Ohh My Dog heart warming

Dog stories can be heartwarming and "Ohh My Dog" is a good example.   At times it may seem far fetched, but you will find yourself rooting for the dog.

The story is really two inter connected parallel stories.  In one, a young boy is chasing after a missing dog and in another, a dog is chasing after his missing human.  In both cases a crime other than kidnapping is underlying the plot.

Apu is about 14 and we see him trying to study while throwing a ball to his dog Momo and notices that the ball is no longer being returned.  Momo has totally disappeared and Apu is frantic.  We can appreciate that his mother is also upset.

He is told to go to the police, but there his mother is told that dogs have been disappearing and that some people are stealing the dogs for food.  For a few brief seconds we are subjected to the sight of a skinned dog rotating on a skewer.  He counsels the mother to calm Apu down and forget about it.

Apu is no ordinary kid.  He traces where Momo likely traveled, finding the ball and noticing some dog treats used to lure his dog.  He then reasons that there were only 4 local stores carrying that product and approaches each store checking for camera coverage and finds some.  Better, he gets a receipt with some contact information.  His cleverness doesn't end there, but you really need to check it out for yourself.

We are shown another scene where a dog is frantic.  Oscar is able to determine where his master has been taken.  Of course it is more complicated than that.  The viewer will gradually understand these events are not isolated instances.

Two teachers get involved, one for each pursuit.  At one point there is a chase with criminals driving towards a border.  Researching a little bit, one learns this took place in northern India close to the Nepal border.  

This film is well put together and below are some of the contributors.

Amit Rai was director, writer and producer.  He has 6 writing credits, 5 for directing and 2 for producing including "The Road to Sangam" (2009) and "OMG 2" (2023).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/10/omg-2.html  

Aman Pant was one of the composers.  He has 25 composing credits and 14 for the music department including "Dunki" (2023), "The Family Man" (2023) and "Jolly LLB 3" (2025).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/03/the-family-man.html

Mangesh Dhakde was the other composer.  He studied sound engineering.  He has 68 composing credits, 20 for the music department and 1 for additional crew including  "Hawaizaanda" (2015), "Lipstick Under My Burkha" (2016), "Mulk" (2018), "Article 15" (2019), "Thappad" (2020), "Anek" (2022), "OMG 2" (2023), "Bheed" (2023) and "Jolly LLB 3" (2025).   see   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/article-15.html

Mate Herbai was the cinematographer.  Born in Hungary.  He has 49 cinematography credits, 15 for the camera & electrical department and  2 for the production department including "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris" (2022) and "Vienna Blood" (2022).

Suvir Nath was the editor.  He got started with tv. commercials and music videos.  Suvir has 21 editor credits, 3 for producing and 1 for writing including "Road to Sangam" (2009) and "OMG" (2023).

Maahi Rai played Apu, the young star who makes things happen.  This was his first acting credit.

Geeta Agrawal Sharma played Apu's mother.  She has 42 acting credits including "Delhi 6" (2005), "Bhaag Milke Bhagg" (2013), "OMG 2" (2023) and "Laapataa Ladies" (2023).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/04/laapataa-ladies.html

Pankaj Tripathi played one of the teachers.  He has 104 acting credits and 1 for producing including "Lakshya" (2004), "Omkara" (2006), "Agneepath" (2012), "Gangs of Waseypar" (2012), "Masaan" (2015), "Newton" (2017), "Super 30" (2019),  "Sacred Games" (2018-19) and "Gunjan Saxena:  The Kargil Girl" (2020).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/02/super-30-puts-focus-on-education.html

Pawan Malhotra played one of the police.  He has 100 acting credits, 3 for the costume and wardrobe department and 1 for the production department including "Gandhi" (1982), "Earth" (1998), "Delhi 6" (2005), "Don" (2006), "Jab We Met" (2007), "Road to Sangan" (2009), "Shaitan" (2011), "Bhaag Milke Bhagg" (2013, "Rustom" (2016) and "OMG" (2023).

Vijay Mishra played another of the police.  He has 19 acting credits including "Paheli" (2005), "Road to Sangan" (2009) and "OMG" (2023).

