THE SHORT VERDICT:
Be Melodramatic feels like a more grown-up version of Age Of Youth, in the best way.
Here are Show’s pros, in a nutshell. First of all, Show’s got a slice-of-life, quirky, imperfect feel, and possesses an off-the-wall sense of humor to go with.
Secondly, Show boasts an ensemble cast of characters where everyone feels real and three-dimensional in all of their flawed, idiosyncratic glory.
Third and best of all, the writing feels deft and insightful, as Show takes us on a journey with our characters, and at the same time, gives us a multi-lensed look at this unpredictable, tiring, messy yet hopeful thing that we call Life.
A refreshing, underrated gem of a show that’s funny and quirky, yet real and relatable, that often hits you with the feels when you least expect it.
THE LONG VERDICT:
It seems like dramas featuring three female leads instead of the usual one, might be my new favorite thing.
I mean, I recently loved Search: WWW, which featured three female leads, and now, I’ve decided that I also love Be Melodramatic, which – you guessed it – also features three female leads.
Looks like Dramaland is doing the right thing, putting more female characters in the spotlight. I likey.
I went into this drama relatively blind. I’d seen a fair number of positive reactions to this one, and that was about all, really.
AND, just a couple of minutes into episode 1, I already felt in my gut that I was going to like this one, and that I was going to like it a lot. Considering how I hadn’t quite been in the mood to start a new drama for a while, this was Very Promising.
The best thing? Show lived up to that early promise, and gave me a lovely, funny, witty, piognant watch experience that I won’t be forgetting for a good while.
OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE
Here’s the OST album, in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review.
STUFF I LIKED
There’re quite a few things that I liked in this show, and nothing that I truly disliked, really.
Here’s a quickish spotlight on some of the things I liked about Show generally, before I get into exploring our key characters and relationships.
The writing feels deft and skilled
I’d say that the writing is the true star of this show. It feels smart and well thought-through. There’s variety in terms of pacing, narrative devices and narrative voices. Yet, through it all, the writing remains engaging, absorbing, and – dare I say – fresh.
It never feels like writer-nim is rehashing tired tropes in order to build this story. Instead, this story feels well-marinated in thought, and the overall development feels organic at its core. I liked this a lot, and I often ended an episode looking forward to the next.
I didn’t always have an idea of where Show was going with a particular plot point, but I found that I enjoyed just going with the flow and watching everything unfold on my screen, at their appointed time.
Here’s a bit of a breakdown, in terms of what I enjoyed about the writing.
1. It’s absorbing while being well-paced [MINOR INITIAL SPOILERS]
E1. The thing that impresses me the most about this drama, is that within the first hour alone, I start to feel for these characters, and quite intensely. That’s some serious skillz.
I feel for Jin Joo’s (Chun Woo Hee) dreary reality that is supposed to be her life, and I feel even more for Han Joo (Han Ji Eun), who basically got scammed of her heart and is now struggling to be a single mom, and I think I feel most for Eun Jung (Jeon Yeo Bin), who, even though she’s successful in her career, has suffered the greatest loss.
How tragic, that she found the love of her life, only to lose him to sickness. Sob.
These characters immediately feel real and fleshed out. We don’t know all of the details, but we know the important stuff. Like, we don’t know what illness Eun Jung’s boyfriend Hong Dae (Han Joon Woo) died of, but that isn’t important.
What’s important is that he died, and she’s broken, and her little brother Hyo Bong (Yoon Ji On) and her friends continue to rally round her and be there for her, and take care of her, as you do, when you love someone.
And the love here is strong and vibrant and alive, even in the midst of their personal dysfunction. That’s quite beautiful.
2. It brings out real-life feels
Show does this thing, where we’re served up funny, amusing stuff one minute, and then hit with a bunch of poignant feels, the next. It’s quite remarkable and hard to do, in my opinion.
That takes talent, and it seems like writer-nim is in possession of an impressive amount of it.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E2. It’s quite funny, the way Jin Joo deadpans all her answers to Writer Jung (Baek Ji Won), who gets more and more infuriated at Jin Joo’s inability to keep quiet and lay low. It’s odd that Jin Joo sees herself as a shy person, because she certainly doesn’t hold back from speaking up.
That note, though, about the Writer Jung being insecure and wary of Jin Joo’s writing ability, feels true-to-life and real.
E7. Amid the everyday routines and the everyday smiles and foibles, there are scattered moments of pathos.
We see Han Joo remembering how her ex-husband (Lee Hak Joo) had courted her and made her laugh, and then we see her cursing a little, with tears sheening in her eyes, before pulling the covers over herself, in a bid to forget.
And we see Eun Jung thinking back to when her boyfriend had been alive, and they’d been on the cusp of dating.
Her sober expression, as she fingers the light switch, post-reverie, tells us that she’s harboring a lot of sadness on the inside.
E13. This episode we spend a lot of time on Jin Joo accidentally farting in front of Beom Soo (Ahn Jae Hong) just as they start dating, and it’s such an unexpected combination of things: off-the-wall and quirky, but also, real and poignant, and even a little sweet. How does Show do this?
I thought the song about making up over a dump in the toilet was so out there, but in the end, it was executed in such a way that I could even convince myself that it was kinda sweet.
And Jin Joo asking her mother (Kang Ae Shim) to fart in front of her father (Seo Sang Won), and that turning out to have put stoic Dad into a depressed funk thinking Mom was going to die, was just so poignant.
In the end, I do love that Jin Joo ultimately chooses to be matter-of-fact about it with Beom Soo, and they’re even able to talk and joke about it.
That’s growth and progress, I’d say.
[END SPOILER]
3. It pays attention to detail
There is attention to detail in this show that I probably don’t always notice, but when I do, it gives me an added layer of satisfaction.
Here are just two examples.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E2. I like the little detail, that all 3 girls eat so differently for breakfast. It communicates so effectively, how different they are, in many ways. And the fact that they are such close friends in spite of that, is sweet.
E6. This episode, Writer Jung muses that her drama will be like a satisfying cooked meal, while Jin Joo’s will be raw. This, while Writer Jung eats a meal of raw fish, while Jin Joo feasts on a hearty cooked meal of pork belly.
All this, while everything seamlessly comes together for Jin Joo’s drama, with Han Joo and Eun Jung both stepping in to connect the missing dots, in a moment of very nice serendipity. I do enjoy the irony.
[END SPOILER]
4. It feels deliberate, thoughtful and quite clever
Generally, I thought the writing had an interesting, clever vibe to it, and here are a couple of examples.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E2. That’s a matter-of-fact twist for a kdrama, to make the little brother gay, and in a long-term relationship. Not bad.
E8. It’s an interesting narrative device, to have Jin Joo and Beom Soo discuss philosophy and human motivation in the name of analyzing the characters in their dramas.
It not only thinly disguises their own feelings, which are mirrored, and also, it provides a springboard from which Show explores our other characters, like it did today, with Eun Jung.
E10. The so-called plagiarism case turning out to be both Jin Joo and Hwan Dong (Lee You Jin) dipping into their couple memories for inspiration, is a plausible yet creative twist. I like it.
[END SPOILER]
5. There are bonuses for the seasoned drama fan
As a seasoned drama fan who enjoys her OSTs, I felt extra tickled when Show served up various throwback drama OSTs during my watch. It was a bit of a thrill, too, trying to place each of the iconic songs.
The random insertion of the Goong OST was one of my favorite surprises, because Goong was my gateway into dramas, and I’ll always have a soft spot for it.
The housemates concept and the friendship appeals to me
There’s something about the idea of friends living together that really appeals to me.
I think it’s because in my mind, these friends must be close enough to be like family to one another. So when I saw by the end of episode 1, that these friends were moved in and living together, it just made my heart smile, y’know?
And, Show does not disappoint; over the course of my watch, my idea of this firm friendship was affirmed again and again. These friends really do love one another, and it shows, and I love it.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1. Just the four friends sitting around watching TV, snacking, drinking, and chatting, is enough to pull me into this drama world. There’s something cozy about it that I dig.
E1. I love the casual, offhanded way that Eun Jung’s friends arrive at the apartment with suitcases, like coming over to hang out with her is the most natural, of-course thing in the world. And I kinda love that they end up living together, as an extension of that.
E4. It’s heartwarming to see everyone around Eun Jung keeping an eye on her to make sure she’s ok. Her old friend calling Hyo Bong because she notices Eun Jung talking to her not-there dead boyfriend, is a good example.
E7. The synergistic humor that these flatmates have is pretty cool. I like that when the others see Jin Joo “kissing” Beom Soo, they all fall into sync in terms of alternating between ignoring her and then teasing her.
It makes me really feel how much time they’ve spent together, to be able to cultivate that wordless synergy.
E9. Eun Jung coming out to her friends and telling them that she’s having a hard time, is such a quietly momentous, emotional moment. That she had to repeat herself, telling them she was talking to them (versus talking to her dead boyfriend), was such a painful beat.
But, how they all rose to their feet, one by one, and cleaved together in a group hug, and then thanked her, one by one, is just so touching.
They’ve waited quietly for two whole years, even though they’ve been worried and anxious, because they knew that it had to be when she was ready. Tears. My heart.
[END SPOILER]
Show’s drama-within-a-drama gives me new perspective
This is a secondary thing, and other shows have given us insights into the drama-making industry before (like King Of Dramas, for example), but I just really appreciated the insider type of glimpse that Show gives us, into what goes into the making of our beloved dramas.
[MINOR SPOILERS]
E2. Han Joo’s job makes me look at PPL with a renewed perspective. What a tough job, trying to please sponsors, while working to satisfy fussy directors and actors.
E13. I actually find it quite enlightening to see how detailed production discussions go, as our drama-within-a-drama gets made. Conceptualizing of characters’ rooms, and passing of fight sequences for a non-action show, are things that I hadn’t considered much, before this show.
[END SPOILER]
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MAIN CHARACTERS
Show has a pretty big ensemble cast of characters, and while I don’t have the fortitude to attempt to talk about them all, I just wanted to say upfront, that the characters in this drama world really pop.
Each one feels so real to me, not only in the writing, but in the delivery as well. Kudos to the writers and the entire cast; I enjoyed every character, and I really found it refreshing that no single character was truly unlikable.
Chun Woo Hee as Im Jin Joo
Although we also get voice-overs from other characters, we hear from Jin Joo most often.
Combined with the fact that Show makes it clear that the drama we’re watching is a mirror of the drama that she’s writing in the story, it feels like Jin Joo’s voice and point-of-view is front-and-center a lot of the time.
Therefore, the extent to which I find Show itself quirky, different and refreshing, is the extent to which I feel the same, about Jin Joo.
