The Park Bo-young sisters made a secret promise.
On the drama series “Our Unwritten Seoul” (written by Lee Kang, directed by Park Shin-woo and Nam Geon, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Monster Union and Hi Ground) which aired yesterday (24th), the first episode displayed the twin sisters Yu-Mi-Ji (played by Park Bo-young) and Yu-Mi-Rae (played by Park Bo-young), who have always been together since the first page of life, trading places in life and resonating with viewers from the very first broadcast.
The first episode recorded an average rating of 4.2% and a peak of 5.5% based on the metropolitan area households, and an average of 3.6% and a peak of 5% based on nationwide households, securing the top spot among cable and general programming channels during the same time period. It also ranked first among cable and general programming channels based on the target demographic of 2049 male and female viewers, marking a strong start. (Based on integrated paid platforms including cable, IPTV, and satellite / Nielsen Korea provided)
Yu-Mi-Ji, who had to quit athletics due to an injury, is now living as a professional worker in the village while taking care of her grandmother in Dosan-ri. In contrast, her sister Yu-Mi-Rae has always been first in the class and is now working at a public enterprise in Seoul. Despite her mother Kim Ok-hee (played by Jang Young-nam) and the neighbor's aunt Yeom Bun-hong (played by Kim Sun-young) urging her to find a job by comparing her to her sister, it only fostered resentment towards Yu-Mi-Rae.
Contrary to what the villagers thought, Yu-Mi-Rae was struggling alone in Seoul. She became a target of workplace bullying after helping a senior who exposed corruption at her workplace. Enduring people's indifference and disdain, Yu-Mi-Rae eventually received her sister's call with irritation.
The person who helped bridge the gap between the sisters, who had grown distant due to their respective troubles, was Yu-Mi-Ji's classmate Lee Ho-su (played by Park Jin-young). Back in their hometown, Lee Ho-su hinted to Yu-Mi-Ji that Yu-Mi-Rae seemed to be struggling, saying, “Even if it gets tangled, we’re still the closest to each other,” encouraging her to reach out to her sister.
Yu-Mi-Ji, who was subconsciously affected by Lee Ho-su's words, headed to Seoul to meet her sister Yu-Mi-Rae due to a request to deliver her mother’s side dishes. The sister, whom she had not seen in a long time, exuded a strangely different atmosphere from before, leaving Yu-Mi-Ji feeling unsettled. Especially, Yu-Mi-Rae's statement about not going to work even if it hurt her body made Yu-Mi-Ji’s heart sink.
In an attempt to calm her anxious heart, Yu-Mi-Ji ran to her sister, trying to catch Yu-Mi-Rae, who was precariously hanging from the window, but ended up falling with her. Feeling regret and sorrow for not understanding her sister's mindset, which was pushed to the edge to make such a dangerous choice, Yu-Mi-Ji burst into tears, while Yu-Mi-Rae, comforting her sister, apologized with tears in her eyes, leaving a deep impact.
In this way, Yu-Mi-Ji suggested a life change by saying, “I will live as you, and you will live as me,” to help her sister, who was wandering aimlessly. Their eye contact while making a secret promise by linking their pinky fingers sparked curiosity about their story.
Thus, “Our Unwritten Seoul” depicted the journey of twin sisters who look identical yet lead entirely different lives, providing an engaging experience that is hard to look away from. Particularly, Park Bo-young, who challenged the role of both Yu-Mi-Ji and Yu-Mi-Rae, seamlessly transitioned between the lively younger sister and the calm elder sister, moving everyone to tears with her explosive emotional performance.
Additionally, the warm story infused with Lee Kang’s unique sensibility, the dialogue capturing the feelings of office workers living in reality, and the contrast between Seoul and Dosan-ri highlighted by Park Shin-woo's direction blended together to provide empathy and comfort. The perfect synergy of acting, directing, and storytelling in “Our Unwritten Seoul” leaves viewers anticipating the next story.
The earnest life swap of the identical twin sisters will continue in the second episode of the tvN drama “Our Unwritten Seoul,” airing today (25th) at 9:20 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB / tvN
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