While no one is the perfect parent, certain parenting behaviors can have serious adverse effects on children. It's hard for me to imagine that any parent has a child with the intent of torturing them physically, emotionally, or mentally. For a parent to make their child feel like they are burdens has to be the worst kind of abuse. It makes me wonder if a parent knew the long-term negative effect they'd have on their child, would they still have them; I guess that's the million-dollar question. Every child deserves unconditional love, safety, and support to thrive as a healthy human being.
Kang Da Jung (Seo Hyun Jin) with the black cat story and how she changed the narrative to fit her need for normal parents and a normal family was painful to watch. The worst part is when the abusive parent(s) makes their child feel at fault for their actions. I can only imagine how emotionally confusing it must have been for her to love an abusive parent. I loved her resilience as a child, especially with how she improvised on the Black Cat story, changing it, changing it as a way of managing, and containing her disappointment, frustration, and anger.
I like that Seo Hyun Jin is in the role of Kang Da Jung because she is the type of actress that brings a lot of depth and emotion to her roles, and I have a feeling this one will be taxing. But what's even more important is that she's my favorite Korean actress. I'll watch anything she's in; I've yet to see her pick a bad project. Conversely, there is something extraordinary about how Kim Dong Wook acts immediately draws me to his dramas. It may be in his tone or the way he speaks or expressiveness; whatever it is, I always find myself watching him, and this one isn't any different. On the contrary, the role of Joo Young Do as a psychiatrist who helps others heal their emotional wounds and find the will to live suits him perfectly. It's only the first week, but I love his approach to the role and the drama as a whole already.
Nam Gyu Ri is a total package actress; it's tough not to like her in anything she does, and her role as Ahn Ga Young, a famous actress with an unstable and troubled personality, totally suits her; her chemistry with ex-husband Joo Young Do is catching, saying the least. I like her a lot. It's great to see Yoon Park in a new drama. I think the last one I watched him was Search, and I really like him in that. He portrayed the son burdened by his father's deed impressively. In this role as Chae Joon, a CEO of an investment company completely infatuated with Da Jung to the extent that it almost feels like stalking is a role I don't think I've seen him in before. He's playing it quite convincingly, though, despite it only being the first episode. It's quite clear he is not what he seems, and Young Do has him figured already. I wonder if him warning Kang Da Jung against dating him will have an adverse effect; I hope not.
That all, if not most of our characters suffer from some form of childhood trauma is quite obvious, and it appears it may be what ties them if not bond to each other. You are My Spring seems to have a little of everything, comedy, drama, murder, suspense, and romance; it's like the complete package. Aside from the main leads, I like the supporting cast in Park Eun Ha (Kim Ye Won), Da Jung's best friend and her twin Park Chul Do (Han Min), Seo Ha Neul (Ji Seung Hyun), Young Do's best friend, and Nurse Oh (Baek Hyun Joo). She seems protective of Young Do, and rightfully so, I would say, among others.
I love that this drama is entirely and utterly different from what I anticipated. I can see why Da Jung was attracted to Chae Jun, but nothing is what it appears to be, and even a creep-seeming guy like him has a story to tell but then so do all of them. There was definitely sadness about Chae Jun, but I cannot for the life of me reconcile the ending, how did it come to what it did; what or who is behind Chae Jun doing what he did; why and how does he connect to Da Jung and potentially to Joo Young Do because of childhood photo Da Jung found in the music box appears to allude that they all connect somehow. I am utterly dumbfounded by this week's ending.
I enjoyed the first week. Unlike everybody else, I don't think Da Jung is a trash magnet. She wants to feel loved. Everyone in this drama seems scared of either being rejected, abandoned, getting hurt, hurting, or losing someone. Despite liking all the characters, the twins and Ahn Ga Young are quickly becoming my favorites. I love the rooftop of the building Kang Da Jung and Joo Young Do live in; I want one just like that. I can tell this is going to be good. SURL -- Because It's You OST. Watch Episodes 1 & 2 here.