Every week I waited in front of my laptop, hoping the next episode to air a little earlier. Because I was in love with the story, the characters, the cast, the songs - oh the songs! - the cinematography and every thing that makes this drama so unique. So this will not be a fare review but something to do until my heart can cope with its farewell.
Lets start with the story.
Its amazing. It's a TvN drama, so I expected nothing less from the beginning. And the writer is Jin Soo Wan, author of 'Kill me heal me' thought I haven't tried that, but I have heard nothing but good things. I am going to watch that very soon - once I am over this one, off course.
When i first read the synopsis I thought it was cool. I like the idea of a drama about a writer and his fan and ghost writer. The whole supernatural thing didn't even came to my mind. Because I thought it will play a small part, or nothing - I was wrong.
I gave it a try. From the moment it started I knew it was going to be good. Because from the very first scene you are on the edge of your sit, mouth wide open and - if you were anything like me - in love.
The story is not only well written but thought out too. There are two stories happening in this drama. One in 1930 and the other in the 2017 which is our main line. And you want to know about both. Because everything that is happening with them - the character- now is part of what happen in 1930. That story that was never finished is tied with everything that is happening with them in the present. And so the tied with string of fate the story starts.
Everything the characters said, does, the little items - even the smallest of it - was for a reason. And I love this type of thought out stories. It makes me connect more. It makes me fall in love with it more.
The mystery in this drama is something that will wrap you around it. You can't get away. It's a true mystery because until the very end you don't know what happens or how. And that's how they holds you in front of your screen.
Its a writers/ readers drama. For people who likes to read, people who likes to write and people who just loves a good story. This drama is for them. Because there is references about many big writers and their works. 'Mystery' by Stephen King is one of them.
The romance and comedy will make your heart ache. And by the end of the first episode you won't be able to do anything but wait for the next.
It's very very well written and characters are well developed. And the whole production team did a hell of a job behind the camera to make it as great as possible.
The cinematography is beautiful. Specially Han Se Ju's house. Books are every where. I wanted to live there!
The cast was fabulous.
Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung and Go Kyung Pyo were perfect for the characters. They not only acted but they brought out the little thing that made those characters more...real. Because they felt real to me and I felt their pain.
Yoo Ah In is as good as his hair style in this drama. I think I have a crush on his 1930 laid back writer self. Who loved to party with his friends. And then the present version where he is even more cuter.
I want to thank that person who came up with his hair styles. Because of him/her we have the hottest hairstyle of 2017 in front of us. Thank You!
Im Soo Jung plays Jeon Seol, the fan who gets her wish to come true. She is the obsessive fangirl that we all are in the inside. And to see her dream come to true - as a fan - made me root for her. Its one fan to another. Her 1930 character is what made me drawn to her even more.
And then we have Go Kyung Pyo. Everything I say about him or his character will be considered less. His acting was phenomenal. Its the little things that he did made me love him even more. And those adorable moments with him and the dog. CUTE.
And applause for Kwak Shi Yang. Because he fooled us all. That is a hard thing to do, with that face.
The songs...oh the songs.
Every single song in this drama is beautiful. They are not only songs but stories told in the lyrics that makes your heart hurt. And every scene is perfected with that well timed OST playing in the background. They bring out the emotions that are shown in screen. You can't get over the songs.
In the end if i had to describe this show in one word, it will be unique. Different, beautiful and unique.
At first sight you might not fall in love like I did. But I will tell you to give this a try. I promise you that its a not a time wasted. Because the next thing you will know, its top in your favorite list. Like mine. So watch it!
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The 1930s storyline overshadowed the mediocre present narrative
Was it worth enduring 14 episodes? I'm not sure. The middle was so bad. This is a time travel drama that went on for much longer than necessary. If it shaved off maybe 8 episodes, it would have been much better. They took a really good plotline, the 1930s narrative and weave elements of it into the present. That's where it failed. I was more invested in the past storyline than the present.In terms of rewatch value, I wouldn't be able to do it. I found the first two or three episodes strong and consistent, but then the female lead stops being the badass shooter she is, just so she can became a damsal in distress, which makes no logical or narrative sense at all. She should be carrying guns in her pocket like she does in the beginning.
