Navillera (2021)

Warm and feel good over realistic

Sep 2023
I thought this was a touching, often amusing, positive and unusual drama.

Dementia is not often featured, to any extent, in S.Korean dramas, in the same way 'natural' gay, disabled or ASD characters are not either. Their industry, seemingly like many within their population, still appear to be more uncomfortable with such things, than not.

Anyone who cares for, or is close to, someone that suffers from dementia or Alzheimers in a far more negative and aggressive way, may find the representation in this a little too saccharin.

However, it is still quite a moving story. How the family of the elderly central character, who is determined to realise a dream he wasn't allowed to in his youth, learn from him, overcome their prejudices and grow, has a very feel good factor.

Deok-chul's family's characters are all quite different from one another and well portrayed by a cast I liked, but I honestly didn't get the father of Chae-rok (Song Kang's character) at all. I found that aspect of the story quite weak; as was the story around Ho-beom (Chae-rok's ex-friend). I didn't really feel like either lent anything extra to the story at all. That's certainly no reflection on the actors though, who were not the issue.

I read that Song Kang took ballet lessons for 6 months prior to filming and it shows. Apart from the very complex moves (where the camera focuses on purely legs, feet etc), which used a professional stand-in, he danced himself. I thought he looked beautiful, strong, graceful and convincing.

If you can put aside the fact that several aspects of the story are terribly unlikely and just watch it for the satisfaction of characters overcoming adversity, pushing their limits, taking responsibility, realising dreams and many becoming better people for it, then you will surely enjoy this, as I did.

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Beautiful!

Such heartwarming story beautifully presented. This character driven drama was moving, relatable, well written, and the characters were well thought-out and amazingly performed. I thought I could get away without shedding a tear, but in the end I couldn't help but got teary eyed, and it makes me miss my family. I was worried that this drama would drag on like many others in similar veins are, but I'm pleased to find out that it was really well paced.

There are certain things that I didn't agree with, but on the whole, this hits the right notes. I love the message that this drama is trying to convey. This is definitely something I'd recommend for others to watch.

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Phenomenal!

Oh my God, so good! This reminded me of Reply 1988 in the best way possible - poignant, family-oriented, and full of life in all its hilarious, heart-wrenching, and beautiful glory! Seriously, it was amazing. The acting was phenomenal and the adaptation from the webtoon was well-done (mostly accurate, with expanded plotlines for various characters). Navillera really captured my heart (and my mom's) and didn’t let them go. I loved Chae-rok, Deok-Chul, and the rest of the cast. Song Kang, who plays Chae-rok, is also very handsome. And the ballet-based plot was gorgeous to watch, which was a joy. I adored it - I just loved the entire show to pieces. It was perfect. 5 stars! Would 100% watch again.

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"Follow your dreams" done right

What I usually dislike about the usual "follow your heart and do what you want to do" kind of stories, is how the characters are rarely placed in a context where they can doubt of themselves in a realistic way: it usually feels like they're held back by self-doubt only, while everything else (physical and mental condition, friends, family, money, and so on) is completely in their favor, making it hard for me to relate to their story at all.

Navillera is one of the very rare shows that actually made me think that I, too, might be able to follow my heart after all. The charm of this drama is not just in its premise (although, I'll be honest, the idea of a 70-year-old man wanting to learn ballet was the major reason why I got interested in the first place), but also in the way it narrates the story. It's realistic and vivid, and none of the characters are there for no reason. The doubts and struggles of Deok Chul's family, and the problems of Chae Rok are all very much real. Rather than watching a drama, it really felt like looking into someone else's life.
For the same reason, the drama felt a little slow at times, but it was the right pace to show everything the right way: it was necessary to show the mind of the characters and the events around them, and it was useful to lead all the plotlines to a worthy conclusion.
I had read the webtoon before and really loved it, so I can't say I wasn't a little skeptical about the drama at first. There are some differences that I couldn't ignore, but I guess it was unavoidable.

Overall, I highly recommend this drama. It made me cry multiple times as I watched, but I'd be more than okay to cry again in the future while watching a second time.

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At least once in my life, I want to soar.

This was a very touching story between 2 polar opposites who share the same love for ballet. It portrayed one's pursuit of dreams, importance of family, and accepting the process of aging. I was really looking forward to this drama because 1) the plot seemed promising, and 2) of course, Song Kang but sadly, I couldn't fully soak in all the emotions it was trying to relay because of some minor details (which I found distracting).

