"Missing: The Other Side" is surprisingly hopeful

What an emotional ride this was. It was a unique plot, unusual found family and heartbreaking but hopeful all at the same time. I will say the last episode I cried...a lot. It was painful but goodbyes often are. There is little entertainment out there like kdramas that can get you so attached to characters in just a short 6 weeks.

As soon as the plot unfolded I knew that for some there would be no happy endings. If this was a time travel/fantasy drama things could have ended up differently but alas it wasn't. There were happy reunions and sad goodbyes but they were all handled in a way that made you feel good even as you were crying.

Some of the highpoints: the unique found family with the dead and the living. Mr. Jang, Wook and Jong Ah in particular. No one could take the place of Nam Gook but he filled out that fourth Musketeer spot well. The detective finding out he was adopted and then learning that he had a new family with his grandmother and bringing his adopted mother into the mix. I thought the little scene in the heavy finale showing how John Ah met Wook and Nam Gook was a nice bit of fun. Thomas being the absolute hero we thought he probably was. He looks so different with black hair!

One of the saddest moments for me was when Mr. Jang realized his daughter was buried not too far from where he lived and that was why he could see the dead. As soon as she was found, he couldn't see Duon Village anymore. No goodbyes at all. Another sad scene was with Joon Ho and Yeo Na parted ways. Ha Joon was not a new actor to me but this role he just soared in. The pain and anguish he had bottled up for most of the show just came rushing out and was intense. My heart hurt for him. I liked where he ended up. With a new grandmother, new promotion to the Missing Persons unit and a peace that he fulfilled his promises to Yeo Na.

The cast was all right for the parts. If I had to pick a weak like it was the character of Yeo Na. Her inability to accept the truth and setting the con man free was a bit annoying but in the end it worked in her favor.

In the end, the thought that there was this beautiful and mostly peaceful place where lost souls could find other lost souls, children could be cared for and loved until they were found and taken to a hopefully even more loving place was a nice feeling.

I give it a 4/5. I really, really enjoyed it for the hope it gives you that there are really good people in this world. It wasn't perfect and Yeo Na could have been a bit stronger character but overall a really good drama.