This review may contain spoilers
I was drawn to this because the vibe seemed so different from most KDramas, and I really liked that, but Itaewon Class is the kind of drama that I think tries too hard to be cool and relevant. I like that it tackled a few topics like race, gender identity, ageism, and social status, but it also does it in a way that was too corny for me to take seriously. I still want to give it an E for effort because I liked the idea of the diversity and inclusive vibe of Itaewon. What initially drew me in about the story was the revenge plot, which sadly got overshadowed by an annoying love triangle... square... pentagon... which eventually ruined everything for me. The only consistent likable thing for me throughout was Park Seo Joon as Sae Ro Yi.I think Sae Ro Yi is a great character. Watching him navigate epic hardships and relationships with an endearing stubbornness and loyalty was my favorite thing about the show. I've loved Park Seo Joon in so many dramas, he never disappoints, so this drama just solidifies what a great actor I think he is. Surprisingly the one area where he is weakest in this drama is the "romance" aspect, but that's not his fault. From "Witch's Romance" to "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim" it's obvious to me that he is a great romantic lead, but the problem here is that the romance plot is the weakest part of this drama. His relationship with Nara as Oh Soo Ah had an initial spark of chemistry but was soon too repetitive, and I thought his relationship with Kim Da Mi as Jo Yi Seo made absolutely no sense! They had no chemistry but seemed to appease some fans so it felt like it was forced into a story that didn't need it.
More than romance this drama focuses on friendship and loyalty. The cast is full of interesting characters who learn to accept and depend on each other with Sae Ro Yi as their guide. I liked the supporting cast in general, even if their acting skills weren't all equal. My favorite performance of the supporting cast was Lee Joo Young as Ma Hyun Yi, and sadly my least favorite was Chris Lyon as Toni (who's Korean was way more impressive than his acting... but I don't speak Korean so that's just a guess lol). I also thought Ahn Bo Hyun was great and consistently unlikeable as Geun Won, and Yoo Jae Myung was epically evil as Jang Dae Hee, and I love epic villains worthy of epic revenge! I can't really say that anyone was bad, but many in the cast were more decent actors than amazing.
The breakout star is clearly meant to be Kim Da Mi as Yi Seo, but she was not my favorite. She's a great actress, and was an interesting character in the beginning, with her sociopath social media savvy persona, but she soon became annoyingly obsessive and childishly whiny. I wanted to root for her being a young empowered and clever female lead character, but instead, she felt needy, self-involved, and just too hard to like at times... most times. The forced love story definitely didn't help me like her character. I guess some people found her devotion cute, but I thought it was creepy. I think people liked her IDGAF attitude, but I found her selfishness irritating, which overshadowed anything I liked about her initially.
That brings me to the plot, which was just messy! It starts out as the motivational story of a pied piper of misfits bringing random people together to create his dream to fulfill his epic plans of revenge, and suddenly focuses instead on a really bad love story. I can't blame the age gap, because the first drama I saw him in was a romance with a huge age gap. I just think the match didn't work and was so awkward to watch no matter how hard they tried to make it a thing. Then evil characters started to be less realistic and more cartoony, and things suddenly resolved and fell into place way too easily. Even though there are many moments I still liked, overall the script is more bad than good. I waited to watch the last 4 episodes because I stopped caring, and the last 2 episodes were so painfully drawn out and dragged so much that I was tempted to drop the drama with only 30 minutes left in the last episode. Even all of the confrontation and fight scenes that the show was building up to were boring to watch.
This has the same Director as " Big", one of the most ridiculously awful dramas I have ever watched, so maybe this turn isn't surprising after all.
Would I watch this again? Obviously not, and I almost wish I would have dropped this sooner, but I was still too invested in Sae Ro Yi and all he went through to give up on this completely. The ending was good about addressing everything that needed to be addressed and had a few moments that I liked but It still was not satisfying enough to make me like this drama as a whole.
