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daughter of baekhong

Jupiter

daughter of baekhong

Jupiter
Backstreet Rookie korean drama review
Completed
Backstreet Rookie
0 people found this review helpful
by daughter of baekhong
Jul 19, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.5
This review may contain spoilers

Something quite wrong that feels so right all along

Warning: This is a long and opinionated review. You can beg to differ. Plus, heavy spoilers ahead so beware. Don’t report me, I just really love this show and want to spread the greatness inside of it.

This one was problematic but on the other hand, it's a feel-good rom-com drama that will make you laugh, smile, and giggle like an idiot. It's not considered family-friendly drama since it's a show adopted from an adult webtoon and it's a shame because it's actually quite inspiring. Mrs. Gong got me tearing up like a baby. Her insight and philosophy in life are the best.

First, let's address the controversies. I’ve seen a bunch of articles online pointing out all the problematic areas of the show. I gotta admit, I agree with them. But the thing that really bothered me is the way Hwang Geum-bi insulted and looked down on Dal-shik because of his dark skin and hairdo. A phrase: utterly disgusting. Plus those buzzing flies, are so annoying! I get it, it’s for comedic purposes but sadly, it rubbed me the wrong way. A lot of things from the early to mid episodes saddened me a bit.

Controversies aside, the romance and other comedy areas in the show were very fun and entertaining despite the drama not having a complex plot. The story gets better as episodes go by. I came only for my boi chang-wook, but the bit-by-bit comedy from the supporting acts and cute interaction from the main leads got me staying put. Some parts were bland and skippable. Probably be much better if they made it a little shorter than 16 episodes. To further understand what I mean by "fun", here are some scenes I absolutely loved throughout the show.

1. Aphrodite and Fire Volcano's hilarious love-to-hate relationship. The accidental donation of a million won and their flirtatious phone calls without knowing their greatest enemy is on the other end really got me!
2. The witty conversations between the 4 Heavenly Kings band members. The actors were the perfect fit for these characters. Absolutely loved them!
3. When the atmosphere starts to change because of some slip-tongued words by the ML's father. Mrs. Gong's eyes will begin to widen and Mr. Choi will begin to tremble.
4. Dal-shik spying on the convenience store and intentionally chiming in to get free food. I burst out laughing after he got caught hahaha
5. When the journalist fixed her misleading article. I went nut after she followed Kang Ji-uk and photographed him behind his back then proceed to write misleading information. I know celebrities like him are bound to these encounters but it’s just annoying.
6. Subtle references to other shows (Pulp Fiction dance & Dae-hyun singing “You Are My Everything” from Descendants of the Sun).
7. Saet-byul & Dae-hyun’s hand sign communications. They were too adorable!
8. When the family members alongside Dae-hyun’s friend and part-timer switch shifts, something hilarious and chaotic occurs afterward.
9. Dal-shik singing outside the convenience store and Dae-hyun being the clueless man he was, didn’t know his friend was dedicating the song to “scary horse”
10. Dae-hyun's Mom slaying everyone's world. The way she stood up for herself and her family. How she sincerely apologized for her mistakes. One of the best K-drama mama out there!


This drama is not something to take so seriously. It's a fun and goofy show with less serious fight scenes. It's honestly a bit odd for me to witness chang-wook as the defenseless Dae-hyun considering he's best known as one of the best action stars in K-drama world. This project is definitely a breath of fresh air. We got to see the everyday life of a convenience store owner and how his family scraped by. The way the story unfolds is good enough but I’m still left wondering what happened to the mean girls of Fancy Girls. They just suddenly accepted Eun-byul after she stood up for herself when they made her do all the household chores? What happened to Director Woo? He kissed Yeon-joo, yes. But what happened next? It wasn’t awkward the next day, they straight up neglected their actions during that night. Dae-hyun never got to find out and I'm here left curious about what would’ve happened if he did find out. Maybe it’ll add more intensity to the drama? Who knows. And let me just add the bullies that are blackmailing Eun-byul, they don’t look scary. Just some bored feeling-savage punks and that I applaud. Perfectly encapsulated the real meaning of “bully”.

Moreover, the appealing visuals and engaging cinematography fit the vibes of the show perfectly. The OSTs are the best damn thing. Every time something hilarious or chaotic happens, I automatically mouth “crazy, crazy”. I love the cast very much. I couldn’t picture anybody else playing the characters. I wasn’t really swayed by the main leads’ chemistry but something about them captivates me and makes me want to watch the ‘til the end… uhh (which I did).

Nevertheless, if you don’t mind some disturbing insults to people of color and box braid hairdos, then dive into the world of Saet-byul and Dae-hyun. Things can get boring but I suggest continuing it unless you feel really disappointed cause the gems of this show are hidden everywhere. It’s kinda messy. There are life takeaways along the way, but as I said they are everywhere and styled progressively so you’ll need to watch a chunk before getting in there to further understand. Might be unrealistic at times, therefore, I advise don’t expect too much. This drama is solely for entertainment purposes. Have fun dear folks!


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