"Ohh My Dog" is available subtitled on Netflix.  

As usual I bold the first mention of films I have seen.  The links should enable you to decide whether or not to view a particular film.

In the past year I watched  two enjoyable dog films; "Carmelo" (2025) from Brazil and "Eko" (2025), from India.  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2026/01/eko-mysterious-dog-story.html.

Humphrey Bogart

Some childhood memories stick with you.  At a certain age (I think before age 12) my parents allowed me to join them watching movies after the 11:00 news.  Pretty much all in black and white with commercials.  Most of the films might have been seen by them in their dating years.  For me it felt like I was maturing.  My interest in these old films kept up and I remember sharing some with my young son, Michael, probably 7 or 8 from tapes I inherited from my father.

This all started in the 1950's when he had already compiled a history.  My first slight awareness of Bogart was with "The Roaring Twenties" (1939) where he was a lesser gangster in a James Cagney film.   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/09/james-cagney.html

Watching "Bogart Life Comes in Flashes" (2026) fleshed out a little of the real person outside the roles.   He grew up in a sort of upper middle class family of Dutch background with a surgeon father and a mother who was a bit of a suffragette.  He got into some trouble at school that curtailed university plans.

Towards the end of World War I he had been in the naval reserve.  One lasting impact of that experience was his love for sailing.  Using a family connection he ended up acting on Broadway, but with only mediocre success.  He then tried films, but found that unsatisfactory and returned to the stage.  

His big breakthrough came when Leslie Howard asked for Bogart instead of Edward G Robinson for  "Petrified Forest" (1936 ). Bogart had played Duke Mantee, the gangster role on Broadway.  Bogart was grateful and later named a daughter Leslie.

His first three wives were all actresses and helped advance his career.  

Lauren Bacall met him as a 19 year old actress in "To Have and Have Not" (1944).  He was married and she was not at first impressed, but he kept kidding her around and eventually they developed a relationship.  About a year later he was divorced and they married.  They were in a few films together, but she wanted to break away to establish herself, but they were Hollywood's most famous couple.  Watching her husband hanging around with some other celebrities such as Frank Sinatra she commented they looked like a "damn rat pack."

Bogart never had children with his first three wives and in his late forties didn't particularly want any.  But Lauren did and they ended up with two.  He did become attached to them.  Steven was one of the narrators for the film.

A part of his early career was gangster films in which he often got killed.   By the 1940's, gangster movies made way for detective films.  He became Sam Spade in the classic "Maltese Falcon" (1941) a role that had been slated for George Raft.  

I saw 20 of his films, not all classics, but I enjoyed "Casablanca" (1942) as a lead lover, "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" (1948), "Key Largo" (1948), "The African Queen" (1951) where he won his only Oscar, "The Caine Mutiny" (1954) and "The Harder They Fall" (1956) his last film before death in 1957.

Smoking, very visible in films and personal clips helped cause the cancer that made his last year tortuous.  Sailing was one of his comforts.  He was so frail at the end he had to squeeze into a dumb waiter to bypass walking the stairs.  see   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/06/smoking-and-movies.html

Bogart has a distinctive voice, that was emphasized by his mannerism.  He was seen as cool, reserved and aloof.

At one point he publicly argued with Joseph McCarthy and his House of Un American Activities.  McCarthy wanted to censor movies.  Bogart and Bacall did visit Washington to convey their feelings.

I have written about two other old movie stars shared with my parents, Glenn Ford and Ray Milland.  See

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/03/glenn-ford-forgotten-movie-star-from.html and

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/11/ray-milland-another-old-movie-favorite.html

You will like "Bogart Life Comes in Flashes" as it contains lots of memorable film clips, but also shows a lot of his personal life. 

Hope in Action

A good source of inspiration for me is Fareed Zakaria who recently brought Sanna Marin to my attention.  Once the youngest female elected to a national leadership.  She had many accomplishments to her credit and was impressive in her speaking.

Sanna grew up in a town near Tampere and her father left.  Her mother adopted a same sex relationship and that seemed normal to Sanna.  Education was equal for all students giving her a step up.

