Saudade is a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent somethings or someones that one cares for and/or loves while simultaneously having positive emotions towards the future. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never be had again. - Wikipedia, Feb. 17, 2020 

(Minor spoilers)

I learned a new word recently, and it may be one of the most beautifully evocative I have ever come across: Saudade.

The Portuguese term appeared in the English subtitles for the final episode of the hit South Korean drama, Crash Landing On You, which aired earlier this month on Netflix. I paused mid-episode to look it up and felt such an acute, painful ache reading its meaning as Wikipedia defined it. It captured the mood of the drama exquisitely, but also how I felt as a viewer as each storyline and character reached the end of their arc. (The Korean word used was 그리움 (geulium) which translates to “longing” in English — the character Go Myung Eun actually says, ‘그리움’ 이더구먼 요 (geulium ideogumeon yo) — but “saudade” seems to better express the complex layers of emotions meant here.)*

It was an engrossing story of love, devotion, friendship, family, and fate, anchored by two compelling leads and bolstered by a wonderful cast of supporting characters. It isn’t often a drama will leave me feeling so bereft by the time credits roll for the final time. (I know it seems ridiculous for a TV show to stir such complex layers of bittersweetness, but I am in a state of what is apparently called a “show hole”.)

Yes, Crash Landing is a sweeping, epic romance. Yes, it has one of the most swoon-worthy heroes (played by the charismatic Hyun Bin) I have ever encounter on screen. Yes, fate (the good kind) is involved. Yes, a number of highly improbable coincidences are woven through a far-fetched story that hinges on a pretty ridiculous premise. And yes, it is most definitely a melodrama and very sentimental.

So if you’re hostile or allergic to this genre of fantasy storytelling, then this drama is … probably not for you.

BUT. If you love your romances Epic and Angsty, the obstacles nearly insurmountable, and your protagonists Goodness personified who mostly get their Happily Ever Afters, Crash Landing pretty much hits every note. If you love your stories filled with strong women and strong mothers, Crash Landing has more than half a dozen of them. If you love poignant and funny portrayals of friendship and characters who share amazing bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood, Crash Landing delivers.

If there was one area I was never quite sure about, it was the show’s portrayal of North Korea. A part of me wondered if the story somehow romanticized the insular totalitarian state or whether it simply humanized a country many of us know so little about. (There were reports that South Korea’s Christian Liberal Party criticised the drama for glorifying and romanticizing North Korean soldiers.) A good portion of the humour and charm also comes from the earnest naiveté of the North Korean characters, particularly when navigating or interpreting South Korean life. The cast was endearing and I found myself laughing even as I wondered if these scenes might be considered problematic through someone else’s lens. Was it a realistic, but affectionate portrayal? Or could the depiction be considered patronizing in any way? I don’t have an answer to theses questions, and maybe there are no “right” answers, but they were potential perspectives I tried to be mindful of.

There were a couple of articles, one by the BBC, and another by Agence France Press (AFP) that addressed some of the questions I had about the North Korean elements. I know they are not necessarily representative, but it was still interesting to get a little North Korean perspective. Defectors, including an actress on the set, were reportedly quite moved by some of the village scenes and praised the drama for its accurate portrayal of everyday life in North Korea. The BBC piece was particularly interesting because it interviewed a member of the Crash Landing writing team who once served with the elite security force that protects the ruling Kim family before defecting. He was able to provide insight into how things worked within the North Korean military. 

Sokeel Park, who works with defectors through Liberty in North Korea, also viewed the show’s work positively: 

"Its portrayal of various aspects of North Korean society have clearly been thoroughly researched, resulting in the most three-dimensional portrayal of North Korean society of any film or drama to date," he told the BBC. "It is refreshing how it portrays various aspects of North Korean society without unnecessarily passing judgement, and shows North Koreans as complex people who are ultimately relatable and even lovable, even if they are culturally different."

* * * *

There are many wonderful details in Crash Landing and elements in later episodes that are a call-back to a moment or a line of dialogue in an earlier scene. In episode 5, for example, Yoon Se Ri (played by the luminous Son Ye Jin) tells Ri Jeong Hyuk: “Sometimes, the wrong train takes you to the right station. I want you to arrive at the right station no matter which train you take.” Jeong Hyuk remembers this in a pivotal scene in the final episode. In another, one of Se Ri’s many ex’s, fed up with being strung along, tells her rather presciently that he hopes one day she will find someone who will make her wait a long time.

(The one continuity “error” — if you can even call it that — I noticed, were the rings. Se Ri and Jeong Hyuk were not wearing them at the end, likely because the final scenes set in Switzerland were among the first to be filmed when production began last summer.)

Even the storyline I was least invested in between Gu Seung Jun and Seo Dan became, in retrospect, deeply moving and even empowering. And as a parent, I could not help but grieve over the possibility that had Se Ri and Jeong Hyuk wanted children, it would be quite unlikely under the circumstances of their relationship.

I’m sure it sounds ridiculous to feel so deeply and be so invested in fictional characters, but I know I am not alone in saying this: Everything else is going to seem pretty emotionally bland for a while after Crash Landing.

* * * *

The drama’s lovely, and at times haunting, soundtrack compelled me to Google how to play one of the key themes in Crash Landing, a piece Jeong Hyuk composed for his brother. Whenever I play it, my heart feels full for the love he and Yoon Se Ri found, made more precious and poignant by everything they’ve had to overcome. It also aches for the all the goodbyes they must continue to say to one another, for Seo Dan and Gu Seung Jun, for a brother gone, for regrets, for paths that will never cross again, and for all the friends who have said their last 잘 가 “go well”.

Saudade.

(This was me learning the piece ... )

* The was updated on Feb. 23, 2022 to include the original Korean expression used as well. (I rewatched a good chunk of the drama following the recent announcement that Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin are getting married. The recent spike in visits to this post suggests that others around the world may be also doing the same or discovering the drama for the first time.)

Additional Reading:

Amid lockdown binge watching, U.S. viewers savor story that puts a human face on North Korea

“My life in North Korea had hardships, but it was not just suffering,” she said. “There are real people living in the country, and all kinds of things happen there. What I liked about this series is that it showed different kinds of people living in North Korea.”