Doom at Your Service (TV Series 2021– ) – IMDb

This drama is non-conventional in many ways. The drama starts right away with dark concepts – death, doom, and destruction. Succeeding episodes explore how the two main characters experience their world given their nature/situation. Both characters seem to be hopeless, but are trying to endure their fate. Myul Mang as Doom is a lonely being, his existence a bane to humankind. Orphan Tak Dong Kyung is dying but has no one to comfort her. Their meeting, and the contract they forged, changes their lives but also brings many conflicts. They push and pull because their nature/situation makes loving each other difficult, if not impossible. The push and pull makes the story circular and if you are the type of viewer who prefers a linear story with many exciting twists, you will find this story boring. This drama feels like musings of the writer about living, loving, dying, farewells, and other existential concepts. There are so many quotable quotes. There are numerous nuggets of wisdom in the dialogue of the main characters. So many symbolisms too in the drama. The meat in the drama is not in the events that transpire (there are not many) but in the little details – the contrast in their homes, the characters’ thoughts, the location of the scenes, the props, dialogues, etc. If you want a drama that will allow you to escape the dreariness of your daily life and bring you to a world of giggles and marshmallows on a campfire, this is not for you. This drama will make you question the meaning of your existence when everything around you is temporary anyway and only death, doom, and destruction are certain. What is the point of loving and living when we all die anyway and in the end, nothing is really within our control? The story also makes you wonder if we are all just puppets whose fates depend on the whim of the gods. There is a feeling of hopelessness and despair that the drama gives. TDK is dying and of course, the god of doom can’t save her. God is playing games on the couple and there is no indication that she is helping them. God, herself, is physically ill. What hope is there in the world when God is sick? MM continues to love TDK despite of her impending death, of repercussions to him and the world, and of his nature. He does not give up. He convinces her to stay with him in her last days. He is willing to risk everything for her. This love that is so difficult and so new to him has brought color to his world. For the first time, he is able to experience what he has longed for – to somehow be able to live and love in ways that human beings do. There is now meaning in his existence.

So I guess there is hope in the universe. Despite death, doom, and destruction, life can be meaningful and love is worth fighting for. As MM said, a bit of hope is still hope. Even if we are only able to love for a short period of time, that is still worthwhile. Even if we die anytime, life is still worth living.