This starts off as your typical romcom with a famous writer who experiences writer's slump. He receives an old typewriter from the 1930s in Chicago and from there meets two people, a fangirl and a guy who becomes his ghostwriter. They both end up starting a novel about freedom fighters who fought for independence from Japan in the 1930s. When all three meet, they remember their past lives as freedom fighters. It's a romance, fantasy, and historical drama. If you love strong narratives that's rooted in history and stories about friendships that transcend time, then I highly recommend this. I wasn't really hooked on the story until the final two episodes. That really sealed it for me, hence why the highly rated reviews. It really had the best ending, which is rare in kdramas and tv in general. Not even Sky Castle had a good finale. I was about to drop it around episode 10. I wish I had skipped all the way to episodes 15 and 16 instead of enduring the terrible present subplot. It was that bad.
I had no interest from the melodrama of Han Se Joo's adopted family. It was honestly hard to relate to the characters midpoint.
There was the concrete narrative of our gang's lives from the 1930's, but too much was spent meandering in the present.Tonally it was pretty all over the place. It tried to be serious, then jumped to being funny.
It should have been 8-10 episodes shorter. Pacing was horrendous until the final two episodes. That's where the praise is coming from.
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Story
As you can see, Chicago typewriter is a dual era drama. And it delivers. It goes back and forth between present day and the Japanese invaded korea. The subtle writing, going beyond your usual kdrama cliches and at the same time gives you this strong, beautifully tragic story. A drama that stays true to its plot and doesn't ruin it with overused "plot twists" and "romance cliches" we've all had enough of. Chicago typewriter is really a feast if you're a sucker for good plots.
Acting/Cast
How would you feel if you carried the weight of your past life with you? Met your friends after 80 years? What would you do to get answers long gone in the past? Watch as the cast of Chicago typewriter bring those emotions to life for us. Honestly i didn't expect much from the main cast since it was my first time watching them, except Im Soo Jung. But i gotta say, i underestimated them. From the comedy scenes to the stressful plot twists, the romantic dokey dokey moments to the heart wrenching tragic scenes. The acting made me go "someone give them an oscar pls" everytime.
Music
Good music is something that stays with you. And every OST of Chicago typewriter is definitely here to stay a long time. The music itself will bring you to tears and honestly that's all i can say right now.
Overall
This is a drama i would absolutely recommend. Get your tissues and heart ready beforehand though. All 16 episodes do justice to the drama. Every episode leaves you wanting more. The ending was actually beautifully written, which i'm glad about since alot of dramas ruin the whole thing with rushed endings or nonsense ideas. Chicago typewriter leaves you with feelings of sadness but at the same time mesmerized. It definitely does well portraying both the past and the present. A dual era tale of love and friendship overcoming the very concept of space and time.
10/10
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this drama had it all; the romance, comedy, friendship, bromance, sad moments, happy moments, and mistery. Everything was served in the most beautiful way. No less and no more than it should be, but everything was always on point, especially the way they slowly reveal the secret episode by episode. It was so well written. Also the cinematography, it was very good just like Goblin or Tomorrow With You.
All the characters are also amazing especially the main characters. Han Se Ju had the best character development tho, but Yoo Jin Oh was my favorite.
Don't ask about the acting, they were the best. Yoo Ah In's and Im Soo Jung's acting never failed to satisfy us. And for Go Kyung Pyo, I think he had his best performance in this drama. Especially in the 15th episode when he cried, it was so painful. The trio acting and chemistry stole my heart. And also the one who played as Baek Tae Min, he was also amazing. I hate Baek Tae Min character, but at some moment I pitied him too.
