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cute but is not as emotionally hitting
their dating era and everything is so good to watch and brings a smile on my face but i was not emotionally connected to either of the characters.
something that i have noticed in the few korean remakes i have watched is that they mostly shift the female pov to a male one and i think that's the mistake here. i don't remember the japanese version exactly but i think we see the movie mostly through the female lead's eyes and we connect with her a lot more. she was already doing art before the guy suggests it so when she draws him after forgetting him it was more painful. here we don't get to see both of the characters deeply. she is a girl with memory loss and he is just a guy(?)
his death hits very hard in jpn version and we feel the female lead's pain, here all of that happens quite quickly
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What I Liked
> they showed a more melodramatic experience of high-school
> the cast was amazing and did what they could with their parts
> they had enough cuteness in every episode to watch if you wanted something to do
> The way for the first time the bad boy was explained so thoroughly i fell for him rather than the lead
> They cried and expressed their sadness well
What I Didn't Like
> the wast of ALL the minor characters, like why did people end up the way they did, that was never answered
> the way the love triangle wasn't even one, the feelings were never reciprocated all all
> the long stares and the terrible OST like ohh god! if i ever hear "LOVE IS THE MOMENT" again i will bust someone's head
> the lack of story, it went in circles, and felt soo dead
And Last
I didn't really enjoy the drama as much as i had hoped, It started okay but it went downhill from there, idk what the writer was trying to accomplish but i just wasn't feeling it. Those of you who love the cast, the ost, the acting, the chemistry then please continue too; but one things for sure it was quite a ride after 10 weeks, but at least everyone got some kind of lovin':) Cheers
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2Which is why it's almost criminal how they reduced her kickass self to little more than the Male Lead's side kick in the latter half. So much so, that in some scenes the legendary Demoness is nothing more than a glorified damsel in distress whose sole purpose is to stand by the ML's side.
Speaking of the male lead, even with his cute face and pure love he was still pretty much boring, bland and quite one-dimensional. No match for the somewhat antagonist/second Male lead: Jiang Wu. Who was one of the most interesting characters in the show. Being a nasty sonovabitch demon with hilarious moments, he was easier to root for than the ML himself.
My biggest complaint is that the show gave so much screen-time to completely irrelevant characters. Screentime that should have been used to further develop the main leads and their journey. I could count about 4 to 5 story-lines which I didn't give a shit about and that were constantly forced on me.
So over-all, yes there are some pretty adrenaline rushing moments here and there and yes, there is good acting by all those involved but it is nearly not enough to counter the drag.
If you are planning to binge watch this, like I did. My advice is: Make the Fast Forward button your best friend.
Enjoy!
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PURE MADNESS!!!
I understand why many viewers felt disappointed with the ending. At this point, the drama could have followed the webtoon more closely, especially since its ending, though still sad, felt more complete.That said, I genuinely enjoyed this drama. It’s one of the rare shows where I didn’t skip a single scene. From start to finish, it held my attention.
The early high school episodes were a highlight for me. I actually wish they had lasted longer. Without them, if the story had begun only when Baek Ah Jin became a celebrity, her character would have seemed like just another fame-obsessed star willing to do anything to rise to the top. But that’s not who she is. Those early episodes showed the roots of her trauma, and because of that, I could empathize with her, and I pitied her, even if I didn’t agree with her choices at all.
And it wasn’t just her. Every character in this drama had their own brand of madness. Let’s be honest: the world Baek Ah Jin lived in was far from sane, and the people around her were just as chaotic in their own ways! Everyone was mad in their own way!
Despite all this, I admired the two male leads. Their devotion to the female lead was unwavering, and they were willing to do anything to support her. Still, I can’t say I condone all their actions, especially Jun Seo’s behavior toward the end, which was absolutely wild (although that's not what happened in the webtoon).
Overall, I’m really satisfied with this drama. I usually gravitate toward lighthearted romantic comedies filled with cute fluffy moments between the leads, and this show was the complete opposite. Yet I found myself appreciating it deeply, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something different.
I’m just giving it fewer points for rewatch value. Because of its dark themes and how emotionally heavy it is, I feel that watching it once is more than enough.
