Experiencedso many emotions within those 50 mins
Wow… I am left speechless… I just watched the last episode of Chicago Typewriter and I am left with such a warm feeling inside. I experienced so many emotions within those 50 minutes: sadness, anger, fear, happiness, and hope. This is an overall review of the series, since I haven’t reviewed each episode individually.The plot of this series was simply AMAZING and GENIUS. Personally, I love historical setting dramas, especially stories with historic significance…. and Chicago Typewriter combined both the modern and historical aspect beautifully with a touch of supernatural magic. The historical setting was placed during the 1930s when Korea was under Japanese rule… but what made this drama enticing were the elements of reincarnation and time-traveling by flashbacks. This drama did well to use both of these elements to highlight important events and progress the plot. Not only do we get the historic story of the main characters, but we also get to see the struggles of the main characters’ present lives and how their decisions/actions compared to their past selves.
At first, I was worried about the drama because it started out quite slow in terms of character development and progression of the plot, as well as, the modern story was beginning to be overshadowed by the historic story. At one point, I became so heavily invested into the historic story that I almost didn’t care about their modern lives. On the other hand, wonderfully, they brought our attention back to the present by Se Ju’s exceptionally well-crafted character development and the teaming up of the main characters to write ‘Chicago Typewriter.’ Definitely, the strongest aspect of this drama was the plot/story-telling… I cannot emphasize how simply amazing the plot is. At first, we were made to think the moral of the story was for Se Ju to overcome his writing slump and ultimately finish writing ‘Chicago Typewriter’ with Yoo Jin Oh (Shin Yool); however, that was not the case.
Let’s take a step back and understand why this drama is called, “Chicago Typewriter.” Literally, one can interpret the title to symbolize the typewriter itself and the submachine gun… but in a deeper context… I believe the title represents the dreams and the promise between Se Ju (Hwi Young), Yoo Jin Oh (Shin Yool), and Seol (Soo Hyun) and this can be described by Hwi Young’s letter he gave to Shin Yool in episode 16. Physically, the typewriter is an empty object with no significant meaning. We learn that the typewriter was bought by Shin Yool as a gift to Hwi Young… and later this typewriter became the source of the resistance fighters’ communication. Soo Hyun also compared the submachine gun and the typewriter to each other.
She quoted that the pen is mightier than the sword… thus explaining how significant the written word (communication) is the most essential aspect to obtain independence for their country, other than killing/violence. However, notice how important both the presence of the typewriter and the submachine gun were throughout the drama. Especially how the Chicago Typewriter gun was used by both Hwi Young and Soo Hyun in the last two episodes… In the end, Hwi Young sent his prized possession, the typewriter, to Shin Yool and replaced it with the gun - thus symbolizing how he was putting down his pen and accepted his death. As for Soo Hyun, she used the Chicago Typewriter gun to kill the Japanese officials because that is the only thing she can do for her country… she made a statement by taking revenge through extermination.
Now in the present, Se Ju was in a slump because his writing “caused” his stalker to kill himself and, thus, him losing confidence in his skills. However, the return of the typewriter not only brought him to meet Seol and Jin Oh, but he was also able to regain his confidence in his writing through trust and friendship. Combined with all the experience the typewriter has gone through, one could say that the typewriter symbolizes time and fate… by bringing the main characters together and tying up the loose end of their story. However, the greatest impact for me was how Shin Yool sealed himself in the typewriter so that he could keep his promise to Hwi Young.
After he finished writing the story… his existence was basically over. But, what touched me the most was that Se Ju wrote a new story… the story of their present day lives… so that Shin Yool could seal himself in that story to be reborn one day. Truly, this drama showed how powerful the written word and communication is in our daily lives… and that it can both kill and save. This lesson was not only seen through the main characters’ struggles, but also by Tae Min who struggled to take responsibility for his actions, their mother who held a grudge against Se Ju, their father who failed to protect both of his sons, and Seol’s mother who abandoned her daughter because she couldn’t face her past actions.
