The Heavenly Idol (2023)

Unwatchable

Not really having heard of the webtoon, I was mainly looking forward to this drama because of the ML. But I find this series practically unwatchable.
Low production quality - Not sure why no one is talking about how bad the production quality is. I was not expecting Under queen's umbrella quality, but this seems like shoddily put together
Not very interesting plot line - Even though the initial outline of the plot line seemed interesting, how the story progresses makes the whole plot line too dull.
Lame attempt at comedy - The comedy fell very short of my expectations. It was very unfunny and at time cringe inducing.
Romance that was not needed - This story would have been a lot better without the romance plot line. Nothing about this romance is convincing either.
FL (even though cute) absolutely bland
Bad guy - A laughable bad guy. His antics are equivalent to Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, but in a very not funny way.

Even though I hate to drop series in the middle of it, I found myself stopping in the middle of 8th episode. Dropping this like a hot pile of poo that it is...

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you need to decide for yourself if you really want to watch this

This was not perfect, but it was a good one. If you didn't enjoy it, then it was clearly not for you, but there might be people who will enjoy it. So we can't say that it was overall bad. I really can't say that for this drama. I don't think it was boring too, it has an interesting theme so this makes it easier to watch but it definetly has some shortcomings.

If this was made in 2015-2017 people might really love it but the screenwriting and story development lacking in some ways compared to the year we are in.
So it is normal that people will except more from this, and I am agreeing with that. This had more potential to be a really good rom-com fantasy.

If you are someone who expects the series you watch to be perfect in every aspect, this series is not for you. but if you are looking to enjoy watching the relationship between the main characters without worrying about the small details, you can watch it without worrying.

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Regrettably time spent that's not coming back.

I didn't get the feeling of a good chemistry between the characters in the story, time and time again tried to make sense of some of the points in the plot, just one that was clearly written and that was the fight between good and evil. They did not get to sing even one full song, they made them like TOO MUCH of a failure as an idol group and what a pity, and it was one of the points that showed no development or progress of the people involved. The funny moments can be count on one hand.The soundtrack for the 12 episodes was so so. I wouldn't rewatch it even if somebody paid me too. I'm sad it went like this.

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an underrated kdrama this 2023 <33

i think about this drama as a fantasy rom-com kdrama that every episodes are a worth to binge watch because from the genre itself, it entertaining. But the fact that what brings this drama into fame is Kim Min Kyu's role. Has plot twists a bit and sometimes you could feel the tension and the chemistry between each casts. And it was a fun roller coaster ride full of emotions. To viewers only tip, I guess it needs lots of patience and understand the duration of the series most especially the story, I think it would give it a worth a watch + most scenes actually gives shape to the story.

STORY/PLOT
It all started to a Pontifex Rembrary, who was known for his divine powers to save and heal people. He was in a kingdom to serve and follow Redrin's orders to do as a follower. Until an evil spirit (a devil) fights with him, until both of them entered to the realm world. Until he realized that he entered to the world, got possessed by an idol's body, which is Woo Yeon-woo from a member of an unpopular idol group Wild Animals, as he need to go back and remain his role as a healer entering the world, helping the struggles and group's fortunes after a disastrously live performance. Using his charisma, visual and divine powers, he became popular, and discovering the reality behind his religious group and the devil. Helping him was a former employee in ML Entertainment, Kim Dal who was a long time fan of Woo Yeon-woo ever since her past traumatic experience from her previous job as a worker in an entertainment company. As both Rembrary and Kim Dal met each other, they discovered the path of Rembrary as Kim Dal helped him from all his problems, until they fall in love and bringing back the justice that Rembrary wants for everyone getting involved.

From the beginning, the drama really tells me that it has tons of potentials. From the plot of where it starts till how it ends. I get interested in watching this drama because of it's plot and Kim Min Kyu was involved from this project. The atmosphere with the overall story makes it funnier and cute, especially the characters has development from the begging till the end. The 1st episodes and the last episodes were the most entertaining, But the middle part of the story makes no sense. Since it has only 12 episodes, I think it was better than the usual16 episodes every series since it would make the story more boring and the story might possibly get dragged. But overall, the ending was a satisfying one, I don't even know why this series does not reached 8 and above ratings. Well it was a good one actually.