Jin Joo is quirky to the point of sometimes coming across as weird, while at the same time being deeply thoughtful and introspective.
She chews on her thoughts without being bridled by societal norms or expectations, and this often results in quirky nuggets of wisdom that, even though they’re sometimes unorthodox, often ring of truth.
I love how matter-of-fact Jin Joo is, as a general rule. She speaks her mind even in the face of authority, and is unabashedly candid as she does so. Sometimes, she doesn’t seem to realize her own peculiarity, and I feel like that genuine innocence adds to her charm.
Chun Woo Hee is pitch perfect as Jin Joo, in all of her deadpan, quirky, gleeful ways, and I literally can’t imagine another actress in the role.
Here are just a handful of Jin Joo highlights.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E11. I like the tipsy-yet-honest conversation that Jin Joo and Writer Jung have. Jin Joo acknowledges how nasty she’s perceived Writer Jung to be, while Writer Jung acknowledges that she was jealous of Jin Joo’s writing abilities.
Finally, when Jin Joo agrees to be not overly successful, but just successful enough not to bring shame to her teacher Writer Jung, it feels like a breakthrough in honesty and peacemaking.
And I kinda love that Writer Jung agrees to sound out her assistants about Jin Joo’s request, to have one of them work for her.
Seriously, only Jin Joo could be that brutally honest about someone’s shortcomings, and still have it work out to a happy compromise.
E12. I like the scene where Hwan Dong attempts to wine and dine Jin Joo because they couldn’t afford it in the past.
First of all, I like that Jin Joo first asks what the dinner is for, and when she understands Hwan Dong’s intention, declines gently and respectfully.
I like how she explains it; that she now has someone that she’d like to do these things with, and that he’d be hurt if he knew that she was sitting there with Hwan Dong; that declining was a way of being considerate to him, as well as to Hwan Dong.
Secondly, I really like that Hwan Dong respects Jin Joo’s decision, and even acknowledges to himself that she’s a really cool person.
There’s no animosity or regret, just a touch of wistfulness for the past, which, as Jin Joo positioned it, they are going to lay to rest, naturally. Very nice indeed.
[END SPOILER]
Jeon Yeo Bin as Lee Eun Jung
Eun Jung is quite possibly my favorite among our three friends. She’s smart, strong and talented, and incredibly loyal to her friends, which are all good things. But perhaps my favorite thing about her, is how unapologetic she is, for being herself.
As a general rule, Eun Jung wears a pretty deadpan expression, often gives monosyllabic answers, and can be aloof to the point of coming across as unfriendly.
On top of that, she can be confrontational when the occasion calls for it, and I just love that Eun Jung is as weird and unfriendly and confrontational as she wants to be, and doesn’t give two hoots about what people think about her.
There’s just something quite admirable about how she doesn’t need other people’s approval, and I love her for it. I aspire to be as unapologetic for being myself, as Eun Jung is.
Because of Eun Jung’s heartbreaking backstory, and the fact that she’s still not healed properly from the pain, I felt most invested in her story.
Jun Yeo Bin does an amazing job of delivering all of Eun Jung’s facets.
From the most confrontational badass moments, to the times when Eun Jung is quietly in pain from the overwhelming sorrow of it all, to all the deadpan stretches of normalcy in between, Jun Yeo Bin embodies Eun Jung perfectly.
Here’re my observations of Eun Jung, with extra attention on her struggle to heal.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1. It’s rather sad and disturbing that Eun Jung literally still sees her late boyfriend around her and has actual conversations with him, but there’s also something quite sweet and moving about it too. Like, he’s so much a part of her life that he’s still always there, even in death.
E3. Once again, I kinda love Eun Jung. She really doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what people think of her, which is why So Min’s (Lee Joo Bin) efforts to embarrass her and deride her, fall flat and end up making So Min storm off instead.
I also can’t help but love that in the wake of the storming off, Eun Jung smiles serenely – if only at the image of her dead boyfriend.
E7. I feel like Eun Jung can’t have properly mourned the death of her boyfriend, if she continues to see him and converse with him, because this means that she hasn’t yet dealt with what it means to fully lose him.
Her coping mechanism allows her to see him, almost as if he were there in the flesh, and she walks and talks with him as such.
I just don’t know how she will cope, if she were to stop seeing and hearing him, as she does now.
E11. The arc that hits me deepest this episode, is around Eun Jung going to see the psychiatrist.
First, the hesitation that Hyo Bong experiences around suggesting it to her, which stems from love, and a fear of dislodging her from her quasi-safe state, and also, quite possibly, a fear of offending her.
I love how he plucks up the courage to do it anyway, and I love how Eun Jung agrees.
She doesn’t hang back or try to argue; she simply sees that he’s coming from a place of deep love and concern, and agrees, hugging him. Such a beautiful moment between these siblings, who really are the world to each other.
And then when Eun Jung goes to see the psychiatrist, I’m touched by how gentle and sincere the psychiatrist is. She’s not only professional, but her entire manner makes me feel that she’s genuinely interested and concerned for Eun Jung as a fellow human being, and I liked that a lot.
I also felt quite impressed and moved, by how Eun Jung digs deep and sincerely answers the questions asked, even when the answers aren’t clear to her. She’s thoughtful and unflinchingly honest, even when the tears come.
Poor Eun Jung. I feel for her, so much, and I really hope she’s able to reach some kind of catharsis and resolution through this counseling.
I’m also very curious about what happened to her mother that day, that she took Eun Jung to the amusement park and spend money on her, and seemed so sad and withdrawn while doing so.
This feels like the kind of thing a person would do before saying goodbye; was she planning on killing herself or something?
Regardless, I feel like it affected Eun Jung deeply; like she felt that she wasn’t allowed to be happy even when good things came her way.
E12. The dream that Eun Jung had, of Hong Dae trying to strangle her so that she could be with him in death, is really quite disturbing.
The fact that Eun Jung’s hallucinations of Hong Dae are turning from sweet to hostile is really telling of how disturbed her emotional state is, and how much guilt she’s feeling towards Hong Dae.
If her hallucinations of Hong Dae are purely an expression of her emotional state, then she clearly feels guilty about even being alive, and that is so sad and tragic.
I mean, even in the midst of being attacked by aggressive drunks, Eun Jung’s hallucination of Hong Dae walks away from her, with anger and disgust on his face.
Deep down, does Eun Jung believe that this is what Hong Dae would feel toward her? That he would leave her to the dogs, so to speak, even in a moment of need? That’s heartbreaking.
E13. Each time we see Eun Jung hallucinating about Hong Dae now, it makes me a little apprehensive, because her state of mind seems rather fragile and unstable to me.
It’s unsettling to me, that the last time we see her see him, he’s walking away from her while she’s getting assaulted, and now, suddenly, he’s just sitting on her couch, talking to her about work.
When she hedges, he seems to get upset at how she doesn’t trust him anymore. If this is reflective of how she’s processing his memory, and what he represents to her right now, it seems more harmful emotional blackmail than anything else.
E14. Eun Jung being able to articulate her complicated feelings around Hong Dae is a great milestone. Being able to pinpoint that she feels that she’s using him, because she still needs him, and that’s why she feels guilty, is great insight, and I hope this helps her heal.
That last scene of her looking through Hong Dae’s online diary, which he’d told her he was saving for after their wedding, was really poignant. That must have made her feel so many feelings afresh, as she remembered specific experiences with Hong Dae afresh.
That, coupled with reading his final entry, asking her to protect herself, must have been so overwhelming. But this does feel like the beginning of catharsis; the fact that she’s able to cry, and the fact she’s now got a firm direction from Hong Dae, to protect and take care of herself.
[END SPOILER]
Han Ji Eun as Hwang Han Joo
Among the three friends, Han Joo comes across as the most fragile, with her relatively more timid personality, giving nature, and small physical frame. Over the course of my watch, though, I learned that Han Joo is far from fragile, and is as strong and resilient as they come.
I’m glad that Show gives the spotlight to the struggle of the single mom through Han Joo’s experience. We see how hard she has to work to provide for herself and her son, what a struggle it is, trying to be both Mom and Dad to a child, and how lonely it can get.
As it is in real life, there are no easy solutions for Han Joo, but it is nonetheless vicariously cathartic and empowering, to see her make steps forward, overcoming one obstacle at a time.
Han Ji Eun imbues Han Joo with a mix of youthful innocence and jaded weariness, which I found interesting and very apt. I couldn’t help but want to root for Han Joo to conquer the world, even though the odds were often stacked against her.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E4. In Gook’s acting up, and kids know just what to say, to hurt you the most, don’t they?
That remark that Han Joo doesn’t have a husband, and that he barely ever sees his dad, cuts her so deep that she has to stop walking, right there. But so does he, and it’s really sad, that they’re both carrying this pain that’s literally weighing them down.
E6. The men being asshats and telling Han Joo to use some aegyo to get them to cooperate with her, is so aggravating. I appreciate that Jae Hoon is as disgusted with them as Han Joo.
But, OMG. Han Joo weaponizing her aegyo is pretty darn awesome.
Sure, it’s Eun Jung’s idea to begin with, and I shouldn’t expect anything less from someone so sardonic and ballsy, but it’s Han Joo who takes it and runs with it, and basically intimidates all the arrogant men until they are cowed into submission.
That takes serious guts and resilience, and she does it like a champ.
There’s definitely a strong undercurrent of pathos in it, though, because they have forced her hand, and she has to put aside her dignity to do this. But, what a perfect bookend, to have Jae Hoon cheer her up with some hard aegyo; a nice way to turn the tables indeed. I like it.
E8. Aw. Han Joo really is a good friend. Even though Jin Joo is likely going to drop the offer from Han Joo’s company, she doesn’t give Jin Joo a hard time, and is sincerely happy for her that she’s got such an opportunity, from a big production company.
E8. Han Joo looking up to CEO Lee (Kim Young Ah) and wanting to be like her, strikes a chord in me. I love that she has a female role model to look up to, and I love that what she looked up to, was her boss’s strength and precision and competence.
E10. Han Joo is too nice, allowing her ex-mother-in-law to walk all over her. The woman is basically bullying Han Joo, and it’s hard to watch.
I don’t think she’s being fair at all. But Han Joo’s perspective is gracious, that she’s giving the old lady a chance to go out to dinner coz she rarely gets the chance, and she’s also giving her someone to bully, while she’s at it.
It’s not a healthy pastime for sure, but at least Han Joo doesn’t let it get to her. I like that she’s able to talk about it so matter-of-factly.
[END SPOILER]
Special shout-outs:
Ahn Jae Hong as Son Beom Soo
I honestly can’t think of another actor who could have done as good a job of making Beom Soo come to life, as a character.