For the music, it was perfectly fit with all of the scenes in the drama. I love all of the soundtracks. Satellite and Be My Light were my favorites.
Overall this drama was amazing and brilliant. I enjoyed this drama so much. When I was watching this, it felt like I was on a journey. I can watch this drama over and over again and I will still be enjoying it.
DAMN, I LOVE THIS DRAMA SO MUCH!
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Yoo Ah In leads the cast as Han Se Joo, an arrogant, eccentric, and celebrated young writer, and he nails it. He's unrecognizable from who I saw in "Sungkyunkwan Scandal", but that just shows how much hair can make a difference in appearance... but more about hair later. Im Soo Jung plays obsessed Jeon Seol, who is another unique character in her own right. It took a while before I realized who she was, because I don't watch as many Korean movies, so I basically missed her whole career since "A Tale of Two Sisters" (one of my favorite movies), and "I'm Sorry, I Love You". It's nice to see her mature version, and I'm so glad to see her return to dramas for this one. The main trio is then completed by Go Kyung Pyo, who I don't really want to say too much about, so I will just say he continues to never disappoint. The chemistry between these 3 will stay with me for a long time. For romance fans, yes there is romantic chemistry, but it's their friendship that drives the show, and got me in the feels.
The supporting cast is also excellent. Many of the supporting characters help to lighten moments, or serve as comic relief, which they did well. Quite a few of the supporting cast members, like the main trio, also have to essentially play 2 characters, one in the past and one in present. I loved how well the cast played the roles in the past, and how they were similar to the present but distinctly different, making the past scenes as interesting as if I were watching a completely different show without it ever feeling disconnected. I also loved that all of the characters had some depth, even if it isn't always as obvious at first. The only characters I had any issue with, and the only reason I didn't give the cast a perfect 10, is because of Tae Min and his mom. I was underwhelmed by the mom as such a bitter villainess yet forgettable character. She wasn't necessarily bad, I just didn't find her very interesting. I also thought Kwak Shi Yang started to over act a little towards the end of the drama, which started to feel a little comical. He was excellent in his complicated dual roles, for the most part, but in some of the final moments his acting really bothered me.
A lot of what made this drama so haunting to me is it's connection to the past, which is set specifically during the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1930's. There's a nostalgic feel, as well as a definite patriotic feeling, but without it being too sentimental or corny. It pays homage to the artists and revolutionaries of that time, and you don't have to have any historical knowledge to be touched by it. Also don't be worried that the scenes in the past will be too heady or heavy. Many of my favorite romantic, comedic, and action driven moments happened in the past. The past and present scenes work seamlessly together, and don't feel as forced as it can sometimes feel in other dramas.
You will notice that I don't really have anything really bad to say about this drama, so my criticism will be pretty petty, but I guess worth mentioning (at least for my own amusement). Like wanting to know who was the horrible barber in charge of Yoo Ah In's terrible uneven hair cut. The present day cut was awkward and just kept getting worse with each episode, but meanwhile his past hair was sexy as hell. See? Petty! lol. I also had a problem with Im Soo Jung trying to play so much younger than she is. Don't get me wrong, she looks great, but there's no way she looks younger than the two male leads, and her mom looked like she could be her noona. Petty? Perhaps, but I cant be the only person who thought that, right? lol.
Ok, back to the writing, which I can't praise enough. I just loved how well thought out it all was. It's also the kind of story that with a second viewing would reveal even more connected moments, so of course my rewatch score is a 10. If you start watching and don't get what's happening and why, just trust that it will all be explained, and that some of the most random moments are actually happening for a reason. I was admittedly confused, but instantly hooked, from beginning to end. The ending is also one of the most beautiful ones I've seen in a drama, and made me appreciate the whole story even more. It's also a serious tearjerker, making me cry for a full hour, without being completely sad, but definitely feeling emotional. Even the preview of the last episode made me tear up. That's the power of good storytelling. I'm sure one can find flaws if they wanted to, but there is really too much done right to focus on any of that. The episodes are also very long, but always felt like they went by quickly to me, which is dangerous when binge watching! You could lose a whole day with no problem.
