This drama was a pleasant surprise. It's not that common to see a kdrama that has as leads a single mother and her grown daughter, mostly because of the stigma this kind of family stills carries in South Korea.
Thankfully, Not Others manages to not make it all about the stigma of teen pregnancy or single motherhood, it finds a good balance between every day life events, criminal investigation and rom-com. Particularly because Mom and Daughter are so unbothered by it that they carry on with a "it sounds like a you problem" when someone points out they are, within their society, wildly unconventional.
At the heart of it, there's a story of two women making their way in the world through hardships, love and growing pains. About how it's possible to choose your family and make that unit be whatever you want, not what it's expected.
My favourite part of this drama was the performances. Jeon Hye Jin and Soo-young shine as the outspoken Mother-Daughter duo. Their characters are kind, smart and brave about their live choices. They have great chemistry with each other and make you feel everything.
The rest of the cast delivers solid support. Kim Hye Eun plays the rich, cool aunt and she's a hoot in every scene she's in. Park Sung-hoon in a great counterpart for Soo-young and Ahn Jae Wook delivers as the lovable fool supporting whatever his ladies wish for in life.
There's also a murder mystery surrounding the central story that manages to keep it all very centered and makes all the characters interact with each other making their world better developed.
Don't miss out on this found family! Their affection it's the real deal.
