O Som da Magia (2022)

Magical at times, disillusioning at times….

Initial thoughts; I came across this drama through an exchanged list with a few friends. Have always loved Ji Chang Wook but I must admit that I wasn’t entirely engaged as some of his recent works have been a bit meh. Though I was willing to give it a go after seeing a promotional video.

Tone of the show; ‘Sound Of Magic’ is very much what I’d say is a “ non offensive” show. It was sweet in parts, lightly melodramatic and angsty in others with a few cheery ( and sad) musical songs out of nowhere. Honestly I’m not saying that it didn’t go into issues and I thought that it was pretty brave of the narrative to go into some hard issues like inequality and hinting at exploitation. But it was very rarely pushed to the boundaries. Not saying that this a bad thing at all as the show was what it was. Lighthearted and occasionally dipping into some darker themes but never to the point of making viewers squirm or delivering shock. For those expecting a dark fantasy series like Hotel del Luna then you might be a bit disappointed especially as themes were rarely driven forwards.

Characters/ Acting ; I think as a lot of people in reviews have pointed out, Chang Wook’s character, the magician, was a bit disappointing. Honestly pleasantly surprised to see CW delivering an outstanding performance but his character sort of felt as though he had missing parts. I can’t say that I’m basing my judgement on the webcomic as I’ve never read it but even as a newcomer to the world of The Sound Of Magic, I have to say that the magician felt a bit lacking in charm and mystery. His character twist felt a bit sudden if I’m honest. Surprising but could’ve been built up or hinted at more.

The female lead was decent enough. The actress Choi Sung Eun wasn’t familiar for me apart from her performance in Beyond Evil but she was good. Her character felt a bit cliche if I’m honest. We’ve seen the poor girl trope so many times being branded and branded again that it can feel a bit lost amongst others. I did like the main female lead’s uncertainty and her genuine sincerity but I felt as though the narrative missed out on a lot of opportunities to explore her process of growing up too fast and coming to terms with reality as well as her mother not coming back.

The supporting lead was played by Hwang In Yeop. I’ve liked In Yeop like many since his performance in 18 Again and adored him in True Beauty. It was definitely weird seeing him play a “ good student” role aside from “bad boy” or “ delinquent bully”. Nevertheless his performance was fairly good and I definitely thought his onscreen pairing with Sung Eun was well done. His character felt a bit repressed at times. I liked the fact that the show presented the potential lover genuinely caring about the female lead and falling for her but there was a lot not talked about the supporting male lead nor understanding the female lead’s pain or struggles, or at least him coming to understand her circumstances more. His backstory was existent and even from a brief glimpse I feel as though we could understand a lot about him but could’ve been better.

There’s also the female lead’s bully who was necessary but definitely a cliche and superficial character. The ending felt a bit rushed more than anything and incomplete but the pacing was okay in my opinion just a little slow at times.

I liked the filming techniques and it did add a certain magic but there definitely could’ve been more in later episodes. The musical songs felt a bit bland. There were a few ones which were good but definitely not enough to get stuck in your head.

Overall; Decent series and fun but felt as though it could’ve been a bit more concise at times. Overall I liked it but I can say the trailer certainly made this one seem a bit edgier and provocative than it actually was in reality.

Leia Mais

A must-watch!

If only for the novelty of it in kdrama world, this is a must-watch series that I would recommend to any of my friends. At only 6 episodes long, it is a bite-sized series that kept me watching from start to finish, episode after episode. Although the story itself is not that remarkable, the message and execution is commendable and inspiring. For who doesn't know yet: The Sound of Magic has a lot of ... music. The story itself plays out when it needs to, and is supplemented by songs and dances à la La La Land. It is this musical-like feel of the series that makes the series stand-out. The series reminds us to go for what we truly want in life, without being constrained by the expectations of society, friends and family. But ultimately, the series made me feel a sense of wonder and hope.

For all of you who could use some joy and a reminder that everything will be alright: this is one for you!

Leia Mais

Musical like drama

It's my first time watching a K-drama that involves so many musical acts, i somehow felt like I was watching a Disney princess movie throughout this series.

