This review may contain spoilers
Boyhood : A Roller Coaster of Comedy, Action and 80s Nostalgia
Boyhood is a coming of age comedy action school drama set in 1989 in Chungcheongnamdo. It follows a socially awkward boy from Onyang who becomes a transfer student to Buyeo, only to be misunderstood as a troublemaker overnight. This leads to various comedic and action packed adventures.The show was a wild ride. The first five episodes were hilarious, but Episode 6 took an unexpected turn, shifting from joy to tragedy. Despite the roller coaster, it kept its comedic vibe, making me switch between tears and laughter.
Each character shines uniquely, especially Jang Byungtae, the once targeted weak student who embarks on a hilarious and action packed journey after transferring to Buyeo. Among the dramas i have watched this year, Jang Byungtae's character stands out as one of my personal favorite. Quirky, funny and relatable, he faced bullying from his childhood due to his weak physique. However when mistaken for strength he cleverly used it for good. Jang Byungtae's transformation felt authentic, a gradual process mirroring the impact of a lifetime of bullying.
Im Siwan's outstanding acting, seamlessly transitioning between comedy and emotional depth deserves every award for his portrayal of Jang Byungtae.
The second character is Jung Gyeongtae, who brings some crazy twists in story. When he entered, i thought he was just a street smart thug whom everyone fears but he might actually be good at heart. However the way he flipped in Episode 6 quickly turned him from my most favorite character to the most hated one. From that episode, i just wished him to live a nightmarish life until he dies.
Lee Siwoo really nailed this character. When i realized he played the brother of Ha Doyoon in SYIM19L, i couldnt really believe it, as that character and this one are totally poles apart, and Lee Siwoo played it with conviction.
Two female leads, Jiyoung and Seonhwa. Seonhwa is a bad bi*ch from the start and i suspected some gold digger tendencies in her character from afar. Jiyoung was a badass queen, she was the one who encouraged Byungtae to get his revenge. I really loved her character but she had very little screen time to explore her character. I would have loved to see more of her than Seonhwa.
Each episode of the show is engaging and it never bores you even for a minute. My personal favorite episode is Episode 6. That was quite an insane episode, not gonna lie.
The setting of the show in the 1980s is quite believable. It actually gives the feel of the 80s. The styling and setting are very appropriate for the times of the 80s. The music also helps to give you authentic vibes of the 80s.
This was one of the few dramas this year that surprised me in a good way. For me, it was a 9.5/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
Boyhood takes you on a nostalgic trip to the 1980s, unraveling the lives of students at an agricultural high school in Chungcheong Province. Jang Byung Tae, a small and seemingly powerless kid, decides to change his luck by switching to Buyeo Agricultural High School. The top-notch cast, led by Jang Byung Tae, delivers performances that hit you right in the feels. The drama unfolds with unexpected turns, and a pivotal incident becomes a game-changer for our protagonist. For me, Boyhood is like a comfy blanket, weaving a narrative that feels familiar and comforting. The cast's stellar performances and engaging cameos add depth to the storyline. While I might have imagined a different ending, the finale, albeit a tad rushed, was still well-executed and made sense. Boyhood is a heartwarming journey that resonates with anyone who appreciates relatable stories and a bit of '80s flair.
Was this review helpful to you?
Im-Siwan giving another iconic character: Jang Byung Tae, the dogged warrior against bullying!
After the iconic Jang Gu-Rae (Misaeng), Si-wan has given us another legendary character as Jang Byung Tae. Words would not be enough to praise this idol-turned-actor for every diverse role he undertakes. At 35 years of age, he plays a high-school boy with such finesse which I doubt actors of that actual age would be able to deliver. His latest work, Boyhood, deserves to be added into his ever-growing list of amazing works & personally for me it has wrapped up my 2023 Drama-Year beautifully!⭐ STORY SUMMARY:
In first half - we meet Jang Byung Tae, a meek school-boy, oppressed all his life by bullies, no matter how many school he changes. He has been "whooped" so much that he and his family assume it to be his destiny & he has no other meaning/dreams from his life. By a comedic chain of events - in his new school he is mistaken to be renowned bully/fighter than being someone who is bullied. He gets to live life on the other side - but all good things must come to an end, right?
The second half - reveals the truth & once again Byung Tae is miserable as bullies oppress him and his friends. He reaches his breaking point & when his friends/family make Jang Byung Tae realize that his life is meaningful & he is not someone that should just be bullied. He vows to fight the bullies to end this cycle of violence so that one day he and others can wake up to enjoy life as they should. But in face of the oppressor, can Byung Tae emerge victorious as a true Dragon Warrior?
❤️ BEST PARTS OF THIS DRAMA
In short - EVERYTHING! But let me break it into main TOP 3 (rest under detailed review)
1. Hitting the right notes of nostalgia through the music, cinematography, story & acting by all that made me experience 1989!
2. Balancing the serious issue of bullying with apt comedy, action, cute romance & friendship of youth!
3. Im-Siwan: he proves his acting chops again. Dialogue, face expressions, dancing - is there anything this man is not good at?
