A nuanced exploration of the borderline between reality and fantasy.
My take on this production is that it is a nuanced exploration of the role that is played by imagination, fantasy, belief and hope (all aspects of the magic/escapism portrayed in the show) in creating a bearable reality for ourselves. The extent to which these things are credited is a reflection of the degree of desperation in the character, which in turn determines the degree of “reality” they invest in “magic” itself. The more desperate is the situation of the character, the greater the necessity to escape from their current life and the more credible “magic” is for them. One of the messages was that simple pleasures and snatched enjoyment is the real magic of life. The drama showcases the tyranny of too tight a hold on reality/normality and the tyranny of losing oneself to imagination and fantasy. It also plays with the blurred line that divides them through three primary characters. The value they place on “magic” is dependent on the perceived cost if it was removed. At various points, particularly in the song lyrics, the characters clearly state their attitudes towards “magic” what drives them to hold those beliefs.For Yoon ah Yi, the FL (Choi Sung Eun), there is a necessity to reduce hope and expectation to a point where she can endure the burden of failure created by the crushing responsibilities of her life. She is so close to the edge of breakdown and despair that when something to inspire her to keep going presents itself, she grabs hold of it, however unbelievable. She needs to believe in something “magical” in order to make it worthwhile to continue living at all.
Na Il Deung, the young ML (Hwang In Yeop), has a plan for life which he is acting out, made by his affluent family and sanctioned by society. His reason for dreaming of magic is different. It is around self-determination and control. Initially his belief in “magic” is something to be kept in the cupboard and taken out in emergencies, it is a possible option. But as the personal cost in terms of his current reality becomes apparent so his desire for escape increases. Magic represents the attraction of the different, the path not travelled and a chance to be himself.
The role of the magician (Ji Chang Wook) straddles the border between reality and fantasy and the viewer is deliberately kept in the dark about who he is and what he is capable of. His hold on external reality is so tenuous that it is essential for him that others believe in his “magic”. This is how he can manage to survive. This beautifully underscores the role of hope in life. To dream the impossible, but close enough to possible that it might actually happen.
Finally there is the parrot who speaks what is, rather than what any character would like to believe or what they are trying to hide, and is perhaps the closest representation of an objective reality.
The drama showcases two typically Korean concerns. The loss of family with the result of having to face life and responsibilities on one’s own without support and to be ostracised from normal society. And at the other extreme, what is required by those in the higher echelons where the pressure of education and career demand rigid conformity which crushes all individuality. The setting highlights the dynamics of power and privilege and the inherent powerlessness of disadvantage. Exposing the hidden advantages that make a nonsense of the assumption that life is in any way fair, and the obscenity of the notion “if I can do it, anyone can do it.”
The cast did a fantastic job. A leaner looking Ji Chang Wook, which suited the part, came up trumps as the magician. I’ve always rated him as an actor and wanted to see him in more serious roles and this has fulfilled that wish. He is good. Also Choi Sung Eun brought a believable sensitivity to her part, which could easily have been overplayed and sentimental.
Rather than being a musical as such, I felt that the music was used to enhance the unreality/fantasy element of the production. I would like to have been more impressed by the soundtrack but it was fairly standard. Commonplace tempo, generic arrangements, gentle voices - normal bland. It was also less used as the show progressed and the glowing fantasy around magic deteriorated.
It was the choreography in the first couple of episodes that I expected more from. This is Korea after all, with arguably some of the best dancers in the world to choose from. Yet it was an opportunity missed. The choreography lacked any flair and could have been much more creatively used in the dream sequences and the musical interludes in general.
The ending was a little clumsy and did not match the mood or subtlety of the rest of the production. It felt tacked on and would perhaps have been better woven into the story earlier on.
Overall I really liked this production. I suspect that if I watched it again I would see totally different perspectives and take away a whole load of new thoughts. Any show that can do this is definitely quality.
What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
Be sure to watch
Let's start with the fact that the genre of musicals has never fascinated me. And so it was until I watched The Sound of Magic. This drama made me change my mind drastically. I don't know if other musicals are as artistically perfect as this one, but I want to watch The Sound of Magic over and over again.I really liked the premise of the drama - to inspire faith in those who have lost hope and return the joy of life. I fully agree with the author that following your star and making a free choice to which your heart lies is the highest priority (at least for me) and this is the only way to be happy and give happiness to others if they so desire. For this reason, I recommend watching the drama.
Acting at the height of all - the main characters and minor I think coped with their roles very well. However, I would like to mention JCW's acting. Despite the fact that he is in my opinion the most talented Korean actor, he is very often criticized - very rarely deserved and often completely unfounded.
