For its newest series, KBS brings a retrospective tale about life realities about adulting. It might hit hard especially if in some ways what we had pictured our life to be is different to what happened.
Finding purpose, family and friend relationships seem to be included in the narrative of Hello, Me! as we go along. If you like a series that is not too overwhelming, this Choi Kang Hee and Kim Young Kwang drama might fit the bill.
abbyinhallyuland watches Hello, Me! on Netflix
Opening Week Rating: 
Hello, Me! Opening Week Story
Specifically designed to single people in their late 30’s – Hello, Me! already evoked a feeling of encouragement amidst presenting unsuccessful middle-age life. Bahn Ha-ni’s surmises hold meaning especially for people whose lives didn’t turn out the way they expected it.
“I had no dreams, no goals, and no hope. What did I expect? I was never even happy in my life.”
Nothing’s going right to Bahn Ha-ni (Choi Kang Hee). It led her to a trip to a hospital’s ER trying to revive her life. Previously, she was jailed by posting malicious comment to a rude movie star who broke her camera and accused her of stalking him when she was just taking pictures in the countryside.
She was also under fire at work when a customer suffered an allergy attack which is totally not her fault. Capping off the series of unfortunate events is her meeting of an utterly jerk blind date. Amidst a slew of troublesome situations, she also chances upon Han Yu-hyeon (Kim Young Kwang). He is a chaebol son who is being straightened out by his father by living frivolously and is yet to earn a money for himself.
They first met at the police station waiting to be bailed out. Yu-hyeon keeps getting connected to Ha-ni as he goes to situations requiring him to pay, but his family members were advised by his father not to give him even a penny. Pitying the man with seemingly worse situation than hers, she lent him money and even share food and drink with him.
Unfortunately, Ha-ni’s problem at work has blown out of proportion. As she rushes to fix the issue, she sees a truck coming right to her direction.
“Strangely enough, at that moment, I wasn’t afraid of dying. Because my dream, my bright future and my radiant life had all disappeared eversince that day 20 years ago.”
17-year-old Bahn Ha-ni lived a rosy life with a loving family and happy school life. She was admired at school not just by boys but by girls alike. Dreaming of becoming a singer, she has it all mapped out on how to attend an important audition.
However, her parents quickly see through her plans and took her back home. While the rain pours, her father chases after her as her eyes get blinded by the approaching truck in front of her.
Young Bahn Ha-ni wakes up in a hospital room where old Bahn Ha-ni also woke up after her accident.
“On a day when I was about to give up on everything, on the year I turned 37… you came to me.”
Bewildered, both young and old Ha-ni ponder on their situation. They play a quick confirming game that only themselves know. Imaginations run wild for both of them who will be caught in a hard-to-explain situation, so they decide to sneak out of the hospital.
However, Yu-hyeon sees them and reminds old Ha-ni that he is her savior when she was about to be hit by the truck last night. Fate brought them three together when young Ha-ni caused a mishap at their sister’s Ha-yeong’s house. They all end up passing time at a bath house.
Meanwhile, Anthony (Eum Moon Suk) who used to be an avid admirer of Ha-ni had emerged as a celebrity. But his star status has been suffering lately because of negative netizens comment which old Ha-ni contributed on.
Forced to beg on the customer’s mother who suffered an allergy, young Ha-ni witnessed her older self go through such humiliation. To make matters worse the child patient suffered another attack by accidentally eating the snack young Ha-ni bought.
Hello, Me! Opening Week Musings
Nostalgic fantasy stories have emerged to become an engrossing watch in the recent years. Probably because all of us have regrets in the past we wished to go back to.
That confrontation scene between the two Ha-ni’s basically sum up what we should look forward in the story. We will traverse what had happened to Ha-ni’s promising youth.
With her 17-year-old gregarious and valiant self, will she be able to find her life purpose that she lost along the way. Or was young Ha-ni sent to the future to have a taste of what her life would be if she continues being self-centered.
It was also revealed that the accident young Ha-ni had in old Ha-ni’s recollection became the turning points of their lives. A secret that she can’t reveal to her younger self because the pain would be too hard to bear. On that rainy night when she threw a tantrum because of the audition, her father pushed her to the road side and got hit by the truck instead of her.
What To Expect In The Future Episodes?
Just how the two Ha-ni’s are meant to have a strange encounter, Yu-hyeon appears to be fated in meeting them as well. I sense endless task for old Ha-ni to be honest trying to straighten her young self and the stranger that might be the “investment” that would change her life for the better.
Focusing on the heroine of the story in its opening week, the male leads Kim Young Kwang and Eum Moon Suk will be given their spotlights inevitably. Especially since we know that pompous Anthony had once marked Ha-ni as his young love. In this way, I like that the characters have all sad beginning points. Because we can look forward to how much they will grow.
Hello, Me is an easy narrative among the February 2021 dramas. Thus, I really plan on taking it as my rest drama to watch this season. I am not familiar with the creative team as well so I’m taking it to be a nice thing, but am preparing for some hiccups along the way.
Catch up on new episodes of Hello, Me on Netflix every Wednesday and Thursday.
Photos: KBS
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