The plot and the lessons weren’t the only amazing aspects of this drama. The character development was also well done… especially Se Ju. Personally, I think there was a lot of focus on Se Ju, that many of the other characters didn’t receive the same spot-light. Se Ju changed from a cold, haughty, and lonely person to loving, forgiving, and understanding. He changed his outlook on life to appreciating it and valuing friendship, love, and faith. But, I also think that Se Ju was always that person to begin with… however, he just locked his true self away due to his troubled childhood and the betrayal of his family. I must also say that Hwi Young was an amazing character who exemplified what it meant to be a true leader… cunning, brave, strong, and steel-hearted when it came to making clear-cut decisions.
I loved how very different Hwi Young and Shin Yool were… and how one could distinguish between the two’s leadership. Hands down, Yoo Ah In stole the show with his masterful acting as Se Ju/Hwi Young (who didn’t cry when Shin Yool was reading Hwi Young’s letter? I freakin balled like a baby cause it was the most heart-felt letter I’ve ever read along with Shin Yool’s crying, Hwi Young’s narration, and the music in the background T___T).
Jeon Seol’s (and Soo Hyun) character was very lovable and I loved how she remained true to herself in both the present and past lives, but I also loved how she showed times of weakness to indicate that, despite her amazing skills in various fields, she is human. Im Soo Jung did a great job to capture Seol’s liveliness and her strong determination. I really loved that Soo Hyun finished the job of exterminating the traitors (especially Heo Young Min), as well as, it was truly admirable when she killed Shin Yool… but it also showed that she had no purpose to continue on living because she was exhausted and lost everyone she loved… in the end despite killing all the traitors with her gun, she ended up losing herself in the process. Overall, the acting done in this drama was absolutely great!
You could feel each characters’ thoughts, emotions, and understand their reasoning for their actions/decisions. You could feel their fears and how each character was on the edge of their sanity… just barely trying to survive. You honestly couldn’t really hate a single character, even if they betrayed their comrades (except for Heo Young Min… that bastard had to die). As for Shin Yool, I loved him so much! Poor sunshine loved Soo Hyun so much that he ended up betraying Hwi Young… but he couldn’t handle the guilt and didn’t stay with Soo Hyun in the end because of his friendship. I really loved his character… you can see how he slowly opened his heart to Se Ju and Seol… the actor, Go Kyung Pyo, did an amazing job to showcase such an emotional character. That was the biggest difference between Shin Yool and Hwi Young which was why his bluff as being the leader didn’t trick Heo Young Min.
I also have to admit that, despite the romantic touch in the drama, the romance wasn’t really the focus of the series. Se Ju and Seol’s romance was very sweet and I enjoyed every moment they had together, however, the most touching aspect of the relationships in this drama wasn’t the romance… but the aspect of trust. Seol’s character, along with Yoo Jin Oh, brought trust back into Se Ju’s life. At first, we thought that Seol was Se Ju’s muse… but the most surprising muse in Se Ju’s life was Yoo Jin Oh because he was the one who brought the two together in the first place.
And the best scene to show how Se Ju’s writing evolved from writing for others to writing for himself, was when he told Ji Seok that he wanted to write ‘Chicago Typewriter’ his way and not how the fans want it. At this point, Se Ju had already defeated his slump. Friendship and trust were the most important elements in this drama and it can be seen by 1) how Hwi Young and Shin Wool both loved Soo Hyun but didn’t force her to choose someone, 2) Shin Wool kept his promise of letting her go because of his promise, 3) Shin Wool didn’t get together with Soo Hyun in the end, despite Hwi Young asking him to take care of her, because he felt guilty for Hwi Young’s death, and 4) both Hwi Young and Soo Hyun had already forgiven Shin Wool. Especially.
Most importantly, the ending showed how the past was finally put to rest with meeting the present (notice how Hwi Young said, “Done.” when he finished typing his story… I think this symbolizes that the story of ‘Chicago Typewriter’ was finally over)… with how the typewriter, the gold watch, the story ‘Chicago Typewriter,’ and the picture were shot together in the last scene.
This drama may not be perfect and sometimes you may feel that the drama is slow, but please give it a try (especially if you’re interested in this era). Honestly, this drama deserves way more recognition and it saddens me that it didn’t receive higher ratings… this drama did well to showcase some of the real struggles during the 1930s, as well as, the struggles that writers face. The storyline, the characters, the music, the cinematography/visuals, and the supernatural touch all makes this drama very unique and intriguing to watch.
