instigated a surge of emotion within me. And no, it wasn’t a trademark “sad scene”. Yeo-Rum says something, once while hanging laundry, and the other, whilst biking (Yes, it sounds mundane, but bear with me for a bit.) that struck a chord within me.
“While hanging my laundry, I like the sound of my clothes clapping. And I like the lingering smell of detergent on my hands. This is good enough.”
“I biked through the cold breeze of the early morning to my heart’s content before sunrise. I was pleased. This is good enough.”
Episode 12
To explain the obvious, she means to say that happiness is not an event you look forward to, it is a way of being that you choose. No matter what you do, how you do it matters much more (unless it’s something illegal?). It is quite relatable to watch her realise that life is truly “good enough” right now and that this feeling has nothing to do with my external reality. It made me feel less anxious about being unsure of where my life is headed.
The mindless existence of the rat race compels us to place value on our material gains, so much so that we forget about what truly matters. Watching this show was a kind, but firm reminder that chasing illusionary goals doesn’t always lead to happiness. It can make your life comfortable, surely. But when has comfort provided us with growth? And when does comfort become “too comfortable”, smothering you with how tedious it is?
By any means, I am not spewing hatred about the flaws of capitalism. (Not to get political but) I just wish to live in a society where being happy isn’t seen as a rarity. It is neither a jewel to be dug, nor is it a non-renewable resource, so why is it that happiness feels so expensive and hard to come by?
Alright, that’s it for today. Check out my other Korean drama reviews for more; Twentyfive -Twentyone, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
