Not as good as others make it seem
I only started liking the show when the main leads finally got together. I did. Like it was sometimes relatable too. Other than that the show was kinda cringe and boring at times that I even skipped some parts of the show. I don’t think it needed all 16 eps cuz there was times it felt it was dragging on. I wish there was more scenes of the other couples in the show too and not just the main couple. I wished there was more emotions in this show too. I feel like if I watched this show when it came out I would have liked it then but not now.Was this review helpful to you?
This drama in one word: REFRESHING.
It's just great if you want something light, simple, fluffy(but not cringy) and heartwarming after all those heavy business politics or chain-deaths of characters in one episode kind of things.
To be honest, the first couple of episodes I expected this to be one of those same old typical romantic comedies but rest assured, you get a lot more out of it than the romance. You have the stereotypical characters that make up a typical kdrama (like the ex girlfriend, bully etc) but at the same time they all deviate from their stereotypes into something more complex. (At least they didn't make me want to rip my hair out unlike other ones where they should belong in a daycare center so ppl can supervise their immature behaviour.)
All the characters were well developed and well rounded, AND NOT TO MENTION NO ASSHOLE MALE LEAD. I felt like finally the main characters are people who are considerate of one another and behaving like mature adults. Unlike other dramas I've watched, any stupid miscommunication or misunderstanding gets resolved quickly and efficiently. No crazy lie that falls deeper and deeper until you get so tired of the main leads constantly misunderstanding each other.
One of the most important things I love about this drama is how they spoke about issues like eating disorders, mental health, and body issues.
Quick note of the cinematography: definitely very bright, light and something that's very "korean" like colour grading. I love the subtle aesthetics in the drama that's somewhat casual.
This drama is so freaking cute and lighthearted. It doesn't have those cringe cliche kdrama scenes where you go "omg," instead it's fresh and light and great for a bad day coming home.
Lastly, I love some of the hoodies Kim Bok Joo wears in the drama.
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I rewatch some of it every now and then, it's so lighthearted that I can multitask while re-watching. I can't think of one character whose acting was bad. I fell in love with Nam Joo-hyuk, he did soooo well, I'm so glad that he was given this opportunity as a main to showcase his talent. Lee Sung-kyung also stayed true to the character and brought Bok-joo to life. One of my favourite characters was her uncle; he was moderately funny and never overdid it, as he could have given the nature of the character.
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Story: The story is so refreshing, it is very light yet you still have the urge to watch it and it not like other light cliche dramas. I love the idea of using sports! I love how the story tells about what athletes feel and how do athletes live despite of their problems in life. This youth, sport, light drama is perfection!
ACTING/CAST: Joon Hyung and Kim Bok Joo are PERFECT for each other. Their acting is so real that I thought they dated in real life. I love their connection, especially when they are in a relationship. The kiss feels so real, the hugs, etc. Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung) is so cute and beautiful at the same time, I love her acting cute because she is cute! Nam Joo Hyuk is perfect on the Joon Hyung character. He is really good at teasing, he made me cry, etc. Kyung Soo Jin plays perfectly on the Si Ho character, I love the acting of her being obsessed and depressed from her problems. And other actors/actresses did well too. Really awesome.
MUSIC: THE OST IS SO CUTE and it brings you to a different world. I even downloaded the OST and some background music (I don't know if it is weird or crazy to download the background), because you feel like you are also in the drama and it really relaxes you. The soundtracks are cute and it makes you cry for some songs. It is perfect.
OVERALL: It... is... PERFECT! I can't stop repeating the drama. It has been months now and I still can't get over it. You should watch it if you are into youth and light dramas. It really deserved to have higher ratings on Korea. It's sad that it is a bit low on ratings on viewers.
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Story - 10/10. I was very apprehensive about starting this drama. I LOVE sport dramas and i' working my way through them all. I thought a weightlifting drama would be boring and the sport its not one that i would choose to watch. Well, there is nothing i disliked about this story. NO annoying characters in fact, all the characters did a brilliant job. The flow was very smooth. I wasn't bored an the hour episodes seemed to go by really fast. I loved the development of the characters. Just enough Romance, just enough sport to get your attention. I loved the romance. I really really felt the love of Joon Hyung towards Bok Joo Not as much the other way round). I haven't felt such chemistry for a long time (probably since Que Sera Sera).
Acting/Cast - Nam Joo Hyuk .. wit woo. how handsome. Sometimes you forget how old he actually is. I'm now a fan of his and i will definitely watch more of his dramas.
A few cameo parts from very known figures including handsome Ji Soo and quirky Kim Seul Gi.
Music - Gave it a lower score and wasn't very memorable.
Re-watch - I very very rarely re-watch dramas so hence the low score. This is a personal thing and if i did re-watch dramas, this would be high on the list.
Overall - Well worth a watch. I don't think you will be disappointed. The cast was amazing and its really cute and fluffy with plenty of *awhhhh* moments.
