Heavenly In-Law Drama: ‘Beautiful World’ Explores Bonds Beyond Life

JTBC (Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company) continues to captivate viewers with its weekend drama ‘Beautiful World’ (directed by Kim Seok-yoon and written by Lee Nam-kyu and Kim Su-jin), which paints a surreal yet touching portrait of life after death. As the show approaches its seventh episode, newly released stills tease a dramatic reunion between daughter-in-law Lee Hae-sook (played by Kim Hye-ja) and her formidable mother-in-law Park Jong-gwi (Joo Min-kyung).

Previously, we saw Somi (Han Ji-min) beginning to unravel the mysteries of her forgotten past. The sudden appearance of the “real” Lee Young-ae (Lee Jung-eun) further complicated her search for identity. One night, a cryptic dream featuring an unfamiliar seaside landscape and the silhouette of a woman prompted Somi to return to the earthly realm. There, she found a shirt with an image that matched her dream precisely—belonging to a mysterious man whose troubled reactions left her filled with questions.

Amidst this growing supernatural intrigue, a new visitor shakes things up at Heavenly House. Still images reveal Lee Hae-sook looking unusually pale and lethargic. Her husband Go Nak-joon looks on with concern, unable to understand her sudden decline. The source of her discomfort becomes clear when Go Nak-joon’s mother—Hae-sook’s mother-in-law—arrives without warning.

Though Hae-sook had a brief and challenging marriage during her lifetime, her role as a daughter-in-law remains a delicate one even in the afterlife. Her mother-in-law immediately begins scrutinizing the household, mirroring real-life in-law tensions despite their swapped ages—an 80-year-old daughter-in-law and a much younger mother-in-law. Hae-sook’s forced smile in the face of her husband’s clueless interjections adds a humorous yet poignant layer to the drama.

The upcoming episode, airing tonight at 10:40 PM KST (June 10), features building tension as the unannounced visit stirs old wounds. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law friction soon escalates into conflict between Hae-sook and Go Nak-joon themselves.

The producers of ‘Beautiful World’ shared insights into the show’s deeper themes: “As Hae-sook navigates her relationship with Go Nak-joon in the afterlife, her dynamic with his mother also continues. This allows for reflection on emotions and experiences that couldn’t be resolved in the living world. ‘Beautiful World’ is a contemplative ride through past and current lives, emphasizing the cyclical nature of human relationships.”