[비즈한국] There are identical twins so alike that even their mother can’t tell them apart. Some sisters can read each other’s minds just by looking at their eyes, so wouldn't you think identical twins would be on the same page about everything? But as singer Kim Guk-hwan once sang in his classic song ‘Tatata’: “You don’t know me, so how could I possibly know you?” Unless you are a clone, even if you share blood and look identical, you are not the same person. Yoo Mi-rae (Park Bo-young, child actor Lee Jae-in) and Yoo Mi-ji (Park Bo-young, child actor Lee Jae-in) of ‘Unknown Seoul’ are twins, but sometimes they are more strangers to each other than to anyone else.
While Mi-rae and Mi-ji are identical twins, everything about them is different except for their identical faces. Mi-rae, the elder sister, had a weak heart from birth and spent most of her childhood in the hospital, while Mi-ji was known as the child who was so naturally robust that she grew up fine even when left to her own devices at home. Mi-rae was a model student who followed an elite path, graduating college and joining a public corporation, while Mi-ji, now thirty, has never been able to shed the label of a high-school-graduate day laborer. There is a reason for this. In school, she was called a "track and field genius" and briefly received attention, but she had to end her athletic career due to an ankle injury. She not only lost her dreams of college and a future as an athlete, but she also had to let go of her first love, falling into a deep depression. Her devotion to caring for her grandmother, Wol-soon (Cha Mi-kyung), who collapsed during that period of despair out of affection and guilt, is another reason.
As they grew up, their life paths diverged, creating a distance between them, but now the twins have an opportunity to peek into each other’s lives. Or rather, they aren't just peeking; they are switching lives entirely. Upon learning that Mi-rae is suffering from severe burnout and depression due to workplace bullying, Mi-ji makes a ridiculous yet desperate proposal: “I’ll live as you, you live as me.” She offers to endure life in Seoul pretending to be Mi-rae for just a few months, until a department transfer becomes possible.
This is different from the body-swap tropes we've often seen, or the 'Prince and the Pauper' narrative where lookalikes switch roles. It is also quite different from the "happening-style" swaps seen in films like ‘House of Sunshine’ (1980) or Lindsay Lohan’s ‘The Parent Trap’ (1998), where long-lost twins reunite and trade places. People often make the mistake of assuming they know someone well based on their circumstances, status, or moment-to-moment words and actions—and how much more so for family? As Mi-rae and Mi-ji live each other's lives, they realize how little they actually knew about one another and discover just how deep and painful the wounds and struggles were in the lives they had previously viewed with such nonchalance.
The twins' role swap also triggers changes for those around them. First is Lee Ho-soo (Park Jin-young, child actor Park Yoon-ho), a classmate of both and Mi-ji’s first love. Ho-soo, who had been enduring a law firm life that felt as uncomfortable as having a pebble in one's shoe, realizes something after hearing words from "Mi-rae" (who is actually Mi-ji) and boldly leaves the firm. It is also revealed that Mi-ji was indeed his first love, but their relationship had gone wrong due to layers of misunderstandings. Then there is Han Se-jin (Ryu Kyung-soo), the owner of a strawberry farm where "Mi-ji" (who is actually Mi-rae) starts working part-time. Se-jin becomes interested in Mi-ji’s empty resume and hires her, but after judging her using the management techniques he used at a large corporation, he is sharply corrected and forced to reflect on his arrogance.
‘Unknown Seoul’ tells a story of reflection and growth, not only about the other person but also about oneself, through their swapped lives. Ordinary people may never get the chance to live someone else’s life, but it is clear that for most viewers, watching this drama will be an experience of rumination and introspection. At times, we are Mi-ji or Mi-rae, Ho-soo or Se-jin. We are also the workplace superiors who bully Mi-rae with gossip, or the neighbors who spread rumors about Mi-ji. We could be Park Ji-yoon (Yoo Yu-jin), their classmate who suffers from hidden inferiority and jealousy while engaging in small lies, or Lee Choong-gu (Im Chul-soo), a senior lawyer who became a monster because he despised his own weaknesses. We could also be like Ok-hee (Jang Young-nam) and Bun-hong (Kim Sun-young), the twins' mothers who have been neighbors for decades yet give unsolicited, righteous advice while knowing nothing of each other’s true situations. In short, we are ordinary people who occasionally forget that other people are their own "unknown worlds." That is why the rumination gained from watching ‘Unknown Seoul’ hits so deeply.
The 12-episode ‘Unknown Seoul’ has reached its halfway point. While misunderstandings from the past are slowly being cleared up, some things remain a mystery. Kim Ro-sa (Won Mi-kyung), the owner of Ro-sa Diner, is a prime example. Her diner is located on the site where Mi-rae’s company, Korea Finance Management Corporation, plans to build its new headquarters, making her someone that "Mi-rae" must somehow persuade. The secret has been revealed that she suffers from dyslexia—a fact that clashes with her background as a former lyrical poet—which has heightened curiosity even more. There is still the backstory of why the intellectual-seeming Se-jin stubbornly refuses to give up his grandfather’s strawberry farm, as well as the rumors of an affair with Chief Park Sang-young, which is one of the reasons Mi-rae is being bullied at work.
There is a phrase Mi-ji often uses in the drama: "Yesterday is over, tomorrow is too far away, and today is still unknown." It is a sentiment that fits her name (Mi-ji, meaning "unknown") and resonates with everyone who must face the unpredictable nature of life every day. And it is still unknown whether ‘Unknown Seoul’ will become a "life drama" for many. With ratings starting at 3.6% and jumping to 6.4% by episode 6, and ranking 3rd in the drama buzz index for the 5th week of May released by Good Data Corporation, the enthusiastic response is clear. The acclaim for Park Bo-young, who plays a dual role—or rather, a quadruple role, including Mi-ji acting as Mi-rae and vice versa—is even more intense. The high quality of the script and direction is also satisfying. However, because of painful memories of works that started with high expectations only to end as a "dragon's head, snake's tail" (fizzling out), I am still cautious. I truly hope ‘Unknown Seoul’ continues to meet these expectations until the very end.
Who is Jung Soo-jin?
I have worked for various magazines, covering film, travel, and popular culture. While I don’t want to fall behind on trends, I’ve become an old soul who predicts obvious cliches in every next scene while watching the latest dramas. I am currently adrift in the vast ocean of OTT platforms, trying to regain my lost instincts, and my only wish right now is for an integrated OTT subscription plan.