10 harsh realities of rewatching crash landing on you 5 years later

Crash landing on you is one of the most iconic K-dramas ever made, but that doesn’t mean it was without its faults. First earning in December 2019, Crash landing on you Depicts the forbidden romance between South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) and North Korean solider Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin) after a paragliding accident leaves Se-ri trapped in the North. The blending of K-drama genres and the all-too-real backdrop of the political tensions between North and South Korea made Crash landing on you One of the best K-dramas of all time.

Despite his overwhelming success and appreciation, Crash landing on you Faces criticism. From pacing issues to its depiction of North Korea, Crash landing on yous Defects are plain to see. Even so, its impact is unfounded. Many attribute the romance to K-drama To be their gateway into Korean television, contributing to its growth in popularity with international audiences. However, despite its widespread appeal, some of the realities of Crash landing on you Can’t be overlooked.

10

The pandemic greatly helped crash landing on your popularity

It would not have been as successful globally without it

While many elements contributed to Crash landing on yous overwhelming success, the pandemic certainly had a positive influence. The pandemic pushed people into their homes and increased demand for online streaming services such as Netflix. Fortunately, Netflix began expanding its K-drama lineup before the COVID-19 outbreak. His first original K-drama, kingdomReleased in January 2019, soon followed by Love fear In August 2019. This expansion of Korean content online made way for Crash landing on yous dual release on TVN in South Korea and on Netflix, which saw incredible results.

cozy, Crash landing on you achieved record-breaking viewing figures of 21.9%, making it TVN’s most-viewed K-drama until the release of Queen of tears In 2024. This was echoed internationally, viz Crash landing on you topped Netflix’s top ten in Japan for a staggering 69 weeks, while according to the BBCNetflix’s K-drama viewership grew by 370% in India. Although Crash landing on youThe epic tale of politics and romance certainly was always going to grab attention, the pandemic pushed it to new heights and helped make it as successful as it was.

9

Crash landing on her was very predictable and unrealistic

His biggest weakness is also one of his strengths

from the beginning, Crash landing on you Tells audience exactly what it wanted to be. Although the events it depicted were believable, the unlikely nature of the actions ever occurring made the K-drama seem unbelievable. While a certain level of unbelievability is expected in K-dramas, Crash landing on you Constantly pushing the boundaries with every episode. This resulted in a plot that quickly became repetitive and easy to predict.

Although Crash landing on youIts unrealistic approach could be seen as a weakness, it was also a strength of the K-drama. It never pretended to be anything other than what it was and asked audiences to suspend their sense of belief so they could enjoy it in its purest form. It sure worked for the K-drama. Despite its weak plot, the unrealistic and predictable nature of Crash landing on you It gave it the sweeping fairy tale effect it aimed to have, making it as engrossing as it was.

8

Se-ri & Jeong-hyuk have the best ending they could have

They never could have been together permanently

throughout the series, Crash landing on you Fought between fiction and reality. Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok’s impossible romance felt like a forbidden fairy tale and helped Crash landing on yous storyline to reach its dramatic climax with full force. However, the real and tense status of their nationalities kept a heavy burden on their relationship, often being the cause of the show’s biggest problems. Crash landing on you Blended the two elements to create an ending that might be disappointing to some, but ultimately was the best outcome the characters could have had.

If Crash landing on you The original ending was predictable, then the tragic finale would completely change the tone of the K-drama and make an obstacle for the romantic fairy tale that she built. Similarly, a happy ending would have taken the series’ unrealistic elements too far. Therefore, it makes sense that Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok only get to meet two weeks a year. The ending satisfied the romantic appeal of the K-drama, and also ensured that it stayed true to the reality of their situation, even if it was a little unrealistic.

7

Crash Landing on Her would not have succeeded without his supporting cast

They enable crash landing on your dimension

Crash landing on you May be best known for its romance, but the K-drama wouldn’t have been as well-rounded if it weren’t for the talents of the supporting cast. From the comedic relief of the North Korean soldiers to the conniving antics of Se-ri’s older brothers, Crash landing on you‘s supporting cast added a much-needed dimension to the series. Their sincere and diverse performances helped to advance Crash landing on yous relatively weak plot and make the series as memorable as it is today.

The ensemble K-drama cast was so good that they won one of the Crash landing on yous only awards. At the Baeksang Art Awards in 2019, the Crash landing on you The team was presented with eight award nominations in various categories. Actress Kim Sun-young won her award for Best Supporting ActressThanks for your measured picture of Na Wol-Sok. Without her efforts, as well as the dynamic performances of the supporting cast, Crash landing on you would lose the richness that helped make the K-drama so beloved by fans worldwide.

6

There were too many subplots in Crash Landing on Her

It cannot give them all a proper resolution

Although the various antics of the supporting characters made Crash landing on youThe diversions from the main storyline are entertaining, there certainly didn’t need to be so many of them. The abundance of storylines caused several problems for the K-drama, especially as it was driven to a dramatic conclusion. Some arcs felt rushed or incomplete Crash landing on you struggled to accommodate the characters it createdWeakening the impact of the final episodes.

