Lee Jong Suk did a great job. Also Kim Eui Seong did, mainly in the last chapters.
But... there is many problems with the storyline and the interpretation of the main actress. These problems don't make of this drama a terrible one, but is enough to not give to it 10.
The story works well, more or less, until episode 12. Until this point is one of best drama of this year, after that is a very regular drama. It is because the drama begins to lose direction and logic.
The end is more or less expected.
I don't like the behaviour of Oh Yeon Joo, each episode she was becoming increasingly aphatic and annoying with her actitudes. In fact, the most important criticism is the poor performance of the main female. Several scenes lost even more their meaning by the way she played badly some emotions.
Park Soo Bong has the worse lines of dialogs of all drama.
I did not see him again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Failed execution
Y'all... I tried to finish this, I really did, but after maybe 7 or so episodes, I just had enough.Actually, when I first started watching this, I was really invested because it had such an interesting premise, and I liked the two main leads (never watched any of ML's drama's I think but I watched HYJ's from like... 10 years ago lol). However, after the FL revealed to the ML the secret, it all just went downhill for me.
Everything just felt forced, and the more I watched on, the more it was evident to me that the two main leads just did not have any chemistry, which was a serious pain because they apparently already fell in love by the 7th episode and we weren't even halfway through the series yet (which normally, is totally fine, but again, no chemistry = painful to watch). The FL really grated on my nerves with her bumbling personality and her constant shocked/worried face and after watching one more episode, I was done with her antics.
I personally wouldn't recommend this, but maybe a good time waster for those that want to go for it.
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I really enjoyed the idea of the storyline and how unique it was. It's not everyday one comes across a story where a girl can travel into a Webtoon and meet the main character of it. Not only that, the main character is the man of almost everyone's dreams. I also loved the music that went with the drama and played during certain scenes. It definitely made the scenes more dramatic and made me more empathetic to the characters' feelings and thoughts.
Once again, Lee Jong Suk has struck me with his acting skills. I just came out of Pinocchio and While You Were Sleeping, which I absolutely loved. I also loved his role in this drama. However, I don't blame him and how he delivered his character for my dislike of W. I also don't blame Han Hyo Joo either.
What I do blame, however, is the storyline and how everything played out. The idea of the drama was, without a doubt, great. I loved it. It was unique and would catch anybody's attention, mostly because it was an idea that hasn't been yet introduced. However, how the drama was planned and how certain characters were portrayed left me dissatisfied.
Let's start with Oh Yeon Joo. Maybe because it was the scriptwriter, screenwriter, director or whoever it was, but I did not enjoy Oh Yeon Joo's part in the story. Nevertheless, I did enjoy how she was portrayed in the beginning. A normal woman that was still in her residence years was suddenly pulled into an unknown world, and a cartoon at that. She meets Kang Chul and saves him. Obviously, she falls for him too. And that was when I noticed things going a little bit downhill. Since Oh Yeon Joo is the lead female character, I assumed she would play more important factors in the story. Besides revealing to Kang Chul something he wasn't supposed to know, starting the story itself and kind of pushing the plot line along, that was all I got from her.
She may have fell in love with Kang Chul and gotten together with him, but I didn't see much of a romance build. I saw what sparked their romance, but I didn't really see or feel the initiation of it. It was as if part of the romance story was meant to be another Webtoon, a spin-off almost. The failure of such romance build, I look to the script writer to answer my questions.
Eventually, from what I saw, Oh Yeon Joo slowly regressed into becoming more of a side character. Other than multiple events happening to her and driving Kang Chul into a determined state, she soon became a damsel in distress that only helped out in certain parts. Instead of acting, she reacted instead. To simplify it, she didn't have much character build and held Kang Chul back at certain points. She certainly did become the source of Kang Chul's ambition but, then again, it was as if her character was only made to support him. A supporting character. To some degree, as a lead character, I expected her to build herself and not only support Kang Chul but also herself. I wanted her to face off the villain and think, "Don't hurt the people I love," or at least something to that similarity.
However, often times, I saw her cower in the darkness when the villain came after her and waited for Kang Chul to rush to her rescue. In the end, she resulted into being a passive character instead of a more active one. Kang Chul did most of the fighting, quite literally, while she did a lot of crying while watching on the side lines. Don't get me wrong. There were many times where Oh Yeon Joo took the initiative and I am very proud of her for doing so, however, the actions should've been more driven into her character.
Not only that, focusing more into the plot line, it was a roller coaster ride. However, the roller coaster was on fire and the ride was more than just "rough". Often times, the events were a repeat of what had already happened, just in a different form. Problems sprouted and it was left for Kang Chul to solve them, however it was mostly just him. It was him running around and getting things together, while the other characters just cried and reacted to whatever was thrown at them. They were flowing with the river while Kang Chul fought against the river's current. From what I saw, it was a lone battle for Kang Chul, with characters on the side that had no idea what was going on or what to do.
