How often have we thought of leaving behind everything and moving to an idyllic seaside village to spend our days in leisure? In Summer Strike, the protagonist, Yeo-reum (Seolhyun) does exactly that. Leaving her busy life behind, Yeo-reum takes the decision to venture out without any destination or goals in mind. With summer here already, it is the perfect time to catch up on this K-drama.

Plot Pot

Yeo-reum (Seolhyun) is a quiet hardworker at her job in Seoul. She hardly raises her voice to defend herself even when she is deliberately sidelined, whether it is at her job or in her relationship. However, after multiple incidents in her life including a breakup and her mother’s death, Yeo-reum decides to leave everything behind and set off with only what she can fit in a single backpack.

Incidentally, she stumbles upon the small seaside town of Angok and decides to move there, primarily, after seeing the town library. The quaint library has only two staff members including the seemingly mute Ahn Daebeom (Im Si-hwan). Dae-beom, who it is later revealed suffers from a stuttering problem in front of strangers, forges an immediate connection with the gentle Yeoreum.

Yeo-reum’s new life in Angok is mostly spent visiting the library. Although most of the residents of the small town are not very welcoming at first, they soon warm up to her and she makes friends. Like the Korean title of the drama which translates to “I Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything”, Yeoreum rejuvenates at the town doing, quite literally, nothing.

Dae-beom, an academic genius who had quit working on his pathbreaking thesis, lives a quiet and diligent life working at the library. However, his turbulent past still haunts him where his family had met a tragic and fatal end in Angok itself. His sister’s murder remains a mystery in the backdrop of the drama till it culminates into another murder in the present. Although the plot is not dominated by the suspense of the murders, and other associated misdemeanours, it is one of the main subplots from the show, giving it a thrilling edge.

Summer Strike provides a gentle reminder to alternate forms of happiness, away from the bustling and busy lives that most of us tend to lead. It focuses on doing nothing, as a form of relaxing and reorienting oneself. Although it might seem idealistic, it is definitely soothing to watch on screen. In a world where so much emphasis is put on achievements and productivity of only a certain kind, Yeo-reum takes time out for herself and rediscovers herself. Her ending monologue where she starts working again and reorients herself to find inner peace is not only touching but can also evoke the audience’s desire to strive for such inner peace. The other characters of the show each receive their own answers and resolutions during the course of the show, which makes it comprehensive. None of it is hurried, however, and the show progresses at a relaxing pace during its 12-episode run which is also shorter than the usual 16-episode formula for most Kdramas.

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