Good Enough
Korean Drama '' Twinkling Watermelon '' is a slice of life, music, and fantasy drama.The drama uses time travel to its fullest, smoothly using it to push the story forward, without forgetting about it once the plot starts unfolding. Rather, it is always there, and spices up the story here and there.
Also, the family drama was at its finest, intense enough to keep things dramatic, but also with sensitivity and sweetness throughout the family interactions.
The music, in addition, was pretty enjoyable, as were the performances by everyone in the cast. And even though the romance was cheesy and not its strongest suit, it was nice enough.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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A High Quality Drama But The Emotional Weight Is Not As Consistently Strong As You Would Hope.
I’ll start by saying I put off watching this one. I purposely did not watch it while it was airing. There are certain dramas that I know I won’t get the most out of them if I don’t watch them at a time I am most receptive to them.Disclaimer * I don’t think this was the most receptive time either, even though I enjoyed watching it. I plan to watch it again in the future to see if I can get more out of it.
That said, for now I think it is a 9/10 drama and not a 9.5 or a 10/10 drama. The positives for me are what makes it a 9/10 and not the usual 8.5/10 that I give to solid k-dramas is that it is a heartfelt story, the plot is pretty solid and the acting is pretty good. The reason I won’t elaborate on the positives is because I’ll be honest; apart from recognising it as a solid production, this story did not get me as deep as it ought to have. I’ll go into why I think this was.
Starting from episode 2, although I was aware that time travelling was involved, the abrupt introduction of the time traveling element at the end of ep 2 felt like a sharp turn transition wise. It was not smooth at all. It was like being in a race car and suddenly making an extreme turn with little to no preparation, except this was done with the theme. Usually in dramas that include fantasy, they sprinkle a little bit of the fantasy elements in the lead up to the full blown reveal of the fantastical part of the drama. With this one, it was almost two full hours of a slice of life family drama that seemed rudely interrupted by the fantasy element suddenly being dropped in. And this was my reaction as someone who WAS waiting and expecting the fantasy element.
Another thing was, I couldn’t help but feel like this drama was an amalgamation of several movies, music and popular culture storylines and references, all pieced together. It made a huge chunk of the drama feel like a knock-off, ensuring that I could never really get into it as all I could think was, “they’re copying so and so”. I don’t mind things serving as an inspiration for others but you really have to make it your own and create something new with it, but with this drama, a lot of the concepts and scenes seemed borrowed. Whenever I was drawn into the drama, I’d notice that a scene or concept resembled something else and it would immediately take me out of the scene.
I have a minor point to make about the way the scenes were cut/edited together. It didn’t affect the majority of the drama much, as it fit that youth-indie style type of visual aesthetic but when it came to the emotional scenes, it felt somewhat choppy aka not-so-smooth transitions. It meant that the emotions didn’t hit fully 100% because the viewers weren’t able to sit with those scenes and absorb the depths of emotions before it suddenly changed to another scene. Typically for emotional scenes to work best, there needs to be a build up of emotional tension that is finally released and the cameras should not cut away in the middle of that emotion being expressed. For example, the cameras should not cut away in the middle of someone’s heartbreaking crying scene as it’s like cutting off the climax of emotion right at the top, which results in an immediate plateauing of the emotional weight built up when our focus is shifted to another scene. Instead it should be like a hill with a slow rise to the climatic top and a smooth decent to the other side of that intense emotion. This must be done in order to properly build and sustain the emotional weight of what the characters are experiencing and their plight, to help forge the bond between the viewer and the character and to allow the viewer to really connect to what the character is feeling.
This fourth reason was the most jarring for me. I have to preface this by saying I’m not trying to assume what’s best for the hearing impaired community, I’m coming at this solely from the perspective of someone who knows what storytelling mechanisms resonate with an audience. That being said, the thing about this drama that made it the hardest for me to get into it was the fact that they dubbed the deaf characters. I can understand from a practical pov why this was done but surely someone in the creative chair should have known how much of the connection and the power of the performances of the actors playing the deaf characters would have been lost by doing this. If you don’t understand what I mean, go watch CODA and tell me that by having the focus of communication solely on the deaf characters’ facial expressions, the movements of their hands and only the silence to convey their ‘lines’; you didn’t feel everything they signed just a little more deeply. That you didn’t feel the frantic and the hard hitting angry signing or the soft signing in tender moments that much more. That you couldn’t feel the frustration of the characters through their hands more than with a dubbed voice overlayed on top to explain what they are saying. I’m sure it was useful for Korean viewers to not have to read subtitles but I’d argue they lost some of the power of the performance by doing this. Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have dubbing. I understand that having dubbed dramas makes it more accessible for different types of audiences such as vision impaired viewers. I’m not saying dubbing should not be available. Just like I’m not saying subtitles should not be available. I know these are both very useful features for making dramas more accessible to others. What I’m saying is that these should have been optional and the drama should have been released un-dubbed with the option to select dubbing as needed, as you do with subtitles.
