Netflix decided to end 2024 on a high note with the upcoming long-awaited The Trunk and Squid Game 2. Joining these two with much less hype, we have the hilarious Mr. Plankton, a romantic dramedy starring Woo Do-hwan, Lee Yoo-mi and Oh Jung-se that came out last Friday.
Written by Jo Yong (of It’s Okay To Not Be Okay fame) and directed by Hong Jong-chan (who also directed Juvenile Justice for Netflix), Mr. Plankton tells the story of Hae Jo (Woo Do-hwan), a brazen “errand boy” of sorts who finds out that he doesn’t have much time left to live. That’s when he decides to embark on a road trip to find out who his biological father is. To accompany him on his journey, he kidnaps his ex-girlfriend, Jae-mi (Lee Yoo-mi), who is about to get married to Heung (Oh Jung-se), the sole male heir to a traditional Korean family.
Mr. Plankton counts on a flawed script flawlessly directed and performed by a cast of immensely talented actors. A show that makes you laugh and cry but, most importantly, that makes you care, Mr. Plankton is a welcome addition to the mixed bag of 2024 K-dramas.
This review contains some spoilers. No time to read it all? No problem! Our spoiler-free summary is at the bottom!
“Never set a destination”
Besides its pitch-perfect comedy, Mr. Plankton is a genuine, bittersweet, and touching watch. Exploring themes of mortality and self-fulfilment, Hae Jo’s tale reminds us that our final destination isn’t important: it’s the journey that counts. It’s the people around you, the moments you spend together, the laughter you share. Every moment matters because death isn’t just the loss of life. Death comes to us in different shapes and sizes throughout our existence.
For Hae Jo, death is indeed an early end to a life that he doesn’t consider to be well-lived. For Jae-mi, death comes as a premature menopause diagnosis, which takes her dream of being a mother away from her. For Ho-ja, Heung’s mother, death is the end of her family line as her son’s marriage falls apart. For Heung, death is the loss of Jae-mi’s attention, the one who gave him the courage to be more than what his mother expected him to be.
And that continues throughout the show: most characters in Mr. Plankton face losses that pain them as much as a “literal” death would, which contrasts with the bonds they create and the joy that those bring. Because even though loss is a natural part of life, its certainty doesn’t make this very moment less beautiful or important. Life beats in every second, every encounter, every decision we make.
Self-fulfilment: What is it that we really want?
That’s why we should hold on to what makes us happy. But Mr. Plankton also tells us that holding on to our happiness isn’t that simple. By intertwining contentment and family, the script exemplifies how difficult it is for us to, first and foremost, decide what we truly want.
Even though Hae Jo is determined to find his biological dad, he realises that it’s the love and attention of the father who raised him that matters most at the end of the day. Jae-mi appreciates Heung’s love for her, but she soon notices that what connected her to him was the idea of “family” that he could provide her with. That’s why she’s naturally drawn to Hae Jo, because the romantic love she fosters has always been towards him. Most of Heung’s affection towards Jae-mi also comes from the fact that she was the one who got him out of his mother’s clutches.
So what is it that they want? The characters in Mr. Plankton stumble and fall as they try to understand what they are really looking for. After all, everyone has to put effort into figuring out exactly who they are and what they want and need.
Mr. Plankton’s Greatest Weakness: The Script
Did the script explore these themes with the clarity they deserved? Not really.
Mr. Plankton is an organised mess for the first six episodes. That starts with the premise itself: Hae Jo’s kidnapping of Jae-mi just doesn’t hold water. Why is this guy forcing a girl he (doesn’t?) love(s) to stick with him when he’s pretty much the one who dumped her in the first place? Why is he dragging her around without even telling her what is going on?
A dodgy premise? Yes, absolutely. And you have to take it with a pinch of salt to enjoy the show.
Besides the premise itself, irrelevant subplots and a convoluted narrative flow also plague the script. For instance, the subplot of the gangster chase was completely unnecessary. It ended up stealing a lot of screen time that could have been used to better explore other relationships that are important to the main storyline, such as Hae Jo and his dad, for instance. In addition to that, most of the gangster scenes didn’t have the allure the rest of the show did, making the audience disconnect from the story.