As a young adult she moved in with her boyfriend Markus.  A bit later they had a child, Emma.  To even up child caring they had the patrimony payments equal.  Part of this time she was commuting from Helsinki, about two hours from Tampere where Markus held the fort.

She had joined the Social Democrat Party locally and gradually proved herself.  Working on committees she learned policies and connections.  When one election ended her party had done well and she was given the position of Prime Minister at the age of 34. 

Her first crisis was the Covid pandemic. The initial problem was there was very little information.  A key ingredient was trust of the people in the government.  There was some opposition to some measures, but generally the population followed the government guidance.  Under a European Union there was a protocol to equalize distribution.  Health care workers received the first vaccination during December of 2020 and she got hers on June 11, 2021.  

Another major crisis was when Russia invaded Ukraine.  Finland shares the longest border with Russia in Europe and she felt that despite a long contentious relationship they needed to join NATO.  This meant convincing the other 4 coalition parties plus some of the others outside the coalition.  They also wanted to join with Sweden who had an awkward problem with Turkey.  Some Kurdish fighters were in Sweden and Turkey wanted them back.   Finland was able to join a year ahead of Sweden.  Finland gave arms assistance to Ukraine and Sanna visited Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Scandals seem to come with the position.  She is realistic pointing out "Politics is so much more than the issues."  There are scandals that are an abuse of power and then there are personal assaults.  Perhaps the best known one was of her dancing to a Finnish pop song and mugging.  This led while finally living that one down to another that occurred during a visit to a friends' house where two women were photographed against the words Finland.  She never apologized for the dancing video, but did take a drug test.  Newspapers found scandals good for sales and helped keep them going as long as they could.

The recent election showed a different configuration which would have left Sanna relatively powerless.  At this time her marriage ended.  She found herself tired from work and was not able to talk about a lot of it to her husband.  She noted that the two of them had watched the Danish series "Borgen" where the marriage of the female Prime Minister also broke.  The two had laughed at it on viewing it, but she came to understand the pressures were real.   see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/07/borgen.html

At this time Tony Blair offered her a position with an international organization.  After getting permission to withdraw from the Finnish Parliament she accepted.  Among other task she helped Ukraine and Moldova in their relations with the European Union.  

She writes quite a bit about the proportional representation system, a favourite topic of mine.  Her party is one of 5 parties in a coalition out of 9 total parties.  Her party the SDP got only about 20% of the voters, but the group negotiated and declared her the Prime Minister.  The parties did not all agree on every issue, and compromising was used.  Although things were slower, it was obvious a key mechanic was co-operation.  In systems where two parties dominate there is very little co-operation.  Incidentally Finland out performs most of the world in such areas as longevity and mostly sits at the top for happiness surveys.

As she moves on she feels the world has been going in the wrong direction.  Right wing leaders are wanting to carve up the world while the time for joint action is at hand.  Climate change, the AI revolution, equality all demand more attention.  

One observation she made was that after the Soviet Union breakup the European governments switched budget money from military to other concerns such as health and education.  Too bad not all the world adopted this principle.

She closes with an anecdote which I will attempt to paraphrase.  A Finnish custom is to go to a sauna and there many decisions can be thought out.  Sanna was comfortable with this which is traditionally gender segregated. A male journalist complained that he couldn't get close to the Prime Minister as female journalists could.  A female journalist pointed out that was how they were treated over time when males were in control.  

"Hope In Action" is a book good to expand your awareness of Finland and the life of a female politician.

Jacket photo by Meeri Koutaniemi

Vishwanath and Sons

After digesting "Viswanath and Sons" (2026) I realized it is more than worthy of writing about.  For my experience it is very unique and the presentation was well done.  A second impressive Tamil film in less than a month.

We are introduced to Sanjay Vishwanath, an Olympic shooting medal winner and learn he is also very rich.  But his mother Nirmila wants him to get married and start a family.  He is already nearly 40.  We learn later why he doesn't want to marry and also that he doesn't live as a celibate.  He loves his mother, but what to do?

