The last Korean series I finished was “Missing the Other Side” which I thought was one of the most heart-warming, thoughtful, and provocative series I’d seen yet. It tugged at the heartstrings in a very profound and meaningful way. I had no idea I would get more of the same here with “Tomorrow.”

Someone recently asked me why I watch Korean shows and not much else. I used to watch American shows, but I’ve dropped all of them. I said, “Because Korean stories are character and plot driven. And most of these shows always have food for thought, or a message to make you think about how we can make this world a better place.”

“Tomorrow” is about Grim Reapers who exist in a different plane of existence. They are broken up into various departments, but the department that is the focus of this story is the Risk Management Team, comprised of two members (soon to be adding a third). Their job is to seek out souls who are high risk for committing suicide and to try and prevent that from happening. The team is led by Goo Ryun, a woman with a mysterious and troubling past. Im Ryung Goo is her partner, another member also tied to a soul from the past. They soon add temporary member, Choi Joon Woong, a young man full of life, whom the Reapers accidentally put into a coma while trying to prevent a suicide. Woong is given the choice to join and help the Reapers for six months or stay in a coma for three years. Naturally, he chooses the former. Of course, being absolutely “green” Woong has a hard time initially fitting in and doing his job, but he brings two distinctive qualities to the team that the other two senior members lack: empathy and compassion. Woong is a young man who wears his feelings on his sleeve. He has a difficult time understanding the coldness of Goo Ryun, and the two often clash.

People may not realize that Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. And the series addresses the most common causes of suicide. Bullying, the loss of a loved one, someone who views their own life as a failure, people suffering from things like eating disorders, assault victims, guilt, or drowning in a wave of public criticism. Each case spans 1-2 episodes, and each one is just as profound and thought-provoking as the last. This is another series you want to keep a box of tissues handy!

Of course, as in most cultures, suicide is against the law and in most religions, a mortal “sin.” It really doesn’t matter if you buy into the somewhat religious belief system that governs the Reapers. That isn’t what is important. What is important is helping anyone to see what a beautiful life they have, and why suicide should never be a last resort. Suicide only brings more suffering and pain than what you are already experiencing. It follows you.
The cause of suicide is unhappiness, and the feeling of being trapped in a reality you feel you cannot escape from. But the root cause of all unhappiness is this: lack of love for yourself. If you love yourself, you will not allow bullies to persecute you. You will stand up for yourself, no matter what. If you love yourself, you will grieve but feel immense gratitude for those loved ones who have moved on. If you love yourself, you will never see your life as a failure, but as a success. You will realize the truth: a single life touches so many. If you love yourself, you will never mistreat your body with eating disorders or unhealthy ways of living. You will take care of yourself as best as you can. If you love yourself, you won’t feel guilty about anything you do to others or anything you do to yourself, for you hold the tool for letting go: forgiveness. If you love yourself, even if someone beats and torments your body, you know that the body is not who you are! You will be able to say the most powerful words ever spoken: forgive them, for they know not what they do.

There is a lot of love in this series that cries out for people to see just how wonderful and valuable their lives are. They are not something to be callously thrown away. But perhaps the central theme of this show is this: there is only one person you ever need to save, and that is yourself. It also speaks to not giving up on yourself. Life is a battle, and you have to keep on fighting. Life will knock you down. Pain in inevitable but suffering is optional. How much you suffer is determined by nobody else but yourself. I’ve used this quote in several reviews, but it’s so powerful given the subject matter of this series. “The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”—Rocky Balboa. Anyone who is contemplating suicide should really look long and hard at this quote.

And while we are not responsible for what others do, we do have influence. People really need to stop and think about how they treat each other, whether it be through words or action. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and think about how what you say or do might affect them.

This show has some of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen in ANY show! The Korean War vet being escorted by ALL of the Reapers was incredibly powerful and eye-opening about how war veterans are treated. Such people deserve our undying respect and gratitude. The story of the Comfort Women of World War II was especially poignant. People tend forget about the atrocities committed during that war. It’s always so much easier to lay blame upon others without knowing the facts or circumstances. If you don’t believe that, READ the quote above! Those women had undeniable courage and deserve the highest accolades for what they had to go through. That episode had me in tears at the end when the three women are there to comfort each other (thus, the comfort women!) and remind each other that no forgiveness is necessary.

Performances all around in this series were impeccable. The cast was tremendous, and the storyline between Goo Ryun and Park Joon Gil from their previous life in Joseon is very intriguing, as we unravel the mystery of the connection between these two, and why they both have opposing views regarding suicide victims. Goo Ryun believes they must be helped. Park Joon Gil believes that it’s pointless to help anyone who already has their mind made up, especially when it comes to suicide. And the bridge between them is none other than Choi Joon Woong. Because what is sorely missing from both is empathy and compassion. Judgment and criticism are counterproductive.

This series should be required viewing—and not just by Koreans—but by everyone. Perhaps you know someone who’s down and unhappy. Whether they might be contemplating suicide or not, use your own empathy and compassion to give them a smile, a kind word, your company, or anything to remind them that they are valuable and loved. For what other job is more important than that?