Doona! (2023)

Netflix "realism" predominates.

Netflix has a definite style of youthful romance which may not be to everyone’s taste. The characters (not necessarily the plot) are more realistic and less “wholesome” or formal than the one’s coming out of Korean television. More willing to mess with the standard norms and to be concerned with the realities of things like depression. Less afraid to explore the uncertainties of youth, which make it more afraid of the finality of rejection than living with the denial of feelings or unfulfilled desires.

The production style here is more akin to “Nevertheless”, although the storyline is totally different. It has a greater emphasis on showing more realistic reactions and character traits, such as smoking, swearing or anxiety attacks. The characters are often much less sure of themselves and can display behaviour that is obvious red flags, such as a dangerous tendency to want to be violent, or being caught up in abusive relationships. The actual impact that these situations have on an individual is more honestly portrayed. Often K-dramas gloss over the effects of trauma and create miraculous and timely recoveries so that the sense of a moral correctness, or fairytale happy-ever-after can be preserved. Whereas this story takes place amongst the uncertainties and messiness of life.

The director, Lee Jeong Hyo, has a string of hits in the last 5 years, including “Crash Landing on You” and “Romance is a Bonus Book”. Here he has adopted a less predictable style. He likes to observe the reactions on the actors faces and Bae Suzy is well worth looking at as she successfully conveys her inner emotions. Yang Se Jong is less convincing, but his character is lacking light and shade in the writing and it is very much a cypher and a foil for Doona. For me, the ML character is too young to be believable and as a result is played more mature. In general, his circumstances and themes were under-explored. At this length, the drama could easily have opted to focus only on the leads and gone deeper. There was plenty of material, particularly on Doona’s side to do so.

Instead, they chose to introduce secondary characters and subplots that did not hold up particularly well. There was an air of plot convenience about them with insufficient integration between their characters and the lead story. The script for these subplots, particularly between Lee Won Jun (Yang Se Jong) and his old flame, disappointingly often slipped into the banal and trite.

One annoying detail was that the continuity was bad. The weather and costumes were very mixed up. People wearing summer outfits in early spring and full tree foliage with snow. I’m prepared to overlook bright sunshine and rain, as that is often unavoidable due to a shooting schedule. But deciding on the season and dressing appropriately is something that should be unified.

There were some deliberate attempts at stylistic cinematography - especially towards the end. The breaking up the images into multiple rectangles (there’ll be a technical term for this, sorry not really my speciality). The use of a lot of close up reaction shots. It had a modern feel. Slightly smokey images, with the edge taken off by using less saturated colour, and moody lighting, nicely played into the slightly sombre tone of the piece. Greys, blues and browns predominate. The spare use of music carries emotional weight because it is unusual to have no background sounds.

Overall, for me, there was a lot to like about this production regarding the central characters and storyline, but the subplots and details let it down. It was an emotional 8, but a rational 7.5.

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Love vs. Lust

I'm somewhat of a newbie to the K-drama scene and this drama made join this platform to write a review.
First things first, the acting was superb. Despite how I feel about the characters and the plots, each actor committed to their roles and executed them quite well in my opinion. Now, as for the storyline itself...holes on holes on holes. Yes, we all know that relationships aren't perfect and people aren't perfect and relationships take work. Sure. But, WJ and Doona's relationship was giving toxicity - poor communication, neglect, feelings of unworthiness, co-dependency, jealousy, selfishness, and just levels of dysfunction. It's one thing to be young and in love, but these two had some personal issues that when combined just would did produce a healthy relationship. When they did spend time apart and supposedly grew, I didn't think they had anything left to stand on besides chemistry (basically lust) because they still barely knew each other. For what it's worth the chemistry between them made for some good TV, but when you really analyze the relationship for what it is, it just doesn't work. The other cast members were awesome and their side stories diversified the plot and kept the series interesting. There were some good comedic elements that made me lol. Overall, I did not regret watching it, but I also thought leaving the ending open was a bit of a cop out after taking the audience along on such a polarized ride.

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RESEÑA <3

Empecé a ver este drama porque me llamaba la atención, pensé que no me iba a defraudar, pero desde el principio, lo hizo. Terminé de verlo por que no me gusta dejar las cosas a medias, pero la verdad, me costó acabarlo.
Está bien para verlo en un día lluvioso de invierno si quieres entretenerte con algo, o no tengas nada exacto que quieras ver.
Algunos de los capítulos se me hicieron eternos aunque no son muy largos.
Quizá en algunas partes noté cosas forzadas, pero bueno, quizá eso solo sea sensación mía.
No es que me arrepienta de haberla visto, solo que me da pena que me haya defraudado tanto.
El OST es bonito, y los conjuntos que lleva Doona también.

