Airing from April 18, "We are all trying here" quickly attracted attention thanks to its gentle, emotional storytelling. In the first 2 episodes, the film achieved a viewership rating of 2.2%, while its opponent "Perfect crown" recorded 11.1%, according to Nielsen Korea.
Despite the significant difference, Korean media believes that the initial rating does not fully reflect the potential of the work. The film marks the collaboration of screenwriter Park Hae Young - the person behind the success of "My mister" (My Uncle), "My liberation notes" (My Liberation Notes) - and director Cha Young Hoon.
Not following the direction of intense drama, the film focuses on exploiting emotional slices such as inner trauma, feelings of loneliness and the character's journey of maturity. Slow narration continues to be a familiar mark in Park Hae Young's works.
Audiences recognize many similarities between "We are all trying here" and previous films by the female screenwriter. The story revolves around hurt people, gradually becoming spiritual support for each other.
The emotional focus lies in the relationship between Hwang Dong Man (Koo Kyo Hwan) and Byun Eun Ah (Go Yoon Jung). When one person is trapped in a feeling of failure, the other also faces their own pent-up feelings, both gradually understand and form a silent bond. This is considered the biggest strength of the film.
The first two episodes clearly reflect Dong Man struggling with the worry of not being able to realize his dream for 20 years. He tries hard, struggles, even utters harsh words to his own friend, but still cannot relieve the feeling of insecurity.
The character often calls himself by his name as a way to affirm his existence, but that does not help him escape the feeling of "worthlessness". It is the meetings with Eun Ah that gradually make Dong Man open his heart, thereby regaining confidence and personal identity.
In the opposite direction, Eun Ah - a girl who is always in a state of exhaustion due to loneliness - is also gradually "healed" when in contact with Dong Man. She realizes the fear behind his talkative appearance, as well as the emotional lack when reading the script he wrote.
With a slow pace and psychological focus, "War in Us" is not a choice for audiences who love romantic movies with bright colors. However, the work easily creates empathy with those who are struggling to find their own values and identity.
On screen, Dong Man's story becomes more convincing thanks to Koo Kyo Hwan's multi-dimensional acting. Meanwhile, although not appearing much in the first 2 episodes, Go Yoon Jung still left a certain mark.
Korean media commented that Park Hae Young's previous works often grew thanks to word-of-mouth effects after the first episodes, with ratings reaching 6.1% in "My Free Diary", 7.4% in "My Uncle" and 10% in "Ohae Young Again".
Therefore, "War in Us" is expected to improve its performance in the near future thanks to the attraction of acting and emotional depth.