In this drama, his acting skills are simply incredible, this is again the level of Empress Ki. He did everything and he did even more than the storyline allowed him to, which to some extent tightened the frame, and I agree with those commentators who believe that his character needed to be revealed more widely.
I would like to say something special about OSTs - I really liked them. Maybe, as I wrote above, I'm not an expert in musicals, but I have an ear and I either like the song or not. In this drama I liked absolutely all the songs.
Overall score of 9.5 out of 10.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Breath-taking experience!
This has got to be by far the most magical, fantasy kdrama I have watched. I was looking forward in watching something original and fun. This kdrama for sure didn't disappoint! It has a very depth storyline to it; which shows the struggles in life and how people avoid it by distracting themselves believing in magic! I must say I could truly feel all the emotions that the actors have portrayed. This show will make you laugh, cry, smile, feel relief, and of course have hope that maybe magic does exist after all...Was this review helpful to you?
How much cheese is too much?
Listen, I like cheese, okay. Literally and figuratively. I like it on my pasta and I like it in my TV-shows. The world is a cold, cruel and uncaring void. Every story that tells me that goodness and kindness and miracles and magic exist out there, is very much needed. I think a big part of the charm of K-dramas is, how unapologetically cheesy they tend to be.That being said, there comes a certain point in life where you will have to ask yourself: How much cheese is too much?
I feel like I know my answer now.
Clearly The Sound Of Magic offers enough redeemable qualities, otherwise I would not have sat through the entirety of it. I think our magical lead has the charisma expected of the role. I think some of the choreographies were kind of fun, especially the opening scene of episode one. Sadly, we got very few numbers with the same energetic vibe but it was still appreciated. The acting across the board is solid, albeit a bit over the top at times. There were moments of neat cinematography and a few creative ideas. It was not all bad, definitely not.
I guess this is the one K-drama where I cannot ignore the music? I don’t particularly care for K-pop or Korean ballads, so maybe this was doomed to disappoint me. I don’t think any of the songs were bad but none of them stood out to me either. I guess I just needed something a bit more upbeat and energetic. The premise of this show is so stupid and fun, but it was just ballad after ballad. I guess I liked the opening song, and the song by Na Il-Deung dedicated to our protagonist in a field. Or at least these are the only ones I can actually remember because they did not sound as similar as the rest.
The plot is anything but subtle. People are either practical saints or cartoonishly evil. Our female lead had to suffer through so much injustice that it almost felt comical at points, it all just seemed to pile up. I guess this was just too much. All of it. Every single aspect of this show. When our protagonists were riding away on flying carousel horses I was about to give up. It felt like Walt Disney on crack.
Despite my harsh words, I think media like this has a purpose. If this story about a poor girl getting what she deserves was heart-warming to you, that's your right. There is nothing problematic or offensively bad about The Sound Of Magic, so if it brought you joy, by all means, indulge in it. But this simply was not my cup of tea.
Cheesiness is omnipresent in K-dramas but more often than not they also have this tongue-in-cheek self-awareness about it. That was completely missing for me here. The premise was too out there to be played this straight. It's almost impressive how this drama had an actual magician as a protagonist and still was not even a little bit of fun.
How much cheese is too much? This much. I know that now.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Sound Of Magic; Be Careful What You Wish For…
While we have seen a lot of music-orientated themes in Korean dramas and productions, it is less frequent to see the genre of musicals being tackled. Therefore, when news was released that the six-part Korean miniseries ‘ The Sound of Magic’ would be marketed a “ musical fantasy drama” based upon the fantasy webcomic "Annarasumanara” (안나라수마나라), there was certainly intrigue and hype around its upcoming release.The series focuses upon main female lead Yoon Ah Yi ( Choi Sung Eun- ‘ Start Up’, ‘ Beyond Evil’). Despite being a top student in her school, Ah Yi has had it rough after her parents walked out on her.
Ah Yi secretly yearns that all of her problems will be solved by magic. However as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Ah Yi’s Life is turned upside down when she meets Lee Eul ( Ji Chang Wook- ‘ Healer’, ‘ K2’ and ‘ Backstreet Rookie’).
Lee Eul is practically perfect in every way. Helping to lift Ah Yi’s spirits up despite hard times, Lee Eul finds herself conflicted between fantasy and reality when she develops feelings for classmate and fellow hard-achiever Na Il Deung ( Hwang In Yeop- ‘ Freshman’, ‘18 Again’ and ‘ True Beauty’). However things become more complicated when Ah Yi discovers that Lee Eul is more than he seems.