You can also find flaws in characterisation: the main male characters are realistically written, relying on a lot of detail that gives them depth. However, Jae-mi didn’t enjoy the same treatment. For the first half of the show, she’s screaming, cursing, and crying most of the time โ which weakens the moments in which she should really be screaming and crying. Her character’s decisions are mostly inconsistent, and a few flashbacks allow us to have glimpses of who she is and her motivations, without actually solidifying her personality. Not all female characters in Mr. Plankton suffer from that, though. Lee El’s Bong-suk is a much more rounded and true addition to this cast, which was a relief.
The show achieves its full potential when it allows the story to explore its main themes without distractions, which is why the last four episodes are the ones that really deliver. A special mention needs to go to the finale, a 70-minute instalment that manages to do much more than the first six did. The finale highlights the main themes and the relationships that truly deserve attention, proving that Mr. Plankton can be both a hilarious and moving tale.
Mr. Plankton’s Greatest Strength: The Cast
More than the script itself, the charm of Mr. Plankton comes from the competence and charisma of its cast. Mr. Plankton was blessed with a talented bunch who breathed life into a script that doesn’t offer anything new per se. This cast was directed with precision and, with sharp and witty dialogue (or sometimes lack thereof โ John Na, I’m looking at you), they delivered a story that was humorous yet poignant, heartwarming yet sorrowful.
Woo Do-hwan gives one of his very best performances as Hae Jo, navigating heartbreak, pride, and recklessness with an allure that is difficult to match. His delivery is excellent, but his character also benefits from an authentic script in which a 30-year-old man curses, smokes, and isn’t nice all the time. His chemistry with Lee Yoo-mi is tangible from the very first episode, clearly establishing the strange yet unique bond between two people who don’t really know why they broke up in the first place. They share an intimacy, both physical and emotional, that could only come from years together, and both Do-hwan and Yoo-mi deliver those moments with a veracity that is amazing to watch. The script wasn’t as kind with Jae-mi as it was with Hae Jo, but Yoo-mi still gives a performance that is full of pizzazz and personality.
Chemistry in Mr. Plankton bursts at the seams all around: the show wouldn’t have been the same without the incredible Oh Jung-se, who proves once again to be one of Korea’s finest performers. Heung is a well-rounded character whose personality is full of different facets. Jung-se gives shape to this 40-year-old man who is immature but endlessly kind. He’s at the same time determined and cowardly, intelligent and gullible. He blossoms in front of our eyes, gathering the courage he needs to embrace the life he truly wants. His chemistry with both Do-hwan and Yoo-mi is perfect, and the bond between Hae Jo and Heung is one of the best elements of the show.
The one-and-only Kim Hae-sook, who plays the Eo matriarch Ho-ja, is also a force to be reckoned with. The strength of her performance reverberates every time she’s on screen, and it’s especially fascinating to watch Hae-sook and Jung-se acting together. Kim Min-seok and Lee El are also extraordinary, and Alex Landi as John Na is the most pleasant surprise in this crazy ensemble.
Quick Technical Note Before We Finish
Hong Jong-chan allows Mr. Plankton to shine through stunning and meaningful photography throughout. The cinematography highlights the environment (which is a must for a road trip story), but it cares deeply about the little details, bolstering the nuanced performance of such a skilled cast. Director Hong has an excellent eye for frames within frames, using these shots to establish relationships and give depth to his compositions in a very stylish way. Visual effects were used effectively and, for the most part, were very well-made.
The score has a Sigur Rรณs style to it at times, and the OSTs are also fantastic โ you can find the album on Spotify.
Should You Watch Mr. Plankton?
Despite an imperfect script, Mr. Plankton manages to tug at our heartstrings and bring laughter to the darkest of scenarios. With a must-watch cast and hilarious shenanigans, Hae Jo’s story not only entertains but also encourages us to think about our own lives, decisions, and desires.
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