All That We Loved (2023) Episode 1

May 14, 2023

All That We Loved episode 1 opens in a hospital room with two 18-year-olds, one stoic and one silly. As they’re wheeled down the corridor one is still quite care-free. Together in an operating room, one boy thanks the other. But as the surgery proceeds, only one survives.

Slip to 2023, a man awakes and gets ready for his day. The wind blows a photo into his path, one showing two boys and a girl. The sentiment on the back reads ‘all that we loved.’ It flies him to memories of 2006.

While one of the boys battles through a basketball game, the other gets into a fight with a senior on school grounds. The second has a moment when his head is ringing and is saved by a teacher’s appearance.

Later, in the classroom, the senior returns to continue the confrontation as the other wins his game. And returns in time to defend his friend.

That evening, they celebrate Go Joon Hee’s birthday with his grandmother. And Madame Mo, as they call her, packs leftovers for Go Yoo to take to his parents.

At the hospital, Yoo’s mother passes on a gift from one of her patients – an Arsenal shirt with Thierry Henry on the back. As his parents, both doctors, bicker, Yoo is offended as they pay almost no attention to him. He’s even asking why they haven’t gotten divorced yet, but apparently, they’ve been too busy.

On his way out, Yoo has a nice moment with his Mom, but she’s called to an emergency and he looks like he’s seen it a million times before.

Flashback to 1996 when, as a child, he was impishly hiding in the hospital. This is his first meeting with Joon Hee’s older brother Joon Young. Yoo’s mother is his physician and the way she calls Joon Young’s mother out, indicates it’s not good news.

Back to 2006, the guys are getting haircuts with friend Soon Tak, gossiping about the pretty new transfer student and arguing over the hottest celebrities. The stylist notes that the two have the same last name, but Yoo confirms it’s the only thing that’s the same.

Meanwhile the new student is working in a café and clearly doesn’t suffer fools. Each customer is annoying in some way either with over-the-top compliments or cheeky requests and she just rolls her eyes.

At the salon, the argument over celebrities spills out onto the streets. As Joon Hee chases Yoo he suddenly gets another headache and dizzy spell.

Flash forward to the man from the first scene who reports to work at Go Psychiatric Center, talking about anxiety disorder. He has a framed Henry shirt on his wall.

Meanwhile, new student Han So Yeon puts an Henry shirt on her brother’s bed. She arrives at school only to hide out in the nurses’ office.

In the classroom, Joon Hee has another incident and the ever-observant Yoo gets him to the nurses’ room. They don’t notice her as they continue to argue over the celebrity poster. They finally flip a coin but it’s So Yeon who picks it up off the floor. Both boys are mesmerized.

In the present, Dr Go spots a news report about the actress Han So Yeon appearing in a new drama.

But back in the 2006 classroom, the students cheer for the pretty new student. The teacher points out to Joon Hee that So Yeon has always been at the top of her class. Always speaking up for Joon Hee, Yoo scolds the teacher for creating a rivalry.

Back to 2023 and So Yeon appears in Dr Go’s office.

After school, the guys play video games and Joon Hee wins the Henry shirt. They walk along together, chatting about So Yeon. While she runs up behind, believing the guy wearing the Henry shirt is her brother.

And jumps into a big hug with him. Both boys are stunned. And Yoo wonders what would have happened if he had been wearing that shirt.

The Episode Review

All That We Loved (Viki) is a Korean school drama about childhood friends reaching the moment of 18. They couldn’t be more opposite in personality but the loyalty stands. They have the same last name, so they’re often taken for brothers… or maybe it’s how they’re glued together.

This is also a love story and we only get a glimmer of that in this first of 8 instalments. There’s a lot of going back and forth in time to create intrigue as well as laying out the story. Helpfully, the year comes up on screen – you’ll see it quite a bit in Episode 1. And presumably the entire series!

What we’re finding out is that these two boys are locked together through their past, their families and they’re current state, living nearly like brothers. Joon Hee is quiet, studious and serious. He’s not bothered by external things.

Yoo is boisterous, light-hearted and completely aware of Joon Hee at all times, like he’s taken on the role of brother and protector. He’s also the filial one when it comes to interaction with Joon Hee’s grandmother, perhaps the most parental person in his life.

Starring EXO’s Sehun (Oh Se Hun) as Yoo, you may have caught him last year in Now We Are Breaking Up. Jo Joon Young, who plays Joon Hee, will also appear in Spirit Fingers and Heesu in Class 2 later this year. Jang Yeo Bin is dream-girl So Yeon. She’s appeared in a number of movies as well as drama Friend and Kiss.