This is absolutely, positively adorable. <3
Given that our drama reality (what an oxymoron, eh? XD ) is such that the final product often doesn’t live up to its awesome teaser (I’m looking at you, Yong Pal), I’m extra blown away that Splash Splash Love doesn’t just live up to its very cute teaser, it actually surpasses it.
What are we doing right to deserve this, Dramaland? Coz I’d like to do it again. And then again. *hearts in eyes*
WHAT I LOVED
It’d be too easy – though accurate – to say that I loved practically everything in this little show. Here’s the quick rundown of my favorite highlights.
It’s so well-handled
Telling a story that feels robust and creating characters that feel fleshed-out, and developing said characters’ relationships in a believable way all takes some doing. I’ve come across way too many full-length dramas that have struggled to do that. Yet, 2-episode drama special Splash Splash Love makes it all seem so effortless.
First of all, I love the breezy fusion vibe. Show is so unabashedly fantasy fusion, and blithely messes around with history, while scored with modern tunes that range from cheerful pop to soft rock with an angsty edge. It’s so perfectly dissonant.
Second of all, I am really impressed with how well-paced this is. Instead of feeling like a highlight reel, everything feels real and the passing of time feels well-handled, despite Show’s very short run-time. Of course, the other upside of the short run-time, is the lack of filler. There’s just no time for it, literally.
Most of all, for all of Show’s breezy boppy fun, there’s a sense of depth and poignance about this story, and our characters’ emotions consistently feel believable and real. When they laughed, so did I, and when they teared up, I couldn’t help but tear up too. Just, so very dynamic and engaging.
Doo Joon as Lee Do
Doo Joon is gloriously handsome as Lee Do, and he plays the various facets of Lee Do – conflicted king, eager student and dorky tenderheart – equally well. On top of that, Doo Joon is a swoony, swoony king. Not only does he wear regality well, the intent, lingering gazes he levels at Dan Bi (Kim Seul Gi) are heart-stirringly melty.
I love what a dynamic character Doo Joon makes Lee Do, the king who would care enough about a girl, to throw royal decorum to the wind and literally run towards her. Swoon.
Kim Seul Gi as Dan Bi
I luff Kim Seul Gi in this. Given that she’s been consistently playing characters with distinct steely streaks, I found her portrayal of Dan Bi a refreshing change.
Coz Dan Bi is adorable and tiny and earnestly fresh-faced, and endearingly vulnerable. There’s a softness to her character that I found myself gravitating towards. I love that Dan Bi’s the sort of girl who feels so intently, and can’t help but wear her heart on her sleeve.
Plus, I love that she cares. I love that the set-up forces her to suddenly study coz her life depends on it, but through it all, I got the feeling that she’s trying so hard not just for her own sake, but for Lee Do’s too. Aw.
Doo Joon + Kim Seul Gi together
Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi are super cute together, and have an easy, effortless, sparky sort of chemistry that’s a joy to watch, even when it’s just them squabbling over math.
They are clearly comfortable with each other, and Show takes full advantage of that by serving up large amounts of skinship. Hugs, kisses, more hugs; the great thing about it is, while Show is generous with the touchy, it doesn’t feel gratuitous. It actually feels organic to these characters and their story, which just makes it ten times better, really. The OTP connection feels real and robust, and I squee.
As a bonus, the OTP chemistry even gets dialed up to breathlessly electric at points. Very nice indeed.
Here’s just a small sampling of said OTP skinship. Not bad at all, amiright? 😉
WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE
Heh. Basically, the ONE thing I didn’t love, is that there isn’t more of Show to enjoy. 2 episodes is just so.. short!
Don’t get me wrong. I totally feel that Show is quite perfect and whole as it is. There aren’t any plot holes I have issues with, nor do I think that any character or relationship wasn’t fleshed out enough. It’s just, Lee Do and Dan Bi are so delightful together that I can’t help wanting more. I mean, who couldn’t use more of this adorable, right??
Eeee! Moar please!
THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]
Augh.. The poignance and wistfulness of our OTP as they prepared to say goodbye on the beach really tugged at my heartstrings. Their longing yet resolute parting was so touching and bittersweet. *Heart. Break.*
Happily, Show quickly regains its breezier vibe as Dan Bi finds her way around her old life, and reconnects with everyone that she’s missed. As for Dan Bi meeting Modern Lee Do, I actually like it. I think Show chose the best ending possible, given our fantasy set-up. Plus, Show smartly connects Past Lee Do with Present Lee Do, by having Past Lee Do promise to find Dan Bi, somehow, and then having Present Lee Do regard Dan Bi with recognition and remembrance in his gaze. I think that works out well for pretty much everyone, actually. 🙂
Of course, I wouldn’t have minded either, if Dan Bi had accepted Lee Do’s invitation to stay with him in Joseon. Seriously. With these two, I would’ve been happy with any ending, pretty much, as long as they got to live happily and adorably ever after together, while maybe riding into the sunset with smiles, hugs and more kisses. <3
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Goofy-grin-on-my-face delightful. Frothy fun with a lot of heart.
FINAL GRADE: A
TRAILERS:
MV:
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I am sorry have to say to kdrama fans, “Splash Love is very much way better than the overrated fantasy kdrama called “Goblin” in every aspects”…
When curiosity make me holding my patience to watch that overrated stupid long drama until just 5th episode and GETTING BORED AS HELL, really disappointed. Right after get a copy of Splash Love, this cutey short drama cures my boredom.
I like the main characters, the school girl, seems have a young face, natural born face, remind me some japanese school girl. childish, clumsy but have strong will. And the King is young, playful, good looking, trying to be clumsy but cannot hide his smart aura, sometimes acting like Go Dae Yeong (from “Lets Eat”, you should watch it, I recommend 2nd season way better than first). And some supporting actors, they do what they should do, yes it is just supporting, even I have crush with the lonely princess, she have big heart, patient, more mature, and waitin, in the end, finally getting along with her childhood friend….
Eep. I found Goblin pretty boring too, Nikovana! I stalled at around E10, and haven’t gone back to it. I’m told that with the right introspective mood, Goblin can be a solid watch. I can’t vouch for that myself, since I haven’t finished the show. I have to agree that Splash Splash Love is the easier, cuter watch. I loved this one, and couldn’t help wishing that it was a full series instead of just 2 eps!
I watched this solely because you raved about it, and I was not disappointed. I’ve never heard of the two lead characters, but I might check out Let’s Eat after this 🙂 Doo Joon’s King Lee Do is probably the dorkiest, cutest king ever haha… The only drawback for me was the lead female’s not-so-attractive cry. K-drama lead females usually have really pretty crying face, so this one was a bit of a shocker lol
Ah! I’m so glad you checked this one out, neve! 😀 I LOVED Splash Splash.. it’s uber adorable and grabbed my heart, so fully and so quickly too. I totally recommend the Let’s Eat shows.. they’re not perfect, but both were very solid, I felt. And I genuinely enjoyed both seasons.
Doo Joon is the heart of that show, and he is just as likable and adorkable in those shows, even though he isn’t king there 😉 One of the reasons I love Kim Seul Gi is that she’s completely unafraid to get uglified for a role. So her ugly-cry is just so her. I find the ugly-cry endearing, coz it feels more real, ie, I don’t feel like it’s some k-actress trying to cry prettily for the camera, if that makes sense. 🙂
Let’s Eat is on my list, thanks for the recommendation 🙂
As for ugly-cry, I can look at my own ugly cry in the mirror if I wanna see that. When I watch dramas, I want it to be a perfect fantasy 😛
Lol. I used to prefer the perfect fantasy too, but my tastes have since evolved. 😉 Great that you’ll be checking out Let’s Eat! Doo Joon is <3 in that too.
I just watched it as it was on my to watch list for a while and… oh my, I cannot stop crying it was so bittersweet
I want more! I want some more but I know if they make more then they’ll just overdo it T-T
Aww… It’s so lovely in its bittersweetness, though, isn’t it?? I feel ya. I want more too, but you’re so right; if they make more it would just ruin what we’ve got. I think we just need to rewatch this. Maybe a hundred times. <3
Can be the other songs (titles) used in splash splash love movie which are not included in the ost be shown. I want to download it also
Hi jeanette, if you’re looking for the list of songs on the official OST, you can check out this page. If you’re curious about songs that aren’t on that list, an app like Shazam would be able to identify the song titles for you. 🙂 I hope that helps!