This basically concentrates more on the female leads life journey, having to face harsh realities of life at an younger age, having no adults around to support her and if magic enters her life? BOOM!!! All miseries out of her life, Sounds fun right? Watching first half even I felt that the same. But NO! The second half concentrated more on the magician(ji Chang wook) and Na II deung's life's story. I some how felt a little similarity between the 2 male leads characterizations. The latter seemed younger version of former (Wound'nt go much deeper analysing it here ,may endup spoiling).

This drama did take me by surprise be it the musical acts (Damn! Focus on the lyrics ,seemed like they were talking to each other through music) or the vague ending . Because it is just 6 episodes and the actors are just amazing, I'll say it's watch worthy.

Started this just because of ji Chang wook but ended up falling for the female leads actings, Oh God!!! the look in her eyes explains her misery. Every actor in this drama truly portrayed their character's personality through acting which got me involved more into the story, absolutely loved the actors

Alert!! Zero romance and yeah the ending was quite confusing to me . Story kept jumping from one thing to the other.plot was quite plain with no wow factors involved

Personal opinion :P lol :- Do you believe in magic?
During our low times, if it is something that makes you believe in miracle even for a moment then, why not? -_<

Funny fact:- As ji chang wook is part of it I thought episodes will be released weekly and started off with the latest episode released and 50 minutes into it realised something was off .Turned out I was watching episode 6 throughout. AAAAHHHHH! Erase everything you saw and let's start afresh. EP-1 let's go!!! Was what I though to myself.
Yeah the first episode I watched was the last episode of this drama. SILLY ME!!!!!

Leia Mais

Let's be honest

Produced by SLL and Zium Content, "The Sound of Magic [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of 2010 webtoon titled Annara Sumanara (안나라수마나라) authored by Ha Il Kwon. Developed and distributed by Netflix Korea, it was written by Kim Min Jung and directed by Sung Yoon.

The story follows three characters: a magician Ri Eul (Ji Chang Wook), and two highschool classmates Yoon Ah Yi (Choi Sung Eun) & Na Il Deung (Hwang In Yeop) and narrates their story of being each other's support through magic and music.

Ri Eul is a mysterious man, living in an abandoned amusement park, who performs magic for those who believe it and always immersed in his own world. Ah Yi is a responsible girl who has gone from rich to rag, trying to finance her family of 2, and still manages to do well in studies. Na Il Deung is the topper of the class with inferiority complex and a victim of domestic stress in regards of doing the best in academia. While Ri Eul helps Ah Yi and Il Deung in uplifting their souls through magic, they find out that there is more to the story of Ri Eul.

There are, in fact, plenty of familiar faces in both supporting and guest roles but their characters didn't have any scope either.

I have mixed opinions about the plot development and I must say it's an overall average delivery from the entire cast & crew. I can no way cite it 'bad' per se but it wasn't any impressive either. The dark scenario filled with misery transcending into jolly yet illusionistic colourful premise brings out great joy. While some scenes exhibit firm foundations and felt necessary for establishing the narratives, most of the events felt rather dragged and even rushed. The pilot episode starting with a long musical definitely sparked many thoughts and emotions, and fueled the excitement for the show, that were already on the peak, provided all the waitings. The show continues to be likable to some extent, particularly, till somewhere around the interval of the same episode, but that's it! Sure, it was decent but not monumental and imposing.

Together, Kim Sung Yoon PDnim and Kim Min Jung jakkanim have delivered both highly acclaimed and rapidly popularised shows and this show in particular, definitely falls into the latter category, though it was an average drama provided it's quality and execution. I had heard highly of the manga when the news about it's adaption surfaced and now, also the disappointments about how the quality of the original work couldn't be retained. The script was honestly a let down, for me and for many others, even when I attemp to judge the perspectives as someone who hasn't read the webtoon. The direction could have saved the show to a great extent, but it's unfortunate that the famous duo weren't able to understand their own homework, which is common. However, this wasn't expected from the experienced makers. The editing and arrangement of scenes required a lot of finishing and redoing. Have to commend the cinematography and VFX works, anyways, because they deserve.

What I liked...

# The musicals are what I loved the most. Given that there are not many dramas that try to tell stories through music, it was a pleasure to see the drama adapting the concept. However, the very execution of the musicals were rather lacking. They didn't feel natural, rather forced, as if they have no relevance to the story or to the characters. The random incorporation of the scenes came to me as an annoying element.

