tvN Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘I Will Give You the Universe’

‘I Will Give You the Universe’ signaled the start of a cheerful, heart-fluttering, madcap romance.

The new tvN Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘I Will Give You the Universe’ (directed by Lee Hyun Seok·Jung Yeo Jin, written by Sujin·Shin Ihyun, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Scene&Studio Co., Ltd.) aired its first episode on the 4th to enthusiastic response. The intense first encounter of Seon Tae Hyeong (played by Bae In Hyuk) and Woo Hyun Jin (played by Roh Jeong Eui), who became entangled as ‘in-laws’ by chance, and the sight of the two being put in charge of their 20-month-old nephew Uju (played by Park Yoo Ho) after a sudden accident raised expectations for what is to come.

That day’s broadcast portrayed an unusual meeting between Seon Tae Hyeong and Woo Hyun Jin. Dreaming of a thoroughly ordinary life and having stepped early into the job market, Woo Hyun Jin worked so hard for one reason: to lighten the burden of her only family, her older sister Woo Hyun Joo (played by Park Ji Hyun). To Woo Hyun Jin, Woo Hyun Joo was a sturdy umbrella that shielded her from the falling rain, and she was everything to her. To help her sister, who hesitated to marry because she herself had not yet found her footing, Woo Hyun Jin personally ran around making wedding preparations and struggled to obtain the gift her sister hinted for the first time that she wanted. Through a secondhand marketplace, Woo Hyun Jin found a chance to buy the desired light at a bargain, and there she had the worst encounter with Seon Tae Hyeong.

After the commotion during price haggling, she thought they would have no reason to meet again, but their reunion arrived sooner than expected. At her sister’s formal family meeting, Seon Tae Hyeong appeared, introduced as the younger brother of her future brother-in-law Seon Woo Jun (played by Ha Jun), and Woo Hyun Jin could not hide her bewilderment. The story of Seon Tae Hyeong’s childhood that followed added to the sense of pity. It was revealed that he had waited endlessly for Seon Woo Jin, who had left him at an orphanage saying he would come back when the rain stopped. When he ran into Seon Woo Jin by chance after 16 years, he turned away coldly, saying, "This time I am the one abandoning you. Let us never see each other again," but the sight of him sorting through items filled with memories of his brother felt somehow desolate.

Three years later, the unintended reunions of Seon Tae Hyeong and Woo Hyun Jin continued. A single phone call to the two, who were living as ordinary office workers, brought shock, as they learned that Seon Woo Jin and Woo Hyun Joo had died in a sudden traffic accident. When they met at the funeral, yet another unforeseen challenge awaited them. The ‘nephew’ Uju, who alone survived the crash, appeared. Uju was unusually attached to Seon Tae Hyeong, and while Woo Hyun Jin stepped away, she felt grateful to him for quietly taking on the role of chief mourner and holding the fort.

However, Seon Tae Hyeong wanted to sever once and for all the tie with his brother that had remained a wound. When told a guardian had to be decided for Uju, he drew a cold line. In response, Woo Hyun Jin declared, "I will raise Uju." Leaving words to Uju and Woo Hyun Jin that they should never meet again, and turning his back, Seon Tae Hyeong heightened curiosity about what lies ahead.

‘I Will Give You the Universe’ delivered cheerful, heart-fluttering laughs from its very first episode. Following the bickering first meeting of Seon Tae Hyeong and Woo Hyun Jin, the arrival of ‘Uju’, which shook the hearts of online aunts and uncles, added a fresh layer of fun. Above all, the passionate performances that wittily brought realistic characters to life maximized the show’s completeness. In particular, Bae In Hyuk and Roh Jeong Eui’s ‘rom-com power max level’ chemistry and comic tiki-taka exceeded expectations. Bae In Hyuk, who portrayed ‘Seon Tae Hyeong’, prickly yet bearing hidden wounds, with ever-changing nuance, drew attention with acting that moved between gravity and levity. Roh Jeong Eui also earned praise for her detailed performance that heightened empathy for the character ‘Woo Hyun Jin’, a passionate job seeker. In addition, the special appearances of Ha Jun and Park Ji Hyun as the older brother and older sister of Seon Tae Hyeong and Woo Hyun Jin, and as the parents of Uju, also shone, raising immersion in the drama.

After the premiere, social media and online communities were flooded with reactions such as "A full package of a cheerful, heart-fluttering enemies-to-lovers romance. Better than expected," "The swift pace was gripping," "I look forward to the full-fledged cohabitation. I want episode 2 quickly," and "The character Uju is so cute. Immersion rose from the moment he appeared."

Meanwhile, episode 2 of the tvN Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘I Will Give You the Universe’ airs today (the 5th) at 10:40 p.m.