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The worst regression of a plot and its characters I've ever seen
This entire drama is a fraud. It pulls you in from the beautiful pilot episode filled with symbolism, breathtaking cinematography, and the heartbreaking backstory of who you THINK is the main lead, Han Jipyeong. And then it pulls the rug from under you.Nam Dosan is the main lead, though he had a 10 second clip only in episode 1. Regardless, he was great in the beginning. Relatable, cute, dorky, and very lovable. Until he's not. I really can't pinpoint where this happened, but Dosan quickly became the most toxic, manipulative, serial liar with anger issues and violent tendencies, male lead who never gets called out for his actions. In fact, he is rewarded for everything he does, good and bad. Why? Because he's the main lead, of course! Duh.
On the other hand, we have Jipyeong, our second main lead who feels like the main lead but is treated like a punching bag and a waste disposal. Everything revolves around him: the plot, the letters, the character development, and the relationships with all the other characters. He is the heart and soul of the story, no matter what the writers were trying to convince us otherwise. This was in part Kim Seon Ho's doing, as he breathed life into his character. What I firmly believe happened was that Han Jipyeong was not MEANT to be as loved as he is. Rich, quick-witted with a sharp tongue and a self-made man, he could've easily become the antagonist of the story, but Seon Ho achieves in making him out to be a beautifully flawed human, a man who grew up with nothing and has had to fend for himself all his life. Props to Kim Seon Ho, who was a hidden gem that was discovered through this mess of a drama, and for that reason only I don't regret watching it with my entire self. As much as the viewers learned to love Jipyeong, the more the writers began to hate him, and his entire character arc ended with a whimper, leaving us unfulfilled and demanding justice for him.
As for Seo Dalmi, our female lead, the writers were amazingly horrible in developing her. She went from being independent, hard-working, dream-filled to a pathetic and helpless nobody who couldn't do anything without the help of a man. We never really learn what she's thinking, or why she's doing anything, or the reasoning behind any of her thoughts or actions. Honestly, I don't even know who she is. The show failed in fleshing her out and showing any sort of character growth and development on her end. She's a mystery box. You can't predict anything she'll do or say because nothing about her is consistent. Very disappointing.
Overall the show advertises itself as a business youth drama, but it really isn't. It pretends to be one until the plot falls apart and character development is thrown out the window. Plot holes everywhere, dead storylines, and "main" characters are more like cameo appearances- AKA Kang Hanna. The writers forgot the overall arc of the story and instead focused on a love triangle that went nowhere for 10 episodes. In all honesty, the plot could've been concluded in about 6 episodes. It dragged on for so long and so painfully, with virtually nothing happening in the second half. Without Seon Ho's portrayal of Jipyeong, I really doubt that this show would've caught the hearts of the viewers, and as amazing as he is I would still never recommend anyone to watch this show. You're better off watching clips of him on youtube.
Lessons and morals of the story? Cheat, lie, play dirty, fight your mentor and those who help you, blame others for your failures, never be grateful to your friends and family, use "fate" to explain your mistakes, and win the girl. Wonderful, very heart-warming.
I don't think I'll be watching another Bae Suzy or Nam Joo Hyuk work for a while to cleanse my palate from their portrayal of the worst characters in kdrama history, which is ironic given that I started this for them in the first place.
1/10.
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1It was never about getting back at them but more about getting yourself back!
This drama didn't scream for my attention, but it somehow had me hooked from start to finish. It follows the journey of Kanbe Misa, who has always been that person in the background who is a little too kind, selfless and trusts people too easily and ended up paying the price. But when life gave Misa the lemons, she knew how to make lemonade. The story starts as a second-chance revenge plan becomes something a lot deeper for her. It was about prioritising herself and finally choosing to live for her own sake.This version doesn't lean into over-the-top twists or too much melodrama compared to the OG version and that is what worked for me. It had the classic Japanese introspective touch where the focus was on Misa, her fears and how she navigated and reclaimed her new life with hesitation and silent strength.
Coming to romance, it is definitely underplayed here but that doesn't take away how awkwardly sweet Misa and Suzuki were together. They were not intense or passion-filled but I felt it was the kind of chemistry that builds slowly, and it felt refreshing to me.
