My Liberation Notes (2022)

Quick Take: My Liberation Notes  (2022),  starring Son Seok-koo, Lee El, Lee Min-ki, Kim Ji-won.   9.5/10.  16 episodes, 60 minutes each.

Synopsis:  Three grown siblings work in Seoul but live with their parents in the rural outskirts, which requires an hour and a half commute by bus and train.  They are all miserable.  A mysterious man, Mr. Goo, comes to work with their father in his cabinetry business.  Mr. Goo rarely speaks — mostly he drinks — but he destabilizes the family in unexpected ways.

The title comes from a workplace group created by misfits uninclined to join one of the “clubs” their company sponsors. Their stated goal is seeking liberation from their unsatisfactory lives, and each keep a diary that they share with one another in their meetings. It’s an intriguing concept: What keeps you from being free? What can you change?

Review:  Powerful performances by an outstanding cast.  The early episodes give no clue about how these unhappy characters will find their way, so watching them evolve makes a compelling drama.  Interesting contrast between life in Seoul and the countryside.

Our Facebook group, American Lovers of Korean Drama, had a Zoomchat about My Liberation Notes. The use of the word “worship” got a lot of discussion. We decided a better translation would have been “adore.” See what you think.

Recommended.

Rewatchable - 4, Compelling - 5, Plot/ Story/Writing - 10,  Acting/Casting - 10, Production - 10,  Bonus - 6.   Bonus points for outstanding writing and acting.

Notes:

Son Seok-koo

He studied abroad in Canada and the United States, culminating with a major in visual arts and film at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. In 2005, during his mandatory military service, he volunteered to join the Korean army contingent which carried out peacekeeping and reconstruction missions in war-torn Iraq — DOTS in real life! He has been active in films and dramas since 2016. See him also in Sense8 (2017), D.P. (2021), and Murder DIEary (2023).

Kim Ji-won

was scouted on the street while in high school, and became an idol trainee for three years. She started appearing in music videos and commercials in 2010. She gained recognition in The Heirs (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Fight for My Way (2017), and Lovestruck in the City (2020). Queen of Tears will be forthcoming in 2023.

Lee Min-ki

is a singer as well as an actor. He has appeared in music videos, films, and dramas since 2004. See him as lead in Because This is My First Life (2017) and The Beauty Inside (2018). Both these roles are very different from his character in My Liberation Notes.

Lee El

has been acting steadily since 2009, mostly in supporting roles.