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Sizzling Chemistry, Amazing Kisses, Beautiful Cinematography

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75

Netflix dropped all 9 episodes of “Doona!” and it became a Doona weekend for many, including myself. Maybe because I am in the mood for a melo-healing drama after so many comedies, I really enjoyed this. The initial setup and plot aren’t that unique, but the chemistry makes it worthwhile. Though this is not a perfect drama, it gives me the feels and touches me.

The chemistry between Suzy and Yang Se Jong is sizzling. I LOVE their kisses 😘 and yes, I said it out loud). It’s been a while since I last saw a couple (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Thai) who gave so much emotion into these kiss scenes. We have two actors who are not shy and really participate and give me all the feels. I am not just talking about sexy/sexual kisses, but the sense of uncertainty, the should-I-shouldn’t-I type of emotions, and the love they feel for each other. Aside from the kisses, their scenes together are lovely. I really enjoy how their relationship started from strangers, who don't care for each other, to loving each other so much that they beg for the other’s affection and attention.

It takes a man like Lee Won Joon, gentle, adorable and forgiving, to deal with a selfish, emotional and broken diva like Lee Doo Na. The two of them are an odd pair in a way, yet they complement each other so well. Both are flawed (even the adorable Won Joon) and make flawed decisions. But since this is not a romantic comedy, their questionable decisions make this drama even more intriguing.

The acting is pretty good all-around. It probably wasn’t too difficult for Suzy to play a pop idol. But her emotional scenes are done well. Yang Se Jong reminded me of his character in “Thirty But Seventeen” but in this drama, there are more heartbreaking moments. I mentioned earlier about the kisses and there are a few shots where Yang Se Jong/Won Joon behaved shyly and passionately which totally made me fall for his character. I also enjoyed Ha Young’s portrayal of Kim Jin Joo. Under other circumstances, I would root for her happiness with the male lead. I felt for her and wanted her to find someone special.

The cinematography is beautiful and the songs complement the scenes well. I am actually surprised at the lack of songs played during some romantic moments. Oftentimes you would hear loud music blasted on screen for any hint of a romance. But here, there’s a lot of silence in the scenes between Doo Na and Won Joon, and that adds to the emotional impact of their acting.

On another note, I really cannot stand Choi Yi Ra, Miss Brazil. She is so loud and annoying. I wanted to mute her whenever she comes on screen, and especially when she’s with her two friends. I also find her little side romance unnecessary. I would have liked the drama to focus more on Doo Na’s relationship with her manager. Oh, and Hello Lee Jin Woo, you are looking mighty fine in that suit, acting all arrogant and bossy. 😍 The few flashbacks we got of Doo Na and her manager were not enough to tell me why she was so obsessed with him. It has to be more than liking him and clinging on to him as if he’s her only family. I also would like more scenes of Doo Na and Sweet Dreams’ group members (before and after).

Moreover, I also felt that the anxiety and panic attacks that Doo Na was experiencing were swept under the rug. Aside from being abandoned in a house alone, there was no talk of therapy or help. Did she miraculously heal by being abandoned, sleeping and eating a lot? Did love heal her? It seems too easy for her to set foot on stage again.

As for the ending, I want to believe that it’s a happy ending. I want to believe that after the emotional reconciliation 4 years later (and I love that scene), they came to understand each other again. That the very last scene is a very discreet way for them to meet in Japan for business individually, and having secret dates after work.

I definitely recommend this drama if you are looking for a melo-healing romance with sizzling chemistry. Fans of Suzy and Yang Se Jong should not miss it as well.



Completed: 10/22/2023 - Review #369

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While Suzy's acting was great as always, unfortunately, this did not help her career. I don't want to say that the story was bad because I haven't read the original material this live-action adaptation was based from. I think the problem was the execution of the live-action adaptation. It was everywhere and nowhere.

They could have had focused more in building the main character instead of showing the other relationship of the other characters, then what Doo Na's going through would be more impactful instead of lacking. You know, it's there, the audience understands what she is going through, but there is no emotional attachment to it.

The show, “Castaway Diva”, with a similar celebrity whose career ended, actually have a better introduction and background build up. Both characters want to die. Both characters were pushed to their limits. Both characters made mistakes. But there is no emotional attachment with Doo Na and there is with the other character with a parallel story. It's one thing to “know” and it is totally another to “feel”.

