SKY Castle (2018)

WOW, I can totally understand how SKY Castle became such a phenomenon. It was gripping, dark, funny, and thought-provoking. It had beautiful visuals, powerhouse actors, and a message to say to society. It was intense and gripping — I was always one or two steps behind the actual story.

How did the writers manage to make me hate all these characters and then root for them at the end? To some extent, I really wanted to see them wreck themselves. I was certain 11th hour redemption would have fallen short, but here we are.

The one thing I felt wasn't fleshed out well enough was Seo Jin's motive, according to Coach Kim. Coach Kim's actions could be explained if it were true that Seo Jin really was the monster pushing Ye Suh to focus on academics. However, it is proven time and time again that Seo Jin didn't think SNU was worth working with Coach Kim. But Yeh Suh was the one who refused, because she herself was so driven to succeed. I think it's fair to believe that some kids really are intrinsically motivated, or otherwise have goals for themselves. I believe that Seo Jin was consistent in her motives: to do what was best for her child, and help Ye Suh achieve her own goals. You could argue that Ye Suh was a product of her upbringing, but at the same time... sometimes, kids really do focus too much on the structure of the system and their perceived notions of "success" all on their own.

I wasn't too happy with the fate of all these kids at the end either. I'm not convinced this was the strongest message to send, nor the most realistic. I think Woojoo tipped the scales here. I can see how his upbringing and his inflection point caused him to make the decision he did, but it doesn't add up considering how self-motivated he had been to that point.

This review isn't totally cohesive. Overall: the story was great, minus a couple plot points. It was a bit too long — I think episodes 17 and 18 could've practically been cut out altogether, and the drama would've been better for it. But all of these actors and actresses truly KILLED IT, and it was a pleasure to see them embody such unique characters. I will always expect "We All Lie" to show up during any suspenseful moment (it was practically the only song in the whole OST!). "Hero" by Family of the Year was the other notable song to me, and it was the perfect soundtrack to wrap up this story. SKY Castle was crazy and intense, so I don't think I'll rewatch it any time soon. This also made it incredibly difficult to binge watch. But at the end of the day, it was entertaining, different, and a spectacle to watch. What a roller coaster.

PS: I will forever ship Suh Joon and Ye Suh. Ki Joon, take the hint!

Leia Mais

Ambition and Entitlement are a helluva drug!

This was my third time trying to watch SKY Castle. Twice before I dropped it during the first episode. I just don't find dramas about blind ambition and shallow social circles that interesting without a compelling story, so I didn't understand the high ratings. After finally giving this drama a real chance, and making it to the end of episode 1, I realized that this story builds pretty slowly, and getting to know the families and their dynamics becomes important in caring about what happens later on. If you were raised in an environment where getting amazing grades in school was prioritized over everything else then this drama and its message may resonate with you more. I would almost call this a lite melodrama, because of its comedic and silly scenes, but It's the mystery part of the story that actually kept me watching. If you weren't raised with that pressure (like me), the attention put on grades and college may seem super exaggerated and hard to take seriously, but it was the dynamic between parents and their kids that affected me the most in SKY Castle. It's taken to the extreme for sure but was easy to empathize with. The cast is also great, even if the majority of the characters often aren't likable. Some characters are ridiculously over the top too, but it all works with the satirical style of the drama.

This is very much an ensemble drama too. Most of the story focuses on Yeom Jung Ah as fierce "Tiger mom" Seo Jin, but each main family in SKY Castle has its own interrelated stories and some really great performances. However, the standout for me is Kim Seo Hyung. I wish I could go more into why without spoilers but I'd rather you learn by watching. The mystery of her character is the glue that holds all the pieces together and she made a strong impression on me while doing it. Also, don't let these slightly campy characters fool you, there are some super emotional moments that I didn't expect that lead to real tears quite a few times.

Would I watch this again? Probably not, but not because it's a bad drama. Not knowing what to expect is what kept me intrigued and there were a lot of unexpected twists from the first episode, despite its slower pace at times, and I just don't think I would have that same excitement watching it again and knowing what to expect. It's also a pretty sad drama, even with its more comedic and catty moments, so it's not a "fun" rewatch either. I do think knowing the characters better would make the earlier episodes seem less boring, especially the first celebratory dinner scene, but I couldn't rewatch it all. I can maybe see fans of any of the actors wanting to watch this again, or people who relate more to the high achiever plot and find this cathartic rewatching. I would be much more interested in a sequel instead, although I can't imagine where the story would go from here. I felt this drama did a good job of bringing closure to all the characters even with the provocative ending.

