You and Everything Else Review: Friendship and envy collide in Netflix’s new Korean drama

Life in fragments

The story follows Ryu Eun-jung (Kim Go-eun) and Cheon Sang-yeon (Park Ji-hyun) from their school days into their forties. As teenagers, they are close friends, but rivalry quietly runs underneath. One always seems more admired and more successful, and the other struggles with feelings of being left behind. This uneasy balance continues as they grow older, make choices about work and family, and drift in and out of each other’s lives.

In the present timeline, Sang-yeon is diagnosed with a serious illness. This brings Eun-jung back into her orbit, forcing the two women to face all that was left unsaid. The narrative shifts constantly between past and present, showing how small decisions and unresolved tensions accumulate over decades. At its heart, the show is about what it means to carry both affection and bitterness toward someone who has defined your life.

When honesty meets excess

What stands out most in this drama is the honesty with which the show handles friendship. It does not present it as simple or pure. Instead, it lingers on the jealousy, the sense of competition, and the pain of comparison that often hides beneath loyalty. The best scenes are not the big confrontations but the quiet ones, where a glance or silence says everything.

When the show allows these moments to breathe, it feels real and moving. But the problems are also clear. The flashbacks are long and sometimes repetitive. At times, the writing leans into melodrama rather than subtlety, and the series begins to feel stretched. Fourteen episodes give it room to explore, but they also expose its weak spots. Even strong themes can lose impact when stretched across too much time.

Brilliant performances hold it together

The acting, however, is consistently strong. Kim Go-eun, as Ryu Eun-jung, succeeds in delivering a layered performance. She captures the pain of someone who never feels enough, who is haunted by the past yet unable to walk away from it. Park Ji-hyun, as Cheon Sang-yeon, is equally effective, bringing both charm and flaws to her character.

Together, their chemistry feels lived-in, as if they really have known each other for decades. Their fights, their silences, and their moments of tenderness all carry weight. What could have felt heavy and forced instead feels real because of how naturally the two leads play their roles. The supporting cast adds some texture, but the focus stays firmly on the two leads.

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An affecting watch

‘You and Everything Else’ is an uneven series that still manages to leave a mark. It is not without problems—the pacing drags, the melodrama is thick, and some storylines repeat. Yet it still manages to leave an impression. It shows how complicated and messy friendship can be, refusing easy answers or neat resolutions.

The performances give the series its heartbeat, and the emotions, when they land, feel genuine. It may not be for everyone, but for those willing to invest the time, it offers a thoughtful and sometimes painful study of two lives tied together. It is an above-average drama, frustrating in parts, moving in others, and carried all the way by its leads. Rating: 3/5