Poetic, haunting Korean series explores death, morality.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
In cleaning the apartments after people have died, the main characters encounter blood from murders, maggots feasting on human remains and other brief graphic images. A family member is in a fight club, and is shown being beaten up and is jailed for beating someone (who possibly died). Briefly graphic and implied scenes of domestic violence, one of which results in death of a young woman.
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Scenes of sexual encounters don't show graphic acts or body parts, but the situations are implied. A man is tied to a bedframe by his wrists as a woman approaches him with a whip.
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Death is difficult, but life lessons are something to hold onto. Meaningful work can change you. People who are different may have special talents and need to be respected. Respect your family. Bring honor to your work. Your friends and your community are there to support you. Resolving issues of your past can set you free. Life is sacred.
Positive Role Models
some
The main character, who has neurological differences, faces challenges and is committed to his family and his work. He does difficult and honorable work cleaning the homes of dead people, helping them "make the final move." A neighbor friend is a determined young woman who helps whenever she can.
Educational Value
a little
Geu-ru knows everything there is to know about sea creatures. When he goes into a state of panic, he recites the scientific facts about sea animals to calm himself down.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Move to Heaven is a dramatic series from Korea (dubbed into English for the U.S.) that focuses on a family who clean up people's homes after they've died. The main character, Geu-ru, is a young man on the autism spectrum who works to clean up and solve the mysteries of people's lives. Themes of death, remorse, reconcilliation, abuse, and family ties ground the plot. Some stories and job sites have graphic moments (e.g., maggots eating the jellied remains of a person who died, congealed blood where a woman was murdured). A family member is in a fight club where he beats people up and is beaten in front of an audience. Domestic violence and abusive relationships are explored. A character smokes cigarettes in many scenes.
The episodes portray great kindness and empathy, as well as the incremental unfolding of the main characters healing journeys from their own past hurts. Beautifully written, acted and directed. I was spellbound anticipating what the next story would be and so glad that I was able to watch several episodes at a time. There are several fight scenes that could be disturbing to watch but I wouldn't consider it over the top.
What's the Story?
In MOVE TO HEAVEN, a young man and his father run a trauma cleaning business. It's their job to go into homes after a person's death and make the space ready for the next tenant. They clean the space, gather the belongings, and create narratives for surviving family members that help them understand what the dead person wishes them to know. The main character, a young man named Geu-Ru, describes himself as having Asperger's Syndrome; his neighbor explains that he is "special" and needs to be respected. Geu-Ru faces tragedy of his own, and is asked to adjust to new circumstances. He perserveres in business, but relationships are complex. He tries to accomodate his family, but will his family be able to adjust to him?
This poetic and haunting series from Korea asks moral questions about being valued; it flows at the pace of clouds drifting across a spring sky, until the storm gathers and sudden change arises. Each Move to Heaven episode shows Geu-Ru, a young man on the autism spectrum, approaching a new assignment. Every traumatic death holds a story, which Geu-Ru puts together like a puzzle, packing the momentos of a person's life into a single yellow, cardboard box. Because he has neurological differences, Geu-Ru processes the traumatic scenes differently than his peers and his family. But this difference gives the other characters a jumping point to explore their own challenges.
The male characters clearly enjoy a freedom of expression that their female counterparts aren't privvy to; women are narrowly portrayed as loudly opinionated, shrewish, obedient, or compassionate. But there is plenty of tenderness, devotion, and moral exploration in this series that's great for teens, especially those who already love K-dramas. Adults who enjoy a mystery will appreciate watching the characters discover their strengths as they come closer to their true natures in the face of death.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Geu-ru faces his challenges in Move to Heaven. How does his neurological difference work to his advantage? What lessons can Geu-ru teach his family about perseverance?
A character smokes freqeuently in this show. How can we prevent our friends and family from smoking?
Geu-ru's friends and family keep track of his whereabouts and his wellbeing by using technology. How does technology help his communication skills?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