The soundtrack is also perfect. I immediately wanted to listen to it after watching the last episode. The song "Writing our stories" in particular stands out, and will probably make me tear up every time I hear it.
Overall this drama often feels more like a film than a typical drama, and hits the bullseye on so many of the things that make us fall in love with dramas in the first place without losing it's originality, no matter what genre you prefer. I would definitely recommend it highly, especially for those who rarely leave their drama-genre comfort zones. This one has a little something for everyone. Do you love characters falling in love in spite of themselves? Check. Rom-com chemistry? Check. Or do you prefer Bromance? Check. Do you love rivalries and revenge? Check. Do you love mystery thrillers? Supernatural tales that blur reality? Emotional melodramas? LOL moments? Historical references that make you curious about the events and people that inspire them? Butt-kicking Action? Girls who defy the damsel in distress routine? Crime stories? Or just good story telling from start to finish? Well, "Chicago Typewriter" has checks straight down the list!
I'm so glad that people's posts about this show made me curious enough to check it out for myself. It's only fitting that I shout out the writer Jin Soo Wan, who wrote "Kill me, Heal me", a drama that I also rated a 10. I will definitely look forward to anything she writes in the future. If there was ever a drama that made me appreciate writers, down to the hilarious "Misery" references, the hilarious naming of Go Kyung Pyo's character "Yoo Jin Oh", or even the perfect title choice, it's definitely this one! And if you've ever thought about writing this will either inspire you to do just that, or scare you away from the profession completely!
Ok, enough praise! I guess I'm still on a high from watching this! Who knows, I may even start rewatching it again immediately. Yes, it's really is that good.
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Messy and unsatisfying
This show had an interesting premise with people trying to figure out who they are and how they are connected over lifetimes. The real-life historical incidents could have given it some interesting and valuable dramatic aspects as well as relational intersections between the characters.However, the show just didn't deliver. The beginning was littered with silly, over the top misunderstandings that lead all the characters to dislike each other. Furthermore, the characters are one dimensional and flat. They never share enough with us through dialogue or action, about who they are, what they think, and the challenges they face. Then suddenly, all the characters start to care about each other but we're not sure why. At this point the baddies start doing bad things, but we never really figure out the depth of why either. And then finally, there are a bunch of melodramatic scenes as they sacrifice for each other, in sort of a love triangle version of Romeo & Juliet.
The relationships between the characters never solidified. The historical story could have been so much richer, depicting the danger and risks they were taking and the suffering they were living. And then in the present day, we could have seen the characters overcome their personal challenges and grow their relationships and support each other.
Instead, there is not much for us to care about because there is so little depth. It was a waste of time.
And finally, the most memorable thing I have to comment on in this drama is that Yoo Ah In's super short haircut in the present day was completely the wrong style for him. His longer style in the historical scenes was spot on.
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+ the ost, it was beautiful
+ the bromance/friendship
+ the past outfits and past Yoo Ah In's hair
+ Yoo Jin O
+ the past story before the end
what I hated;
- the romance.. it was creepy how she was a "fan" and she'd always made excuses for him when he yelled at her ;/
- the not real love triangle and their fights
- Han Se Joo. he was loud, rude, selfish, he'd always yell, and sure some of it was really directed at Yoo Jin O but he never learned from it ;/
- Jeon Seol... she fainted in the 1st eps, she always cried. she was too obsessed with Han Se Joo that she was ok with how he treated her, and she cried when she thought he'd leave her.
- they randomly added that driver as conflict and JS was always the damsel in distress
- the future story was worthless they should've focused on the past
- Ma Bang Jin was another annoying character
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Chicago Typewriter is one of the best dramas I came across and I didn't regret a second of it.