Ho, Boy!! I finished this yesterday and it was a joy from start to finish. Re; the ending, I think it was right to go back to her mother, staying with the queen mother is not the same 🙂 I’m not fond of the light brown hair Doo Joon came out with at the end, it’s that fringe kind of thing I’m not super fond of, a little darker would have been a little sexier, and I found myself wondering if the king had really jumped in a puddle or not until they showed the bus scene. I like the kind of deja vu “familiar” feeling but it’s not quite the same. So glad the chemistry was this awesome, I definitely will watch it again sometime. I would just fast forward some of the other stuff. Oh, regarding the queen-friend and the musical guy, they kind of let that be, it’s not like the queen gets to have a guy outside of the king. (oh the unfairness). I’d probably fast-forward the scenes with too many people and just keep the OTP ones for re-watching, SO many warm fuzzies!
Ahh! Isn’t this the most adorable show??? I honestly think this is the best 2-hour short I’ve ever seen. I loved it from start to finish, and Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi are so adorable together, seriously. <3 I'd been prepared for a bittersweet sort of ending, coz timeslip romances so often end in a bittersweet sort of way. This show managed to be bittersweet, with more sweet than bitter, and I appreciated that a lot. Totally agree that the queen wouldn't have been allowed to have a man aside from the king – that would've probably resulted in her death, I think! So it's a good thing that show didn't even try to do there. XD I absolutely second your decision to watch this one again – I know I will too! 😀
I heard Lee Do had 2 wives – I might be very wrong tho. His second wife would have been Dan Bi`s doppelganger wouldnt it?
I have watched this 5 times now – maybe because it is so short it makes you want more? But this gave me so much feels, more than my other fave kdramas of 2015.
I really wish Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi will pair up again in (near) future, their chemistry is off the roof. Their closeness and skinship look natural even from the BTS.
5 times! I’m not surprised at all, considering how short AND how freaking adorable this is, but I’m still impressed. 😉
It’s entirely possible that one of Lee Do’s wives (later in the show they mention that he had many wives, so it’s likely there weren’t only 2?) was Dan Bi’s doppelganger. After all, in this drama world, EVERYONE seems to have a doppelganger! XD
Also, YES, I’d love to see Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi work together again. They are SO, SO CUTE together! <3 Plus, I think Doo Joon should totally act more. He's so good at it. (The fact that I find him swoony is a factor too, of course. Lol!)
I had been in a bit of a k-drama funk recently; watching more J-Drama and C-Drama, and Splash Splash and Sweet Savage Family are the two k-dramas that got me out of it with their fun yet heartfelt stories. I loved Splash Splash and plan on watching it again when I have a moment. I think that maybe they could have gotten one more episode out of it without it going into filler territory. I am hopeful that because of its popularity that the powers that be will do more of these shorter productions. That is one thing about J-dramas, they will do 9 episodes, 10, 11, 12 …whatever the story calls for instead of being locked into 16, 20 & 24.
I was already familiar with the actress, but I do want to check out Let’s Eat because of this drama and the actor. Great review and couldn’t agree more.
Aw, Splash Splash is just the sort of show to get you out of a drama funk, I think! It reminded me all over again why I fell in love with dramas to begin with – so much cute, and OMG the feelsss <3 <3 I do think that k-ent is experimenting with more short-format shows. An upcoming one that looks promising is Page Turner. And a recent short drama I enjoyed was Because It's The First Time. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. You can check out my quick review here, to see if you’d be in the mood for it. 🙂
And yes, do check out Let’s Eat! I LOVED Doo Joon in both seasons – he’s just so darn likable. And swoony. Let’s not forget swoony. 😉 <3 <3 <3
I know about Doo Joon’s cuteness thanks to Let’s eat <3 <3 <3 But tbh I dont dare to watch that drama since it makes me so hungry :((( and constantly crave for korean food, which then urge me to eat out and end up gaining weight 🙁 And I'm on a diet so watching Let's eat is no good for my diet plan lol.