Watching Doo Na was like having a discussion, from a logical and objective perspective, of a celebrity's life in a classroom. They should have chosen a real-life story and created a documentary, which would be perfect for this kind of execution or production.

I actually stopped watching at episode 06. It took a few weeks before I was able to force myself to watch the last three episodes, and that's coming from a big fan of Suzy.

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Patience is a must!

A story about two significantly different worlds colliding together and taking an attempt at combining them.

I was very excited to see this come out as I was waiting on it for over a month after seeing it be revealed. I was not let down in the slightest! This drama does indeed have its moments that made me want to pause it and walk away, but as I became more patient I slowly started to realize that was the point of most of it.

Doona is a character that comes from a long line of emotional troubles stemming from people she has encountered to even her own family. Being a K-Pop idol may seem like such a loving job but sometimes that may just be the view from surface level. Doona experienced lots of troubles from being lonely while still being surrounded by people. I think this is something a lot of people, including myself, resonate with in present day due to how disconnected a lot of people have become from society and normal human interaction that is fulfilling. That being said I think from what made me so annoyed at the beginning, started to make more sense as time went on.

Romance stories such as this one are hard to digest because it leaves you wondering what the character is even thinking to make a decision like they did. This story in particular leaves a lot to be questioned especially the ending. If you pay close attention however, you realize a lot more than what is said at the end. The random scenes that were shown had lots of connection to the overall story and it made me appreciate the story a whole lot more than I did when I first was getting near the ending of this series.

Love is an intricate emotion and thing that exists in our world but in this drama it is depicted quite while in a unique setting between two distinct worlds. It does an awesome job at painting this picture of people in their early 20s becoming more mature and developing their own lives and having to make sacrifices. Trying to better oneself can sometimes be painful, and that is a hard thing to swallow. Even seeing it from an outsider perspective is hard at times.

This drama is amazing and I think anyone that is looking for a quicker than usual romance experience then this is definitely worth a shot, just have patience and also an open-mind. Pay attention to scenes that may not seem important.

(The OST is absolutely amazing as well!)

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A whole premium ballad music video

The concept is actually nothing new but it does have the ability to uphold a high production value, despite it being quite a typical kdrama for most of the time. The cinematography is amazing, which looks like some really premium ballad music video, the calm and soothing feel is the whole highlight of the drama. The storyline has good direction but basically the logical sense can be ignored for good, fortunately it was able to capture the essence of how a public figure has to sacrifice their private lives in order to maintain their image for business. The ending is so heartfelt and realistic for both of the leads, which is intensely intriguing and delicate.

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When all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.

First . I might as well tell if you the drama is worth watching or not. Yes! the cast is incredible with amazing acting skills and the music is pretty good as well , the story is simple and realistic rather than trying to skyrocket the romance just to gain more likes from people who only care about "happy happy romance". Hence yes definitely worth a watch.

Honestly speaking, the first episode was really good , but I already expected that the ending would be sad. Now when I say sad . I was expecting the female lead to die due to some cause , maybe suicide. As we get to the last episode , I realize how the ending is much more realistic.

I'm focusing on discussing the ending because many people are leaving a bad review because they can't handle a realistic and bittersweet ending. The female lead had really different things going on, she didn't have time for the boy (not saying it's her fault , i know it was her team not letting her date and talk to her bf) but sometimes when someone doesn't get even a little amount of love and support , they fall , fall to a place where there's a 50:50 chance of being happy with the relationship. In the end, the male lead didn't feel happy and I can't blame him as he needed her at the time and must have felt abandoned. Although , I don't understand what he was expecting , he was the one who told her to get back to singing and said he would support her no matter what, she warned him about the consequences and he should have expected that he would feel lonely for quite a long period of time. This was the right thing for him to do though, he loved her and wanted her to be happy and knew this would make her happy , so I can't blame him too much. At the end of the day , I honestly think he should have just continued dating her after she was properly established but I understand.

In the end, "Doona!" is a remarkable K-drama. It doesn't provide the expected happily-ever-after, but it leaves you with a sense of introspection about love, relationships, and the choices we make.

This was my first time writing a review , so if its bad , sorry and yeah , have fun watching!

