I was quite hesitant to start this because and at the same time, I wanted to. A cast that consists majorly of idols can make some people leery, thinking that the show is popular not for its story line, but because of its cast. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here.
First off, I'd like to say that the plot was good. It delivered exactly what it promised. Sure there were the Korean drama cliches in it as well, but this show was good. Due to the long duration of K-drama episodes, there are a few boring moments in between, but I experienced none of those while watching this.
This was my first drama featuring Kim Soo Hyun, who did a wonderful job with his role as Song Sam Dong. He made me laugh, he made me cry and he made me come back for more. I liked how balanced Ok Taek Yeon's character, Jin Guk was. IU and Suzy did wonderful jobs with their roles, but Eunjung kind of fell flat in some places. Park Jin Young was there to make us laugh, and paired with Uhm Ki Joon, these two made a hilarious pair.
The music was beautiful. If you don't find the drama that impressive, then the music will blow you away for sure.
Overall, the drama flows well and is a good watch if you're in the mood for something non-romantic and full of feels.
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- Jin Gook
This drama is perfect. PERFECT! I can't even explain the happiness and joy I feel from watching this. Dream High was my absolutely #1 favorite Korean drama of all time, and it's still one of my favorites. It's one of my favorites of any drama, period. Dream High restored my hope in kdramas. I never knew I could feel this way about a kdrama. I could watch this a million times over and not get sick of it.
I loved Dream High from beginning to end. All throughout this was a perfect drama to me. From the cast to the characters, to the setting, to the plot, everything is amazing and it has an excellent message. This is a very fun, endearing, inspiring drama. You understand each characters motivations. For example, Hye Mi, the main character, is my absolute favorite, but I could see how ppl wouldn't like this character at first. She comes across as entitled, ungrateful, disloyal, and full of herself. But I loved her from the get go, from the minute I saw her. Hye Mi is a character who is very talented and had a dream of going to Juliard. Because of financial circumstances involving her father, she was forced into attending an art school in Korea. She had a very superior attitude, thought she was above that kind of education, but through her teachers and friends, she evolved as a person and developed a new dream. Oh, how I just love everything about this drama. Hye Mi is just one of six students this drama focuses on (but she's my favorite). There's Jin Gook, Sam Dong (also my favorite), Pil Suk, Jason, and Baek Hee. All of them have there own trials and tribulations to overcome. A pendant is passed around amongst them, and it's a sort of good luck charm. Whoever has the pendant always overcomes their troubles. There are so many themes and intertwining story lines and plot points in this drama, I don't think I'll have time to name them all, but I will focus in on the biggest and most important one to me. There are many reasons this drama was called Dream High, but I like to believe it's a message. Dream high, don't be afraid to wish for something that seems impossible to obtain. Dream high, the sky is the limit. Dream high, if you want it bad enough u can get it. Just dream high. Really, thts the least you can do, because if your dreams have limitations, then wats the point of it being a dream. Dreams shouldn't have limitations, they should be limitless. And this drama focuses on these six students realizing their dreams, and I honestly loved every second of it. If you love kpop then you'll definitely enjoy this. I delved deeper into kpop because of this drama.
Dream High just gives me that warm feeling an excellent drama should give you. It makes me feel happy, it makes me smile. It makes me want to dream higher, and reach for those dreams. And I fell in love with Kim Soo Hyun. He has to be the best crier I've seen in any drama. And Suzy is gorgeous! Plus she has an amazing voice. I love the whole cast, even the side characters. And I finally know wat JYP looks like lol. Anyways, I highly recommend this drama. How can't I when it makes me feel so good. I give Dream High a 10 all around. This is what I call PERFECTION!
That quote that I put at the beginning of my review was said by one of the characters in this drama, and it's so beautiful and true. I had to add it to my review so everyone could see what kind of deep messages this drama has. Dream High is actually pretty smart and insightful, and I so appreciate that.
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I think I have a thing for tests and teamwork. I like the concept of a bunch of newbies entering a new program and undergoing trials together.
There are a lot of illogical things that happen but the important thing is that I could understand why the character did what they did in response to these illogical situations.
One subtle theme of this drama is the little things that can change the course of an individual's life.