I really like your review <3 Just pressed 'follow' cuz I love the way you analyze things not so seriously but still very professionally. And you just don't forget to add a lot of squeee and eagerness to the post, which is a joy to read haha. There are a lot of dramas out there similar to Splash splash love but somehow this one impresses me the most idk why. You have said most of what I think so I just comment on a few more things that I also really love about this drama <3
1. I love whenever Lee Do hugs Dan Bi. Can you imagine being hugged by a man wearing king clothes (sr idk how to call his clothes T.T)? such coziness and warmness omg? And the way she looks so little and vulnerable in his arms? Can't help but awwwww~
2. I love the natural cuteness and expressions of Kim Seul Gi. She played a minor role in Reply 1994, as Trash's cousin. She didn't look pretty but somehow I can feel her cuteness and some special qualities that can make her shine in the future. Now it comes true yayy. Now that she pairs up with Doo Joon. This natural and unique cuteness of theirs? So refreshing v <
3. The goodbye scene on the beach. OMG this is the most romantic and saddest scene I have ever watched 🙁 The way she almost sank into the water and Lee Do pulled her u, held her tightly then they kissed omg how can they come up with such a romantic thing like that =( And then Dan Bi sank from his arms *sigh*. Btw she looks so much like Park Shin Hye in that scene. She's like the combination of Gong hyo jin and Park shin hye lol
4. The ending <3 It's the yellow umbrella again XD . Do you watch How I met your mother? Cuz the yellow umbrelly in that movie is so iconic so I'd like to relate these 2 movies dont know why haha. According to history, Lee Do had a lot of wives so it's probably the best that Dan Bi found her own Lee Do in the present :3 Cuz he and Lee Do both like the way Dan Bi tucks her hair behind ear. It's like Lee Do, but in the present version. I love that parallel situation
A very cute drama I've recently watched is Reply 1994. And I'm waiting for 1988 to finish then I will watch it from beginning to end. This is like the 2nd cute drama I've watched so far and it gives me so many intense feelings. Can't get my head of out it hichic. Can you suggest me any cute Korean thing to watch? They can be anything, drama or movie. I'm into natural cuteness like my sassy girl, reply series,my little bride, miss granny. I don't like sassy go go or dream high. They are too modern so they cant have the natural cute vibe or so I think. Thanks a lot hehe *heart heart*, for your upcoming suggestions and for reading all of these thanksss a million.
Hi there otterodd! Welcome to the blog! 😀 Thanks for your positive comments and encouragement – it definitely helps me to keep motivated, in terms of writing more reviews! 🙂
Yes to all the points you raised about Splash Splash! I did love the hugs that Lee Do gave Dan Bi, and part of that appeal is just how tiny she is, in his arms. Makes him come across as so strong and so protective, which totally ignites my swoon. <3 <3 The goodbye scene gave me tears in my eyes, really. I held my breath the whole time he was holding her above the water, in his arms. The way he looked at her, and the way she looked at him.. Oof. So much feeling communicated, without the need for words. So heartachingly lovely. <3 And I definitely agree that it's better for Dan Bi to have her own modern Lee Do, all to herself, rather than have to be one of his many women in the palace! I mean, I definitely wouldn’t want to share my Lee Do, if I had one! 😉
Sorry I couldn’t get the umbrella reference, since I stopped watching western shows years ago once I hopped on the k-train 😛 But, thanks for sharing, I wouldn’t have known otherwise!
I loved AM1994!! (Oppa-yaa~!) I’m so glad you enjoyed it too. It just brought out all the feels for me, in spite of the never-ending wedding video and the Who’s The Hubs game Show was playing. I wrote quite a long review for it, actually. You can check it out here, if you feel like revisiting some of those AM1994 feels 🙂
I’m really enjoying AM1988, and I think you’ll like it too, especially since you enjoyed AM1994. 🙂 As for cute k-suggestions, I think you’d enjoy Sungkyunkwan Scandal if you like Splash Splash Love 🙂 It’s got a similar sort of light fusion feel, which I loved. You can check out my review here. Rooftop Prince is another one that you might like, if you liked Splash Splash, since it’s also a time-travel sort of romance. It’s got lots of silly, but also lots of heart. You can check out my quickish review here. My Girlfriend is a Gumiho is ADORABLE, and I also highly recommend Coffee Prince if you haven’t seen it. Both have lots of heart beneath the fun. I hope this helps! If you’d like more recommendations, just let me know! 🙂
OMG it’s surprising how we share the SAME taste in kdramas > v < Can I call you my kdrama soulmate <3 Surprisingly and sadly, I have watched all of your suggested dramas and they are also my fav *high five* This cmt is gonna be long cuz I'm so lazy to move to another post of yours to leave a cmt heehee, excuse my laziness 😛
So I'm blaming you for distracting me from studying for final :((( Instead of revising stuffs, I spent last night reading all of your posts.
