My Mister vs. My Liberation Notes vs. We Are All Trying Here: A Complete Review and Viewing Guide

Why Park Hae-young Is One of the Most Beloved Screenwriters in Korean Drama

Few names in Korean television command the reverence that screenwriter Park Hae-young (박해영) does. Across three landmark works — My Mister (나의 아저씨, 2018), My Liberation Notes (나의 해방일지, 2022), and We Are All Trying Here (모두가 자신의 무가치함과 싸우고 있다, 2026) — she has built a body of work defined not by twists or spectacle but by an almost unbearable tenderness toward ordinary, struggling people.

This in-depth comparison breaks down all three Park Hae-young dramas side by side: their themes, tone, real audience reviews, and — most importantly — which drama you should watch depending on what you are going through right now. Whether you are searching for the best healing K-drama, a slow-burn slice-of-life story, or a comfort watch for a hard season of life, this guide will help you choose.

Park Hae-young Dramas at a Glance: Comparison Table

Here is a quick side-by-side comparison of the three dramas before we dive deeper.

My Mister (나의 아저씨, 2018): A Masterpiece on Endurance and Quiet Kindness

Synopsis & Premise

My Mister follows Park Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun), a middle-aged structural engineer quietly buckling under the weight of his job, his unemployed brothers, and a crumbling marriage, and Lee Ji-an (IU), a young woman crushed by debt and a brutal life. The two strangers slowly become each other's unlikely source of survival. Despite the title's superficial suggestion of romance, the drama is about the highest form of human empathy — the kind shared between people who recognize each other's pain.

Themes & Tone

This is Park Hae-young at her most melancholic and cathartic. One Chinese critical review captured its central insight perfectly: the reason people can comfort others is not that their own lives are easier, but that everyone carries a heavy burden — and it is precisely that shared burden that allows true understanding. The atmosphere is famously bleak, yet the show transforms that darkness into warmth and redemption.

What Audiences Say: My Mister Reviews

“This drama gave me the biggest comfort whenever I feel down. Ironically, the drama itself is depressing, gloomy, and melancholy.” - MDL reviewer

“Easily the top, unique and special Korean drama of 2018… I was still looking for ANY K-drama which could compete with its mastery and brilliance, and finding none.” - KDramaLove

“You see depressed people, but somehow it makes you feel hopeful. You see sad people, but somehow it makes you smile.” - Monash Univ. K-Drama Review

Reviewers consistently describe My Mister as a comfort watch born out of sadness. Many viewers report watching it during personally difficult periods — illness, isolation, burnout — and finding it validating rather than depressing. Critics also single out Park's gift for giving every supporting character a complete, dignified arc.

Common Criticisms

• The relentlessly bleak first half can be hard to push through.

• Western viewers sometimes struggle with the theme of unconditional forgiveness and the absence of “punishment” for wrongdoing.

• The slow pace and 77-minute episodes demand patience and emotional stamina.

My Liberation Notes (나의 해방일지, 2022): The Art of Quiet Self-Liberation

Synopsis & Premise

My Liberation Notes follows the three Yeom siblings — Gi-jeong (Lee El), Chang-hee (Lee Min-ki), and Mi-jeong (Kim Ji-won) — who endure a draining daily commute from the rural town of Sanpo to Seoul, each yearning to escape the suffocating sameness of their lives. When a mysterious, perpetually-drinking stranger known only as Mr. Gu (Son Suk-ku) arrives to work for their father, the youngest sibling Mi-jeong makes him an unusual request: to “worship” her. So begins one of the most quietly profound relationships in modern K-drama.

Themes & Tone

Where My Mister is cathartic, My Liberation Notes is meditative and introspective. The melancholy is dialed back and softened by the characters' dry, deadpan humor. Its central theme is liberation — not escape through romance or success, but the harder work of accepting every part of yourself, including the darkness and pessimism, until you finally feel worthy of love.

What Audiences Say: My Liberation Notes Reviews

“This well-written slice-of-life K-drama really hit home with all of the dialogues and monologues… words that make us feel we're not alone.” — Cosmopolitan PH

“Beautifully executed… Finding love doesn't absolve your debts or ease your insecurities. But what this K-drama does do is allow for growth.” — Jae-Ha Kim (4 stars)

“Healing and self-liberation isn't all linear progress… it's accepting every part of yourself.” — Daebak K-Rambles

Fans praise the show's silence — its restrained score, muted palette, and unhurried scenes that give viewers room to breathe and reflect. The “worship” relationship between Mi-jeong and Mr. Gu is frequently cited as a refreshingly non-cliché portrayal of love.

Common Criticisms

• The deliberate, slow pacing tests some viewers' patience; a few describe the progression as too subtle.

• Less immediately gripping than My Mister; the payoff is cumulative rather than dramatic.

