[Drama Review] Please Come Back, Mister (2016, SBS)

Please Come Back, Mister also known as Come Back, Ahjussi is one of those dramas with a unique, and captivating storyline but at the same time may confuse you if you do not start watching it from the beginning due to the fact it has quite a lot of things happening at the same time. It tells a story about two unfortunate middle-aged men who died unexpectedly and are allowed to come back to the earth for a short period of time in order to protect their loved ones – in new bodies, and a few set of rules. What are these rules and can they accomplish their mission?

Check out the trailer before Reading it Further

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj_JeR4JS7U

The Plot

The drama is telling about the stories Han Gi Tak (played by Kim Soo Ro during this part) who was once a gangster and tried to do better for himself, over time He became much better man and a successful restaurant owner, he had secretly been in a secret relationship with Song Yi Yeon, a former actress who had been framed by her own ex husband and manager.

Another main character in the series is Kim Young Soo (played by Kim In Kwon), a hardworking man who loved his family, he was overworked to the point it put him in a difficult situation with his family – these two men died unexpectedly. Gi Tak got in a crash right after he found out the truth about his love interest’s scandal and was on his way to protect her, while Young Soo slipped and fell off a roof. To avoid responsibilities, the company he worked for announced it was a suicide – which brought anguish to his family. Both men felt the need to go back to earth to protect their loved ones.

Their wishes later came true, they were allowed to go back to handle their unfinished business for two months in their respective new bodies with a few conditions : they aren’t allowed to take revenge or tell anyone about their true identities. Young-soo is then sent back to earth as Lee Hae-joon (Rain) and Gi Tak comes back as Ha Hong-nan (Oh Yeon-seo).

The Casts

This drama is marking the comeback of Rain into the industry of K-Drama, his last appereance was in 2014. For new adapter for K-Drama the cast member might be a bit far from familiar except for one or two names, but for the geek in K-Drama this line-up is quite good with talented artist on both the senior and junior counterparts.

Reception

Throughout its entire series, Please Come Back, Mister was aired at the same time as the ever so popular Descendants Of The Sun which resulted in its sub-par rating averaging at 4.8%. However, the rating isn’t the real depiction of the drama as a whole. It’s a pity that this kind of quality have to be aired at the same time as Descendant of The Sun.

Our Final Statement

The incredibly but unfortunately low rating of Please Come Back, Mister may put off a lot of people to give a chance for this drama to be watched. But trust me, it’s one of the best drama one can ever watch. Not only does it stray far from most melodrama storyline which gives it a unique plot, the casts are astounding. Oh Yeon Seo, for instance, she managed to play Gi Tak perfectly. While her mannerism at times seemed a bit over the top, she did an exceptional job portraying a middle-aged man who is stuck in a woman’s body. Her performance in this drama is simply impressive and entertaining. This drama is also the official come back of Rain in the industry, while I don’t personally like the look he was going for in this drama, he did portray an emotional middle-aged man wonderfully. Please Come Back, Mister truly is a great choice for those who are looking for a unique drama and flawless performance.

The drama is not that typical lough stock drama, the mixture of melodrama inside the plot really almost create a new genre for K-Drama, one seconds you might be lying on the floor due the fresh humor but another time you will be soak in tears while watching moment by moment of the series. Please Come Back, Mister also successfully portrayed the afterlife in a fresh but respectable manner. It’s hard to spin death related stories in the manner like they did in the series. Give it a try, you guys will not regret it.