The reason being is because each character had a closure but the ending wasn’t absolute. Se Ju’s career is back on track and he is happy with his writing. Seol is finally with the man she loves, while also providing him strength and support. Shin Wool finally reunited with his old friends and, as well as, he can look to the future to meet with them in a liberated Korea (indicated by how his image became visible in the picture). The story of the Independence fighters that the typewriter brought to the main characters may have ended with episode 16, but a new story also began… and I believe that is the moral of the story.
The story of “Chicago Typewriter” continues through us, the viewers. Just as Korea’s liberation did not end with the death of their comrades, but lived on through the hopes they wrote to the future generation. If you’re looking for a drama that combines elements of romance, friendship, and the suspense of real-life struggles, then this drama is perfect… as you will truly witness the growth of each of the characters as they unravel their past lives and make amends to long-kept promises/dreams. Regardless, you’ll definitely be in for a roller-coaster ride of feels T____T
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This review may contain spoilers
This is the drama that got me hooked with Yoo Ah In and catch all of his other drama. I must say that the guy do really how to act, his acting was phenomenal, especially in this drama. The story, the plot are really interesting. All of the lines in this drama is so deep. Their story in the past life was pure and gold, each of them sacrificed their love for the sake of nation’s liberty and I do think that every one will do the same thing but it breaks my heart so much. The actors and actresses portrait their characters so well that I actually feel their pains (spoiler: ep 15). I don’t get why the rating of this drama is so low in Korea. To my opinion, this drama should get the same love and appreciation like Goblin. But overall, this is a good drama and I would recommended to everybody who want to watch something to entertain or kill their time Was this review helpful to you?
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It surprisingly took me over a week to finish this drama. Until the last 5 episodes I find that it just didn’t have the cliffhanger effect that makes me want to hit the next episode button right away. Don’t get me wrong, the plot is very unique and engaging - in a different way. I just find that there was no need to hide under the blankets to cover the tablet’s glare at 2am because it can wait the next day....gah, I mean IT IS YAI ya’ know!The writer was brilliant at how and where the twists in the story happened, made me think of who did what throughout the drama. I also like how I kept asking who did the FL shot instead of who did she end up with - very smart way of dangling the carrot I’d say. I think my favourite part is the ending, so beautifully done! All emotions were honestly laid on the table for everyone to choose how they will take it. I choose complete satisfaction, very similar to what I feel after savouring every word on the last page of a wonderful book followed by the momentous closing of the cover.
Don’t hate me too much because I, too, am a huge YAI fan but (pause, insert deep sigh) I find the chemistry between him and the FL here is lacking, I had a hard time finding their connection or the “feels” except maybe on the first kiss in the old life . YAI did not disappoint in his “solo” scenes, I especially felt his deep agony looking at the FL’ s pic, he is so torn between love and keeping the organization’s code till the very end. The banter between the two friends is refreshing and feels so real you can feel it, Go Kyung-pyo is adorable as always and couldn’t be a more perfect fit for the role.
The music was perfect, props to the music director, great job!
This drama taught me a lot of Korean history, it made me pause and look up historical facts along the way. I have now added the Japanese embassy in Seoul and sit beside Sonyeosang in my bucket list when I visit SK. If you feel the need of knowing some Korean history in an entertaining way, this drama is for you!
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This drama reminded me the importance of storytelling: when you get immersed in a show, movie or book, if it is well done you get attached to the characters, have compassion for them and are left feeling like the experience somehow changed you. You either learnt something or simply grew love into your heart for that story and its characters. This is how I feel after watching Chicago Typewriter. It is a beautiful tale of friendship, love and the spirit of "carpe diem" (seize the day): no matter what era you live in, you will face struggles. What matters is what you do with your time and who you spend it with, and that is perfectly illustrated in this drama.
STORY
This drama is a beautiful piece of cinematography, but not just that. Even though it tells two different stories (Joseon era and present day), it felt like only one storyline to me. The different past and present events are really well put together and intertwined, thanks to the excellent writing and editing. I never got bored and it was really hard to not binge watch everything, as every episode left me wanting to see more and know more about the characters and their story.