# The visuals have been undoubtedly served and everyone must agree to it. JCW in te magician attires looked 10 years younger and the aura his look for the show radiated will definitely help you get through. I personally think they could have worked a lil more on Hwang In Yeop.

# The acting was good; JCW is already experienced, HIY is blooming and CSE has done well despite her debuting background. The delivery from the supporting cast is great though the skills weren't properly utilized due to the lackluster character sketch.

# The underlying msg was the most important thing about the drama, I feel, even so the time taken to emphasize that was disappointing. Through the years, school violence and academic stresss, have nevertheless, been important topics of Kdramas. So, this drama also counts as an important factor in initiating conversation, despite the poor portrayals.

What I didn't like...

# The fantasy is the part that irked me the most throughout. Sure, it's beautiful, alluring and aesthetically eye-pleasing, etc. but what's the merit of it when that is of no significance. The author, by the end, couldn't even conclude whether to cite the magic real or not. One might think that's upto individual interpretation, but things are too unclear and subtle for the audience to decipher.

# The character arcs aren't at all likable and the only attribute you fall for is their looks, while that doesn't suffice to prove a drama. The subtle and poor development for both Ah Yi and Il Deung could have been better drawn. The characters are forgettable with not a single awe-inspiring feature. I am the most disappointed about Hwang In Yeop's role, I wondered why he went for this script.

# The plot development is off. The 1st scene was very impressive but everything that followed later was dull, inconsistent and shoddy. I was relieved the finale felt a little better and was able to deliver some important messages. Despite using elements like poverty, inequality, parent negligence and school bullying, the superficial utilization ruins the show to some extents.

# The plotholes created in the initial episode and the increase in it's number further turns off the overall essence. It's important they're filled up simultaneously, if not the makers always have a chance in the finale; this show didn't grab any of them.

# The execution and direction becomes choppy as soon as in the pilot episode itself. The forced irrelevant musicals, the time flashbacks, the sound editing, everything seemed irresponsibly done.

# The ending sequence, even so better, was not able to make everything clear. The way they finished the show without answering a lot of questions including some key facts was absurd. Even with the underlying takeaway home message, it couldn't make a significant change.

Final Remarks... The magic scenes were fascinating, the musicals were enticing and some other things were motivating, but when you combine them all, the story didn't really make sense; it was like they weren't meant for each other. I believe the drama could have been a qualitative hit if it were made around the time the webtoon came or at least before 2015, but provided how far we have come in the race, it wasn't anything great. But I insist it's a fair and decent one time watch which you use as a casual and light watch, nothing more or nothing less.

Leia Mais

Annara Sumanara

Sound of Magic is a wonderfully woven drama combining fantasy and reality. Its a musical that gives a whole lot of Disney vibes. But the drama is unique and it stands out.

Musical Dramas are hard to come by or its rare. And surely this was one of the most anticipated dramas of 2022. The story is an adaptation of a popular webtoon and the director has done a wonderful job in giving justice to the webtoon.

The drama is just 6 episodes and there is no part which felt out of place. To those who loved watching musicals of Disney, the drama is just beautiful. A tale of redemption, acceptance, magic and the harsh reality. A tale of 3 people stuck in different phases of life waiting for acceptance and hope to move forward. Sometimes we all wish there was some magic that could help us through our hardships, its the element of magic that binds the storyline and all the arcs.

Secondly, i have to mention the cinematography. The frames were so beautiful and blended so well with the fantasy/magic vibe. The VFX is excellent and nothing stands out odd. The sets are well designed and the elements of fantasy is brought out on screen with so much detail.

The music blends really well with the storyline and the musicals between the plot doesnt feel out of place.

The casting for Sound of Magic is nicely done. Choi Song Eun, Ji chang wook and Hwang Inyeop have done a wonderful job in executing their characters. But Choi Song Eun and Ji chang wook have been spectacular. Their expressions and the musical performance have to be appreciated.

The drama ticks all the right boxes and is a very good and enjoyable binge. One could say it has set a high standard for musical fantasy dramas. A 9.5/10

Leia Mais

Simply awesome.