Honestly, the messages of this drama didn't interest me very much and the musical inspiration and rade rah, the teacher pep talks and especially the teacher politics were all quite blah.
I liked how each individual had a different personality emerge when they were engaged in music. The grouch looked so happy when she was singing and the shy one was so confident when he was dancing.
Love Triangle
I liked how both the boys had a different foundation with Hye Mi. Jin Guk related to her on the basis of their lack of parenting and the troubles that they were both in.
Sam Dong's relationship with Hye Mi really was about the music. How because he chose her, he chose music and afterward, she helped him choose music. What happens to them because of this is pretty intense and done really well.
I have a thing for guys who can put up with the prickly girl.
Both the guys are lovely. And do things for Hye Mi that are quietly extravagant.
Also, that scene when Jason confronts Hye Mi about the love triangle is hilarious.
Hye Mi
“For the sake of my livelihood I am very tired.”
Hye Mi's in a tight spot. She is also really aggressive to the point of stupidity. She clings to her pride desperately.
Her self-preservation drives her to lash out at kindness. Even when she does care for people, she doesn't want them to be troubled by her burdens so she pushes them away.
It was a relief to see her icy facade begin to melt when she discovered altruism in life.
Similar to other characters, I learned to understand and appreciate her way of caring for people.
As for the actress, she's pretty awesome. I liked how different she looked from her little girl smiling face to her bitch face. She had a really effective range of expressions.
Hye Seong
This kid starts off as bratty but I really came to love her. She has a special relationship with Jin Guk. So adorable.
Sam Dong
“Sam Dong looks like a fool who only knows Hye Mi.”
Sam Dong is shy and awkward and innocent. I liked seeing him gain confidence in his music and how much attitude he had when he danced. Also how boyish and selfless he was in his love for Hye Mi.
He's a mama's boy and he's sensitive. He wears his heart on his sleeve and I loved his rawness.
Jin Guk was beautiful but Sam Dong's shining moments really just blew me away.
Jin Guk
Jin Guk is sort of the bad boy. But he's way too nice and patient. So, maybe it's better to say he's the too-cool-for-you kind of guy. I appreciated the little ways that he'd look out for people.
Unlike Hye Mi, he instantly melts under kindness.
Bromance / Sisterhood
I liked the dynamic of the boys with the worldly Jin Guk and the naive Sam Dong. The boys were also probably the first dudes to be so civil about their rivalry. I enjoyed their honest talks with each other.
I enjoyed the girl friendship in this. I feel like there's not a lot of girl relationship development in Kdramas.
Teachers
Student - “Mr. Yang looks young.”
Mr. Yang - “Last week, when I went for a drink, they asked for my ID.”
Mr. Kang - “That's because you look like a criminal.”
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T-ara is one of my favourite groups so I was curious for Eunjung too :) And I like good songs and this drama has many, many great musics. I liked when Eunjung and IU sang in the story :)
Maybe Taecyeon's figure was far away from me. He was neuter me.
IU's character, Pil Suk, was my favourite because she was shy and cute. And she is very talented. But I liked Kim Soo Hyun too. He deserve a handclap because he was the only one who isn't a singer.
I offer this drama if you like school stories and good songs. I think it's worth to watch.
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The one thing that makes Dream High great is the ability to keep you wanting more at the end of each episode. You really want to see these characters follow their dreams. You want to see who's going to debut and of course who's going to have the necklace next. Every episode had me wanting more.
The music is great and of course the dancing. It's fun to watch them sing especially since they all have so many great voices and talents.
The characters are all fun to watch and you have a great cast. Some of their acting skills are not the best but they still held their own. I loved Sam Dong. I was surprised by turns that some characters took (Pil Sook, Hye Mi, and Baek Hee) during the drama. I liked watching the change with these characters. Jason and Pil Sook are just adorable to watch on screen. They were both my favorite characters.
The story wasn't beyond but because of the cast and the music made the show good. They had some cheesy moments but this type inspirational drama needed just that.
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Kim Soo Hyun as Sam Dong, has portrayed his character very well when compared to his other competitors in this drama. He has delivered his acting skill exceptionally well during the scenes where he need to express his innocence on the stage while his Mom watching him,or express his love to his lover,hide the pain from his lover or bear the loneliness after he succeed. That could be one of the reason why he was chosen for the blockbuster movies like 'The Thieves', 'Secretly Greatly' or the drama 'The Moon that Embraces the Sun', even though these roles would have been apted for some other leading Korean actors.
