Hạnh Phúc Có Thật, Wonderful Days (2014)

Wonderful Days is a 2014 South Korean television drama starring Lee Seo-jin, Kim Hee-sun, and Ok Taecyeon. It aired on KBS2 from February 22 to August 10, 2014. Written by Lee Kyung-hee, the series tells the story of a prosecutor who returns to his hometown after 15 years and tries to reconnect with his long estranged family and friends.

The show revolves around the Jang Soshim's family (Youn Yuh Jung). She lives with her father-in-law, brothers-in-law, her husband's mistress, four children, and three grandchildren. Her unfaithful husband has abandoned their family, so she becomes the pillar of the household. One of her sons, Dong Seok (Lee Seo Jin),is a prosecutor based in Seoul but gets reassigned to their hometown in Gyeongju after 15 years. The story focuses on Dong Seok's attempt to catch up on everything he missed during his absence. The painful past of the family is gradually revealed.

One of the main highlights of the previous episodes is the childhood love story between Dong Seok and his childhood sweetheart, Hae-won (Kim Hee Sun). It must be admitted that the characters are somewhat cliché for typical love stories. It doesn't help that Lee Seo-jin's portrayal of Dong Seok resembles Jon Santos. Therefore, it is a bit difficult to get absorbed in this storyline. And what makes it worse is that their love story seems to come and go. It doesn't really make sense because they are supposed to have matured and should not be bothered by any more misunderstandings. But once again, love knows no logic.

Soshim could easily be seen as a villain at the beginning of the story due to her strictness, but I am proud of how her character develops throughout the 50 episodes. She may not know how to read and write, but after her divorce, she goes back to school, and the first thing she writes is the names of her children. Soshim's children silently remain loyal to her. They may argue and hold grudges against her, but when needed, they stand by her to protect and defend her.

Although he is the black sheep of the family and tends to be impulsive, I actually like Soshim's biological son, Dong Hui (Ok Taecyeon),whom she loves as her own flesh and blood. I love their relationship because it shows us that blood ties are not always the determining factor of love and loyalty between two people. Sometimes, it is shown in how you treat and care for each other. Dong Hui knows that Soshim is not his biological mother, but he wholeheartedly supports her because he knows she raised him in the best way she could, even favoring him over her own biological child. I also love how Dong Hui learns to protect and care for his biological mother, whom he initially despised.