SHORT AND CRISP
message.....
The cast was good....
Acting was good...
Story was good....
No unnecessary romance...
Or unnecessary dragging...
Only one thing to learn.
Dream....
Believe...
Work towards your goal....
If you believe in your self and walk ??‍♂️??‍♂️in the path ?️ with belief ...
That,
"I can, and i will...
You will see "magic". Definitely.✨
I liked JCW for the role...he remainded me of "Charlie" of Charlie and the chocolate factory..
Both are different but both have a common theme.
Kids to be inquisitive and about having confidence in them.

Leia Mais

A nuanced exploration of the borderline between reality and fantasy.

My take on this production is that it is a nuanced exploration of the role that is played by imagination, fantasy, belief and hope (all aspects of the magic/escapism portrayed in the show) in creating a bearable reality for ourselves. The extent to which these things are credited is a reflection of the degree of desperation in the character, which in turn determines the degree of “reality” they invest in “magic” itself. The more desperate is the situation of the character, the greater the necessity to escape from their current life and the more credible “magic” is for them. One of the messages was that simple pleasures and snatched enjoyment is the real magic of life. The drama showcases the tyranny of too tight a hold on reality/normality and the tyranny of losing oneself to imagination and fantasy. It also plays with the blurred line that divides them through three primary characters. The value they place on “magic” is dependent on the perceived cost if it was removed. At various points, particularly in the song lyrics, the characters clearly state their attitudes towards “magic” what drives them to hold those beliefs.

For Yoon ah Yi, the FL (Choi Sung Eun), there is a necessity to reduce hope and expectation to a point where she can endure the burden of failure created by the crushing responsibilities of her life. She is so close to the edge of breakdown and despair that when something to inspire her to keep going presents itself, she grabs hold of it, however unbelievable. She needs to believe in something “magical” in order to make it worthwhile to continue living at all.

Na Il Deung, the young ML (Hwang In Yeop), has a plan for life which he is acting out, made by his affluent family and sanctioned by society. His reason for dreaming of magic is different. It is around self-determination and control. Initially his belief in “magic” is something to be kept in the cupboard and taken out in emergencies, it is a possible option. But as the personal cost in terms of his current reality becomes apparent so his desire for escape increases. Magic represents the attraction of the different, the path not travelled and a chance to be himself.

The role of the magician (Ji Chang Wook) straddles the border between reality and fantasy and the viewer is deliberately kept in the dark about who he is and what he is capable of. His hold on external reality is so tenuous that it is essential for him that others believe in his “magic”. This is how he can manage to survive. This beautifully underscores the role of hope in life. To dream the impossible, but close enough to possible that it might actually happen.

Finally there is the parrot who speaks what is, rather than what any character would like to believe or what they are trying to hide, and is perhaps the closest representation of an objective reality.

The drama showcases two typically Korean concerns. The loss of family with the result of having to face life and responsibilities on one’s own without support and to be ostracised from normal society. And at the other extreme, what is required by those in the higher echelons where the pressure of education and career demand rigid conformity which crushes all individuality. The setting highlights the dynamics of power and privilege and the inherent powerlessness of disadvantage. Exposing the hidden advantages that make a nonsense of the assumption that life is in any way fair, and the obscenity of the notion “if I can do it, anyone can do it.”

The cast did a fantastic job. A leaner looking Ji Chang Wook, which suited the part, came up trumps as the magician. I’ve always rated him as an actor and wanted to see him in more serious roles and this has fulfilled that wish. He is good. Also Choi Sung Eun brought a believable sensitivity to her part, which could easily have been overplayed and sentimental.

Rather than being a musical as such, I felt that the music was used to enhance the unreality/fantasy element of the production. I would like to have been more impressed by the soundtrack but it was fairly standard. Commonplace tempo, generic arrangements, gentle voices - normal bland. It was also less used as the show progressed and the glowing fantasy around magic deteriorated.

It was the choreography in the first couple of episodes that I expected more from. This is Korea after all, with arguably some of the best dancers in the world to choose from. Yet it was an opportunity missed. The choreography lacked any flair and could have been much more creatively used in the dream sequences and the musical interludes in general.

The ending was a little clumsy and did not match the mood or subtlety of the rest of the production. It felt tacked on and would perhaps have been better woven into the story earlier on.

Overall I really liked this production. I suspect that if I watched it again I would see totally different perspectives and take away a whole load of new thoughts. Any show that can do this is definitely quality.

What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.

