So far I've read 3 stories with this similar premise. The protagonists die and end up possessing the body of a person who also died, who appears and acts differently from them, and somehow reunites with a person they knew previously. Those people, once precious to them, treat them coldly initially, due to how unfamiliar they are + how strongly they resemble the people they loved, but are the first ones to connect the dots. I mean, of course there are differences in settings, certain plot points, and even roles: For you who grieves (this one): sunbaexhoobae At the End of the road: childhood neighbors Kill the lights: Celebrities
But one major difference that makes me so satisfied with this story unlike the others (though I also like them) is that I get a proper conclusion and farewell to the other person who lost their life in place of MC.
I can understand why the characters in the other stories don't really adhere all that much to the people who died - like reincarnators/transmigrators of other stories, they are not only detatched, but it's just not possible for them to truly care about the strangers: (At the end of the road:) one is a rough and tough guy who mostly focuses on the ones he knows. He felt bad for the other guy, but also couldn't really be too invested in him. The conclusion is that somehow, some form of justice is enacted, and the other guy was already at peace from the beginning. This was just him ironing out the messes. I couldn't help but feel bad for him and how he was buried away completely, apart from his suffering and his former life. While not much else could be done, perhaps, it still made me dwell on it. (Kill the lights:) It's a mercenary who ends up possessing the body of an actor with the worst type of life and reputation. What drove him to hopelessness isn't expanded on (apart from his terrible relatives), but he was simply depicted to be just another problematic guy with unfortunate circumstances. While he tried to afford the guy as much respect as he could, in the end, there's no proper conclusion to him, and for good reason - perhaps any further insight would simply be that he would act and think the same. In other words, barely any injustice, his ill-reputation and life was not necessarily due to heavy pain or influence of others perhaps apart from the fact that his relatives were terrible. So there seemed to be barely anything else to pursue. One might feel bad for him, but like with other reincarnator/transmigrator stories, barely any connection could be made with him.
So yeah, I think I mostly have dissatisfaction with the fellow who lost his life in At the End of the Road. He was cornered to his death, and suffered grave injustice at the hands of his brother, much like this one. But unlike this one, it feels like it's simply been a closed box - this story makes it feel like his death is not dismissed or forgotten; meant to linger in the MC's mind, because the MC is a very caring person. It's like seeing it not only be closed, but refurbished, wrapped, and tied with a bow.
Even as he is living in his new body, he never forgot the man who died in his place even when the problems were resolved, and did his best to honor his memory by not only remembering him, but leaving little ways to appreciate him. Even if it was difficult, he read through Doyoon Ye's diary, and grieved for him. After he had decided to take revenge for him, even regarding what Doyoon Ye must have thought of this action, even if it is somewhat out of character. He sought him out, and properly said goodbye and thank you to him. It's as if he was trying to lead Doyoon Ye by the hand alongside himself and Gyeol (I mean in dealing with problems pain), even as he was living a new life, even with little details like conveying what he wanted to say to the girl who helped him. Indeed, it turns out that even before their deaths, he had already helped him. The one that touched me the most was after the problems had been resolved: he had gotten rid of that horrible door, requested to make it a bright and airy place with curtains and a sofa, and even put up a precious photo of him with his mom. Then there was the tender way he had encased his box of earrings, and how he said he wouldn't dye his hair again. I know that he's the extraordinary exception; his genuinely kind and caring nature wouldn't allow for anything less, but it was still satisfying to see the way it was handled.
If reincarnation could exist for this novel (there already is body possession, so...) I hope that not only will Gyeol and Doyoon Kim be reunited, but also that Doyoon Ye can have a happy family - maybe end up as Doyoon Kim's actual brother? I can't help but feel that they're like brothers when I saw their exchange.
So far I've read 3 stories with this similar premise. The protagonists die and end up possessing the body of a person who also died, who appears and acts differently from them, and somehow reunites with a person they knew previously. Those people, once precious to them, treat them coldly initially, due to how unfamiliar they are + how strongly they resemble the people they loved, but are the first ones to connect the dots. I mean, of course there are differences in settings, certain plot points, and even roles:
For you who grieves (this one): sunbaexhoobae
At the End of the road: childhood neighbors
Kill the lights: Celebrities
But one major difference that makes me so satisfied with this story unlike the others (though I also like them) is that I get a proper conclusion and farewell to the other person who lost their life in place of MC.
I can understand why the characters in the other stories don't really adhere all that much to the people who died - like reincarnators/transmigrators of other stories, they are not only detatched, but it's just not possible for them to truly care about the strangers:
(At the end of the road:) one is a rough and tough guy who mostly focuses on the ones he knows. He felt bad for the other guy, but also couldn't really be too invested in him. The conclusion is that somehow, some form of justice is enacted, and the other guy was already at peace from the beginning. This was just him ironing out the messes. I couldn't help but feel bad for him and how he was buried away completely, apart from his suffering and his former life. While not much else could be done, perhaps, it still made me dwell on it.
(Kill the lights:) It's a mercenary who ends up possessing the body of an actor with the worst type of life and reputation. What drove him to hopelessness isn't expanded on (apart from his terrible relatives), but he was simply depicted to be just another problematic guy with unfortunate circumstances. While he tried to afford the guy as much respect as he could, in the end, there's no proper conclusion to him, and for good reason - perhaps any further insight would simply be that he would act and think the same. In other words, barely any injustice, his ill-reputation and life was not necessarily due to heavy pain or influence of others perhaps apart from the fact that his relatives were terrible. So there seemed to be barely anything else to pursue. One might feel bad for him, but like with other reincarnator/transmigrator stories, barely any connection could be made with him.
So yeah, I think I mostly have dissatisfaction with the fellow who lost his life in At the End of the Road. He was cornered to his death, and suffered grave injustice at the hands of his brother, much like this one. But unlike this one, it feels like it's simply been a closed box - this story makes it feel like his death is not dismissed or forgotten; meant to linger in the MC's mind, because the MC is a very caring person. It's like seeing it not only be closed, but refurbished, wrapped, and tied with a bow.
Even as he is living in his new body, he never forgot the man who died in his place even when the problems were resolved, and did his best to honor his memory by not only remembering him, but leaving little ways to appreciate him. Even if it was difficult, he read through Doyoon Ye's diary, and grieved for him. After he had decided to take revenge for him, even regarding what Doyoon Ye must have thought of this action, even if it is somewhat out of character. He sought him out, and properly said goodbye and thank you to him. It's as if he was trying to lead Doyoon Ye by the hand alongside himself and Gyeol (I mean in dealing with problems pain), even as he was living a new life, even with little details like conveying what he wanted to say to the girl who helped him. Indeed, it turns out that even before their deaths, he had already helped him. The one that touched me the most was after the problems had been resolved: he had gotten rid of that horrible door, requested to make it a bright and airy place with curtains and a sofa, and even put up a precious photo of him with his mom. Then there was the tender way he had encased his box of earrings, and how he said he wouldn't dye his hair again. I know that he's the extraordinary exception; his genuinely kind and caring nature wouldn't allow for anything less, but it was still satisfying to see the way it was handled.
If reincarnation could exist for this novel (there already is body possession, so...) I hope that not only will Gyeol and Doyoon Kim be reunited, but also that Doyoon Ye can have a happy family - maybe end up as Doyoon Kim's actual brother? I can't help but feel that they're like brothers when I saw their exchange.