[OST Corner] When We Were Close: Exploring the Emotional Power of Music

When it comes to love, life, and loss, My Unfamiliar Family ranks up high as my all-time favorite family and friends-to-lovers tale — and not just because of how much I love the leads Han Ye-ri and Kim Ji-seok, though that certainly plays a part. Beyond the actors’ nuanced portrayals, the characters were lovable and layered. From Eun-hee’s earnest candor to Chan-hyuk’s gentle patience, their strengths brought out the best in each other, though their shortcomings also clashed and led to conflict.

It’s that comfortable rapport of the past, and the willingness to acknowledge the mistakes each of them has made, that brings them back together after all those years since their falling-out. “When We Were Close” is the song that underscores their reunion as they take tentative steps towards rekindling their friendship, and I like that it doesn’t just focus on their reconnection or their romance. Rather, it reflects upon their shared history and the missteps made along the way, highlighting how far they’ve come and giving depth to their journey both alone and together.

When just a word
could bring a smile to our faces
I miss the us of the past
…
When just a word of comfort
brought us to tears together
I recall the us of the past

What I particularly love about this OST is how well it fits all the show’s characters, and the vignettes in its music video perfectly encapsulate that. It could be Sang-shik and Jin-sook’s song, expressing their longing for the warm and tender days before misunderstandings drove a wedge between them. It could be Tae-hyung and Eun-joo’s song, thinking back upon the peaceful times before the veil fell from the facade of their marriage. It could be Eun-joo and Eun-hee’s song, evoking the undercurrent of unwavering love that runs beneath the often-tumultuous relationship between sisters. It could be my song, or your song, too, because who hasn’t regretted the past or reminisced upon rosy memories?

To me, “When We Were Close” is a comforting OST about finding yourself and rediscovering past connections in the process. When I listen to the song, it feels like coming home to a warm hug that tells me everything will turn out all right. And when I think about the drama’s characters, and how they loved and lost but ultimately grew into stronger people from it all, it gives me the reassurance that I can do much the same.