This was a great story, but the storytelling was not perfect. There were events which simply do not make sense. Some events sequence sometimes felt unnatural, too many coincidences, some conversation dialogues felt awkward, and the cuts for flashbacks felt misplaced. I think there could have been more depth to the characters, especially Deok-Chul's children, who somehow seemed like they were strangers. Chae-Rok felt "unstable". because as the story progresses, I noticed how he interchanges between being nice and mean towards Deok-Chul.

Despite all these, I do not regret watching this drama. It was a good drama, but it could have been better. These details did not significantly impact the message of this drama, which is to reach for you dreams, seek for what it is that truly makes you happy.

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Watch This! You Won't Regret It!

What a wonderful drama about an older gentleman finding the courage to fulfill long lost dreams and a young man who helps him achieve them!

I have been watching several dramas with Song Kang because his talent and good looks has struck me in a good way. The camera loves him. The first time I saw him in Sweet Home, I knew he was someone to look out for. He has such a striking look on screen and he brings an earnestness to all of his roles. I am looking forward to watching him in many more dramas.

And what can I say about Park In Hwan? He was perfect in his role of the older man looking to fulfill the dreams he put to sleep for a more practical career. The relationship between these two main leads was endearing. You care about them deeply and he plays the loving grandfather to perfection. This is a beautiful production with a solid and talented cast. Every character goes through a journey of self discovery and Park In Hwan is the glue that holds them all together. Bravo!

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WHOLESOME, HEARTWARMING

If you are looking for chill, wholesome story, this is the drama you should watch. Story about an old man wishing he started doing ballet sooner and pursuing his passion is heartwarming. Even though on some parts it's not as chill, the dramatic atmosphere makes you question your personal thoughts. I sometimes felt like old Deokchul did, like I have some regrets and I started improving myself a little. The positive impact Deokchul had on Chaerok, his ballet teacher, was amazing and brought a great character development in Chaerok. Although I cried a river most of the time, it was a pleasant experience, this drama. I found out about it from Shinee TAEMIN because he sings the main theme song. After watching I felt different, fulfilled in some type of way. Song Kang is one of my favourite actors and he killed this role, he dedicated so much of his time practicing ballet that it felt so real, like he did it all his life. Not going to lie,I fell hard for him. Also when Deokchul started doing ballet, the positive change it brought to his whole family really made me think that there can be change in this world, that you shouldn't follow strict rules because you'll end up miserable. This drama is realistic, even though at some point the story was quite slow paced, I continued watching. The scenes aren't overreacted, they are as I said realistic. Warning, if you have even a little bit of heart, prepare for tears.

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Warm and beautiful...

You're looking for a love story? Then this is it. No bed scenes or kisses, just romantic towards life.
After watching this I felt so many emotions. Happiness, sadness, even fear, but the biggest one was relief.
I'm a teenager and most of the times it's difficult to think about being older when I feel like I'm not even done enjoying my childhood. College, work, family... everything seems so far away from my capabilities, and everyone keeps pushing me to that. However, this drama made me feel welcomed, like someone was finally telling me "it's not too late" or "don't be affraid".
I never dream too high, but after finishing that last episode I felt capable and validated for the first time. Like it was okay to not forget about your dreams.
Tbh, I wanted to be more critical, but it's impossible for me lol. All I can say is: Here you have a great drama, make a little bit of time for yourself and watch it, you won't regret one single minute.

- I'm a Spanish speaker, sorry if I made too many mistakes.

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An Atypical Korean Drama for an Atypical Main Character

I normally have a review template I use when reviewing dramas/movies but I can't review this drama with that standard because this drama goes beyond just a review and ratings.

I actually didn't intend to watch this drama at all because it didn't really seem all that appealing to me. Admittedly, I thought it would be a really slow-paced, boring drama because it was about older people. Yes, I stereotyped a drama and judged it off the cuff. I've never been so glad to be more wrong in my life and be humbled because of my ignorance.

This is a slice-of-life drama and is a story of an older man's long life desire to learn how to do ballet. We follow a man as he experiences the particular hardships one only endures in old age. Burdened by the opinions of others and trapped in the solidarity of family roles, Mr. Shim is inspired to become good at something he's always wanted to do his entire life before regret caught up to him.

Ballet.

I do have to point out though that Mr.Shim's dream ISN'T to become a ballet dancer. His dream is to LEARN how to do ballet. I originally thought he wanted to become a ballet dancer at first but as I kept watching the drama, it became more apparent to me that he was most happy learning to do something he really loved. Mr. Shim even says his expectations were never about becoming a dancer who could perform on stage (though I'm sure he still dreamt for it) but to be an accomplished ballet student in his own right for his own gratification and not for the adoration from others. The events that followed afterwards are only a product of his own efforts. He never once asked for more than to learn. Others around him are the ones that offered.