We Are All Trying Here (모자무싸, 2026): Fighting Your Own Worthlessness

Synopsis & Premise

Park Hae-young's newest work follows Hwang Dong-man (Koo Kyo-hwan), an aspiring director who, after 20 years, is the only member of his celebrated filmmaker circle “The Eight” never to have debuted. Consumed by envy and a corrosive sense of worthlessness, he collides with Byeon Eun-a (Go Youn-jung), a razor-sharp film producer nicknamed “The Axe,” who hides her own wounds behind a tough exterior. Together with a cast of equally anxious souls, they search for peace in a world where everyone else seems to be winning.

Themes & Tone

The literal Korean title — Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness — names the theme outright. This is Park's most overtly bitter-comic work, blending black comedy with melodrama and psychological drama. It tackles envy, inferiority, and hustle-culture burnout head-on, with the protagonist's unlikeability used deliberately as a mirror for the viewer's own insecurities.

Lost in Translation: The Title Debate

One point worth flagging for international viewers is the surprising gap between the drama’s Korean title and its official English title. The Korean title, 모두가 자신의 무가치함과 싸우고 있다, translates almost word-for-word as “Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness” (Google Translate renders it as “Everyone is battling their own sense of worthlessness”). The official English title, however, is the far gentler We Are All Trying Here.

Many viewers feel the English title loses much of the original’s emotional punch. The Korean title names the show’s central wound directly — worthlessness, the very feeling every character is privately battling. It is raw, specific, and a little uncomfortable, which is exactly the tone Park Hae-young is going for. By contrast, We Are All Trying Here is warm and approachable but comparatively vague — it signals solidarity and gentle effort, yet says nothing about the self-loathing and envy that actually drive the story. The word “fighting” (싸우다) in the original also implies an active, exhausting internal struggle that the softer “trying” flattens out.

To be fair, this is a common and often necessary compromise in localization. A literal English title built around the word “worthlessness” risks sounding clinical or off-putting to casual browsers scrolling a streaming catalogue, and marketing teams understandably favor a title that feels inviting. Still, for viewers who connect with the drama’s deeper themes, the original Korean title is the more honest and more powerful of the two — and knowing the literal meaning before you watch can meaningfully reframe the entire experience.

What Audiences Say: We Are All Trying Here Reviews

“I laughed so hard and cried and was shocked when it ended because I didn't feel the time at all. This writer never fails in making great dramas.” — AsianWiki commenter (after Ep. 4)

“The closest thing I can compare this to is the anime Welcome to the NHK… it really deserves to be widely seen.” — ResetEra community thread

“Every 4 years writer Park Hae-young delivers magic! This year will be no different!” — Pre-release fan, AsianWiki

Early viewers highlight the raw, emotional lead performances and the way each scene adds new depth to deeply flawed characters. A recurring caution: the protagonist is intentionally off-putting at first, which lowered early ratings but rewards viewers who stay.

Common Criticisms

• The protagonist's self-centered “main character syndrome” frustrates some viewers early on.

• Harder to “root for” than the gentle leads of her earlier works — by design, but divisive.

Which Park Hae-young Drama Should You Watch? A Viewer's Guide

All three dramas reward patient, emotionally open viewers — but they meet you in different places. Use the guide below to match the right drama to the season of life you are in right now.The Common Thread: Why All Three Feel So Personal

Across every Park Hae-young drama runs the same DNA: flawed, fully-realized characters; dialogue and monologues that feel like they were written about your own private thoughts; a refusal of cliché; and the conviction that ordinary people enduring ordinary pain are worthy of profound attention. She does not write fast plots — she writes people, and she trusts silence to carry meaning.

If My Mister is about enduring the weight of life, and My Liberation Notes is about liberating yourself from it, then We Are All Trying Here is about forgiving yourself for not having conquered it yet. Together they form an unofficial trilogy of the modern Korean inner life.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What dramas did Park Hae-young write?

Park Hae-young is best known for My Mister (2018), My Liberation Notes (2022), and We Are All Trying Here (2026), as well as the earlier hit Another Miss Oh (2016).

Which Park Hae-young drama is the best?

My Mister is the highest-rated and most critically acclaimed, but the “best” depends on your mood: choose My Mister for comfort in hard times, My Liberation Notes for quiet reflection, and We Are All Trying Here for a sharper, funnier take on insecurity.

What does the title “We Are All Trying Here” mean in Korean?

The Korean title 모두가 자신의 무가치함과 싸우고 있다 literally means “Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness.” The official English title, We Are All Trying Here, is gentler and more marketable but softens the original’s blunt focus on self-worth and inner struggle. Many fans feel the literal Korean title better captures the show’s true theme.

Are these dramas connected?

No — they are standalone stories with no shared characters. They are connected only by their writer's distinctive themes of empathy, healing, and the dignity of ordinary struggling people.

Where can I stream Park Hae-young's dramas?

All three are available on Netflix in many regions; My Mister is also on Viki in some territories. Availability varies by country.