Overall, I see why this drama was so popular. It really is well-written and never gets too melodramatic to make a real emotional impact. It's more than a look into the secret lives of the rich and entitled, which is what I expected (and why I kept dropping it), and is more about examining and challenging the pressures put on young people to succeed. I'm sure watching it from a Korean point of view is different from my American perspective, but once I was drawn into that high-pressure world of SKY Castle, I empathized more than I ever thought I could. If you're bored by the beginning like I was, just know that the pace picks up, and the story gets addictive. The world of SKY Castle is realistically unreal. I don't think it's perfect, nor would I add it to my favorites list, but like one of the major themes in this drama, it doesn't need to have perfect grades to be appreciated.

Leia Mais

Strong Moving Drama

This drama was a social commentary on the dangers of pressuring your kids educationally. And it did a damn good job! I was absolutely invested and even enjoyed the somewhat melodramatic nature of storytelling. I enjoyed the comedic moments too, those were mostly well timed. I think the best part was the performances of the acting cast, especially the kids. The emotional weight their acting was able to pass across the screen to me made me choked up multiple times. The OSTs were mostly good too; though I am not much of a fan of a few placed within the eps, the ending one always goes well with the episode endings and leave you anticipating the next. My only complaints are the way the drama ended and consequently, some plot holes- or should I say conveniences- that were left behind. I understand what they were going for, however their choice of having a more peppy end felt a bit unnatural and left more wanting in my case, so that's why I give this an 8.5/10. However, looking at the entire run, I am glad to have watched such a well-acted and moving drama that brings awareness to what many children may be suffering.

Leia Mais

VERY THOUGHT-PROVOKING DRAMA WITH AMAZING ACTORS

What an outstanding drama. Unique plot. Beautiful script. Amazing characters. I was addicted from start to finish. I had to drop the other one I was watching just to see how this played out and I was not disappointed at all. While most dramas about rich families just focus on their pampered lives, this one takes you down a path where you learn that behind all the prominence is pressure. Pressure to succeed and pressure to have children to succeed after you. The parents in sky castle will do anything to solidify the future of their children, but at what cost?

The main characters were multi-dimensional, thoughtfully written, and the actors executed their roles perfectly. There were quite a few scenes that got me emotional, and the well-written script enhanced the performance of everyone involved. The young actors and actresses in the cast gave great performances (especially Chani. He's an idol but he was very good at emotion), but the veteran cast stole the show. The housewives were undoubtedly the foundation of sky castle and their husbands were handfuls to match. My favorite family was Ye Seo's family. Fave character was Soo-Im. Her family was the only one I never got frustrated at and genuinely rooted for.

Overall I give this drama a 10/10. Even if you weren't a kid who grew up in a suffocating household like the sky castle children, there was still a lot to take away from this. I think the main themes are that what society dictates as success doesn't always bring happiness to those who achieve it and that one's happiness and self-identity should always be put above other people's expectations. There are other interesting themes and dark undertones. I agree that episode 16 was dragged out but it was only so you could see everybody get a happy ending but it's definitely skippable. I also think the ending was realistic because there will always be people in the world who crave money, status, and accomplishments to satisfy their greed. But it is never too late to realize one's errors and make amends for past mistakes and heal what is broken.

Leia Mais

Just incredibly amazing

This
drama is just awesome. It is very well
written, all of the actors did a perfect job.

The cinematography is just perfect. The
direction is perfect too. The OST gives me
goosbumps and is always played at the
perfect timing. Every character is very
well-written and the drama has full of
twists and turns.

It a serious drama with serious topics but
the fact that it still makes you laugh out
loud at times is just fabulous. Its like the
drama is so perfect that it controls your
emotions. It’s a full roller coaster of
emotions and the fact the villain in this
drama isn’t shown as the “ most evil”
person is so much amzing. Like in other
dramas when they show that villain is the
worst person.

This drama showed us the perspectic of
the villain too and her reasons as why she
does the stuff she doing now. All the
characters have their own flaws. Mostly
dramas try to show that the main leads
are down-to-earth and are just perfect
but this drama did the exact opposite. It
showed how the main characters were
flawed a lot.

Also the drama gives a very strong
message to not only the Korean society
but to the whole world that why should
you pressurize your students so much to
study. Its just an awesome drama and I
just don’t have words to explain my love
for it.

