Title : The light in your eyes, Dazzling, Radiant, Eyes are dazzling
Episodes : 12
Genre : Drama, Family, Melodrama, Fantasy, Suspense, Slice of Life, Tragedy, Romance, Comedy, Friendship
Story : 8 out of 10
Characters : 8 out of 10
Cinematography : 8 out of 10
The Light in Your Eyes is one of the most surprising korean dramas of the year (so far at least), with a story that is not at all what it promises to be.
Story
Hye Ja had found a clock, as a child, that allowed her to turn back time and repeat her day. As a grown up now, she is dreaming of becoming an announcer, when her father dies in a car accident. Hye Ja, desperately, turns back in time countless times, until she manages to save him. However, when she finally does so, she wakes up as an old lady. Turns out, the clock took years from her. And now, the clock has stopped working. Shocked, she locks herself in her room, while her family is trying to come in terms with this unusual turn of events.
Hye Ja finally comes out of her room and decided to do something about her current situation. However, she discovers that that is harder than she anticipated. Now, she has to live as an old lady, pretending to be the great-aunt of the family. She has to watch her parents grow apart from each other while being sad about their daughter. Her friends don’t recognize her either. But worst of all, the boy she was in love with, has his life ruined and she can’t do anything about it.
The story is a roller coaster of twists. First of all, I have to warn you that the drama’s story is not what it looks like. It is a puzzle of events that come together in the final episodes and reveal the true story behind everything. So, there were some really dark moments, some depressing ones, some funny ones, and some action as well! The drama starts as a romantic comedy, with Hye Ja living with her family, all carefree while flirting with the boy she loves. Then, she turns into an old lady, and that’s when the fantasy element kicks in. Also, it’s when the story goes all dark and gloomy. We see the tragedy of the characters, their fall and their weakest moments. Then, the story becomes more of a mystery, with some nice friendship moments, warmer plot, and some action blended well with the comedy element until the final revelation of the truth takes place.
Overall, the first part was just okay, as it was kind of a cliché romantic story. Then, the story picks up. Joon Ha’s story, Hye Ja’s love interest, was the most interesting one, as it was tragic and sad. The family drama was good as well. However, it was tiring to wait for Hye Ja to return to her younger self. But the ending was really good and you probably won’t even be able to predict that twist.
Characters
Hye Ja is a bright young lady who is reckless and confident. When she turns old all of a sudden, she can’t come in terms with that at first. She actually tries to live as she did before. But, eventually, she finds her real self and makes new friends, while discovering the real meaning of life, family, and love. Han Ji Min didn’t have much screen time, but she was good. Kim Hye Ja, the girl’s older self, was really good, though her character was kind of annoying at times. But her performance was quite emotional. Another note about this character is that the younger self of Hye Ja felt like a different character from the older self.
Joon Ha is a young man who lives with his grandmother. He is a sweet boy, with a crush on Hye Ja. He works hard to get by while trying to become a journalist. He also loves his granny, the only family member he has, apart from his worthless father who only visits them when he needs money. When his grandmother dies, Joon Ha’s life takes a turn for the worse. Hye Ja is missing and he has no one there for him. So, he takes up every odd job there is, while becoming a bitter person. Nam Joo Hyuk was his usual self, the boyfriend goals character until he got all dark and moody, an aspect of his character that was performed perfectly.
Cinematography
The drama managed the twist quite well and masterfully. However, the fantasy elements were not as nicely done.
Overall
My overall rating for this drama is 8 out of 10. The story was amazing, especially if you like melodrama. However, there were some annoying moments, like waiting for Hye Ja to return to her younger self and save Joon Ha.
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