If at the end of this you are wondering why I rated it so highly if I had so many critiques. It’s because of three things. One, this drama had excellent characterisation. Like truly excellent (especially the father and son). Two, I did enjoy watching it. It won’t make it on my favourites list but I really did enjoy it. And three, I like to give dramas and movies their dues. Even if I don’t fall in love with a drama, I still rate them objectively by what they have to offer and what they do well. This drama was a solid, above average and at times, truly above average, drama.
If you ask me what could have made it a 10/10, I’d say, not rushing past the emotional scenes too quickly, not dubbing the deaf characters and finally; trusting the foundation of the story more - which was a story about a boy’s love for his father and vice versa, while grappling with the difficulties of being a CODA. If they did this without trying to borrow from other films, dramas, music or American popular culture; it could have been a 10/10 drama that stayed with me.
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solid show with great actors
I binged this show in 2 days!!! I was totally hooked!!! I seriously adored all of the actors, every one of them played their parts really really well (especially the young cast) !!!!!HOWEVER, I found parts of it a little cliche, I honestly expected a better soundtrack for a show about music, and I didn't like the ending. The ending felt very rushed and like they just wanted to put a bow on top of everything all pretty without doing all the effort to get there. I actually didn't hate the love triangle in this show, I felt the time-travel aspect put enough of a twist on it so it wasn't too cliche. I also sincerely appreciate how the love triangle didn't last for the entire show like many others do. I felt like the plot got a little messy in the fourth quarter, but it was acceptable, there really is no way to make a time travel show not have plot holes and weirdness going on. I also felt like they kind of overdid it with the connections thing, like not everyone has to be connected in weird ways... sometimes people just live unrelated lives.
BUT I still found many many things I loved about this show. I loved how good the actors were and I felt like (as someone who isn't deaf and knows exactly 0 deaf people) it was good representation of deaf people and the struggles they face. I really liked
Ha Eun Gyeol's character arc, and Ryeoun's acting was quite good. He really mastered his character and I felt that he wholly cared only about the others, without a hint of selfishness (for the most part). . I also sincerely loved every single second that Ha Yi Chan was on screen (he's so hot). I felt that Choi Hyun Wook absolutely devoured this role, like there wasn't a single time during the entire length of the show where I felt like his acting was off. Same thing for Shin Eun Soo she absolutely ate up this role and perfectly conveyed her character in every single scene. Seol In Ah's acting was good, but I didn't feel the same greatness that the other actors delivered. I really can't pick anything out in particular that I thought was bad or wrong, but her vibe wasn't quite there as much as the others.
FINAL THOUGTS:
It was definitely worth the watch and I might recommend this to friends and such. It was a fantastic coming of age story and it was very touching. The time travel was much better executed than many other similar shows, and overall I enjoyed this show. I wasn't bored once!!
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The best youth drama for me
Bagus banget deh 10/10 setiap episode gak ada yang bosenin, dibikin campur aduk ngakak, nangis, melow semuanya dapet. Buat akting castnya juga super jos apalagi ryeoun kalo nangis ngajak². ✨️🍉 alurnya kalau kata² orang lain lambat, tapi bagiku pas sih seru liatin remaja² tantrum bertingkah 😆 pesannya juga dapet bangey kita nggak tau kehidupan orang tua kita waktu muda gimana jadi lebih menghargai orang tua lagi . Ohh terakhir takdir emang gak bisa diubah tapi nasib bisa. Viva lavida!!Esta resenha foi útil para você?
Viva La Vida! ✨
This was my first time travel drama, and it surely did not disappoint!I thought it would be a simple story of a boy travelling back to the past to meet his parents with a bunch of crackhead moments, but this was a tearjerker. :')
Things I loved:
- I SOOOO LOVEEE both the female leads. Both have such strong characters !!!
- The chaotic relationship between Eun Gyeol and his father!
- The family dynamic between the bandmates!
The friendship that was made even if it started out as a chaos between them
- Episode 15!
- The OSTs! Chef's kiss! Shining was so good!
- RYEOUN! He got my heart tbh.