Adapted to the small screen by Kim Min Jung ( ‘ Love In The Moonlight’, ‘ Imitation’), ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is able to attain what many would probably define as “ lighthearted melodrama and fantasy ”. While the screenplay would occasionally dip into certain issues such as poverty, inequality and bullying, these topics were rarely discussed or brought forward prominently, instead used background themes to propel certain events of the series.
Admittedly this isn’t always necessarily a bad approach per say in a series. It certainly allowed ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ to maintain an easygoing charm. On the other hand, it is fair to admit that while the premise of the series was certainly engaging and the storyline boasted an intriguing array of characters, the production wasn’t without its more noticeable loose ends either.
Choi Sung Eun is an upcoming actress in the South-Korean film and TV industry. While some viewers may have seen her before in productions such as ‘ Beyond Evil’, it is likely most will be unfamiliar with her name. Nevertheless despite a few awkward line deliverances at times, Sung Eun delivered a fairly decent performance at main female lead Yoon Ah Hi; a downcast and hardworking girl who finds herself encountering a mysterious magician.
As an onscreen character, Ah Yi is admittedly a mixed-bag of writing tropes and strengths. The “ hardworking” female lead is a cliche that has often been overdone in Korean productions and dramas. Admittedly it would be wrong to suggest that Ah Yi was an entirely “ bad character” per say.
Her genuine doting and sincerity for her sister, her disillusioned beliefs surrounding her mother and yearning to get her back, and certain levels of her personal struggles such as being bullied and financial struggles, did add a touch of relatability and engagement for the audience with Ah Yi’s character.
On the other hand despite the unlimited potential for Ah Yi to become a fully likeable character, it was hard to ignore that Ah Yi’s character-arc felt somewhat poorly put together at times, especially with regards to her ineffable muteness as well as delving further into her feelings towards her parents . ( To explain this further, it is important to acknowledge that being reserved and struggling with anxiety or trauma are certainly separate and complicated issues. However rather than connecting this succinctly with her own emotional struggles as well as in reality, Ah Yi’s personal problems could often feel shoehorned rather than explained in detail. In addition to this nuanced issues such as her living or financial situation not being noticed by others such as teachers or at least by social services seemed a little odd also.)
Then of course there’s the subject surrounding Ah Yi’s potential love interest and supporting male lead. Since his popular roles in ‘ True Beauty’ and ‘ 18 Again’, Hwang In Yeop had become a familiar face and name for viewers. However rather than playing his associated “ bad boy” roles, In Yeop took on his onscreen part as hardworking student Na II Deung, adding a fairly consistent performance to his onscreen role.
As a character, II Deung suffered a similar fate to the female lead when it came to screenwriting. The role as the “ potential love interest” for Ah Yi was surprisingly subverted at times when intriguing glimpses were provided into II Deung’s own personal life and struggles.
On the other hand while chemistry certainly was prominent between the leading actors and certainly easygoing , it was difficult at times to really see or allow this onscreen relationship to develop further outside of lighthearted banter or “ necessary plot moments”. Of course, later episodes certainly relished in exchanges between the two main characters but it was difficult to see this relationship having been developed particularly through evident common ground or growth.
However while Hwang In Yeop may certainly have attracted attention for certain viewers, it is likely most viewers will be intrigued by the starring role of Ji Chang Wook as the beguiling magician Lee Eul.
As an A-lister actor, Chang Wook has respectfully had his fair share of good and bad performances over the years. Nevertheless his performance as main lead Lee Eul was certainly decent enough, adding a surprising charm to his onscreen persona which admittedly could’ve been taken further by the writing .
To a certain extent, screenwriter Kim Min Jung captivated this well by Lee Eul offering an air of mystique for most of the series. Despite seemingly being introduced as a seeming “ heroic” figure for Ah Yi, it is soon proven that Lee Eul is certainly not a knight in shining armour as truths come to light.
On the other hand, it often felt as though while viewers did not entirely have to know the precise events of his backstory to work out his character-arc and role in the series, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ rarely brought forwards Lee Eul’s seemingly “ unpredictable” edge and mystery. It often felt as though this could’ve easily have been done by at least foreshadowing or helping to boast his onscreen presence through different mood lighting or cinematography.
Then of course aside from the main characters, there is also the topic surrounding supporting characters. The majority of the supporting characters were often placed as merely background characters for storylines or events ( such as Ah Yi’s parents, her younger sister and II Deung’s parents). Admittedly the supporting cast’s performances varied somewhat dependent on ability. However it is hard not to talk about side characters without at least acknowledging “ Ah Yi’s bully” Baek Ha Na. Unsurprisingly, Ha Na’s role as Ah Yi’s tormentor is rarely explained or justified aside from Ha Na being “ shallow and mean” and helping to intensify angst and drama during “ necessary moments”.
