This review may contain spoilers
" BELIEVING IS MAGIC "
This is my first time writing a review so i guess it won't be that great .It's impossible to rewatch as you will remember this drama forever . This is the best kdrama of 2022 so farr . I cried in the last episode . This dramatells us about what we need is to believe in ourselves . This drama is taking us 2022 children and adults into consideration . We all must have dreamt of something in our childhood . But do we really complete that dream when we grow up ? Just getting a degree or becoming like your parents is not a qualification or a must . We need to think and see what makes us comfortable and happy and makes us worth living a lifetime . This drama has excellently potrayed everything about our current situations but using magic and how we should move forward by remembering our happiest memories .
" He had no choice " " At some point , the world became a place where people like you ( ) can't live in . because if you don't meet the set standarads , you are treated like a failure . ......................... I think I understand you now . Since when did this world became a place where dreams have to meet a standarad ? What kind of qualifications are needed to become a necessary adult ? I just need to be me . " - Ah yi (ep 6)
I don't have much to write . So i hope you'll watch it . My review won't be that good . This drama amazed me a lott and I have been thinking about this drama since 24 hrs . I loveee thisss
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This review may contain spoilers
Sometimes, you may need to believe in magic to get through dark times and make your life colorful.
The Sound of Magic is based on Ha Il Kwon's (하일권) webtoon "Annarasumanara" (안나라수마나라). This was one of many dramas I was looking forward to in 2022, and I had high hopes for it. I'm pleased to say that my expectations were not crushed, and that it delivered far more than I expected.This drama is about a high school girl named Yoon Ah Yi who is struggling to support herself and her sister. Her mother had abandoned her, and her father, who was in debt and had fled to make money. She had to work part-time to make ends meet. Despite having many adult responsibilities, she always managed to get good grades and was near the top of the school. She believed that poverty was the cause of her misery and her ambition was to become an adult as soon as possible and to acquire more wealth.
One fateful day, on her way home from work with her earnings, her money flies and flies and takes her to an abandoned amusement park, where she meets the mysterious magician of rumours, Ri Eul. The rumour was that the park is home to a handsome magician who performs real magic and will ask anyone who visits if they believe in magic. He asked Ah Yi the same question, and the terrified girl ran back to her house. Then they had numerous encounters, which helped him gradually gain her trust. But she still didn't believe in magic, which she thought was childish and that the fleeting joy it provided couldn't change the harsh reality. But, as the end approached, she began to believe in the magician and his magic, which also led her to believe in herself.
Yoon Ah Yi had a rival at school, Na Il Deung, whom she always beat in maths alone. They were in the same class and shared a desk. Il Deng always followed in his parents' footsteps and studied hard not to disappoint them. But, after meeting the Magician, whom he initially did not believe and even resented, he realises how trapped he is. He shows him how cold and dark the path he is on is. Il Deung has feelings for Ah Yi as well.
The mysterious aura surrounding this magician holds us spellbound, making the drama really interesting, and because the magician's true identity was concealed until the end, he poses many questions, even questioning whether all of this magic was truly real. When I first started watching the drama, I was concerned that the story would be weak because there are only six episodes. But this is completely false. The story and script were both intriguing and fascinating! It had the potential to keep viewers guessing about what would happen next.
As a musical, this drama worked well. The drama's start took me by surprise! For a brief moment, I almost mistook this for an Indian film disguised as a Korean drama, because the characters were singing and dancing, as is common in Indian films. In any case, the musical aspect was not perfect because some of the songs felt awkward in their creation and placement. But I really liked the music and the lyrics, which were some of the most meaningful and thought-provoking. Furthermore, the majority of the sound tracks were sung by the leads themselves, making them feel more realistic when the characters sing them.
Should I really bring up the cast? They were, as expected, fantastic! True, there are some scenes that made us cringe in between the songs, but overall, they were fantastic! Ji Chang Wook's performance was the one I most enjoyed. He captured Ri Eul's mysterious aura as well as his childishness.
The visual effects were incredible and mesmerizing! The scenes with the blue butterfly fluttering around are especially lovely. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen because they were so beautiful. This exceeded my expectations!
