After watching K-dramas for so many years, it is difficult for audience like me to find a show that can wow us to our core. We have probably seen every trope and cliché repeat and reinvent itself time and again. Once Upon a Small Town (OUST) is a drama from 2015-2016 repackaged with modern production. My review might read harsher than what I scored, but this show is average at best. There is nothing vastly disappointing about it, but I guess its mediocrity is the reason why it failed to garner any kind of attention from the audience who are over fed by exciting content across various platforms. My review contains no spoilers.

POSITIVES OF THE SHOW

1. SETUP: The charm of this show is the place where it’s told. Every k-drama that is being produced these days is set up in the concrete jungle of Seoul. The show does a great job of giving a much-needed break from an urban based story line and visually entices us with sunny landscape, picturesque farmlands, open roads and village life. The simplicity of the village life does a good job of making the viewers nostalgic of their hometowns or simply indulges our desire to escape the hassles of a big city.

2. NO DRAMA: If you are tired of shows that have a lot of drama, angst, betrayal, backstabbing, evil characters etc. then this is a great palette cleanser of a show. After a heavy show I recommend people to watch OUST. The slice of life genre meets rom com does a good job of keeping the story light and fluffy throughout the 12 episodes.

3. MISSING OLD K-DRMAS: If there are people who are missing yesteryear Korean shows that did not have complicated plots or had a straightforward romance with tried and tested tropes then this show is for you. There is nothing remotely complex about OUST and the simplicity of the plot mixed with calming outdoor aesthetic is reminiscent of olden Korean shows.

NEGATIVES OF THE SHOW

1. BORING ROMANCE: There is nothing exciting and capturing about the romance in this show. The writing was very bland & uninspiring, almost as if the script was written for graduation project & not a Netflix show. The leads had no memorable moments or chemistry. I fault the writing more than the actors as the script gave them very less opportunity to showcase genuine connection unfolding between the characters. The characters lacked dimension, genuine motives & authenticity because of which the romance seemed insincere.

2. AVERAGE ACTTORS: Personally, even in the most under budgeted k-drama shows I’ve never seen a “bad” actor. I believe that Koreans are at top of their game, especially when it's about acting. So, when I come across a show that underwhelmed me in this category, I was surprised. Choo Young Woo as Han Ji Yul was okay. He did a decent job, but one could see that he is still young in the business & requires tons of experience. In some scenes he did great and in some he overdid. Joy as Ahn Ja Young was surprisingly appropriate. She has most definitely improved since Tempted. However, one could still feel certain stiffness in her acting. My favorite actor was probably the third lead played by Baek Sung Chul. It was my first time seeing him act and one could tell he has a spark. I look forward to his future projects.

All in all, OUST is a forgettable show. I doubt I will re-watch this in the future. But due to its relaxing story and rural setup, I’m sure many can give this one a shot.