Leia Mais

Be sure to watch

Let's start with the fact that the genre of musicals has never fascinated me. And so it was until I watched The Sound of Magic. This drama made me change my mind drastically. I don't know if other musicals are as artistically perfect as this one, but I want to watch The Sound of Magic over and over again.
I really liked the premise of the drama - to inspire faith in those who have lost hope and return the joy of life. I fully agree with the author that following your star and making a free choice to which your heart lies is the highest priority (at least for me) and this is the only way to be happy and give happiness to others if they so desire. For this reason, I recommend watching the drama.
Acting at the height of all - the main characters and minor I think coped with their roles very well. However, I would like to mention JCW's acting. Despite the fact that he is in my opinion the most talented Korean actor, he is very often criticized - very rarely deserved and often completely unfounded.
In this drama, his acting skills are simply incredible, this is again the level of Empress Ki. He did everything and he did even more than the storyline allowed him to, which to some extent tightened the frame, and I agree with those commentators who believe that his character needed to be revealed more widely.
I would like to say something special about OSTs - I really liked them. Maybe, as I wrote above, I'm not an expert in musicals, but I have an ear and I either like the song or not. In this drama I liked absolutely all the songs.
Overall score of 9.5 out of 10.

Leia Mais

How much cheese is too much?

Listen, I like cheese, okay. Literally and figuratively. I like it on my pasta and I like it in my TV-shows. The world is a cold, cruel and uncaring void. Every story that tells me that goodness and kindness and miracles and magic exist out there, is very much needed. I think a big part of the charm of K-dramas is, how unapologetically cheesy they tend to be.
That being said, there comes a certain point in life where you will have to ask yourself: How much cheese is too much?
I feel like I know my answer now.

Clearly The Sound Of Magic offers enough redeemable qualities, otherwise I would not have sat through the entirety of it. I think our magical lead has the charisma expected of the role. I think some of the choreographies were kind of fun, especially the opening scene of episode one. Sadly, we got very few numbers with the same energetic vibe but it was still appreciated. The acting across the board is solid, albeit a bit over the top at times. There were moments of neat cinematography and a few creative ideas. It was not all bad, definitely not.

I guess this is the one K-drama where I cannot ignore the music? I don’t particularly care for K-pop or Korean ballads, so maybe this was doomed to disappoint me. I don’t think any of the songs were bad but none of them stood out to me either. I guess I just needed something a bit more upbeat and energetic. The premise of this show is so stupid and fun, but it was just ballad after ballad. I guess I liked the opening song, and the song by Na Il-Deung dedicated to our protagonist in a field. Or at least these are the only ones I can actually remember because they did not sound as similar as the rest.

The plot is anything but subtle. People are either practical saints or cartoonishly evil. Our female lead had to suffer through so much injustice that it almost felt comical at points, it all just seemed to pile up. I guess this was just too much. All of it. Every single aspect of this show. When our protagonists were riding away on flying carousel horses I was about to give up. It felt like Walt Disney on crack.

Despite my harsh words, I think media like this has a purpose. If this story about a poor girl getting what she deserves was heart-warming to you, that's your right. There is nothing problematic or offensively bad about The Sound Of Magic, so if it brought you joy, by all means, indulge in it. But this simply was not my cup of tea.
Cheesiness is omnipresent in K-dramas but more often than not they also have this tongue-in-cheek self-awareness about it. That was completely missing for me here. The premise was too out there to be played this straight. It's almost impressive how this drama had an actual magician as a protagonist and still was not even a little bit of fun.

How much cheese is too much? This much. I know that now.

Leia Mais

The Sound Of Magic; Be Careful What You Wish For…

While we have seen a lot of music-orientated themes in Korean dramas and productions, it is less frequent to see the genre of musicals being tackled. Therefore, when news was released that the six-part Korean miniseries ‘ The Sound of Magic’ would be marketed a “ musical fantasy drama” based upon the fantasy webcomic "Annarasumanara” (안나라수마나라), there was certainly intrigue and hype around its upcoming release.

The series focuses upon main female lead Yoon Ah Yi ( Choi Sung Eun- ‘ Start Up’, ‘ Beyond Evil’). Despite being a top student in her school, Ah Yi has had it rough after her parents walked out on her.

Ah Yi secretly yearns that all of her problems will be solved by magic. However as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Ah Yi’s Life is turned upside down when she meets Lee Eul ( Ji Chang Wook- ‘ Healer’, ‘ K2’ and ‘ Backstreet Rookie’).

