Lazy Unnie’s Couch: Our Beloved Summer

Years after filming a viral documentary in high school, two bickering ex-lovers get pulled back in front of the camera — and into each other’s lives. Choi Woong seems naive and a free-spirited man, but he wants to have something for the first time in his life. For that, he shows what he holds in his mind. Kook Yeon Soo aimed to become the top student at her school, but she is now an adult who lives fiercely, adapting to her reality.
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Starring: Choi Woo Shik | Kim Da Mi | Kim Sung Chul | Roh Jeong Eui
Episodes: 16 (60 mins.)
Aired: December 6, 2021 – January 25, 2022
Network: SBS
Where to Watch: Netflix

Let’s just get this out the way in the beginning; Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi have amazing chemistry. There is nothing that is going to deny that. From when they were in The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion together, they had the chemistry on lock. I mean… look below.

Now that that’s all out the way, let’s talk about how Our Beloved Summer was less like a refreshing rain shower on a hot day and more like when the popcorn is a bit stale at the movie theater. You still eat it because you bought it and you have a taste for popcorn but wish for a fresher batch.

I’m not saying OBS was a bad show because it wasn’t. The cast was great, everyone came to work and did their job to the best of their abilities. Both Choi Ung and Yeon Su were so relatable at the time. I too would like to do nothing. As my friend said, Choi Ung wanted to be cat. The cinematography was breathtaking and the soundtrack was the perfect companion to any rainy day. My issues come with a few things. One of them is the pacing. I love a good slow burn, but only when that slow burn is going to pay off in the end. The will they/won’t they that Choi Ung and Yeon Su go through gets really old by the time they actually stop fucking around and being petty. But here is the thing, the petty banter that took up most of the episodes, actually turned out to be the best. I thought that they would keep that same energy even after getting together, but alas, they went the typical kdrama route and got boring and angsty.

SPEAKING OF ANGST! This show had angst in places where angst had no business being. Okay, I get that you want to make our cinnamon roll of a second lead, Kim Ji Ung, have such a tragic life, but why did he have to get the brunt of every bad luck out there. I feel by the end I was just screaming justice for Ji Ung because half of the things he went through he didn’t deserve. Did he deserve the girl? No. He, like the typical second lead, had a communication problem and wanted to internalize everything. But I did feel like they could have been a little nicer to him. And was it just me or did anyone else feel like maybe he was more in love with Choi Ung and anyone else?

Like I said, I really liked the show as a whole but honestly, they could have ended this at episode 12 and I would have been so content. The first half was so good. It was wholesome and made me feel good. I loved watching how Choi Ung and Yeon Su actually worked as a couple prior to the big breakup. I love how they realized that they had feelings for each other. I mean, that covering her with his shirt was smooth, bro. However, by the time we get to episode 15, that whole sweetness vibe is gone and they are just throwing sad shit in just to be messy. Like why was there an adoption subplot? WHY?!