Editorials 
Overall review:
If you had to describe this drama in two words, it's 'cotton candy'. Seriously. This is my all time favourite guilty pleasure k-drama. It could be yours too, if you give it a try. It's sweet. It's light. There's HEA. Aand the lead actors are super cute. I mean...what more can a girl ask for, right?
Cast and Acting:
Just fabulous. Like their casting director needs a hefty paycheck kinda fabulous. Watching cute LOVEY-DOVEY kdrama couples is totally my thing, and PARK HYUNG-SIK and PARK BOYOUNG serve us some major heart-throbbing bloody cute moments and just....ugggh. Feel me? You can NEVER go wrong with PARk HyuNGsik aagh...
Things you may not like:
Well the story is kinda cliche for one. Two, I personally believe that the lead cast and cuteness is the only thing that saves this drama. Three, very fairytale-ish gives-you-a-tooth-ache-kinda-sweet. But that is the definiton and the whole point of a guilty pleasure. So four, if cliche cute ass cheesy dramas are not your cup of tea, this is not for you.
General Biases:
I've had friends who kept starting this drama on hold because they felt they can't take a cute faced female lead with bangs and short hair as seriously as they would a little more mature looking female lead in a romcom. You get what I mean? But honestly, Park Boyoung can completely rid you of this opinion and change your mind. So if this is your concern and it's the only thing that's holding you back, puh-lease put that prejudice aside and give this a try. I gaurantee you will enjoy it overall.
This is a legend in the kdrama world and a must-have in your list of watched kdramas if you want to call yourself a true kdrama fan. Hope this was helpful!
LOVE,
A
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This review may contain spoilers
Lovely, funny and fulfills all your superhero needs
I tried to write this review without any spoilers in case new watchers stumble upon it, but I have so many things to say that it just wasn't possible. So if anyone's by chance reading this - be aware."Strong Woman Do Bong Soon" came out in 2017 - right about the time K-Dramas had a new surge of popularity within the younger Western audience. You would be hard-pressed to find a person who didn't love this drama (or hasn't seen it), and after watching it, I can confidently say it deserves all the hype and love it has!
SWDBS at its heart is a superhero origin story. It has all the right elements - humour, romance, a dash of complicated family dynamics, a training montage, acceptance of one's powers, a huge cast of characters, small and medium level villains, and of course, the Big Bad. Unlike many others, I wasn't taken aback by the funny/serious tone switch. In fact, I loved it! The cast was very versatile - Park Bo Young and Park Bo Mi (the actress who played Bong Soon's best friend) were amazing during emotional scenes (they are both *spectacular* criers).
Bong Soon's character was another favourite of mine - she was small and adorable, but also loyal, smart, and a bit petty (aren't we all?). While it hurt to watch her deal with daily misogyny and harsh comments from her own mother, in the end, she always stood up for herself - Bong Soon's speech about her upbringing compared to her brother's got me teary-eyed. She fit perfectly together with Min Hyuk (a true imaginary boyfriend <3) and wasn't afraid to kick a**.
The soundtrack was amazing!!! It worked perfectly for the kind of drama SWDBS is - kind of crazy, very romantic and undoubtedly hilarious. Though if I had to mention anything negative, I would say that between the two "official" songs for romantic moments, I liked Suran's "Heartbeat" a LOT more than the other. It was quiet and soft, and the second seemed too loud for me.
I am generally not a negative person, so I'll mention the rest of my complaints briefly: 1) what was the deal with Bong Soon's brother and Guk Doo's ex? Just felt icky and too close to cheating; 2) I did not like Guk Doo - he was a bland character and a terrible police officer; 3) Bong Soon should have beaten the a**hole kidnapper to the pulp in the final fight; 4) the last 10 minutes of ep16 should've been a part of the special episode.
Otherwise, SWDBS is truly a superior drama for actually showing how long patients stay in hospitals, and how much time it takes for wounds to heal :D
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This review may contain spoilers
Well what to say. This drama is driven by characters and amazing chemistry between FL and ML. I really loved comedy in this and all secondary characters were nice to watch.Things I liked:
- FL and ML and fluffy moments between them
- Relationship between FL´s father and her
- Comedy scenes with her power
What I didn´t like:
- Overly dramatic and draggy last 1/3 of story
- Her mother
- How stupid they were acting, for example FL´s friend, so u was attacked and almost kiddnaped a u go again alone in the night? And that scene with sniper rifle? What if he was aiming for her head? And I am not talking about other illogical things. I know it´s normal in korean dramas but in this it was too much.
