Beyond Goodbye – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review

Beyond a Proposal

Episode 1 of Beyond Goodbye begins with a man and woman, Yusuke and Saeko, together, at the back of a bus discussing their trip. They’re heading to the top of the mountains and the reason for this trip stems from their future. The pair are going to get married (after a botched but cute proposal slip-up on the bus!) and they begin talking about their future.

Their good vibes are helped along by a beautiful firework display in the distance, all set up just for them. Unfortunately, their happy vibes are destroyed by an avalanche, which destroys the bus, tumbles them off the cliffside and leaves their fates unclear.

Saeko and Yusuke are found by rescue workers, and both rushed to hospital. Saeko wakes up with barely a scratch on her, while Yusuke is forced into surgery. Unfortunately, he passes away. In accordance with Yusuke’s wishes on his medical forms, his heart is transplanted out of his body. Saeko grieves the loss of her boyfriend, walking through the snow after leaving the church.

There’s a beautifully edited scene here as the camera pans up and down, shifting forward through the seasons from winter across to Spring. Saeko enjoys a cup of coffee, while wearing Yusuke’s ring around her neck. She receives a letter in the mail from the receiver of Yusuke’s heart, and she contemplates how to reply.

For now, Saeko catches the train across to her Spanish lessons, in between continuing her work at the coffee factory. She works alongside a cheerful coffee connoisseur called Shinoda, but she doesn’t stick around for long. She’s needed in Hawaii for a big business trip.

Jetting off to the other side of the world, Saeko is here because a man named Hiro is quitting farming but has specifically asked to speak to her. He’s heard about Yusuke and wanted to give her a bit of a break. He’s adamant that the fresh air and change of scenery will help her out.

Their relationship goes way back, typified by an encounter between the pair four years back. There, Hiro is still mourning the loss of his wife and isn’t particularly enthused with the idea of getting involved with her and the company. This fruitless endeavour actually ends up bearing fruit at the airport. This is where Saeko first met Yusuke.

A joker and incredibly talented on the piano, he piques Saeko’s interest and the pair end up having coffee together. Honestly, the girl is constantly drinking coffee! Yusuke is light-hearted and explains to her that he’s a softener; he makes everything easier.

Instead of heading back, Yusuke’s influence helps Saeko talk Hiro around. It also has the added bonus of both her and Yusuke getting closer together. They laugh, they joke and they talk about the future. Inevitably, they both end up in bed together, where Saeko admits that yes, he does make life easier, just like he promised. And there’s another promise too. Saeko tells her that if they see each other again, they’ll become boyfriend and girlfriend. Hah, and it doesn’t take long for them to meet again!

Saeko is overcome with emotion, and as we cut back to the present, she shouts to the heavens, “It’s boring in this life without you!” At the airport, a curious incident arises. A man sits down at the piano and begins playing. Saeko immediately turns and heads back, but the man playing the piano is not Yusuke – it’s somebody else.

The Episode Review

Beyond Goodbye gets off to a solid start here with great plotting, likable characters and a simple but effective premise. The love Saeko and Yusuke share is palpable and you can really feel that through the chemistry the two actors share on screen. This is certainly helped along by the cinematography too.

This is one good looking Japanese drama too. There are plenty of neat establishing shots, like the smooth tracking scene across the beach or the rural areas of Japan’s beautiful countryside. These really help the show stand out.

The writing so far has been good as well but I’m concerned over exactly how the show is going to handle this heart transplant angle. We’re getting into fantastical waters now and it’ll be interesting to see how the show handles that, and whether it can remain grounded without becoming silly.

So far so good though, the first episode is a solid effort.