Overall, I was excited by the beginning but the thrill didn't last till the end. Yes, there was an overall message that I am not mad at... about friends like family, what real power is, and what really matters in life, but the weak love story, rushed character development, predictable resolutions, and lack of emotional depth didn't execute those themes well enough in the end. It looked visually cool, but the substance felt too immature and unrealistic for me. I wouldn't personally recommend this drama, but I can understand how people can like it more than I did, especially if they liked Kim Da Mi's character a lot. For Park Seo Joon fans it may be worth it to watch even just the beginning, then decide on your own if it's worth your time. Personally, I wish I could edit out whole parts of the drama to make it better, but instead, I will move on to something better while looking forward to the next Park Seo Joon drama instead. It did make me curious about visiting Itaewon when I finally make it to Korea, because they did make it look cool, so I guess that's a good thing too.
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However, apart from Park Saeroyi, I did have a few complaints for the other characters. Some characters were especially annoying, and lacked development. I did like that the drama showcased imperfect characters, but it also sometimes excused the ignorant behaviour of these characters - almost making it seem that such behaviour was appropriate to viewers. Some characters were especially inconsistent, and just seemed random. This switch was really annoying to see because it didn't make sense. I think these characters had a lot of potential to really compliment the story, but the writer just changed them randomly in order to make Park Saeroyi look good. I wish the side characters had contributed a little more to the overall plot but unfortunately we were unable to see that as viewers.
The show also became a little slow in the middle, but then quickly picked up its pace later. I was disappointed with the last two episodes as I felt that there were unnecessary additions to the plot. However, the ending was still quite nice and most questions were answered.
Overall, this was definitely a meaningful and enjoyable watch. The reason why this show is receiving such a high rating (from me) despite its flaws is because of the lessons it served. As I saw this show and went about my life, I found myself thinking about Park Saeroyi and the importance of hardwork. Even if it was fiction, I really learned a lot from this drama and was thankful for the insights I gained. In addition, Itaewon class held some especially beautiful scenes that had my heart racing and gave me goosebumps. The OSTs were beautiful, and I know I will play them countless times in the future! Itaewon Class may have been lacking in some areas, but it was still a great show that managed to keep me eagerly waiting for new episodes each week ((:
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Is SEO-JOON enough for you to watch a series?
Netflix aired this show WHERE i lived 2 episodes behind Korea - I went from looking forward to fresh episodes (even trying to find the latest episodes online) to completely forgeting there were new ones.The series started out great, the first few episodes were standouts, the problem was it wasnt able to continue the momentum. It felt like the rest of the episodes dragged on that i was wishing the series would just end. It didnt feel like the show is reaching a climax and by the end i was bored.
Id only give this show an overall 7.5 just because of PSJ, he did, after all, acted his ass off in this drama. Yoo Jae Myung is amazing. I feel like Kim Da Mi is far too young for PSJ and to tell honestly, their chemistry a bit lacking. I love Lee Joo Young but why does a real woman play a transgender woman character??? Her beauty is distracting that i find it hard to believe she is a transgender.
Would i reccommend it - if you're a PSJ fan, yes. If not, you can skip it.
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A “ Lesson” For Itaewon Class...
