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PurpleStream

somewhere where time is meaningless~

PurpleStream

somewhere where time is meaningless~
Search: WWW korean drama review
Completed
Search: WWW
3 people found this review helpful
by PurpleStream
Jul 26, 2019
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.5
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
This drama not only carried me out of a drama slump, gave me a refreshing storyline and three kickass leads but also completely tore through what I assumed a Kdrama is. There are hardly any of the typical kdrama tropes in this show and the entire show is just a breath of fresh air.

If you want badassery delivered with refined elegance, progressive content and whole slew of characters to fall in love with, look no further.


I'll start my review off with something easy and simple: the acting. The drama already has a pool of amazing actors and it's no surprise that they all pull off their roles perfectly. You genuinely see the individuality to each character (although that may also be due to the way they were written). Ta Mi's assertiveness yet logical and empathetic individualism, Ga Gyeong's ruthless stoicism with just the faintest glimpse of pain behind her eyes and Hyeon's playful hotheadedness with a moral compass that always points straight. I fell in love with all three ladies. They each have three very different personalities that are always colliding throughout the entire show despite them having quite a few similarities as well. Their constant clashing always has a deeper issue involved which just adds to the whole suspense of whatever issue they are facing. AS WELL THE SISMANCE. The chemistry between them was so perfect and I don't think I've ever seen something like it. There were a few times however where I noticed that some of the acting seemed a little awkward, or the way certain characters reacted to a situation; an issue I believe could of easily been fixed with better direction but overall, wonderfully done.

Next, the storyline. I had gotten into a loop of watching kdramas with the typical tropes, and honestly I was getting a little sick. Search: WWW does sort of use the typical tropes we see, but then flips them on their head so that we see them in a different way. For example, the childhood love that carries over into adulthood; Hyeon and Ga Gyeong have known each other and developed a beautiful relationship since childhood. Honestly the way they introduced the relationship between the two in the beginning, I truly believed the writers were trying to hint at one of them being lesbian/bisexual, something which to my disappointment was not revisited, but regardless Hyeon still sort of has a love like fantasy about Ga Gyeong (not in a romantic way, but more like great admiration and respect). There are several other examples, but for fear of having too long of a review already, I'll end the examples here.

If you want the perfect drama to watch just to emerge into a world complete with Girl Power, get watching right away. This drama doesn't scream feminism, it doesn't need to. Ta Mi's world is what I dream about for the future. Female CEOs and directors who are in the spotlight and no one complains about them being a women. But not in a "only women rule" kind of way. There are so many men characters too who are at the top of what they do, but they aren't the focus of this story. After watching each episode I wanted to go and immediately go take charge of something. The energy being emitted was so refreshing and empowering. Each woman has such depth to them that goes beyond romantic relationships.

I need to give a shoutout to the men as well. I'm in love with Park Morgan. He's smooth, supportive and sexy. He is not the "just a nice guy." He may clean your house for you and wait by your door like a puppy, but you're going to be the one who ends up wanting more, as Ta Mi experiences for herself. I honestly love Brain too. He's like the cool dad that will let you try weed, but only if it's in front of him. He's the perfect level-headed man to deal with the polarizing debates between Ta Mi and Hyeon. When I was first introduced to Seol Ji Hwan's character, he almost seemed fake nice and I wasn't too invested in him. I regret ever having such thoughts, he's a soft puppy that needs to be protected at all costs. I respect Oh Jin Woo so so much. He goes through a very different kind of pain than Ga Gyeong, and that is having to just watch her struggle from the sidelines. I would hate to be in either their positions and the way this man changes himself and becomes so selfless truly makes me respect him. I also need to complement Alex and Joseph (as well as Ellie and Jenny!). They are the perfect side characters, each having their own personality and still serving as relevant pieces to the story.

The story is so unique and even some of the ethical debates about the internet and search engines make it so interesting. You will not find another drama with this kind of story. However, because most of the suspense lies in those ethical debates and what will happen to both Barro and Unicon (the search engines) as well as the leading ladies, if you were to rewatch it a second time, it may not be as interesting. And because the romance isn't too hot, if you were to rewatch it, going through some of scenes of the couples may also seem uninteresting. But I believe the characters themselves would perhaps serve as one reason to perhaps rewatch it, should you choose to.

Finally, the music. The music is absolutely impeccable. Opening up to a song that says "Show you a bad girl" while the three leading ladies stare you down is definitely the right way to start a drama. Other than that song, the rest of the OST was just perfect and perfectly timed as well. Nothing stood out too awkwardly and you can just tell how talented the musical directors are from their use of music and when they used a particular song.

Along with the music, there were so many scenes that were shot so beautifully and artistically well. It's hard not to notice the deliberate use of angles, positioning and editing. Mostly everything was quite smooth. I admit in the beginning of the show, some of the editing seemed forced and awkward, but for the most part, it was a win.

So why should you watch it? A Unique story with girl power done right, extremely well written characters, great acting, even better music and beautiful cinematography.
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