Be Melodramatic (2019) poster
8.3
Your Rating: 0/10
Ratings: 8.3/10 from 13,202 users
# of Watchers: 39,491
Reviews: 87 users
Ranked #908
Popularity #354
Watchers 13,202

Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo are best friends who are 30-years-old. Hwang Han Joo is the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. She is a single mother who struggles to balance her work and personal life as she is raising a kid. Im Jin Joo is a drama writer with a lot of emotional ups and downs. Her personality is unique, talking to a luxurious purse at times. Even though she is a drama writer, she tries to write her scripts in a literary style. Lee Eun Jung is a documentary director. She runs her own production company, although she's the only employee. One of her documentaries surprisingly becomes popular overnight. (Source: MyDramaList) Edit Translation

  • English
  • 한국어
  • 中文(简体)
  • 日本語
  • Country: South Korea
  • Type: Drama
  • Episodes: 16
  • Aired: Aug 9, 2019 - Sep 28, 2019
  • Aired On: Friday, Saturday
  • Original Network: jTBC
  • Duration: 1 hr. 5 min.
  • Score: 8.3 (scored by 13,202 users)
  • Ranked: #908
  • Popularity: #354
  • Content Rating: 15+ - Teens 15 or older

Where to Watch Be Melodramatic

Apple TV
Free (sub)
Viki
Free (sub)
Netflix
Subscription (sub)

Cast & Credits

Photos

Be Melodramatic (2019) photo
Be Melodramatic (2019) photo
Be Melodramatic (2019) photo
Be Melodramatic (2019) photo
Be Melodramatic (2019) photo
Be Melodramatic (2019) photo

Reviews

Completed
minj99
76 people found this review helpful
Sep 28, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

2019 Drama of the Year?

Be Melodramatic has the chops to compete for best drama of 2019. Airing on cable network JTBC, this drama went unnoticed, and it did not help itself with a rough start. The show quickly finds its footing and delivers a drama that perfectly encapsulates a 2010s romcom. It hits on multiple progressive themes with its female leads. On top of the premise, there is a thick layer of meta comedy which will have any experienced kdrama watcher rolling in laughter. Watch Be Melodramatic, which I prematurely crown the Best of 2019.

Story:
The story comes off a bit lukewarm and light on plot. One might think it is deserving of a “slice of life” tag, but the plot of Be Melodramatic is surprisingly engaging, intertwining the drama with the drama within the drama. The sad surprise is the first three shaky episodes, to put it nicely. It really takes 4 episodes to bring the different pieces of the story together. That is why the MDL rating for Be Melodramatic has only been climbing with each week.

More important than the plot are the characters, specifically the trio of female leads. Again, the trio comes off a bit lukewarm on paper (especially in comparison to the fiery leads of another 2019 drama, Search: WWW), three women with a mashup of common quarter-life problems. Like real people, viewers need time to get to know the leads and grow to like them and their supporting cast.

As the leads strive to produce a drama with double digit ratings, Be Melodramatic struggled to surpass the 2% mark. Perhaps there is a general fatigue with the RomCom genre, but the show deserves more love. Even if the plot synopsis does not interest you, I can assure you that the meta comedy will have you goofy smiling through all 16 episodes.

Acting:
The acting in Be Melodramatic is one of the first signals that put it on my radar, the deadpan humor in the trailers and actor Ahn Jae Hong’s brand of comedy. On the other hand, the three female leads have a very short drama resume, the highlight being Argon from 2016. And what seems like a lighthearted comedy quickly turns into an acting challenge for the entire cast.

Once characters and stories are introduced, the show quickly digs deeper into each character and the different catalysts for their growth. Major props to Jeon Yeon Bin who brought her character, Lee Eun-Jung, to life.

The supporting cast also gets major screentime, even with a large “main” cast. Though they are treated with more of the lightheartedness and comedy, all of them bring an interesting, entertaining character to screen. This highlights the writer’s ability to create loveable characters and the cast’s (and casting director’s) ability to portray them.

Music:
The sound of Be Melodramatic is equally entertaining as the plot. There is a scene where the leads sing one of the OSTs, and I was dying with laughter. Be Melodramatic captures every aspect of the drama making process, including the music. Thoughtful is the word that comes top of mind when thinking back on Be Melodramatic.

However, the soundtrack of 2019 has been stellar with multiple drama OSTs topping the Korean charts, and Be Melodramatic cannot stand up to those powerhouses (looking at you, Hotel Del Luna OST). There is also a slight over-reliance on one song in particular, a song I loved, but a crutch nonetheless.

Rewatch Value:
2019 has been a solid year for Korean dramas, although I believe it rates worse than the past 3-4 years. Based on the shows currently airing and set to air in the final quarter of 2019, I can confidently say that Be Melodramatic will be top of the 2019 RomCom list. If some of the newer shows do not interest me, I might even rewatch Be Melodramatic before 2019 is over. Anyone with extra time during the 2019 holiday season, I recommend giving this drama a try.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
0meridian
88 people found this review helpful
Sep 28, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This is my first review of a Korean drama - I just wanted people to know how cool this show is and to recommend to watch it.
I'm around 30, and this drama is exactly on point. It really is about millennials, our hardships and the best time of our lives.
I'm so glad I've decided to watch it.
I think it is a masterpiece.
It's not for everyone although - some people will think it's too boring or maybe won't get some storylines.
But if you're 30-ish, you MUST WATCH it.
Thank you so much for your work!
And please! I'd love to see season 2 :)
Was this review helpful to you?

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Recent Discussions

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what music was played? by deidra 0 0 No discussions yet
Quotes featured at end of each episode by Lizzy Cookies 0 0 No discussions yet
Funny Moments Video Compilation by ClassyApples 1 0
gr8h8m8
May 18, 2020
Quotes from the show by guhaejwo 5 0
yhang
Oct 2, 2019

Details

  • Drama: Be Melodramatic
  • Country: South Korea
  • Episodes: 16
  • Aired: Aug 9, 2019 - Sep 28, 2019
  • Aired On: Friday, Saturday
  • Original Network: jTBC
  • Duration: 1 hr. 5 min.
  • Content Rating: 15+ - Teens 15 or older

Statistics

  • Score: 8.3 (scored by 13,202 users)
  • Ranked: #908
  • Popularity: #354
  • Watchers: 39,491

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