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The Best Romance in 2023- Beautiful & Entertaining

“What will you do, if I actually end up falling for you”

When I first saw the official poster for Doona, I was enchanted. It might be the ambience or the warm color tone or the way Yang Se Jong was looking at Bae Suzy. The trailer just added to my anticipation, and I was eagerly looking forward to the premiere of this web series. I do admit that I’m not a huge fan of Netflix shows where they drop all episodes at the same time on the release date. Rather, I prefer the biweekly format more. Despite that, foregoing on my beliefs; “Doona” was the exception to the rule. And, I’m so glad that I persisted with my choice. A nine episodic narrative of lost love, angst and painful separation, “Doona” spells a riveting romance between a fallen star and a young college student. Despite being similar in age, there is a wide difference in their social standing and lifestyles. “Doona” aims to bridge that distance while delivering a captivating love story that is bewildering and yet addictive. The focus obviously remains on Doona; she is the titular lead and the show depicts her unbelievable fate in a realistic manner. Let’s dig deeper because I’m dying to talk about this show!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/10/26/doona-series-review/

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Drama with realist emotions that hits you fast and hard

I was really excited about this because I read the webtoon and I even watched the chinese animation adaption.

First off, my expectation as a reader was really thrown out of the window because this drama is soo different from its source. Which what made me even more excited watching this drama, because you don't know what's gonna happen. Though it's very different from its webtoon and anime counterparts, there are still some same scenes and lines that I recognized. Thankfully they haven't changed it fully, but it's just not a 1 to 1 adaptation like the anime did.

Now since it's not a 1 to 1 adaptation... one thing that I was surprised about is that the director really made use of the side characters. In the webtoon, the side characters weren't really contributing that much, like the main leads just figured out things on their own, but here oh my god, they are really contributing something. And I guess that's the trade-off because one thing they did wrong is that they took out all of the in-depth characterizations of the side characters. well... not really all of it, but it was just a few lines and a few scenes like it hit you fast and hard, but that wasn't really enough for you to get invested in these characters.

I must say, I really like the way they portrayed Ira here, like she's soooo bubbly to a 100, but inside she's broken af, but WTF was the point of making her and joon childhood friends??!?!? like that.... really contributed nothing, if they weren't gonna follow the original ending what was the point of that? The only thing I can think of is that made it the reason as to why she won't be the endgame, just like with Jinju "It's all in the past" so the main lead feelings for those two weren't there anymore.

also, another thing that they took out... Since the webtoon was fairly long right, like it's 130+ chapters. They could've easily made this a standard 16 kdrama episodes, but no, they took out most of the boring flirting scenes and interactions of the characters and that's how this show ended up as a 9 episodes show and that's great because I was a little bored trying to finish reading the webtoon. I think they did the right thing, the show hits fast and hard and you have to really pay attention to piece things together since they only took the important moments and focused only there. I really loved it, and it's great, but after finishing this show, though it was great, I think that really backfired itself, because it leaves you wanting more about the characters, the interactions, and the backstory. After watching this, it made me appreciate the webtoon's boring moments. So I might have to re-read it again.

And I love how they adapted this, and changed most of the things, whilst still following the path of the final destination, ensuring that the male lead will still end up with the female lead, like how they managed to make it more sensible. I'm sure if you're not paying attention to the details you might miss a lot because it still makes sense even after cutting a lot of the plots. The drama is like the realistic emotions that you could feel... I even almost cried twice towards the last 2 episodes.

And yeah... drama is great, but it leaves you wanting more. OST is great, barely noticed it since I'm so immersed in the direction of the series. The cinematography is beautiful, but the kissing scenes thooo.... like my ghad! I think this is the first time I've seen a kissing scene where they kept the audio, like ugh! it's soooo asmr coded HAHAHAAHA.

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Dive into this series to savor the story and music

Doona!, a Netflix-produced K-drama with 9 engaging series, breaks away from the traditional Cinderella story, proving that love isn't just a perfect fit. This captivating series delves into the complexities of relationships, emphasizing that love requires soldering, mending, and compromise.

The plot centers on Doona, a famous idol who, despite her wealth and fame, is missing love in her life. In a refreshing twist, she crosses paths with LWJ, an ordinary but warmhearted man with a remarkable academic background. Their initial connection is plagued by circumstances that force them to part ways as Doona returns to the stage.

What sets this drama apart is LWJ's determination to reach new heights to be with Doona, a touching aspect subtly conveyed throughout the series. While not explicitly stated, this dedication shines through in the final episode, making it a heartwarming, albeit assumed, ending.

Bae Suzy's performance as the lead is a revelation, showcasing her undeniable beauty in a role that truly highlights her charm. The music, fitting for a story about idols, is fantastic, adding depth to the narrative.

Doona! is a delightful watch when you need something light and enjoyable without overexerting your brain. Dive into this series to savor the story and music, and you won't be disappointed.

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