K-Drama Review: The smile has left your eyes

Biti Sophia Soren, New Delhi

The smile has left your eyes also known as Hundred million stars from the sky (하늘에서 내리는 1억 개의 별) starring Seo In-guk (서인국), Jung So-min (정소민), Park Sung-woong (박성웅) aired from October 2 to November 22, 2018, on tvN every Wednesday and Thursday at 21:30 pm (KST). It comprises 16 episodes and is a remake of the 2002 Japanese television series Sora Kara Furu Ichioku No Hoshi.

Plot Summary

It’s a thriller mystery drama that revolves around Kim Moo-young played by Seo In-guk, who seems like a mysterious cold, free-spirited man working at a beer microbrewery with a forgotten past. Yoon Jin-gook played by Park Sung-woong is a homicide detective who is getting weary of his job and is the brother of Yoo Jin-kang played by Jung So-min who is warm and persistent. He dotes on her and is very protective of her, like a father figure ever since they lost their parents.

This drama is an interesting tale as Jin-gook investigates a suicide-murder case of a female university student, and suspects Moo-young’s involvement in the case. Things start getting out of hand when Jin-kang and Moo-young are drawn to each other and love sparkles between them.

Sneak peek of the characters

Kim Moo-young is far from being the traditional lovable and romantic typical lead. He is an orphan who works as an assistant at a Korean beer microbrewery and remembers nothing from his childhood. He is sharp, mysterious, conflicting, super shady and a manipulative rebel. His complex character keeps surprising you until the very last minute and leaves you speculating, whether he really is terrible or he is just misunderstood?

Yoo Jin-kang is a strong-willed, kind-hearted and dedicated person who works as an advertising agent. She lost her parents at a young age and since then she lives with her brother Yoo Jin-gook. When she first meets Moo-young, she doesn’t fall for his mind games like other girls. But as she learns more about him, she falls in love with him. She bears many emotional scars similar to his.

Yoo Jin-gook is a homicide detective with 27 years of job experience. He is an over-protective brother who cares immensely for his sister Jin-kang since they lost their parents. He plans to quit his job because of a case he handled years ago that still haunts him every day. He gets a bad feeling about Moo-young early on to be evil and strives to “reveal” who Moo-young really is and attempts to keep his sister, Jin Kang, away from Moo-young.

Overall Impression

Drawn to each other by burn scars, the chemistry between the two leads, Moo-young and Jin-kang is intense and beautiful. Even the interactions between Moo-young and Jin-gook showcases some of the most powerful moments in the show. Seo In-guk definitely steals the show with his wicked smile and sad eyes. You can never predict what he is going to do, what exactly is going on in his head, and basically, whose side he is on. The way he can switch his emotions from being sweet to murderous is really amazing and will give you thrills.

The supporting characters like Seo Eun-soo, Go Min-si, Kwon Soo-hyun, Jang Young-nam, Yoo Jae-myung are absolutely phenomenal in their roles. The entire series is a roller-coaster ride of emotions and has the perfect blend of thriller, mystery, romance, tragedy, all put together with a lot of melancholy. The drama is beautifully executed regarding its visuals and has the perfect balance between beauty and pain. 

All the background songs and OSTs in this drama perfectly fit the emotions of each of the characters in every scene. Whilst many great detailed plot twists and turns show kept me hooked to the screen with every episode, every episode engrosses you further into the story and there isn’t one dull scene. “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” is definitely a worthwhile watch with a beautifully constructed plot. You can watch the trailer of this drama here:

Have you seen this thriller K-drama yet? What are your views? Tell us in the comments.