Most people will probably tell you that this show is the “ most original Korean drama, they’ve ever seen” or “ the best one ever”, however, there was something about this drama which took me awhile to work out where my problem lay from a critical manner. Of course, there’s no doubt that Itaewon Class has some selling points which were tackled for the appeal of the “ young generation” and “international” viewers. This is particularly seen through; casting choices ( note fairly newcomer actors Da- Mi and American Chris Lyon) , themes tackled( attitudes to racism, LGBT rights and of course released prisoners) , fairly unique plot premise and characters as well . So, where did a show with such brimming potential go wrong? Well, its biggest problem was for once not entirely upon the acting ( this is something which I must give the show some praise for , especially from Da-Mi ‘s emotionally vibrant role as her role character Yi Seo, against lead actor Park Seo Joon’s sometimes lacklustre moments) , but, upon the characters and plot itself. The show ( based upon the titular Korean webtoon) centres around Park Sae-royi ( Park Seo Joon) who during his teen years, was wrongfully imprisoned around the same time of his father’s accident, when he is angered by bully and legitimate heir to Jangga Group, Jang Geun-won ( Ahn Bo Hyun). After being released, Sae- royi claims revenge against Jaanga Group by establishing his own restaurant in Itaewon with the help of fellow misfits , intelligent and tech savvy Jo Yi- Seo as his manager ( Kim Da- Mi), Yi- Seo’s classmate and illegitimate son of the head of Jaanga , Jang Geun-soo ( Kim Dong hee), fellow inmate Choi Seung-kwon ( Ryu Kyung-soo) transgender woman and head cook Ma Hyeon-yi( Lee Joo - Young) and Guinean- Korean part-timer Kim To- Ni ( Chris Lyon). As a premise, the show has a unique flair to it, but, I think it’s quick to become apparent that a show which focused upon the characters as plot devices rather than human beings at times, certainly has lacking emphasis upon characterisation . This cliche grew apparent when the show trickled into the tropes of revenge dramas from illnesses, illegitimate heirs to the stereotypical cliche of love scenarios between the “ older” Male lead Park Sae- royi, the “ young prodigy ,and not so innocent” Yi- Seo , the “ tangled between love and duty” Oh Soo-ah ( Kwon Nara) and the “ puppy -dog outcast” Geun- Soo. Whilst there was nothing entirely wrong with having romance in a drama about misfits, Itaewon Class made the classic mistake of centralising too much focus upon the romance of these characters rather than as individuals with personalities, pasts and lives outside of their relationships . For me, this was particularly seen with Sae- royi. Considering the amount of psychological and emotional damage he’s been through as a character since episode one, you’d expect such a character to be a realistic, cautious and likeable Male lead who is able to relate to viewers through their own painful experiences. Instead, Sae-royi is a perfect example of a “ stock Male lead” who has little emotional outburst, awareness to feelings, manipulation or any moments of weakness which truly make us reflect as viewers upon his journey. Arguably , there’s his “ romance” with Yi- Seo to make him more ‘ human’ ; so lacklustre that it’s a question why it exists in the show at all . Sae-royi seems to constantly mislead this girl with “ obliviousness” only to suddenly be falling in love with her next moment, with little explanation or reasons behind his feelings. Whilst I find it hard to fault Da- Mi, Yi- Seo was a female lead who I absolutely loathed upon so many grounds. I can understand where drama viewers are coming from to an extent by the argument that Yi- Seo is a “ strong and independent female lead”. The show made that evident from nearly episode one when she is able to “make or break “ an establishment’s reputation through her social media account and hold herself in a fight against people using her wit as well. This is also what irked me about Yi- Seo as well. She was a strong character , but she had little emotional depth as an individual. Whilst she did have some scenes which exposed more “ vulnerable moments” , these scenes didn’t truly add up with her “ sassy” characteristics at times or were truly built to expose this side of Yi- Seo without seeming somewhat “ random” and poor writing . Note the scene with the confrontation with her mother early on in the show about chasing an ‘older man’ ( Sae- Royi) rather than following her mother’s hopes for her to become a successful and independent woman. Whilst to an extent the scene explains some of the psychological reasons behind Yi- Seo’s desire to fall in love in order to escape from the planned- out intentions of her mother, there was little emotional bonding or vulnerability both with Yi- Seo and the mother who raised her, or anything truly emotional to expose Yi- Seo as a human being in this scene . Whilst I guess there is the argument of Yi- Seo being a sociopath suggested by several fans by her ability to grow on emotional attachments through her manipulative intelligence, there are scenes later on ( such as Yi- Seo bursting into tears in front of Geun- Won) which question whether this is simply bad character writing , or simply a confusing interpretation for us as watchers . I don’t usually bring in comparisons to my reviews, but, looking at dramas with similar “ strong female leads “ like Jang Man- Wol ( IU) from Hotel Del Luna or Ko Moon Yeong ( Seo Ye- Ji) from Its Okay, Not To Be Okay , brings a stark contrast between “ strong” and “weak “story writing. Love or loathe both dramas, there is the undeniable strength within both shows of a female lead who has emotional emotional depth; exposing these characters not just as “ plot devices for romance”, but, human beings as well with feelings, scarred pasts and flaws as well . Overall Itaewon Class isn’t necessarily a terrible drama, but it the epitome of recent romantic “ fad” shows - mediocre storywriting, poorly-written characters and easily forgettable the minute the watcher starts a new drama. If you’re bored and looking for something to pass the time, I’m certainly not saying that you shouldn’t give it a go , however, this isn’t a drama to watch if your looking for something to genuinely commit time towards.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
When I first heard about this upcoming drama I hesitant to watch because there was a lot of hype surrounding the cast, mainly the star Park Seo Joon. I've watched a lot of his work so I didn't understand what the fuss was about. The show had not even begun and I thought it's probably overrated. And it turned out to be true.