Even though he wasn't able to change the fact that his father lost his hearing, he absolutely changed how he viewed life from then on and got him to enjoy what he actually loved. He also helped his mother which was my favorite scene, by the way.
Everything about this drama was seriously worth the hype despite its minimal flaws.
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One of the best coming-of-age stories I've ever watched.
This show was absolutely fabulous! It evoked emotions spanning the whole range from heartbreak to heartwarming, with plenty of laughs in the middle. All four main characters had compelling and intense emotional journeys, and it was so amazing to see four fantastic growth arcs in a single show.The acting was great, as was the plot and OST. Really, there was not a second wasted, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I was took on. I almost wish it would have kept on going.
Can't recommend enough!
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Serunya Menjelajah Waktu Bareng Musik dan Nostalgia!
"Twinkling Watermelon" punya cerita unik yang bikin baper, kocak, dan juga bikin senyum-senyum sendiri. Ceritanya tentang Eun Gyeol, yang awalnya cuma siswa biasa yang cinta musik, tapi tiba-tiba kelempar ke tahun 1995 dan ketemu sama ayahnya sendiri saat masih SMA! Serunya, Eun Gyeol malah harus bantuin ayahnya buat naksir calon ibunya, yang ternyata bukan tipe idaman si ayah waktu muda. Seru banget ngeliat gimana dia berusaha memperbaiki masa lalu biar masa depannya nggak kacau.Akting pemainnya keren banget! Chemistry antar karakternya terasa natural, bikin penonton gampang banget terbawa emosi, apalagi hubungan ayah dan anak yang bikin haru. Musik di drama ini juga jadi poin plus, bikin suasana makin hidup dan setiap penampilan band-nya benar-benar asik didengerin.
Buat yang suka drama dengan tema keluarga, musik, dan bumbu petualangan waktu, "Twinkling Watermelon" nggak boleh dilewatkan. Perpaduan cerita dan musiknya bikin drama ini jadi pengalaman nonton yang beda dan seru banget.
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I wondered what people found about this series to rate it so high. After a few episodes, I've become a bit of a fan of this cast. The time travel thing is a bit of an overused plot, but the story remains cute and unique.Only one person in this family can hear and speak, the brother and parents are deaf. He loves playing the guitar and making music but feels guilty towards his father who wants him to become a doctor. “Ottokee?” Please the father or follow his dream?
He has a flashback to the past and finds himself in 1995, he meets his young parents and wants to avoid an accident to change the future of his family for the better, but he must be very careful, otherwise there could be big problems, such as the possibility of not being born .
I really liked the guy Ha Eun Gyeol (actor Ryeoun), a great guy between Park Bo Gum and Cha Eun Woo.
Interesting to see sign language. I also appreciated all characters and the beautiful songs.
For those who don't know, the singer of Spine9 is a singer of iKon.
PS: I was wondering what the watermelon was in the title and I discovered that it refers to Frida Kahlo's last painting, called "Viva la Vida" which had watermelons as its subject.
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semua tertuang disini.
WAH DAEBAK, one of best drama in this year si kalau kata aku mah. romance, family, bromance, friendship, comedy, heart-warming, time-travel, fantasy semua nya tu dicampur dan tertuang dalam drama ini. drama yang ga berat tapi bisa bikin nyes ke hati. marah, sedih, ketawa, nangis, kesal, salting, semua nya tu bisa aku ekspresikan untuk ni drama.kayak 16 episode bisa ngebahas berbagai masalah?! keren si. cuma emang aku akuin ini tu rushed ending, terlalu sengaja dipercepat gitu. masih banyak pertanyaan yang harusnya bisa terjawab di satu episode lagi. imo, harusnya ada 1 episode spesial.
btw cowo" pada greenflag cokk walaupun aku ga nyangka si yi chan cepat banget pindah hati. hahaha
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Nostalgia, music and fluff with a side of cringe...
This could have been a 10 if only I would have loved the male leads character as much as I loved the rest of the characters in this really fun drama.A drama that has so much good to offer combining nostalgia, with the right to communicate/language, the world sucks (yet again), people with disabilities are human too and being a kid that is different from the rest of the family has it's problem's too... all surrounded by lovely teen spirit, love, music, friendships, and shining, glittery fluff... Just the look on a the young version of them moms face when she sees someone use sign language pretty much had me thinking ok this is it, I love it and it is now my favourite drama...
