Notable Cast: Lee Hyeri, Lee Jun-Young
Summary
May I Help You is a South Korean drama following the story of Baek Dong-Joo (played by Lee Hyeri) and Kim Tae-Hee aka Jibsa (Lee Jun-Young). Dong-Joo works as a funeral director and has a special ability where she can see and talk to dead people once they enter her funeral parlor. The dead ask Baek Dong-Joo to grant their one last wish. However, given that her line of work involves dead people, Dong-Joo secretly hides her job from her father who views her occupation as bad luck and watches her love life hang by a thread.
Jibsa runs an errand company with a fee as low as 100 won and accidentally meets Dong-Joo after completing the unfortunate request of giving Dong-joo her boyfried’s break-up message. Eventually as Dong-Joo and Jibsa continue to run into each other, they eventually join forces and work together to listen to and complete the requests of the deceased.
As the drama continues, we learn more about Jibsa and discover that he previously lived a completely different life as a medical resident until the unexpected death of his younger brother. Coincidentally though, Jibsa’s younger brother was Dong-Joo’s first “client” and the only wish that she has not yet resolved. However, neither Jibsa nor Dong-Joo are aware that they are linked in this manner.
Thoughts
Despite centering around death, May I Help You does a phenomenal job at capturing the somberness surrounding the passing of a loved one with a healthy dose of lighthearted comedic relief. Dong-Joo always pays respect to the deceased while at work, however her day-to-day interactions with the living, especially her dad and Jibsa are hilarious. From day-drinking with her uncle who is a Catholic priest to gossiping with her childhood best friends, Dong-Joo’s bubbly and easy-going personality makes her my favorite character in the series.
Dong-Joo’s relationship with Jibsa is also the main reason why I keep tuning back to the show. What started as an awkward first interaction eventually turns into an unexpected friendship where they find small moments of happiness together in simple, every-day activities. Their constant bickering and scheming are also a definite plus as you can’t help but realize how similar yet different they are. Although Jibsa’s ex-girlfriend makes an unexpected return, I can’t help but root for Dong-Joo and Jibsa to end up together as they are the perfect match for each other.
Another highlight of the drama is the bromance and strong friendship between Jibsa and Dong-Joo’s dad, Baek Dal-Shik. Similar to Dong-Joo, Dal-Shik has a secret occupation that he is hiding. Despite owning a bag shop, Dal-Shik finds additional income as a security guard at a luxury apartment and constantly finds himself running into Jibsa as he completes the various errands requested by the apartment dwellers. One of the best and most awkward moments of the drama is when Jibsa, Dong-Joo, and Dal-Shik grab a meal together. Jibsa spends the entire meal stressed as he covers up for both sides while they continue to attempt to hide their secrets from each other.
