Bubblegum

Somber & Maudlin makes you want to empty a fridge full of soju in one sitting

Really disappointing . I kept hoping for things to get better but mostly, I couldn't wait for it to be done. This is Not lighthearted. It's sparse on the fun & if the Warm fuzzies are here, they're hiding. The tone of the first 13 or so episodes is somber, maudlin & just plain depressing. The two leads did well, but the convoluted plot was exhausting-weighed down with too much heavy drama. Second & 3rd leads grated on my nerves as they pined for thier love interests which came across as more obsessive & pointless.
The last 3 episodes are mostly flashbacks explaining things, BUT these are the least depressing episodes, so you do finish on a slight "high", but in a bizarre way [in comparison to ep 1-13] The Ending is happy for most characters,[ but don't expect weddings.]
As it is, Episodes 1-13 (ish) make you want to either fast forward through them or empty a fridge full of soju in one sitting.

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Not light and airy as imagery and some synopsis indicate

6/10 Is my rating.

I found this drama to be misleadingly heavy and filled with tired tropes although it did have some heart.

As someone who pretty thoroughly researches drums before I watch them, I found I wasI totally misled by *Bubblegum*’s vibe. The title, the bubbly opening with Park Ri-hwan (Lee Dong-wook) and Kim Haeng-ah (Jung Ryeo-won) smiling and jumping in bubbles, and most synopses out there paint this as a warm, fuzzy romance. Nope! This drama is a heavy somber slog that leans hard into Alzheimer’s disease and family drama, overshadowing the love story. The acting is top-notch—Lee Dong-wook and Jung Ryeo-won pour their hearts into their roles, and the writing is solid—but for me it was, on balance, too dramatic, dry, and sad. The Alzheimer’s theme, especially from the midpoint to the end, is a major part of the story, not some quick side plot, so if you or a loved one are dealing with dementia, be warned: it’s intense and might hit too close to home. If you love emotional, heavy dramas, you might vibe with this more than I did, but if you’re expecting the light romance promised by the marketing, you’ll be disappointed.

SPOILERS

The cutesy opening and synopses barely hint at the heavy Alzheimer’s focus, which takes over from the time Sun-young is diagnosed (about halfway through) to the end, making the show feel more like a family tragedy than a romance. I was misled in the beginning thinking, it would be a heart warming friends to lovers romance with a little bit of parental disapproval to overcome. I was not all prepared for it to become a medical drama centered around the mother as a patient.

The breakup between Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah was infuriatingly stupid and dragged on for *episodes*. They try to sell it as Ri-hwan being noble, worried he might inherit Alzheimer’s and not wanting to “burden” Haeng-ah. But this guy was a happy-go-lucky optimist before, and suddenly, after his mom’s diagnosis, he turns cold and ditches Haeng-ah? It’s so out of character! Haeng-ah has almost no family and sees Ri-hwan as her anchor, yet he abandons her when she’s desperate to support him and his aunt (who raised her). It’s selfish and cruel, especially since she wants to be there for his mom’s care. The breakup felt like forced drama, and it made several episodes boring. The show could’ve ended by episode 12 or 14 instead of dragging to 16, diving too deep into Alzheimer’s and slowing everything down.

Park Sun-young (Bae Jong-ok) was my least favorite character. Bae Jong-ok’s acting is heartbreaking, but Sun-young is so selfish. Raising Ri-hwan as a single mom in Korea was tough, sure, but she tried to end her life *twice*—once while pregnant with him and again when he was a kid, traumatizing both Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah for life. Then, she insists Ri-hwan marry into a rich family, pushing Kang Se-young (Park Hee-von) on him and rejecting Haeng-ah, the woman he loves, despite Sun-young herself escaping a wealthy family. The irony is ridiculous! Then, after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, it’s like she flips overnight from mild symptoms to severe memory loss, suddenly forgetting her obsession with the rich-girl marriage. It felt rushed and unrealistic. Having a family member with Alzheimer’s, I found the portrayal off—Sun-young becomes kinder as her disease worsens, but in my experience, difficult traits often amplify. The show also downplays how Alzheimer’s patients often don’t recognize loved ones because they remember them from years ago, not their current age, making Sun-young briefly forgetting Ri-hwan, episodic and not a part if the disease.

