Unwritten bonds, unspoken pain
Yun-joo, proves not all stories need fireworks to make an impact. The 2025 tvN series, also available on Netflix, is a deeply introspective piece powered by subtle performances and a quietly poignant script.
Dual lives of twin sisters
At the centre of this tender narrative are Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae, twin sisters who could not be more different, both played with extraordinary precision by Park Bo-young. Mi-ji is a reclusive writer battling panic attacks and professional burnout, while Mi-rae is an energetic drama script coordinator masking her emotional fatigue with forced optimism.
A surprise reunion leads the estranged sisters to impulsively swap lives. What begins as escapism turns into a revealing emotional journey, as each sister is forced to confront not only the life the other lives but also the emotional burdens they have tried to ignore for years.
This is not a dramatic identity switch in the conventional sense, but more a study of empathy and
long-suppressed pain. The writing leans into psychological realism, gently pulling viewers into the emotional lives of its characters with patience and care.
Cast and characters
Bo-young is unquestionably the heart of the series. Known for her expressive eyes and emotionally resonant performances, she steps into two completely distinct roles and she disappears into both. As Mi-ji, she captures the heavy stillness of someone suffocating under her own thoughts while as Mi-rae, she reveals the fatigue of a woman trying too hard to hold herself together. The transition between these characters is seamless, never once feeling like a performance trick.
Supporting her is Park Jin-young, who plays Ji-won, Mi-rae's co-worker and a man who learns to see beyond surface identities. His portrayal is grounded and gentle, serving as a steady emotional counterbalance to the chaos the sisters navigate. Ryu Kyung-soo also shines as Han, someone with a restrained presence that slowly unravels as he bonds with Mi-rae. Their scenes are filled with quiet intensity.
Every performance, no matter how minor, feels emotionally real, never exaggerated, never hollow. Even the fleeting characters that pass through the twins' lives are written with a purpose, adding to the show's emotional richness.
Beautiful slow burn
Visually, Our Unwritten Seoul is shot in warm tones and natural light, leaning into minimalist cinematography that reflects the characters' inner solitude. Scenes are often slow, filled with silence or subtle expressions rather than exposition-heavy dialogue.
This, however, is also where the series may test viewers' patience. The pacing in the first few episodes is undeniably slow, and it takes time before the emotional momentum builds. But when it does, the payoff is moving and memorable.
That said, the drama's core themes of healing and the messy love between siblings are delivered with sincerity and depth.
Our Unwritten Seoul airs every Saturday and Sunday on tvN, with new episodes available to stream on Netflix at the same time.
PLOT: 7
ACTING: 7
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BusinessToday
15 hours ago
- BusinessToday
K-pop Demon Hunters Break Records with Golden at No. 1
The fictional girl group HUNTR/X has made history by becoming the first female collective to top the Billboard Hot 100 in nearly 24 years. Their song 'Golden,' from the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, hit number one on the chart on August 11, 2025. Before HUNTR/X, the first female collective to top the Billboard Hot 100 was Destiny's Child, whose Bootylicious reigned in August 2001. Voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, Golden is the ninth K-pop-associated track to reach No. 1 and the first led by female vocalists. It is also only the second song from an animated film this decade to top the chart, following Disney's We Don't Talk About Bruno from Encanto. With this, K-pop Demon Hunters becomes the first non-Disney animated feature to achieve such a feat. Released on June 20, the film's track climbed to the top in just seven weeks, fuelled by 31.7 million official US streams in the August 1–7 tracking week, alongside an impressive 71% boost in radio airplay and 7,000 digital sales. On streaming platforms, 'Golden' has consistently outperformed many real-world pop acts, even rivalling numbers from BTS, Rosé and Katseye. This has made 'Golden' not just a chart-topper but a serious contender for music awards, elevating its status in the soundtrack and K-pop spheres. The soundtrack's reach isn't limited to HUNTR/X. Rival fictional boy band Saja Boys has also scored chart success, with 'Your Idol' climbing to No. 9 on the Hot 100. Nearly every track from the film's OST—aside from a couple of B-sides and score pieces—has entered the main chart. The success of 'Golden' has extended beyond the US. In the UK, the track has topped the Official Singles Chart, making it the first K-pop song to do so since PSY's Gangnam Style in 2012. It's also reached No. 1 on Amazon Music, Apple Music's global and US charts, and US Spotify. For an animated soundtrack, this level of crossover appeal is rare—Let It Go from Frozen famously peaked at No. 5 in 2014, despite its cultural ubiquity.
