In a Ok-drama panorama crammed with heart-fluttering love tales, highschool romances, company drama, and revenge plots, “Second Shot at Love” stands out for tackling a subject hardly ever explored in Korean leisure: alcoholism. Starring Women’ Technology’s Sooyoung as Han Geum Ju, a profitable engineer with a not-so-secret dependence on alcohol, the drama peels again the layers of a lady who appears to have all of it. With its real looking portrayal of habit, emotional therapeutic, and an sudden reunion with a former friend-turned-recovery-coach, performed by Gong Myoung, “Second Shot at Love” gives each consolation and confrontation.
Airing each week on Monday-Tuesday, this drama won’t simply tug on the heartstrings, but in addition spark reflection on points hardly ever explored in mainstream Ok-dramas.
Warning: spoilers for episodes 1-2 forward!
The Nationwide Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines alcoholism, formally often called Alcohol Use Dysfunction (AUD), as a medical situation characterised by an impaired potential to cease or management alcohol use regardless of hostile social, occupational, or well being penalties. It contains what many individuals seek advice from as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and alcohol habit.
Whereas most of the people is conscious of what alcoholism means, their understanding is usually clouded by a stereotypical picture of an alcoholic, making it more durable to acknowledge the dysfunction in actuality. When folks consider alcoholism, they may image a homeless man who drinks low cost beer simply to perform throughout the day, or an abusive husband who lashes out after a number of drinks. Nonetheless, whereas private struggles can enhance reliance on alcohol, folks with seemingly excellent careers, households, and relationships may fall into habit. And since their lives seem ultimate from the skin, alcoholism typically goes unnoticed in social settings till it’s too late.
Our feminine lead, Han Geum Ju (Sooyoung), matches this less-acknowledged profile. On the floor, she’s a well-respected mechanical engineer working at certainly one of Seoul’s high companies. She has a loving fiancé and seems to have all the things beneath management. However in actuality, she drinks alcohol prefer it’s water that’s important for her survival. When she discovers her fiancé has gotten one other lady pregnant, she breaks up with him. To save lots of face, she tells her mom the breakup was on account of his complaints about her ingesting. Unaware of the true purpose, Geum Ju’s mom takes her again to their hometown, Bochun, the place Geum Ju reunites along with her highschool good friend, Search engine optimisation Ui Jun (Gong Myoung).
As soon as a heavy drinker himself, Ui Jun has now stop ingesting and offers talks on alcoholism to assist others overcome their addictions. However alcohol isn’t the one factor he has left behind. Regardless of receiving job gives from prestigious hospitals in Seoul, he selected to serve his group and has been working as a physician in Bochun, the place he’s revered for his dedication to the folks.
The plot from there’s seemingly easy: Ui Jun helps Geum Ju overcome her alcoholism. However what turns into clear over time is that Geum Ju will even assist heal Ui Jun in return.
South Korea is legendary for a lot of issues, and whereas Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia, Ok-pop, Ok-dramas, and spicy buldak high the checklist, ingesting tradition is certainly someplace on the finish of the identical checklist as properly. From dramas that characteristic characters taking countless soju pictures with fried hen to selection exhibits centered on ingesting video games, the presence of alcohol in Korean social life is inconceivable to disregard even with out setting foot in Incheon Airport.
But, regardless of this cultural norm, the darker sides of alcohol use are hardly ever addressed in mainstream media. That’s why “Second Shot at Love” feels each refreshing and needed. Its try to discover the implications of alcohol dependency, particularly via the lens of a robust, unbiased, and profitable lady like Geum Ju, breaks the stereotypical mildew of the “alcoholic” and helps audiences notice that habit can have an effect on anybody.
Whereas the principle focus of the drama is on alcoholism and Geum Ju’s path to restoration, probably referring to her household’s struggles with alcohol as properly, romance is way from sidelined.
Geum Ju and Ui Jun have been as soon as shut buddies in highschool, even transferring to Seoul for his or her research and staying in contact for a time. By means of a sequence of flashbacks, viewers can guess that there was an incident that precipitated their falling out, however the particulars haven’t been revealed but. Now again of their hometown, with Ui Jun stepping in to assist Geum Ju, their shut proximity won’t solely rekindle unresolved emotions but in addition start to unravel the thriller of what really occurred to Ui Jun.
The ultimate scene sequence of “Second Shot at Love” makes it clear that the story doesn’t solely heart on Geum Ju’s battle with alcohol dependency; it additionally hints at Ui Jun’s personal previous with habit. Perhaps his now-resolved dependence might have led to a DUI incident that price somebody their life, including a heavier emotional layer to his character and the narrative? Solely future episodes will inform!
Watch “Second Shot at Love”:
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Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring complete Ok-dramas in a single sitting. Good screenwriting, lovely cinematography, and a scarcity of cliches are the way in which to her coronary heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to a number of artists throughout totally different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You possibly can speak to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.
Presently watching: “Spring of Youth” and “Second Shot at Love”
Trying ahead to: “Squid Sport Season 3” and “Good Boy”
