I'm still trying to answer that question.
It's just a music-based slice-of-life, which are both genres that don't interest me in the slightest.
I really only watched it due to a strong "recommendation" from a friend.
But now... sitting here... writing a review... I-I have to admit that I grew extremely fond of it.
How on earth did this happen?
Here's what I know....
Story 〆(・∀・＠): What hasn't been said yet?
This show takes place in a school dedicated to helping kids become stars, so the entirety of the story is centered around personal growth. Because of that, it was a straightforward show to watch. It was a story that had a few heavy topics in mind but always addressed it in a more calming manner. That way, you could see some dark truths but never feel the show losing its calm slice-of-life vibe.
What I think Dream High's strongest point is that everything ran like a well-oiled machine. No topic hung around too long, and every problem hit its climax and resolution at a perfect time. I applaud the writers for being able to do this since, in a lot of high school shows, misunderstandings tend to be taken out of proportion. It's this smooth writing style that might have had such a substantial impact on my opinion with the show.
Another thing is the side stories. As you can see in the title picture, there is a large group of protagonists. And of course, they each have their own challenges to face, which brings quite a few sub-plots. But here's the weird part...
I liked the sub-plots more than the actual one.
Of course, the main one was strong (more in the end than in the beginning), but I could connect with the side stories more than anything else. This also relates to how I liked the side-main characters more than the main main ones.
Does that make sense?
An example being Pil-Sook and Jason (IU and Jang Woo-young). I loved watching them more than anybody else, and they weren't the show's prime focus.
What I'm trying to say is that all the characters are likable in their own way. Maybe not at all times (I'm looking at you Go Hye-min) but enough to find yourself wanting to watch what life has in store for them.
It's a really empowering show in that way.
Buuuuut, since it is a slice of life, I have to be honest and admit I did get bored a few times. Just a few though...
The show provided enough moments to where my undivided attention was brought. So congratulations show!
You've done what other feel-good school shows couldn't. Not even Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo could do it.
Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: eeeek. Alright...
I've never had such a problem with acting before. It's rare to find a show where every single cast member is perfect. But usually, it's up to the leads to pull through and help the viewer overlook it. Yet, in Dream High, it was the side characters that seemed to do the pulling. Bae Suzy.... girl... Where do I start with you?
She was one of my main issues with this show. I've seen her in more recent works, and I can confirm she has definitely improved. But in this show, I was really disappointed. She just couldn't show emotion.
When she's angry she'd yell, when she's sad she'd cry, and when she's happy she'll smile.
But what else does she have to do? I feel like she couldn't answer this question. So much of the show was just her lifeless eyes spouting out lines. Although she'd do those things to show emotion, there never felt to be any sincerity. It even became a joke in the show how Hye-min was so emotionless. And I know this type of acting wasn't purposeful since I saw scenes where other actors were giving it 110% but she just.... I dunno.... smiled lifelessly?
She was irritating, that's for sure, but not enough to where I was miserable.
Other actors were okay. A lot of them were just pretty faces. I never had an issue with anybody else the way I did with Suzy, but I did feel like some would only say their lines with emotion yet not fully put themselves out there.
The one who truly blew my mind was the actor who was the only one not an idol. Yet his acting made it look like he had the most experience. So fantastic job Kim Soo-Hyun!!!
But in short, the acting is okay. It's extreme eye candy, that's for sure, but nothing to win an award with.
Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪ / Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Usually I keep the music and the other sections of the review separate, but this time they were so close in content that I just thought it would be easier to lump together.
For the first time in Kdrama history, I can actually talk about the music without scavenging for something to say.
I also need to preface that I am not a Kpop fan. I don't dislike the music, but I'm not a fan of any one band and have only bought a few songs. But regardless of that, I still found some really catchy tunes. What helped me appreciate the music part of this show was how much variety there was. There were some slow-paced ones, catchy pop ones, and maybe one or two light rock ones. Most of the melodies themselves were terrific on their own. I can't say there was a particular song that I fell for, and I'll most likely never listen to the songs again. But that doesn't mean they were terrible.
If you're a Kpop fan, than this show will be a gift to the ears!
And when you see some of the dance moves that these idol actors can do.... it.... it just blows my mind!
I wish I could've seen more of the dancing since it was just so mesmerizing.
All in all, the whole musical part of this show was pulled off really well. There was an equal distribution of music and drama, so one side never felt too overpowering. It was so fun to watch that I even had the urge to brush up my old piano skills (something I haven't done since I was 8). So yay for the empowerment!!
