Released on April 18, "We are all trying here" quickly topped the "Top 10 series in Korea" chart on Netflix. On the TV-OTT content popularity chart announced by FUNdex, the film also held 2nd place.
In addition, the two main actors Koo Kyo Hwan and Go Yoon Jung ranked 3rd and 6th respectively in terms of interest, showing the appeal of the work after the first episodes.
Korean media commented that the initial success of the film came from the collaboration between director Cha Young Hoon and screenwriter Park Hae Young - who is famous for his deeply emotional works.
Park Hae Young's writing style focuses on familiar topics such as feelings of worthlessness, failure and inner struggles. The dialogue is simple but touches the psychology of viewers, helping the film create empathy. Many lines in the film quickly spread on social networks, reflecting the stressful emotions that many people encounter in daily life.
In addition, the scene where the character Byun Eun Ah (Go Yoon Jung) falls into a state of exhaustion, leading to nosebleeds, also received much attention. The scene is assessed to clearly show mental and physical pressure, while creating emotional highlights for the story.
The detail that the characters run their best but only reach a speed of 20-22 km/h is also considered a metaphor of human limits, reflecting the difficulties in the journey to find self-worth.
Choosing a storytelling method focused on failures, injuries and loneliness in modern life, "War in Us" brings a close and contemplative perspective.
Sharing about the work, director Cha Young Hoon said: "We always try to become valuable people, but because of that, emotions like jealousy and inferiority complex easily arise.
According to him, the character Hwang Dong Man (Koo Kyo Hwan) represents people who are struggling with feelings of worthlessness, when everyone around is successful while he himself is slow.
Through the character's journey, we want to send a message that the negative emotions today are not just your own. Everyone is living like that. So don't keep sadness in your heart forever, and there will be a time when you can smile back" - the director said.
With a close and contemplative approach, "War in Us" is expected to become one of the notable television works in 2026.
