Tomorrow: Surviving for the future | Sunday Observer

Tomorrow: Surviving for the future

5 June, 2022

Many people say that Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, yet we can have hope for one. For that we must learn to face our problems today and build up tomorrow. Although most of us do it, an amount of people still find it difficult to face the upcoming day. At these times its encouraging to have someone around that has all ears to whatever pain that is contained within.

Negativity is the core for mainly suicides that occur in the society. Sometimes, the media treats this subject as a taboo, henceforth misleading the respective person to hide and cope themselves. It’s okay to feel left out or at an edge. Society is a main component, Bullying, abuse etc happens inside it.

Korean Dramas have been popular around the past years. With mega hits such as ‘Goblin’, ‘My Love from a Star’, ‘Crash Landing on you’, ‘All Of Us are Dead’ and ‘Squid Game ‘, Korea’s entertainment industry focuses on unique concepts.

‘Tomorrow’ is a K-Drama that brings in the suicide theme without treating it as pathetic.

‘Tomorrow’ was aired from 1st April to 21st of May of 2022 on MBC plus Netflix. This drama captures a wider audience with the amazing plot as well as the stories that are portrayed collectively. The main cast contains Kim Se won (Roowon) , Kim Hee sun, Yoon Ji On and Lee Su Hyuk as main characters. Based on the famous webtoon ‘Tomorrow’ written by Llama, the drama’s plot focuses on grim reapers trying to save suicide victims. It’s quite contrasting to see Grim Reapers, a symbol of death, helping people to live the life that they deserve.

The story kicks off with Choi Jun Woong (Rowoon), a 27-year-old stressed because of being unemployed, trying to help a person jumping off a bridge. Unfortunately, he drowns only to be saved by Koo Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun). Ms.Koo is a grim reaper working under Jumandeung (the afterworld company), as the team leader of Crisis Management/Risk Management alongside her companion who is the Team’s assistant Manager, Lim Ryung Gu (Yoon Ji On).

As a result of the drowning, Jun Woong wakes to find himself in a coma. Taken to Jumandeung, he is made an employee in the company under Ms.Koo. Together the trio resolves people who try to take their own lives with the help of ‘Red Light App’ which measures the negative energy of each soul. Truly inspiring and heart touching, below are the 11 stories that teach valuable lessons to the drama’s viewers:

Fallen Flower- Episodes 1 and 2:

This case marks Jun Woong as just an intern. These two episodes are the introduction to the drama. It focuses on a girl who is bullied during her high school days by a nasty girl gang, eventually resulting in her to fear a tomorrow.

The first subject that is highlighted is Noh-Eun Bi, whose tragic past includes bullying. Currently working as a playwright in a Television Company. Her negative energy seemingly rises when she has to collaborate for a TV program with the perpetrator.

While she attempts to break through her past that is traumatic, she always finds it recurring. With negligence of her team leader she goes astray, as the bullying starts again.

She decides to jump off the building as a way of escaping the pain. However, just in time the crisis team manages to free Eun Bi from her negativity. Notably after Jun Woong comforts her, the negativity level drops. Which in turn impresses Mr.Lim as well as Ms.Koo. This story brought out the quote “those who stomp on others don’t remember. Only those who get stomped on remember” narrated by the Team Leader.

Therefore, the 1st and 2nd episodes focus on bullying, an important topic, often discussed in today’s society. ‘Tomorrow’ brings in the agony of a violence survivor.

Forest of Time- Episodes 3 and 4.5:

With the start of episode 3 we get to see our main character officially becoming a part of the Risk Management Team . And as a great hit off, the next case is someone close to Mr.Choi.

Namgoong Jae-Su, a student exhausted with life, claims to take his own life. Being Mr.Choi’s closest friend, Jae-Su is more thrown away with his friend existing in a coma. Studying for the Police academy exam, he has faced required tests for the last three years.

However, this year he seem to have not passed the first test, which turns out to be unlikely according to Jun Woong. Viewers get a dive into Jae-su’s past of how the duo became best friends. Jae-su was looked down upon and bullied by his classmates for his presence, Mr.Choi was the only person that took his side. Losing his father from a very young age has made him close to Jun Woong.

This chapter focuses mainly on students that feel demotivated by writing exams over and over.

Jae-Su’s story highlights how it feels like to see the world moving in one direction while you move in the other alone.

Tree- Episodes 4.5 and 5

After solving Jae-su’s case it seems that the team has gotten somewhat close. Their next case brings in interference with the Escort Team. Escort Team, is a part of Jumandeung, this team’s speciality is to escort the dead to the afterworld. Park Jungil portrayed by Lee Su Hyuk is this team’s leader. In the prior episodes there were quite tense flashbacks as well as meetings, which explicit that Jungil hates the Risk Management team.

Ha Na-Young is a runaway ghost that escaped the clutches of the Escort Team. She comes handy for the Crisis Response Team’s next customer, Kang Woo-Jin. At hospital after a accident, he tries committing suicide due to the pain of losing his wife Na-Young.

But during the discussion with Na-Young, the trio find out that it wasn’t just her death that led to his pessimism. Woo-Jin lost all he loved, his mother, father, the foster family and now his wife too. Which actually feels devastating to almost anyone. Besides all these he has broken his hand, impacting the career as a busking artist. Despite terrible circumstances, Jun Woong, Mr.Lim and Ms.Koo save their red thread from being severed. ‘Tree’ depicts unrequited love, no matter what.

A Soul becomes a Star - Episode 6

Directly aimed at heroes of the country, ‘Tomorrow’was capable of presenting the due respect to them.

Lee Young Cheon, a senior citizen who decided to take down his own life, is saved a day before death by the Risk Management Team.

Once a soldier, now he collects trash to be paid. Despite these circumstances, he is also being treated as garbage, factually how the society treats elders and the respected.

He seems to have a long hidden grief on a choice he made during the younger days, in result making him reluctant to leave. By solving that issue the Team makes his death Peaceful and Respected.

In this single instalment we experience the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) that many war veterans go through. This basically made ways to treat them nicely and honorably. Remarkable, the Escort Team as well as Risk Team collaborate to give the Veteran a better goodbye.

A Prison Without Bars- Episode 7

Centered on a current day situation, Episode 7 speaks on eating disorders and the beauty sector.

Things are going well in Jumandeung, until the company’s website crashes with the influence of a computer virus. Thus things go astray for the trio, as they only find the work place and birth month of the needed. Enrolling into the company they get in tough positions but however discover the real victim that requires comfort.

This time it’s Shin Ye-Na, a woman working at a cosmetic company. She is stressed about the fact of being skinny or thin. Therefore, Ye-Na doesn’t consume food, even if she does she vomits them back again.

Extremely concerning to watch, it’s better not to watch if you are disturbed by such. In Particular, she was bullied at school for being fat or pumped.

Indeed, provoked by these comments she changes to please others, disregarding what she will face.

The RM Team uses her co worker, who’s the opposite. Bo-ram, is a person working under Shin Ye-Na. In contrast to Ye-Na, she eats quite a lot. Often looked down by the manager, she doesn’t care about what others say or think. Using these qualities Ms.Shin is taught to accept herself as it is.

In the end we see her enjoying a piece of cake.

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