Finally, I really enjoyed this drama as a whole (very typical of a Netflix drama). Anyone can watch this drama in a single sitting without becoming bored.
P.S. May be edited afterwards.
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Exactly what I wanted to see from the first Korean musical drama !
Now I have to mention that I’m a very big fan of musicals , therefore when I first heard news about this drama coming out I was already very excited and had many experiences and I proudly say that THIS DRAMA JUST EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS .If you expect romance or any of that kind , better just don’t watch it because it won’t deal with that .
Even from the start , I had a happy surprise to see that they immediately started the drama with a song , which I extremely like and added to my playlist.
The life of the three main characters was very relatable to me , I just immersed myself in the story . Each character had their own pain and backstory which was not very known to each other at first .
The magician helped them heal and find themselves while he also kinda healed himself through them . I did not expect such a story for him and I also have to mention that the little details about Bella were extremely emotional, beautiful and well done .
I think this drama balanced everything very well , from magic , psychological problems , music . I was very satisfied with every single little detail and have no complaints whatsoever.
Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to completely forget your child side . Do not let people dictate the way you live your own life , some people can live doing things that they dislike all the way through their lives , meanwhile for other people that would be just as bad as death ..If it makes you unhappy , it can kill you inside .
Now let me end this review with a quote that stayed in my mind , from this drama of course :
‘’ No one in the world is crazy . They make you into a crazy person little by little if you don’t fit society’s standards’’
10/10 ! Recommend and with big rewatch value ✨ 🎩
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Where the darknes in society meets glitter and magic...
This drama starts off as the regular girl in utter misery meets Willy Wonka + Marry Poppins combo in a magical display of disbelief, magic and misery...The music was good, the cinematography and effects were all amazing... And the way they adress childhood poverty may not have been revolutionary but they did manage to fit in the importance of the school meal as well as children hiding field trip expenses to not strain an already strained budget in a beautiful way.
The acting and singing is really good, especially the kids. There is also an amazing parrot in this drama that will truly make you laugh and fall in love with her!
As the story progresses the music subsides more or less along side the viewers faith in the adult world and probably society as a whole... This drama and it's subjects may not be revolutionary for a K-drama but it is done beautifully and magically...
There are a whole lot of great lines in this drama that may or may not restore that faith in humanity... or rather in the next generation giving us viewers a good balance between the dark social criticism and hope for the future. This is deffinetly not a fluff piece that will make you feel all good inside but rather a drama that will make you feel more or less everything and I dare say it will also keep you on your toes (the last 3 episodes or so).
Bingeabilaty: 10
Annoying side characters: non
Friendship: 10
What keeps this from getting a higher score from me is it's entertainment value, as mentioned before the first couple of episodes are well done but do not really bring anything new to the table. There is a certain awkwardness + cringe about parts of the drama and they may have overused the words:
"Do you believe in magic"
All in all defiantly worth a watch both for the musical lovers out there as well as those who do not care to much about musicals but love social criticism, important issues and drama as it does fit in quite a bit of that...
" There are no flowers on paved roads... "
p.s. The poor female lead does not have the newest smart phone...
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Not sure if I believe in magic, but I do believe in the reality this show sets us in
This drama regrettably leaves viewers with many unanswered questions by the end of the last episode. Too many plot holes and too much craziness that probably can't be fixed. Ever.But the show's beauty lies in the fact that none of the above bothered me by the end of it. I genuinely enjoyed the glitch this show put me through and the heartstrings it managed to pull in me. The darkness of the plot is tamed by the sweetness of the relationships in it, and I can watch the actors play their roles so well all day. Probably not all will find this show to be sane or worthy of a serious watch, but if you are missing this, you might as well have lost a chance to learn the meaning of true magic.
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“It hurts because you seem so comfortable leaning back into sadness.”
Butterfly instead of white rabbit, magician instead of Mad Hatter, magical world and a lot of unresolved emotional trauma - get ready for it all. The Sound of Magic delivers both the enticing fantasy and the harsh reality.A lot of the things I liked about it, the details in the created world, were the result of the hard work of the webtoon writer Ha Il Kwon. The best examples are the names of the main characters - 아이 (child), 일등 (first; if we add his surname to the mix, it would literally mean I am first) that represent the internal conflicts the characters were facing. Seems on the nose? Maybe, but it fits the story and the approach they took with presenting it.