To summarize everything up in a neat little conclusion, I enjoyed this show more than I thought I would.
It was so easy-going and enjoyable while still having that slight worry of who's going to make it.
The character development was amazing to watch, and each side-story connected to the bigger picture.
The romance was cute ( I wished there was a bit more ).
The ending was heartwarming.
There wasn't too much action or tragedy, yet your heart strings were still pulled.
It's a show I'll recommend even though I wouldn't watch it again.
Happy Watching <3
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This Show is not worthwhile
The story felt dull and boring. None of the characters were interesting and the romance plot lines where just existing and nothing substantial. The Principal's sabotages were not detrimental especially if all of the special students pass with excellent grades. I couldn't really get myself into this drama but forced my way through to see the end. And surprise surprise we know who the big star. If you like these currently famous main cast then go ahead and watch it for that but otherwise there's nothing memorable here.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Ok let's get the negatives out of the way first, this show is not for everybody. The acting is pretty bad- you can so tell most of them are idol actors- and yes, it can be cheesy. I'd say the bad acting is the biggest flaw of the show and also, warning, it does have JYP in it and he's basically playing himself but like less creepy. But idk guys the vibes in this show are SO FUN I ADORE IT. I love it when a lovable band of the most annoying losers you've ever met have to group together in order to realize their dreams its so cheesy but idk it gets me. I love their little group so much and them all living together and taking care of each other like the most loser family ever i love them I LOVE THESE SILLY KPOP IDOLS FOUND FAMILY. And honestly its the teacher who really pulls it together like youve got this underdog, complete loser of a teacher but he believes in these sillies despite what he has to work with is the most emotionless complete prick (go hyemi my beloved <33), this country bumpkin, taecyeon doing his best attempt at a bad boy character, and IU playing an absolute sweetheart with perfect pitch. I love this group of misfits so much and it's so easy to root for them despite Hyemi putting up her uncaring front all the time. And speaking of Hyemi, I adore her. Like yeah, okay, Suzy is not a great actress but I think it's clear Hyemi's really guarded and prickly not because she's an uncaring sociopath but because she has to be to survive cause her dad is the worst and she has a family to take care of. Idk she's kind of a girlboss and I love how as the show goes on its so obvious how much she cares and how she looks out for the rest of the group despite everything. She's such a fun protagonist and such an interesting one for a 2010s character like shes not this wide-eyed, flighty, candy girl, she's snarky and rude and does not hold back. I ADORE HER. That being said I also love Baekhee, I cant help it, I love a good loserwoman. She's your typical 'was treated poorly by the rude, egotistical popular girl and now wants to take her place' character and yes she's really desperate but idk i do feel bad for her. And I am kind of surprised she didn't end up with Taecyeons character- which I actually really loved their bond. Taecyeon still looking out for her despite being in love with Hyemi was actually so sweet he's such a good guy and I think that's what works about his character. He's not this bad boy stereotype, he has an actual soul and heart and just like Hyemi is just a bit guarded on the outside. And that's the shows biggest positive- it's so incredibly heartfelt. It's goofy and can be cliche, but wow is it just so full of heart. Ugh I just really adore this show, the characters just all fit so well together and I love how they ultimately came together to form one big group like i just love them so dearly. Like Kim Soohyun's country bumpkin character is just so earnest you cant help but root for the guy- although he does get a bit emo during the second half but I do like how he and Hyemi work through that and his hearing issues. Which, yeah, the drama in this show is insane but I adore it it's so ridiculous <33 And then ofc theres Pilsuk and Jason and Jason is just so well named like that guy is just such a Jason. Those two were actually so cute together, and honestly... For a 2010 Kdrama I was actually surprised with how they dealt with Pilsuk's character and her weight loss. I do think that she ultimately did it for herself, which I appreciated, and I also how appreciated how Jason didn't want her to lose weight because he thought she was ugly, but because he hated seeing her getting bullied and looked down upon in the school because of it. It's def a touchy subject - esp with Korean beauty standards- and for the most part I do think they handled it pretty well. I also found it interesting that they didn't try to glamourize the weight loss, like they showed the reality of it and the side effects of weight loss. I just found it interesting how they handled the plot considering the beauty standards there. But other than that Pilsuk was SUCH a sweetie i loved her so much and I loved her dynamic with the rest of the group they just had a realy fun group dynamic idk guys I just really love this show. The music is peak 2010s kpop and I love it too. It's just such a sweet show and I acknowlegde that it's def not for everyone- I just love shows about people going to arts schools idk what it is. But this really is just a heartfelt show that makes you root for this stupid losers and their little group <3 Was this review helpful to you?