When we meet him, Beom Soo is a truly annoying character, but in a mostly harmless sort of way. I mean, he makes me want to strangle him, but not to the point of actual injury.
Beom Soo is proud and egotistical, yet earnest and sincere; completely logical, yet also unreasonably emotional at the same time; ultra competent, but also, occasionally mind-numbingly stupid.
He is a big ol’ bundle of contradictions, and Ahn Jae Hong delivers him in a way that feels rounded and natural. In other words, he nails it.
I became fond of Beom Soo, in spite of my initial skepticism, and I’m dutifully impressed with Show, and with Ahn Jae Hong, for making that possible.
Here are just two Beom Soo moments that I wanted to highlight.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E4. Beom Soo is turning out to be as good of a director as he claims to be.
When Writer Jung threatens not to work with the network if he proceeds with Jin Joo’s script, he makes a strong stand for it. I like what he says, that JBC shouldn’t let a writer’s pride prevent them from putting out a meaningful project, because JBC has its pride too.
E10. Beom Soo can be really off-the-wall, like when he puts on his thug persona at Jin Joo’s mention that she’s drawn to bad boys.
But, the way he comforts Jin Joo when she’s down, while insisting that she work, is, as she put it so perfectly, warm and cruel at the same time. So dissonant, but so perfect, at the same time.
[END SPOILER]
Gong Myung as Choo Jae Hoon
To be honest, I wasn’t much impressed nor taken with Jae Hoon from the beginning. He just seemed like such a sad sack character, who didn’t seem to do much for our story, in the grand scheme of things.
However, as Jae Hoon’s bond with Han Joo grows (more on that later), I found myself growing fond of Jae Hoon, despite the murky state of his personal life.
[SPOILER ALERT]
To be honest, I wasn’t ever sure (until I got to the finale, that is), where Show was going with Jae Hoon’s on-again, off-again relationship with Ha Yoon (Mi Ram).
On the one hand, Show presents things in a way that imply that Jae Hoon likes Han Joo romantically (again, more on that later), yet on the other hand, things never seem to clear up with Ha Yoon.
Jae Hoon’s relationship with Ha Yoon is unexceptional and everyday, except that it’s clearly painful for him.
He’s like a walking zombie. It’s as if he doesn’t allow himself to feel anything; he’s numb to everything she says, and he goes along with it all, just drifting from one day to the next. I feel like this is the method he’s settled on, because it helps him to endure and survive.
I was always curious about why we never see him do anything to end the relationship, even though it’s clear that they are both unhappy.
Of course, Show turns that on its head by the finale, which I’ll touch on later.
[END SPOILER]
Baek Ji Won as Writer Jung [VAGUE SPOILERS]
At first, I didn’t really enjoy the way Show treated Writer Jung, because mostly, I found myself watching Writer Jung being made comedic fodder for her singlehood.
I didn’t like seeing her preen with hope, only to have those hopes dashed for the Supposed Funnies.
In short, Writer Jung’s loneliness got to me, and I just wanted Show to do well by her. So when Writer Jung effectively has two men fighting over her in episode 14, I was suitably pleased.
SPOTLIGHT ON A FEW KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Jin Joo and Beom Soo
The romance between Jin Joo and Beom Soo is the main loveline in our drama world, and honestly, because I went into this fairly blind, I almost didn’t see this romance coming.
Jin Joo and Beom Soo start off in a pretty awkward, almost antagonistic place, and I personally found Beom Soo quite annoying too, so I didn’t immediately think that Jin Joo would ever find him appealing.
However, Show effectively turns that around, by forcing Jin Joo and Beom Soo into a situation where they need to talk to each other. The more they spend time talking, the more I began to see that these two are perfectly matched in their odd quirks and weird idiosyncrasies.
Also, for the record, I’d like to say that I find it really quite refreshing that Beom Soo is Jin Joo’s leading man.
He’s a little chubby and not conventionally good-looking – in fact, Hwan Dong is a better-looking guy – but yet, we see that Jin Joo and Beom Soo connect strongly in their quirks and conversations, which is honestly where it’s really at, with relationships.
And I appreciate it a lot, that Show demonstrates that this emotional and mental connection is important enough, that it doesn’t cast a conventionally handsome actor for the part.
From finding this loveline bemusing at the start, I found myself easily getting fully on board during my watch, in almost as understated and organic a fashion, as this loveline itself comes about.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E3. I can very much see why Beom Soo would rub Jin Joo the wrong way. But I’m pleased that he’s so taken with her script that he’s gone after her, if only to annoy her.
E4. The regard each for the other, is growing, between Beom Soo and Jin Joo. (I think) he gets through to her with the song that he sings, and what he says about not using someone’s pain to tease them, and she’s definitely getting to him, since he can’t sleep at night, wondering why she and her ex are still arguing, 2 years after breaking up.
E5. Jin Joo’s arc with Beom Soo took up a lot of screen time this episode, and it turned out to be quite the funny twist. After so much build-up and self-praise, it was crazy and ridiculous to see Beom Soo fail so hard at the presentation.
Jin Joo held her own quite well, I thought, but the directors were being misogynic jerks, and I rather liked Beom Soo’s outburst about how strong Jin Joo is.
It shows how much of an impression she’s made on him, and it sounds passionate and sincere, even if it also sounds off-the-wall. Her karate chop to his neck, knocking him out, was just the cherry on top.
I do like the solidarity they share afterwards, taking comfort in hot noodle soup at a pochangmacha, clinking soju bottles, like battle-weary kindred soldiers.
E7. Jin Joo and Beom Soo slipping into a quasi-relationship sort of state via their role-plays and drama couple immersion – for science! – is so quirky, and so symptomatic of their mutual denial that there’s anything going on between them.
This is the second time we see Jin Joo vehemently deny that they did anything, the first being when she drunk-slept over at his apartment, and it’s starting to feel like a pattern is forming.
Under the security of pretend, these two are just going on dates and saying and doing things that courting couples do.
I wonder when they’ll realize that what they’ve got going on is more than pretend? Heh.
E11. Jin Joo avoiding Beom Soo feels rather cliched, but I’m glad it doesn’t get dragged out very long, and I’m glad that in the end, when she can’t avoid him anymore, that she agrees to work on the things within their control, like he says.
Beom Soo’s confession is blurted out and ungainly, but so clearly sincere.
E12. The way Jin Joo and Beom Soo come together as a couple is so quirky and unique to them. After Jin Joo leaves the truncated date with Hwan Dong, she calls Beom Soo, and they walk towards the park, hoping that they will run into each other.
While on the phone, they have one of their philosophical conversations, this time, about what love is. And then, just as abruptly as she begins the conversation, Jin Joo declares that they shouldn’t postpone love. Just the news that Beom Soo was waiting for!
As they come face to face with each other, she also says, “Let’s postpone skinship,” which slightly crestfallen Beom Soo valiantly agrees to – until she tells him her bluff, and then kisses him squarely on the lips. Aw. Cute.
[END SPOILER]
Han Joo and Jae Hoon
For the record, I really liked the connection between Han Joo and Jae Hoon.
Show doesn’t give us a firm definition of their relationship until the finale (which I’ll talk about later), but labels aside, I found their care for each other heartwarming and sweet.
It felt like they could truly understand each other’s struggles and anxieties, and it was really nice to see them supporting each other at the workplace, and even outside of it.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Show reveals in the finale that the bond between Han Joo and Jae Hoon is purely platonic and not romantic in nature.
In principle, I like this a lot, but at the same time, I do feel that Show threw out several red herrings on this one, to purposely mislead us into thinking that there were romantic undercurrents flowing between these two characters.
While I get that this does make the watch more interesting, since as a viewer I was constantly wondering what these characters’ true feelings for each other were, I do have to admit to feeling a little played by Show, on this one.
Of course, it also possible – and plausible – that there were romantic sparks between Han Joo and Jae Hoon, but when they each realized that their circumstances did not support a romantic relationship between them, they each shifted gears towards the other, and embraced their connection as a special friendship.
Given the circumstantial evidence that Show serves up, this is the version of events that sits most comfortably in my mind. That way, Show is exempted from the accusation of red herring throwing, and I can accept that the romantic undercurrents we saw, were real.
Just for the record, here’s a map of my thoughts around Han Joo and Jae Hoon, during my watch.
E3. Jae Hoon said that thing about wanting to make Han Joo smile. What is that supposed to mean? Especially since we now know he has a girlfriend? What is this guy about, is he really as shy as he’s making himself out to be?
E4. I’m curious about why Han Joo talks with Jae Hoon after his girlfriend comes to trash the place for him wanting to break up, saying stuff like, “you don’t have to tell me you’re sorry..” “why do the guys I like always never fight well..”
I mean, he held her hand once while pretending to be tipsy, and remarked that he wanted to make her smile. Surely that doesn’t mean that there’s anything actually going on between them?
E5. Han Joo’s arc with Jae Hoon is intriguing me, because I can’t easily place it, in the kdrama scheme of things. He seems to like her, but he’s still with his cheating girlfriend. She cares about him, but I can’t tell if she’s shifted him mentally from potential male admirer, to just-a-friend.
Regardless, it was quite touching to see how Han Joo reacted when Jae Hoon told her that story about Ha Yoon being at the club with her younger male cousin.
Instead of laughing it off, or bickering with him for claiming to have let her worry for a few days, she solemnly hugs him, pats him on the shoulder repeatedly, and thanks him.
I kinda love that she can’t even explain why she’s thanking him, and just thanks him because that’s what she’s feeling, in the moment. There’s something very pure about that.
E7. I realize I’m most interested in Han Joo’s arc with Jae Hoon, because she’s in a position where most women would feel like they’ve missed the boat. She’s divorced, and mother to a young son.
Her best prospect would be that flashback that we saw today, of a single dad wanting to merge families with her.
So, to have a young man be drawn to her, and look at her the way Jae Hoon steals glances at her, and mumbles to himself how cute she is, is quite thrilling to me.
It’s like a vicarious message to all other women who are supposedly past their prime and not in the best position to receive romantic attention; that they’re not wallpaper; that they’re just as deserving as the next woman, to be on the receiving end of admiring romantic attention.
E10. Why is Jae Hoon so hesitant to share the information with Han Joo, that he’s broken up with Ha Yoon?
E11. I’m glad that Jae Hoon finally came clean and told Han Joo about his breakup with Ha Yoon. I’m also glad that he and Han Joo are just keeping things platonic at the moment; he needs time to heal and move on.
I rather like that even while keeping things platonic, he and Han Joo are still connecting, in a kindred spirit kind of way.
