Currently Watching: The Nice Witch

There are dramas that define a season. They draw audiences in with their ingenuity, originality, and ability to establish strong emotional connections. Shows in which the writers and directors present compelling characters and the actors flesh them out, creating the perfect balance. 

I wish I was watching that show.

I'm currently watching Nice Witch, an SBS drama starring Lee Da Hae and Ryu Soo Young, and it perfectly falls within the 99 % of dramas who are just... meh. And yet, I'm still watching.

                                       SUMMARY                                       

There have been plenty bad dramas during my stay in dramaland, and you'd think I'd know a makjang when I see one. However, in this drama, I found it easy to overlook cliché plot points and one-dimensional characters. The comedy and well-aged eye candy can keep one watching for at least the first couple of episodes (see also: The Great Seducer). Even your pure hatred for some characters might be able to get you to the finish line. 

This drama follows Cha Sun Hee (Lee Da Hae), whose only flaw is being nice to the point of stupidity, as she tries to save her twin sister's job (and life) by pretending to be her. Her sister is the much smarter and meaner Cha Do Hee, whose only goal in life is to be... rich? A famous flight attendant?! Either way, her ambition gets her tangled up with the villains. It's difficult to figure out Do Hee's reasons for getting involved with the bad guys since, as of the writing of this article, she has been stuck in a hospital bed (I'm having Big flashbacks). Sun Hee figuring out her sister's life and fixing it is what gets her tangled up with Captain Song Woo Jin (Ryu Soo Young), a big man baby who knows nothing, and sets this drama in motion.

I initially began watching The Nice Witch because it takes place in the airline industry. However, it could've taken place at any generic office setting and the plot wouldn't have suffered. After all, the story itself is nothing fresh. Combined with writing that can be downright horrible and cringy at times (just about any scene with Bae Soo Bin, the husband), it is simply up to the actors to carry the project on their shoulders. A task they should be up to, considering most of them are veterans, but often fail at. Yet, the writers have successfully established mysteries and challenges for our leads to solve and overcome. It's these mini-plots scattered throughout the drama that keep me tuning in every week.

Overall, the plot is weak, the writing follows suit, and the characters are a hit or miss... mostly miss. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, all I have is hope - hope that things will get better in the second half. The story might not be much to look at but it is leading somewhere and there's hope that it will all be wrapped up nicely and the characters will get what they deserve. 

                                RECOMMENDATION                                

Are you thinking of starting The Good Witch? If the answer is yes, then keep in mind that this drama should not be held up to impossible standards. It can be fun and interesting, although not unpredictable, if you watch it with an open mind and forgo the cynism that us reviewers tend to have. It can take you back to a simpler time, before the rise of TvN, when dramas had a clear formula and you could be happy despite knowing exactly where the plot and the characters were going. 

The Good Witch is hit or miss. You either love it or you hate it - and that's perfectly alright. I can't ask anyone to join this train wreck of a show. But for those who've enjoyed similar dramas before and don't mind sitting through some less than stellar scenes, this drama will be worth a watch.

So, will you be watching this drama? Are you already a viewer or have you dropped it? Let me know down in the comments why you love (or hate) it!

For extra credit, why don't you recommend some of your favorite life-swap (and/or body-swap) dramas and movies?