The first 7 episodes were boring, but it gets better on Episode 8. The story developed really well and there were so many funny scenes. You just need to endure some of the first episodes, which were boring. After that you won't regret watching this Drama. It's amazing!
Kim Soo Hyun (Song Sam Dong) was great in here. Ahn Kil Kang as Ma Doo Shik was fabulous. He was so funny.
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The drama's soundtrack, featuring catchy songs like "Dream High" and "Someday", adds another layer of enjoyment to the series, leaving a lasting impact on fans long after the final episode.
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Personally, I think the whole message of the series is very relatable to everyone whether your dream is to be in the entertainment industry or somewhere else. This series shows us that there will always be big and small roadblocks before you reach your dreams. If you are passionate for your craft and continue to overcome the challenges that you face, you'll surely reach your dream. I think this is what some 20-somethings like me need to know. This drama shows us that we should not let our mistakes hold us back, we must keep moving forward and use those mistakes to improve ourselves along the way.
Now, this drama has a special place in my heart!
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No words to describe this drama better than Amazing, Wonderful, Outstanding, and many more!
Recommend for any one to watch cause this drama is amazing! Loving all the casts!this drama have all in it. The musical, humorous, competitive, and romance.
Please watch it.
From Dream high1 lover.
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I'm usually right about who the main character ends up with, but I got an interesting surprise, which is actually a good thing.
I also can't get over how adorable Jason and Pil Sook are together, I've even gone as far as to write down every instance that they have a moment so that I know when it happened. Probably a bit obsessive, but I absolutely loved them and they would hands down have to be my two favourite characters.
I've already watched it twice and will very definitely watch it again and again and again.
I can't actually say why I liked it, because honestly, it would take a while since I loved it all.
Seza :)
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It's a plus that they pick the right actor's and actresses to play those roles and i really love all the songs and performance that they made i actually download it then listen to it a couple of times and even memorize the song "winter child" that suzy(hye mi) sang in one of the episode. it really touches my heart when she sing'a that sincerely to taecyeon(jin gook).
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Story: 8.5/10 It was enjoyable and fun. It's just your typical high school or music school scenario. I don't have much to say about this.
Acting/Cast: 8.5/10 I watched this because of Suzy, Eunjung and of course IU. They're so cute haha. Their acting is pretty good.
Music: 10/10 I mean come on, here are all of your most popular kpop singers of course the songs are gonna sound good!
Rewatch Value: 8.5/10 maybe
Overall: 8.5/10 it was ok
I recommend it.
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In Short: Our six main characters make a great group of misfits. Dream High is fun and cute throughout, with excellent payoff. Pil Sook and Jason makes for a great second coupling. They are super adorable.
Pros: Great characters and great payoff. A good sense of humor regarding the idol’s limited acting was well appreciated. Highly satisfying ending.
Cons: IU’s fat suit was insulting and horrible. Thankfully, the message was good in the end.
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Scam High
The drama started off mostly alright for the first 3 episodes or so, but once they confined everything into the school settings, problems started to seep from every corner. Imagine all of the school related tired tropes and cliches amplified by cringe to create the cheesiest abomination. Jason as a character, actor, story and writing was easily the worst aspect of this drama. Which created one of the worst memorable dynamics with his love interest. From the outset, the plot followed a predictable trajectory but things got a lot worse around the last 1/3 of its run. During which the story became static, the characters fell apart and the drama started to shove empty scenes of side characters. They reduced Sam Dong screen time significantly as well. They also isolated Pil Sook and Jason despite being main characters and had little to no interactions with others later on. All of this led to a below average last episode and a lukewarm ending. Despite its flaws and problems, somehow it worked, to a certain degree.In comparison, season 2 was an obvious downgrade in all regards, it's just plain worse. The empty scenes I mentioned earlier turned into amateurish random musical performances here. I noticed they were mostly using Korean songs in this season, compared to season 1 which had more western/global songs. In season 2, no one had any chemistry with anyone, all pairings were as incompatible and dry as they could get. It also had the same ending as season 1. I think the cast also had more idols than actors? Anyway, changing the directors and writers made its sequel DOA.
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