Once Upon a Drama
This review may contain spoilers
Pleasantly surprised by this crazed yet serious comedy considering the awful & nasty ratings
What a pity: I suspect that many nasty and - lets say it - stupid critics are from people who didn’t bother watching throughout and understand the drama and take pride and strength at group lapidations…)
Starting ep. 4, after mother and daughter are reunited , the drama focuses on the drug plot and gets better and better after each episode.
Yes, this drama is an outrageous comedy, that at first glance doesn’t take itself seriously, Yet the craziness is there to balance a very serious and dark drug related main plot. It also shows that dark lords are recruited and bread from childhood (orphans) to serve their masters. Korean dramas are good at revealing this kind of universal sad truth…
This drama is original and well written, with a very engaging storyline relating to-drug trafficking, consumption etc. Balanced by outrageous comedic moments and characters.
Many critic the plot. I couldn’t fault it.
The first 3 to 4 episodes however don’t serve the drama, as they show the crazy reuniting between daughter and family , and do not fairly reflect what the drama becomes after these: a great drama. After ep. 10, it is simply epic.
Nam soon is reunited very quickly with her family without any unnecessary dragging, which I find refreshing for a drama, the main Plot being the new drug trafficking, very well developed over the series, and served by a great cast.
Nam soon personality is bubbly and lively, positive, considerate and thoroughly kind. Like her mother and grandmother (otherwise, it is explained that they would immediately lose their power). She is neither stupid nor a baby. She’s smart , but just utterly kind and self-confident, relying on her strength, trusting because having been brought up in an unspoiled and protected environment (in Mongolia). But again, she has a strong assertive personality nonetheless and is a quick learner…
The main plot, which is about the drug trafficking , is very well maintaining the suspense in an engaging way throughout the drama.
There is no secondary diluting plot which is also good.
Now about the main cast. They are all very good actors, from the younger generation to the experienced ones. All characters have interesting personalities. Thy are fleshed out. The drama being a comedy, they play extreme characters, and are really fun to watch, if you accept that you are watching a comedy but with a serious plot. Like a Jim Carrey comedy (think Dumb & Dumber).
It doesn’t take itself seriously so it is out of place to try & analyse everything to see if it makes sense… That is even stupid: don’t forget that the women in the family are all extraordinarily impossibly strong to start with… if you don’t accept that fact, then don’t watch the drama and criticise, that is not nice at all.
SPECIAL MENTION TO BYUN WOO SEOK who is just amazing playing the villain. I wish he gets great parts in the future and we get to see him more often.
About the romance between the FL and the ML, played by Ong Seong Wu (amazing in Moment at Eighteen) : some say they is no chemistry between then… then watch a true romance, which this one is not. Again, It is a comedy. But they are charming together and their cute interactions leave no doubt: The ML is flustered from the very beginning and it shows in his every look at her…
All in all, very unusual, refreshing and surprising. I wasn’t bored one single moment and didn’t feel the need for fast forwarding …A good entertaining drama served by a great cast and storyline, and very aesthetics settings and lights…
I’ve watched 100s of dramas and have become very picky and easily bored. I love being surprised. And this drama did it for me.
Starting ep. 4, after mother and daughter are reunited , the drama focuses on the drug plot and gets better and better after each episode.
Yes, this drama is an outrageous comedy, that at first glance doesn’t take itself seriously, Yet the craziness is there to balance a very serious and dark drug related main plot. It also shows that dark lords are recruited and bread from childhood (orphans) to serve their masters. Korean dramas are good at revealing this kind of universal sad truth…
This drama is original and well written, with a very engaging storyline relating to-drug trafficking, consumption etc. Balanced by outrageous comedic moments and characters.
Many critic the plot. I couldn’t fault it.
The first 3 to 4 episodes however don’t serve the drama, as they show the crazy reuniting between daughter and family , and do not fairly reflect what the drama becomes after these: a great drama. After ep. 10, it is simply epic.
Nam soon is reunited very quickly with her family without any unnecessary dragging, which I find refreshing for a drama, the main Plot being the new drug trafficking, very well developed over the series, and served by a great cast.
Nam soon personality is bubbly and lively, positive, considerate and thoroughly kind. Like her mother and grandmother (otherwise, it is explained that they would immediately lose their power). She is neither stupid nor a baby. She’s smart , but just utterly kind and self-confident, relying on her strength, trusting because having been brought up in an unspoiled and protected environment (in Mongolia). But again, she has a strong assertive personality nonetheless and is a quick learner…
The main plot, which is about the drug trafficking , is very well maintaining the suspense in an engaging way throughout the drama.
There is no secondary diluting plot which is also good.
Now about the main cast. They are all very good actors, from the younger generation to the experienced ones. All characters have interesting personalities. Thy are fleshed out. The drama being a comedy, they play extreme characters, and are really fun to watch, if you accept that you are watching a comedy but with a serious plot. Like a Jim Carrey comedy (think Dumb & Dumber).
It doesn’t take itself seriously so it is out of place to try & analyse everything to see if it makes sense… That is even stupid: don’t forget that the women in the family are all extraordinarily impossibly strong to start with… if you don’t accept that fact, then don’t watch the drama and criticise, that is not nice at all.
SPECIAL MENTION TO BYUN WOO SEOK who is just amazing playing the villain. I wish he gets great parts in the future and we get to see him more often.
About the romance between the FL and the ML, played by Ong Seong Wu (amazing in Moment at Eighteen) : some say they is no chemistry between then… then watch a true romance, which this one is not. Again, It is a comedy. But they are charming together and their cute interactions leave no doubt: The ML is flustered from the very beginning and it shows in his every look at her…
All in all, very unusual, refreshing and surprising. I wasn’t bored one single moment and didn’t feel the need for fast forwarding …A good entertaining drama served by a great cast and storyline, and very aesthetics settings and lights…
I’ve watched 100s of dramas and have become very picky and easily bored. I love being surprised. And this drama did it for me.
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