1. I'm actually wondering if your have a review for AM1994 and I intended to find it today cuz it was quite late last night when I finished reading the You came from the stars post. And just when I opened my wordpress to check out stuffs and find that post, I saw you cmt and you linked it to me!! OMG XD If I'm not lazy, see you in AM 1994 post!
2. The 2015 review is the newest post of yours so I checked it out. I didn't watch many dramas in this year but I did watch a very amazing drama in 2014 and guess what – it's YOU CAME FROM THE STARS. So again, I was wondering if you have a review for 2014 and I'm so sure that as we have the same tastes in kdramas, you will grade at least A+ for YCFTS and I was right . Then I can't stop squeeing when I read your analysis about YCFTS cuz it's so long, so sincere. I don't know if a review writer like you know that feeling? But it feels very heartwarming to read good comments/ reviews/ analysis of your favourite things/ movies/ dramas and it even feels better when everything they say is just like exactly what you are thinking about that one. *cry cry* I want to cmt on YCFTS post but I'm gettin a little lazy now heehee. I love Joen Ji Hyun, she's like my goddess, my role model so I love every work of hers. And YCFTS just proves that my idol is so daebak, she is in a very high level compared to other actresses and I feel so pround. Kim Soo Hyun has always been adorable, so this combination can't make me feel any more satisfied.
3. I posted a status about Splash splash love on my facebook and I ask for suggestions for cute dramas like that. My friend suggest my Oh my venus and High society. I hesitated though. I feel that there is something incomplete in Oh My Venus, just the feeling from watching a few teasers, cut videos. Sometimes I'm like awww sometimes I'm not so I must admit that I hesitated. And High society? I don't even want to watch it, I don't really like UEE or her acting, her face expressions are…like this 😐 so I'm not impressed. It's funny how you also grade them B or C. We really do have the same taste. Cuz I just read your review for High society an Oh my venus by accident haha
4. If you haven't watched How I met your mother, I will sum it up for you about the umbrella part. So the main character of the series (Ted) is finding for a wife/ a soulmate or sth like that so the whole series is about his tells his kids how he found their mom. So there is this scene that the mother forget the umbrella at the bar and Ted picked it up and then there are a lot of coincidence related to the umbrella. And the thing is, the first scene the mother appear, after many years HIMYM wait for her face, she showed up underneath the yellow umbrella <3 Inresting huh? So somehow I feel the connection between splash splash and this umbrella thingy in HIMYM.
Btw you use a lot of complicated phrases and words so my poor English finds it hard to catch up with some sentences huhu. But it's not like i'm complaining though cuz this is like a way to practice my reading skills so yeah, no complaints. So don't get me wrong!!
High five, otterodd! It’s always nice to meet fellow drama fans with similar drama taste! We just might be drama soul mates! 😉 I also feel an odd mix of honored & guilty, knowing that you spent your revision time reading my posts instead of actually studying! 😛
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed my YFAS review! That was my crack when it aired and that show totally had my heart in its swoony grasp. XD I did love the Jeon Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun pair-up, especially since I’d seen them together in The Thieves. I freaking loved JJH in YFAS, and I really hope she’ll come back to dramaland sometime soon. 🙂
As for drama recommendations, sorry to hear that you’ve already seen my suggestions (wow! We DO have similar drama tastes!). And yeah, I agree that High Society and OMV are pretty far from what I’d pick as shows similarly satisfying as Splash Splash Love. Have you seen Delightful Girl Choon Hyang? It’s a little retro, which I think you might like, since you enjoy the Answer Me series. It’s also fun and light, and I thought both leads did really well. For something feel-good and warm-fuzzy – not too unlike the Answer Me dramas, but not a throwback show – you could consider Life Is Beautiful. It’s my favorite family drama of all time. You can check out my spoiler-lite review here. Another family drama that I love is Ojakgyo Brothers (review here) – it’s like watching an omnibus of 4 romances, and it’s fairly light, and pretty heartwarming all-around. 🙂 Also, have you seen I Hear Your Voice? I really liked that one, it’s got lots of heart and enough cute, in spite of some streaks of dark. I loved the noona romance in it, in particular. You can check out my review of IHYV here. 🙂
Thanks for explaining the How I Met Your Mother reference! It does sound similar enough to the umbrella thing in Splash Splash – I wonder if the writers put that in as a deliberate reference 🙂
And here I am, still waiting for the next episode 🙁 </3
Aww.. Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, Akelu.. I wish this show had more episodes too. It’s just so lovable and cute. On the upside, there’s always the option to rewatch? I definitely plan to watch this again – and then maybe again. It’s just the perfect sort of drama pick-me-up. And Doo Joon is <3 <3 <3 🙂
I loovvveeed this short drama…some parts I watched it gazillion times because of its cuteness. I want to more of them in future drama.
