Not what I was expecting but...

When she gets pulled off the train and notices the blossom petals and then gets stuck out of time and just decides. to not go to work today. Yeah. That bit hit me. I've written about that exact feeling and even almost that exact scene, multiple times.

Not watching but... usually when someone who has had a really hard time at work wades out into the ocean it's -- let's just say, not a good sign.

Thank you, @unit, for the weecap! With the way you described the beginning of this 'feel-good' drama, I think I'll watch this. Off to my favorite kdrama website!!

I'm just commenting because of her socks while she was wearing sandals. Bothered me to no end. And the fact that she perhaps never showered after getting into the water at the beach, sweating it out looking at rental apartments with the real estate agent, before finally renting that rundown building with no (shower) facilities, and then just changing into new clothes the next day. Bothered me to no end. Focusing on all the wrong points in these 2 episodes, I know.

This show was billed as having a 'thriller' aspect to it so some of the darker vibes were not unexpected. But on the whole, we were not displeased by the realism of the first two episodes. This will not be a light. fluffy rom-com. Neither was I'LL COME TO YOU WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE which had its darker side too.

First I want to commend the production staff for the best use of blossoming cherry trees (least that is what I think they are) in a drama I have watched since COME AND HUG ME (2018). Just stunning.

A good deal of the first two episodes was concerned with Yeo-reum’s story and how she wound up in Angok. I think that was presented quite well (loss of mom, breakup with 6 year boyfriend, quitting a toxic work environment.) Once YR arrived in Angok I wondered about her lack of prudence in decision making.
I hope we have the mandatory over indulgence of alcohol in a kdrama out of the way. I was cringing through the whole series of events after she opened that bottle of soju at lunch. The purpose I guess was to show how good a guy Dae-beom is. I loved the ‘Excuse me, unnie’ line.
The little guys outside the library certainly know how good DB is.
Both Seolhyun and Siwan seem to have a great handle on their characters. I am looking forward to Dae-beom’s story.

Now a bit of shallowness. I am not a fan of the overalls look on either a women or man outside of the farm. Iirc Shin Se-kyung in RUN ON wore overalls at times and I wasn’t crazy about that look either.

Why is it mostly heroines that run away from the city?

It was kinda sad how the people were not nice with her at Angok too. Are people so mean in Korea with strangers? She's a nice a girl, she was polite. But they emptied her bag, like she had the time to steal something and to put it in her bag, the woman in the restaurant, the teenager who just threw her bag in the library, the 3 kids, etc. At least, Dae-beom looks like a cute mashmallow.

The 2 first episodes were really beautiful, the cherry trees, the ocean, the sky.

The good:

1. Our girl is free. Yay! For me nothing's better than a peaceful life. I loved that line "if I go in the opposite direction from where everybody else goes wouldn't it be quieter, calmer and peaceful?"
I like her determination to find happiness. I'm rooting for her.

I also like our ML. He's super cute and relatable. I'm also super awkward with strangers. Ha. They call it strangers for how strange I act in front of them. 🤣

The bad:

I didn't like how the first 20min of episode 1 felt like a slap machine.
They googled "worst scenarios main characters face in kdrmas" but didn't have time to make a proper storyline with them, so they just threw them all in our faces and went "so... Her life sucks, right? It makes sense she's quitting her job and moving out right?"

I don't know about other people, but I would've understand her decision even if the only problem was the toxic work environment.

Like we talked with other beanie, maybe it would've been better to make them flashbacks.

2. Yes, our girl was living a Jung So Min drama, but haven't she watch a Oh Ji Young drama?

Finding a home isn't easy.
If the rent is cheap obviously someone died there. And a big old place like that one obviously needs maintenance that their leaving for you to pay.

I mean, girl...
1. Of course someone died there.
2. Of course the rent is cheap.
They're renting you that place so you fix it up for them.

The ugly:

I have the feeling that poor girl is going to be involved in a lot of problems and that she's going to DO THINGS. She literally said her life was on strike and that she wasn't going to do anything but the reality is that she's renting a big place that needs lots of work (is this Ghosts u.k? 😆)?

I'm glad she left her shocking job, but I was wondering how bad does a job atmosphere
have to be in S. Korea before someone leaves it. It took the additional blow of her mother's death before something happened.
I'm intrigued by our ML.
It took a while to adjust to the overall pace, but the transformation of the FL appearance from work automaton to free being was quite amazing. She looked like two different people.

This is the first drama that I'm watching form its first air. I kinda like how its portrayed like the FL is tired of the city life and is actually making a healthy choice of taking a break and revealing the team leader's deeds. I look forward to the character development of the FL that she speak up for herself and be less shy.
The fact that ML wasn't speaking so I actually thought that maybe he couldn't speak; but then they revealed how he can't speak in front of strangers. But I loved how he could call out to the FL. The show feels kinda mysterious rn and idk where exactlly they are taking this(altho it obviously feels like its abt the billiard incident 20 years ago and the ML prolly has trauma of then). But yeah I kinda look forward to this show and how it turns out.
P.S. I like how FL's name is Yeo-Reum(which means summer); it kinda reminds me of Gu Yeo-Reum in love is for suckers and i absolutely love her there, so I might be a bit more attached to the yeo-reum here

I liked it. Seolhyun's acting has improved, so this worked for me.

I like it so far! I've definitely been in a drama slump lately, and this is the first recent drama where I'm waiting for the next episodes to come out.

I liked both episodes although I don't like FL so far, at least not yet. I totally get why her boyfriend left her, why his boss was so mean to her, why her workmate took advantage of her. It doesn't mean I approve, but she is that kind of person who is a good person trying to please everybody but herself. No wonder she decided to run away when confronting her mum's death... when you are dead you are no longer... will anyone remember YR? Not really, and she knows.

Contrary to all the comments before, I liked the scene at the restaurant. It was her way of saying "I don't have to follow the rules anymore", just as she did when she decided to skip working, enjoy the blossom trees and go back to sleep.

I do like DB. His life seems to have the balance YR lacks, and he always seems to be in a good mood. I found so cute and funny him communicating with post its. Siwan's expressions were delicious.

Its interesting how in Korean dramas 'rural life' is much more congested than in American dramas. People still live cheek-by-jowl with roads criss-crossing. The difference is that in rural country the buildings are 1-2 stories while in cities their 8-16 stories.

I am city dweller, so compared to the dust and pollution in the city, it would be less in the village, but all that I kept thinking was the amount of dirt that got stuck to her hair and white top when she leaned on the window sill to admire the morning sky. Also, lying on the sofa without paper or an extra clothing made me think of the hidden bugs more than the dust. Now, all these makes me wonder if people really would trade comfort for a quiet life.

I like the play on words with the title. Summer Strike, during summer. And Yeo-Reum's name means summer, so also Yeo-Reum's strike.