Starting from the unique plot of the show, I mean who wouldn't love new ideas delivered in the perfect way? a drama about books, writers, country defenders and strong friendship bond? and Not to speak of that bromance, its just GOLD!!
The cast choice is just amazing and I don't only speak about the chemistry between the leads but every single cast that participated made this drama quite complete.
Aside from the plot and the actors, the cinematography, direction, sequence of events, and that OST all gather up to deliver a great show to the audience grabbing their attention along the way making this drama in my opinion a memorable one.
I would recommend this drama to anyone without a second thought that's how much i loved it and it left an impression on me.
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Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung, and Go Kyung Po were all amazing in their dual roles, both past and present. I was captivated by them instantly and was sad to let them go as the credits faded away. You know the writers have crafted something great when you are reluctant to see the end. Yoo Ah In and Im Soo Jung had a sizzling chemistry together and enacted one of the best kissing scenes I've seen to date. (Toe curling would be an apt description!) Go Kyung Po was the master of the puppy eyed looks that twisted my heart in sadness for him. They all three wrung tears from me during the course of the show. The love, the comraderie, the longing, their happiness and sadness - I truly felt them all. The acting from everyone was impeccable. I'd also like to mention that Kwak Shi Yang, as the antagonist, did an especially good job as well. He was very convincing in his role and was able to somehow portray both innocence and evil in turn.
The OST was amazing. If you've read many of my reviews, you will notice that the music is often something peripheral to me. There have been rare exceptions, and this is absolutely one of them. The song Satellite, by Saltnpaper, is stunning and they used it so effectively in several scenes. In fact, all of the music almost seemed to be written specifically for these characters and this story. There have been many theme songs that were only moving to me during the story and not on their own, but Satellite is a great song even separate from the drama. (I've noticed that Saltnpaper is the performer of many drama songs that have caught my attention.) The music director did an outstanding job choosing effective mood-setting music.
Rewatch? That is a given. This story stole my heart and feels like a favorite book now that I want to go back and revisit from time to time.
You should absolutely give this show a chance and you will almost certainly fall in love with the characters and the story as I have. :)
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“No matter which era you live in, life is an agony. There’s no such thing as perfect world”. Indeed life is inevitably a trajectory of agony. So “seize the day!!!” – Carpe Diem. That’s what these hot-blooded youth of ‘30s have done. During the period of convulsion under Japanese colonialism, forgetting everything they jumped into the lion’s den without thinking twice. Revolution is only possible by the youth. This drama is indirectly a wonderful tribute to the martyrs in general. I could feel the selfless strive of these rebellious young people through the depiction of their gallantness. It helped me honour our own national martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives to gift us an independent nation, free of oppression, subjugation and despondency. Chicago Typewriter ignited my ignorant heart to have some realization for those, who gave us this worry free future, for those, we’re breathing free air under this open sky since the country I belong to was under another country’s rule just 45 years ago. I’m utterly grateful towards those brave hearted freedom fighters.These whole 16 episodes did not seem like any drama. It was like an epic elegy which I finished reading with complete satisfaction. I was in a daze for the entire time. The background score and correct blend of beautiful OSTs along with the story gave me a feel of reading an ode. An ode can be classified into three segments: strophe, antistrophe and epode. If CT can be divided into these three segments: strophe (1-5 episodes) produced an excellent feeling; antistrophe (6-11 episodes) produced a neutral feeling and lastly epode (12-16 episodes) produced the most resonant experiences.
The story is nothing new. I remember once Daesung (a member of BigBang band) said in an interview that there’s nothing new under the sky in this era of globalization. We remake it, reproduce it or at best represent in a completely different way with our creativity. Each and every word this singer said is applicable for this exceptional drama. Although story is nothing new but the representation is entirely new. Both 1930 and 2017 scenarios are well construed for the viewers. Having the discernible feature, no confusion is created with the plot.