Ai was forced to grow up fast because of her family situation. Her dreams, hopes, wishes were all focusing on gaining money, as she believed being poor was the reason for her misery. She viewed every situation in her life from the perspective of her financial situation. She did not want to believe in magic, since for her, magic symbolizes hope for better life. All the good things end, like waking up from a beautiful dream, so why even start when you are deemed to be disappointed at the end, when you are back to unfair reality?
Ildeung follows the path his parents picked, doing his best to stay at the top. This takes a toll on his mind and his body. He realizes how trapped he was, yet he wasn’t sure if he is brave enough to stop chasing after the future his parents chose, and try to find his own path. His whole arc was built on small things that might seem like non existing issues, but in reality can take away your sense of individuality and self-worth: things like his dad not calling him by his name, but “Na Jin Man’s boy” - first he is his parents’ son, then he is himself.
Both main characters do not know how to be happy, feel free, make personal choices, act like children their age. And this is the story of them slowly freeing themselves from the cages they were locked in.
It’s hard to talk about Ji Chang Wook’s character without diving into spoilers, since we are mostly kept in the dark about who he is and his past till the end. That adds to the thrills though, creating that mystical and magical aura around him, making the viewers question if the magic is real till the last moment. I was invested in the simple question: who is this magician?
What I also liked about the show is how it spoke about the faults in adults while also not truly making the adults into villains (mostly). Some of them were annoying, sometimes acted unfair or selfish, but most of them were not evil, they were just humans.
The performance from the cast was great. Yes, some movements and facial expressions during the musical numbers were rather cringe and awkward, but it happened only a few times. I was quite surprised by all the emotional scenes, since they all hit me hard (yes, I cried), especially any scene with Ji Chang Wook in the second half - been a while since I enjoyed his performance so much.
Visually they did more than I ever expected. A few times the special effects, especially in terms of the motion, were slightly off, but nothing that would take away from the stunning pictures created.
A lot of the songs had stage-like performances that just sucked me in and I could not take my eyes off it. The A Curse of Asphalt scene was especially breathtaking, even though compared to some other songs, it had a more simple approach. Yet, with how instrumental, lyrics, vocals, visuals, set design, arrangement, all fitted perfectly like puzzle pieces, this song became my favorite performance.
Were the musical aspects all that perfect? No. Some songs just felt awkward with how they were placed in the story, at times feeling unnecessary. I understand why it became a musical-like drama, some lyrics had a really strong message and the performance features added to it - which would not be possible to achieve with simple dialogue. That said, at times I would skip a song or two as they felt redundant at that specific moment.
Speaking of music - all the instrumentals are to die for. Some melodies reminded me of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie (2010) - which fitted the theme perfectly. Even the sound design at times surprised me - taking into consideration the place the songs were sung in and mixing the vocals according to it.
Overall, I truly enjoyed it a lot. Had some questionable choices, acting and directing wise, but I still believe it’s a solid drama. While at first I was not sure about making it into a semi-musical, after seeing all the episodes, I understand the value that was added with some numbers and I appreciate the rather bold move they took with it (let’s get real, musicals are not exactly a mainstream genre loved by all). Ending review with a quote that I loved:
“Flowers don’t bloom on smooth asphalt, but on bumpy dirt”.
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Magical at times, disillusioning at times….
Initial thoughts; I came across this drama through an exchanged list with a few friends. Have always loved Ji Chang Wook but I must admit that I wasn’t entirely engaged as some of his recent works have been a bit meh. Though I was willing to give it a go after seeing a promotional video.Tone of the show; ‘Sound Of Magic’ is very much what I’d say is a “ non offensive” show. It was sweet in parts, lightly melodramatic and angsty in others with a few cheery ( and sad) musical songs out of nowhere. Honestly I’m not saying that it didn’t go into issues and I thought that it was pretty brave of the narrative to go into some hard issues like inequality and hinting at exploitation. But it was very rarely pushed to the boundaries. Not saying that this a bad thing at all as the show was what it was. Lighthearted and occasionally dipping into some darker themes but never to the point of making viewers squirm or delivering shock. For those expecting a dark fantasy series like Hotel del Luna then you might be a bit disappointed especially as themes were rarely driven forwards.
