Netflix is no stranger to the K-drama, but it truly has something special and fresh on its hands with the new series Heavenly Ever After. Kim Hye-ja stars as an 80-year-old woman who opts to follow her beloved husband (Son Suk-ku) in the afterlife at her current age and appearance, only to find that he has decided to spend his afterlife in his 30s. Faced with this not-so-Heavenly predicament, the two will have to navigate the challenges of love and afterlife to see if their once unshakeable bond can truly last despite it all.
Opening Shot: Somewhere in urban South Korea, two men pound on an apartment complex’s door. They call out to someone named Jang Gi-hwan demanding to be repaid for money he borrowed, before forcibly trying to open the door with a hammer. But before they can break in, an older woman opens the door, calmly saying that Jang Gi-hwan is her son and that he’s out of the house now, so they can’t come in. After standing up to the two men, the woman doggedly offers to pay for Gi-hwan’s debts using her body, freaking the men out enough to leave. She watches them go with no fear in her eyes… This lady is definitely something more than she appears to be.
The Gist: It turns out that the aforementioned older woman isn’t Jang Gi-hwan’s mother, but is in fact an 80-year-old loan shark named Lee Hae-sook (Kim Hye-ja) who is not to be trifled with. With the help and muscle of her charge Yeong-ae (Lee Jung Eun), Hae-sook fearlessly collects debts from those who owe her, even in the face of constant judgement, ridicule, and food throwing.
Beneath her brash and seemingly fearless exterior, Hae-sook has a genuinely soft, kind heart that she had to harden after her husband, Ko Nak-jun (Park Woong), got in an accident that left him paraplegic. In trying to care for him and keep their finances afloat, she fell into the moneylending business unintentionally, and is determined not to let others follow her indecent path if they don’t have to. While Hae-sook was initially scared of even raising her voice, she soon grew tough and brave enough to have only one fear: that her beloved husband would die before her.
Hae-sook has been Nak-jun’s caretaker and sole provider for years now, but their genuine love for one another is as strong as ever. She enjoys making him meals and enduring his silly pranks even while they both know that his time is almost up. Nak-jun has lived a pure and righteous life with a sweet personality and positive mentality, so Hae-sook feels confident that he will get into Heaven and only hopes that she can follow him there. When Nak-jun finally passes away peacefully, Hae-sook resigns herself to joining him soon, much to Yeong-ae’s dismay, and just one year later finally follows her late husband into the afterlife.
Although Hae-sook is sure that her often unpleasant and unforgiving work as a loan shark has damned her to Hell, she is delighted to end up on the subway train bound for Heaven. Surrounded by people of all ages and backgrounds, she enters Heaven with nothing but the clothes on her back and an eagerness to greet Nak-jun and their deceased cat, Sonya, only to find that there’s a unique system in place that would allow her to live with one specific person and be her desired age for all of eternity.
Naturally, Hae-sook opts to live with her husband, but when it comes to age, she decides to skip over her prime physical age of 25 to stay 80-years-old, because of Nak-jun’s deathbed words that she has never been more beautiful than she is right now. Well, it turns out that their seemingly soulmate-level love story will be put to the test like never before as the 80-year-old Hae-sook comes face-to-face with a much younger-looking Nak-jun (Son Suk-ku), who is NOT thrilled to see that his wife appears five decades his senior. Can their love survive despite appearances, or will Hae-sook’s advanced age turn Heaven into her own personal Hell?
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Heavenly Ever After might remind you a little of other shows set in the afterlife like The Good Place, Miracle Workers, or Forever. And even though they’re very different in tone, Severance also came to mind, perhaps because of Heaven’s stark visuals and the surreal quality of the afterlife that feels like something is lurking below the surface, much like with the Apple TV+ show’s Lumon Industries.
Our Take: Underneath its slightly goofy exterior, Heavenly Ever After is rich with emotion and humanity. There’s an inherent warmth somehow baked into its very DNA, making it easy for viewers to feel invested in Hae-sook and her story from the start. Because of this, the 73 minute runtime honestly flew by, and I was hungry for more as soon as it ended.
The show strikes the perfect balance of silly and heartfelt that had me laughing and crying in almost equal measure, culminating in the truly unique and deeply human kind of story that seems increasingly rare these days. It’s also really refreshing to see a movie about and starring an older woman, and it seems that future episodes could invite a thought-provoking discussion about how people (especially women) can be judged and valued for their youth and beauty even in the afterlife.
In addition to the story and writing, Heavenly Ever After also succeeds due to the wonderful performances from top to bottom. Kim Hye-ja and Lee Jung Eun expertly carry this first episode on their shoulder as leads, but the supporting or background actors around them are what fills out the characters’ world to give it that extra depth and meaning. I really can’t think of anything bad to say about anyone or anything, like even the obvious brief moments of CGI and green screens were charming (it was almost reminscent of Beetlejuice). This title true is a triumph.
Sex and Skin: None in this episode!
Parting Shot: At lost last, Hae-sook finally reunites with her husband, Nak-joon, in Heaven. The only problem? He’s the 30-something-year-old version of himself, while she is still 80. When Hae-sook greets Nak-joon, he realizes it’s his wife, and he reacts with confusion and alarm at her older form. “I’m screwed,” Hae-sook says, before the two just stare at each other in utter shock.
Sleeper Star: Okay, I know she plays the main character so she’s not exactly a “sleeper” star but Kim Hye-ja is just too darn good not to shout out here. She somehow manages to be both hilarious and heart-wrenching as she leads the show with her immense range and natural charm. She had me on her side from the start and I can’t wait to see what she continues to deliver throughout this series.
Most Pilot-y Line: Hae-sook gives us the lowdown on why we should care about her with a little bit of exposition: “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?”
Also, an honorable mention for Nak-joon’s line: “You were pretty at 20. And you were pretty at 40. But you… You’re the prettiest now.” If only he knew how much his words would come back to haunt him.
Our Call: Heavenly Ever After is a truly original concept that is an absolute success thanks to the clever writing and skilled acting of all involved. By watching this series, you’re bound for a viewing experience so emotionally rich and fulfilling you honestly just might feel like you’re in Heaven on Earth. STREAM IT!
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