So overall this is good example that even best actors can´t save hopeless drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
Entertaining when you're out of things to watch but undoubtfully loveable
--Very VAGUE spoilers ahead. It won't take away from the show--It seems people are giving this mixed reviews. Some people absolutely love it and some people think it's wasted potential. Here's what I think: You have to go into this not expecting much. Remember, this isn't Crash Landing on You or Hotel de Luna. The plot they run with doesn't really have THAT much substance, but it's the small elements they add that keep you going. I'll try my best to break down the people/groups the shows focus on without spoiling too much.
Bong Soon and President Ahn:
This is what definitely carries the show. The interactions between Do Bong Soon and the President are almost unrealistic, but fits most fantasies of girls in middle school when crushing on a boy. I myself am a straight male in my mid 20's and I still found myself "swooning" with Ahn Min Hyeok whenever Do Bong Soon would make "his heart flutter." They really do well it making it romantic, but also tease the audience with comedy. The comedy, however, is super cheesy that it may not appeal to some, but like I said above, you cannot go into it expecting a top tier drama of the century. It's just your goofy run of the mill rom-com drama that sometimes likes to go overboard and cross the line of cheesy and corny (which appealed to me since I am but a simple man).
Gook Do and the Cops:
Gook Do serves as a good addition to your classic love triangle trope seen in kdramas and even Japanese anime. He and the other cops also serve as almost like your beacon back into the "seriousness" of the show. While the show is corny most of the time, the show has a dark element that I think they took insanely far in the form of a sadistic skin masked kidnapper who just kidnapped women throughout the show, but why not. Like I said, if you have nothing to watch, this show throws every genre they can think of into this hot pot of a drama so why not add a flavor of darkness. When the show gets overly romantic or overly corny, the show will reel you back into "Hey, we had our laughs, back to the matter at hand" with the appearance of Gook Do. On top of being the anchor into the dark part of the show, he also serves as a good love antagonist to Min Hyeok, even helping the show show Min Hyeok's comedic side when it comes to jealousy and protecting Do Bong Soon. He also serves as a good friend to our Bong Soon and can be relieved when he's on screen, even if President Ahn cannot save the day.
Baek Tak and his Goons:
When they are first introduced, one is met with "Oh God. Who is this and how are they going to mess everything up? How hard will they serve as antagonists to Ahn Min Hyeok." The answer is... not at all. The show quickly shows you these guys are just here for comedic relief and honestly shows no purpose in progressing the plot of the show. At first, they proved to be very funny due to my first impression of them and then when I quickly realized they might all have the brains of the middle schooler (even their "brave" leader Baek Tak), some of the scenes start to seem overused, too much, or I simply did not care for. As the show progresses, you see they really serve no substance and end up hindering the enjoyment of some people as some of their scenes prove to be not funny anymore as well as useless. Another note, if you honestly even look at their plot with an actual picky mind, it's literally everywhere. The gang goes through so much changes in the show that by the last few episodes, you're like "What the hell? Why did they even add them." If you don't mind nonsense filler and corny humor that's sometimes overused, you should enjoy these guys.
Kim Jang Hyun:
This man serves as the source of all the darkness in the show. With his sole existence, the show gets to add a dark element to the show. In my honest opinion, it's kind of random. It seems like show the should be focusing on Do Bong Soon's superhuman strength and how it affects her day to day life as well as her love life, but suddenly a masked serial kidnapper is on the loose causing so much havoc. As random as it seems to be, I personally enjoyed it solely because I had an open mind. If I came into it looking for an ace of a drama, I would definitely wonder why they made this element extremely dark in such a cheesy rom-com, but because I expected NOTHING from the show, when they introduced his extreme darkness, my first though became "What the f---? Did not expect that.... what happens next?" This is component will take up most of the show next to the romance of President Ahn and Do Bong Soon.
Noonim's Lackeys:
Now this is the most random part of the show. Unlike Baek Tak, these guys REALLY have no substance in the show. You can watch this whole show with their parts edited out and NOTHING will change about the show. They are there for pure comic relief and honestly, unlike Baek Tak, I didn't get tired of it. They didn't focus on them too much so when they would appear on screen, it wouldn't go past 5-6 minutes. Just a quick laugh that just sits with the show like a shark and remora (neither helping nor hurting the show). I personally found them extremely funny solely because of how their first impression to Bong Soon was to suddenly becoming a cult dedicated to her. The idea of it is so far fetched but in this drama... it makes sense?