Characters/ Acting ; I think as a lot of people in reviews have pointed out, Chang Wook’s character, the magician, was a bit disappointing. Honestly pleasantly surprised to see CW delivering an outstanding performance but his character sort of felt as though he had missing parts. I can’t say that I’m basing my judgement on the webcomic as I’ve never read it but even as a newcomer to the world of The Sound Of Magic, I have to say that the magician felt a bit lacking in charm and mystery. His character twist felt a bit sudden if I’m honest. Surprising but could’ve been built up or hinted at more.
The female lead was decent enough. The actress Choi Sung Eun wasn’t familiar for me apart from her performance in Beyond Evil but she was good. Her character felt a bit cliche if I’m honest. We’ve seen the poor girl trope so many times being branded and branded again that it can feel a bit lost amongst others. I did like the main female lead’s uncertainty and her genuine sincerity but I felt as though the narrative missed out on a lot of opportunities to explore her process of growing up too fast and coming to terms with reality as well as her mother not coming back.
The supporting lead was played by Hwang In Yeop. I’ve liked In Yeop like many since his performance in 18 Again and adored him in True Beauty. It was definitely weird seeing him play a “ good student” role aside from “bad boy” or “ delinquent bully”. Nevertheless his performance was fairly good and I definitely thought his onscreen pairing with Sung Eun was well done. His character felt a bit repressed at times. I liked the fact that the show presented the potential lover genuinely caring about the female lead and falling for her but there was a lot not talked about the supporting male lead nor understanding the female lead’s pain or struggles, or at least him coming to understand her circumstances more. His backstory was existent and even from a brief glimpse I feel as though we could understand a lot about him but could’ve been better.
There’s also the female lead’s bully who was necessary but definitely a cliche and superficial character. The ending felt a bit rushed more than anything and incomplete but the pacing was okay in my opinion just a little slow at times.
I liked the filming techniques and it did add a certain magic but there definitely could’ve been more in later episodes. The musical songs felt a bit bland. There were a few ones which were good but definitely not enough to get stuck in your head.
Overall; Decent series and fun but felt as though it could’ve been a bit more concise at times. Overall I liked it but I can say the trailer certainly made this one seem a bit edgier and provocative than it actually was in reality.
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A must-watch!
If only for the novelty of it in kdrama world, this is a must-watch series that I would recommend to any of my friends. At only 6 episodes long, it is a bite-sized series that kept me watching from start to finish, episode after episode. Although the story itself is not that remarkable, the message and execution is commendable and inspiring. For who doesn't know yet: The Sound of Magic has a lot of ... music. The story itself plays out when it needs to, and is supplemented by songs and dances à la La La Land. It is this musical-like feel of the series that makes the series stand-out. The series reminds us to go for what we truly want in life, without being constrained by the expectations of society, friends and family. But ultimately, the series made me feel a sense of wonder and hope.For all of you who could use some joy and a reminder that everything will be alright: this is one for you!
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Musical like drama
It's my first time watching a K-drama that involves so many musical acts, i somehow felt like I was watching a Disney princess movie throughout this series.This basically concentrates more on the female leads life journey, having to face harsh realities of life at an younger age, having no adults around to support her and if magic enters her life? BOOM!!! All miseries out of her life, Sounds fun right? Watching first half even I felt that the same. But NO! The second half concentrated more on the magician(ji Chang wook) and Na II deung's life's story. I some how felt a little similarity between the 2 male leads characterizations. The latter seemed younger version of former (Wound'nt go much deeper analysing it here ,may endup spoiling).
This drama did take me by surprise be it the musical acts (Damn! Focus on the lyrics ,seemed like they were talking to each other through music) or the vague ending . Because it is just 6 episodes and the actors are just amazing, I'll say it's watch worthy.