Considering they had 10 episodes to cover 16 episodes of content, it was excusable for me and didn't hinder my enjoyment but I wouldn't have minded a few more soft, emotional moments between them.
Moving to Antagonists, Reina really shone here. She was deceiving, unnervingly real and manipulative. All her actions stemmed from very humane emotions, from jealousy to entitlement to be treated better to insecurity. What I liked was that she didn't just exist to ruin things but she genuinely believed she was owed something and that entitlement colored everything red. She was the total opposite of Misa. Misa thrived on healing and growth, Reina on control and resentment throughout her life.
In the initial episodes, I felt they toned down her character compared to OG, but she brought the flair back.
As for SML Tomoya, he was hit and miss for me. Most of the time, he felt very airheaded and his presence was more of an unintentional comedic relief though there was nothing funny about him.
The antagonists and their issues were humane and while the drama acknowledged that, it didn't try to gloss it over with redemption! Sometimes when you don't change your ways, you learn the hard lesson of what goes around comes around!
Another thing that worked for me was the visuals. The cinematography and the colour palette of the whole drama were so pretty. Everything felt so calm and pleasing to the eyes. All the wide nature shots were beautiful. And of course, there was an umbrella moment. Lol, we needed that Korean touch.
Acting across the board was solid. Koshiba Fuka as Misa carried the drama effortlessly. She didn't overreact but every little shift in emotions was translated on the screen. Satoh Takeru as Wataru Suzuki was charming. We need him in more of those rich CEO roles in suits and those glasses. Though at times he felt a bit stiff, I felt that was how his character was. The rest of the supporting cast also brought good things to the table.
Overall, this was a really good and engaging watch. The pacing felt intentional, and the message of putting oneself forward and healing came through nicely. Though romance isn't the main focus here, it would definitely give you butterflies or two.
I would 100% recommend it.
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After watching episode 12, I had to change the review about this drama.
This drama is very promising at the beginning because the theme, storyline and actors are very good. But only for the first 8 episodes.
From episodes 9 to 12, in my opinion, the quality has decreased dramatically in terms of the storyline.
The only thing that kept me watching was because of the character Han Ji Pyeong, who in my opinion he was a very extraordinary scene stealer.
As the second main character, he can attract the attention of many audiences to beat the main character.
There are still 4 more episodes left, but I didn't expect much.
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This drama went from 만점 (100) to 빵점 (0) real quick ?
The issue isn’t the fan ship war that has erupted lately.
It’s that This has become the most important question for viewers to judge whether they come out of the drama slightly satisfied or not: “who the female lead is going to choose as her beau?”
•The second female lead has been reduced to a poor cameo role; who despite being sister, daughter & granddaughter doesn’t even get told in 3 whole years that her Grandma is losing eyesight.
•The female lead turns from an independent, almost self-raised woman with a bold personality to a damsel in distress who cannot function without help from the men in her life.
•The Start Up title is a bait. We start off with a group of inexperienced + Zero business knowhow but passionate people who hope to become the next Steve Jobs or Google. Whilst the first half of the drama gives you hope that this team will slowly learn how to become entrepreneurs and encounter common start-up problems.... We end up with a bunch of (very) immature people who rely heavily on plain luck to secure investments, recognition & success and then proceed to Sell off their company in ONE day without any forethought about their goals. The drama then proceeds with a misplaced time skip to gift this team success & wealth from jobs at other companies.
•One of the worst time skips ever. Not just because the actual scene transition was terrible. First due to when it takes place, it robs the characters of the opportunity to reflect and learn from their mistakes. Second, zero character development in 3 years skip. Everyone seems to have frozen in time. (stagnation) Third, all the previously struggling characters have found (lucky) career success & wealth and we miss their journey through it.
•The show seems to Romanticise/gloss over undue violence and immaturity Especially in a workplace/professional area. (Guys if you punch your mentor At work or school because he made your girlfriend cry after your Own friend told Him to tell Her the “harsh truth, no feelings involved”..... You will be kicked off campus/site and not allowed back in. There may also be lawsuits on assault.) The main characters consistently & unrepentantly make business decisions based on personal emotions- love life, jealousy, euphoria, entitlement. I cannot stress enough the lack of maturity a bunch of 25+ somethings show in their Place of Work- that even teenagers in contrast can seem more wise.