OVERALL:
Very rarely you come across dramas that remains true to its premise & expectations. Boyhood manages to deliver it through the acting, action, music, story, friendship and romance - making it one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! It wrapped up neatly in 10 episodes, which ensured no dull moments, even pace & satisfactory conclusion. While Si-wan is the highlight for me but the above factors intertwined with his character's journey beautifully making this a delight to watch.
Would highly recommend to watch, it would be worth your time & I am confident land up as a drama high-rated on your individual lists.
Im-Siwan, yet again has all my heart ❤️ what a talent! He already has recognition for his work, cannot wait for it to go to another level/global in his future work (especially counting it for Squid Games 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
❤️ DETAILED REVIEW - of parts that I loved in this drama
• The Dogged Spirit: Laughing in the face of bullies
Throughout the series, it delves on bullying & it's effects which we face head-on with Byung Tae & his friends. The gravity of the bullying will make you somber & is more prominent in the second half of the show. The seriousness is cut through with apt comedic situations, dialogues & acting - making it a perfect blend of comedy . The show will give a lump in our throats, misty eyes but loads of laughter!
• Im-Siwan as Jang Byung Tae:
In his role as Jang Byung Tae, Siwan is exemplary right from his dialogue delivery, his stances (as the bullied guy & then the change as he learns to fight), the pouting, the crying, the cute dances. Literally everything this man does is par excellence & a delight to watch. TBH, I would just ask the readers to simply go & watch the show only for Im Si-wan. He is one of those few talents that are rare and needs to be watched, re-watched, recommended at every opportunity we have.
• Soundtracks, Cinematography & Acting:
Without downplaying anyone - I consider Byung Tae as the only main cast & rest support him in his journey. The story of Byung Tae & his youth cannot be told unless sharing about the bullies, families & friends. The actors in these roles all bring in their A Game in execution, making us relive the 1989 rural life of Korea through their adventures. Their unique stories & characteristic quirks blend seamlessly in Byung Tae's personal journey from being bullied to fighting for justice! Aiding the acting is the right location, make-up, fashion, camerawork & props that is sure to hit the nostalgia button - as you watch their school life, places the gang hangs out in and the awesome fights!
The music is diverse: tracks that are plain fun, soulful renditions that define our relations of our youth - friendships & romance, & dance hits of 1980s K-POP. All the tracks may not be memorable, but each of them fits perfectly into the scene that is playing.
DOWNSIDE:
1. I wanted more romance between Byung Tae and Ji-Yeong:
They have a lot of sweet moments which are cute & so wholesome. But since we are used to K-dramas having a confession/kiss scene initiated by the ML, I blame this unconscious bias of mine for finding fault here. Right from the start we know they are tight & even without the drama explicitly showing it - I know where these two are headed in future, in terms of romance. But human me is unable to overlook this minor thing.
2, What is the ending for Jung Gyeong-Tae and Kang Seon-Hwa?
Given the evil forces they are - again I know where they could be headed, but I guess I would have liked it to be shown that being implicit/open-ended.
The above issues are very minor, personal opinions and it does not impact the overall magnificence of this drama. It still remains as one of the best dramas of 2023 for me! This drama had everything - good storyline, great acting, fitting soundtrack, beautiful cinematography - truly a hidden gem of this year & I cannot wait for more people to discover & enjoy it! ❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
The best part for me: the comedy and the chemistry
Set in the small village in 1989, Byung Tae, who was formerly bullied, transfers to a new school. He is somehow mistaken as the school's best fighter, White Tiger. He happily takes on this identity, as he is determined not to be bullied again. However, when the real White Tiger moves to this school, can he handles his daily life with him, bullies, all while he start developing crushes?It's a unique premise regarding mistaken identity. The retro set was very well designed as it looks charming and vibrant. The first half of the series is just full of ridiculous goodness, slap-sticky comical action scenes that reminds me of watching those old Jackie Chan classics. It’s a coming of age story, with many day-to-day schoolboys activities at school and after school. There is a romance subplot with a sparkling chemistry and it’s the most memorable part for me. However, it gets heavy on the bullying main story towards the ending and the twist towards that turn felt jarring and kind of nasty, personally. Although I get that it gives a decent arc for Byung Tae.
I enjoyed the fun cast interacting together. Obviously, I love Im Si Wan as Byung Tae. Not only he's excellent at being dorky, when he falls in love, his expressions are priceless. He has played a lot of different roles and always nails it.
-Dec 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing concept
I will keep it very brief. This show is a rare concept in korean dramas, but should be much more common. With a story set in 1980s touching a important issue in a very comedical way. I couldn't get enough of it and wished there were atleast 9 more seasons. The awsome comedic style combined with the 1980s feeling made me wish it would never end. The casted actors are amazing and they lifted the show with their acting. You do not want to miss this, if you want a feel good show with some plot this show is perfect.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Best 2023 Kdrama??