E12. We see very little of Han Joo and Jae Hoon this hour, but I really liked that scene where she texts him while he’s out, and they text back and forth like close friends.
There’s a cozy, easy vibe between them that I enjoy, and this thing of finding comfort through texting resonates with me. It’s like a small but important source of warmth, when you’re by yourself in the cold, feeling lonely.
E13. The way Jae Hoon is so observant of Han Joo is very telling. Most people only notice such minute details about the other person, if they have a special interest in them.
I’d like to see Jae Hoon and Han Joo build more on their relationship because they make a really good pair. I’d take it even if they keep it platonic.
I’d like Jae Hoon be more open about his situation and his feelings with Han Joo too.
E14. I guess real life isn’t cut and dry a lot of the time, and maybe I’m used to things being neater on my screen in a drama, but I was quite surprised to realize that Jae Hoon maybe hadn’t broken up with Ha Yoon after all.
The way things looked so strained between them, I though they were broken up, but Ha Yoon just kept hanging around like a bad habit.
But, when Jae Hoon hugged her at the end of the episode and asked her what she did that day, I realized that they’ve simply been estranged.
In the light of that, I’m still intrigued by the special bond that we see between Jae Hoon and Han Joo.
They sync so well together at work and at play, and they brighten at each other’s texts, and they clearly are concerned for and considerate of each other, to a great degree.
She notices a nick on his cheek and buys him an electric shaver; he notices that she’s tired and buys her tonics to boost her energy.
There are definitely special feelings that they harbor for each other, but it’s unclear to me whether those special feelings are of a romantic nature. But, I appreciate the special place that they’ve each carved for the other in their hearts, because they both seem so in need of support, and they each seem to blossom so much, under the other’s care.
I almost feel like this is the “special friend” sort of status they’re accepting, because this is the acceptable option for them.
[END SPOILER]
Eun Jung and Director Kim
Director Kim (Son Seok Koo) shows up later in the show, as a surprise quasi-friend to Eun Jung, and I hafta say, I really enjoyed this somewhat weird and bizarre bond.
Son Seok Koo is wonderfully weird as the eccentric Director Kim of few words, and Eun Jung’s continued bemusement at him made for some very amusing, as well as some very poignant times.
I sincerely hoped that Eun Jung’s connection with Director Kim would be non-romantic in nature, because in my mind, it would’ve felt like a bit of a cop-out, if she’d gotten over Hong Dae’s death by entering into a new relationship with someone else.
Happily, Show does not disappoint, and I feel very satisfied with the treatment of the growing bond between Eun Jung and Director Kim.
Here are just a few highlights of this pair.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E10. Eun Jung standing up to the shouty Director Kim and basically staring him down and out-cursing him, is so awesome.
She’s so sharp and fearless, I love it. It’s also great that he yields the victory to her; I guess he ran out of words to retaliate with, and also, possibly he’s not that bad of a guy after all?
E14. I really like how Show is building the connection between Eun Jung and the director. It’s a kindred spirit sort of connection, like they’re comrades on a similar journey, and are providing each other with a bit of company for the ride.
I like how the orphanage is the thing that ties them together, and I really dig how this has been provided for, narratively, so many episodes ago, when Eun Jung donated all her money to the foundation.
By making her and Director Kim the orphanage’s two biggest, most giving sponsors, who give literally more than they can afford, they are of the same tribe, in a way.
E14. Eun Jung’s bemused expression at just about everything Director Kim says is my expression too, heh.
He’s really quite weird and eccentric in his ways, which is kinda great from an entertainment point of view, but I like even more, the hints that Eun Jung is starting to understand him a little bit, by the end of the episode.
Like, she’s starting to get his meaning a little, even if he still puzzles her a lot.
[END SPOILER]
Special shout-outs:
So Min and Min Joon
I was pleasantly surprised by the little loveline between So Min and her manager Min Joon (Kim Myung Joon). Because it had felt like they were introduced as peripheral characters, I wasn’t expecting that they would enjoy very much screen time, in the overall scheme of things.
So color me surprised, when Show not only gave them more of the spotlight than I’d expected, but gave them a whole loveline, complete with backstory and everything.
What a lovely bonus, to be able to see their love story play out, beyond the initial obvious crush that Min Joon was nursing on So Min.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E8. I kinda love the backstory behind how Min Joon became So Min’s manager.
To think that she basically told him that that’s what he should do, back when he was the school’s jjang, is just so bizarre and so perfect. He’s let her direct his life ever since, and I do think he’d be lost without her.
E9. So Min missing Min Joon is a beat that I gravitated towards. Even though this is a minor arc, I like the idea of So Min and Min Joon being secretly in love with each other all these years, only to be forced to admit it to each other, now that they’ve been forcibly separated.
E10. Another favorite moment of mine this episode, is Eun Jung giving So Min the advice to just love while she can, and not waste time.
It’s extra weighty and wise coming from her, since she’s lived through the loss of her lover, and it was pretty great seeing So Min run to Min Joon as fast as she possibly could, because she wanted to love him as soon as she possibly could. Aw.
Min Joon’s feeble protests couldn’t have stood up to So Min’s insistence that he liked her, and it’s also nice that when she tries to run off mid-almost kiss because she’s bare-faced, he catches up to her and tells her that she looks great without makeup, before kissing her good and proper. Double Aw.
E11. While So Min going undercover to Min Joon’s apartment to meet him in secret and make out with him should be quite squee-worthy, the chemistry falls a little flat for me, now that they are in a relationship proper.
But, I appreciate the sentiment, that they want to see each other everyday, while working hard towards their respective goals.
E12. It’s sweet how Min Joon is brutally honest with So Min about her career and her limitations, and she accepts it all without hesitation. Her trust in him in very clear, and that is very touching, to me.
E13. I like how So Min is so into Min Joon. Before they were dating, it was clear that he was into her, and he was always the one holding a torch for her, while she seemed oblivious.
So it’s refreshing to see her so eager to talk about him on camera, and even articulate that she likes him so much that she’d marry him. Aw.
[END SPOILER]
STUFF I TOOK AWHILE TO GET USED TO
Show’s sense of humor sometimes leans really wacky
Generally speaking, I found Show’s quirky sense of humor quite easy to enjoy, but I have to admit that there were a couple of occasions when I found it more bemusingly bizarre than fresh and funny.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E4. That recurring guitar singing thing in the scene where Jin Joo talks with Beom Soo about the script, is.. weird. At first, I think it’s all in her imagination, but by the end, Beom Soo’s all worked up and asks her why she keeps singing, and who keeps giving her the guitar. Um. Wha..?
..And other people confirm the existence of the guitar. I guess Show is more quirky and whimsical than I expected it to be.
E14. The PPL inception was quite out there, but really quite funny, with them inserting such a weird, random and imagined PPL scenario for the massage chair, and then calling it done. Ha. The drink PPL layered on top of that was kind of brazen, but it all stayed on vibe.
[END SPOILER]
THEMES / IDEAS [SPOILERS]
There are certainly more themes and ideas available to mine in this show, since it’s written so thoughtfully, and our characters are often engaged in philosophical conversation. Here are just a handful of the ones that stood out to me personally.
E3. The idea that context affects a person. Han Joo and Jae Hoon are both shy, but because they had each other’s company, they were able to do things they wouldn’t normally do.
Do Yeon’s (Kim Do Yeon) memory of her best friend who had to drop out of the idol group because of stalker threats, made her close up.
But Han Joo and Jae Hoon’s combined efforts to cheer her on and help her, warmed her up and made her feel better.
E8. The idea that even the most admired person has their own insecurities and doubts, and is more than likely to suffer from a bit of imposter syndrome. CEO Lee’s drunken meltdown-confession that she isn’t strong or precise, is so poignant.
It reminds me that many of us are putting up a front; trying to fake it till we make it; feeling like we don’t actually deserve to be where we are.
It’s so deeply poignant because it feels like it hits a deep note of truth.
E8. The idea of how scary it is, to face up to those hidden parts of ourselves that we don’t actually even understand. We see Eun Jung being confronted by the footage of herself talking to her dead boyfriend, and it’s like she finally sees herself.
It feels confronting and overwhelming, even from where I’m sitting; I can only imagine how shaken Eun Jung must be. It must feel like being hit by a ton of bricks.
E12. The idea that love shouldn’t be postponed. Even if the situation isn’t the most ideal, like with Ji Young and her boyfriend being poor and unable to afford much, it’s still more important to love. Jin Joo, in her usual quirky way, tries to do things differently, but her efforts to put off love end up being shelved quite quickly.
I think Ji Young cut to the heart of it when she said that at most, you have about 70 years to love the other person, so you don’t have that much time left anyway.
E14. Today’s theme is taking time away from real life in order to truly rest, and we see Eun Jung take time away at the orphanage, while Jin Joo and Han Joo take time away in the country, for the day. Their separate days are different as chalk and cheese, but both are equally needed. I like that cohesiveness.
E14. The idea of discrimination, and how one reacts to it. That quickish spotlight on the discrimination against Hyo Bong and his boyfriend was brief, but it cut pretty deep for the amount of screen time it got.
Them being asked to leave a restaurant just because of their sexual orientation, and then them having to brush it off and carry on with life, just felt so unfair and unjust.
A QUICK SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODE [SPOILERS]
One this hour’s funniest things, to me, is seeing Eun Jung make Director Kim toe the line, with the accidentally sent photos as her hostages. His immediate obedient cooperation, coupled with her little leaked pleased smiles, was gold.
It amuses me that he cares this much, that he would act so differently from his normal self as a result, but I love even more, that this opens up the communication between him and Eun Jung enough, that they even end up going for beer together and having a halfway normal conversation.
It makes me happy that this pleases Eun Jung, that she would even compliment him on how being nice suits him.
The fact that she sent the photos to So Min makes me laugh, and I love the cheeky vibe it gives their interactions, when he finds out. That smile that she flashes at him, is just so natural, vibrant and so uninhibited; I love it.
I’m relieved that Ha Yoon decides to move on, finally. Jae Hoon’s frustration is absolutely warranted. What, you hung around simply because you were waiting for him to hold you warmly, one last time?
So, that big step towards some kind of reconciliation that he took the night before, was simply the final gift and assurance you were waiting for?
Ugh. What a dysfunctional, toxic personality.
Still, I’m glad that this is now cleared up for Jae Hoon and for us as viewers. Finally, he doesn’t have to feel obligated to do right by Ha Yoon, and can start feeling free again.
Although, wow, what a underhanded trick to play, since Ha Yoon just texted Han Joo about being Jae Hoon’s girlfriend just recently. And this was while she was simply waiting for her goodbye hug. That’s low.