•The male lead has been reduced to a whining entitled toddler who, like a broken radio in order to gain sympathy points from everyone around him, keeps crying & repeating he “has nothing” just because his love life isn’t sailing smooth. THIS, despite the fact that he has 2 very loyal friends, supportive parents (regardless of their expectations of him they still invested into his loss-making, no-real-plan, debt-run business for 3 whole years prior to the show start), a close cousin who’s more like a brother that does marketing for him for basically free, genius coding talent, handsome & tall looks, a warm family house (not an apartment!) to return to.... and after a time skip, even becomes successful & wicked rich..... Like dude, what the hell more do you want ?!? And what’s more ridiculous is that he’s the most well-off character in the show. One of his own friends has lost a brother to suicide. The girls have a dead parent + blind grandma + enemy like stepfamily. The other guy is a literal friendless orphan whose success is all self-made......
It’s a wonder we’re still watching this drama. The effort of the actors, the pretty cinematography, the enticing OST. There’s not much else bringing us back except needing to know the conclusion of a drama we already invested our time & energy in.
*credit to someone*
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What´s life if our heart threatens to tear? Emotionally intense KDrama. About crime&politics, too
“Wonderful World” is painting a wonderful psychological picture of people desperately trying to come to terms with their inner suffering. The focus is on feelings that we would rather not experience. Accordingly, the KDrama is anything but funny. This is once again a KDrama that isn't afraid of drama.What is life like when our heart threatens to tear? If someone is losing their child, for example... There is no stent nor bypass for that. Guilt and loss of control, the desolation of existence and sheer agony are shaping the terrain through which one has to survive every day. At best there is grieving. But to get there even, that is a long way... “Wonderful World” takes on these emotional dimensions – carefully, sensitively, seriously and urgently.
At the same time, this KDrama vividly documents how the selfish decision of individuals, who see themselves as elite or want to be seen as such, unscrupulously, ruthlessly and brutally throw the lives of 'insignificantly normal' people completely out of balance. It is thus a political drama about a world that is not as 'wonderful' as it claims to be, too.
“Wonderful World” is also a crime thriller because there is a murder to be solved. This brings tension and additional dynamism to the story. “Wonderful World” could also be understood as a story about one or two revenge missions. In my opinion, however, these are more stencils in the background. In the foreground unfolds the emotional world of those who feel left alone in their pain and their helpless anger - but still, they carry on, somehow. Two humans see and understand each other in their suffering and are/feel/come close to each other because of this ...and ultimately try to regain a sense of control over their lives. Therein lies the power and beauty of “Wonderful World” (I think anyways).
As I said, this KDrama is not afraid of drama. It's right in the middle of it and even better. The increase in entanglements, and the music, too, remind me in places of the early KDramas - and gladly so. A great script. Yes, bitter life experiences, admittedly. Nevertheless. Intense acting. Serious. Authentic.
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Not worth the wait
3 long years after the insanely good and very high rated first season, I have to say I’m very disappointed with season 2. It fell way below what I was expecting, and honestly felt like a completely different show to me.First off, I was very sad that the original cast made it so far for half of them to be killed off by the second episode. They introduced way too many new and not important characters with no character arch or background on any of them. The cast from season 1 is what gave the show such great charm, and these new characters had nothing to them at all. Not to mention, none of the good characters from season 1 remained except for obviously Hyunsu and Eunyu. Everyone else that was there I could care less about. Give me back Jisu!!!
Next, the storyline was just so all over the place?? There were 5 different storylines going on, all of which added barely any substance to the plot. We definitely could have done without Yikyung and her weird monster baby, that pretty much added no value other than, that monsters are evolving, which we knew would happen at some point. Didn’t need to be some weird sub storyline. Keeping with this thought, I could give a shit less about the people at that damn stadium. It became pointless to me after Eunyu left it to find Eunhyuk, but instead we spend most of our time here instead of the more important plot points. Who was Chief Ji? Why was she so suspicious? Was she harboring a monster? Was she a monster? Guess we’ll never know that because they didn’t explain anything. What was with the old man and Hanni?? What was their added value?? Why did they want us to care about these soldiers so damn much? They were a tad bit more important to the story though as they did come across more neo-humans, but why do I have to care about them? We were gonna end up at the research facility at some point with or without them.