CAST
The cast is absolutely fantastic. The three main leads are excellent actors, with good chemistry. Seeing the characters and their relationships evolve was really one of the best aspect of Chicago Typewriter.
Han Se Ju is a bit of a jerk and I thought it would really annoy me throughout all the drama, but he changed quite quickly and Yoo Ah In did a great job at portraying his sensitivity: you can tell almost from the start that he's not "just another a**hole male lead", but a man who does everything he can to protect himself from others and the possibility of getting hurt. In the past storyline, he is a badass character and just... so... freaking... attractive... (he defintely rocks that haircut).
I loved Im Soo Jung's character in both storylines. In present day Seoul, she is unafraid of showing her feelings and sensitivity, while also being strong and standing up for herself. In the past, she's both badass and cute, which was super satisfying to watch.
Go Kyung Pyo was amazing and he gave a very touching performance. His character is an adorable puppy and he will make you laugh and cry.
OST
Just perfect. It's all I can listen to after finishing this drama.
REWATCH
I am already rewatching my favorite scenes and will watch it again fully (probably multiple times).
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This review may contain spoilers
I was told this kdrama was really good, but, to be honest, I never expected it'd be this good. At first I had some problems with the female mc in one hand because I've seen the actress in her role as Tammy in Search:WWW and she was my fav character, so at the beginning of this drama it was difficult for me to not look at her and think: Tammy. The other problem I had is that at first I couldn't connect with her that much, but it was mostly that she was also putting a wall between both the male mc and the viewers.I loved the 3 characters, they felt like a unit and let's be honest, they weren't a love triangle in my eyes, they were a poliamory ship. I really enjoyed both timelines, and while the past one was in some cases more interesting, I think the present times didn't loose because you could see them coping for their past and being their present selves. They weren't just his past selves because they started to remember, but the drama makes a point that even if they're their past lives, they're also their own selves with their own life experiences and feelings. I loved how the drama took the time to develop their friendships and feelings in an organic way that didn't feel forced.
The acting was excellent, specially the 3 mc characters and the step brother. With Se Joo's family I wish we had more development. Because I found the step brother to be more complex in the past and repetitive and tiring in the present. That whole family was fucked up. And I think that even worse than the son and the mother, the worst person was the father. He saw what they did to See Joo and whined about it to See Joo, instead of actually putting a stop to it. Like, they've been abusing him for years and years and you do nothing about it and then lament about it happening? You're the same level of trash or worse.
I also felt Seol's cousin obssesion with Yoo Jin Oh tiring, annoying and pointless. I don't understand what was the purpose of it, he could've contacted the medium through a different way and the scenes were just ugh.
Overall, I loved the drama. And I think this will be one of those dramas I'll rewatch multiple times and enjoy it and it'll ocuppy a place in my heart. I'll always remember them being happy and silly in Carpe Diem and hope for their reunion when they're able to meet again and be happy.
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Maybe I am searching some depth about the connection of the past and the present. I hope they added more about the past story which connected to the present event...maybe this is not my cup of tea but I still finished this even I am not 100% focus. Hehe...
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Sometimes I ask myself: What makes a drama great? Is it the acting? Is it the story? The characters? Well, I think what makes a drama great is a mix of those and much, much more. It's not only about technicalities, it's about how this piece of fiction make you feel. If it makes you laugh, cry, angry, happy, fearful, then I think it was worth watching.
Chicago Typewriter has a fast paced, gritty beginning. It's like a huge puzzle that is slowly solving itself. It can be confusing for some viewers, mainly at the start, but if you stick long enough you'll understand everything. A lot of things aren't what they seem, and a lot of things will slowly unravel. From the first episode to the last one there will be questions to be answered, but the result is quite satisfying.
If you look on the surface the story is not very original, but the way it's told is what makes this drama shine. You'll find the old tropes korean dramas just love to play (and I love to point them out) like the tsundere male lead who finds his candy girl, sad pasts, family feulds, star crossed lovers, reeincarnation romance etc. But if you look deep into it, it's really about love, friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. Yeah, I know, everything listed here sounds corny as heck but I think it wouldn't quite be called a "drama" if it wasn't.