To be honest, I have no problems with the acting or cast. I just have problems with how the story and characters were delivered for the audience. What I was most dissatisfied with the most was how such a great story idea was slopingly broadcasted to the viewers. Like the diamond was cleaned but not polished throughly. That's why you can see scratches that aren't meant to be there.
So, in summary, that's why I dropped the drama at episode 14 and gave it 6 stars.
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hyo joo unnie is very pretty... jong suk oppa is very cool...
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My only problem with this drama is the ending of it. Not all questions are answered so you can fill kind of lost or even abandoned by the writer. Anyway, besides this little trouble at the end, is a must watch drama for sure!
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STORY:
I really like the beginning of the story, especially episode 1. I was like WOW!
SUCH AN AWESOME DRAMA!! And I was excited to watch the next episode.
I watched it with my boyfriend and he feels it's good too on eps 1.
Then eps 2 and 3, we feel quite shock on how easy kang chul and yeon joo becomes together.
My boyfriend dropped the drama and refused to watch, he said it's too cheesy, weird and illogical,
well, i cannot blame him, he is a guy anyway and a guy is supposed to be more rational than women :P , alright, but i still continue watching since i thought W has so much potential and it's only eps 3.
Then there are more twists happened, i thought well, it's still bearable and i still watch it because of jong suk. I am a fan of him. I also thought that the twist makes it interesting, so i watched until eps 12, then it became so unbearable for me to continue that i decided to drop the drama. Lucky that i don't waste more time to watch the ending coz i heard the ending is bad and i don't want to ruin my kind of ending on eps 12. I will pretend that the ending is on eps 12.
Why i dropped the drama? Because There are too many endings in this story, i mean too many!! This ending and that ending that is only fake or only in dream before it gets so chaotic again. Too many Twists making it so messy. I seldom drop the drama, this is the first drama that i didn't even watch the last episode. (it's because of that many versions of ending, so it's kind turn me off to watch how this drama ends).
CHARACTER / ACTING:
I feel empathy for kang chul (in the beginning) about his life and his hard-work even though it's only inside the comic. After that there is no development about kang chul at all, only becomes romantically involved with yeon joo, that's all. So i am disappointed. I like to watch drama because i feel close with the character, but this drama fails in character's development.
I can't even like Yeon joo's character, for me she is like a day dreamy spoiled princess syndrome who wants the story becomes romance. She is a doctor but she often neglect her patient and keep thinking about kang chul and her unrealistic dream. She only act as a doctor for kang chul. Oh God, actually i feel annoyed that a female heroine is portrait like this. So-Hee is much better.
The character that is good here is only yeon joo's father, he plays really well with his expression and his motive is clear, why he does this and that, etc. He is one of the reasons that makes me still continue watching the drama until eps 12.
MUSIC:
The only thing that i like about this drama is the OST, it really reflects on the scene. I'm still listening to W's OST, it's really good.
REWATCH:
Neh, don't bother..
OVERALL:
i have not finished watching the drama, the plot is confusing and becoming weirder. Initially on eps 1, the plot was interesting and fast, but it's weird to have a cute romance in the thriller serial, and now it's mostly about romance that is forced to be a thriller, i don't know..
The couple is sweet though just that it's not logical.. a bit delusional..
Maybe not my cup of tea..But i like their acting..
I would prefer a slow paced drama like doctors, even though some might find it boring and i also find it boring in some episodes, but the story is well written, the character development is there so i learnt a lot from doctors. Like life lesson. For W, i cannot learn anything. It's only an overrated cheesy drama I can only learn how to be irresponsible towards my patient if I were a doctor. The writer wants to make this drama interesting like SIGNAL but FAILED BIG TIME.
PS. Initially i put 8/10 for W, but since there are a few psycho fans here who cannot appreciate my review and feedback and insulting me keep saying i am wrong and idiot whatsoever, i feel kinda turn off and disgusted by them, so i have edited my review, and put 6 instead, thank you for all the psycho fans for insulting me.
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High points for originality! In drama land. It was more complex and challenged you to think instead of spoon feeding you. I love it! Suspenseful as heck.
Acting on point! Female leads need to be able to bring me in and Han Hyo Joo did a brilliant job! She suffered so much but she pulled through. LJK is beautiful and truly fits his idealistic Manhua looks. MVP is DAD! He made this show a thriller! San bong and Mad dog were such needed life lines in this heavy hitter. Hugs!
Writernim - you can shoot a movie, an American show (with series) and do what ever you want now cause I respect your originality. W may not be perfect but it was a brilliant move towards the right direction. Hopefully one that more dramas would step towards. Your skill of taking an used group and then spin it a fresh is also much appreciated.
Direction: exceed expectations. I liked she was pretty alright but this brings it up another level!
Production: deserves an award! Movie level lighting and Sound (expected from signal music director!) Special Effects team deserve an award!
Manhua team! I want a hard copy like Now. Pretty please XD
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