REVIEW: ‘The Vacation Principle’ Is Potentially Destined To Break Some Hearts

The Vacation Principle (Bakansu no Hōsoku) lays the groundwork for what could be a devastating series depending on how things ultimately play out. However, even with the early reveal of a major plot twist in its opening episode, it only serves to remind us of how fleeting life is. With the characters at its center taking time to unwind and reconnect with themselves, this reminder is made all the stronger. 

Central to The Vacation Principle from the beginning is Hoshino Midori (Hashimoto Kanna), an overworked twenty-eight-year-old who has no concept of vacationing. Instead, on her rare breaks at work, she watches interviews with foreigners who espouse how beneficial vacations are. Midori is incredibly relatable as an underpaid, stressed-out worker who doesn’t have the luxury of time off. That is, until the clinic she works at is shut down in dramatic fashion, and she finds herself unemployed. 

To try to ease her worries, her older brother, Konta (Katsuji Ryo), reminds her that they can get away to their late grandmother’s villa. So they do, for some much-needed rest and relaxation. To their surprise, they meet a mysterious man, Nishigami (Chae Jong-hyeop), who says that he takes care of the villas in the area. Taking what he says without question (and, as it turns out, he isn’t entirely lying), the two siblings slowly begin welcoming their friends and colleagues to the villa in the hopes of making this the best vacation of their lives. 

The Vacation Principle brings friends and strangers together under one roof.

The Vacation Principle Episodes 1-3 are well-paced, albeit on the shorter side. Each episode is approximately fifteen minutes in length, making the time spent with these characters brief. Written and directed by mangaka Higashimura Akiko (Princess Jellyfish), the series uses each episode to the fullest to give us a look into each new guest to the villa. By the end of the third episode, there are already about six guests, with plenty of room in the villa for more to arrive.

There is a slice-of-life element feel once the setting shifts to the villa, with Midori and Konta taking their time to get their bearings. The sibling dynamic is adorable, with Hashimoto and Katsuji bouncing off each other well in their scenes. They both infuse their characters with an awkwardness that makes you question whether awkwardness could be genetic (it’s not). Even with this trait, it manifests itself differently in the actors with how they utilize their bodies in heightened scenarios. 

And as the main character of The Vacation Principle, Midori is warm and bubbly. At the start of the series, she is reasonably frazzled, making a clear case for why someone like her desperately needs a vacation. This warm energy reflects itself in her wardrobe as well, with the styling leaning towards warmer yellows and oranges once she’s out of her work uniform. This all ultimately culminates in a striking contrast with her potential love interest, Nishigami. 

Nishigami is the wild card here, with his duty potentially leading to conflict later on.

When Nishigami is introduced in The Vacation Principle, he wears black and white clothes. His hair is a little too long, helping to hide his face a bit and creating a feeling of secrecy. Chae Jong-hyeop plays the character as subdued and quiet, arguably as unassuming as he can. The thing is, Nishigami is handsome, so he easily attracts Midori’s attention, as well as her friends’ later on. This attention creates an understandable conflict of interest for him when his big secret is revealed in Episode 1. 

Despite this secret, it’s clear that Nishigami is steadily going to be drawn to the group. For one, because he is watching over the villas, but also because everyone in the group keeps engaging with him. Midori, in particular, treats him just like anyone else, offering him drinks and bringing him into group photos to capture the experience. She exudes life and a vibrant sense of self, making for an easy opposites-attract scenario should The Vacation Principle push the relationship down that path.

While it is early days yet in its run, The Vacation Principle is a reminder that life is precious. It can be easy to forget how much time we actually have to spend when we’re running around trying to make ends meet. The world is full of outside noise that can be difficult to brush aside. When the opportunity presents itself for a break, take it. You never know if you’ll get such an opportunity again. Whether or not the series ends on a sad note remains to be seen, but the potential for that devastation is there for all the reasons mentioned above. 

The Vacation Principle Episodes 1-3 are streaming now, exclusively on Netflix.