The execution of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is a fair mixture of slow-paced angst and quick-paced storyline. Although this was necessary at times for helping to establish characters and storyline events, it could often lead to parts of the miniseries feeling somewhat slow and dragging in parts and rarely fleshed out at certain points of the narrative. ( Therefore often leading to certain events of the narrative feeling overly predictable or convenient.) In particular, this was evident through the formula of musical compositions being given in episodes. Although they were often lighthearted or melodramatic,certain compositions could sometimes feel arbitrarily placed in the trajectory of the series.
In addition to the main storyline surrounding the female lead, there were a few noticeable side storylines such as Ah Yi’s internal monologues addressing her mother, the male lead’s hone life and his relationship with his parents as well as the mysterious disappearances of students at the school. Although they were certainly intriguing subplots, they were rarely fleshed out. Of course while it is hard to create an entirely flawless adaptation of a work or webcomic, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ could’ve flourished more by sticking to fewer storylines and developing them well.
The ending of the series will admittedly remain a subject of debate for a lot of viewers. While some viewers may enjoy an uplifting finale, others may feel let down by the sudden rush of plot events and failing to answer a lot of continuous questions and resolutions for the characters.
Naturally there is also the discussion surrounding the OST of the series. ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ was composed of a mixture of angst-ridden musical compositions and lighthearted pop tracks, ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ can be said to have an admittedly odd mix of genuinely memorable and generic songs. Tracks including “ 아저씨. 마술을 믿으세요? “(Annarasumanara), “회전목마” (Merry-Go-Round) and “잘자” Have A Good Night) remained particularly memorable.
Perhaps a certain virtue of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ came through the cinematography approached by director Kim Seong Yoon ( ‘Who Are You:School 2015’, ‘ Lovers In The Moonlight’ and ‘ Itaewon Class’). High quality and stunning in parts through a blurring between reality and illusion, Seong Yoon’s lighting and mood certainly helped to captivate a lot of the characters’ emotions and struggles. Admittedly it felt as though the series could’ve benefited by delving deeper into a phantasmagoria of dreamlike or magical sequences in later episodes.
Overall ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ offered viewers with slightly “ darker” lighthearted angst and melodrama wrapped into a guise of magic and fantasy. Although the series certainly boasted an intriguing array of characters and skimmed-over issues and topics, the narrative often felt like a patchwork of narrative events and pacing rather than succinct. ( Especially by the ending of the series.) Nevertheless Ah Yi and II Deung’s potential onscreen chemistry remained entertaining and certainly offered viewers with an indulging and certainly magical binge-watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Do you believe in magic???✨
Anarra Sumanara!!...Just now completed this one !! Yeah I binge watched it☺️!! It was short and beautiful drama ...i loved the way this plot has been portrayed with lots of powerful message like ...
“Flowers don’t bloom on smooth asphalt, but on bumpy dirt”....
Its really a mesmerizing drama filled with lots of colours , songs , above all magic🔮✨!!
I loved all the characters...and i wished this drama should have more episodes as i felt there were few questions which comes in mind as this drama ends ;! But still i would definitely recommend you all to never miss this drama it will really bring a spark in yours thoughts just like magic ✨🍂!!
-destiny🌸
Was this review helpful to you?
musical drama
Ever since the musical drama was announced by Netfix, I was looking forward for it. Not to mention it lived through my expectation. The songs having melifluous voice of Ji Chang Wook made it more enjoyable.A binge watching, coming of age drama, with spectacular visual effects and cinematography! What I most appreciated was the editing that kept storyline crisp.
The actors were perfect to their role, resonating appropriate emotions! It helps one to believe in magic and let oneself dream what satisfies them❗
Simply loved Ji Chang Wook's character. to act and deliver... he charms as a magician with his poignant acting and it's enough to leave you hooked. Even characters of Choi Sung Eun, as a teenager with harsh realities trying to grow as an adult finding solace in RiEul's magic . Or even Hwang In Yoop's character as a high school student in dillema whether to pursue aspirations of his parents or to take the path away from 'Asphalt' road to let the flower bloom and let him be happy.. were so grounded and realistic. A rollercoaster journey with many a tear-jerking moments and a perfect Final Performance by ALL.
Overall a worth watching drama.
Thank you.
Was this review helpful to you?
It's Life
I was on disney magical land and everything is magical!All the songs were really meaningful and relatable for every student's life!
Magician was really cute and his magic is really what we need in this life!
The magic is nothing but smile and we should never let the child inside us die because we are adult lol!