And lastly, my BIGGEST issue with the show: where the hell was Hyunsu for half the show?? Main character but they gave him no main character energy. He was sidelined to make way for these less important characters. Last we saw him, he was petrified/turned to stone by Uimyeong at the research facility as it was crumbling, then what happened?? How did he get out? How did he become unfrozen? How did he find Yikyung and her weird monster baby?? And then he’s just gone? for three episodes? and magically shows back up for the last 2?? For a story about Cha Hyunsu and him being the only one that can stop monsterization (maybe) he sure was given dust. What happened to Uimyeong after he petrified Hyunsu? He was j chillin until Dr. Lim showed back up? I mean none of this story made any sense and lacked what made season 1 so popular.
All I can say is, I was very disappointed with the long and highly anticipated wait for season 2. With the return of Eunhyuk at the end, I have slightly higher hopes for season 3. I hope season 3 can redeem any lost hype that season 2 didn’t have and bring back the feeling of what made Sweet Home so incredible.
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The ship didn't just sink, it imploded under the weight of its own melodrama and bad writing!
The central plot of the drama revolves around trauma and its handling, set against the backdrop of a war zone in Eastern countries. However, it failed to evoke any emotions in me and just felt bland and boring.The only saving grace, which is why it even gets a 6, is thanks to Benjamin and Saxin, who helped me sail through all 38 episodes of this aesthetically pleasing mess!
For a drama where trauma is the main plot, there was no real sense of warmth, depth or emotional resonance.
At first, it gave off the impression of aiming for something deep and thoughtful, but it quickly lost its way. The plot meandered aimlessly, leaving what should have been powerful moments feeling strangely flat and forgettable.
FL Song Ran was supposed to be a reporter, but she spent more time doing everything except her actual job. It was hard to believe how she was just wandering around and taking pictures in a war zone army base, it just felt completely out of place. Most of the time, all I saw was her trailing behind the male lead.
ML Li Zan's character left me with mixed feelings. I appreciated how the show portrayed his trauma and the denial he was stuck in, it felt raw, real and authentic. However, as time went on, it seemed like his reluctance to open up was more about convenience than anything else. The constant addition of trauma without any real growth or resolution made it feel like there was no light at the end of his tunnel.
I am a fan of both the actors, but I just couldn’t feel any chemistry between them. Maybe it was because their romance developed in so many illogical situations like having a heart to heart conversations on the bomb site before even getting medical aid , that it felt hard to buy into.
Most of the drama was set in a war zone, but the seriousness , urgency and consequences of it were largely missing throughout especially in the first half. The logic was often flawed and there were many instances that could have been fixed if they paid a little attention to detail. For example, why were people moving so freely in the war zone? Why were people just lying down and hugging when there had been a bomb blast only minutes before and why couldn't they do that in hospital to make more sense ?
When it comes to handling PTSD, don’t get me wrong - they did attempt to show the real vulnerabilities, denial and the struggles people face after being in such a traumatic environment. However, the portrayal became a repetitive cycle, with no significant character growth. It doesn’t make sense to me that after 8 episodes of dealing with the issue, there was still no real development.
You would expect them to be open and communicate with each other, especially after everything they’ve been through together. But no, we are still stuck in that non-communicative phase, where life-threatening and life-changing decisions are made without even informing the other person.
In real life, while PTSD can have long-lasting effects, people do tend to make progress over time, whether in small steps or through moments of realization. The drama's absolute refusal to allow characters to experience this type of growth feels unrealistic, as it disregards the possibility of healing and moving forward.
At one point, the hero complex from both of them actually diminished the impact of those serious scenes!
Acting wise both the leads did a good job with what was given to them. Chen Zhe Yuan can act and time and again, he shows that! Liang Jie did a great job too but CZY stole the stage when vulnerable scenes were on the screen!
The emotional scenes were executed well ( the man cries so pretty) but the problem wasn't the acting but the writing!