I feel ya, anna! I could watch these two for hours, they are so darn cute! Plus, Doo Joon’s melty & I swoon. <3 I hope they work together again too, but failing that, I'll also accept more Doo Joon on my screen, period. 😉
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Oh lord this drama is on my list,seriously!
I love the teasers <3
YES, you should DEFINITELY check this out, it’s SO delightful, seriously!! <3 <3 If you're anything like me, you'll want to watch this more than once! 😉
I completed it,2 hours&19 minutes-and I just love this drama so much 🙂 I simply wish if this show could have had some more episodes because in the rush of making this show of two episodes,even though it was quick and not-boring-at-all I think if there can be special episode(s),like Playful Kiss had or OVA’s like animes have.
The ending was something I could have never even imagined(which I am actually glad about).This show was not predictable at all and that’s what makes it much better from other Korean Tv Movies 😀
Your review has actually helped me to watch something which is truly beautiful,I am glad that I didn’t miss it 😉
Thank you so much <3
Love Always..
Ah, I’m so glad that you enjoyed the watch, Cherry! 🙂 Yes, it’s really well-done and I love it SO much! I’d love for it to have been at least a little longer, just so that we’d have more of it to enjoy <3 But, I'm just grateful that we get this at all, it's such a perfect, delightful little spot of drama. I'd rather have it be short and perfect, than not have it at all! ^^
Seen it, loved it, re-watched it a couple of times <3
So damn cute <3 <3 <3 I thought I was gonna faint over the King's cuteness <3 So lovable!
A bit unbelievable the fact that even if she had bad grades at school and she herself said that she is no good when it come to school, even so she managed to build a clock using barrels of water. Buuuut! Giving the cute, I completely ignored that fact :))))
Lovely watch and thank you so much for recommending it to me!
Have a lovely Christmas from now on too and awesome holidays in the company of your favourite people and things <3 I wish you all the best, all the happiness in the world and maximum health! <3
Kisses and hugs! <3
Eee!!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one, Sabina!! 😀 I mean, I was very sure you would, but there’s nothing like confirming it after the fact 😉
YES, this is just SO CUTE, isn’t it??? Sure, there’s some suspension of disbelief, but it’s to be expected, given the fantasy premise. I was all too happy to ignore the stretches of logic and just soak in the cute. The goofy grin I had on barely left my face all the time I was watching this. Doo Joon is so adorable AND so melty as king, I felt like my insides were exploding with hearts and flowers and lollipops every time he smiled! <3 <3
This might increase your desire to watch Let's Eat, since Doo Joon is just as likable in that as he is here. Guh, I just want him to act more, he's so lovely.
