You and Everything Else

Korean romance series are among my favorite.  "You and Everything Else" (2025) has been described as a romance, but is a little different.  The main characters are two women, Ryu Eun-jung and Cheon Sang-Yeo and admittedly there is a man, Kim Sang-hak that both wanted.  The women had been close as youngsters and both joined a photo club, as well as Sang-hak and his friend. 

As a romance, it is more of a tear jerker for sure.  Not because a woman and man separated for one reason or another, but because two women wasted much of their lives hurting each other and being jealous.  Having said that, it is very beautifully done.

Sang-hak was close friends with a man who killed himself.  The reason, a few episodes in was that he was gay.  Sang-hak felt he needed to help his friend's mother and sister, Sang-Yeo.

Later all three get involved with film scripts.  For awhile their inevitable contact is awkward.  One can see how film writers can find some drama in their work relations. The film covers a bit of their careers that had many challenges and required compromises and ego clashes.  We are treated to a lot of minutia about how ideas are put together.  A lot of discussion about a lot of details such as locations, cinematography, writing, directing and producing.

After a few years after what seems like a permanent break Sang-Yeo comes back to ask a big favor of Eun-jung.  She has terminal cancer and wants to be forgiven.  Why would she go back to someone she split with that she had been bitter about?  Some think it was for revenge, but maybe she remembers the confidences they shared.  Ultimately she wants to go to Switzerland for an assisted suicide. 

This is a very well done series.  Some of those responsible are noted.

Jo Yeong-Min was the director.  He has 3 directing credits and 1 for writing.

Hye-jin Song was the writer.  He has 7 writing credits.

Jay Kim was the composer.  He has 54 composing credits and 13 for the music department.

I had no access for other crew members except for some names.   Bae Sun-hye& Woo Jung-min (producers), Uhm Sung-tak& Shin Jae-hyun& Yoo Jae-hyun (cinematographers),  Lee Sang-rok& Yeo Tae-hyun (editors) and a Swiss director Sebastian Krahenbuhl.

Kim Go-eun played Ryo Eun-jung.  As a youngster she spent 10 years in Beijing, China and learned fluent Mandarin.  She has 23 acting credits, including "Little Women" (2022).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/06/little-women-korean-version.html

Park Ji-hyun played Cheon Sang-yeon.  She has 21 acting credits and 1 for the camera and electrical department.

Kim Gun-woo played Kim Sang-hak, an objectforf both women.  He has 10 acting credits and 1 for soundtrack including "The Glory" (2022-23).

Jang Hye-jin played Jang Soon-yeon, mother to Eun-jung.  She has 35 acting credits including "Secret Sunshine" (2007), "Poetry" ((2010), Oscar winner "Parasite" (2019), "Crash Landing on You" (2019-20), "Doctor Slump" (2024) and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/09/parasite-breaks-oscar-tradition.html and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html

Seo Jeong-yeon played Sang-yeon;s mother.  She has 77 acting credits including "Live Up to Your Name" (2017), "Something in the Rain" (2018), "The Trolley" (2022-23) and "Castaway Diva" ((2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/the-trolley.html

This is an emotional series.  A quote from a Reddit review "Hurt People Hurt People."  You can watch it on Netflix subtitled or dubbed.

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.