Recently , Korean dramas have been exploiting genres like melodrama, detective, revenge,... There are too many tragedies and I'm tired of watching the dramas where the main character is always also sad or always in a state of stress. It’s refreshing to find a drama that balances society problems with a lighthearted sense of humor. This drama delivers just that - with an excellent cast to boot. Here is my detailed review.
Plot: This drama excels in its portrayal of school life and romance. The screenwriter’s creativity shines through in the multiple storylines that keep the audience engaged. However, this is also the movie’s biggest weakness - with only 16 episodes, some plot threads are left underdeveloped, such as the serial killer storyline. This left me feeling disappointed with the ending and Mr Ji’s motives were not entirely convincing. His suicide also made the drama lose its lightness. Despite this, I have to admit that the drama builds characters very well. No one is perfect and each character has their own flaws that they work to overcome throughout the drama. Some viewers may find Nam Haeng Seon’s personality annoying and criticize her for being talkative and rude especially with Jae Woo. However, I live in Asia where it is common for siblings to tease and interrupt each other. It’s worth noting that in flashbacks we see Haeng Seon’s mother also hitting Jae Woo on the head - perhaps this is a habit she picked up from her mother. In my opinion, Haeng Seon has the best personality in the entire drama. She shines brightest with her kindness and cheerfulness motivating those around her; just look at those around her and we can see they are all very happy when they are next to her. She is truly the heart of the drama. While there are plot holes and some illogical details, I would still rate plot 7.5 due to its well-developed characters.
Acting/Cast: The director made excellent choices in casting talented actors. The acting is top-notch - I would give it a 10/10. None of the actors felt like they were simply playing a part. In terms of casting, everyone seemed well-suited to their roles. Some viewers have criticized the choice of casting female lead. While it’s true that she may not fit the age of her character perfectly, she delivered an outstanding performance and had great chemistry with the male lead. If viewers can accept a serial killer in a romantic comedy along with several other annoying mothers then why is the female lead criticized so harshly? She’s just doing her job - ultimately it was up to the screenwriter and director who decided to cast her; perhaps they could have made some changes to the script. Personally, I really enjoyed Jeon Do-yeon’s performance even though I haven’t seen any of her previous movies. Even in comedic scenes, her eyes sparkled with life. Overall, I would give acting and casting a 9.5.
Music: The soundtrack is pretty good overall. However, there are 7 songs on the soundtrack but I only regularly listen to a few of them. This is unfortunate for the remaining songs. I would rate music 8.5.
Rewatch value: I think I could rewatch this movie many times, especially for the comedic and romantic scenes. As for the scenes involving the serial killer and the mothers, I would probably skip those. I would rate the rewatch value of this movie an 8.5.
Conclusion: This drama brings a breath of fresh air to those who are tired of recent Korean dramas. It can make you feel happy and joyful. If people aren’t too demanding about the looks or age of the actors and the coherence of the storyline then they might want to give this drama a try as a new experience.