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MattPeddlesden

Kent, UK

MattPeddlesden

Kent, UK
Oh My Venus korean drama review
Completed
Oh My Venus
0 people found this review helpful
by MattPeddlesden
Nov 14, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Most of this was absolutely brilliant, with a great story, a fantastic couple with superb chemistry and some really good characters around them. Acting was top notch, the music was good (particularly the short "whistle" instrumental that you can't get on the OST sadly). But it ran out of steam, at a very minimum the last episode was almost entirely unnecessary and I was just watching it largely waiting for it to end so I could mark it off as completed, nothing really happened.

The general premise for this one was one that had me concerned and while i originally added it to my list because it's the same actress from Tomorrow With You, but the topic of the female lead being overweight had me a bit concerned just because it's so easy to be really negative about it - and as an overweight person (all my own fault, not claiming that the universe has it against me or anything), I just don't find that kind of thing entertaining to watch.

Happy to say that I felt the topic of obesity was actually covered really well, with an underlying message that "what's inside matters more than what's outside". She's getting blood tests, not just checking her weight, fixing her diet and changing other aspects of her life like how and when she sleeps, integrating exercise into her life - losing weight is a lot more than just "eat less" and that's very well covered in this. There is another character, Soo-jin, who starts out overweight and by the time the main thrust of the story starts she's swapped with the main character and is now slim - but as the story progresses you can see she's not really taken care of "within" and is really not healthy as a result.

I really enjoyed the chemistry of the two characters, they work well together and were a joy to watch.

I thought that the wrist-grabs on this one were over the top - bordering on assault - dragging her by her wrist somewhere or yanking her around really quickly and suddenly. I know that the wrist-grab is a thing in Korea but this was one of the more extreme examples i've seen in KDrama and it looked really unpleasant.

I was also a little disappointed that in this story he basically re-arranges his life to help her, it's wonderful how much time and effort he puts into helping her turn her life around - but when it comes to his own problems, he completely locks her out and she has no way to help, he doesn't like seeing the people around him hurting and the best thing anyone can do to help him is to leave him to suffer on his own. I don't like that message at all, i'd have been so much happier if he'd taken a brave step to let her in and lean on her for the support that she was so desperate to give.

The final scene literally had me laugh out loud, I *have* to assume it was put on at the end purely for the "lols" and to tick off the standard kdrama elements - for no good reason at all, without any prior commentary to allude to it, suddenly, you find out that for a brief moment, they knew each other as kids. It adds nothing, it's completely pointless :) I don't consider this a spoiler because, well, uhm, it was pointless. :)

Summary - Up until the last couple of episodes this was one of my favourites, but it ran out of steam and just started rambling at the end. Some of the side plots didn't feel like they had good conclusions, but the main thrust of the story with the central couple was warm and good to watch. The "extravagant dowry" demand from the grand mother was nicely handled too, but i'll not say more on that one :)
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