CAST & CHARACTERS
I get so much attracted to Kim Min Gue's role from this drama. Ever since his high anticipated drama from a Business Proposal, his recognition was way higher than before. The fact where he also improved a lot, and he discovered a new role for me ever since I saw him and recognize from Backstreeet Rookie. From school 2015, he improved a lot tbh. ngl, his visuals and charisma never get sick for looking at him and stare like a long time hahaha for real he was so attractive every time he shows from any drama series. For his character, Rembrary was a softie and innocent one. Especially his existence was to save and heal people who were struggling. And Woo Yeon-woo was a dumbfounded for real haha. I like his role as Rembrary since it has more the matured mindset and knowing the path that he goes, and really love the chemistry between him and Kim Dal :')) Also, with the comedy scenes, he was too perfect to be part of another comedy series like his previous role in ABP and this drama, THI. Go Bo Gyeol, the first time I saw her in this drama, well I can't say a lot about her since I never get to discover yet some of her roles, but she has potentials since the way she brings up her role as Kim Dal. She is also pretty haha. Well for her character, it seems that I love the way she acts, the way her emotions gives tension and chemistry as well with Rembrary and the other casts. Lee Jang Woo as the devil, well he was very interesting. that the fact where he was the same as Go Bo Gyeol, the first time seeing him in this drama. His character has a development in the ending, pretty bad he decided to gave up because of his bad doings in the real world. Park Sang Nam as well from the last drama I saw from him, was TWENTY-TWENTY. Well he improved a lot that the fact where this is the first time I saw him in this drama where he fits from this role of being the bad vibe type of grim reaper haha. He and Kim Min Gue was a perfect match to fight for their lives for real. To the other casts, I love them so much, that the fact they made this underrated kdrama series that satisfies my kdrama fan heart <33

Overall, this drama was pretty good one. a masterpiece i guess, and underrated too! on social media, i don't see some articles related to this drama, or posts related to this drama, but I would definitely say this would be part of the underrated kdramas of 2023. Good for binge watch (since it is a 12 epsiode kdrama good to watch for 2-3 days), great for time kill as well, great for beginners and a rewatch for me.

Kudos to the team and casts, looking forward for their next drama roles!! deserve even more recognitions to come <33

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fanfiction turned to drama

the start was very good. I knew what to expect : A light cheesy comedy in fantasy genre to fill up my time. it as around episode 6-7 when it started to get boring. what I liked to see was to see him struggle in his new found idol status. The idea of
'idol" or "celebrity" is not in line with his personal beliefs ( he's a priest after all ) but he must play into it because 1. its his only way to get back to his own realm 2.other people depend on his work like group mates and company workers.

For some reason the script writers decided to focus on this power struggle of good/ evil which kinda ruined it for me. Remberary/ yeon woo cant catch a break. he is constantly fighting against devil's schemes and there isn't much time left for singing, dancing, practicing and other idol problems which made the comedy part in the first place. I couldn't care less about the antagonist or his minions. After episode 8 I skipped it to ep 11 and watched last two episodes in fast speed.

I know that I shouldn't nitpick on it for it not being realistic ( I mean the genre is fantasy , hello?) but still the idea of them winning any major awards despite having so many scandals and not being from a big company is so stupid and yet the most unrealistic part of the story is Yeon woo and Dal love plot. first of all she was a weirdo. Not any normal fan but a complete stalker. why an idol should fall in love with their deranged fan ? Second of all their love bloomed ? when remberary was in that body. It was gone the minute Yeon woo came back. They're 2 different people. So what was that ending? You're telling me Yeon woo / Dal are a thing now just because he remembers Rembrary memories?

I normally dont pay attention to OSTs much so I made the score up ??