The format is also very interesting. It mixes scenes from the 30's and the present, a thing made by many other dramas however in this one the world building was on point. It showed both the glamour and the downside, not overly romanticing but also not really turning it into a darker, heavier drama. It was also interesting to see a historical drama on the 30's, most of the dramas I saw that focused on that time were chinese, but South Korea also had a story of it's own to tell.
Now I must say that, if you aren't completely sold by the story, then you will at least appreaciate the leads. I think this is one of the few times that a korean drama made an awesome love triangle. They weren't just sides of a triangle, they were friends. You'll find yourself appreaciating them, cheering for them and crying because of it. Their chemistry was out of this world, the acting was just on point. You not only believe they are friends, but that their bond is so strong it can be easily be described as love. Those three love each other, no matter if they disagree at certain points, no matter even if they do something heinous, they wil stick together.
The side characters were also pretty good. Each had their shining moment, there wasn't one you just hated. Even the antagonists have some moments of their own, even if barely acceptable.
The music was okay, I liked some OSTs but to be honest some of the background music could be...offputting. Seriously, sometimes there were those perfectly dark, heavy scenes, but then they would throw a music that was the opposite. Thankfully the performances were good enough for one to quickly realize what the scene was really trying to tell.
Also, as an aspiring author and avid reader, I found the references and parallels to other works pretty good. Sometimes they would make me nostalgic like "oh, I've read it before" or make me laugh out loud (the Misery scenes haha). Really, it was a nice touch that makes you connect with what you are watching.
Overall, Chicago Typewriter is a must-watch for those who love a drama that has basically everything.
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Worth the Watch
Yoo Ah In came and he ATE. Every scene he had he was doing the very most and totally outperformed everyone else. I mean damn.Now that I have that out of the way. This drama had such an interesting premise that grabbed my attention from the start. Plus, the production value was really, really good (especially the scenes in the past). I will say that I started this, loved it so much, got to episode 10 or 11 and got really bored with it. I put it aside for months and when I came back to it, it sucked me back in. I think having that break was helpful and made the story feel fresh when I came back to it.
As for the drama itself: the past storyline was heartbreaking and the present was interesting and fun. I actually almost liked the past versions of the characters better than the ones in the present. I think that might be why this drama is lacking a little. It's almost like the past storyline didn't quite blend correctly with the present one, or maybe it's that the past was a bit more interesting to me.
Not really sure what I'm trying to say, but this is definitely worth a watch!
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chicago typewriter - tragically beautiful
it took me quite long to finish the first 6 episodes, the flow went a bit slower and duller than the rests. but trust me, last 10 episodes were a revolution, a beautiful tragedy being illustrated by the actings of our main characters.the drama successfully told us the past story in parallel with the present. it also reminded us to appreciate the peaceful world we are living in - 'cause many fighters had laid down for us. in the past, the 1930s, seo hwiyoung - a writer - could not write down his thought; ryu suhyun - a sniper - had to pretend to be a man, try to make herself as worthy as possible. it was because they were in the match of finding their freedom, their country's freedom.
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This review may contain spoilers
Don't give up on the first half.
Just why did I put this off for 2 years. Anybody wondering if they should watch this, do yourself a favour and WATCH.The acting by the leads, the villain, the sides: they really did the story justice.
For what I didn't love about the drama- The first half could be a bit slow but it's worth the wait. Han Se Ju's character gets crazy infuriating at some points. Not to mention his hair. But it's understandable as you learn more about him. Yes, theres a reason he keeps his hair that way lol. Along with this it would be sooooo much better if they added in more moments from their past life.
Now that that's out of the way lets focus on the good.
There's something about the past versions of the leads that can make you feel so much for them. As a viewer found it incredibly easy to understand them and their suffering. Ended up laughing with them and also crying like never for a drama before. Again, props to the actors. Especially Seo Hui Young, the overflowing charm. Too bad he's fiction.
They really smashed the details in this drama. Such well written plots with close to no plot holes is not easy to come across.
In conclusion, it's a masterpiece.
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