P.S. Lee Sung Kyung can really cry. bravo *claps*
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Why: This drama is for those that are at home full of work and just want an escape of it all. It's a cute lighthearted series about a hotblooded buff cutie and a handsome arrogant swimmer. You'll see how they are meant to be. It's not heavy and full of misunderstandings that can't be solved till the end, instead it's easy to watch and keeps you wanting more till the end
Story: It's original and interesting.The plot sparks up our interest and makes us wonder what might come out of that. Overall the drama kept a good coherent structure of each episode sequence so as to make sure we don't get tired or frustrated about misunderstandings that might occur. A great insight on the life of an athlete.
Characters: The characters were endearing and funny, each to their own quirk. They are all very realistic and even the 'villains' of the story are shown to have a heart too and that they aren't unreasonable bullies who are just there to annoy the protagonists. I live for redeemable villains, really.
Overall: You'll wonder how this can be 16 episodes, because of how fast you watched them..
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Vastly Overrated
I had high hopes for this show after seeing the high ratings, but I was sorely disappointed.First 3 episodes and subsequent scenes with the 3 girlfriends were ridiculous, acting like 13 yr old middle high schoolers.
Lee Sung-kyung (FL) is a good comedic actress, and this show and Cheese in the Trap displayed her good comedic skill. She portrayed something completely different here than in her more serious roles in Dr. Romantic 2. She should really focus on roles that depict her actual age rather than teenage/early 20 roles. As an added note, she cried in almost every episode of this series, just like she did in Dr. Romantic 2 - it got tiring and didn't make me empathetic towards her.
Who I found especially irritating was Cho Hye-jung who played the chubby childish friend of the FL. This was the same type of role she played in Cinderella and the Four Knights. I guess she found her niche in acting by sticking to that type of character. The actress that played FL's other friend was also typecast. She played the same tough tomboy role with an attitude as she did in Itaewon Class. Both of these two friends were also on the weightlifting team but the only things I've seen them lift were hamburgers!
Also, ML's gymnast ex-girlfriend looked 10 yrs older than ML.
Nam Joo-hyuk, who played the ML, normally displays great acting skills as shown in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (filmed the same year as this series), Start-Up, and Twenty-five Twenty-one. Too bad he didn't get to show his range of acting in this show until Episode 15 when his actual birth mother appears.
Around Episode 8, the show got boring. Every scene seemed to be unnecessarily dragged out. Starting with Episode 11, I hit the fast-forward button many times and discovered that I hadn't missed any significant parts of the series. The worst and irrational storyline was the coach embezzling 3M won from the team's operating budget to pay off one of the student's assault charges - such a ridiculous storyline as well as FL's subsequent crying frenzy that lasted way too long. Since the coach was so well-liked, the team and the professor pleaded with the school administration to reinstate her, went on a hunger strike, and FL even left the team for a brief time because she was upset. So the administration reinstated the coach but suspended her for three months with no repayment requirement. Seriously??? Someone who embezzled the team's funds deserves to be reinstated??? In the real world, she would have been charged and put in prison! This show should have been placed in the fantasy genre.
As mentioned earlier, I am disappointed in this show and will not rewatch it.
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It has so many lovely messages and takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions staying consistently good each episode. The acting was beautiful and the characters are extremely relatable. The story focused on a variety of things without being overdramatic or all over the place. It also really delved into the characters background stories without focusing too much on one lead over the other.
You will not only adore main leads Kim Bok Joo and Joonhyung but also sob over their amazing chemistry. You will love the weightlifting team, family, and friends. You will find yourself laughing so hard, smiling over fluff, and getting upset all in the right scenes.
I would find myself watching this drama over again for sure it just made me smile through every single episode ;_;
Watch if:
You LOVE fluff/cuteness
You like slice of life pacing
You like awesome female leads
You like non-jerky/aggressive and adorable male leads
COMEDY "WHAT?" (you'll understand the reference if you watch)
You love feeling emotional
You love heartwarming + family scenes
Don't watch if:
You don't like coming of age/everyday/youth dramas
(I can't think of any other reason not to watch)
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I just want to say that I'm completely speechless. Everything this drama brought to us, every episode, was like a fresh wind in the hottest days. I think I speak for a lot of people, but this drama had that special gift to put a big smile on my face in the end of EVERY episode (not the mention the last one, because damn I became a happier person bc of that).
I just want to say, and I mean it, this drama is unique, is special, is a masterpiece. Once you start watching it, it becomes like drug or something, and you want more and more... Really
A big big big thank you to the director, the producers, the cast, everything was PERFECT! Thank you so much to make me begin this new year with a huge smile on my face!
I hope this drama won't get forgotten in the next years, because they deserve all the attention, it has definitely became my favourite drama and I really hope it inspires people to create more dramas like this one!
Everything was beyond perfect!
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