Thanks for your sweet wishes, my dear! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and an awesome New Year, with all the happiness and good things that you could ever want! HUGS BACK <3 <3 😀
I need to watch this ASAP. Thanks for the great review. 🙂
Yes, definitely make time for this one, Jennifer!! It’s PERFECT for a quick shot of drama feels, in the midst of the busy festive season! 🙂 I’m already itching for a rewatch, this was so delightful <3
Haha I know how I will be spending my first Christmas in Seoul!! Excited to have a day off tomorrow, and a short and sweet drama to watch~
Ahh! How exciting, that this is your first Christmas in Seoul!! Enjoy your day off, this little drama is perfect for watching and then rewatching right away, if you feel like it. Best of all, no drama hangover the next day coz it’s so short & sweet! Win-win-win! XD
Yes, you are a total lifesaver. I was wondering what to do. Haha KDrama Date♡
Oodles of regal swoony Doo Joon – now that sounds like a perfect drama date!! XD The only thing is, after this, one can’t help but mourn that Doo Joon doesn’t act more regularly!! 😛
Agreed! He blew me away in Let’s Eat 1 and 2. I know they are doing Let’s Drink, so stay tuned to see if he signs on. Ah, I love his face so much. Haha He is so handsome. Him and Park Seo Joon just… ugh. Haha
I love his face too!! He’s so handsome, and not in a typical pretty-boy sort of way. He’s got such a unique sort of look, and I super love that his teeth aren’t perfect like so many other k-celebs. It makes him look so approachable and normal, in spite of the glorious handsome! <3 I really hope he likes Let's Drink enough to sign on, although I have to wonder what they'll do to Dae Young to make him drink so much. 😛 I'm hungry for more Doo Joon on my screen, period. <3
I love Park Seo Joon too, so I think we're very much on the same wavelength with our taste in men! I must say you have excellent taste, my dear! XD
A bit late, but I have to *high five* you for having excellent taste in Korean men AND Korean dramas, too. 😀
Tee hee. I think this requires a *high five* right back, since you clearly have excellent taste too! 😉
2 episodes of Wibbly wobbly timey wimey Kdrama?? I need to see this!
And I wasn’t spoiled by your spoilers. I just had a feeling it would give a happy ‘meet in the future’ ending. 😀
Hee. You know your time travel well, my dear!! 😉 Yes, I definitely think you’d enjoy this one, it’s just so breezy, endearing and cute. I had a goofy grin on my face a lot, as I watched this! <3
One of my first dramas was “Rooftop Prince,” and the song “Happy Ending” was why I continued on with Korean dramas. I can handle a less than happy ending now, but still really prefer the Happy Ending…and we got it on SSL.
Love your breakdown of the drama! This is one that I found a bit lacking. I thought the narrative flow of the story felt very choppy (mostly because they had so much to cram in to such a short amount of time). This really should have been a longer drama. So many good elements to work with. I also didn’t feel that the supporting characters were very developed. Also, a few too many music montages.
But what I did love was the main couple. Yoon Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi were absolutely adorable together. The drama focusing on their cuteness really made up for what I felt it was lacking in other areas. Also, Yoon Doo Joon’s character was the one I felt was most developed, and I was really pleased with his performance. Definitely a pleasant watch with lots of cute 🙂
Y’know, you really got me thinking, Kay. I had to wonder about why you felt the story was lacking while I enjoyed it so much. And I realize that it could be mix of things.
One possible reason that you found the story choppy could be that you might not yet have encountered Lee Do and his creation of Hangul, before this drama special. Perhaps that’s why some of the context might’ve felt sketchy and random to you? I’m no expert on Korean history (far from it!), but I did happen to watch Tree With Deep Roots, which explored that very section of history. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice any gaps in the storytelling related to this. 😛
Another thing, I think, is that I had very few expectations around Show’s treatment of secondary characters coz I knew that it had so very little wiggle room. So although I recognized that the queen’s relationship with Park Yeon received only a very superficial and rather vague treatment, I didn’t mind the lack of deeper development because in my head, the screen time that could’ve gone towards their arc was better spent on deepening the development of our OTP. I actually thought Show’s decision to deep-dive where it mattered a wise one.
As for the music montages, I think it was a matter of lens. In my head, I thought of this as Sungkyunkwan Scandal-meets-Rooftop Prince, with a touch of Tree for context. I actually really enjoyed the MV-esque sequences coz I loved the incongruence of the modern music scoring the Joseon setting. <3 I also thought the music did a great job of bringing forth the breezy, light vibe that Show was aiming for. As for how much is too much, I suppose that's all a matter of taste and mood. It's too bad the MV-esque stretches didn't work for you.. it was one of my favorite things in the show ^^
Still, I'm so pleased that in spite of what didn't live up to your expectations, that you managed to enjoy this one. Doo Joon did really well in this, and I'm chomping at the bit for him to spend more time in dramaland. Doo Joon is <3 ^^
I’m actually really familiar with Lee Do and the creation of Hangeul, even seen Tree with Deep Roots. I think it’s more that the editing felt choppy and jumpy. I happen to love music montages too, and I did enjoy every single one of them in this, I just thought there were too many for the amount of time they had.
