WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Miss Night and Day!

As a huge fan of Korean rom-coms, Miss Night and Day (MNaD) caught my attention with its unique storyline about an unemployed 28-year-old woman who finds a government job after extremely strange circumstances.

It features a delightful cast of characters like Lee Mi-jin (Jung Eun-ji), intern Lim Sun (Lee Jung-eun), and prosecutor Gye Ji-woong (Choi Jin-hyuk) and is available in Singapore on Netflix.

MNaD follows the story of Lee Mi-jin who struggles with unemployment until she wakes up one morning in the body of 48-year old Lim Sun, and has to learn to navigate life with a dual identity – 48-year-old by day and 28-year-old by night.

The plot thickens when she lands a job as a senior intern as her 48-year-old self, and when a love line is formed between herself and Ji-woong which complicates her struggle to keep her dual identity a secret.

Though this K-drama is truly swoon-worthy, I believe the examples of its three main characters also hold a few profound lessons on self-worth, status and identity.

Lee Mi-jin: Fulfilment ≠ meeting society’s expectations

At the start of the show, it is obvious that Mi-jin’s gruelling eight-year job-hunt defines her life’s purpose as she cycles to yet another civil servant exam. She gets rejected yet again, and to make matters worse, gets scammed by a suspicious man who claims to help desperate job seekers.

Hitting rock-bottom, she decides to numb her pain with bottles of soju, and starts sharing her struggles with a cute kitten on the street. This leads to her magical transformation into 48-year-old Lim Sun when she wakes up the next morning.

Taking full advantage of her new identity, she aces an interview for a senior citizen internship program, landing her a position at Seohan District Prosecutor’s Office.

After a couple of hiccups, Lim Sun ends up finding great fulfilment and confidence as she excels in her new job as prosecutor Ji-woong’s personal assistant. 

This transformation serves as a major turning point in Mi-jin’s life, as she no longer ties her self-worth to a position – but in pursuing her passion.

She learns an invaluable lesson that happiness and self-respect should not be not determined by societal benchmarks, but by following after her purpose.

Reflecting on Mi-jin’s journey, I found myself being reminded of a Bible verse in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that goes: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”.

Growing up in a competitive environment like Singapore, I have developed an unhealthy habit of comparing my achievements with my peers, particularly in terms of career successes.

This usually results in me feeling inadequate, wondering whether I am keeping up with those around me.

However, 1 Corinthians 10:31 serves as a reminder for me that life is not about meeting the standards set by others, but about living for the glory of God alone.

In every endeavour I pursue, I now make it a point to question myself: Am I doing this for personal ambition or for the sake of honouring God?

Shifting my perspective has brought me immense peace and clarity. I’ve begun to catch myself whenever I fall back into my habits of comparison, and now redirect myself to a greater purpose.

By putting the glory of God as the primary motivation of my pursuits, I am able to find fulfilment beyond meeting societal standards.

Ko Won: Stay humble

Zooming in to the character of Ko Won (Baek Seo-hoo), he is what we deem as successful by society’s standards. He’s a K-pop band member who is extremely well-liked by female fans for his good looks and flair for singing.

Despite his popularity, his down-to-earth nature really stood out to me: he shows sincere gratitude for Lim Sun after she heroically saves him from a horrific acid attack, and buys her a cup of iced coffee at work every day.

After the traumatic incident, Ko Won suffers from serious panic attacks and struggles to find peace. He takes great comfort in his friendship with Lim Sun, with whom he experiences genuine moments of connection.

Even though he is a greatly admired star, he finds solace in these simple, wholesome interactions. I was sincerely moved by his humility.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul highlights the humility of Jesus, when he calls us to have the same mindset as Christ.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:5-7)

As I look at Ko Won’s humility, I am also reminded to follow after Christ’s example, who humbled Himself to serve and save humanity. Indeed, Jesus was no stranger to service and sacrifice despite being the Son of God.

In a practical sense, I am also reminded not to find fulfilment in my social status but in embodying love and humility in every aspect of my life.

I am learning to prioritise these values over worldly recognition, shifting my focus from living for external validation to internal integrity.

Gye Ji-woong: Finding joy in meaningful interactions

Prosecutor Gye Ji-woong fits the mould of the stereotypical cold, handsome male lead, who is distant and utterly focused on his career.

It is revealed that the reason for his solemn nature and heavy involvement in a serial murder case, is due to the disappearance of his mother when he was just a young child.

One heart-warming scene that underscores the importance of meaningful human connection is when Ji-woong drops by Mi-jin’s house after a messy car accident, and is subsequently sent home with an array of Korean banchan (side dishes) and the most adorable floral pyjamas.

As he stacks the boxes of side dishes into his usually empty fridge, he smiles for one of the first times in the drama. Subsequently, he eats the side dishes gleefully, and chuckles to himself as he is reminded of the hospitality of Mi-jin’s family.

Even though he holds a well-esteemed position as a prosecutor, his happiness is quite obviously tied not to his status, but to such acts of warmth and kindness.

I was reminded of the second greatest commandment stated in Mark 12:31, which is to love your neighbour as yourself. The small act of kindness by Mi-jin’s mother filled a void in Ji-woong’s heart that status could never fill.

Even though my peers describe me as a caring individual, I recognise that my acts of kindness are often driven by selfish intentions.

Many times, I find myself performing kind deeds not with the genuine desire of blessing the individual, but merely for me to feel better about myself.

Reflecting upon Mark 12:31, this realisation prompts me to treat others selflessly, just as I would like to be treated. I am motivated to love others with the goal of blessing and serving them without expecting anything in return.

I am also reminded to embody the character of Jesus which is encapsulated in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”.

I, too, should always look for opportunities where I can serve others humbly, sharing the love and kindness of God through my actions.

The messages reflected in this show are a timely reminder for this generation.

Many young people grapple with the pressure of securing stable employment and finding their foothold in a competitive world. It is truly heart-breaking to see the level of anxiety and stress that has developed from this relentless pursuit of earthly success.

As a Christian, I am reminded of my identity as a beloved child of God. Out of love and obedience to His Father, Jesus died on the cross for our sins — no work of man could earn us this precious gift of salvation.

Romans 3:23 captures this truth simply: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.

When we find our identity and self-worth in God’s unwavering love, we are set free from the pressures of worldly expectations. His love for us is not determined by our status or achievements, but is rooted in our intrinsic value as His creation.

This is not to say that we should not strive to excel in our careers or in life. Instead, we must reflect upon our life’s priorities and purposes.

Pursuing our goals with passion can be a meaningful stewarding of our gifts, but it is important not to let these accomplishments be our primary source of happiness and worth.

For me, I am convicted to realign my ambitions to pursue a greater purpose of advancing God’s Kingdom.

As a future physiotherapist, I am motivated to focus on delivering selfless care to my patients, and reflecting God’s love through all my interactions.

However, I know that I am unable to do this by my own efforts, but only by God’s strength. This reminds me to stay committed in praying for His guidance and support, ensuring that my actions consistently align with His will.

Personally, I appreciate this drama for featuring wholesome characters and for its unhinged humour.

This show ticks all the boxes for me – it is thrilling, comedic, and is topped off with a hint of romance.

If you enjoyed romantic comedies like Mr Queen, Legend of the Blue Sea and Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, this drama will definitely be right up your alley.