Taec Yeon, the rapper of the 2PM Band group, is the another main lead of this drama. He has also given his best not only in the acting but also in the songs that were sung by him in the drama OSTs. I believe his performance was more liked by the viewers than the other casts.
Suzy - Her performance was at 'the best'. Her portrayal of an arrogant, rude, cunning, high ambitious teenage girl is much appreciateable.
Ham Eun Jung - as Yoon Baek Hee has lived as the character on this whole drama. All the scenes between her and Suzy are very noteable which makes draws the viewers attention everytime, which indeed increase the Drama's pace.
Jang Woo Young,IU,Ahn Seo Hyun are the other noteable performers of this drama.
The drama is all about how the teenagers acheive their dream of becoming K-pop idols, which deals with:
How can a normal person turn into a star if he/she possess the talent, skill, enthusiasm, perseverance, hard work.
While travelling in the path of success, the different kind of obstacles that one come across and how it can be overcomed.
During this battle for success, what kind of emotional pain one suffer, the changes in well bonded relationships, the art of giving up/not giving up during the crucial moments.
The director chose 'Music' as the core element of this drama through which all the characters portions are threaded. Drama concentrates more on the emotional bonding between the school friends, their dream to succeed in the field of music, than describing their normal school life, which we have seen in many dramas. Some 'common boring mandatory' elements such as Rich Guy Poor Girl Love, Finding the lost sibling, Guy or Girl with super natural power falls in love with the other, Amnesia - missing here which has added a huge advantage to this drama.
The setting is good, in particular the underground set where Taec yeon stays and Suzy's house. The dollar chain which is rotated among each other during their hard times is a such a nice concept. Each time they bounce back and stay focussed on their ambition, and give a better come back. The teenagers who dream high must watch this drama and learn that even though the world is not fair on them on most of the occassions, they should never give up and keep trying!
Music is a big boost to this drama, where the OSTs were performed by the main leads themselves. "Dream High", "Someday" are my favourite of all 12 Sound tracks. The music was composed in the same way how an upcoming artist will compose the song rather than an experienced composer.
I like the 2 below quotes very much and it will be in my WhatsApp status atleast for a week till I find an another nice drama quote.
“They say that there are two types of happiness. One is a happiness that you realize after the fact and the other is a happiness you feel in the moment. That happiness you feel in the moment is so precious that they say that the memories of this kind of happiness can stay with you and enlighten your life. Maybe we’ll go on remembering this moment today, like that kind of happiness… that we can remember for the rest of our lives, the moment when we shined.”
“Do you know what it means to become an adult? It means there’s less and less to smile about. So we’ll have to smile even more, even if we have to force it.”
Han Ji Hoo as the Dance Teacher, Park Jin Young as English teacher (His comedy portions reduce the tension/seriousness that arises through out the drama, also makes you to laugh loud!), Uhm Ki Joon as Music Teacher (He has played a very vital role, which involves most of the heavy scenes), Ahn Seo Hyun as Suzy's little sister (I must agree the fact that this kid is sooooo cute that you will give her a big hug and kiss on her cheek when you get a chance to meet her in person.), Ahn Kil Kang as Doo Shik (Comedy lights up whenever he appears on the screen) has played a very noteable performance.
And the most noteable point in this whole drama is, not only in their drama characters where everyone will challenge each other, but also, in the way they all played their roles/performed to challenge each other's acting skill. All the 6 main leads have played their roles with healthy competition among each other!
One can find very minimal (ignorable) flaws in this drama.
A Big, big applaud to the Director and the off screen technicians to make this 'Dream High' to Fly High!
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The story touched me in ways I wasn't expecting and the production quality was amazing. It's rare that I find a television series that makes me want to continue watching the next episode, but with Dream High -I found myself simultaneously wanting to watch the entirety of the series in one night but also never watch the next episode, because I so desperately did not want the series to end.
The story touches on common issues faced by people and demonstrates them in a very good way.
