Can we already call Son Suk Ku the king of unconventional roles? Because with each passing spring, this 42-year-old adds something new to the table—something that leaves fans either wiping away tears, lost in thought, or counting down the days until he returns with another banger. And Netflix, which is usually quite picky with its K-content (minus some slips like Lovely Runner, which the platform clearly underestimated), couldn’t let this one go, especially after it raked in millions with Son Suk Ku and Kim Ji Won’s slice-of-life comfort drama My Liberation Notes and the success of The Killer Paradox.
This time, he’s paired with the beloved Kim Hye Ja, known for playing (The legendary Ajumma) grandmother roles in many K-dramas. Heavenly Ever After falls into the romance genre, but how? Are we about to witness the biggest age gap in K-drama history? Correct. While it might sound strange, somewhere in urban South Korea, two lovebirds die and reunite in the afterlife, only to be faced with a not-so-heavenly treatment. Han Ji Min’s character arc, still under wraps, could be a little annoying for those who have already fallen for this oddly beautiful pairing. Son Suk Ku reunites with My Liberation Notes director, with Lee Nam Gyu penning the concept, he’s already known for writing out-of-the-box scripts like Behind Your Touch and Daily Dose of Sunshine.
Son Suk Ku, Kim Hye Ja, Han Ji Min’s Heavenly Ever After skip or stream
The concept of heaven has always fascinated humankind, but the fear of not being able to reunite with your loved ones there could be the most terrifying aspect. In the show, however, 80-year-old Kim Hye Ja (Lee Hae Sook) is fortunate enough to be granted a chance to go to heaven, even though she initially thought the opposite. After spending her entire life as a loan shark following her husband’s accident that left him bedridden and unable to walk, Hae Sook is relieved to find that her husband chose her to join him in heaven. However, she feels betrayed when she discovers that he has chosen to spend eternity in his 30s while she walks into heaven in her 80s, recalling his last words, “You were pretty at 20. And you were pretty at 40. But you… you’re the prettiest now.”
Also read: Karma K-drama review: Shin Min Ah and Park Hae Soo’s sin-soaked Netflix thriller delivers psychological whiplash
The story hooks you from the first episode, and by the second, you’re drawn into the humour, the confusion, and the intriguing way the plot develops, after Hae Sook, encounters a much younger-looking Nak Jun (Son Suk Ku), who is not thrilled to see his wife appear five decades older. But Nak Jun is still happy to meet his Jagiya (darling). He is happy to run again, give her a piggyback ride, and love her just as he always did. Yet, for Hae Sook, the judgmental stares from others irritate her. She constantly looks at her wrinkles in the mirror, blaming her husband for having entered heaven in his youthful form. The story also features Lee Jung Eun as Lee Young Ae, who is left behind after Hae Sook dies. Young Ae, raised by a woman the society labeled as cruel, always believed her boss would eventually make it to heaven, no matter what. She becomes a daughter-like figure in their small family, fulfilling a promise Hae Sook made to one of her debtors.
Without a second thought, the show is shaping up to be another slice-of-life comfort, just days after Park Bo Gum and IU’s When Life Gives You Tangerines ended—only this time, with a heavenly touch. JTBC K-dramas somehow always know how to serve up stories full of life lessons, and this one steps right into that space like Rain or Shine, Nevertheless and so on. The story immediately grabs attention with Hae Sook’s sharp wit and morally grey actions in the show’s initial dark-toned environment, while also grounding her in emotional depth through her devotion to her paralysed husband. One of the standout lines that captures Hye Ja’s life dilemma goes: “Don’t you feel sorry for me? My husband’s accident left him paraplegic. I started giving out loans using his insurance money before I was even 30. I get humiliated at the market every day. They say I’m heartless and cruel. Don’t you feel sorry for me?” If you’re open to K-dramas that go beyond any trope, then you might want to give Heavenly Ever After a watch.
Story continues below this ad
Our Take
Just the presence of award-winning stars Son Suk Ku and Kim Hye Ja was enough to lure me into this new Netflix show, even though I was a little hesitant about the plot at first. But that hesitation flew out the window the moment Kim Hye Ja lifted her umbrella in style, flashing that sassy smile, mastering the art of protecting herself from getting drenched and pelted with water, fish, and more, all for simply asking for her money back. I’m not here for romance or another sob-fest, I’m here for the fresh and original concept. A show that dares to explore a side of life (and afterlife) no one really talks about: the beauty of fulfilling what you couldn’t do while alive. The heaven we all daydream about, with its own terms and conditions. Like, fine print no one bothered to read. A version where your pets become your owners. Two episodes in, I’m thrilled by how the show flips the afterlife on its head, serving a fresh, never-seen-before version that no book or bedtime story ever dared to tell. I’m rooting for Hye Ja and Suk Ku’s chemistry, while counting down to Han Ji Min’s (Love Scout) grand entry, ready to stir things up with a love triangle.
Heavenly Ever After has standout elements that won’t be for everyone, especially if unconventional pairings make you uncomfortable, because this one definitely goes off the beaten path. What caught me off guard were the social media reactions. This was praise flying in from fans who usually gatekeep the classic K-drama formula. It felt like someone cracked open a window. A fresh breeze, finally. Proof that the K-drama audience is growing up, mixing things up, and actually open to shows that dare to be different.
