[2022 Year in Review] The year of the loyalty test

by Guest Beanie

If last year was defined by my struggle to enjoy unpredictability in my pastime, this year should feel comparably safe and comfortable on drama front. Especially with the return of several of my most favorite writers. Unfortunately, those comeback also brought their own unique complications, given my tendency to be too loyal to the storytellers I love. That, and the fact that by a frightening coincidence, they all seemed to agree that this would be the year for wild experimentation.

Lee Soo-yeon of Forest of Secrets fame was the first one to bring me the unprecedented loyalty test. I thought I’d prepared myself for all possible unusual exploration with my unshakable love for the unique Forest of Secrets 2 and Life. I have to admit, though, that the mere mention of sci-fi genre already made me wary. And then Grid happened, and I found myself the odd person out as I poured my appreciation for the way the writer interpreted this genre anew.

Maybe it’s the realist in me who couldn’t help but appreciate the sharp social commentary the drama unfolded by making use of the endless possibilities in its alternate universe exploration. The whole drama was a long series of cutting questions about what we could expect from society and humanity in the face of magic-like technological advances. It was flooring to realize I could barely understand what would amount to normal, good, and happy in a world so changed I couldn’t recognize it anymore. Or maybe it’s my nerdy self that fell in love with the way this drama could be watched as a long and elaborate visual explanation on time-travel theory. Whatever it was, I came out certain I’ve never watched anything as brilliantly cerebral. After this experience, I’m sure that Lee Soo-yeon could bring me whatever bizarre stories she fancied, and I would gobble it up with no complaints whatsoever.

The second loyalty test came a few weeks later with Park Hae-young’s My Liberation Notes. Even after coming prepared that it wouldn’t be a rehash of her previous works, it still surprised me to realize that halfway through the drama, I still couldn’t grasp the tangible end goals of this tale. And yet, I couldn’t stop immersing myself into this journey. It felt like a poetic documentary — at times coming uncomfortably close to the inconvenient truth about myself, at times seeming like nothing but a huge metaphor of life itself.

It was a treat to be a part of the discussion where people easily found themselves reflected by one or more characters, and where different perspectives lent to numerous interpretations of characters’ actions and motivations. It was a liberating journey, and one that convinced me that I will be gladly waiting for whatever new insight and life lessons Park Hae-young would deign to share in her new work.

The last loyalty test came as a real challenge for me. Yumi’s Cells was one of the dramas that saved me from my year-long slump last year. Unpredictable, boldly experimental, but also comfortably familiar in its slice-of-life genre. I knew the second season was coming, and frankly, the drama needed it to provide neater closure. Yet, we all know the grisly reality of seasonal K-dramas.

I was cautious about being too hopeful for Yumi’s Cells 2, but the first half flew by smoothly. Heartfelt, funny, and genuine. I did wish the drama gave deeper exploration on Yumi’s career change decision, but it was a minor complaint. What made me anxious was the too-perfect-to-be-true romance that felt jarringly out of place in this largely realistic exploration on an ordinary young woman’s life journey. Sadly, a bad premonition is rarely wrong, and Episode 9 was where I found myself stuck for months — warring between that sick feeling of foreboding where I knew that sh*t was going to hit the fan, and the urgent need to see the end of Yumi’s journey to meet the promised happy ending. I was hoping the holiday season would provide enough cheer for me to finish this before the year end. But if not, I hope the new year will be the right push for me to visit Yumi’s cell village once more.

In a way, it was kind of a relief to meet Reborn Rich as a closing for this year. It’s nice not to have any “personal” stake in a drama that generally left me wanting for more, even with its three-episodes-a-week schedule. I did like the writer, director, and the actors in this project, but thankfully none of them occupied that pesky place in my heart that inspired near-blind loyalty. This tale came just at the right moment, when I’m craving for another time-travel-adjacent story with a smart lead crouching over huge, damnable secret. What really delighted me, though, was realizing that Reborn Rich has single-handedly resurrected my long-dormant love and glee for a well-done revenge melodrama. I can hardly wait for the double finale eps that will cap this story off (hopefully with all the victory cheers we deserved after this rollercoaster).

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[2022 Year in Review] The year of the loyalty test