Lee Eul is practically perfect in every way. Helping to lift Ah Yi’s spirits up despite hard times, Lee Eul finds herself conflicted between fantasy and reality when she develops feelings for classmate and fellow hard-achiever Na Il Deung ( Hwang In Yeop- ‘ Freshman’, ‘18 Again’ and ‘ True Beauty’). However things become more complicated when Ah Yi discovers that Lee Eul is more than he seems.

Adapted to the small screen by Kim Min Jung ( ‘ Love In The Moonlight’, ‘ Imitation’), ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is able to attain what many would probably define as “ lighthearted melodrama and fantasy ”. While the screenplay would occasionally dip into certain issues such as poverty, inequality and bullying, these topics were rarely discussed or brought forward prominently, instead used background themes to propel certain events of the series.

Admittedly this isn’t always necessarily a bad approach per say in a series. It certainly allowed ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ to maintain an easygoing charm. On the other hand, it is fair to admit that while the premise of the series was certainly engaging and the storyline boasted an intriguing array of characters, the production wasn’t without its more noticeable loose ends either.

Choi Sung Eun is an upcoming actress in the South-Korean film and TV industry. While some viewers may have seen her before in productions such as ‘ Beyond Evil’, it is likely most will be unfamiliar with her name. Nevertheless despite a few awkward line deliverances at times, Sung Eun delivered a fairly decent performance at main female lead Yoon Ah Hi; a downcast and hardworking girl who finds herself encountering a mysterious magician.

As an onscreen character, Ah Yi is admittedly a mixed-bag of writing tropes and strengths. The “ hardworking” female lead is a cliche that has often been overdone in Korean productions and dramas. Admittedly it would be wrong to suggest that Ah Yi was an entirely “ bad character” per say.

Her genuine doting and sincerity for her sister, her disillusioned beliefs surrounding her mother and yearning to get her back, and certain levels of her personal struggles such as being bullied and financial struggles, did add a touch of relatability and engagement for the audience with Ah Yi’s character.

On the other hand despite the unlimited potential for Ah Yi to become a fully likeable character, it was hard to ignore that Ah Yi’s character-arc felt somewhat poorly put together at times, especially with regards to her ineffable muteness as well as delving further into her feelings towards her parents . ( To explain this further, it is important to acknowledge that being reserved and struggling with anxiety or trauma are certainly separate and complicated issues. However rather than connecting this succinctly with her own emotional struggles as well as in reality, Ah Yi’s personal problems could often feel shoehorned rather than explained in detail. In addition to this nuanced issues such as her living or financial situation not being noticed by others such as teachers or at least by social services seemed a little odd also.)

Then of course there’s the subject surrounding Ah Yi’s potential love interest and supporting male lead. Since his popular roles in ‘ True Beauty’ and ‘ 18 Again’, Hwang In Yeop had become a familiar face and name for viewers. However rather than playing his associated “ bad boy” roles, In Yeop took on his onscreen part as hardworking student Na II Deung, adding a fairly consistent performance to his onscreen role.

As a character, II Deung suffered a similar fate to the female lead when it came to screenwriting. The role as the “ potential love interest” for Ah Yi was surprisingly subverted at times when intriguing glimpses were provided into II Deung’s own personal life and struggles.

On the other hand while chemistry certainly was prominent between the leading actors and certainly easygoing , it was difficult at times to really see or allow this onscreen relationship to develop further outside of lighthearted banter or “ necessary plot moments”. Of course, later episodes certainly relished in exchanges between the two main characters but it was difficult to see this relationship having been developed particularly through evident common ground or growth.

However while Hwang In Yeop may certainly have attracted attention for certain viewers, it is likely most viewers will be intrigued by the starring role of Ji Chang Wook as the beguiling magician Lee Eul.

As an A-lister actor, Chang Wook has respectfully had his fair share of good and bad performances over the years. Nevertheless his performance as main lead Lee Eul was certainly decent enough, adding a surprising charm to his onscreen persona which admittedly could’ve been taken further by the writing .

To a certain extent, screenwriter Kim Min Jung captivated this well by Lee Eul offering an air of mystique for most of the series. Despite seemingly being introduced as a seeming “ heroic” figure for Ah Yi, it is soon proven that Lee Eul is certainly not a knight in shining armour as truths come to light.

