Page Turner (2016)

This short, 3 episode drama has material to fill out a much longer one. Chances were, if it did though, my rating would plummet ;) "Page Turner" is an allegory. The term is used as a symbolism for a character facilitating your dreams and ambitions, or hindering them. Granted, one could normally argue a "page turner's" role is hardly worth mentioning - they just turn sheets of music - but they hold a lot of power in their hands than you might think. The best bit about the "page turner" allegory was that Yoo Seul's mother (a typical pushy stage mom) who made her daughter try and sabotage a rival's chances (Jin Mok) at a competition, helps him at the end by being his page turner. Beautiful.

The parents clearly had their own drama going in the background, which could've been expanded, particularly about Cha Shik's father's existence, but since this focused more on the children (Yoo Seul, Jin Mok and Cha Shik) I wasn't complaining. Like I said - extend the drama, and you risk losing me. As it was, I felt wishy-washy about the drama (particularly the first 2 episodes, and halfway through the third), but felt kind enough to give it an 8. I already know about Kim So Hyun, but it's Ji Soo that came as a surprise to me (I know you're throwing vegetables, right?)

Ji Soo? What were you so surprised about, you ask? Don't you know he's a mega superstar TO BE?
See the only drama I saw him in before this one is "Sassy Go Go" and he plays quite a moody, virulent character in that one, that I didn't expect him to play a big-hearted, slightly comical Cha Shik, who wears his heart on his sleeve here. His actions reduced me to laughter a lot of the time, particularly when he's speaking with a helium voice and I know this is terrible...but how he got injured at the pole-vault competition...

So it was the final half hour that bumped up my score - it was unpredictable.
Typically, the underdog always prevails, but sometimes the underdog helps out the totally fed-up, broken-hearted top dog^^

Also extra note! You know that homeless guy that kept popping up, not saying anything? I thought he was Cha Shik's dad! LOL. Funny times. Also, I'm not going to sit here and pretend piano recitals excite me and the music played excited me - but it was good. Glad I watched it :)

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Page Turner

Why I watched it: Seemed interesting, and the story revolved around a younger age set.

Was it worth it: Surprisingly so.

What I liked the most: One of the kid’s reactions. They were so over the top at times that I literally LOL’d.

What I disliked the most: That same kid was really annoying at the beginning. I’m glad he quickly grew out of it.

Moment Meter: 1/10 – Not a whole lot of heart-stopping moments, but it was entertaining none-the-less.

Other thoughts: For only 3 episodes, they delivered solid, well-paced (as in, not rushed) content. It was very engaging and easily worth watching especially because it’s only 3 episodes long. Very well done. There was even a hit of unpredictability. I always like some surprise turns in my dramas.

Conclusion: Didn’t waste my time and I don’t regret watching it.

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For a 3 ep drama...THIS IS AMAZING!!! Wow...I wasn't sure at first...but this was really good. It was realistic. It was about people with real problems, real struggles, and real victories. It is very heart warming and I loved all the characters especially the boys. It was a beautiful story about following your dreams, working hard, and being the best you. I loved cha shik and his selfless, loyal, hardworking kind self. I also loved Sam shik and how he never asked for praise. He was just trying to be a better person, and wanted to set things right. He didn't need anyone's approval and I think that's a lesson to us all. And the girl...I loved how through compassion you really start to see her change. But I have to say she's the reason it's not a 10. I thought she could be a bit mean sometimes and didn't like that. But considering how her mother raised her she really did grow by the end of the drama. Lol she was just a bit of a pineapple. Scratchy on the outside and sweet on the inside. Anyway I reccomend 1000% and it's only 3 ep...so y'all have time.

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“It’s the excited dream that your child has embraced, the mother shouldn’t make it a nightmare.”

This drama is everything. I loved the pretty, the filming, the story telling, the characters. I don’t even usually care about feeling or atmosphere, but I noticed how the setup was so freakin’ awesome and delightful. When I got to the third episode I was so sad, I didn’t want to let go of the drama just yet.
I really like shows that tell stories about people who are good at what they do.

Cha Sik and Yoon Seol meet each other in such normal and affable circumstances, it was such a nice setting. I expected them to meet through a misunderstanding or some form of aggressive combat.
I like how the characters can receive criticism. Cha Sik literally just says, “Acknowledged. Keep going.”

