‘Heavenly Ever After’ Is A K-Drama That Warms—And Chills—The Heart

Kim Hye-ja as Lee Hae-sook and Son Suk-ku as Ko Nak-joon in 'Heavenly Ever After'
Courtesy of SLL
One of this year’s most unique and original K-dramas is Heavenly Ever After, a quirky romantic fantasy from Studio Phoenix and SLL that vividly imagines life after death. Directed by Kim Seok-yoon (My Liberation Notes, Law School) and co-written by Lee Nam-kyu (Daily Dose of Sunshine) and Kim Su-jin, the 12-episode series features a star-studded cast led by the legendary Kim Hye-ja (Mother, Our Blues), Son Suk-ku (A Killer Paradox, My Liberation Notes), Han Ji-min (Love Scout, Yonder), Lee Jung-eun (Parasite, Miss Night and Day) and Cheon Ho-jin (Beyond Evil, My Liberation Notes).
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After an accident leaves her husband Ko Nak-joon paralyzed and bedridden, Lee Hae-sook (Kim Hye-ja) spends most of her adult years working as a loan shark to support her family. She passes soon after her husband’s death and enters Heaven, where she’s given the option to choose the age she’d like to appear as while living there. Hae-sook decides to remain as her 80-year-old self, since her late husband had mentioned that she was the prettiest at that age. But when she reunites with her husband in Heaven, she’s mortified to find him as a 30-year-old. Nak-joon (Son Suk-ku) is also initially shocked at their age gap but nevertheless shows her unwavering affection. With his help, Hae-sook learns to adjust to her new life in Heaven. Along the way, she meets some of its other residents, including some familiar faces from her past.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for ‘Heavenly Ever After’!
Many other K-dramas have also addressed the afterlife, but Heavenly Ever After sets itself apart by incorporating a wide variety of genres like comedy, slice of life, romance, fantasy and even horror while nimbly alternating between extremes. You might find yourself bawling at a heartwarming scene in one episode, while another episode (ahem, Episode 5) might have you shrieking from terror at watching people being tormented in Hell.