KBS's new Saturday-Sunday drama, <Last Summer>, is now available for viewing on Netflix. The weekend 9:00 PM time slot, when this drama airs, is notoriously competitive, often called a broadcast battleground. During this hour, various networks unleash everything from their flagship dramas to major entertainment programs, creating fierce competition. The rivalry is so intense that it's widely recognized as being incredibly difficult to achieve high viewership ratings.
In this landscape, KBS has strategically shifted its focus to its Saturday-Sunday drama lineup instead of its previous Monday-Tuesday or Wednesday-Thursday dramas. However, the barrier to entry in this time slot proved higher than expected. Even a project led by the nationally recognized actor Ma Dong-seok failed to deliver the anticipated results, leaving a sense of disappointment. Its successor, <A Lucky Day> starring Lee Young-ae, received critical acclaim as a well-made drama and was recognized for its quality, but unfortunately, it struggled in the ratings, facing the harsh reality of the intense competition.
After two consecutive works tasted bitterness, KBS introduced the romantic comedy <Last Summer> in an attempt to change the atmosphere. This work aims to capture the weekend prime-time audience with a bright and heart-fluttering vibe, distinct from the previous genre-focused dramas. What draws the most viewer interest is, of course, the main cast. The female lead, Song Ha-kyung, is played by actress Choi Sung-eun, who is gathering significant attention. From her debut, she earned the nickname "monster rookie" for her bold acting skills and unique presence, never seeming intimidated even when acting alongside veteran senior actors.
Actress Choi Sung-eun has already proven her acting prowess by winning Best New Actress awards at numerous prestigious ceremonies. Her characteristic deep gaze and delicate emotional expression demonstrate why she is a sought-after talent in both film and television. However, her relative absence from projects in recent years has left fans wanting more. This is likely because even when an actor works consistently, it takes time for projects to be finalized and released to the public. Her return to the small screen through <Last Summer> is highly anticipated, especially as she is taking on the romantic comedy genre, something she isn't widely remembered for.
Her co-star is Lee Jae-wook, who plays the role of Baek Do-ha. In this project, Lee Jae-wook takes on the challenging task of playing a dual role, portraying not only the male lead but also his older brother. This will be another opportunity to witness his wide acting spectrum. In the drama, the two protagonists are set as 29-year-olds of the same age, forming a vague relationship that blurs the line between friends and lovers. An interesting note is their real ages: Choi Sung-eun is 29, matching her character, while Lee Jae-wook is 27, making him younger. It's surprising that both are younger than expected, given that it's been some time since their debuts.
The drama's title, <Last Summer>, serves as a key phrase that penetrates the work's core emotion. The season of "summer" is a particularly harsh time for the protagonist, Song Ha-kyung. Every year, without fail, unfortunate and bad things happen to her during the summer. And Ha-kyung firmly believes that the source of all this misfortune is none other than Baek Do-ha. This setup implies a deep and persistent ill-fated connection between the two that goes beyond simple love and hate, adding a layer of mystery to the plot.
In the early episodes, 1 and 2, the specific reason why Song Ha-kyung resents Baek Do-ha so much, and what exactly happened between them in the past, has not yet been revealed. What is clear is that they were each other's "first love" but are now living like bitter enemies. Baek Do-ha, in particular, seems to be approaching Ha-kyung with some hidden intention, hovering around her and trying to open her heart. In contrast, Ha-kyung only tries to push him away completely. Their conflicting attitudes amplify curiosity about the incident that tore them apart 10 years ago.
Adding to this dynamic is another key character, Seo Su-hyeok, a lawyer played by Kim Gun-woo. Seo Su-hyeok is a cold and competent, yet somewhat dangerous, figure who will unscrupulously use even his client's weaknesses or flaws to win a lawsuit. It is not yet clear how these three will be entangled. However, it appears that Song Ha-kyung files some sort of lawsuit against Baek Do-ha, which naturally connects her with the lawyer, Su-hyeok. This suggests another axis of conflict involving a legal battle, moving beyond a simple love triangle.
The characters' occupations are also intriguing. Song Ha-kyung is a 7th-grade civil servant working in the architecture department of her local district office, in the neighborhood where she was born. On the other hand, Baek Do-ha is a talented architect and appears to be the CEO of his own architectural firm. The fact that they share a common denominator in "architecture" but stand in different positions is expected to be another variable in their relationship. Furthermore, befitting its title, the drama boasts beautiful cinematography that captures the refreshing and warm essence of summer, pleasing the viewers' eyes. Guessing the hidden meaning behind the title "Last Summer" will be another enjoyable aspect of watching the drama.
The two share a special bond, having grown up in the same house since childhood. They were in love but broke up 10 years ago due to an incident, after which Baek Do-ha went abroad. He has recently returned to Korea, and as if by a twist of fate, the two are now living in a peculiar arrangement, sharing that same house filled with old memories, each occupying half. According to the production's plan, <Last Summer> will portray the process of the two confronting the truth of 10 years ago—a truth they had painstakingly ignored—and healing their wounds. It is expected to be a story of mature love, where a brilliant first love, shattered by a tragic event, is rekindled as they reunite after 10 years to resolve old misunderstandings and understand each other once again.
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