(Jdrama Review) Yugure ni, Te wo Tsunagu (2023)

Original title:  夕暮れに、手をつなぐ

English title: Hold My Hand at Twilight

Episodes: 10

The Plot:

Asagi Soramame grew up in a remote countryside of Kyushu, Japan. She is an energetic and bright person. She followed her fiancé, who was also a childhood friend, to Tokyo. She had a fateful and shocking encounter with a man named Umino Oto, but they assumed they would never meet again. Now, 23-year-old Asagi Soramame meets Umino Oto again at a boarding house where they both live. Asagi Soramame has also found an interest in fashion. 

Meanwhile, after graduating from a university, Umino Oto decided to pursue a career in music. His parents were not happy with his decision. He tries to become successful as a composer by creating music on his laptop, but he hasn't gotten any attention from the recording company that he is signed with. He is close to giving up on his dream. He works part-time at a cafe to help pay his bills. By meeting Asagi Soramame, 23-year-old Umino Oto is able to pursue his dream again. They fall in love with each other and encourage each other to achieve their dreams.

Thanks God, they gave a relieving satisfactorily ending. I heard that the director of the drama, Eriko Kitagawa, loves to put a low burn romance until the very last episode. I remember watching Date My Daughter (Uchi no Musume wa Kareshi ga Dekinai) and Hanbun Aoi, both have a verrryy slow burn romance. As a romance drama lover, I can see the sparks between the two main leads, but I still need some confession scene to confirm their relationship. LOL.

Japanese dramas, or movies have the most often theme, that is, pursuing your dreams. I'm not complaining, though. But having some privileges is something else. 

From the first to third episode, the female lead seemed to be lost after being abandoned by her boyfriend. She even randomly proposed someone to get something for her grandmother in her hometown. Reading the synopsis, she supposed to be in designing world, but the topic was nowhere to be discussed until she spent time looking at clothing display in the district.

Meanwhile, the male lead, from the first episode already set his dream to be a musician, he had a supporting producer and house production, but he just needed a hit song that could bring him into popularity. 

Both of them, Soramame and Oto lived together at Ms. Kyoko's house, an old kind supportive woman who lived alone in her big house. She seemed to enjoy her life fully after her son settled his life abroad. She looked happy with the two living together. when Soramame finally found her talent in designing, Ms Kyoko was the one who introduced her with a popular brand in town and worked there. A privilege. But, how could Soramame suddenly had the talent for designing? Her mother was a hit designer from Japan who was popular in Paris. Wow. One day, this privilege would come to Soramame. 

So, how did the romance bloom between Soramame and Oto? Hmmm... they spent their time together at home, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, Oto composing lyric, Soramame designing, etc. As I said before, the slow burn romance was a type of the writing's favorite. They looked attracted to each other from the beginning but realized much later than you expected. So depressing for me hahahaha....

Despite the privilege Soramame had, I did enjoy the show. Their dynamic and chemistry were worth watching. I often saw them in their drama making, too via Instagram. I even expected they would be together in their real life. Well, Suzu Hirose is dating Kento Yamazaki at the moment, and Ren Nagase looks very much similar to Kento, for me. I enjoyed the music here, the theme by Yorushika entitled Algernon, the closing by King and Prince, the music Oto composed, Beats Per Minute (I even enjoy it much more than the one in Kimi no Hana ni Naru). 

But the most thing I enjoy from this show is Soramame's accent. From the beginning, I noticed it and wondered what accent it was. The people in Tokyo might find it unusual, in Javanese, I might call it as 'medok ndeso' LOL. I found similar accent by Suzume in the Suzume no Tojimari movie. And I knew that both of them came from Kyushu, the third largest island in Japan (according to Wikipedia). So, no wonder they shared the same accent.

Last but not least, I highly recommend this show to everyone who are into slow burn romance, pursuing-dream-theme, good looking characters, great chemistry among the characters, catchy original soundtrack, etc.

The trailer

My rating:

Story: 9/10

Casts/ Acting: 10/10

Music: 10/10

Re-watch value: 8/10

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