Parents' Guide to Yonder

TV Paramount+ Science Fiction 2023
Poster image for the Korean TV series Yonder. A man and woman shot from shoulders up, standing very close together with their faces turned toward one another.

Common Sense Media Review

Jenny Nixon By Jenny Nixon , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Enigmatic K-drama blends sci-fi themes with human heartache.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

  • A man and woman stand barefoot on a misty-looking beach. The woman smiles and wears a tan blanket around her shoulders.
  • A middle-aged woman in a suit with chin-length hair stands in a bedroom speaking to a man whose face is not shown. In the background, a woman with long, dark hair lays in a bed under a white comforter. An IV pole is visible next to the bed.
  • A man and woman walking through a forest in autumnal clothing, holding their shoes. The woman holds the man's arm, and they both have beatific expressions.
  • A man and woman stand over a crib with a mobile hanging over it. They look down at a baby, his expression somewhat blank and hers a bit unnerved.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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What's the Story?

YONDER centers on a husband, Kim Jae-Hyun (Shin Ha-kyun), grappling with the death of his terminally ill wife Cha Yi-Hoo (Han Ji-min). The story takes place in a large city in futuristic 2032 South Korea, wherein euthanasia has become a legal, governmentally-regulated option for those wanting to end their lives. Moments before Yi-Hoo's death via medically-supervised propofol infusion, the household is visited by a mysterious woman named Seiren (Lee Jeong-eun, Parasite) who claims to have a "contract" with the dying woman, and who spends a few moments alone with her before she passes. Jae-Hyun soon discovers that this woman has -- at Yi-Hoo's previously-agreed upon instruction -- uploaded her memories to a black market metaverse of sorts referred to as "The Yonder." When he starts receiving unsettling video messages from Yi-Hoo after she has died, asking him to come visit her in this mysterious place, the grieving man pulls out all the stops to uncover the truth behind this idyllic cyber-heaven and the motivations of the neuroscientists who built it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This beautifully shot and acted series is a solid choice for those who like their sci-fi stories with a side of melancholy romance and deeply relatable human themes. Comparisons to Black Mirror's notorious fan fave episode "San Junipero" are inevitable, but Yonder takes the story a step further with its exploration of what is driving the creators of this synthetic otherworld as well as the larger ethical implications presented by its existence. The series is broken into six well-paced half-hour chunks, filmed in a sleek and stylish manner that makes it feel more like a film than a TV show. Perhaps a bit heady for youngsters, thematically speaking, but a worthy binge-watch for mature viewers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different ways people handle death and grieving. What is appealing about a concept like The Yonder? What are the drawbacks?

  • Discuss the way the neuroscientists presented entering The Yonder as a matter of individual choice. How do you think a person's state of mind might affect their judgment when it comes to big decisions like this one? Is it ethical to give someone this kind of power?

TV Details

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Poster image for the Korean TV series Yonder. A man and woman shot from shoulders up, standing very close together with their faces turned toward one another.

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