Synopsis

“You Drive Me Crazy” (“YDMC”) is a K-drama about two friends who become lovers. Han Eun Seong (Lee Yoo Young) and Kim Rae Wan (Kim Seon Ho) are friends who sleep together one night, changing everything.  “YDMC” picks up two months after that fateful night, and shows how the friends struggle when their 8-year friendship changes into something else.  Eun Seong is a French/Korean interpreter who is overworked and struggling to make ends meet.  Rae Wan is a successful artist who is struggling with inspiration ever since sleeping with Eun Seong.  When the pipes burst in Eun Seong’s apartment, she is forced to temporarily move in with Rae Wan.  At first, the friends agree to pretend as if their night of passion never happened.  Over time, however, both struggle with the fact that sleeping together has changed their relationship.  They try to keep their relationship platonic, becoming romantically involved with other people, but ultimately, they realize that their friendship has blossomed into something more.

Mini Series

“YDMC” was my first K-drama Mini Series.  The series is only 4 episodes long and each episode runs approximately 30 minutes.  The series moves very quickly – it has to – but does a great job of containing many of the quintessential elements of what I love about K-dramas – a strong lead couple, intense moments balanced with lighthearted humor, and a strong story line.  That being said, “YDMC” could definitely have been lengthened to a regular 16-episode drama series, allowing for the story to be flushed out, and adding a Bromance (one of my personal favorite elements) or a Secondary Couple (or both).  I would have also enjoyed seeing more of the relationship of Eun Seong and Rae Wan as it developed over the years, seeing what the relationship looked like prior to the start of the series, as well as their attempts to find love elsewhere. 

Friendship vs. Romance

The Lead Couple in this K-drama is adorable and are a great example of a slow-burn friendship (though we have to take their word for it) that develops into love.  I first saw Kim Seon Ho in “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.”  But whereas Hong Do Sik, his character in “Hometown,” is a carefree jack-of-all trades, living day-to-day doing a plethora of jobs, in “YDMC,” Rae Wan is a successful and financially independent artist who is known for dating many women, but never finding “the one.”  The reason that Rae Wan cannot seem to find Ms. Right in all of the women he dates is because she is already by his side, in the person of Eun Seong. 

In contrast, Eun Seong is carefree on the surface, but overworked and anxious on the inside, struggling to do more than just survive.  When it comes to her relationship with Rae Wan, she is horrified to think of him as a romantic partner because she has been so close to him over the past 8 years.  Because of this, she fears that he could never see her as a woman.  (Author’s note: there is a whole story about Rae Wan having to unclog a toilet after Eun Seong used the restroom, thereby seeing her poop. Poop and bowel movements are a recurring – and disgusting – image in K-dramas that I struggle to see the humor in.)

The night that Eun Seong and Rae Wan sleep together is the same day as Eun Seong’s ex-boyfriend’s wedding.  That day happens to be Eun Seong’s birthday, as well, and she is troubled by how easily and completely her ex-boyfriend has moved on with his life and forgotten about her.  At Rae Wen’s home, drunk and upset, she vows to do whatever she desires, and in that moment, she kisses Rae Wan.  A shocked Rae Wan, who has also been drinking, initially resists Eun Seong’s advances, but eventually gives in. 

Angst

A side effect of the shorter running time is the angst is kept to a minimum in this K-drama.  When it does appear, it is used effectively.  We first learn about Eun Seong and Rae Wan sleeping together through Eun Seong’s conversation with her coworker and friend, Kang Ji In (Ryu Hye Rin).  From that conversation, and others they share, we can see that Eun Seong’s biggest fear in dating Rae Wan is losing his friendship, a friendship that is unlike any other in her life.  Rae Wan is the one person in Eun Seong’s life whom she can depend on. 

We learn about Rae Wan’s feelings regarding Eun Seong through his conversations with former artist and current bar owner, Lee Hyun Ji (Park Hyo Joo).  Initially, Rae Wan is stunned by Eun Seong’s desire to act as if nothing happened.  But then, determined to play it cool, he continues in his pursuit of another woman, Moon Seo Jung (Kwon Do Woon).  Seo Jung is my least favorite character of the drama as she comes across as very flat.  She begins the series calling out Rae Wan for his player ways, acting completely uninterested.  Abruptly, in the final episode, she appears to change her mind about dating Rae Wan, though we never know how, why, or when.     

Meanwhile, one of Rae Wan’s friends, budding idol Yoon Hee Nam (Kim Sung Joo), meets Eun Seong one evening and is instantly attracted to her.  Rae Wan tells Hee Nam that he and Eun Seong are just friends, but it is apparent that he finds Hee Nam’s interest in Eun Seong upsetting.  It is a song which Hee Nam writes for Eun Seong that acts as the catalyst for Rae Wan to finally admit his feelings for Eun Seong.  Unfortunately, Eun Seong is so terrified of losing Rae Wan’s friendship, that she refuses to accept his confession.

Time Jump

As a general rule, I am not a fan of time jumps in K-dramas.  In “YDMC,” there is a time jump of a year following Eun Seong’s rejection of Rae Wan’s confession.  One year later, we see a happier and more relaxed Eun Seong who has managed to find a healthier balance between life and work.  When she visits the bar owned by Rae Wan’s friend, she is given a brochure to Rae Wan’s latest art exhibit.  All of the art for the exhibit is inspired by Rae Wan’s love for Eun Seong, and seeing the brochure motivates Eun Seong to go to Rae Wan’s house.  She finally admits that she shares his affections, but that she was a scared mess a year ago. 

While it can take time for one to sort through ones emotions and find clarity by balancing life and work, the time jump of a full year seemed a bit much.  When Rae Wan turns and sees Eun Seong suddenly in his house, he seems completely unaffected by the 12-month absence.   That may have been the point – as we see that Eun Seong’s slippers are still by the front door – but it honestly felt more like it had been a month or two, not a year.  Time jumps come across as copouts, at times – a way to move the story along quickly to get to the destination.  But what we missed during this time jump was the emotional journey that Eun Seong made in those 12 months.  For a mini series, the time jump was likely the only feasible option to get the story to its conclusion, but I would have loved to have seen more of the journey fleshed out.  

Final verdict: SKIP

Ultimately, “YDMC” accomplished what it set out to do – provide a quality K-drama in an abbreviated timeframe.  “YDMC” taught me that a mini series, by necessity, must leave out most extraneous elements of a drama – coincidentally, many of the elements that I love most about K-dramas - a Secondary Couple that adds to the Lead Couple’s story, a Bromance that keeps you laughing, and a well thought out emotional journey of discovery.  “YDMC” is a simple K-drama mini series that, due to time restraints, focuses exclusively on the Lead Couple as their relationship blossoms from friendship to love, but the 4 episode timeframe simply does not allow for much blossoming.  Because of this, the story feels a bit flat, overall, with the climax happening much sooner than in a typical K-drama.  The characters are well acted, and the storyline is free from distractions and easy to follow.  If you are looking for a lighthearted, K-drama, that can easily be binged in one sitting, then “YDMC” is a perfect choice.  But if you are looking for a K-drama with more development and story, then I would recommend skipping it.    

So there it is, our review of “You Drive Me Crazy.”  What did you think?!  Thank you for joining us on this journey. 

Have a favorite K-drama you think we should review, comment down below!!  We look forward to seeing you back again next week!

Up next, “Romance is a Bonus Book”