From the acting to the plot, everything about Boyhood was top tier. I loved the action sequences a lot, I wish there were more frightening scenes of Im Siwan without the mask.All of the other actors were great too. One thing I liked about the show was the genre switch, it felt jarring, but quite realistic at the same time.
Unlike most of the other revenge/underdog kdrama, Boyhood wasn't unrealistic. Like, yes Jang Byungtae ended up winning against Gyungtae, but it wasn't because of his strength, but endurance that he had built for YEARS.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Journey of a Weak student.
I watched this one solely for Im Si-wan because he never fails me as an actor. Im Si-wan never compromises on his dramas, no matter how much appreciation his works get in return. As a professional actor, his work is outstanding, including this one. It's been a long time since I watched a pure comedy drama. Byung-Tae (Im Si-wan) calls himself White Tiger (the strongest and most powerful student who actually transferred to his school) and takes that false identity to his advantage in order to avoid bullying and change his life.
Each episode is amazing and makes me laugh at every moment. The first half of the story is totally hilarious, filled with humour and fun. At the same time, a dark event makes this drama more interesting in the second half. Ep 06 and 07 are great. They are worth mentioning as I admired Im Si-wan’s outstanding acting here. Overall, it gives a rollercoaster of emotions and every cast member acts very well. I think the drama succeeded in providing a good balance of humour and dark elements.
review by;- Sinnosuke_Lee
edited by:- Kdrama_Judge ( https://mydramalist.com/profile/10910079 )
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Hoseok is so pookie
I honestly didn't expect Gyeongtae to be that bad of a person. I was thinking he only beat up people when he had to and not for fun?? Honestly when he lost his memory, he was kinda cute. I also expected Seonhwa or Seonghwa to be a better person, actually thinking he would fall for Byeongtae after several events. I don't understand how the "losers" chose to forgive those who whooped them so easily. And the bonus scene irritates me, how could Byeongtae look at Seonhwa when Jiyoung is waiting for him like. Everything is done well though, from acting to production. I also like the cinematography and it's actually funny.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Glad i watched this! 100% recommend watching!
I absolutely loved this drama so much! There are just minor things that I would change the only things being how much seonwha appeared in the drama, and the rest of the bullies being welcomed back as if they didn’t participate I think the bullies should’ve gotten more punishments than just a beating of their own but I mean even in real life perpetrators often just get away with a slap on the hand so its not an unbelievable ending.I usually can’t stomach drama’s with so much bullying but even though they were doing a drama with such heavy topic as bullying you also get your moments of comedy relief. Still they did it so well because it doesn’t take away from the actual problem and you still think about what the victims are going through.
The fight he had with his friend you can see the desperation the mc felt as well as the other guy. You can tell how hopeless he felt all while his bully just found everything so amusing.
*wish byongtae would’ve beaten that bully more and actually broken his wrist so he could never use it to hurt others again*
Overall great story loved it very much!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A weird but at times endearing mix of comedy and the most blood boiling rage inflicted by bullies
To be fair after the first episode I almost dropped this show, but boy am I glad I carried on.Boyhood made me genuinely laugh out loud at times with its silliness which is the reason I felt extremely blindsided when the violence unexpectedly got very much out of hand in the middle of the show.
I had a great time with episodes 2-5 and then partly due to my expectations and/or predictions of the story not being met I fell into despair.
The last two episodes pull together and the show manages to finish the narrative it was writing itself around - to have power it is not enough to physically dominate everyone, real respect must be earned by honest emotions. Still our main character achieves this by beating up a bunch of people.
Byung-Tae was a delightful and most times heart wrenching character, Im Shiwan was the perfect man to do this if we ignore the fact that he looks very much like the 30 yo man he is... a characteristic most characters share I think due to the subject matter and trying not to be too traumatising.
Unfortunately the other characters fell short as I learned very little information about them and some of their "storylines" just get dropped and never examined. That leaves us with a supporting (and sometimes main) cast whose motivations we barely understand. Main and most frustrating of these characters being Gyungtae, whose backstory was never explored and he just comes off as a cartoonish villain cackling In front of himself just to disappear into the?? what actually happened to him I don't understand, and Sunhwa (girl really was just an accessory ..) and to be honest even Jinyoung has little journey in our story (don't be mistaken I love this girl and I wish her the best).
All in all Boyhood was one of the most 'funny' dramas for me this year, it just feels weird saying it about a show where around 8 people get hospitalised because of school bullying.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's my fav drama in 2023.
It has everything I have ever loved. Slight bit of romance, friendship, action, drama and comedy! I love the end too it's just so wholesome. This drama makes me laugh, cry and it even melts my heart! It also kinda made me more interested in martial arts too.! I have always been interested in martial arts but it made me more interested in it. I like the aesthetics of this drama too. Even the bad guys are fashionable. Every single outfit can inspire your wardrobe! Well about the male lead, even though you get annoyed with the male lead sometimes, he is a really lovable character. He kinda reminds me of nobuta from doraemon it's just that nobita is way weaker (well at the beginning he was just like him) though he is a separate character of his own. He gets stronger at the end but he still remains the same. I JUST love this drama!Was this review helpful to you?