His solution is to use a surrogate.  He relies on some sort of agency to find someone willing and money is no problem.  A young baby, named Abhay is produced some months later, making him and his mother happy.  But it soon turns out that a bone marrow match is required and they have to contact the mother. that Sanjay was deliberately ignorant about.   Maddy is 20 years old and had calculated how much money she needed to complete medical school.  She agrees to providing a bone marrow match after some comical discussions that shed a little light on motivations.

He really is a nice guy and she falls for him declaring she wants to be with him.  He is not budging and has gotten used to his freedom and is horrified at marriage, especially to someone 20 years younger.  He does say he now feels responsible for her and is willing to support her in different ways.  She has charmed his mother.  After awhile she feels she should sue him for neglectful child rearing as an excuse to have more contact.  In effect his mother happily takes care of Abhay with the aid of lots of servants, but Sanjay has been neglectful, never changing diapers for example.

Somewhere we learn why he doesn't want to marry and it is that his father had eft his mother.  Skipping ahead (a necessary spoiler) we learn his father had married again and had a daughter.  Nirmila had a peculiar relationship with her ex and his new bride.  The father had been allowed to visit his son and taught Sanjay how to shoot good enough to compete at high levels.  The new bride very occasionally visited and her daughter was about to get married.   Maddy got involved encouraging the marriage to go ahead and patch up family quarrels.

There is still lots of effort by Maddy who is helping Nirmala raise Abhay who knows who is his mother.  Sanjay is very fixed on not getting married, especially to someone as young as Maddy.  Neither Maddy or Nirmala are concerned about the age gap.  Abhay loves both his parents and grandmother.   While this is going on, Maddy finishes medical school financed by Sanjay.

This was a very engaging film owing to the cast and crew.  The two leading roles were very well done.

Venky Atluri was the director and writer.  He has 9 writing credits, 6 for directing and 1 for acting including "Vaath" (2023) and "Lucky Baskhar" (2024).

G.V. Prakash Kumur was the composer.  He has 126 composing credits, 63 for the music department and 37 for acting including "Aadukalam" (2011), "Gangs of Wasseypur" (2012),  "Soorari Pottru" (2020), "Vaath" (2023),   "Lucky Baskhar" (2024), "Amaran" (2024), "Idly Kadai" (2025) and "Kara" (2026).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/12/amaran.html

Nimish Ravi was the cinematographer.  He has 21 cinematography credits and 1 for the camera & electrical department" including  "Kurup" (2021) and "Lucky Baskhar" (2024).

Navin Nooli was the editor.  Navin has 77 editor credits, 3 for additional crew and 2 for the editorial department including "Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo" (2020), "Shyam Singha Roy" (2021), "Jersey" (2022), "18 Pages"{ (2023), "Butta Booma" (2023),  "Vaath" (2023) and "Lucky Baskhar" (2024). 

Suriya played Sanjay Vishwanath.  He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree.  He rejected his first film offer as he did not want to be an actor.  He had 7 unsuccessful roles before winning an award that turned his career around.  He picked up a charity established by his father and supported children who had dropped out of school and directed them to training schools or other education.  He also set up a charity for Tamils in Sri Lanka.  He has 60 acting credits, 21 as producer and 4 for the music department including "24" (2016) "The Ghazi Attack" (2017), "Soorari Pottru" (2020) and one of my very favorite films "Jai Bhim" (2021). plus "Meiyazhagen" (2024).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/11/jai-bhim.html   His wife Joythika has been prominent in films.

Mamitha Baiju played Maddy, the surrogate.  She started with modeling and then into the Malayalam film industry before expanding to Tamil films.  She has 29 acting credits including "Kara" (2026).

Radhika Sarathkumar played Sanjay's mother Nirmila Devi.  She has 246 acting credits, 24 for producing and 2 for additional crew including "Jeans" (1998) and "Pyaar Prem Kalanam" (2026). 

Ravenna Tandon played Anjala Devi.  She has 103 acting credits and 5 for producing.

Rajiv Menen played Vijay Vishwanath, Sanjay's father.  He studied cinematography in the United States under Garrett Brown, the inventor of the steadicam.  From there he became a cinematographer and directed tv. commercials including at least one with music by A.R. Rahman.  He has 9 acting credits, 9 cinematography credits and 7 for directing including "Bombay" (1995) and "Guru" (2007).

