A weighty, long-form drama that boldly breaks the formula of Netflix Original series has arrived. It is <Eunjoong and Sangyeon>, starring Kim Goeun and Park Jihyun. Unlike the typical Netflix production trend, which favors short and fast-paced developments of around 10 to 12 episodes, this drama meticulously illuminates the decades-long relationship between two women over a vast 15-episode run. While this evokes the nostalgia of older Korean dramas where 16 episodes were the standard, it proves at every moment that this is not a simple regression, but a necessary choice to fully build the characters' emotional arcs. This drama captivates the viewers' hearts slowly but powerfully, not with speed but with depth, and not with provocative incidents but with the delicate crests and troughs of emotion.
The most significant characteristic of <Eunjoong and Sangyeon> is that it does not rush. Unlike recent dramas that continuously deploy intense events from the beginning to prevent viewer drop-off, this work calmly and patiently follows the process of building emotions between the two protagonists, Ryu Eunjoong (Kim Goeun) and Cheon Sangyeon (Park Jihyun), much like a feature-length novel. From their fresh-faced first meeting as teenage girls to their reunion on the edge of life in their 40s, the series retraces the moments of friendship, love, misunderstanding, betrayal, and forgiveness they have experienced over several decades with a slow gait. This narrative method provides a powerful sense of immersion, allowing viewers not merely to remain as observers but to dwell within Eunjoong and Sangyeon's time and fully experience their emotional journey.
The drama skillfully interweaves the present and the past, adopting a structure that unravels the mystery entangled in the two characters' relationship. In the present day, Ryu Eunjoong, a successful drama writer, receives a phone call. When asked if she knows the famous film producer Cheon Sangyeon, Eunjoong hesitates for a moment before calmly replying, "Who in South Korea wouldn't know her?" This brief exchange implies a long and deep period of estrangement between them, amplifying curiosity about the story to come. It suggests that behind Eunjoong's indifferent response, a storm of complex and unresolved feelings towards Sangyeon is swirling.
The story truly begins when Cheon Sangyeon, while accepting a special award at a film festival, suddenly mentions Ryu Eunjoong's name in her speech and expresses her gratitude. For Eunjoong, who is currently living like a stranger to Sangyeon with no interaction, this abrupt public acknowledgment is nothing short of bewildering. This is especially true given that Eunjoong firmly believes Sangyeon betrayed and left her in the past, even suspecting that Sangyeon produced a film based on a screenplay she wrote. Sangyeon's action is like forcibly knocking on the closed door of Eunjoong's heart, serving as the decisive moment that forces them to confront the past they tried to ignore.
After much hesitation, Sangyeon finally contacts a confused Eunjoong, and the two reunite. However, the joy of their reunion is fleeting as Sangyeon confesses a shocking truth: though only in her mid-40s, she has little time left to live and has already completed all preparations for euthanasia. Not stopping there, Sangyeon asks Eunjoong to accompany her on this final journey and makes a staggering proposal to bequeath her a building she owns. This unbelievable confession throws Eunjoong into immense turmoil and strongly suggests that their relationship was a profound and special connection, one that transcended simple friendship to discuss life and death together.
What kind of past did these two share? As if answering the audience's question, the drama travels back in time to their first meeting in elementary school. Cheon Sangyeon is the daughter of a wealthy family with a teacher for a mother, instantly popular upon transferring. Ryu Eunjoong, on the other hand, grew up under a single mother who delivered milk after her father's passing. Raised in starkly different environments, the two girls initially circle each other with a subtle sense of rivalry and misunderstanding. The teacher at the time, who discriminates against students based on their family background and wealth, adds a delicate tension to their relationship and reflects the societal pains of the era.
Their initially awkward and sharp-edged relationship begins to change as they enter middle school. As trivial misunderstandings are resolved and they begin to see each other's true selves, Eunjoong and Sangyeon become inseparable best friends. The drama portrays the process of them becoming each other's sole refuge and entire world with a warm and delicate gaze. By showing how a relationship that began with competition and jealousy evolves into one of deep understanding and reliance, it convincingly demonstrates the solid foundation upon which their bond was built.
This drama, befitting the label of "Womance," depicts the deep bond between two women that crosses the boundary between friendship and love. While some may interpret it as a queer genre, the production team has not officially designated it as such. However, what is important is not the genre classification but the essence of the emotions Eunjoong and Sangyeon feel for each other. Their relationship is at times hotter than friendship, more poignant than romance, and more desperate than family. As a summation of all the complex emotions one human can feel for another, their saga expands into a universal love story that cannot be confined to a specific genre.
The ability to fully convey such a deep and complex emotional landscape to the audience is undoubtedly attributable to the power of its two lead actors, Kim Goeun and Park Jihyun. Having previously worked together as rivals in <Yumi's Cells>, the two actors display fantastic synergy in this work, showcasing a wide acting spectrum that spans from their 20s to their 40s. They perfectly express their characters' emotional shifts through subtle changes in their gaze, expressions, and vocal tones over the years, allowing viewers to become deeply immersed in the lives of Eunjoong and Sangyeon.
In conclusion, <Eunjoong and Sangyeon> is more than just a drama about two women's friendship; it is a masterpiece that profoundly explores universal themes of time and fate, love and betrayal, and life and death. What is the truth behind the misunderstandings buried in the past? And what choices will these two, who found each other again only at the end of their lives, finally make? Their slow but resonant story poses deep questions about the meaning of true connection. I highly recommend taking Eunjoong and Sangyeon's hands and joining them on their journey through time, all the way to the final scene of the final episode.
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