On the other hand, it often felt as though while viewers did not entirely have to know the precise events of his backstory to work out his character-arc and role in the series, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ rarely brought forwards Lee Eul’s seemingly “ unpredictable” edge and mystery. It often felt as though this could’ve easily have been done by at least foreshadowing or helping to boast his onscreen presence through different mood lighting or cinematography.

Then of course aside from the main characters, there is also the topic surrounding supporting characters. The majority of the supporting characters were often placed as merely background characters for storylines or events ( such as Ah Yi’s parents, her younger sister and II Deung’s parents). Admittedly the supporting cast’s performances varied somewhat dependent on ability. However it is hard not to talk about side characters without at least acknowledging “ Ah Yi’s bully” Baek Ha Na. Unsurprisingly, Ha Na’s role as Ah Yi’s tormentor is rarely explained or justified aside from Ha Na being “ shallow and mean” and helping to intensify angst and drama during “ necessary moments”.

The execution of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is a fair mixture of slow-paced angst and quick-paced storyline. Although this was necessary at times for helping to establish characters and storyline events, it could often lead to parts of the miniseries feeling somewhat slow and dragging in parts and rarely fleshed out at certain points of the narrative. ( Therefore often leading to certain events of the narrative feeling overly predictable or convenient.) In particular, this was evident through the formula of musical compositions being given in episodes. Although they were often lighthearted or melodramatic,certain compositions could sometimes feel arbitrarily placed in the trajectory of the series.

In addition to the main storyline surrounding the female lead, there were a few noticeable side storylines such as Ah Yi’s internal monologues addressing her mother, the male lead’s hone life and his relationship with his parents as well as the mysterious disappearances of students at the school. Although they were certainly intriguing subplots, they were rarely fleshed out. Of course while it is hard to create an entirely flawless adaptation of a work or webcomic, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ could’ve flourished more by sticking to fewer storylines and developing them well.

The ending of the series will admittedly remain a subject of debate for a lot of viewers. While some viewers may enjoy an uplifting finale, others may feel let down by the sudden rush of plot events and failing to answer a lot of continuous questions and resolutions for the characters.

Naturally there is also the discussion surrounding the OST of the series. ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ was composed of a mixture of angst-ridden musical compositions and lighthearted pop tracks, ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ can be said to have an admittedly odd mix of genuinely memorable and generic songs. Tracks including “ 아저씨. 마술을 믿으세요? “(Annarasumanara), “회전목마” (Merry-Go-Round) and “잘자” Have A Good Night) remained particularly memorable.

Perhaps a certain virtue of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ came through the cinematography approached by director Kim Seong Yoon ( ‘Who Are You:School 2015’, ‘ Lovers In The Moonlight’ and ‘ Itaewon Class’). High quality and stunning in parts through a blurring between reality and illusion, Seong Yoon’s lighting and mood certainly helped to captivate a lot of the characters’ emotions and struggles. Admittedly it felt as though the series could’ve benefited by delving deeper into a phantasmagoria of dreamlike or magical sequences in later episodes.

Overall ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ offered viewers with slightly “ darker” lighthearted angst and melodrama wrapped into a guise of magic and fantasy. Although the series certainly boasted an intriguing array of characters and skimmed-over issues and topics, the narrative often felt like a patchwork of narrative events and pacing rather than succinct. ( Especially by the ending of the series.) Nevertheless Ah Yi and II Deung’s potential onscreen chemistry remained entertaining and certainly offered viewers with an indulging and certainly magical binge-watch.

Leia Mais

Do you believe in magic???✨

Anarra Sumanara!!...
Just now completed this one !! Yeah I binge watched it☺️!! It was short and beautiful drama ...i loved the way this plot has been portrayed with lots of powerful message like ...
“Flowers don’t bloom on smooth asphalt, but on bumpy dirt”....
Its really a mesmerizing drama filled with lots of colours , songs , above all magic?✨!!
I loved all the characters...and i wished this drama should have more episodes as i felt there were few questions which comes in mind as this drama ends ;! But still i would definitely recommend you all to never miss this drama it will really bring a spark in yours thoughts just like magic ✨?!!

-destiny?

Leia Mais