The Star
18 hours ago
- The Star
Prince Harry and Meghan stay with Netflix – but with a lesser deal
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue their stint at Netflix. Photo: AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue their stint at Netflix after their production company signed a multiyear, first-look deal with the streamer for film and television projects. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new arrangement is less exclusive than their original 2020 agreement with Netflix, which was an overall deal, according to a person familiar with the pact. That earlier deal gave Los Gatos, California-based Netflix the exclusive rights to anything developed by the Sussexes' Archewell Productions and covered things like overhead costs. Netflix and Archewell Productions did not disclose the terms of the Sussexes' new deal in statements released Monday (Aug 11). "We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As ever brand," Meghan said in a statement, referring to her lifestyle brand, which was developed in partnership with Netflix and includes wine, cookie mix and fruit preserves. So far, Archewell Productions has released several documentary series and reality shows, including 2022's Harry & Meghan and Live To Lead , which chronicled the life stories of world leaders, 2023's sports-focused Heart Of Invictus , 2024's Polo and cooking show With Love, Meghan . Harry & Meghan , which detailed the couple's love story and exit as working royals, got a total of 23.4 million views on the streaming platform, making it Netflix's fifth-most popular documentary series of all time, the company said. With Love, Meghan had 5.3 million views in the first half of 2025, making it Netflix's most-watched culinary show since its release. "Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere," Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in a statement. "We're excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together." Archewell Productions' upcoming slate of projects includes a second season of With Love, Meghan , which releases later this month, a film adaptation of the romance book Meet Me At The Lake and a documentary short called Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within about an orphanage in Uganda. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Winning Grammy will be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome,' says ‘Golden' songwriter Ejae
SEOUL: Everyone has a dream. Some see it through. Others are forced to let go. For 33-year-old Korean American singer-songwriter Ejae, born Kim Eun-jae, the dream was to debut as a K-pop idol after spending 10 years training at SM Entertainment. But the call never came. Neither in a group nor as a soloist did the powerhouse label see her fit to debut. Instead of turning her back on music, Ejae found another path — one that would lead her to co-write 'Golden,' the soaring anthem from Netflix's megahit 'KPop Demon Hunters,' released in June. The song has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts — a rare feat for a song from an animated film soundtrack. It also claimed No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart, becoming the first K-pop track to do so since Psy's 'Gangnam Style' in 2012. Netflix has also reportedly submitted 'Golden' for awards consideration. Ejae's next goal is no longer about becoming a famous singer. It is about winning a Grammy — an achievement she says would carry a meaning far beyond her own career. 'It wouldn't just be a personal milestone,' she said. 'It would be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome in this industry,' she said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. Ejae describes her years at SM Entertainment as 'incredible' and 'character-defining,' instilling in her a work ethic and perseverance that would later sustain her. Learning dance and performance at such a high level also proved invaluable when she began writing for K-pop idols. 'As a trainee, I learned to think about how a song might translate into choreography or a music video,' she said. 'That perspective has shaped my songwriting ever since.' In 2011, Ejae left SM Entertainment to study at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Around that time, she discovered the underground SoundCloud scene, drawing inspiration from artistes like Ta-ku, Sango and Shlohmo. Making beats became both a creative outlet and a way to cope with the depression that followed her trainee years. Her pivot to songwriting came unexpectedly. 'Some producers in Korea asked me to topline on tracks for fun,' she recalled, explaining how she started by contributing melodies. 'My first song ended up being picked up by a well-known artist. That's when I realised writing wasn't just something I enjoyed — it was something I needed. It became my therapy.' Ejae's trainee period at SM Entertainment ended about two years after she graduated. Her passion crystallised in 2017 when she attended her first SM Entertainment songwriting camp. On the very first day, she penned what would become Red Velvet's hit 'Psycho,' a song born from an argument with her then-long-distance fiance. Released in 2019, the track's success opened new doors and, eventually, led her to the opportunity that would change everything: 'KPop Demon Hunters.' Ejae entered the project through composer Daniel Rojas, joining early in the creative process. Together, they wrote some of the first songs that set the tone for the soundtrack. Because she recorded most of the initial demos, the directors invited her to become the singing voice of the film's lead character, Rumi. 'Having been part of the project from the start, I felt deeply connected to her,' she said. 'As a former K-pop trainee, I related to her perfectionism, her struggle to hide her flaws and her drive to chase her dream.' 'Golden,' co-written with Mark Sonnenblick under the guidance of music director Ian Eisendrath, is a pivotal moment in the film. The song reflects each character's struggles, while carrying a message of perseverance. 'There's a bittersweet layer,' Ejae explained. 'Rumi's lyrics reflect her desperation to fix her patterns. It's like her personal pep talk — telling herself not to give up and that she can reach her dreams.' In crafting the song, Ejae also had to meet a personal challenge: hitting Rumi's high notes to showcase her 'crazy vocal skills.' The result is both technically impressive and emotionally resonant, a combination that has resonated with audiences far beyond the film. Beyond 'Golden,' Ejae is especially proud of 'Hunter's Mantra,' the film's opening number that fuses traditional Korean genres like pansori and Arirang with modern pop sensibilities. Pansori is a traditional Korean musical storytelling performance that combines singing, narration and dramatic expression. 'I wanted to bring Korea's rich traditional sounds into the music with my own twist,' she said. 'It's part of who I am.' For Ejae, the Grammy dream is not just about recognition — it is about representation. 'As an Asian American, specifically a Korean American woman, I don't really see enough people who look like me in the pop and K-pop industry,' she said. 'That's why winning an award for a song about hope and chasing your dreams would be incredibly serendipitous.' As someone who once doubted her skill and talent, fearing that she would be exposed as a fraud, Ejae has message for others who find themselves feeling the same way. 'Your voice matters. Your stories are worth telling. Don't give up,' Ejae says. 'If this song ('Golden') can spark even a little hope in someone to keep going, then that, to me, is the greatest honour.' - The Korea Herald/ANN
