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JTBC's next drama « We Are All Trying Here »continues to unveil its universe with the release of the first images of Koo Kyo-hwan in the lead role.
The series tells the story of Hwang Dong-man, a man surrounded by friends who all seem to have made a success of their lives. Convinced that he's the only one whose life isn't going according to plan, he finds himself overcome by anxiety, jealousy and a deep sense of failure. It is in this state of mind that he embarks on a personal quest to find peace.
A man who speaks so as not to disappear
Hwang Dong-man is a character who talks non-stop, as if to fill the silence that might reveal his own insecurities. Even when he seems jealous of his friends' success, his attitude doesn't stem from any real malice. It's more like a desperate attempt to assert his presence in the world.
For him, moments of silence are dangerous. They could expose his sense of uselessness or make him feel forgotten by others. So his long monologues become a way of surviving, a way of shouting out to the world: «I'm still here.»
This constant battle against anxiety is one of the central elements of the character.
An eccentric romantic who refuses to give up
Despite his flaws, Hwang Dong-man has a special charm that makes him hard to dislike. Behind his sometimes light-hearted, jovial demeanor lies a profound fragility.
The character also defines himself as an «eccentric romantic» who refuses to submit to the world's gaze, preferring instead to write his own story. Some of his habits may seem strange: trying to catch falling leaves or climbing a local hill simply to shout his own name. In reality, these gestures are a form of resistance to the feeling of uselessness that threatens him.
Hwang Dong-man also clings to a leather coat that belonged to a World War II veteran, which he insists on wearing every day. Although the weight of reality seems to wear him down quickly, he always ends up raising the coat's collar with determination.
Through this flawed but deeply human character, the drama explores emotions that many people have already felt: doubt, comparison with others and the fear of not fitting in.
The drama We Are All Trying Here will be broadcast in April on JTBC and available on Netflix.