A 70-year old grandfather wants to learn how to do ballet.

I knew that this was going to tug a few heartstrings when I first started watching it but only a couple of episodes in it, I was already quite tearful as I stared at the face of a dejected man who thinks it's too late to live.

This grandfather meets a blunt and frank young man who has been in ballet training for years whose dream is to turn it into a career. This young man is closed-off, dismissive, and unapologetically candid but is someone who also grapples with his own life struggles to accomplish his dreams. The two make an unlikely pair as the young man is forced to teach ballet to an elderly grandfather but as they spend more time together, a grandfather's shameless warmth helps bring a young man out of the darkness he's found himself in and begins to see a different way of looking at things through the wise and understanding eyes of aged maturity. Together, they teach each other to see what the other cannot and form a beautiful and strong friendship.

This drama will open your eyes and help you realize that this the path we will all travel down eventually and that our lives mean more than our age, physical appearance or health. Watching this drama won't only help you to appreciate the elderly but to also open up conversations with ourselves. What regrets do we have right now? Are we holding ourselves back because of fear? What are we afraid of? Do you know what your parents dreams are? What are your own dreams?

This drama gives us a glimpse into what our own lives might be like if we dare to continue to soar, even if our wings are withered and weak. Even if we've already accomplished a lot in our youth. People always ask "What are your dreams?" and for some reason, everyone thinks we are only supposed to have one dream when we were asked the plural 'dreams'.

Sure your life may get a little boring and mundane as you get older and your body gets slower but your birth never came with an expiration date until it happens. So live your life unapologetically and consideration.

Your life is not over because you got old, it's only over if you give up.

SIDETALK: Mr. Shim is an absolute gem of a character and Park In Hwan did an AMAZING FANTASTIC job portraying him. He showed his warm loveable and adorable side and his poignant yet undefeated confidence so perfectly! There were so many times I wanted to just give this grandpa a big hug when he was sad and be his biggest cheerleader when he accomplished something, no matter how small it was. This drama will be one to put in my TOPS list!

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Good Enough

Korean Drama "Navillera" is a bittersweet story about an unusual friendship.

The drama starts slowly, with a simple plot prompt: an elder wants to learn how to dance ballet, the ballerino who is forced to teach him doesn't really want to. From then the drama builds up the melodrama element, adding family drama here and there, a few twists, and then finally it let things come together and creates a puzzle of a heartbreaking story and a strong, warm friendship.

What, however, makes the drama even more special are the performances and the dancing scenes that were perfectly executed. The atmosphere was nicely created with the settings and a suitable soundtrack that was simple, melodic and in the background, creating a more intense drama. The pace was perfect as well and, fortunately, the drama didn't overdo it with the length and it ended when it was needed.


So, overall, nine out of ten.

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Terribly Overrated Misery P×rn

Let me say it straight: this drama is bad and doesn't deserve the overblown ratings. "What the hell, Tate? Are you even human? Do you have a heart? How can you say that about the sweetest little sob story of an elderly man pursuing ballet?!" Well, that's the thing. The writer took a tear-jerking concept and wrote a very lazy, sanitized, redundant, non-conflicted in of itself screenplay that relies completely on evoking the feeling of pity from the viewers. The cheesy mellow overbearing piano soundtracks make the impression twice worse. This K-drama is bordering with misery porn.

Everybody is trying to make it in this world. Everybody is fighting their own battles. In the beginning, it's fairly interesting to see how the 70 y.o. Deok Chul is maneuvering between his health issues and his disapproving family to learn ballet. But in the end we don't get a story of a resilient man, all we get is "look how much he loves ballet and how hard it must be for him, poor grandpa!" Lee Chae Rok is not an interesting character either. He is a kind boy who's always helping the grandpa out and waits for a breakthrough in ballet that doesn't seem to be his top priority. I'm especially disappointed in the supporting characters, the Deok Chul's granddaughter who leaves a job to seek her calling and Deok Chul's son who retires from medicine and wanders around town in his old Crocs. Neither of them get a satisfying ending because they both settle in a conventional place making the whole plot line feel like a teenage angst.

Not to mention that to prioritize the grandpa's safety while he's learning ballet there would have to be at least a physiotherapist in the room. Stretching can be traumatic even for young and healthy people. How can a literal boy make a training program for an elderly person when he has no qualifications in the medical field? In this case I would like the retired son to be involved, it would benefit the story.

I would not recommend the show to the fans of psychological dramas and to the fans of Song Kang because he doesn't seem as the main character here. All the complicated ballet dancing scenes are shot with a stunt double even though the actor was committed to learning ballet for 6 months prior. It's just not worth it.

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