Jae Hoon showing up to hit Han Joo’s ex-husband when she’d failed to land a punch, and then politely explaining that it’s his job to complete the tasks that Han Joo is unable to finish, is so off-the-wall and so priceless.
The Ex is a loser who only puts himself first, and Han Joo is making the right decision not to go back to him, not even for In Gook’s sake. The fiercely whispered discussion / debate that Han Joo has with her friends back at home is just the cutest thing.
It’s so odd and funny, to see them gesticulating wildly, as their whispers get incrementally louder, while they try to keep it down for In Gook’s sake.
I’m confused by Han Joo’s statement at the end of the episode, though, that she’s been seeing someone. Is this about Jae Hoon, or is this about someone else?
If she’s referring to Jae Hoon, then she must have framed it in her mind as seeing him, even though Ha Yoon was still in the picture, and that’s not so cool, to me.
Also, for the record, I do like that Jin Joo makes up with Beom Soo by simply choosing not to be nitpicky or petty, and reminding herself that his good points outweigh his not-so-good points.
That’s pretty amazing to me, that she can pack up her negative feelings so well, and then proceed to treat him graciously.
A cool woman indeed.
THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]
It’s to Show’s credit that I approached this finale with a pronounced sense of wistfulness. I did not want my journey with this show and these characters to end.
I put this off for two days, even while I really really wanted to spend more time with these characters. You’ve managed the perfect push-pull, Show.
I have to admit, I did not quite expect nor enjoy the “twist,” that Han Joo’s been dating someone else for some time. It feels like cheating, in a way. Up to this point, Show has given no indication that Han Joo’s been seeing anyone.
All this time, we haven’t seen her texting anyone else but Jae Hoon, and we haven’t seen her squee to herself over anyone. So to have Show basically pull out a “Ta-da! Guess what we’ve been hiding from you?” feels like a cheap shot of a twist.
This is the kind of twist I don’t appreciate, because the twist was not built into the writing from the start, and more like something the writer pulls out, after keeping it from the audience.
That said, I did find it an interesting twist, for Han Joo to present a completely different take on Jae Hoon’s relationship with Ha Yoon.
All we’ve seen is him suffering her volatile behavior in silence, but Han Joo basically makes the point that Jae Hoon had left Ha Yoon alone in order to tame her; that he didn’t attempt to love her, but to have her.
I don’t know how true Han Joo’s take is, but I take the point, that a relationship truly always takes two.
I am satisfied that Han Joo and Jae Hoon continue their friendship, and continue to be open, encouraging and supportive of each other.
On a personal note, as someone whose closest friend happens to be male, I appreciate that Show acknowledges the special bond between them, despite it being a platonic one.
Yay for another drama example of a male-female pairing that doesn’t need to be romantic in order to be special.
One of my favorite things this episode, is seeing Eun Jung and Director Kim having a heart-to-heart conversation over drinks, when he finally asks to hear her story.
I like that after all the quirky non sequiturs that he’s been giving her, they’ve somehow become comfortable enough with each other, to have this important, cathartic conversation.
And even though his execution of it is still as randomly eccentric as ever, I do love Director Kim’s response, after hearing Eun Jung’s story, “Whatever you see with your eyes, I will say cheers… to your eyes.” How poetic, and how apt.
I also love that Eun Jung’s next project is literally inspired by one of Director Kim’s seemingly random remarks.
I love even more, that even as she prepares to leave for Europe for that project, and he for Africa, that he’s still asking to meet her in Morocco. I have a feeling that these two are going to be weird friends for a very long time, and I really like the thought of that.
Importantly, Eun Jung has a conversation with Hong Dae where they achieve a sense of closure. He says that he’ll be gone by the time she returns from Europe; she says that we all have our place in the universe where we go when our time on this earth is up, and that she’ll meet him up there.
It’s a bittersweet moment, but it also speaks of healing, and acknowledges that Eun Jung’s journey – one where Hong Dae isn’t necessarily present – is still ahead of her.
We see that Jin Joo and Beom Soo continue to work together, after their first successful drama together. And while they bicker constantly at work, they’re still faithfully keeping work and their personal time separate.
They are as weird and unconventional as ever, and it works quite perfectly, for them.
We also get updates on all the various characters we’ve come to know over the course of our story. Director Seo (Heo Joon Seok) proposes to Da Mi (Lee Ji Min), and they end up having a tiny wedding in an Indian restaurant, just the two of them, while pretending that the other diners are their guests.
Rather bizarre by my standards, but again, it works, for them.
When it turns out that CEO So (Park Hyung Soo) is a goose father with a wife and kids in the US, Writer Jung and CP Sung (Jung Seung Gil) go back to their undefined closeness, in a painfully painful and funny parody of Something in the Rain (painful because that show – and that song – grated on my nerves, ack; funny, coz it was well-done, nonetheless).
Hwan Dong continues to overwork Writer Jung and her team, while taking up Pilates in order to become a better arm-wrestler, ha. So Min and Min Joon are married, and even Han Joo’s boss CEO Lee, is dating someone.
Jin Joo is given a bigger studio by the production company, where she can work and live comfortably, while Han Joo accepts an apartment from her ex-husband. Hyo Bong’s moved out to live with Moon Soo (Jeon Shin Hwan). With Eun Jung also leaving for Europe, our little ragtag family is set to finally stop living together. Sniffle.
As expected, Show gives us an open ending, with no neat happy bows for our characters. There’s a strong sense of change, as people move and circumstances evolve, but there’s also a strong sense of hope and community.
I feel like walking away, I have the assurance that even though our friends no longer live under the same roof, that they will, just as they promise one another, continue to eat deliciously, chat deliciously and love deliciously with one another, for the rest of their lives.
I feel wistful, but I also feel content. ❤️
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Off-the-wall quirky, yet full of heart and poignance.
FINAL GRADE: A-
TEASER:
MV:
WHERE TO WATCH:
You can check out this show on Viki here.
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Hey there Fangirl, your verdicts have become such a huge part of my life ever since I accidentally stumbled into in this abyss of K dramas.
(watching Abyss next)
I absolutely loved this drama. There are innumerable reasons why I love this Show so much but one of the major reasons is their portrayal of friendship and how by just talking about your achievements and struggles with your loved ones gives you superhuman strength to deal with them. I also loved how the emotions are so raw and realistic and relatable. Your verdict is a perfect permutation of everything that I felt while watching this Show. Although, the humour was a little off beat but I found myself laughing loudly on so many instances. The idiosyncrasies of each character however big or small was uniquely depicted all the way through.
The Show shows us that every person has their own share of problems. One deals with a major loss in her life, one deals with a sudden surge of responsibility at such a young age while one is stuck in a professional rut. But that doesn’t stop them from being there for one another. The sense of camaraderie and love for one another (and food) beats all odds and it’s always THEM against the world.
The Show leaves you with such a warm fuzzy feeling which immediately makes you want to call your friends and family and thank them for being with you.
The whole to fart or not not to fart dilemma “cracked” me up so hard! Especially because I have never ever ever farted in front of any of my boyfriends in the past😅😅.
I really liked what you said about Boem Soo not being a quintessential male lead but playing the part of one admirably. The actor absolutely nailed it!!
I was actually quite happy that HanJoo and JaeHoon didn’t end up together romantically because their connection as friends was so special to both of them! I certainly wished though that JaeHoon would get far far away from his toxic ex/not-ex girlfriend and I was absolutely unhappy about them catching up after the musical!
Omg, Director Kim was so so weird that I found him funny and adorable. Especially when that kid runs to him to give him a cozy hug, I could feel my ovaries bursting along with Eun Jeung’s😂!!
Thank you so much for the review! Although, this is the first time I’ve actually written to you but I’ve been following your reviews for over a year now! I find myself agreeing with you a lot!
P.S I’m in a total strong female lead mode currently, so looking forward to reading up your verdict on WWW!
A wonderful review K. Again. As always. You will find echoes in my response, I am sure.
I liked this very much, with a few caveats. I liked the slice of life of three talented, smart, introspective single women entering the true prime of life. I thought all three leads were quite good at inhabiting their roles. Certainly, Eun Jung was the most emotionally mature character, having at a young age already suffered a great tragedy in her life, and as young as she was forced to contend with the ongoing trauma of that while living a very creative, demanding work life. The scene where Jun Yeo Bin enacting Eun Jung watching the clip capturing her talking to her late husband when in fact, she could not see him on the film, no one there, was probably the most powerful moment in the show for me. Jun Yeo Bin, in character, so much emotion all the way up into her skin, and yet held back so that a viewer also could not miss the power of her restraint breaking open–just terrific.
Jin Joo was harder to sympathize with, the most narcissistic of the three, albeit as wildly insightful as she was irritatingly quirky. If Beom Soo appeared annoying to begin with, his true nature and affection for Jin Joo, and what a tribute to the writer as well as the actors this, appeared to sand the edges off Jin Joo and bring out her best, help her settle down a bit. She was far more likeable at the end than the beginning.
An aside, I agree that the writing was the star of the show, meaning the language, the allusions, more than the plot, and I found the three leads did such good work, and I also quite liked Lee Joo Bin, who was allowed to grow from a caricature, how the three friends originally saw her from their school days, into a very touching and complex woman. The writer’s handling of the women’s growth was quite deft. But despite all of that, besides reminding viewers that dramas about women and women in dramas tend to be emotionally more interesting than men, even women living everyday kinds of lives, work problems, lovelife probelms, and so on, I found, Jun Yeo Bin’s charismatic and young womanly beauty notwithstanding, Ahn Jae Hong to be the most consistently watchable presence in the show. The down to earth generosity and intelligence of his character seemed to go hand in hand with the generosity and intelligence of his performance. He lifted everyone in every scene in which he was depicted.
Finally, I found Han Joo to be the most in all ways mature of the three, the wisest in the most complete way (the fact of her being mother was only hinted at as a factor, but here again the writer made the correct choice of which of these three women had the most mature view on life). How she lovingly made Jae Hoon understand his immaturity in his failed relationship in a way that helped him really break through was the kind of thing only she could have done.
I had a little more trouble with the relationships in general along with some of the other characters and the endings for some. I very much believed in Jin Soo and Beom Soo, the writing, the acting, and the direction made this couple quite believable. The only other couple I believed in was So Min and Min Joon. I did not like Jae Hoon and Ha Yoon at all, and thought they should have broken up sooner. Those two made each other unhappy. I did not, thus, believe the happy circumstance of their meeting in the final episode. Who cares about who was right, who wrong–those two made each other miserable. Feh. And although I do believe in the platonic finish for Jae Hoon and Han Joo, after all he would have been rebounding–does one imagine him being stepdad material, not me, and she was so much more mature. But the hunk in the car in the final scene with Han Joo, who was he? Just his looks reminded me of her son’s father, a looker but so what? We want a man of substance for Han Joo, not just another pretty face. I just did not get it. Especially as the show gave us the hint that she would be hooking up with Jae Hoon. However, for just one second I thought, whoa, maybe Han Joo was going to be hooking up with Young Ah, her boss. And I would have gone for that, as cheeky as anything in the show. I would say that was the single biggest misstep in the whole series; too bad it came in the finale countering the whole thrust of the show.