I like to highlight all the good points of a drama first least I be accused of bias (which I am half the time) but it's really to acknowledge someone's hard work. A lot of times we dislike dramas and then fall into a rant and I myself am guilty of this on numerous occasions but someone gave their best effort and it might not reach everyone the way they expect but good on them for doing what others could not.
That said what drew me to the show initially was the fact that it was a webtoon turned drama. I'm a big fan of these as they offer more range of expressions for the characters. You get to see them as more. For this drama the acting was top notch, with a special shout out to Kim Da Mi, she gave a phenomenal performance. Park Seo Joon continues to showcase his range and talent.
Another blast is the diversity of the cast. I loved it.
The first 6 episodes were very attention grabbing and I thought maybe I was wrong, the was definitely living up to hype but then it fell into the standard kdrama mold. The storyline was not strong to begin with but if it was told well I wouldn't have minded. It started strong then dragged in the middle then had a sloppy happily ever after ending that made me regret starting the show in the first place.
Park Sae Ro Yi (love the name) character showed almost no growth. He was practically the same from the beginning of the story to the end. The show was a span of fifteen years and it was only after an accident he resolved his feelings about his father and his love interest in a dream. In a show about David fighting goliath, that is how he reached personal growth? Doesn't count in my book.
Next pet peeve was the so called romance. The show wasn't focused on it at all and it should have remained so. It would have been better off without it instead of trying to shove a bunch of intimate scenes in the last three episodes. By this point I didn't care about any of the coupledomes. I was heavily invested in Park Sae Ro Yi's revenge. I wanted him to get his revenge and witness the ensuing fall out but none of that happened.
My Opinion
Sometimes I think the art of storytelling is dying but I know it's just being pressured under the weight of ratings and popularity which is sad. A lot of the dramas today have strong starts or interesting premises but get derailed by trying to win people over and marketing. But i keep patient because every once in a while I strike gold. This wasn't it but it was ok.
