Melancia Cintilante (2023)

The title is both clue and metaphor

Rarely have I been so impatient for each successive episode to be released as I was for this series, such was its high level of enjoyment and anticipation and production.

Fathers and sons; mothers and daughters; and the notion what would we do differently if we had the chance to live our lives again - these factors underpin “Twinkling Watermelon”, whose title provides at the start no clue to the entertainment riches that will gradually unfold.

When so much of this production is good, two stars stand out for me: firstly, the character of Choi Se Kyeong is as unique and multi-layered a person as if she had leaped out of the pages of a 19th C. English novel. She is played by Seol In Ah with enormous spirit and exasperating ambiguity that is perfect for the part. She dominates almost every scene she is in. She is shaded only by the second star: Choi Hyun Wook as the younger Ha Yi Chan, in a performance that shines throughout the series, full of vigour and energy and the optimism of youth undisturbed by life’s curveballs, equally full of filial devotion and undiluted anger at parental neglect, impatient with life but still excited at its gifts and surprises, confused at first but then eagerly succumbing when falling in love for the first time. It is a remarkable performance by a 21 year old; for me it is the standout acting of this year.

There is so much to admire and the quality is high throughout. It sees churlish to find fault but a mention should be made of the Kdrama penchant for an evil character, the whipping post for deflected disappointments and difficult struggles. In this case, it is the step-mother Lim Ji Mi, played by Kim Too Ryoung with appropriately steely dark eyes and pursed lips. Jin Soo Wan’s script contains so much nuance that it is a shame the “bad guy” in this case gets no such layering.

Leia Mais

Toys with my Emotions - Makes me Smile one minute and Cries like a baby the next minute.

So much praise has already been showered on “Twinkling Watermelon”, so I came in with high expectations because everyone seems to love it and it has an impressive 9.2 rating right now. I am glad I wasn’t disappointed. I knew it’s about going back to the past but I wasn’t expecting to be smiling one minute and then crying like a baby the next. I thought the drama would be full of funny moments of a bunch of teenagers messing around and forming a band, and then cute and fluffy moments of teenage love. Little did I know that this drama is so much more.

I don’t think any Korean teen dramas have impressed me this much, that honor usually goes to C-dramas. So, I am really happy to have waited for the right time, the right mood to watch this. “Twinkling Watermelon” does an excellent job in combining different elements of family, friendship, first loves, healing, hardships, mystery, and finding yourselves. A drama can easily lose its identity when it tries to do too much, not this drama.

I enjoy many of the songs in this OST. I love the band's performances and wanted to see more. Everyone on stage, present and past, is charismatic and a joy to watch. Ha Yi Chan is full of sunshine and energy. He’s the perfect frontman. He exudes joy. Ha Eun Gyeol is the cool and good-looking guitarist with crazy charisma. The supporting bandmates also seemed to have a lot of fun performing.

My eyes can’t stop following Ryeoun. I didn’t find him this attractive when I watched him in “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse”. In fact, in my review I said he’s pretty but acting is not that great and lacked charisma. What a change in “Twinkling Watermelon”. I might have developed a little crush on him. His acting has improved so much. Choi Hyun Wook has a similar energy that I got from “Racket Boys”. He’s such a sweet and his character really grows on me throughout the drama. His friendship with Ha Eun Gyeol, and relationship with his grandmother are beautiful to watch. Actually, everyone’s acting is great in this drama - the young ones and the veterans. I love that sign language is used throughout the drama, and many different actors and actresses use it. I applaud them for learning a new language and I am sure it’s not easy.

When it comes to romance, I want to put young Ha Yi Chan and Yoon Cheong Ah in a tiny little box and protect them from all harm. They are so sweet, so cute and so precious!!! I am especially touched by Cheong Ah’s story and love how their romance is developed. The present day parent-couple is just as precious. They live so passionately and so freely even with a disability. No wonder they raised such a Mr. Green Flag in Ha Eun Gyeol. I don’t feel as strongly for Eun Gyeol and Cho Se Kyeong’s romance but I like how they supported each other in the last few episodes.

If I have to pick on this drama, it’s that bullying is everywhere in all K-drama genres. I know it’s hard to avoid that when we have a central plot around people who are hearing impaired. But I still wish there are other ways to tell the story without such a focus on bullying. I also find Choi Se Kyong/On Eun Yu a little too loud and annoying. I didn’t really care for her character much when she came back from the US. I also would like a little more explanation on why the Master is who he is, and how this all happened.

I strongly recommend this drama if you are looking for something fun yet heartwarming and touching. This drama toys with my emotions! It also has great acting and music and a good-looking cast.