I liked the meta of the show, the humor, the interrogation of a-z of premarital romance, the sismances with the gay brother kicker, even if most of the male characters were kind of meh, especially the two other directors. I liked that they somehow made the sausage making element of a series like this somewhat entertaining. The product placement bit with the relaxer chair, In Kook in a bow tie, followed hard on with the cranberry (or what ever it was) water bit, pitch perfect. But I was a little put off by the need for songs every moment of the livelong day. Nonetheless, the day Jin Joo, Beom Soo, Han Joo, and Jae Hoon went to that beach boardwalk with the arcades and eateries was perfectly done; don’t we all have days like that, so sweet and rich, memorable, and worthy of the better part of a whole episode despite having nothing really to do with the main story. And whatever the flaws and virtues, the bottom line was this was a warm, enjoyable, fun, and engaging series. I am glad I watched it, and will look for these women actors and Ahn Je Hong in other work.
One of the best shows we’ve seen thus far. I put it off at first due to the mistaken belief that it atually was a “melo.”
What did we like about it? Let me count the ways!
It’s fresh, trope-free, and simply bursting with creativity and quirky humor
Yet it also does a great job of addressing serious topics, such as how failed relationships continue to drag us down as we attempt to move on, and how we allow relationships to fail by not accepting the other person for who they are, imperfections and all
It features an ensemble cast that you just can’t help but love
The FL and ML – I guess they are slightly more primary than the others – are both wonderfully odd people
The OST works really well, in particular the various covers of the “shampoo song,” which is introduced as a cringe-worthy example of lame lyric writing. But suddenly the ML plays it unaccompanied on guitar – the FL had been mocking him with it, since his ex- wrote it — and from then on it just grows on you, episode by episode. By the end, the lyrics seem absolutely perfect.
It shares lots of insider knowledge about how K-dramas are made, since all the characters work in the industry and the primary storyline follows the making of the drama one of the FLs wrote, from start to finish. For example, I knew about product placement (PPL), but didn’t realize that broadcast stations only finance 50% of a show’s production costs and that independent production companies need to raise the balance of the budget via PPL. That’s a huge burden. One of the other FLs works as a PPL marketing manager, so they show her side of that challenge, literally begging writers, directors and actors to play nice with each humiliating farce of PPL. They present PPL as a fact of life they have to endure, even while mocking themselves for doing so.
A lot of the show is like that, first showing us what it’s like to be the people who write, direct and produce these dramas, then illustrating how these same dynamics affected the production of this show we’re watching. At times the quirky overlap of the show-within-a-show gimmick gets a bit precious, but mostly it works. They will discuss why a thing has to be a certain way in the fictional production of the FL’s show, then do exactly that same thing in the actual show we’re watching. Explain, then illustrate.
To my surprise, despite this being a female version of an ensemble bromance story, it was written by a man. That’s not nearly as rare as a woman directing a K-drama – Coffee Prince being the only example that comes to my mind — but for a show of this sort it was definitely not what I expected.
Apparently this was writer/director Lee Byeong-heon’s first attempt at a 16-hour K-drama. He’d just unexpectedly hit the jackpot with his 2019 action-comedy film “Extreme Job,” which currently stands as the 2nd most viewed movie in SK film history. (If its Wikipedia entry is to be believed! You can rent it on Amazon for $4.)
So Melo ending with only a 1% viewer rating — despite such rave reviews from those who did like it — was like whiplash.
From a Soompi article:
“When I checked the ratings, I thought the numbers were wrong. I could’ve easily become conceited, but I became humble again.”
“I watched the drama with some people in their early twenties, and they didn’t understand it well. I realized I was lacking in some ways. The viewership ratings are low, but strangely, our atmosphere is still nice.”
“Even though I’m in tatters because it was so hard, I want to use this experience as the foundation to formulate new plans on and try [creating] a drama again. I’m currently thinking about how to lessen the gap between what I want to do and what the audience enjoys. I’m studying with a confused mind.”
“I wrote the script while feeling envious of the three friends who live together and take care of one another. I used all of the notes I had saved up for 10 years to include relatable lines. People who fell for the drama seemed to relate to it well.”
Here’s the premise for his film 2019 Extreme Job. It looks pretty good, although I see some reviewers who think the gags gets stale:
“A team of narcotics detectives goes undercover in a chicken joint to stake out a gang of organized criminals. But things take an unexpected turn when the sticky chicken marinade they have to improvise suddenly transforms the run-down restaurant into the hottest eatery in town.”
Merij1 – big thanks for refreshing my memory about this movie. I wanted to see it but forgot the name. I am gonna watch this today! Yeah!
Please share after you do!
It’s rare that I find an action-comedy that doesn’t fizzle after the action starts taking precedence in the second half.
It’s not usually what the people behind a show like that are best at, yet they feel compelled to go deep in that direction by the end.
That was also my take on large swaths of Crash Landing on You. It’s as if they need to prove they can do it. But they’re not really that great at it. And if action isn’t done really well, it bores the bejesus out of me.
Merij1 – this was funny that you say that because it is exactly what happened. The first half was really funny but moved to the action side on the second half – a lot of action. My hat is off to all the stunt folks who did the fighting scenes and the sound editors who laid down the audio track. Jang Jin Hee as Sun Hee is one bad ass woman. Whew! I have been meaning to watch this for a while and could not remember the name so thanks merij1! I would have preferred it if they kept the funny, as the premise and the way it started was clever. Yes Merij1 – they filled the second half with action and lost the spark. There are a lot of very good actors in this movie.
I saw Extreme Job. It was cute enough (although not cutesy). I think if I had not heard all the hype, then I would’ve enjoyed it much more. That’s how I know a movie is really good is if, after the hype, I feel hyped after seeing it. But lots and lots of praise can cause me to be disappointed.
@beez Extreme job is still my favourite action comedy film till date. I really can’t find movies in comedy genre which has a same effect for me.
I mean even though the second half got slightly choppy, it was still pretty good. And the ending was satisfying as well.
I think the balanced dry humour style of the director manages to keep his work fresh for me, I think it separates him from British dry humour and has own distinct brand
Another movie of his ‘Twenty’ was also an excellent watch, and I was quite surprised since it was technically A coming of age ‘sex’ comedy. And generally those are pretty tasteless and pander to horned up teens.
Do give it a try too. It’s not heavy on the lewd but more on the coming of age aspect of it. And is really funny too!
@Prashil Prakash – I did see Twenty. I remember laughing but not much else. I saw it before k-intense k-fan-love developed for Kang Haneul. If I’d been on my fangirl kick about him back then, I bet I’d remember it better. 😊
It actually is rare to find a good action comedy worth watching.
Moving out of the K in K movies, you have great movies like Shaun of the dead or Hot fuzz etc
But I think some decent action comedy in k movies were Hitman: Agent Jun, Midnight Runners and this year’s “Okay! Madam”.
Do check them out if you haven’t!
Funny thing is that the drama our lead was writing (Things will be fine when you turn thirty) Rated 1 percent when it Aired (actually less than 1 percent).
And they actually were writing the show with literally the same plot as this series.
But if you remember “things will be okay when you turn thirty” was a sleeper hit.
And I feel the same for Be Melodramatic as well.
It has a fan base which dearly loves it.
This one’s a Gem.
Yes that added parallel came late in the show, when they already knew the real show was getting low ratings. So many fun touches like that.
Glad you enjoyed this, merij1, and I had a very similar take on the show. In reading reviews here or elsewhere, some folks were annoyed by the personality of the just-barely-FL, who was a little self-centered maybe*, and a few other characters, but I always appreciate it when we have characters who are like real people, flaws and all. (And it’s not uncommon for creative types to have a little ego going on….) It took me a while to catch on the entire extent of the meta going on (not clever, am I) but I thought it was a nice ambitious move and agree that it worked more than it didn’t. This is one reason I think the show would merit a re-watch some day. I really liked the image of the three female co-stars at the end of the show, with their dog-eared scripts. And, as you enjoyed the sisterhood aspects of the show, you might consider Age of Youth (or Hello My Twenties), which had a similar slice of life vibe to it and focused on five female roommates. (There is a restaurant from AoY that also appeared in BM and I would so like to believe it was an homage, but probably not.) AoY has two seasons, both good (which we know is a rarity).
Thanks for sharing and take care.
*Of course, if it had been a male, he’d have been a rugged individualist giving it all for his art (which come to think of it, is exactly how I saw that character).
You just never know what others will like or dislike. I thought both of the oddball romantic leads were adorable. The amused/bemused look on the FL’s face as a near stranger is rude to her, how her parents trash-talk her to her BF and she enjoys that too, etc. Then her abrupt moments of wisdom.
However, little in life compares to witnessing life tease out a tentative smile from the otherwise deadpan-sad Eun Jung. I loved the actress’ portrayal of that character.
I just did a re-run,a few days back.
And I seriously think this one deserves to be in the cult classic section. (And I don’t even have a bias for women centric shows at all)
Eun Jungs smile seriously was like a rare natural phonomena (like the blue moon)
And every time it did happen, it was beautiful.(especially in the scene after leaking the directors funny picture)
Ugh!What a great character!
Actually who wasn’t a great character in this beautiful piece of a show? Yup, I can’t think of one either.
merij1,
Other dramas directed by women are The Crowned Clown and the currently airing Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol.
A very good drama in which the main character is a drama writer is Because This Is My First Life. However, the story is not so much about the drama industry, but rather a fresh variation of the contract marriage trope.
If you are interested in another female centered drama, try Search:WWW.
Thanks for the tips! Our 26-year old child person is watching Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, so I’ll ask them what they think of it. They always get the doremi letters wrong when describing the show, so I sing Twinkle Twinkle to them in solfege to explain why it’s those letters. And they roll their eyes in response.
Kids these days…
Snow Flower, we finally did watch Search:WWW and totally loved it.