Started this just because of ji Chang wook but ended up falling for the female leads actings, Oh God!!! the look in her eyes explains her misery. Every actor in this drama truly portrayed their character's personality through acting which got me involved more into the story, absolutely loved the actors
Alert!! Zero romance and yeah the ending was quite confusing to me . Story kept jumping from one thing to the other.plot was quite plain with no wow factors involved
Personal opinion :P lol :- Do you believe in magic?
During our low times, if it is something that makes you believe in miracle even for a moment then, why not? -_<
Funny fact:- As ji chang wook is part of it I thought episodes will be released weekly and started off with the latest episode released and 50 minutes into it realised something was off .Turned out I was watching episode 6 throughout. AAAAHHHHH! Erase everything you saw and let's start afresh. EP-1 let's go!!! Was what I though to myself.
Yeah the first episode I watched was the last episode of this drama. SILLY ME!!!!!
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Let's be honest
Produced by SLL and Zium Content, "The Sound of Magic [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of 2010 webtoon titled Annara Sumanara (안나라수마나라) authored by Ha Il Kwon. Developed and distributed by Netflix Korea, it was written by Kim Min Jung and directed by Sung Yoon.The story follows three characters: a magician Ri Eul (Ji Chang Wook), and two highschool classmates Yoon Ah Yi (Choi Sung Eun) & Na Il Deung (Hwang In Yeop) and narrates their story of being each other's support through magic and music.
Ri Eul is a mysterious man, living in an abandoned amusement park, who performs magic for those who believe it and always immersed in his own world. Ah Yi is a responsible girl who has gone from rich to rag, trying to finance her family of 2, and still manages to do well in studies. Na Il Deung is the topper of the class with inferiority complex and a victim of domestic stress in regards of doing the best in academia. While Ri Eul helps Ah Yi and Il Deung in uplifting their souls through magic, they find out that there is more to the story of Ri Eul.
There are, in fact, plenty of familiar faces in both supporting and guest roles but their characters didn't have any scope either.
I have mixed opinions about the plot development and I must say it's an overall average delivery from the entire cast & crew. I can no way cite it 'bad' per se but it wasn't any impressive either. The dark scenario filled with misery transcending into jolly yet illusionistic colourful premise brings out great joy. While some scenes exhibit firm foundations and felt necessary for establishing the narratives, most of the events felt rather dragged and even rushed. The pilot episode starting with a long musical definitely sparked many thoughts and emotions, and fueled the excitement for the show, that were already on the peak, provided all the waitings. The show continues to be likable to some extent, particularly, till somewhere around the interval of the same episode, but that's it! Sure, it was decent but not monumental and imposing.
Together, Kim Sung Yoon PDnim and Kim Min Jung jakkanim have delivered both highly acclaimed and rapidly popularised shows and this show in particular, definitely falls into the latter category, though it was an average drama provided it's quality and execution. I had heard highly of the manga when the news about it's adaption surfaced and now, also the disappointments about how the quality of the original work couldn't be retained. The script was honestly a let down, for me and for many others, even when I attemp to judge the perspectives as someone who hasn't read the webtoon. The direction could have saved the show to a great extent, but it's unfortunate that the famous duo weren't able to understand their own homework, which is common. However, this wasn't expected from the experienced makers. The editing and arrangement of scenes required a lot of finishing and redoing. Have to commend the cinematography and VFX works, anyways, because they deserve.
What I liked...
# The musicals are what I loved the most. Given that there are not many dramas that try to tell stories through music, it was a pleasure to see the drama adapting the concept. However, the very execution of the musicals were rather lacking. They didn't feel natural, rather forced, as if they have no relevance to the story or to the characters. The random incorporation of the scenes came to me as an annoying element.
# The visuals have been undoubtedly served and everyone must agree to it. JCW in te magician attires looked 10 years younger and the aura his look for the show radiated will definitely help you get through. I personally think they could have worked a lil more on Hwang In Yeop.
# The acting was good; JCW is already experienced, HIY is blooming and CSE has done well despite her debuting background. The delivery from the supporting cast is great though the skills weren't properly utilized due to the lackluster character sketch.