"Vishwanath and Sons" is available subtitled on Netflix.  Lots of laughs with some romance, action and music.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally these are among my favourites.  If you follow the links you should be better able to determine if a particular film is worth following up.

Finally a Chance to improve life for Americans

The world has been helpless while Donald Trump has tried to steer America and the rest of the world in a very dangerous path. The mid-term election is only about 40 days away and in fact mail ballots have just about started.  I cannot vote, but will be very affected by the outcome as will everyone else, meaning YOU.

Polls seem to indicate a big switch to Democrats.  There are a lot of tricks that Republicans will try and there will likely be legal challenges.  Do not take victory and the tying up of Trump for granted.  Every vote can make a difference.  Trump is correct when he says he is on the ballot.  The best result will be if voters reduce his power to the point he cannot defy the law.  He will push everywhere he can. 

Trump with a prepared text at the United Nations threatened to annihilate Iran and also to pressure Cuba to change its government.  Is that what Americans want representing them in this very tense world?  This is what is at stake.

In the short time left it seems likely that inflation will be on everyone's mind.  Iran will likely be resisting with significant impact.  Deporting "illegals" likely will be harsher and unjust.  The Trump administration believing their voters really like this effort, will try to cram as much in while they still can.

Trump is stubborn and unable to admit any mistakes or any sign of weakness.  Blaming others for his problems will become more laughable.  He seems increasingly mentally unwell and very unreasonable.  He is less calculating than in the past with his actions hurting his party and even himself.  If he is left with any power it could be disastrous for Americans and beyond.

The time from election to inauguration of the newly elected holds danger, often called the lame duck session.   Republicans will attempt to lock in their policies and prevent investigations with their legal team preparing for possible impeachment.  Democrats need to be careful.  Prioritizing will be difficult.  Impeachment can be very time consuming, distracting and wasteful.  They should assert Congressional powers regarding tariffs, war, health, etc,  

There are many reasonable people contesting the election and I would like to single out Abdul El-Sayed.  He reminds me of Pete Buttigieg as he is very logical.  His problem is that racists are out and he has been declared an enemy by AIPAC.  American have too often given into prejudicial ignorance when more than ever they need a clear head.

Albert Einstein gave his support to the Hebrew University, but became concerned over Jewish attitudes regarding Arabs.   As far back as 1929 he voiced such opinions as "Should we be unable to find a way to honest co-operation and honest pacts with the Arabs then we have learned absolutely nothing during over 2,000 years of suffering."  Are Americans finally getting a truer picture or is the water being muddied. 

The Republicans have a sorry record but always rely on prejudice.  Lately one target has been trans sexuals.  Recently learned of a new insight into transexuals.  I had been told that for many, the desire to be different is very strong.   I recall working with a family through their newspaper carrier son and successful canvasser.  He acted very feminine, but had a sister who acted masculine.  Such youngsters tend to be made fun of, but want to be their natural selves.  Parents don't want a sex change, but fear for the sanity of their children with some even being suicidal.

Progressives are on a delicate balance with most distrusting Trump, but realize voters fear change.  America is so diverse and although there are some intermingling with better understanding, there is also fear and hate generated by a minority.

The environment is on the ballot.  It was pointed out that states have significant control over environmental issues.  It seems likely hatred of Trump will result in federal switch to Democrat policies that are more environmental friendly.  Inevitably some will vote Democrat at the Federal level (for senators and house reps), but go back to their natural political voting at the state level.  For the environment generally, Democrats are better, but should there be exceptions-the environment should be the factor.

The Trump team has all been chosen for loyalty, not expertise.  Many of his key supporters lie to suck up to him.  They have suffered at the whims of a very vain, provocative man and in turn so has the rest of the world.

There will be countless people concerned about the result, but only a few have the tool to make a real difference.

see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/03/why-isnt-trump-in-prison.html

The Amazing Generation

As a baby boomer I am trying to adjust to a new generation--the ones who came up around the 2,000's.  The contrast of our youths is startling which means their future is going in a different direction.  Wealth has been distributed differently, but almost as important is the impact of the smart phone and the development of social media.