Leia Mais

It’s VERY Good

Although I was intrigued just by reading the synopsis of the drama, I still went into this not knowing what to actually expect. Before watching, I read a few reviews and comments and saw how a good bit of people actually didn’t like it bc they felt it was highly over exaggerated and unbelievable but trust me, it’s not. Parenting like that of this show actually happens in parts of the world and once those viewers understand that, they’ll realize that this drama isn’t as fictitious as they want to believe it is.

Anyway, on the the actual drama: First of all, the actresses/actors deserve awards bc I’ve seen so many shows/dramas/etc. in my 22 years of living but never have I seen such amazing on screen chemistry and talent. The only other drama I can say even comes close is Just Between Lovers.

The story and plot are both intriguing with many twists and surprises to keep the viewers hooked. And don’t even get my started on the ending omg. I swear, there NEEDS to be a season two but I’d be okay if there isn’t.

Please everyone, just go watch this. Some parts may make you want to reach through the screen and strangle a few ppl, but you’ll keep coming back for more. I guarantee it.

Leia Mais

I wish I could explain it in words how much I love this drama. I have watched almost 75 Asian Dramas and recently when I watched this, it became my No.1. I never knew a Korean Drama can be this good. This drama deserves to be nominated for Emmy Awards (most famous awards for American Series).

The acting was Oscar worthy by almost all the actors and that makes watching this drama even more exciting.

I am so emotional right now. This drama has a place in my heart that no other drama has. I resonate with this drama so much.

I hope I get to see something more brilliant like this in future.

At first I thought it was overrated. But I am now sure after watching it that it deserves more love. As it's a Masterpiece

Leia Mais

Made me intouch with my emotions

When I finished watching this show I’ve never thought that I could feel what I felt when I finished this show. I’ve watched many dramas but I have never been so in touch of my emotions after watching SKY Castle. When something happy happened I felt happy, when something was funny I laughed and when something was sad I cried my eyes out. No other show has made me think these feelings.

When I finished, I couldn’t just help just reflect on society and just realised how much in my life I’ve taken for granted. It sounds sad but after seeing what happened to Kim Hye-Na I’m just so grateful that I have parents who look after me and love me.

There were characters in which truthfully pissed me off but at the same time I couldn’t hate them because they were doing their actions out of greed or love, in the end they all were eaten away by guilt and eventually mellowed out and because decent human beings and lived their lives without lying to themselves. The OST “We All Lie” holds so much meaning to me after finishing SKY Castle because it showed me what lies can do to a person and how it can eat someone inside.

I highly recommend this show for your own enjoyment and also you could learn a life lesson while watching this show like I have and I’m most definitely going to live my life to the fullest and try to change myself.

Leia Mais

때로는 때로는 긴장하고, 때로는 슬프고, 때로는 슬프고, 때로는 좋지 않을 수도 있습니다. 그냥 농담이고 각 에피소드를 지켜 보는 것입니다.
참고로,이 드라마에서 그것은 정말로 약간의 로맨스입니다. 그것은 드라마가 풍성한 사랑 테마의 대부분을 키우지 않기 때문입니다. 그러나 그것은 지루하지 않습니다. 이 드라마의 가족은 완벽한 패키지이기 때문입니다. 자녀들을위한 부모님의 사랑은 우리로 하여금 그 순간 어머니를 포용하기를 정말로 원하게했습니다.
그래서이 드라마가 좋은지 아닌지, 또는 지켜지지 않을만한 가치가있는 사람들, 또는 이미 사랑에 빠져있는 사람들 - 사랑 이야기에 호기심을 가진 사람들에게는이 드라마가 추천됩니다!

Leia Mais

The story overall is good, I relate to the story because I have lived similar incidents.. But the ending was too sweet for me as if another writer did it, if Hiye na didn’t die the ending will match the story but with her death which passed by as nothing & meaningless I didn’t like it. In the end the solution for the writer was not to study which didn’t fix anything but ignores the whole problem & present to us how spoiled the kids are because their parents will spend on them so they can do what they like. On the other hand, Seo Jin which was the main problem & villain for me, gets everything, the man, the happy ending, her mother in law liked her, her daughter changed which also gets everything in the end without a time to process the change or repent their sins.

as for the acting it was good though sometimes they either overreacted or was impassive & has no emotions.. but Kim seo Hyoung did a marvelous job as her role & acting skills was amazing.. which was the best amongst all.

Overall it was a good drama with lots of incidents but the twist in the end ruined the dark theme of it.

Leia Mais