One Day Off is about a high school teacher (Lee Na Young) who goes on one day trips that are short but filled with memorable moments as she enjoys food, visits new places, and meets a variety of people.
Lee Na Young plays Park Ha Kyung. She is a high school teacher whose life if pretty ordinary and uneventful. When she feels like she needs to escape, she likes to go on these one day trips to find some meaning.
One Day Off is a shorter 8 episode drama with 25 minute episodes. It is very contemplative and slice of life in tone. This definitely isn’t a preferred genre of mine as it has a laid back and slow quality to it, but even then, I did enjoy it and can still very much appreciate this lovely little show.
You might also describe this as a healing drama. Each episode, we join Ha Kyung as she visits a new place. The overall tone feels quite peaceful as the story gently takes us on a journey as she discovers new things and meets new people. It felt very calming. The scenery is also beautiful which adds to the lovely feel of the drama.
It was nice going along with Ha Kyung as she went to a temple, enjoyed food, visited old friends, and met new ones. A variety of topics are thoughtfully explored from lighthearted to more serious. But even the more serious topics were addressed in a more thoughtful and comforting way.
One Day Off felt incredibly raw and real in many ways. Many times it was straight up awkward as I felt like I was right there with Ha Kyung as she encountered uncomfortable things. Lee Na Young was also fantastic at bringing out the awkwardness in this character. But soon enough, things would take a thoughtful turn, and I would feel quite at ease.
It really is amazing how much they were able to do with just a short 25 minute episode in terms of storytelling. Each episode was emotional, impactful, and filled with meaning. Even though One Day Off isn’t the type of drama I tend to be attracted to it, I liked it and could easily see the beauty in it. I think many others will see this as a lovely little gem of a show.
My Rating: 7/10
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