I think I found my favorite show of all time…This show is the definition of perfection…I mean seriously I have never ever seen anything so well written. Everything right from the 80s setting to the plot was so well done…especially the characters. It’s very rare to find such fleshed out 3 dimensional characters with such natural interactions that not once did I feel like something is forced for dramatic measures…it really seemed like I was watching a documentary of the characters of a real neighborhood. I will point out a few things that I absolutely adored in the show (I will keep it brief because if I try to tell the positives of this show, words will fall short) :
1. The Characters : Each and every character be it the main 5 or the other supporting characters are so beautifully developed that not one of them feels like the show could have done without them.. even minor characters like Deok sun’s friends to Ryu Dong’s father are a delight to watch..if it comes to rounding off my favorites though, I would have to say Deok sana is one of the most earnest characters I have seen…her personality is charismatic and she lights up every scene that she is in.you can’t help but fall in love with her.…I also liked the nuances in Taek’s character which was beautifully portrayed by Park Bo Gumm..But Jung Hwan was the character that touched my heart the most…I felt his longing and his pain of not being able to get what he so desperately wants …in the supporting character my absolute favorite has to be Deok Sanas’ dad!!! He was a gem and he raised the humor of the show to another level altogether. There were scenes where I roared with laughter..at the same time he was marvelous in the emotional scenes too..
2. The 80s Setting : the 80s neighborhood is the star of the show..the reason the show works the way it does is because the characters living so close to each other gives ample opportunities for unplanned interactions. Their lunch or dinner scenes where they are bickering (Deok Sana’s family) or the scenes with the ladies sitting in the courtyard and gossiping about everything were all so well crafted!! It really felt like the characters were from a different time altogether!! Moreover we got a glimpse of how life was in the bygone era…how friends spent their time, how it was to be in love that time..what was the trend in music, in lifestyle, fashion etc everything was beautifully depicted.
3. Sibling Relationships : Realistic portrayals of how actual siblings behave in real life…real siblings don’t go around getting emotional or saying dramatic dialogues..they fight and annoy each other (deok san and Bo-ra) but at the same time they also care deep inside!!
4. The Parents interactions with the Kids : Be it Taek’s fathers immense love for his son (that scene where he rips open a drawer), or the banter between deok sana and her mom & dad, the devotion of Sun Woo towards his mom or the playful banter of Ryu dong with his father, the worrisome love of Mi ran towards her two sons, every parent- child relation brought a unique flavor to the table and showed various forms of parental love.
5. The most important – Friendship : This was the most crucial aspect at the heart of this show. And I’m not talking just about the friendship between the 5 leads but also between the moms and the dads!! The bond between the 5 leads is the main reason that carries the show to another level altogether. I have never met a more caring group of friends off/on screen..sure they bicker and pull each other’s leg and abuse each other verbally but they are there for each other in their actions..the way the entire gang treats Taek like a precious little baby or Doek san being that one pampered/bullied girl in an all guys gang..Sun Woo being like the elder parent in the group..their friendship made me jealous..I wanted to be a part of that gang and hang out with them..also the friendships between the parents..their non stop complaints..their gossips etc everything was just precious..
6. Romance : Frankly as much as I enjoyed the love triangle and that it gave me major anxiety, it was only a partial reason of why I enjoyed the show..I’m not saying that the show would have still been the same without it..obviously the romance was a very important part of the show.. its just that it contributed by adding more depth to an already brilliant show!! The thing I liked the most was that the triangle never became toxic..2 best friends fell for the same girl and despite knowing that they never for a second ill-treated or misbehaved with the other..both were ready to sacrifice their love for the other coz their friendship meant so much more to them..a few scenes just stand out and are a testimony to this…the scene where Jung hwan goes down to tie Taeks shoelace despite taek being a potential love rival…the scene where he wishes on the shooting star that Taek turns out to be a jerk so he can easily hate him…Taek cancels his plan with deok san knowing Jung hwan likes her….the characters are so likeable that I was conflicted throughout the show as to whom I wanted her to end up with..whenever there was a possibility of her being with either I felt bad for the other..In the end she got together with one of them (which was hinted throughout the show in the subtle writing) and though I loved them together my heart broke for the other guy!! That confession scene which was then told as a joke but it actually wasn’t, was one of the most beautiful confessions I have seen..also the subsequent scene of that person regretting being hesitant and all the chances he lost!!!!Oh my heart is weak!!