Enjoying every second of life is what we call being alive!
Never give up on your dreams because you are forced by others dreams!
Even school dropouts are living in this world having a better life than others!
Finally...Do you believe in magic? Yes I do!
Was this review helpful to you?
Captivating, Refreshing, One Of A Kind
This drama was amazing. I wanted to write down all my thoughts about it here, so that you can decide whether or not you want to watch it. Personally, I think it is fantastic and I definitely recommend at least trialling it and it is much shorter than your average kdrama.The acting was BRILLIANT! I think they cast the right people for these roles. Ji Chang Wook who played his character fabulously! Choi Sung Eun and Hwang In Yeop were also amazing. They could all sing really well too! I feel like I have to mention Hong Jung Min and Nam Da Reum (this guy never disappoints, his acting is phenomenal) too, these guys were also fantastic.
The cinematography was stunning. It truly was food for the eye, they did not disappoint in this area at all!!! Kudos to the special effects team!
The story was good (the message of the drama and its approach to looking at loneliness/stress/pressure/poverty/depression were really good). The only thing I wish they would've added is some romance or something the cast - especially Ji Chang Wook and Choi Sung Eun - had such great chemistry with each other! (I do acknowledge that it wouldn't quite have fit it the age difference between their two characters would've been a bit weird )
The musical element was refreshing - some people thought it was unnecessary and forgotten about half-way through, I thought it added to the magic of the story and was beautiful. I will admit that it did feel a little out of place at some points, but I did love it and the songs were great too. The OST in general was so captivating, whoever composed the musical songs did a great job and the others selected were just as captivating.
I think it was really good for only 6 episodes. But maybe if it had been 8 that could’ve developed Ri Eul and Yoon Ah Yi’s relationship more, there were some sections where I felt that they cut it short.
It did take an unnecessarily darkish turn towards the end (I haven't read the webtoon so I can't compare it to that) and I think they could've gotten the same message across in a different way.
I would have loved it if two characters reunited face to face at the end (if you know you know), but the musical-like ending was really cool :)
You can tell that lots of hard work went into this drama and I think it deserves all the love and attention that it gets. It definitely won’t be for everyone and that's okay, but this drama resonated with me a lot and I think it will with others too. There were a few things I would personally would've changed/added, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment whilst watching the show.
The Sound of Magic made me laugh, cry, smile and I will definitely rewatch it! 100% recommend giving it a try :)
✨annarasumanara✨
Was this review helpful to you?
Resonated with me
I absolutely hate musicals and yet . . . I watched this entire show, although I fast forwarded through several of the songs. The story was intriguing to me. There was just the right balance between reality and magic to keep you asking what is going on and keep you interested. The music is actually pretty good but when I watch shows, I'm there to escape reality and people singing during their dialogue is really distracting.That said, the story in "Sound of Magic" hit home to me because I have always believed that a big part of being happy in life is finding the magic in every day events and in that regard, this show was perfect for me. I even liked the ending although a bit more resolution would have calmed my "wonder what happened" brain cramps. I also liked that fact that it was only 6 semi-short episodes so the commitment wasn't so great. If I were the director, I would have cast it a little differently but those actors did a good enough job to get a nine out of me.
Was this review helpful to you?
Something different but I like it!
Honestly, after watching this series, it definetly didn't go the way I had thought it would but that's okay! I still enjoyed it! This was also my first time watching a musical drama and so I wasn't sure what to expect. The songs were great and the production was AMAZING. I really enjoyed the storyline and was genuinly shocked by who the culprit actually was. I loved this drama because, at least for me, it wasn't as predictable as so many other shows these days. Yes, it gave us some common plot points but I think the whole element of magic added a nice addition. Usually there's another drama I can compare it to but this time around, I can't because I've yet to see anything similar. Which is not a bad thing! I do wish it was a little longer. Maybe 8 episodes? But at the same time, it's not lacking anything and all bases were covered so that not major flaw or anything.I think this drama is worth checking out. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think many people will appreciate it.
Was this review helpful to you?
The perfect mix of colours
I loved it, it's dark but colorful and it really stands out against other dramas with it being kind of a musical + being magical.A lot of scenes were very beautifully shot and it's just tragically beautiful and the music,,, it's so good and really suits the mysterious atmosphere + it reminds me of watching shows like Night at the Museum and Peter Pan as a child.
At first I may have felt a little awkward with them starting to sing but halfway into the song I found myself singing along so...
The actors did a great job at portraying their individual characters too and I loved each of the main characters.
I feel a connection to this show from my heart honestly!
Was this review helpful to you?