Now coming to the good part, Benjamin and Saxin ! This was a perfect enemies to lovers trope! The constant bickering , the eye contacts , the jealousy, the unwavering trust and support for each other was just the chef's kiss.If the drama had focused more on them or given them even half the screen time, I would have rated it much higher.
Censorship wants you to think it is brotherhood, but they ain't fooling us. Initially I thought it was me who was on team delusion, but they kept hinting us that we weren't wrong. They know what they are doing ! They know we know what they are doing ! Everything is out there yet still between the lines. We need a masterclass so that we can have those shelved dramas out !
I want to keep this review spoiler free but let's just say the ending was just bizzare and lazy writing. It was as if they ran out of ideas to how to make this mess right which they made, grabbed the nearest piece of paper, scribbled something random, and called it a day.
Overall, this drama was incredibly disappointing and fell flat despite its ambitious premise. It seemed to aim for something grand, but ultimately, it failed to deliver. The plot lacked depth and the pacing dragged, making it hard to stay engaged. It was a slow burn with little payoff, leaving much to be desired and leaving me feeling bored.
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Never believe in the dramas / movies set in the 80s and 90s
The plot is somewhat typical, a story about first love and friendships in adolescence, at first I felt that it was a bit slow but then it improved, really what is most striking is that you do not expect the ending and the fact that the love story from Bora and WooHon it ends before it started it hurts, at least they would have had another kiss---
The performances were good, Kim Yoo jung and Byun Woo suk in the train scene where they say goodbye will always be a memorable scene, it was impossible not to cry and Han Hyo Joo in the last scene where she sees the tape... Damn she didn't even have to speak so that I would be destroyed
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The best movie of 2022 and here the phrase that destroyed us all "I want to see you, Bora of the 21st century"
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An energetic idol drama with soothing love and dreams
This drama is so great. All aspects are so amazing. The acting of all the cast is pretty good especially for our main cp Wei Zhi and San Chong. Yu Shuxin is always clever at captivating the hearts of audiens not only men but also women like me. Sooo cute my baby zhizi. Lin Yi's acting is also quite good in portraying the character of San Chong. The performances of the cast are also great. The scenery shown in every frame in the drama makes me unable to stop smiling. The storyline is light and flows naturally. I was impressed because this drama not only presents visuals but also full teaching about mature ski teaching. The transition of each scene also really good. I Love this drama so much. I hope the flow will remain good until the end and I always look forward to the episodes every day. ❤️❤️Was this review helpful to you?
Annoying, Frustrating, Boring.
You can disagree all you want but this drama felt so terrible to me that it almost caused me a drama block!! It had a very promising start but especially after episode 6,,everything became so messy and more than boring..🤧Watching the past trauma over and over again just frustrated me....It felt like the story had completely frozen 😑
Comedy scenes didnt make me laugh even once and there wasnt a single character I could truly relate to!!! Most characters were annoying..
I had been forcing myself saying "keep watching keep watching, it will get better..It has to be good! Its kim bum's drama..Its Ahn Hyo seop's drama..😮💨 I was literally watching it at 2x speed and still struggling to get through it..
Me most disappointed in Ahn Hyo Seop.. His makeup, body language, expressions..nothing matched his usual standard...
And Kim Bum!!!
He barely had any screentime or depth in his role... Why did he even choose a role like this? He deserves so much more than this...
So why did I still continue watching?
— Kim Bum and Ahn Hyo-seop.
This drama deserves this poor rating.
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I expected a better ending
This drama is good, but the beginning set up high expectations. I love the fact that they gave us an evil female lead since that is quite rare to see. However, I expected a better ending. Since I was spoiled by the webtoon version, I expected them to follow it and give us a better story.SPOILER! Jae Oh’s death was unnecessary. He was my favorite character, and I sort of expected him to protect Ah Jin and save her in another way instead of sacrificing himself. They made his death meaningless because, after all, it didn’t help her at all.
Jae Oh would literally burn the world for her, and he put his life at risk with the thought that it would save her. I thought he would come up with a smarter plan to save her career.
But at least I discovered what my ideal type is. (Sorry, I just had to add that!) Jae Oh was so damn fine, and I loved the way he treated Ah Jin. I wanted him to stay with her and take care of her after she was exposed, just like in the webtoon.
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