So glad you ended up enjoying this show, MeriJ! It really is uniquely refreshing and quirky! 🤩 I had no idea going in, that I would enjoy it as much as I did! ❤️
Yes, I thought the PPL angle was very interesting, because while other shows have touched on drama production, I think this is the first one to actually explore what it’s like for the PPL manager. I felt so bad for her when she was stuck trying to pander to PDs and actors, trying to get the PPL thing done, that I now have more empathy when a shows serves up its PPL. 😅
I didn’t realize this was written by a man! Thanks for sharing that tidbit, MeriJ! It really does have the sort of touch I would automatically associate with a female writer. I guess that’s a lesson in not falling for gender stereotypes! 😅
This is one of the most detailed and comprehensive reviews I have ever read, and I love how you go into the things that stood out ij each episode.
I didn’t know how it would be, watching the first episode, but a few minutes in, seeing the four friends sitting on their sofa, talking about the show, casually drop philosophical lines, instantly warm me up. the atmosphere reminds me of my uni time, when I was surrounded with friends and we gathered exactly like this, to be the suppotive system, and the safe place to lean in. The Show, like you mentioned, has many hilarious yet poignant moments.
I especially like the main OST, it fits perfectly well with the entire show and it gives me this cozy feeling of simplicity, of tenderness, of love of simple things.
It is a surprise that I almost never skipping while watching this show, as every character and their stories are so real and genuine, I feel like reading my favourite slice of life manga, and I just want to cherish this happy show a little bit longer.
Thanks for your review and please keep up the good work!
Hi there Tess, thanks for enjoying this review! 😀 Yes, Be Melodramatic is quite special; I thoroughly enjoyed my watch, and I agree that it gives a cozy feeling of simplicity. <3 So glad you enjoyed the show, even though you didn't quite know what to expect, going in! 😀
Great review as always
Just finished episode 12 and this show is in my top 2 shows off all time (one being ‘my mister’)
The show deadpan humor made me laugh and made literally say out loud, “it’s unfairly funny”in an empty room.
I was intrigued and came drawn to this show because of the director who made this also made 2 of my personal favourite movies (“twenty” and “extreme job”) and the humor is exactly my cup of tea.
And I’m sure those movie probably aren’t technically perfect or anything but both the movies and this show tells us from the beginning that you don’t have to be perfect to make a great and heartwarming movie or a show.
I’m honestly sad that I’m near the ending and the show will end.
It rings so true that you don’t click the next episode button cuz you’re curious about “what happened next!?”,
You click ‘next’ because you care to find out what’s happening with the characters instead.
Just like Jinjoo’s drama is supposed to be.
I admit I do love my over the top and dramatic kdramas also but this takes a special place in my heart.
And thanks to you I came to know about this show in the first place.
Hi Prashil, I’m so glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying Be Melodramatic! 😀 Thank you for allowing me to persuade you to give it a try! <3 And yes, this show is so quirky and funny, and it manages to feel fresh, at the same time. I was definitely sad too, to get to the end. I guess this is why we rewatch dramas – so that we don't actually have to say goodbye! 😉😅
This one is surprisingly good. I really don’t get it at first just stick to it because I got curious on how they will resolve Eun Jung predicament. But as the shows go on I started to like it overall. Maybe beacuse it is yeah easy going and relateable.
What I love most is episode 8 and 9. It hit me hard unexpectedly on the later part of episode 8 when Eun Jung watch the footages that she shoot that day and found out that she is hallucinating (seeing and talking to her dead boyfriend). The moment when she breaks down and cry. And when she reach out to her friend on episodes 9, I just feel it deep down on my heart. When she said that she is sad and pointed out that she is talking to them. That scene when they, one by one come to her and hug her, ahhh soooo relieving! Just so happy for Eun Jung that she have friends like that, silently looking after her and patiently waiting for that moment for her to open up.
kinda blindsided to see who is Han Joo’s dating I though she and Jae hoon have something. Hmmmm although I am happy with each other’s development, I am a bit of sad that they are about to move on with their lives and start to live separately. But again that is the reality of life, they cannot live together forever and I know deep down inside that they are now ready to do that, especially Eun Jung.
Aw, I’m glad you enjoyed this one, Xi! 😀 It took me a little while to get into this one too, it’s so quirky and different that it can take a bit of getting used to. Once I got used to it, I couldn’t get enough of it! 😁😍
I agree, Eun Jung’s arc is heartwrenchingly raw, and the scenes that you described got me right in the heart as well. I’m wistful that they move on to live separately, but I’m comforted that they will always be close to one another, in the way that they live their lives. <3
Hey KFG, you’ve done it again. Thank you for the lovely recommendation!I totally agree that the writing felt so fresh, thoughtful and really moving and I loved the drama within a drama. (A writer writing about a writer who’s writing about another writer) Despite the ending being open ended,the ending was quite satisfying in terms of the main cast.I loved the friendships and the sense of family. I was so emotionally invested in the characters and I was rooting for everyone to do well.Even without any lovelines( *swoon* though),I still would’ve been hooked.Is it just me or was ha yoon not really held accountable for her actions(in as much as the relationship was toxic and it takes two to tango,it seemed like things were mostly bad on her end or maybe I misinterpreted it?), sure we get to see her side of things I guess? What annoyed me was that they never really talked or ironed out things,I didn’t see anything that could’ve explained why he wanted to seek her out considering how he talked about being unhappy in the relationship although we do see ha yoon looking more mature(is that the correct way to phrase it?) which could show emotional growth. Also we didn’t really get that much pda(I’m not even asking for a full on make out session,just a peck,lmao or holding hands)from hyo bong and moon soo which I can totally understand bc ik that there are a lot of conservative views regarding homosexuality and that might have lowered the viewership.Overall though I really enjoyed it. Also the ost is really great,definitely gonna be playing it continuously for the next few days. Again,thank you!
Gah. Looks like I missed this comment of yours, liability! I’m sorry! 😝😝
I’m really happy that you ended up loving this one, thanks for trusting me on this recommendation! <3 Yes, I agree they were rather vague on Ha Yoon's character, but I rationalized that she was kind of peripheral, so they painted this relationship with broader strokes. And yes, I do think that the treatment of the gay relationship was purposefully restrained, so as not to ruffle any sensitive audience feathers. I did like the matter-of-fact way the relationship was treated though, and I thought that made up for a lot. 🙂
Hey kfangurl!
I’ve been in a bit of a drama rut lately, and was considering this show. I have absolute faith in your drama-analysis abilities, so I was hoping you could give me a recommendation on whether this seems to suit my taste or not:
1) Reply 1988, Page Turner, Hospital Playlist – I loved them to bits and pieces.
2) Reply 1994 – really enjoyed, despite dropping Reply 1997 every single time I convince myself to try it again.
3) Some other stand-outs: A Love so Beautiful, Our Times, Father is Strange, What Happens to My Family, SKY Castle, Age of Youth
4) Because This is My First Life – I did NOT like this as much as I expected. I’m actually worried about Be Melodramatic being similar to this based on the synopsis. But I did enjoy Age of Youth, which you used as a comparison in this review.
I’m beginning to suspect I enjoy realistic but light (I couldn’t get into Misaeng despite trying very hard) slice of life with large ensemble casts that are not romance-centric. I would appreciate it so much if you could let me know whether you think Be Melodramatic – or any other shows that come to mind – my cup of tea. <3
I'm super excited for more of your reviews – because that means, for me, more shows to pay attention to!
Hi there my2dheart, sorry to hear about your drama rut, that’s always a bummer. :/ I do think Be Melodramatic is more like Age of Youth than Because This Is My First Life, so if you enjoyed Age Of Youth, there’s a good chance you’d enjoy Be Melodramatic too.
Also, since you do like Reply 1988 and Hospital Playlist, have you tried Prison Playbook? I really enjoyed that one, and it’s got the same warm community feels that R88 gives, but slightly different coz of the different story and setting. This one has less romance than Be Melodramatic, so if you’re not in the mood for romance, Prison Playbook might be a better pick for you right now.. I did take an episode or two to get into it, but others have reported liking it immediately. 🙂
Thanks for the recommendations! I checked out the first episode of Be Melodramatic and really like it so far. I have actually watched Prison Playbook and did enjoy it, though not as much as PD Shin and Writer Lee’s other works.
I also watched just watched Chief Kim and really enjoyed it. I thought I’d put it on your radar if you haven’t checked it out before! It doesn’t have the most exciting premise but the quirky characters and consistent pacing really bring it to life. I know you mentioned somewhere before that you never got onboard the Nam Goong Min train but he was absolutely amazing in this show; I ended up checking out all his variety appearances because of how much I loved him in Chief Kim. I posted some of my thoughts on it, but it’d be nice to hear your thoughts if you ever decide to check it out!
Hi my2dheart, glad to hear that Be Melodramatic is working out for you so far! 😀 And thanks for the recommendation on Chief Kim. Lots of people love that show and I’m starting to have some curiosity around it. I recently loved Nam Goong Min in Stove League, so I might be ready to watch another of his shows. But, it’ll have to wait as I’m currently drowning in current dramas – well, not so current, since I’m way behind! 😆
I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of Be Melodramatic as much as I did! <3
I am not completely through with this drama but I agree with your review so far – it is a good drama 🙂
I was very sceptical in the beginning just because the word melo triggers me :DDDD
Sometimes I was a little frustrated with the show because they tangled up 2 words: blunt und rude – trying to make some characters blunt was actually just them being rude.
BUT the one scene that nearly made me punch my laptop was the scene in the school (epiosde 4): Little boy breaks up with a girl and she beats him. The teacher was like “she hit him, because he broke up with her”… making it look like it is fine to hit somebody after they broke up with you….
Instead of trying to help him getting out of a toxic “relationship” they pointed fingers at him…
And the only thing his mom has to say is “You can’t fight?”. Why does he have to? Because he is a guy? I am a guy and I have never fought because I like to solve things with my brain (that is how i evaded all fights). Does that make me weak? pffft….
Girl knows hapkido and used it… that is why I always say a person who knows how to fight will use it more often than a person who doesn’t…. (I could rant a whole day about fighting sports in general :DDD)
Why do guys always have to accept everything that is done to them by girls?
That scene really made me want to drop that drama….