The secondary love interests were awful and leaned into tired K-drama tropes. Ji-hoon (Lee Jong-hyuk), Haeng-ah’s ex, is a selfish jerk who emotionally neglected her, yet *she* apologizes to *him* in the end, which was nonsense. His “I’ve changed” act wasn’t believable—people don’t transform that fast, and he was cruel to Ri-hwan for no reason, despite the girl he professes to love seeing Ri-wan as family. If you really wanted the girl you would be nice to the people important to her. And Kang Se-young (Park Hee-von), the rich girl chasing Ri-hwan, is a spoiled brat who decides she wants him because he’s handsome and nice, ignoring his obvious history with Haeng-ah. She’s rude to Haeng-ah and just unlikable. The show pushes the tired “she likes you, so you should like her” trope with her, but I never felt sorry for her. Yeah her mom was snobby and said cruel things but so did she. Even when she ends up with a nice guy, Han Tae-hee (Ahn Woo-yeon), I wasn’t happy for her because she still seemed mean to him. Also, Ji-hoon was hyped as “super handsome,” but I didn’t see it—he reminded me of Leonard Nimoy in *Star Trek* with those eyebrows and hair, and his awful personality made him even less appealing.

-ah’s friend, Oh Se-young (Kim Ri-won), was another letdown. She calls herself Haeng-ah’s friend but is weirdly mean to Ri-hwan for no real reason, just saying he’s “not good” for Haeng-ah when Haeng-ahs glowing happiness around Ri-hean says otherwise. I mean she says it is because Haeng-ah would be “shredded” by Sun-young’s cruelty toward her as a romantic interest for Ri-hwan then later in dealing with dementia but she obviously does not know her friend. It felt like another cliché “protective friend” trope done poorly, and she had no redeeming moments for me. Even after Haeng-ah and Ri-hwan are back together and the only “shredding” that happened was when they were apart she doesn’t ever admit she was wrong and congratulate her friend.

One redeeming aspect was the heartwarming found-family vibe. The people at Haeng-ah’s radio station, the restaurant crew, Ri-hwan, and even Sun-young formed a tight-knit unit that felt like a real family. Those moments were genuinely touching and gave the show some warmth amidst all the sadness.

The show also leaned into dated tropes, like Ri-hwan’s endless turtlenecks and trenchcoats—such a 2015 K-drama thing! The ending is bittersweet, with Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah reconciling, which is nice for happy-ending fans, but Sun-young’s worsening Alzheimer’s keeps things heavy. The title, opening, and synopses promise a light romance, but *Bubblegum* is a tearjerker bogged down by grief, tropes, and unnecessary drama.


The side romances in were a mess and mostly unbelievable. The older DJ, Lee Seul (Kim Jung-nan), was so silly and self-congratulating, always acting full of herself and fake, that I found her completely annoying. For the young, normal, nice guy, Noh Tae-hee (Go Bo-gyeol), to fall for her felt so weird—they were such different people, and there was nothing compelling about Lee Seul (Kim Jung-nan) to make me believe he’d overlook the age gap or her over-the-top personality. Then, Haeng-ah’s friend, Oh Se-young (Kim Ri-won), had a crush on the manager, Kwon Ji-hoon (Park Won-sang), but it was never clear why—she just liked him out of nowhere, with no meaningful interactions to show why she’d fall for him. Meanwhile, Ri-hwan’s friend, Dong-il (Lee Seung-joon), and Oh Se-young (Kim Ri-won) had a past relationship that ended mainly due to his alcoholism, though she also thought he cheated. Later, when Ji-hoon (Park Won-sang) rejects Oh Se-young (Kim Ri-won) and leaves to work at another station with Ji-hoon (Lee Jong-hyuk), she drinks with Dong-il (Lee Seung-joon), hinting they might reconnect, which made no sense since she’d already called out his drinking as a dealbreaker.