Yoon Seol

I know Kim So Hyun is a popular little actress. But I hadn’t seen her in a main role and I didn’t realise how good she is until now.

Her character in this show starts of prickly. But she soon starts making her own decisions. I like that she defends Cha Sik and she is loyal. She just doesn’t let him take any abuse.

Yoon Seol has these sort of mocking moments that always follow with her sincerity on the topic. For example, she’ll say something mean to Cha Sik, but then follow it up with a sentence that shows him she meant it for herself (unless when she was teaching him).
She also uses parallels of his sport and how that relates to piano. I like that she thought about his point of view when he wasn’t understanding something.

I think one interesting thing about the drama is that Yoon Seol does get tricked because she can’t see. But it ends up better for her that people are tricking her for her own good. In the same way that she says she can’t get embarrassed because she can’t see, she also can’t let her pride get in the way because she can’t see.

Cha Sik

“I know it doesn’t make sense but I will make it so that it does make sense.”

I have loved Ji Soo in everything he’s been in. He’s got crazy good chemistry with everyone. In this show, he really shines as the easy going, optimistic and honest sports student. I have only ever seen Ji Soo play angry, over the top broody and intense characters. Here he keeps the intensity, but instead he is over the top energetic and excited, which is so wonderfully fun to see Ji Soo smiling and being so happy. He is such a simple and open fellow. I almost couldn’t believe that he is the same person because of the other complex and closed characters he’s acted as – he’s just so good. Even when he gets into fights, he’s so jolly, it’s great.
He keeps that beautiful innocence though and it’s just so heart breaking. I was so impressed by his character.

“I you tell me, I will steadily show you my improving fashion.”

“Please don’t misunderstand. We’re meeting to promote a healthy youth appropriate matter.”

“At first I just seem shabby like scrap paper, but after digging in deeper, I’m pretty awesome!”

Cha Sik just gets better and better as the drama goes on. I love that he used sound to make Yoon Seol laugh.

Cha Sik’s mother
Cha Sik and his mother are such a great pair.

“Crazy. Is he some kind of celebrity?”

“Wow Mum, I’m so disappointed. I’m tell you this great secret because you’re my mum!”

Jin Mok
I grew to like him quite a bit and he had some very meaningful moments. I love that he kept Yoon Seol’s curler.

Umm, that ending was rather bizarre. But the whole show was so feel good, let’s just forget what happens after the competition. Oh gosh what a weird ending.

Music
I like that they made some attempts at showing the high level of Yoon Seol’s piano ability. I like the way she bobbed her head to the beat that Cha Sik was missing when she was listening to him play.

I very much doubt that Yoon Seol couldn’t tell the difference between Cha Sik and Jin Mok’s playing. Ridiculous.

Also, no way Jin Mok would be on the same page as Yoon Seol with a piece that speeds and slows down like their arrangement. It would’ve been a hot mess most likely since they’d never played the piece together. Bit of a shame that the climax of the show was based on this impossible musical scenario. A duet of all things is such a form of serious connection between two players.

Musical complaint – a sight reading test is testing skills that are completely different from memorisation tests….

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Great to watch during a pandemic actually

I loved how short and meaningful this was. It is just a story of three youths becoming each others' page turners, but therein lies the true worth of the story. Each character uplifts the other and makes them shine in a different way. The drama depicts the difficulties youth face in choosing what they want to be in the future, in dealing with parental and peer pressure, bullying and yearning after approval from others. There are a couple things you will have to overlook and chalk off as fantasies of dramaland if you really want to enjoy this; things like Yoo Seul's sudden blindness after a car accident, and Cha Sik's quickly improving talents in piano. I'll also admit that Kim So Hyun wasn't the best in portraying a blind character, considering I've seen D.O do it in My Annoying Brother and So Hyun can't even hold a candle to that performance. She often looks up right into the eyes of another character while speaking to them, which made it very hard to believe that she was blind.

Nonetheless, the music is amazing of course, so is the message behind the story and the general pacing of the drama. i would give it a go if you're in a drama slump or stressed with the current global situation.

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it was really good even this is the shortest Asian show I have watched. But none the less they did a good job with it. They did super well for it been so such. I could tell that the director of this show put his own heart into it. I never once got bored while watching it. The show was funny, happy, sad, in a good way. All of the songs in the show was good. I liked that the setting was during the school part of their life. The script was really good. The plot was really great. The translations were good too. the actors and actresses in this show did really good when acting.

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