The acting is completely flawless, there are times of questionable acting but I believe that they serve a purpose and are included for comedic effect - as a whole, you could forget that the actors were putting on a character.
I found myself crying EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE. - for both sad and happy things.
In conclusion, I am practically honoured that this was the first K-Drama that I saw - it actually has made me restructure my life in order to become like some of the characters on this show who exhibited extremely kind traits..
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Not fond of musical movies or dramas; so I did not expect to like this drama that much, but to my surprise I enjoyed every bits of it, It is now one of my favorite dramas.
Song Sam Dong, was lovable all throughout! Kim Soo Hyun is now one of my favorite actors.; I even think I like him best. I shed worthy tears many times, and have learned so much from this drama.
I am turning 30 this year, and this movie made me ask myself if I ever had a dream? I want to see how beautiful it is,too. I so love the scene when Sam dong made a solo performance, i think that's the very heart of the drama; kim Soo Hyun really pulled it off. I also love his duet with IU, watched it several times.
I wish there were more sweet Sam Dong -Hye Mi moments; and more of them at the ending.
But still this drama is 10/10! Kim Soo Hyun was just perfect for his role, no other actors would have done it better than him.
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Love all the Singing and Dancing!
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75Wow… what a pleasant surprise! I can’t believe I had so much fun watching “Dream High” in 2024, and not find it cringey and dated (Ok, it did take me a couple episodes to get past how annoying Suzy’s character was in the beginning). Now that the cast are A-listers, it’s interesting to look back at how they started. As I am writing this review, I am also watching the concert ?
I am quite impressed with everyone’s acting even though it was a first drama for some of the cast members. I think out of the 6 main leads, Kim Soo Hyun did a little better and he’s more experienced than the rest of the cast. His character undergoes tremendous change from the first episodes to the last episode. Towards the second half of the drama, you can see how his character changes just by looking at his eyes. OK Taec Yeon has such a charismatic presence. Out of all the guys, I find him most attractive and can’t take my eyes off him when he’s on my screen. This is Suzy and IU’s first drama and I think they both did quite well. The veteran supporting cast is great, and some provide us with memorable comedic moments.
I love all the singing and dancing. IU has such a beautiful voice and is so talented. Ham Eun Jung has a more powerful but equally beautiful voice. The OST has some amazing songs. The dance choreography is great and I feel like I am really watching idols in the making. Jang Woo Young (Jason) is the best dancer in the drama and also the best out of all the actors. His dancing is cool and stylish. However, I found Taec Yeon dances with more charisma and joy and is infectious. Can't forget Teacher Yang, who is also the drama’s Creative Director and Choreographer. His moves are really sharp and precise. I forgot flash mobs were a thing back in the day, and it really brought back memories, and songs I haven’t heard in a long time.
I really like how the drama gives me a little peep into the idol training world. I’ve seen other dramas which focus a lot more on just singing and dancing, and fighting between students and group members. But “Dream High” shows us more than that. I enjoy watching the songwriting class, learning how to sing with emotions while acting out the lyrics, and even the pitch test. Additionally, I like that they didn’t make it a big deal with the IU’s weight loss. I wasn’t happy with her initial reason to lose weight, but I’m glad she came around. Though the weight loss was brought up in the professional/music/PR world, the issue was not dragged on.
The romance… well, my ship did not sail, but that’s OK. Even though there’s a love triangle/square, it was not bad. Guys are respectful of each other and are both positive influences. Unfortunately, I found the chemistry between the three main leads a little lacking. I like Suzy and Tac Yeong’s chemistry a little better than Suzy and Kim Soo Hyun. The secondary romance is cute and sweet, and provides the drama with limited fluffy moments. I actually wanted to see more of them.
There are many laugh-out-loud moments and very emotional ones. In ep 13, I was very moved by a solo performance with the assist from another member. However, I also found there’s a little too much crying in the second half of the drama, especially from FL/Suzy. I do not like FL’s father and how he just abandons his kids and disappears for a year. The debt collection side plot is quite unrealistic.
Overall, I have a great time watching this. I wouldl recommend this to those who enjoy a lot of singing and dancing, and if you are interested in the idol training world. It’s quite fun to see how young these superstars were back then.
Completed: 4/27/2024 - Review #433
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