For instance, if we taste a piece of red velvet cheese cake it might happen that initially the delicate taste doesn’t hit immediately but once swallowed the heavenly taste lingers for long. So, my point is the whole story has an enigmatic texture leaving a palpable aura which may haunt for a longer period of time.
Many attributes of this drama is top-notch, especially acting by the trio ensemble: Yoon Ah In, Im Soo Jung and Go Kyung Po. Their portrayal of every emotion is mesmerizing, especially YAI, this man never seizes to amaze me. Day by day he keeps getting better and better. As a leader he was charismatic and as a modern day writer he was smart, dashing, talented and elegant. ISJ, this lady what can I say ‘bout her? Words fall short to describe her mighty acting skill. Thanks to the writer team who again wrote a valiant woman character. I think no one could live up to the expectation of Jeon Seol character like ISJ did. And GKP, I’m shocked, literally shocked by his power packed performances. He seemed like a cute, lost, adorable and innocent ghost like Casper and at the same time he managed to pull the passionate hot-blooded young rebel, an elegant chaebol of 30s and also a compassionate comrade. Again salute to the casting director who selected these young actors for such roles meticulously. I laughed and cried with the trio’s struggles, happiness and sadness. Kwak Shi Yang did a tremendous job as well as a villain. I pitied his modern antagonist character but had zero tolerance for his character portrayal as “chinilpa” (Korean for traitor). I abominate any traitors in general.
About the technicalities of the drama, cinematography was similar to Goblin which means its extremely wonderful giving a feel of watching cinema. Ambience was on point, based on the necessity of the scene and stories proper lighting and filter has been used. Direction is commendable otherwise CT wouldn't be loved by so many. None of the scenes seemed out of place or just appeared out of nowhere, all of them were well connected. So editing was also good.
On another note, I think CT has also brought out a message on increasing our interests in reading books also. Because of too many distractions in our daily lives, many people are destroying their habit of reading books. So it can be a small showcase to raise our enthusiasm towards reading real pages rather than reading mere virtual pages.
Among the many good points of this drama, I loved the warm friendship, dauntless comradeship and beguiling romanticism among the trio. The relief comedy displayed through the bromance of YAI and GKP is another most amazing thing.
In conclusion, it is an utter satisfaction that their past tragedy did not continue to follow them in the modern time. A small surprising revelation at the end episode was also quite interesting.
I want to keep on writing but it may create disruption as I might give you spoilers unknowingly. So go and watch it without any single doubt. You may not love it like us but you may not regret watching it.
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Chicago Typewriter is a love story, but it is also a beautiful story about friendship. Often, its themes on friendship are much more provocative and moving than its love story. Its discussion on loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption is so beautiful and poetic. The drama collects a strange ensemble as its cast: the snob of a writer, his number one fan turned anti-fan and a mysterious ghostwriter. These three leads have such interesting character arcs.
Intertwined with the main present day timeline is a parallel story about an Independence Fighter Group during the Japanese Occupation in the 1930s. This story is just as intriguing if not more than the main arc. The 1930's story adds depth and a poetic tone throughout Chicago Typewriter. Through the drama, the characters in the 1930s showed amazing strength and restraint which was often palpable. In contrast, sometimes the modern day story was not always able to deliver on the character depth to the same extent. Again and again, the 1930s storyline kept me hungry for more.
Chicago Typewriter is certainly one of the best dramas this year. In all honesty, what are you waiting for?! You should start this drama now!! No time to lose!
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I could totally relate to other viewers and reviewers of this drama. It has that nostalgic feeling into it. The story about past life is presented beautifully and the characters are really well written. The cinematography is one of a kind, one of the best so far. Other dramas would really have to step up since this become a standard. It really is at the high level, and it can't be compared. It is a whole new genre of historical. It will always stay in the hearts of those who have watched this. Beautiful. Worth it.
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