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It’s cute

But coming from a person who read (some of ) the webtoon (not the novel) the changes made are absolutely unnecessary. As other people said, the romance is forced—that is because it is added unnecessary plot line—the webtoon had no FL (at least at for most of the story, if not all)

The show has its funny moments, but the romance plot line was not a decision that should have gone through. Maybe it was for the sake of making it a TV series to have more plot that is easier to wrap up, but the charm of ML has been lowered as of such. The story should be of ML mainly, not a budding romance.
The choice of FL was also a bit uncomfortable, as it felt like a sasaeng fan (as another review stated)

Other changes I would like to nitpick are just minor changes due to it being liveaction and not a webtoon, however in my heart I am just a little sad about it.

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Better than expected

Had a bad feeling when I read that this drama would be in the K-pop idol industry, as I've watched a few in the past - always super cringy (overly fantasized and poor quality).

THIS drama however has such an amazing cast (so many amazing actors in this) and story that it's just so worth watching. Yes, it's still very fantasized, but you have to expect it since it's about a magical realm. Some of these actors played very relatable characters that made it funny in a cute way (kim dam for example in the first episode - a true k-pop fan).

I think what made this drama different from the other "idol" dramas I've watched is that it focuses on mental health issues and relationship issues that are always happening around us. The screenwriter added a lot of elements that made it more serious than cringy. Production quality was also not bad (not chefs kisses quality - like hotel del luna or little woman)...doesn't feel like a low-budget project that was rushed (such as Top Management - sorry not sorry).

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not the best, but mostly enjoyable

I had basically no idea what this drama was about when I started it, and ended up having a fun time with it, even if it's truly not the best. In my opinion, the main problems are that the writers had a hard time balancing the quirky idol plot with the Evil One plot. They underdeveloped both plotlines and ended up not giving the viewers enough of either. If they'd managed to find a better balance with incorporating the Evil One stuff into the idol plot, this would've been better. Also, they should've cut way down on the second hand embarrassment of Rembrary not knowing what he's doing as an idol. It was funny at times, but I started to skip through a lot of that because I can't handle second hand embarrassment very well.
The very best part for me was Rembrary, Dal, and the Grim Reaper trio. They were so much fun all together!

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Sorry, Nothing Personal

Kim Min Gue in 'Business Proposal' as Cha Sung Hoon was pretty spectacular. The script made his role a mature, strong and somewhat cool character which had sizzling chemistry with Jin Young Seo (played by Seol In Ah). With that, I was looking forward to see him in 'Heavenly Idol'. Hmmm..... the idea of a Pontifex with divine power from heaven who accidentally lands into the body of a washed out Pop Idol, Woo Yeon Woo appeared interesting and the nice poster of him with
Go Bo Gyeol as Kim Dal left much to anticipate.

However, sad to say from get go, from the first episode, I could see this drama was heading south for me. The script, the direction and characters were all over the place. The child-like fantasy story was further marred by low budget special effects. Even with seasoned actors in Lee Jang Woo and Ye Ji Won could not save the day. Chemistry between 'Idol' Yeon Woo and 'Manager' Kim Dal...??? Thankfully, it is only 12 episodes.

However, this does not deter me from keeping a look out for Kim Min Gue's future work. Hopefully, he will choose his scripts and drama carefully as he has so much potential.

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Great Expectations, Boring Results: A Review of The Heavenly Idol..

Summary:
I had high hopes for this show, being produced by Studio Dragon and airing on the popular Wed-Thurs slot. However, I found it to be the most boring show I have ever watched. The only positive aspect of the show was the actors, as I thought the male lead and female lead were cute and attractive. The plot was mediocre, and the screenplay was dragged out, making the show feel like a waste of time. The action scenes lacked effort and were uninteresting, and I did not connect with the music. Overall, I rated the show a 7 and I believe that those who gave it a higher rating might regret it now that the show is complete.