Otherwise great review 🙂
That’s a good point, Larius.. unfortunately gender stereotypes are still relatively strong in dramaland, for now. I do think things are improving, but it’s a slow process, so we need to be patient. I’d say that Be Melodramatic actually is one of the more refreshing shows in Dramaland, because it often flips expectations and challenges stereotypes. But even then, it’s not perfect. I’m glad that you’re still able to enjoy the show despite it hitting a raw nerve. I hope you’ll enjoy it all the way to the end! 🙂
I noticed that process too. Problem is it is very slow and has a lot of big setbacks… especially newer dramas (last 5 years) tend to have these setbacks for example Strong Girl Bong-soon, Cinderella and the Four Knights or dr. romantic 2
There are more and more dramas that pop up in which guys get treated like dogs or worse…
Anyways I will keep watching this one because the characters are just too intriguing and fun 🙂
Well, true and lasting change takes time, so I’m satisfied that at least we’re seeing steps in the right direction. 🙂 Oh btw, if you haven’t seen it yet, I did feel that One Spring Night was refreshing in showcasing healthy relationship dynamics between the OTP. The characters are flawed, and we do see some problematic behavior here and there, but I thought the main relationship dynamics were nicely handled, and I also liked that the female lead was determined to protect the male lead (ie, the opposite of what we’re talking about, where male characters get badly treated). It’s a slower watch, but I liked it very well. I wonder whether you’ll find it worth a try. 🙂
Enjoy the rest of Be Melodramatic, it really is such a quirky, refreshing watch! <3
Can’t watch… only available on netflix and I don’t have that ^^
btw just a thing usually guys hate it when a girl tries to protect them. including me 😀
I did and it was great 🙂
Ooh, thanks for that insight, Larius! It hadn’t really occurred to me that guys don’t like it when a girl tries to protect them. I learned something important today, thank you! <3
PS: YAY that you enjoyed your watch of Be Melodramatic! 😀
Haha I love the way you reply to things it always seems so sarcastic ^^
HAHAHAHA!!! Noooo~! I am seldom sarcastic, Larius, I swears! I don’t know why you think I’m being sarcastic! 😂😂
I don’t know – I can Just kind of feel the sarcastic tone in your writing 🙂
Especially this part: “It hadn’t really occurred to me that guys don’t like it when a girl tries to protect them. I learned something important today, thank you!” feels like it was written by a sarcasm specialist 😀
I usually prefer plot-heavy dramas, but this one was a refreshingly different watch. I enjoyed following all these imperfect yet endearing characters through their daily lives. I liked the entertainment industry backdrop, because I have been curious about how a kdrama is conceived and produced.
I thought that Eun Jung and Director Kim deserved a drama of their own.
I’m so glad you liked this one, Snow Flower! 😀 It really is refreshingly different! 😍 I would SO watch an offshoot just focusing on the connection between Eun Jung and Director Kim.. That would make a great follow-up, I think. 😀 Now, if only they’d actually make it!
If you’re up for another drama that provides commentary and insight to the drama-making industry, I do recommend King of Dramas. It’s not perfect, but it really does shed light on the industry, and in a way that feels both tongue-in-cheek and rather sharply sarcastic, at the same time. 🙂
I am happy that there was a happy ending for everyone! The shampoo song will be stuck in my head for a long time.
Yes, that shampoo song! My word, I had no idea a silly, somewhat nonsensical song would become so endearing! 🥰
I finished this last night, and this has become one of my fave kdrama. I’ve laughed so hard in some of the episodes, and I’ve cried in some.
It was difficult for me to let go of this. Thanks for your thoughts on the ending, I finally have the closure I was looking for. 🙂
I’m giving my beloved characters a send-off with this line from Casablanca quoted by Director Kim – “here’s looking at you, kid.” <3
It’s quite something, isn’t it, how this show can make you laugh one minute, and cry the next? It’s definitely a special snowflake of a drama, and I won’t be forgetting these characters anytime soon. <3 I'm so glad to know that the review helped give you some closure on the ending.. I needed that closure for myself too, it was hard to say goodbye. :')
Your blog is a gem too. I’m so glad I found it. Your detailed reviews and insightful thoughts is like a compass that directs us to explanations for questions left unanswered, and closures to open-endings. Thank you. <3
Aw, that is very kind of you to say, Jen – thank you! 🥰😘 I’m glad the reviews have been helpful! <3
Just wanted to drop a comment here about the Something In The Rain parody. Literally had me bursting. They nailed everything, even using the exact soundtrack and exact same shots – and that iconic red umbrella LOL. But anyway, thanks for recommending this show to me! Had so much fun laughing my head off (which is REALLY rare for me when I’m alone). Now to move on to another drama addiction
Tee hee! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed Be Melodramatic, Simeon! 😀 And yes, that parody of Something in the Rain was quite perfect. I laughed coz it was funny. But I also winced because Something in the Rain was a show that gave me strong negative feelings by the time I reached the end. 😅 Twas a lovely, refreshing watch overall, and I’m so happy that you managed to make time for this one! <3
Oh yes! I read your review on Something in the Rain and promptly dropped the drama after 🤣 I was losing interest anyway. But omg now I can’t stop thinking about Be Melodramatic and recommending it to everyone I meet 🤣🤣🤣
Ahahaha!! Well, thank you for trusting me on Something in the Rain! There are lots of people who love it though.. but since you were losing interest, I’m going to hazard a guess that even if you’d hung on till the end, that you wouldn’t have been one of them! 😅 Also, YAY that you’re spreading the love for Be Melodramatic!! It’s so quirky and different and manages to be refreshing AND heartfelt, such a unique combination of things! I’m so glad you love it! 😀
I think I was getting uneasy with how the female character is being treated as if she were 18 when she’s like in her 30s? And not just cuz of her mom but by the show itself. HAHA
Yes! Be Melodramatic is such good writing and so so authentic. I love that they don’t take themselves too seriously and just presents itself in a very matter-of-fact way. I hope more shows like this will pop up in Kdramaland
YES. I found it very strange that our female lead was in her 30s, but behaved like a teenager, and not in a good way. 🤦🏻♀ I don’t know what the writers were thinking. One Spring Night managed it all MUCH better, so if you’re in the mood to give the PD and writer another chance, I do think One Spring Night is worth a look. 😉
Oh yes, I’d love to see more dramas like Be Melodramatic, where the writers don’t look to formula, but dare to write their own stories and be creative with it. Here’s hoping!
Always love reading your reviews 🙂 I always try to refer to your reviews before starting a drama. This drama, in particular, I had a hard time just understanding the dialogue in the beginning. The script was quirky and at times, I was even thinking if everyone was on the same page of the conversation XD but somehow after ep 6, something finally clicked and I really started to enjoy everything about it. I also agree with you that having ahn jae hong as beum Soo was a great choice. I would have never have expected him to be one of the male leads after having watched so many dramas, but it was really refreshing and a lot more charming than I expected. So, I’m glad I trusted ur review and finished it 🙂
Aw, I’m so pleased to know that you made your drama choice based on this review – and ended up happy with your decision! 😀 Thanks for allowing me to persuade you to give this drama a try, auddy! <3 Yes, this one can take a while to click, but when it does, it's just so good, isn't it? 😍 And I agree, Ahn Jae Hong is such an unusual, yet perfect choice, to be our male lead. 😀
The computer is not my generation’s technology. I cannot find a different way to post to this blog for “general information”. I have just finished a Canadian series [still a Krama] about a first & second generation family. It is a slice of life about this family and I did enjoy it. Are you able to review this for us please>> https://www.facebook.com/kimsconvenience/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OtE0x4GCUc
Hi there lionel, thanks for the thought. I have watched a few seasons of Kim’s Convenience, and found it an entertaining watch. However, I don’t plan to review it on this site, since it’s more of a Canadian series than a Korean one. I hope that’s ok! 🙂
Just scrolling by as I haven’t yet finished this. I’ll come back to read once I have. Btw, I just dropped Extraordinary You in favor of Melodramatic. ☺
Ooh! I’m still trying to decide whether I want to keep going, with Extraordinary You. 🤔 I’m not having as good of a time as at first, for sure.. but I do have some curiosity about how it all works out, so I’m still hanging in there, for now. 😅 In your case, though, I do think Melodramatic is a step up. Hope you enjoy your watch as much as I have! 😊
I’ll might just read the recaps and perhaps watch the last 2 epis at some point, or not. We’ll see. I’m pretty sure Melodramatic wins in all aspects. 🙂
I have absolutely no regrets following your cue and dropping Extraordinary You as well. 😆 I hope you’re enjoying Melodramatic, in the meantime! 😀
This sounds like a drama I need to check out–thanks for the review! Does the little brother who’s gay get much screen time? Or is it just a one-time appearance?
Glad you’re going to give this one a chance, Kit! 🙂 The brother is a relatively minor character, so while he does appear regularly, he doesn’t enjoy as much focus or screen time as our key characters. If you’re interested in a positive portrayal of a gay couple in kdrama, you might want to check out family drama Life is Beautiful. A warm, beautiful watch, and the gay couple was treated with narrative sensitivity. 🙂
Hi Fangurl – I just logged to do some work and I saw this review. Needless to say, my work is officially on hold until I post this…
While I was not enamored of this drama, there was plenty of goodness in every episode to keep me occupied right up to the end.
For me, the very best part of this drama was the story of Lee Eun Jung. I agree with all of your bullet points above. I found myself blubbering by the end of episode 1. Here is a character I can relate to. To lose the love of your life is devastating and life altering. Very well written and well acted.
I also can elate to Han Joo as a single Mom and how hard that is. The writer did a good job – especially when she was placed in positions where she was torn between her feelings as a Mom and her dedication to her work. This is such a difficult situation to be in and show represented it well. Nothing produces panic more than getting ready to walk into a very important late meeting and having to make a choice between the meeting or picking up your child from daycare.
It was smart to have well intertwined stories with each story tackling issues a lot of its viewers (men and women) can relate to. I also loved the way the brother was depicted in a matter of fact way and in a long term stable relationship – yes – it was simply refreshing. Shout out to Hyo Bong who was a life saver whenever he helped with child care.
I was less enamored of the ‘story within the story’ and while it was very clever, I found myself less interested in this aspect of the drama. Not that it was not good but that I had so much more interest in Lee Eun Jung and Han Joo.
Side note – I loved your comment under ‘Han Ji Eun as Hwang Han Joo’ on Episode 6! You also used my favorite curse word – asshat! I spit out my coffee laughing so hard when reading this as I used to use this exact same word under my breath when dealing with a similar work situation in the past. Well done Fangurl!
…and back to work! Thanks as always for this very well written and comprehensive post!
Hi there phl! Wow, thanks for putting work on hold to pop on over – that makes me feel super important and special, I tell ya! <3
That's pretty great to know, that even though this show didn't capture your heart as much as it did mine, that it still managed to resonate with you pretty deeply on several fronts. I truly think this is one of Show's strengths; it's just so relatable and the characters feel so real, as they encounter and deal with situations and emotions that also feel extremely real. Really well done. And yes, Hyo Bong was such a lifesaver, always willing to step in to take care of In Gook. <3
Tee hee! I'm so tickled to know that we're on such a similar page with Han Joo's situation with the asshats around her! Hi5! 😆And thanks as always, for being such a positive presence here on the blog. 😘