“In Your Radiant Season” made a powerful first impression from its premiere, unraveling layered secrets and deep emotional currents that immediately captivated viewers. With the fluid elegance of a melodrama film, the story of two lovers reuniting after seven years drew audiences into its emotional gravity.
The first episode, which aired on February 20, interwove past and present as Song Ha-ran (Lee Sung-kyung) and Sun Woo-chan (Chae Jong-hyeop) confronted memories shaped by the Boston explosion that once tore them apart. According to Nielsen Korea, the drama recorded a nationwide and Seoul metropolitan household rating of 4.4 percent, launching at No. 1 among Friday-Saturday dramas in its time slot. The final scene’s twist, revealing the true identity behind a seven-year-old chat relationship, pushed peak ratings to 5.4 percent.
Their story began with the innocent excitement of studying abroad, where Ha-ran and Chan gradually grew close while sharing their daily lives online. But just before they could meet in person, an explosion shattered everything. Flames and chaos filled the screen, marking the irreversible turning point that sent their lives in entirely different directions.
Seven years later in Seoul, Ha-ran has become the chief designer of Nana Atelier, now shielding herself behind a cold and guarded exterior. Lee Sung-kyung vividly portrayed the fracture between her character’s vibrant past and emotionally scarred present. Meanwhile, Sun Woo-chan has returned to Korea as a supervisor at an animation studio. Though gentler on the surface, the scars on his body suggest the trauma of the accident still lingers.
Their reunion unfolds at an art museum. Chan’s frozen gaze upon seeing Ha-ran compressed seven years of unspoken emotion into a single moment. Later, during a collaboration meeting, Ha-ran’s formal greeting, “Nice to meet you,” contrasted sharply with Chan’s speechless reaction, laying bare the emotional distance between them. Chae Jong-hyeop delivered a restrained performance, conveying deep emotion through subtle expression.
Complicating matters further, Ha-ran becomes entangled in a stalking suspicion. When she learns that the man who called her name at a construction accident site was Chan, her doubt begins to harden into certainty. Past memories and present anxieties collide, deepening the tension between them.
The narrative also expands through Kim Nana (Lee Mi-sook), who lost her child 13 years earlier, and Ha-ran’s own unresolved grief after losing her family. Concerned about her granddaughter’s isolation, Nana arranges a blind date with Yoon Photo (Yoon Park), only for Ha-ran to encounter Chan once again. Her question, “Since when have you known me?” strikes directly at the hidden truth between them.
The final scene delivered a stunning revelation. With the confession, “I love you, Kang Hyuk-chan,” it was revealed that Ha-ran’s online confidant from seven years earlier was not her boyfriend Kang Hyuk-chan (Kwon Do-hyung), but his roommate Sun Woo-chan. The twist instantly redefined their relationship, intensifying curiosity about the accident and the truth behind their tangled past.
Blending emotional depth with gripping mystery from its very first episode, “In Your Radiant Season” has set the stage for a story that transcends tragedy. Whether their reunion will lead to healing or heartbreak remains the central question. Episode two airs on February 21 at 9:50 p.m.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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