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This review may contain spoilers
This show is fantastic; it's something new. This is among, if not the best, kdrama I have ever watched. Although I do have a few sentiments to share: (1) The show had an extremely strong beginning, however somewhere in the middle, it felt lukewarm. It did pick up again eventually. (2) I almost dropped it out of annoyance towards Yi Seo because of her obsessive tendencies and unnecessarily rude attitude. I had to continuously remind myself that she was sociopathic to rationalize the way that she was acting. One thing I cannot forget, however, is the scene where she kissed Saeroyi without his knowledge. That was creepy and unneeded. I would remove that, if I could. (3) There was a lack of romantic development between Yi Seo and Saeroyi. I wish the build up were shown more gradually and naturally because I never really figured out when Saeroyi started feeling differently. Was Saeroyi already lovestruck when Yi Seo confessed her feelings? If not, then when did he fall inlove? I don't know. I don't know if it was done purposely as romance is not the storyline's focus, but the romance between the two came out forced.Despite what I've said, I absolutely loved watching this. It was a wild ride, and it made me feel so intensely. It isn't surface level. It is above and beyond Saeroyi's relationship with Yi Seo. In fact, it tackles many aspects of being human exceptionally - the importance of bonds, the sturdiness we should possess in hardship, the search for meaning, the effort it takes to abide by our principles, the way that everything else gets clouded in pursuit of something, the effect of upbringing to one's viewpoints, self-interest, dehumanization. Not to mention it also touches societal issues such as racism, bullying, and the scorn that transgenders receive. It's just so well-made and well-executed. Moreover, the casting is simply outstanding, both the protagonists and antagonists are effective. They give full justice to their roles.
All the characters are flawed, and while they are unconventional, they are also substantial. They are oftentimes irritating, self-serving, and unreasonable - but that's what makes them all the more enthralling. While they undoubtedly manifest all these qualities, they continue to move forward, gasping, struggling, improving themselves in their own way, seeking for reasons to continue on, even if their reasons are repugnant, such is life.
The plot encapsulates being human in such a spectacular way, and I truly admire that. You would find yourself disagreeing with plenty of things. You would encounter absurd worldviews. You would question your own morals. And you won't even notice it, but you would find yourself engrossed and attached. The flow, the storytelling, the dialogues, the OSTs - everything is impeccable. The ending was pure satisfaction.
Needless to say, watching this has been a great pleasure to me. Give this show a chance to prove that it deserves the hype.
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D A E B A K !!! GIVE THIS DRAMA A SHOT! DON'T BELIEVE IN THE BAD REVIEWS!
Okay, before I get into a slightly detailed review about Itaewon Class let me tell you first that a lot of the reviews I've read so far were made by bogus watchers of KDRAMAS. They're either new to watching or have watched romantic comedy genres only so far. If you don't care about a rich story and you're only looking for a fluffy romantic and funny drama, then I guess this drama aint for you. But this drama goes beyond what you usually expect from a KOREAN drama and keeps you interested the whole journey while episodes keep on getting better building up.Itaewon Class is amazing. I literally adjusted all the scores of my completed dramas in order to accommodate my rating for Itaewon Class. Among the six remaining dramas in the 9.5 list of my profile, is Mr. Sunshine and Live -- which I consider co-top 1's. I firmly put Itaewon Class as my 2nd best drama watched ever, and it's not because it was lacking in any way, but quite the opposite. It's just that the two dramas ahead of Itaewon Class made me cry more :)
This drama had everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. From a dark-skinned character, transgenders, corrupt officials, and more. This drama tackled racism and gender discrimination at some point which are issues in South Korea. All I can say is that this drama is out of the norm.
I loved every second of this drama; as each episode goes by it keeps getting better and better. The characters were complex and character development was on point. The antagonists were perfect; they were so perfect to the point where you can't even hate them at the end. The story was rich and balanced dealing with a bit of romance and comedy, but a lot of heart-warming, sad, and hype scenes. Above all else that was amazing in this drama, the ending was perfect. The writers did a good job portraying each individual's last moments in the drama bidding them to a good farewell, having no loose ends.
Overall, this drama is a must-watch, especially for cultured drama watchers. It's hard to put all my opinions in one review because everything started at least 8 weeks ago, and my review can never do this drama justice, but just give this drama a shot and I guarantee you, as long as you keep an open mind and stick through the end; you'll most definitely get attached.
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The main problem with the drama was the pace. The skipping forward years in the future prevented the characters from having any character development and it just didn't help the romance at all. Especially the 14th episode was just bad, as it felt like they were trying to present the current situation of the characters in a fast and furious way, editing scene after scene and just blurting out that the main character now loves this girl, out of the blue, but that's that. No explanation was provided for their actions, no background and those four years in the future seemed like they four empty years (I mean even the flashbacks that the male lead was experiencing were from four years ago or of the same day, like nothing happened in those four years). Another factor that didn't really help with the love story was that the couple didn't have chemistry. They didn't have any solid heart-racing moment either. So, them getting together was just too random and forceful.