Plot:
In my opinion, the plot was lackluster, and the screenplay was stretched out unnecessarily. I felt that the show could have easily been condensed into eight episodes on Netflix, rather than being aired for eight weeks on TV. Unfortunately, the show failed to capture my attention, and I found it to be a waste of time.

Acting:
The only redeeming quality of the show, in my opinion, was the actors. I thought the male lead and female lead were cute and attractive, and the grim reaper was described as hot, while Redlin was described as gorgeous.

Music:
Unfortunately, I did not connect with the music in the show. It was forgettable and did not leave a lasting impact.

VFX:
VFX was mediocre. Nothing extraordinary..

Overall, I rated the show a 7 , and I believed that those who rated it higher might regret their decision now that the show is complete. The plot was lackluster, the acting was the only redeeming quality, the music was forgettable, and the action scenes were dull.

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Could have been better

For one thing, it was entertaining but just failed to hit the mark with so much missed opportunities.

1. ML and FL lack of chemistry. they felt more like brother sister vibes plus they keep saying he's 120 yrs old so its a lil gross.
2. Lack of character development for Wild Animals, the Evil One and Redrin.
3. Redrin should have an earlier appearance.
4. Gosh, how he defeats Redrin is so cliche. Just belief, that's it? A team up would have been better, bring the boy band, evil boys, the Evil One, some bad ass reapers vs Redrin & her minions and battle it out. What happened was super anti climactic. Even the Evil one ending was meh.
6. The romance was very much misplaced and not believable at all.

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The Stupid Holy Priest's Story!

That's ridiculous. Instead of being scary at the devil, I even laughed! In fact, a mydramalist reviewer commented: "The stupidest Kdrama I've ever watched".

Wow!
Because the concept is not clear. The analogy is, the God we have been worshiping is actually the Devil, maybe not? It's not possible right? God is the embodiment of the holy thing, while the devil is the evil thing. White vs black.

So that there is no confusion. If you want to change it, there must be a mutual agreement.
If not, there will be confusion like when watching the drama "The Heavenly Idol", how is it possible that the holy path which requires the law of celibacy, so that the perpetrators have divine powers (able to heal people), are actually led by a devil?

Instead of messing up the concept and imposition of an artist manager as a hero, why not focus on the story of the journey of a boy band that was finally successful? The story of the devil and others as background aja.

There's a Korean drama that tells the story of a boyband as a hero who manages to fight demons.

Even though it was pretty fun at first, you know. About a pontifex (priest) who used to live a holy life, now he has to unbutton his shirt to look sexy. Also the daily life of the boyband is really sad, sleeping in a cramped house and having to maintain a diet by avoiding carbohydrates.

A funny incident occurred when the priest Rembary and the grim reaper Sa Gam-Jae had to create a profile using a computer. Turns out they can't! Yes, yes, a creature in the middle of nowhere understands computers?

Unfortunately that's the only decent point. The rest is annoying. We put aside the factor of actors/actresses who have just taken on the main role, after all, Kim Min-Kyu has played the second lead quite often. One of them as Cha Sung-Hoon in the Korean drama "Business Proposal".

The scenario writer failed to compose the character of each character as a whole. The music is okay. However, what is most upsetting is the afterlife cinematography and the sober world of Dewi Redlin.

Now is the CGI era, you know, when the throne for the leader of the afterlife uses a sageuk drama setting? It's been looking really lazy since the Korean drama "The Uncanny Counter" which also tells about the heavenly kingdom. Compared to the CGI Chinese drama "Immortal Samsara", the difference is like the earth and the sky.

No wonder the South Korean audience "punished" the Korean drama "The Heavenly Idol" with a low rating. After successfully seizing the audience's interest with 3,407% in the initial episode for the Seoul area, the final episode was only 1,546%.

Nationwide ratings also showed the frustration of the Korean population, in the initial episode it managed to get a rating of 3,098%, the Korean drama "The Heavenly Idol" was only able to reach a rating of 1,369% in the final episode.

If you have this, who is "bad"?
Further reviews can be read here: https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2023/03/the-heavenly-idol-review-drama-korea.html

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