If the K-drama had sacrificed some of its many storylines, the plot would have felt much tighter, especially in the second half of the series. Crash landing on you Cultivated a great understanding of his story and characters up to this point, but the snowball effect of the rapidly increasing stakes could not be contained with 100% success. This is not to say that the final episodes are bad, but compared to the rest of the K-drama, Crash landing on you‘s finale didn’t quite live up to the momentum it had built.

5

The villains in crash landing on her lack depth

They played into the classic K-drama villain trope

As said before, Crash landing on youThe character focus was one of the K-drama’s biggest strengths. The only drawback that came with this was with her villains. Many of the characters of the K-drama felt dimensional and real, often eliciting a reaction from the audience. The wicked liked it. instead, Crash landing on yous villains felt like plot devices And their less rounded characterization hindered some of the show’s biggest moments.

Crash landing on youThe main villain, Cho Cheol-gang (Oh Man-seok), was the most notable victim. His character has the most backstory but, aside from his hatred for the two leading characters, his character felt under explored. Plus, the repetitive and often unbelievable nature of Cheol-gang’s efforts to destroy the leading couple stunted the K-drama. Much like other antagonists in the show, his existence ultimately fell foul of the one-dimensional villain trope. This was one of many traps that Crash landing on you Used too much.

4

Crash Landing on You used too many K-drama tropes

They greatly affected the course of the show

Many K-drama tropes thrive throughout Crash landing on you. Forbidden romance, doomed love, and tragic circumstances made the K-drama what it was. However, the K-drama couldn’t use some moderation. For example, the K-drama relied heavily on chance and fate to do most of its storytelling, leaving little room for deeper exploration. Plus, flashbacks are overused in Crash landing on youMaking the story drag rather than adding the context they aimed for.

Along with this, Crash landing on you Often put his characters in dire danger scenarios for dramatic effect. Although these moments were some of the K-drama’s best scenes, the number of times the main characters were injured or hospitalized was excessive. The sudden nature of the scenes also stunted Crash landing on yous pacing And their quick resolution did a disservice to the story the show was trying to tell. Plus, it further highlighted the issues with the show’s weak plot.

3

Crash landing on your depiction of North Korea is not always accurate

However, it does get some things right

One of the greatest critics Crash landing on you Feist was his depiction of North Korea. The K-drama lost sight of many difficulties faced by citizens in the country in favor of the narrative it wanted to portray. in this matter, Crash landing on you was a victim of the romantic fantasy it chose to center its story around. However, despite the clear romantic objective Crash landing on you Given North Korea, there were many elements it got right.

first of all, Crash landing on yous team included Kwak Moon-wan, a filmmaker and defector from North Korea. Kwak worked with writer Park Ji-eun to help depict real aspects of North Korean life. The attention to detail is evident in the K-drama and has been praised by many North Korean defectors Crash landing on yous approach to daily life in the country. Although some details may not be included due to South Korea’s real-life restrictions, the K-drama navigates well the challenges of portraying life in a different country amid so many political and social obstacles that come with it.

2

Seo Dan and Gu Seung-joon deserved so much better

Their story was just as compelling as Se-ri & Jeong-hyuk

The incredible storyline of Seo Dan and Gu Seung-joon proved that they are one of the best K-drama second-lead couples. Although their story also delved into a forbidden romance between a North and South Korean, Dan and Seung-joon’s relationship felt refreshing and serious. Their love story has just as much depth as the main leads, with Seung-joon and Dan willing to give up everything for each other to start a life together. so, Crash landing on yous cruel balance between fiction and reality left the characters with an undeserved fate.

Se-ri and Jeong-hyuk’s ending may not be ideal, but the bittersweet tones of the finale lend themselves more to happiness. To balance this, Dan and Seung-joon may not have a happy ending. This made Seung-joon’s death even more heartbreaking. It was also unnecessary, especially as his death paralleled Se-ri’s hospitalization. Despite this, death gave Seung-joon the redemption he deserved and a life free from Jeong-hyeok. However, they still deserved to find happiness just as much as the main couple did.

1

Crash Landing on You couldn’t exist without the love story of Se-ri & Jeong-hyuk

They were the main reason for crash landing on your success

finally, Crash landing on you is a love story. It wouldn’t have been the same without Se-ri and Jeong-hyuk’s forbidden romance. Their relationship was the foundation of the K-drama, which worked to balance the childhood romance they fell into and the harsh reality that surrounded them as a North Korean and a South Korean. Without this, the K-drama would have been completely different. It would most likely have delved into the darker tones of other K-dramas but would lose the spark people have come to love.

Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin’s incredible chemistry and performances lifted Crash landing on you In the light. They gave Crash landing on you The heart it needed and made watching their slow-burn romance blossom into something deep and meaningful a joy to watch. Although the K-drama tends to be repetitive and predictable, the sweeping scale of the romance forgives this glaring issue. Even five years later, Crash landing on yous romance continues to be the most memorable thing about the K-drama, making this fact its biggest strength.

Sources: BBC