Completed: 12/25/2023 - Review #386

Leia Mais

So refreshing!! ?

first of all, i never felt so comfortable watching a k-drama. like, every episode that i watched i felt like I was having a popsicle on a refreshing, sunny day. the fun, chaotic, youthful energy made me feel good, made me want to be friends with the characters.

speaking of the main song, wow what a good song!! I've never heard an OST so enjoyable to listen to!

and of course, I can't forget sign language, it was a great plot! it was also cool to see some of the korean sign language.
I also can't deny that I was moved in many parts, not only in the sad ones but in the happy ones too!

The only criticisms I have are:

1° they could have shown how On Eun Yu's life turned out after their return to 2023. What happened? What has changed?

2° There could be a part where Ha Yi Chan asks Ha Eun Gyeol how he found the cassette tape of his old song.

3° They could show in detail how Yoon Cheong Ah and Ha Yi Chan's lives changed. We can see it, but not much.

ah, anyways, this k-drama will stay in my thoughts for a long time. I've never seen a drama like this! it was a refreshing experience ?

Leia Mais

First off, why does 2023 have the best kdrama releases? I'm on my kdrama slump for years but came back like something tells me to watch kdramas again. I'm absolutely glad to be back.

When the official teaser came out, it caught my attention. It's fun, youthful and has a unique plot. Of course, you would watch a kdrama if you like the casts. I always trust Choi Hyunwook when he picks a project and Ryeon?!!?! Why did I only see him this year????Where was he all these years?! I first saw him in a Tiktok edit from his previous project "Adult Trainee". I watched it and obviously loved it. I'm obsessed. When I saw he stars here I had no choice but to watch it. Shin Eunsoo!!! I'm surprised to see her Its been months since I watched Summer Strike lol. Looking at the teaser alone I know she'll be famous. I love her character development in Summer Strike. Seol In-ah!!!!! I cannot believe she is '96. I love her!!!!

Onto the review, the team behind this *chef kiss.* Creating a set in 1995 and matching its vibes is not easy. The amount of research and gathering of resources were real thought of. The same energy goes to the the casts as well. Their dedication to learning musical instruments and sign language! Making this drama with all their pure hard work and love for their passion and it resulting to a masterpiece.

Leia Mais

Beautiful but Incomplete

Twinkling Watermelon has a lot to love about it. I love Time Travel tropes already and I am happy they chose to introduce deaf characters and depicting family bonds and friendships. Despite it having several heart touching moments there is still something missing.

Ha Eun Gyeol is the only hearing member of his family. He has seen a lot of struggles as well as had to put aside his own dreams for the sake of his family. He is carrying burdens and is scarred without realizing what he means to his family. Travelling back in time helps put a lot of things in perspective and he hopes it is also an opportunity to save his father. It is only when he goes back in time, he realizes that his father was also once a teenager who had dreams of his own as well as struggles of his own. The same with his mother and he still desires to carry his family's burdens. But in the process he also ends up sharing a strong bond with his father, Yi Chan. One that he never expected. His moments with Yi Chan are the highlight of the show so the ending does leave you with a little more to be desired.

With regards to his mother, Cheong Ah, again he forms a protective relationship and a lot of instances made me tear up. The depictions are beautiful. Yet again, the ending speed runs through their reintroduction.

Eun Gyeol also meets Eun Yu. I found the chemistry between them quite lacking unlike Yi Chan and Cheong Ah's. The former's relationship didn't really develop well and felt quite choatic. We also don't see Eun Yu overcoming her own trauma rather running away from it. The series also completely skips over Eun Yu's family reunion which was disappointing.

There were moments that felt like the series was dragging and if they had simply reduced those, they would have had the time to give us a more complete picture and then I could surely rate it a 10.

The OST is nice but other than the final song, nothing really blew me away which is disappointing since music is such an important aspect of the plot. The final song is catchy but not exceptional.

Overall, the series is good and heartwarming. The actors have done a fine job in their portrayals and make this series worth watching.

Leia Mais

This is a charming drama that is better than its title implies. Choi Hyun Wook steals every scene he is in. He’s also a pretty good singer (assuming that was really him singing in the drama). The drama has a Back To the Future vibe to it and it doesn’t quite stick the landing but it comes close enough.

One thing I always wonder when I see dramas where the protagonist time travels to the past then returns to a changed present is what supposedly happens to all of the memories the protagonist had from his life before he time traveled. As a result of the changes he made noone else in his present life would have those same memories, right? And he would have no memory of his revised past.

I need to know in case I ever time travel.

Leia Mais

Sadly not for me

Everybody seems to love this show (as shown by the very high rating on here) and based on the premise it had EVERYTHING I love and thus it should've been perfect for me.

Sadly I didn't love this show.

Firstly, let's talk about some of the things that I personally loved:

● The deaf representation I thought was wonderfully done imo and they also didn't fall into some clichés that I personally despise.

● I loved Yi-chan, his relationship with his grandma and the band.