# The underlying msg was the most important thing about the drama, I feel, even so the time taken to emphasize that was disappointing. Through the years, school violence and academic stresss, have nevertheless, been important topics of Kdramas. So, this drama also counts as an important factor in initiating conversation, despite the poor portrayals.
What I didn't like...
# The fantasy is the part that irked me the most throughout. Sure, it's beautiful, alluring and aesthetically eye-pleasing, etc. but what's the merit of it when that is of no significance. The author, by the end, couldn't even conclude whether to cite the magic real or not. One might think that's upto individual interpretation, but things are too unclear and subtle for the audience to decipher.
# The character arcs aren't at all likable and the only attribute you fall for is their looks, while that doesn't suffice to prove a drama. The subtle and poor development for both Ah Yi and Il Deung could have been better drawn. The characters are forgettable with not a single awe-inspiring feature. I am the most disappointed about Hwang In Yeop's role, I wondered why he went for this script.
# The plot development is off. The 1st scene was very impressive but everything that followed later was dull, inconsistent and shoddy. I was relieved the finale felt a little better and was able to deliver some important messages. Despite using elements like poverty, inequality, parent negligence and school bullying, the superficial utilization ruins the show to some extents.
# The plotholes created in the initial episode and the increase in it's number further turns off the overall essence. It's important they're filled up simultaneously, if not the makers always have a chance in the finale; this show didn't grab any of them.
# The execution and direction becomes choppy as soon as in the pilot episode itself. The forced irrelevant musicals, the time flashbacks, the sound editing, everything seemed irresponsibly done.
# The ending sequence, even so better, was not able to make everything clear. The way they finished the show without answering a lot of questions including some key facts was absurd. Even with the underlying takeaway home message, it couldn't make a significant change.
Final Remarks... The magic scenes were fascinating, the musicals were enticing and some other things were motivating, but when you combine them all, the story didn't really make sense; it was like they weren't meant for each other. I believe the drama could have been a qualitative hit if it were made around the time the webtoon came or at least before 2015, but provided how far we have come in the race, it wasn't anything great. But I insist it's a fair and decent one time watch which you use as a casual and light watch, nothing more or nothing less.
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Annara Sumanara
Sound of Magic is a wonderfully woven drama combining fantasy and reality. Its a musical that gives a whole lot of Disney vibes. But the drama is unique and it stands out.Musical Dramas are hard to come by or its rare. And surely this was one of the most anticipated dramas of 2022. The story is an adaptation of a popular webtoon and the director has done a wonderful job in giving justice to the webtoon.
The drama is just 6 episodes and there is no part which felt out of place. To those who loved watching musicals of Disney, the drama is just beautiful. A tale of redemption, acceptance, magic and the harsh reality. A tale of 3 people stuck in different phases of life waiting for acceptance and hope to move forward. Sometimes we all wish there was some magic that could help us through our hardships, its the element of magic that binds the storyline and all the arcs.
Secondly, i have to mention the cinematography. The frames were so beautiful and blended so well with the fantasy/magic vibe. The VFX is excellent and nothing stands out odd. The sets are well designed and the elements of fantasy is brought out on screen with so much detail.
The music blends really well with the storyline and the musicals between the plot doesnt feel out of place.
The casting for Sound of Magic is nicely done. Choi Song Eun, Ji chang wook and Hwang Inyeop have done a wonderful job in executing their characters. But Choi Song Eun and Ji chang wook have been spectacular. Their expressions and the musical performance have to be appreciated.
The drama ticks all the right boxes and is a very good and enjoyable binge. One could say it has set a high standard for musical fantasy dramas. A 9.5/10
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Simply awesome.
SHORT AND CRISPmessage.....
The cast was good....
Acting was good...
Story was good....
No unnecessary romance...
Or unnecessary dragging...
Only one thing to learn.
Dream....
Believe...
Work towards your goal....
If you believe in your self and walk 🚶🏼♂️🚶🏼♂️in the path 🛣️ with belief ...
That,
"I can, and i will...
You will see "magic". Definitely.✨
I liked JCW for the role...he remainded me of "Charlie" of Charlie and the chocolate factory..
Both are different but both have a common theme.
Kids to be inquisitive and about having confidence in them.
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