"The Amazing Generation" by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price is targeted for teenagers, young adults and their parents with the focus on smart phones.  Lots of illustrations, pop-ups and comic stories.

As a retired senior I recognize I have also been sucked in, although, my smart phone is used only for very occasional phone calls and taking photos.  My laptop is used mainly as a tool, but I am easily taken down other paths.

Designers for the most part do not let their own children get too involved with smart phones and computers.  At the same time they are developing addictive features and how to mine the information they gather from the participation of many adolescents and the rest of us.

The authors point out that baby boomers spent their childhood unsupervised when not in school.  That is how I remember it.  Starting around the 1980's parents did get nervous perhaps and started getting their children in structured activities such as music, dancing and sports.  Television had become more common, but no streaming.  Phones were plugged in and if you wanted more privacy there were pay phones.  One writer in person pointed out his privacy was limited by the chord length of his parent's phone.  Computers were becoming more common and evolving towards use in business and personal.  Wi-fi and websites developed along with digital cameras.  

The big change came on January 9, 2007 when Steve Jobs announced the Iphone.  From there, apps developed.  Smart phones became common and were quickly picked up by youngsters.  Phones were now mobile.  Designers quickly spotted opportunities.  Advertisers soon discovered that valuable information could be easily gathered and used for targeting.  

Smart phones were entertaining and had advantages for getting information and communicating.  Too much time on smart phones led to mental health issues especially among adolescents when their brains are making major changes.  Depression was one result for some.  Others were made to feel anxious.

We have all encountered groups of people staring at their phones rather than talking to one another.  Too many will interrupt a conversation in order to check their phone, an action called phubbing.   Some bullied others because it is so much easier than in person.  Perhaps the most serious problem is the waste of time.  Phones detract from studying, working and even relating to people on hand.  In the primitive era, people had to be alert to distractions as they could be fatal.  Today we need to learn to concentrate.  We are prone to multi-tasking (guilty), but that slows one down. 

Many are wondrous of the "free" service, but they should realize the service is not the product, they are.  Every minute they are on the phone, someone is scooping up more information.

How can you fight, and fill your life with real friendships, freedom and fun.  It might be hard to pull yourself away from the grip of your phone, but as Tyler Smallwood points out "if you can do one hard thing you can do another."   A few suggestions:

                    -count breaths

                    -5-4-3-2-1   think of 5 things you can see, then 4 things you can feel, then listen for 3

                     seconds, then identify 2 smells, then focus on one taste

                     -carry something to write on

                     -read

                     -look for new things to do

There are many other suggestions.  You are re-wiring your brain and it is important to be moving.

There have been legal actions such as META being successfully sued.  There are government actions such as in Australia where they have legislated restrictions for students.  Many other actions are being organized, but while they may improve things you have to think about children and parents.

Jonathan Haidt has had an impact on me over the years.  Glad he recognizes that children need protection.  Below are three posts I have found very helpful.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/the-righteous-mind.html

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/10/are-you-interested-in-happiness.html

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/the-anxious-generation.html

The jacket art has been done by Cynthia Yuan Cheng and shed also provided illustrations within the book.

Reply 1988

"Reply 1988 " (2015) was referenced when I was researching another film.  It was described as one of the best ever television series.  At one time it carried a 9.5 IMDB rating, but 8 or so years later has settled down to 9.0.  Wondering why?  It has been suggested that it carried a lot of emotions of a wide variety.  There is a lot of interconnection and support between five families.  

My first impression after about 3 minutes was that I had made a big mistake.  The narrator Deok-Seon was screaming for no apparent reason.  Throughout the series she gets very emotional, especially with rejections.  Others, also over-react both when frustrated, but also when excited. It is not over-acting.  The parents are very involved supporting their children's friends.

The parents include a widow and a widower.  The parents have their own struggles with their children and among themselves.  The personalities are diverse, but they are very supportive of one another. 

It is set in Seoul, Korea in 1988 the year they held the Olympics.  Deok-Seon has been given the task of marching with a flag for Madagascar, but we learn at the last minute they withdrew in protest over North Korea not being included along with another 3 or 4 countries.  She ends up with Uganda near he end of the parade, but all the families watch on tv.