I think maybe I was hoping for a tad more depth in the show, but luckily I was able to enjoy it as more of a fluffy comedy. Yoon Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi were such a delight that I probably just haven’t got over the fact that this could have been an amazing full length drama, even 8 or 10 eps would have been nice. I would really love to see these two work together again 🙂
Aww.. I guess it really just boils down to expectations then. I totally identify with that feeling of wanting this to be a longer show – I enjoyed Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi so much in this, I’d happily watch them together in this drama world for multiple episodes! <3 Still, I keep reminding myself to be grateful that this got made at all. 2 episodes is still infinitely better than none at all! XD
Thank you, Fangirl, for such a spot on review!! You did a great job of capturing the feels of Splish Splash Love, and I felt show really proved the old adage, “short but sweet”! It was a perfect fit around all the holiday craziness this time of year.
I loved Kim Seul Gi in this role (way more than Oh my Ghostess, which I couldn’t finish) as well as Doo Joon, who was awesome! I now have to watch Let’s Eat for more Doo Joon!!
Oh yes, this definitely is the epitome of short and sweet! You’re so right, it’s such a perfectly compact spot of drama around the holidays! Makes perfect sense for drama fans who feel the withdrawal but can’t make time for full-length dramas. 😀 I LOVE that it’s so short but still manages to legit bring on the feels.
Kim Seul Gi is definitely the cutest and most endearing that I’ve seen her. As for Doo Joon, I swooned so much over him in this, and I can’t help wishing for him to act more often! <3 <3 You definitely need to watch Let's Eat, he's wonderfully likable in both seasons. 🙂
Can i just call you Super fangirl? You are so awesome in your responses, I can almost imagine that you’re right next door!
I will definitely put both Let’s Eat on the list but,…….I have to finish Damo first! I read a review of it on ThundiesPrattle and immediately went searching. I am on episode 7 and holding my breath waiting for what’s coming. Are you a Damo fan, too?
Ooh, Super Fangirl – I like being a superhero!! XD Thankies, I love chatting with you guys – this entire dramaverse feels like one big happy chatty neighborhood, which is why I love being here <3
I haven't seen Damo, actually. There are just too many dramas arriving in dramaland that I'm slow to check out older shows. My watch list is riddled with older shows that I hope to get to – someday! XD Sounds like you're enjoying it, though, which is great! Delaying Let's Eat may not be a bad thing, actually. You can think of it as rationing out the available Doo Joon 😉
Oooooo, I get it, Dramaverse!! And that is EXACTLY how it feels!
…And I hope it continues to feel this way, always. <3 <3 🙂
Well, I tried, fangurl. I started off with the best of intentions about trying to ration but……. I just finished ‘Let’s Eat’!
I absolutely loved it. Food porn and Doo Joon together, it’s too much for any one gal! I read your review after seeing and it captures the show beautifully. One question: why is it socially unacceptable in Korean society to eat alone? I am guessing that the portions are for multiple eaters, or it is shameful to not have your family around?
Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!
Happy New Year, Mary!! 🙂 YAY that you enjoyed Let’s Eat! I really enjoyed that one, in spite of its writing flaws. Doo Joon is so warm and likable in it, and so swoony too. <3
As for your question, it's not socially unacceptable to eat alone per se.. There're lots of people who eat alone, at pojangmachas, for example. It's just that eating is considered a very social sort of activity. Also, there are some dishes that are designed for sharing. There just aren't single-person portions, and it's considered really odd, if a single person were to order it by herself or himself. That's why Soo Kyung yearned so much, to eat at the mat-jibs, coz she didn't have anyone to eat with a lot of the time. For more thoughts on Korea and food in general, you might enjoy this post that I wrote soon after reviewing Let’s Eat. 🙂
By the way, I do recommend a bit of a break between watching LE1 and LE2, since they only retain Dae Young as a character between seasons. Many viewers were unable to enjoy LE2 coz they couldn’t accept the idea of a different cast and loveline around Dae Young’s character. I did genuinely enjoy both seasons though, so I hope you’ll be able to enjoy season 2 as well 🙂
Thank you, kfangurl!
I read and want to respond to your post about eating, but I am thinking I should respond there (instead of here!) What do you think?
Sure, that works too! 🙂
Best short drama ever! We’ve had to watch it several times already. Thanks for the good recap.
Isn’t Show so well done?? I’m so impressed at how well it handles its available screen time. This is definitely one worth rewatching – so pleased that you’re enjoying it and giving it lotsa love, Islander! <3