Finally, the characters remained the same as they were presented at the beginning of the drama. We knew the bad guys were bad and that didn't really change, although, the son did have some potential to demonstrate why he was the monster he turned out to be, a potential that was never really properly explored. The big boss and enemy of the male lead felt also more like a promise of a bad character after all. He sure was mean to the main character and seriously unlikable, but, in the end, his actions were left in the behind the scenes grey area. The main character, in addition, showed zero development. He even got a bit boring after a while and felt a bit too bland in others.
Now, for the good part of the drama. The beginning was just perfect. If you like melodrama, like I do, where the main character hits bottom and gets unfairly treated in order to stand up to his own two feet again and take matters into his own hands, then you are going to love the first half of the drama. The revenge plot was very satisfying as well, with a solid ending that was nicely presented. Though, it would have been nice if they showed how they actually managed to succeed, as the first part of the drama had focused on the struggles of them setting off. Another part of the drama that was pretty good was the characters. The members of the crew were unique and the drama didn't shy off from issues like racism and gender identity. So, it was refreshing to see those elements added in the plot. The female leads were delightful too. They were strong women, the one beautiful but a tragic character, and the other young, fearless, reckless and somehow, likable. Sure, she did some questionable things, but she was young and just too full of herself, so it was nice to see how the others helped her realize that her attitude wasn't always right and to grow up. I've also seen some other viewers not really liking her looks. Sure, she isn't the classic beauty, but, for her character, who was cool and interesting, I think she was just perfect. Finally, the OST was solid.
So, overall, six out of ten.
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This review may contain spoilers
I had really high expectations due to the hype and the cast. I actually quite liked the first two episodes and the romance between Sae Ro Yi and Soo-ah as students and also really liked the MC's father. The series had a really promising start and did live up to my expectations for a while. Really like Kwon Na-ra (I find her super beautiful as opposed to the other girl) and I rooted for Soo-ah although her joining Jangga and helping the old man was a huge turn off and frustrating to watch even after her intentions were revealed (to betray them and help Ro Yi).
The other girl was refreshing at first. She had very serious flaws yet likable in her own ways such as being "badass", smart and capable. She soon turned into an obsessive girl who clinged to the MC too much. I liked the crew as well.
The acting, especially the villains' in the first half of the series (old man and f***boy son) really made me hate them and I was curious to see the old man's past and thoughts. The cast's acting was good all the way through but was eventually ruined by the forced romance and shitty overall plot. The life lessons the series tried to convey at first didn't really work out due to the messy plot and ruined characters. "Stay true to yourself", "live with your head high", "power", "logic and schemes vs people and feelings". All empty words in the end.
The series was bearable until maybe episode 10 and had somewhat of a plot going. With lots of typical "drama" and twists, cliches, etc.. However, the old man was not that great of a villain anymore and eventually got cancer (lolz?) The nice, innocent but spineless younger brother got negative "development" and lost himself. He became the same as the father he hated. Older son went to jail and got out...
By episode 14, after the 4 year time skip the Ro Yi suddenly falls in love with the manager girl and changed ( staying true to his way of living and not changing no matter what was his whole character and motive). Soo-ah, despite her flaws and stupidity, was still a better pick IMO as from the start they both liked each other and she was always there for him (even working for Jangga was to help him - stupid writing, i know). She was always the second lead female but was winning for 13-14 episodes until the other girl just won (horrible writing).
Crazy older brother got out of jail and kidnapped Yi-seo and the younger brother. At the end of episode 14 or 15 MC kneeled before the old man just to save his "romance" that came out of nowhere. His character was far gone. All that vengeance, hatred and negativity was useless and meaningless in the end as he kneeled before the character that ruined his life and caused him pain for 15 years, to save his new found "love".
