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From Tears to Laughter
Twinkling Watermelon has one of the highest ratings on MyDramaList, and after finally watching it, I can see why. Strangely enough, I had put it off for ages. The synopsis mentioned time travel and I thought, "Oh great... not another Back to the Future copy." With so many time-travel dramas around, I was not particularly excited.
The opening episodes did not help. Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his poor family. His parents and brother are deaf, and he endures relentless bullying from the neighbourhood gang. It was so gloomy that I nearly gave up after two episodes, unable to withstand the emotional torture.
Thankfully, that is when everything changes.
Eun Gyeol is sent back to a time before his parents met and runs into his teenage father, who has absolutely no idea this strange boy calling him "Dad" is actually his future son. Watching his father's growing annoyance every time Eun Gyeol blurts out "Father!" is hilarious.
From then on, the series is a delightful mix of comedy, romance and heartfelt family moments. It keeps you laughing one minute and reaching for the tissue box the next, while keeping you guessing how every change in the past will affect the future.
Things become even more complicated when Eun Gyeol discovers his father was not born deaf. Determined to prevent the accident that changes his life, he soon realises he has another problem—his father is in love with the wrong girl. Suddenly, saving his father's hearing is no longer enough. He also has to make sure his parents actually fall in love, or he and his brother may never exist. Yes, it sounds a little like Back to the Future, but the drama takes the idea in its own heartwarming direction.
He also discovers that his mother endured a miserable childhood, mistreated by her cruel stepfamily while her father, consumed by his business, was largely oblivious to her suffering. Now he faces yet another impossible mission: how can he rescue her from this living hell?
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the music. Eun Gyeol and Yi Chan form a band, and their performances are fantastic—good enough to give many contemporary pop bands a run for their money. I was so impressed that I even looked up whether the actors are from musical bands. Nope! They simply did a remarkably convincing job.
I watched the drama on Netflix with the English dub. While the dubbing was well done, I do wish Netflix had also provided English subtitles for the songs, especially when Yi Chan was serenading the girl he loved. Those lyrics would have added even more emotional depth to some already memorable scenes.
My only nitpick is that the younger and older versions of Cheong Ah (Eun Gyeol's mother) do not resemble each other very closely. Both actresses were excellent, but a better physical match would have made the transition more convincing.
To borrow another reviewer's word: wacko. The title is wacko, the story is wacko, the characters are delightfully wacko—and it is all incredibly entertaining.
With excellent acting, charming leads, convincing period settings and an engaging story, Twinkling Watermelon is one of those rare dramas that I almost dropped but ended up thoroughly enjoying. Definitely a thumbs-up from me.
The opening episodes did not help. Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his poor family. His parents and brother are deaf, and he endures relentless bullying from the neighbourhood gang. It was so gloomy that I nearly gave up after two episodes, unable to withstand the emotional torture.
Thankfully, that is when everything changes.
Eun Gyeol is sent back to a time before his parents met and runs into his teenage father, who has absolutely no idea this strange boy calling him "Dad" is actually his future son. Watching his father's growing annoyance every time Eun Gyeol blurts out "Father!" is hilarious.
From then on, the series is a delightful mix of comedy, romance and heartfelt family moments. It keeps you laughing one minute and reaching for the tissue box the next, while keeping you guessing how every change in the past will affect the future.
Things become even more complicated when Eun Gyeol discovers his father was not born deaf. Determined to prevent the accident that changes his life, he soon realises he has another problem—his father is in love with the wrong girl. Suddenly, saving his father's hearing is no longer enough. He also has to make sure his parents actually fall in love, or he and his brother may never exist. Yes, it sounds a little like Back to the Future, but the drama takes the idea in its own heartwarming direction.
He also discovers that his mother endured a miserable childhood, mistreated by her cruel stepfamily while her father, consumed by his business, was largely oblivious to her suffering. Now he faces yet another impossible mission: how can he rescue her from this living hell?
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the music. Eun Gyeol and Yi Chan form a band, and their performances are fantastic—good enough to give many contemporary pop bands a run for their money. I was so impressed that I even looked up whether the actors are from musical bands. Nope! They simply did a remarkably convincing job.
I watched the drama on Netflix with the English dub. While the dubbing was well done, I do wish Netflix had also provided English subtitles for the songs, especially when Yi Chan was serenading the girl he loved. Those lyrics would have added even more emotional depth to some already memorable scenes.
My only nitpick is that the younger and older versions of Cheong Ah (Eun Gyeol's mother) do not resemble each other very closely. Both actresses were excellent, but a better physical match would have made the transition more convincing.
To borrow another reviewer's word: wacko. The title is wacko, the story is wacko, the characters are delightfully wacko—and it is all incredibly entertaining.
With excellent acting, charming leads, convincing period settings and an engaging story, Twinkling Watermelon is one of those rare dramas that I almost dropped but ended up thoroughly enjoying. Definitely a thumbs-up from me.
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