A Studious daughter, Bo Ra joined student protesters which left her father very upset.  They get reconciled.  Some students have trouble qualifying for university and wrestle with studying, friends and keeping cool.  Romances develop, but with usual teenager angst.

Taek is an international Go champion, but seems grounded when not competing.  All the families follow his successes.

At the end of many episodes there is a segment 10 to 20 years later with the mature versions of the characters telling you who did get together using different actors.   

The end segment is reminiscing about how they remember the joy of their friendships which can no longer be relived.  They, parents and children grouped together for wedding photo.

This series was a massive effort and succeeded because of their cast and crew.  Here are some of them:

Shin Won-ho was the award winning director.  He has 6 directing credits and 1 for acting.  

Lee Woo-jung was the writer.  She has 9 writing credits, 2 for directing and 1 for acting including "D.P." (2013).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/04/dp-stands-for-deserter-pursuit.html

Oh Jae-ho was the cinematographer.  He has 8 cinematography credits and 1 for writing.

Lee Hyeri played the main female lead, Sung Deak-seon.  Better known as Hyeri when singing and was a key member of Girls Day.  She has 33 acting credits.

Park Bo-gum played Choi Taek, the Go champion.  He is a well known singer and one of the most respected brand endorsers in a wide variety of demographics.  Bo-gum has 21 acting credits and 1 for soundtrack including "A Hard Day" (2014), Itaewan Class" (2014) and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/04/when-life-gives-you-tangerines.html  

Ahn Jae-hong played Kim Jong Bong.  He has 34 acting credits, 1 for directing and 1 for writing including "Rebound" (2023) and "Mask Girl" (2023).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/08/mask-girl.html

Ryu Jun-yeol played Kim Jung-hwan.  He has 25 credits for acting including "A Taxi" (2017).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2026/09/a-taxi-driver-is-gem.html 

Go Kyung-pyo played Seong Seon-woo.   He has 32 acting credits including "Strongest Deliveryman" (2017), "D.P." (2021) and "Decision to Leave" (2022).    See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/decision-to-leave.html

Lee Dong-hwi played Ryu Dong-ryong.  He has 44 acting credits including "The Beauty Inside" (2015), "The Handmaiden" (2026), "Designated Survivor:  60 Days" (2019) and "Broker" (2022).   See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/07/broker-japanese-korean-collaboration.html

Ryu Hye-young played Seung Bo-ra the older sister.  She has 17 acting credits.

Kim Sung Kyun played Kim Sung Kyung.  He has 46 acting credits including "D.P." (2021) and "Divorce Attorney Shin" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/04/divorce-attorney-shin.html

Choi Moo-sung played Choi Moon Seong, a widower and father to Taek.  He has 8 acting credits including "The Good Bad Mother" (2023).    See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/06/the-good-bad-mother.html

Ra Mi-ran played her namesake, Ra Mi-ran.  She has 76 acting credits including "Thirst" (2009), "Hope" (2013), "Black Dog" (2019-20) and "The Good Bad Mother" (2023).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/hope-gut-wrenching-film-from-korea.html  and                     http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/01/black-dog.html

Kim Sun Young played Kim Seong-yeong, a widow.  She has 84 acting credits including "When the Camellia Blooms" (2019), "Crash Landing on You"(2019-20), "Broker" (2022), "Queenmaker" (2023), "The Trauma Code" (2025) and "Our Unwritten Seoul" (2025).   See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/our-unwritten-seoul.html 

Sung Dong-il played  Seong Dong-il, one of the fathers.  He has 95 acting credits including ""200 Pound Beauty" (2006), "Miss Granny" (2014), ""The Chase" (2014) and "Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days" (2018).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/a-slice-of-korean-cinema.html  

At times some of the emotions might seem a bit much, but very likely most viewers will find themselves tearing up--perhaps when parents are feeling love for their child and also vice versa.  Available on Netflix with subtitles.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite Korean films and a big part of my Korean obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.

Korean names recorded in western sources can be confusing.  Their names have different English spellings.  In many scripts that actors have their stage names adapted to their roles, sometimes duplicating.