● Cheong-ah storyline was my favourite and I loved her character.

● I think they handled the themes of depression and suicide quite well and I was impressed by some of the conversations that were being had.

● Also I thought they way generational trauma was hanndles in the show was really nice.

● Tge parents relations in the present and in the past was the cutest and I love it, I genuinely would've loved a mini series just on their original timeline story.

Now let's mention some of the things I didn't enjoy:

● For almost the whole show I just couldn't stand Se-kyung, I was constantly annoyed by her and just couldn't find her likeable at all. As I said I did enjoy some of the themes that were explored through her character but because I was just so annoyed by her for more than half of the show, it became hard to enjoy the show itself when she's one of the main characters.

● After a while I just stopped being interest in the story and the characters, it just didn't manage to keep my attention. The plot itself to me just felt a bit too predictable and like many other time travel stories we've seen a thousand times so it was the characters job to keep me engaged, however, past a certain point, the characters and their relationships and stories just weren't strong enough for me to care.

● I personally hate the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything but yeah, just didn't like the rout they decided to go with.

Leia Mais

Watermelon on a sunny day vibes

Nov. 14, 2023

Twinkling Watermelon is the best KDRAMA of this quarter for 2023. Everything for me was just perfect. The writing, the dialogue, the execution of the scenes, the pace, and the ending. It was so well-done.

I genuinely haven’t felt this type of emotion within the past few years, but this KDRAMA gave me all the feelings that I need. There wasn’t any unnecessary filler and sub-plots. All the things that were presented, were in tied and put well together. There is nothing I can even say that is incoherently bad about Twinkling Watermelon. There is so much life lessons that were shown here like living for yourself and not for your parents. Live the life that you want. It is such a heart warming KDRAMA. I have definitely can say that this is an S-TIER KDRAMA.

It deserves the hype and the love that it is getting right now. Twinkling Watermelon has given me so much comfort that I know that I will be rewatching this again and again. I love how the youthfulness was shown. The fantasy aspect was amazing and I really feel that inner child of mine being healed in a sense.

The cast is amazing from the current time period to the past time period. They all executed their roles well and I cannot believe I am saying good bye to them. My Mondays and Tuesdays will now be feeling more hollow and the joy that this series have given me was truly just spectacular.

To Yi Chan and Cheong Ah: I truly believe that you guys are such important figures in terms of showcasing that you really gotta fight and push through with life. No matter how things can get rough and challenging. Seeing them push through and over coming their challenges is definitely a life lesson that I will be keeping in my mind. As I also flourish with age, and my youth will slowly disappear. I wish I can age and find a love that they have to each other.

To Eun-Gyeol and Eun-Yoo: I heavily relate with you guys. Having that expectations from my own parents definitely have made me feel super pressured and it did boggle with my mental health. I think your scenes have definitely triggered some of my own hidden emotions that I have been running away from as well. I guess a letter to myself is that like how you two were able to succeed and fight through the course of life. I will be able to tackle my problems head on too. And I will not have to resort to just running away from it.

I truly felt the roller coaster ride type of emotions while watching Twinkling Watermelon. I do find myself having comfort with the cast and the series. I wish you guys can give this show the love that it deserves. This show has definitely jumped into my top 5 Kdrama series for sure.

Viva la vida !

Leia Mais

I have so many emotions

I watched this show a while ago and after I finished it, I felt so empty because all the characters had grown on me so bad. I legit screamed when I saw one of the actors for a split second in another show.

Anyways. The plot is very easy to understand, but still intriquite with a lot of beautiful messages in it. I love the different types of characters you get to see, the different personalities and the different sceneries that other shows do not give you in the same way.

I also think all the romance in the show really felt true and not fabricated which I love because it can often feel very fake in kdramas.

The music! THE MUSIC! I friggin die for the music. The soundtrack can put me in a trance Istg. Like it's very thought through and fun when it needed to be. The music made the show much more lively and added a lot of emotion to the sadder scenes.

The show manages to be serious, sad, romantic and also friggin funny at the same time. I can't even count how many times I laughed during each episode because ir just felt like hanging out with your friends while watching.

I recommend very much! WATCH IT, Im holding you at gunpoint?

Leia Mais

Viva la Vida!

When this show was airing I did not watch it I just think that it might not be good. I am happy I did not watch this drama while it was airing it would be torture to wait on new eps. What I love about this drama was the 20th century theme as someone horned in the 21st century I loved it the music the friendship the characters had and what it taught me. Even though Eun Gyeol was not able to stop his father from becoming deaf he changed everyone’s life. This taught me that even though life is different from what we want it to be it is the people in it that makes it worth while. I loved the cast energy hope to see them again soon. Until then “Long live life!”. Viva la Vida, Watermelon Sugar!

Leia Mais