Lee Dong-wook and Jung Ryeo-won acted their roles well, and the found-family moments are sweet, but the misleading title, bubbly opening, and vague synopses hide how heavy and sad this show is. The Alzheimer’s focus, dragged-out breakup, tired tropes, and unlikable side characters made it a slog. If you love emotional dramas and can handle dementia themes, you might rate it higher than my 6/10. But if those topics hit close to home or you want the light romance it promises, brace yourself or pick something else.



SYNOPSIS



This is a 2015 South Korean drama in the romance, comedy and family genres that has 16 episodes that run about 60 minutes each.

In the bustling worlds of a traditional Eastern medicine hospital and a late-night radio station, childhood friends Park Ri-hwan (Lee Dong-wook) and Kim Haeng-ah (Jung Ryeo-won) are navigating adulthood. Ri-hwan is from a wealthy family and Haeng-ah was "adopted" by Ri-hwan's family and raised as another child in the same household. Both have dealt with unspoken feelings, family pressures, lingering exes, and the quiet ache of loneliness. But, Haeng-ah was clearly told that she was not of status to ever romantically pursue Haeng-ah by his mother both when she lived in the house and again as an adult. But what starts as playful bickering and platonic support evolves into a slow-simmering romance that's as comforting and fleeting as blowing bubbles—sweet, light-hearted, and gone in a pop if you don't savor it. The drama blends heartfelt family dynamics with witty banter. If you haven't heard of it don't be surprised as this underrated gem might capture the joy of rediscovering love in everyday chaos but it lacks the over-the-top angst that plagues other k-dramas but also pulls them into the ring of notice. And in true love triangle fashion there is also Hong Yi-seul (Park Hee-von) a rich heiress who had a blind date with and now has feelings for Ri-hwan, and Haeng-ah's ex-boyfriend Kang Suk-joon (Lee Jong-hyuk) who is also her senior/director of the company she works in, and who wants her back.

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disclaimer: I have watched 8/16 episodes
1- The rating is not reliable
2- This drama is a beautiful friendship drama between everyone. You get to appreciate it more and more as you watch more episodes. It is funny, sometimes some characters are frustrating but with understandable intentions. As a bonus, the music is cool. It is, in summary, a warm type of drama. Don’t let the lack of events steer you away from this drama from the start if you like this type of drama; it is a hidden gem.
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This was the most different drama I've watched. I got involved in the story, I really like the OST (I might say it is my favorite OST in any drama ever). As it was mentioned before, it has lots of indie vibes. The director went to different ways sometimes, and it's not just another drama. It was made to be different. I think it is poetic, adorable. And besides some drama it may contain, most of the time you are just happy with them. It's impressive how Lee Dong Wook can have chemistry with any romantic partner. Jung Ryeo Won was bright and so uplifting, I wanted to be her friend. I wish the world had more people like her. Park Ri Hwan is also a happy and playful guy - different from most of Lee Dong Wook serius characters. It was good to see him acting like a playful, good vibes and attentive person. I specially love the last lines. It was a little weird at first because of the brother and sister thing, but as long as you keep watching, you'll see that they were never like siblings, and they ever had some kinda of different affection from each other. It's delightful! I really loved the direction.

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It’s like watching a slice of real life

I watched this drama because of Jung Ryeo Won. She’s so cute in Witch at Court and Wok of Love, and here she shines as well too! Here she’s portrayed as fun loving but vulnerable on the inside, and I love how she made the decision to let go of the director even though he came back for her, because she knew that this kind of relationship isn’t what she wanted. So often we end up going back to relationships that wouldn’t work because we wanted the love but deep inside we know the love that is promised us will never satisfy us. I love how strong Park Ri Hwan is in this show and how loyal he is to Hyeng A. The rewatch value is really high because there are so many issues portrayed that resonated with real life and stirs up a lot of emotions that are hidden. Very very good show. I just love everyone here! Can’t bear to see the show come to an end

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Beautiful, realistic and heartfelt depiction of developing relationships and family

Wow, I was completely surprised by how much I loved this drama. I didn't expect to feel as attached to the characters and story as I did when I finished the drama, and I didn't expect it to leave such a mark on me and feel so much in my heart. Maybe I was just in the mood for it, but this drama absolutely left a great impression on me and stirred so many emotions. I am going to miss this drama and will probably watch it again someday for the feels and the comfort and for the reminder that there is sunshine after the rain.