I haven't seen the last episode yet, but I have no expectations left. All the characters are ruined, everything is shitty at this point and the forced couple will form in a cliche way somehow. In the end, among the many horrible things, the plot, the characters' backwards development and the disastrous romance stood out as the worst things about this drama.
UPDATE: finished the last episode and everything wrapped up the way I expected it to after seeing the first 15 eps.
Things settled down and it was a "happy" ending but the previous issues were obviously still there. Soo-ah and Geun-soo didn't get the development and closure they needed.
The scene with the old man at the end was not satisfying at all and just really sickening. The old man was a wicked devil, sure. However, the MC just pulled a "I'm a business man" move and acts tough and cool after the old guy kneels and cries. From the start, this series was always full of toxicity: violence, power abuse, early death of the father, etc...
However, there was no real positive message in the story in the end. They won the war and MC got his revenge and became rich, but that's all. It's just like nothing happened at all and all the drama was just there for the sake of it. A very, very shallow approach to appeal to the bitterness and hatred in audiences.
I usually don't write drama reviews but hopefully this will be helpful to some people. In the end, if you want a drama that makes you feel good watching, AVOID this so that you don't end up wasting a weekend and also feel miserable because of how unhealthy the story and the characters became. This is a very naively idealistic story that tried very hard to be inspiring but failed miserably.
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This review may contain spoilers
I got the impression that the love story thread was added as an after thought. To be convincing this love affair needed a lot more story time than what it got. The writers needed to show how these two became love birds right off the bat. Instead the male lead is like a stone wall, and she is for some reason desperately in love with him. They didn't give the viewer a reason to believe that these two would fall in love at the end. It was entertaining enough for me to keep watching it - can thank the actors for that who were able to make this mediocre story into something reasonably entertaining.
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Park Sae Royi was fine, but it all honesty nothing special. He is your basic sturdy lead who is supposed to be the all around perfect person everyone else looks up to. Nothing to dislike about him, but at the same time not super interesting. I'm probably more negative toward him just simply due to him being paired up with Yi-so.
It's nice and all that the show tried to add some progressive elements with Toni and Hyun Yi, but I feel like they could have done more, especially with Toni. For once I would like to see a foreign looking character be born and raised Korean, to stick it in all the racist faces that will only accept them as being foreigners. But yet once again they fail to do that here by making Toni just another one of these characters who has never even lived in Korea until a year previously. Nor was he even a registered Korean, which only proved the annoying Yi-so's point that he wasn't Korean. I appreciate the try, but I hope the writer can push things a bit more progressive next time, and not just what felt to me as just surface level.
The one thing that kept me going through this show was the revenge plot. It was entertaining and I enjoyed Yoo Jae-Myung's dastardly villain. And for better or worse, I did really like Nara in this, even though the show had to go and do her wrong, but she is a secondary lead so what else is new.
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This review may contain spoilers
At first I was very curious about how Saeroyi would achieve his goal against Janga, but as the drama progressed there were absurd situations that you could predict how the revenge would end, but I didn’t think it would be so bad.First Yiseo appears as the savior of Bandam and the only person "capable" of turning everything into success ,I don’t know how but she did.
On the other hand Sooah , who achieved what the main character longed for. Then where is the character of Park Saeroyi ??? He accomplished something on his own ? At times I was inspired by his way of thinking, but there were only empty words at the end. ?
Not to mention the romance that was sold us in the end, Itaewon Class deserves the award for the most forced, toxic and insipid couple that you could ever see in a drama. ??
Yiseo who was already hateful at first , gets worse with her one-sided love. Her obsession with Saeroyi was so irritating to see and the way she said things to others, I even thought she was more unpleasant than the "villain" XD No joke !??
The only thing I could recommend from the drama is its decent OST !
Sondia , once again I love so much you voice ♡
My rating : 5/10 ?
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