A romance K-drama with an old connection between the leads is not a new trope and yet it always has something to surprise the audience with. Moon in the Day follows a similar trope and also presents us with a fresh take on enemies to lovers trope. The drama stars Kim Young Dae and Pyo Ye Jin in the lead which premiered on November 1, 2023. It is an official adaptation of the web-toon “Moon That Rises in the Day” by Hye Yoom. With seven episodes out already and condensing over 200-chapter story into 14 episodes is never easy, the drama has had a tumultuous journey, however, fans are enjoying the chemistry between the leads. Let’s look at the journey so far with spoilers ahead.
Moon in the Day follows two timelines with 1,500 years between them. In the Korea of the past, Do Ha and Ri Ta had a tumultuous existence owing to the politics, social conditions and animosity between them. Both are after each other's lives but we see them encourage the other to live because living would be a much greater punishment than death. But one day, Ri Ta kills Do Ha. Do Ha’s spirit is cursed and he is unable to pass to the afterlife. He has haunted each of Ri Ta’s incarnations since then.
In present-day South Korea, Han Jun Oh is a top celebrity star with popularity because of his himbo personality. Kang Young Hwa (Ri Ta’s latest incarnation) is a hard-working firefighter. She has her career set in front of her but we see a curveball in her plans after she saves Jun Oh from drowning. Jun Oh dies and Do Ha’s spirit possesses his body. Thus begins Do Ha’s attempts to kill Young Hwa so that he can free himself of the curse. Meanwhile, Young Hwa has dreams about her past life. As the story progresses, we see that it becomes clear and clear to her who Do Ha and Ri Ta are and how she and Jun Oh are connected to them. Seven out of fourteen episodes have aired so far. Each episode delves further into Ri Ta and Do Ha’s story. What is interesting to see is that the drama follows an enemies to lovers’ trope, and does complete justice to it. With Do Ha and Ri Ta, we see that beneath the resentment and anger for each other, they see the human in each other. Their union, as we saw in episode seven was anything but joyous. But beyond the limits and dictations of politics and societal norms, the two show maturity to see that their past actions were fueled largely because of outside factors rather than their own doing.
Do Ha is an adopted son, and hence his father considers him a mere puppet to rise in the ranks. Beneath the armour, Do Ha is only human. And no human in their senses would willingly kill an innocent person. Do Ha carries with him the guilt of having taken innocent lives. Nothing would bring those back, but one tries to tap into religious and spiritual resources to ease oneself of the guilt. We see Do Ha doing that too. He is a tormented soul just like Ri Ta is. Ri Ta wishes to kill Do Ha for he eliminated her family. As she spends time with him, she sees how tormented Do Ha truly is. He is a mere puppet dressed in silks who has to follow his father’s orders. But eventually, we see that she does kill him. Initially, one would have thought that Ri Ta only waited for the right time to kill him, but as the story has progressed, one can’t help but feel that perhaps Ri Ta was also only following orders. It is highly plausible that Do Ha’s father ordered her to kill Do Ha in some exchange.
In the present day, we see that Young Hwa is protected by enchanted lotus seed charms. These could very much be the same ones that Do Ha gave to Ri Ta all those years ago. There is an element of fantasy involved in this enemies-to-lovers trope and that just makes things more interesting. Young Hwa and Jun Oh bicker and fight with each other. Young Hwa is confused regarding his dreams and past life but she is slowly beginning to see a clear picture. Amidst all this, the close acquaintance between the two mirrors Do Ha and Ri Ta’s acquaintance. Young Hwa also begins to see the real Jun Ho and vice versa.
Jun Oh’s brother and CEO of Beginning Entertainment Min Ho would bring the skies down if it meant getting what Jun Oh desires. Since the beginning of the drama, we see that Min Ho leaves no means untapped as long as it means Jun Oh is safe, has worked on his table and has a comfortable life. Min Oh’s attachment to Jun Oh borders on unhealthy for he is utterly blindsided by his love for his younger brother. When a person is at the top, there will be others who are jealous and others who would want to use the person’s popularity for selfish gains. With Jun Oh, we see that his former girlfriend Yi Seul was only dating him to get the best offers and lifestyle in the industry. After Tae Ju is snubbed in a historical drama, he grows resentful towards Jun Oh and leaves no stone unturned to harm him. Then there’s Mr Seok, another sinister oddball whose attempts to harm Jun Oh and Young Hwa only grow dangerous with each attempt.
With just seven more episodes to go, it remains to be seen how the makers will bring the story to a satisfying end. The stories of Do Ha-Ri Ta and Jun Oh-Young Hwa tell us that love stories are often more complex than one can imagine them to be. Especially if you live with an aim to dislike a person, but eventually see that they are not as bad as they are painted to be. In such cases, one’s brain and heart fight over the right and the wrong and weigh in one’s values and morals. The struggle becomes much more than two people figuring things out. It also becomes an internal struggle of one’s mind over heart.
Kim Young Dae has gone from second lead roles to lead over the years and has beautifully transitioned. He plays the dual role of Jun Oh and Do Ha seamlessly with Do Ha becoming a fan favourite. While the former is a celebrity who is insufferable and arrogant, the latter is dealing with feelings of revenge, though quieter and calmer. Pyo Hye Jin expertly works her firefighter role and her past role with Do Ha. Her screen presence is amazing. While Moon in the Day is an intriguing take on the reincarnation story, you find it difficult to connect with other characters besides the leads. As the show progresses, you root for the leads and only them.
Let us know what you think about Moon in the Day in the comments below! To those who have read the webtoon, or are already catching up to it, how does it feel to know the story in advance?
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