Upon finishing it, I realized that the main characters and several of the side and background characters come from less-than-perfect family backgrounds, and despite having some hardships and tragedies they have been able to make and find their own type of support network and happiness among themselves. I don't think I realized this as I was watching it but towards the end I found a lot of beauty in this and the way it was illustrated. They don't focus on this during the drama, it's not until the end that it became apparent to me.

The romance itself and the chemistry between the leads is so natural and feels so real. I felt like I was an observer watching everyone's lives unfold in front of me and the blossoming of the relationship. The writing for all of the characters is really consistent and real, and everyone just behaves like normal, imperfect human beings. The way all of the relationships are depicted just feel very... ordinary. The dramatic moments and the characters' reactions to things feel very true to life. I felt like I was living through these characters and I felt like I have experienced some of their emotions before in my own life experiences. These are "older" than typical kdrama characters and are established in their careers, family, and social lives so I felt like I could relate to them a little more also.

I like also that the concept of a family is different for everyone and isn't limited to just blood, and that blood relationship families can still be flawed but still have its own importance as well. This is so important and I think this drama did such a beautiful job portraying this in different ways - through friendships, through found families and even through coworkers. I have a great family, but I also have found family through the support of friendships and coworkers as well.

Lee Dong Wook and Jung Ryeo Won are so likable as the characters they portray and they have amazing chemistry. They're both in their 30s but they retain the playfulness in their friendship that makes you really believe they grew up together and are the best of friends, and their interactions together gave me so many feelings and reminded me of my own friends-to-lovers experience. They're both charming and kind people and I loved seeing their journey together as well as their interactions with other people. They're not over the top, but it's clear they are both emotionally sensitive characters with good hearts.

There are some tough episodes to get through but it plays out like a real life event - having to struggle and work through the emotions and feelings to get through them and come to a place of peace. Overall, it was such a lovely watch and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a mellow, beautiful true-to-life style drama with not a lot of conflict.

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Incredible show

Incredible show that really brought the feels. It deftly handled comedy, romance, and heavy family drama. The characters are so rich and well developed, even when their behavior is infuriating, you always understand why they behave the way they do. The two leads have insane chemistry and I was so emotionally invested in seeing them overcome their traumas and get their happy ending. This show looked like a million bucks too: everything from the lighting to shot composition (the split screens and montages were so well done!) to the set design to the occasional use of whimsical animation created this dreamy, swoony aesthetic that made the drama feel so warm even during its saddest moments.

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Hermosa química

Es un drama que siento que no quiso ser el mejor drama de todos pero que cumplió mucho mas de lo que prometió. No tenia ninguna expectativa cuando lo empecé a mirar y casi que lo inicie por descarte pero es una de esas lindas sorpresas que no esperas pero que cuando llegan se siente lindo .
La historia esta desarrollada algo simple, en algunos casos, es donde mas deja que desear pero que cuando toma como hilo principal el Alzheimer se empieza a disfrutar mucho mucho mas.
La actuación del cast es sin dudas el punto mas fuerte del drama y el porque te vas a quedar hasta el final, no hubo un solo personaje que no pusiera su granito de arena para que este drama sea disfrutable. Hicieron sentir cada una de las emociones que quisieron transmitir tanto negativas como positivas.
La pareja principal de lee dong wook y jung ryu won me pareció perfectamente hermosa nunca dejaron de hacerme sentir cada momento de dolor que tuvieron que atravesar como también su faceta de pareja, el brillo en los ojos que ambos tenían cuando tenían que ponerse románticos me atrapo perdidamente, tenían una complicidad que podía atravesar la pantalla.
(Fanático de estas relaciones en las que pueden ser unos niños y cursis sin importar su edad, creo que toda relación necesita esto.)
También quiero hacer mención de lo cómico que podían ponerse todos los personajes a lo largo del drama pero el que mas me impresiono fue lee dong wook, es una faceta de el que no conocía y me encanto, este es el 4to o 5to proyecto que veo de el y con este me considero un fan mas de su carreara.

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