As I mentioned in the first line this could have been a 10 but then the cringe took over and offered me a few of my pet peeves showed up, I cant really complain about the acting of Ryeoun as Ha Eun Gyeol but his character was mostly fun in the beginning but got on my nerves more and more as the story progressed. His interactions and chemistry with Seol In Ah and
Choi Hyun Wook where however top, top, top. I have been impressed with Choi Hyun Wook for quite a while but this drama made me appreciate him even more as well as completely fall in love with Seol In Ah and Shin Eun Soo.
Definitely a drama I recommend to most, when in need of fluff, fun and more or less predictable twists (some more predictable than others). This drama is an easy binge that offers a little bit of everything and with the exceptions of a few moments of annoying the overall feel to this drama is I want more!
P.s. Rating by episode ep 1-2: 8, 2-14:10, 15-16:7,5 = 9, pretty much follow the male leads character progression and regression... but not only.
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I wish everyone’s youth twinkles and shines!!
I loved everything about this drama be it cast, acting, storyline and music. The idea that we all want our youth to shine and be full if great memories is what made this drama very endearing. I then thought that my parents were also a kid once, who had their own dreams and desires, who wanted to enjoy their youth and fall in love with life. But the responsibility of growing up made most of their dreams to be locked up in their heart. Yi chan and Cheong ah had to sacrifice a-lot to keep their children safe and happy. On the other hand, both Eungyeol and Eun Ho were understanding and kind hearted children. I really loved how they portrayed all characters as positive even though life gave them so many tough events.Cast and acting: Hyun Wook is an exceptional actor. You can feel every emotion that he is trying to convey like sadness, happiness, love, denial and acceptance. All the other cast were also exceptional in delivering their dialogues and emotions. Moreover, the chemistry between each cast is so good. It made me attached to watermelon sugar. Also loved the relationship between 1995 Yi chan and Eun gyeol.
Story: Although time travel plot is nothing new in kdrama world, I would say the story is definitely unique. I had gotten some spoilers from SNS, so some plot twists were not jawdropping for me, but for those who haven’t seen any spoilers, I’m sure you will be shocked. I really liked the whole setting of the drama which was in 1995. To be able to see your parents youth where something major in their life happens would be so cool. I cried ugly tears while watching the last episode because I got really attached to every characters. To see how all the band mates were still together in 2023 and how it transitioned to their youth days made me weep so hard. I also thought about how my youth will go someday and all I’ll have is memories of it to reminisce.
I wouldn’t say that romance is the main theme of this drama, since it mainly revolves around Eun gyeol trying to fix his parents destiny, but nonetheless the love story of both leads is really adorable. I wish we got to see more in depth about Eun gyeol and Se gyeong’s relationship in 2023 and how things patched up between Yichan and Cheong ah after the accident.
So to all those who are debating whether to watch this drama or not, I strongly recommend you to give this drama a try. I love that this drama has all the elements like romance, slice of life, comedy, family love, friendship and brotherhood. You will really love this drama.
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STRONG pacing issues, engaging storylines resolved off-screen and a very rushed ending.
So finally finished this... Can't believe it took me this long... But I struggled with the first 4 episodes... then was entertained up to episode 10... and then for some unknown reason slugged through the last 6 episodes.I really wish I liked this as much as everybody else but for some reason this show wasn't "it" for me. I can't say it's a bad show... But reading other negative reviews... I finally was able to put my finger on what made me struggle with this show：
1. The pacing
2. The pacing
3. The pacing
Basically, this show was really good at creating interesting and engaging storylines but then didn't give enough time to them. It spent too much time on the less engaging ones. It didn't deliver on the romantic front for both couple... It was better on the friendship and youthful aspect, but it didn't deliver at all on the most interesting storylines created such at the relationship between Cheong Ah and her father nor between Se Kyung and her daughter or Se Kyung and her father or Se Kyung and her adoptive parents。 I'd rather they didn't introduce these conflicts if they had no intention of giving them a proper amount of time to be resolved in a satisfactory way... when there was a resolution for that matter because some questions are just... not answered. Yes I'm frustrated.
The end was rushed so that's another minus.
Now, most people really enjoyed the show and were able to get over it in spite of its flaws... And I get it, some of my favorites have plotholes and flaws I just disregarded because ultimately these shows delivered on what I cared most... But this show didn't. It introduced lots of storylines and only delivered on those I cared the least while giving some off-screen resolution if any to the ones I cared the most.
This made each episode feel really really overly long to me.
I know I'm part of the minority so don't let my opinion deter you from watching it. I still gave it a 7 which in my book means that it was enjoyable in some way.
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