Hey guys, it's been a while since I found a K-Movie that I enjoyed watching and I'll be sharing a review in a long time! "Once We Were Us" is a 2025 film starring Moon Ga-Young and Koo Kyo-Hwan about two past lovers who unexpectedly reunite again 10 years later where they reminisce about their love story.
Ten years ago, Jeong Won (portrayed by Moon Ga-Young) and Eun-Ho (portrayed by Koo Kyo-Hwan) met on a bus ride home to their hometown, and ever since they became best friends who confided in each other. After finding out that her boyfriend cheated on her, Jeong-Won decided to move in to live together with Eun-Ho in Seoul, as they chase after their dreams of becoming a successful architect and game creator. As they live together, they grew closer and found themselves falling for each other. Although Jeong Won was hesitant at first, she decided to accept Eun-Ho and they started dating. Like any other young couple, they had their ups and downs and were deeply in love at the beginning. However, due to societal pressures and the difficulty to survive at a time when everything was uncertain, they slowly grew distant to each other and ended up hurting each other. In the end, they reached a point where they were no longer happy in their relationship, and Jeong-Won decided to leave Eun-Ho, even though she was still in love with him. Only realizing how much he had loved Jeong-Won after she left, Eun-Ho decided to work on his game again, and he finally managed to release his game which became a hit many years later.
In the present time, Eun-Ho is now a successful game creator and Jeong Won is an architect. Ten years later, they unexpectedly met each other again on a flight back to Korea. However, due to a typhoon, their flight was postponed and they ended up being stranded in Vietnam for the night. Having secured the last hotel room, Eun-Ho let Jeong-Won share the room with him. While they were reminiscing about the past, Eun-Ho received a call from his daughter, and Eun-Ho found out that he is now married. Shocked after learning this, Jeong Won ran out of the hotel, and Eun Ho went to look for her. After Eun-Ho found Jeong Won, he finally asked her what he had always wanted to know, if she would have stayed with him if he had stopped her from leaving the day they broke up. Jeong Won told him that she would have stayed with him forever if he had stopped her, but he didn't and she decided to choose a different path for both herself and Eun-Ho. She assured Eun-Ho that she did not regret her choice as they were both now successful in their career, and that she loved him back then. The next day, they shared a hug before bidding goodbye to each other. Eun-Ho also asked for her address as he had something to send her. Jeong Won later received a letter from Eun-Ho's late father whom she formed a close relationship with when they were friends and later on lovers.
*spoilers alert*
Thoughts on the Drama...
As someone who enjoys watching melodrama-themed dramas and movies, I would say that this movie was pretty well made. The acting of the main leads were amazing, and their chemistry was great as well. I liked how they realistically portrayed two people who went from being best friends, to lovers, and then back to strangers again. I have always enjoyed watching Moon Ga-Young's dramas and movies, but this is my first time coming across Koo Kyo-Hwan, and I enjoyed his portrayal of Eun-Ho here. Would definitely be checking out more of his projects in the future. While I was upset with Eun-Ho for not stopping Jeong-Won from leaving at the subway station, and with Jeong-Won for deciding to leave him, I couldn't blame Jeong-Won for choosing to leave as their relationship became toxic and it was clear that it was not good for both parties, perhaps the writer wanted to emphasize that the right person wrong timing point. Although many viewers were disappointed (including myself) to find out that while Jeong Won remained single, Eun-Ho is now a married man with a daughter, this just makes it more realistic as that is often how life is when a relationship does not work. The film also followed the original Chinese version by making the present scenes in black and white, and the past scenes in color. I did like the final scene where everything turned from black and white, to color after Jeong-Won finished playing the game that Eun Ho made for her. It seems like they both got the closure that they never did when their relationship ended and they were both now ready to embrace the future with no regrets. The final scene of the film is one of my favorite scenes, and one that is a major tearjerker. Rather than being about Eun-Ho, Jeong Won received a letter from Eun-Ho's late father, where he wrote that he missed having her around after she and Eun-Ho broke up. Although they have broken up, Eun-Ho and his father has always been, and will always hold a special place in Jeong-Won's heart, as they were her family back then. All in all, I enjoyed watching this movie and I would highly recommend watching this movie if you're a melodrama fan like myself, and if you enjoy watching a classic K-love story plot with a realistic ending.
Did you know?
1. This movie is a remake of a popular 2018 Chinese movie called "Us and Them". I have not watched the Chinese version but I definitely enjoyed watching this remake version!
2. This movie surpassed 1 million viewers in its first 12 days when it was released in Korea.
xoxo
Kdramayeowang
Comments
Post a Comment