We Are All Trying Here: Koo Kyo Hwan & Oh Jung Se’s 20-Year Friendship Is Petty, Painful, and Painfully Relatable

You know that one friend who says “Congrats” at your biggest life moment — and somehow makes it feel like an insult? That’s exactly what this K-drama is about.

We Are All Trying Here: Overview

What Is We Are All Trying Here About?

The drama tells the story of Hwang Dong Man (Koo Kyo Hwan), who — surrounded by successful friends — believes he is the only one whose life isn’t working out. Consumed by anguish, envy, and jealousy, he sets out on a journey in search of peace.

At the heart of the show is a friendship that’s equal parts warmth and war. Koo Kyo Hwan and Oh Jung Se play aspiring film director Hwang Dong Man and successful filmmaker Park Kyung Se respectively — two men in a “special” 20-year friendship defined by relentless verbal sparring and blunt jabs.

The Scenes That Tell You Everything

Koo Kyo Hwan highlighted the “kimchi stew incident” — where Park Kyung Se orders a non-spicy kimchi stew for Hwang Dong Man, who claims he doesn’t even like kimchi stew. But Dong Man is even more childish for following him to a kimchi stew restaurant in the first place. Peak petty behavior.

Oh Jung Se, meanwhile, confessed to being “deeply wounded” by Dong Man’s one-word congratulation — just “Congrats!” — at the release of his film. He called it an unforgettable, unpleasant feeling, saying, “You’ll understand when you watch it.” Honestly? We already do.

Why the Chemistry Works

Koo Kyo Hwan praised Oh Jung Se’s “uniquely calm sense of humor,” noting that he delivers punchlines not by raising his voice, but with a quiet, weighty energy — and called it a great learning experience.

The production team described their dynamic as a “chillingly realistic” portrayal of a 20-year friendship filled with both deep affection and intense resentment — two people who know each other’s most vulnerable sides better than anyone.

This kind of storytelling is what makes Korean drama such a globally beloved genre — it finds profound emotion in the most ordinary, awkward human moments.

For more K-drama premieres and OTT picks you shouldn’t miss, head over to Technosports — we keep our watchlists fresh every week.

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