TYPE OF REVIEW 
: GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.
Season twos of series can always be hit or miss. Sometimes, a second season can surpass the first. Most of the time, you can come out of the second season wishing they had just left it with the first. For the second season of To My Star (나의 별에게2 : 우리의 못다 한 이야기), it is the former. Season two unexpectedly adds detail and depth to the already strong first season. Powered by even more captivating performances from its lead actors Son Woo Hyun and Kim Kang Min as well as a bigger supporting cast and an expanded world, To My Star 2 easily makes for another emotional and engaging viewing experience.
Coming into this second season, I had no idea what to expect. But once I started the first episode, it was definitely nothing close to what I might have even guessed!
Season one ended with popular actor Seo Joon and talented chef Ji Woo starting their happily ever after as a couple. But as this second season starts, we learn there has been a surprising turn of events. Ji Woo has disappeared after leaving only a note and Seo Joon spends a year searching for him. When he finally finds him, Seo Joon does all he can to win Ji Woo back. But lingering scars from the past make it difficult as both men must continue to face those scars while learning even more about themselves and each other.
The series proceeds as we, the viewer, are left to piece together what might have happened to our favorite couple that we fell in love with in the first season. What could have possibly led to their separation? And why is it difficult for them to reconnect today?
What’s so interesting, especially at the start of this season, is how it feels both different and not at the same time. There is a bit of tonal whiplash at some points of the series. And yet strangely enough, it works in the series’ favor. Even with the more dramatic story, there’s still a palpable charm to it. Well-placed humor and heartwarming scenes are good contrasts to the heavier drama that Ji Woo and Seo Joon’s relationship undergoes.
The series unravels the mystery behind the relationship’s downturn at a good pace. This maximizes the emotions and the impactful revelations that come out for our two leading men.
But their emotional journey in working out their feelings and relationship is paired with a new setting. Ji Woo has moved back to his hometown, a rural village that is quite the opposite of Seoul. This new smalltown, rural setting gives the series a refreshing vibe with a more humble and even nostalgic aura that heightens the emotions even more.
And with this new setting, a new batch of eclectic and diverse characters that drive new story while also helping to fill out Ji Woo and Seo Joon’s own stories as well. Especially their backstories.
This second season of ten episodes definitely feels like it has a bigger budget than the first. And while the first season’s more humble budget and indie sensibilities worked to its advantage, the second season feels more like a fuller series this time around. Longer episodes allow for a deeper and more detailed exploration for all the characters involved.
There is more of a bigger picture plotline that furthers some of the drama. But it never takes away from the character-driven narrative. This season adds a lot more depth to Ji Woo and Seo Joon as individuals. And with their relationship, instead of a neatly tied ending, this second season was able to fill in a lot of the blanks that may have otherwise gone untouched. This season draws upon seeds planted in the first and again, makes for a fuller and even more satisfying story.
This season delves into the complexities of love, including the struggle and need for understanding and communication, regret, loneliness, personal growth and loss.
Ji Woo and Seo Joon’s contrasting personalities was the crux of season one’s narrative. And this season is able to go deeper into that dynamic. Both men have grown, yet still have their flaws as they navigate their new relationship through their differences and careers.
Both Son Woo Hyun and Kim Kang Min have no problem handling the more difficult material. And they deliver some of the best performances I have seen in a Korean BL series. Or really, a Korean drama period. Their chemistry was already evident in season one. But the material this time around gives them the opportunity for some truly captivating performances.
Both actors get chances in impactful solo scenes, emphasizing their characters personal struggles. And together, there are silent scenes where they are able to express as much, if not more emotion than in scenes with full dialogue. Longing looks, stolen glances; both Son Woo Hyun and Kim Kang Min express so much even when saying very little. And it is those moments are the absolute highlight of an already strong series overall.
Both seasons of To My Star have been an excellent and immersive experience. It sets itself apart from other series in the genre by being a fuller and deeper exploration of familiar themes. Unlike other series, Ji Woo and Seo Joon’s story not only feels more complete. But it feels even more realistic and sincere. There is nothing wrong with fluffy love stories that end up with a neat little bow. Sometimes, the journey to that happy ending can be just as fulfilling. And To My Star is perhaps the best example of that possibility.
An excellent cast, an engaging, emotional story, wonderful cinematography; To My Star 2 offers a memorable and enduring viewing experience.