"Way Back Love": Kim Min Ha & Gong Myung Deliver a Sparkling Fantasy High School K-Drama!
- lewishooper1
- Jun 21
- 5 min read
This captivating K-drama recap delves into Way Back Love, where Gong Myung's grim reaper figure mixes tragedy and humor while saving Kim Min Ha's guilt-ridden girl. Let's take a look!
With a story more like a puzzle, this K-drama slipped under the radar for many. When the Dojeon team started watching it, we were a little worried that we would be disappointed, as there was not much fan hype. However, once we made it past episode two, the story began to pick up.
The trailer for the drama and synopsis portrays the impression that most of the story takes place in the present day, and yes, this is only half true; however, the puzzle of the story makes everything clear, switching between the past and the present day.
So, what is the plot about?
Jung Hee Wan (Kim Min Ha) is a 24-year-old woman who no longer has the will to live, so she wants to live a life of a recluse instead of being a social person. One day, her childhood friend and first love, Kim Ram Woo (Gong Myung), makes a sudden appearance out of the blue, although he died six years previously and is now a grim reaper. This out of the sorts drama is said to have a sixth sense feeling!
The plot later focuses on Kim Ram Woo, who gets Jung Hee Wan to make a bucket list of things to do before she dies. Meanwhile, the feelings that the two once had for each other leave fans feeling a sense of sadness.
Dojeon's Mid-season Review
Gong Myung and Kim Min Ha are both absolutely amazing in every scene of this drama, showcasing the chemistry of the characters. Episode one was both fun and nostalgic, before shifting into a more dramatic plot, setting the tone for the rest of the series.
The Dojeon team loves a bittersweet romance, and the stories that this drama told were somewhat swinging towards comedies at times, which struck a healthy balance. Way Back Love immediately threw us into a flashback to Jung Hee Wan and Kim Ram Woo's high school days.
We were able to see their contrasting personalities and full-of-life characteristics, especially with young Hee Wan. Ram Woo did at times come across as a little more reserved and laser-focused on her studies. Unfortunately for Ram Woo, he's pressured into a class-wide April Fools' prank, switching names to confuse their teachers.
As for the classmates that Ram Woo traded names with? We discovered that it was the one and only, Hee Wan. We saw in the show that he seemed frustrated with this, and fans of the show seemed gripped on the edge of their seats watching this scene.
Hee Wan’s Adulthood: Grief, Regret, and Healing
Hee Wan later fully embraces his name, using it to check out BL books and even giving it to boys! To make matters worse, she gets into trouble with bullies and leaves his nametag behind. When faced with bullies, she hilariously draws tattoos on herself, Ram Woo, and their friend Yoon Tae Kyung (Oh Woo Ri) to look intimidating.
Ram Woo is so relieved when April Fools' is over, only to discover he and Hee Wan are neighbors! He even has to meet her outside their building to deliver a bra his mom sold her online, an he begs her to keep their neighbrly secret at school, and she agrees... for a price. What would you do in this situation?
Eventually, Hee Wan finds herself developing a crush on Ram Woo. She buys herself a nice dress and wears it every time she takes out recycling, hoping to run into him. When the opportunity comes and she knows that he’s outside, she rushes to meet him, her dress dripping wet from the wash and her foot injured from dropping a drawer on it. This really does have romance written all over it! Scenes like this are what make the classic K-drama feelings come true.
That aside, Hee Wan has the biggest smile when she later sees Ram Woo, and it’s absolutely adorable to see. Flash forward to the present day, however, Hee Wan is not at all happy to see her old friend because he died four years ago.
Not only is Ram Woo dead, but he’s a reaper, here to warn Hee Wan that she’ll be dying in one week. Of course, she does not believe him, and so he takes her to the hospital in a time skip to watch another inpatient's death.
Strengths & Weaknesses
As the truth sinks in, he encourages her to do all the things on her bucket list. When she insists that she doesn’t have one, he asks that she at least humor him and do the things on his own list. Reluctant, she settles on completing ten items, as long as he leaves her alone after. This has made some fans feel a sense of closeness to him, as he shows a sense of encouragement which is very important in any relationship, however at the same time the darkness of the show and storyline contradict the lust for love.
Final thoughts
We're sure it’s hard for Hee Wan to have Reaper Ram Woo around and to relive her past, but we are starting to see her old vibrancy. We especially liked that the flashbacks were colorful while the present was dark — that way, the brightness in the present paragliding scene really popped. This is also why we believe the show has gained a lot of praise among K-drama fans.
In terms of visuals, Way Back Love leans heavily on close-up shots in order to capture the emotions of the characters, which is fantastic. While watching the show, we feel as if we were in the shoes of each character, living the emotions ourselves, and this leads to a beautiful and effective storyline.
That said, we're somewhat puzzled by the choice of color palette and editing, or rather, the lack of distinct visual differences. The script at times strongly contrasts Hee Wan's past and present, although in terms of visuals, both are presented very similarly. This means the photography doesn't fully amplify the script's emotional depth. It feels like a missed opportunity to visually echo the narrative's core distinction as to what the director may have wanted viewers of the show to embrace.
Have you been watching the show? What are your favorite moments so far?
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