Overall, this show just said "let's take every genre people enjoy in kdramas and mix it all together in a corny and cheesy way with insanely cheesy effects." This is what people could probably be seeing in its wasted potential as they had good elements, but didn't execute it in a crazy way... but who said it had to be mixed like that for it to be enjoyable? Would I recommend you watch this? Well it depends. Are you picky and looking for something engaging or with substance, then look somewhere else because this probably won't be for you. Are you scrolling through kisskh looking for the next kdrama to watch because you don't know what to watch? Then give this a try and don't expect ANYTHING from it... only then will the nonsense and weird mix of variety suddenly seem appealing.
PS: Her little theme song and the music during romance scenes was good enough for me if you're someone who cares about that, but nothing will beat "It's You" by HENRY from While You Were Sleeping.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a story about a girl who is super strong. Cool. Them adding a serial killer aspect to it, makes it ten times better. The fact that she's a badass who ends up turning into a bodyguard for the hottie CEO is hilarious. This show is definitely a roller coaster for emotions. It had me laugh, cry, scream at the t.v., and pissed off many different times. It was fun. I've rewatched it a few times. I would definitely recommend it to someone just getting into k-dramas. More experienced K-Drama watchers would probably find this decent but not great. I personally have loved K-dramas since like 2006 and this was a nice step away from the lack of plot lines other than "rich guy, poor girl" trope that's been done to death.
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What A Drama!!
This is an amazing drama that I believe everyone should watch at least once. I remember when I first watched the show I was hooked from the start and was fortunate enough to watch it after all the episodes where already released.This is the show that will make you laugh and cry at the same time, the comedy is truly unmatched. The story gets a 7 because in their attempt to be funny whilst also dealing with very heavy topics as well as the shows main villain; the writers lost a bit of the plot and struggled a little to find the balance between comedy and the main story line.
The acting and cast were phenomenal, everyone in the show played their roles with absolute perfection. The leads where absolutely lovable and had chemistry with every other cast member. The villain also did an amazing job because you couldn't help but hate him. The only reason this is a 9 because some of the characters where repetitive and lacked a little growth however, that it me being a little picky. So watch is and make your own conclusion.
The OST 10/10, I have no notes, the music just brought the entire show together and did it well.
It is re watchable that is a given however, having re-watched it 4-5 times I can say that the re-watch value drops over time. Some the characters that were once likable and made me laugh every time they were on screen became a little bit irritating after the 3rd watch and their scenes become skip- able. Other than that, without being objective this is a 10/10 drama for me; Do Bong Soon and Min Min will forever be one of my favorite on screen couples!
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Park Hyung Shik as Ahn Min Hyeok and Park Bo Young as Do Bong Soon are perfectly matched , their chemistry is perfect, their acting is spot on, you fall in love with them from start to finish.
If you haven't decided whether to watch it or not, JUST DO IT! you will not regret it
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I watched it because it quickly attracted my attention on an upcoming drama article. The story seem's interesting and funny : a small cute and innocent looking woman as strong as a super hero…I looked forward to see. Plus I recently saw Hwarang with Park Hyung Shik and I wanted to see more of his acting.
This drama is really funny and cute but it also has a somber part with the kidnaping investigation which is well balanced.
I love the 3 main actor they are really good and have a good chemistry.
The couple is so sweet together it's really nice to watch them.
I will probably re-watch it after some time when I want a drama that make me smile and laugh a lot.
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lindo❤
Um dos meus doramas favoritos. Comedia romântica melhor invenção na humanidade.É divertido, tem uma história boa, o casal tem química, os efeitos são bons e mesmo que tenha gnt que nn ache é uma coisa que passa batido pelo drama ser de comédia. Leve engraçado, queria ter a sensação de assistir de novo pela primeira vez. Queria muito que esses atores voltassem a trabalhar juntos pq eles são lindos e carismáticos.
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Rewatched it for the 9th time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This drama, oh, it's like a warm embrace on a chilly day, a comforting heaven I find myself returning to time and time again. "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon" is more than just a series; it's full of cuteness, humor, and romance, meticulously woven into a storyline that tugs at the heartstrings.The perfect fusion of light-hearted moments and darker undertones creates an atmosphere that is both delightful and intriguing. The characters, each a piece of a captivating puzzle, contribute to the overall charm of the narrative. The ending, oh, it's like the closing notes of a beautiful melody, leaving you with a sense of fulfillment.
Park Hyung Sik, in the lead role, is a revelation. His portrayal is a harmony of cuteness, confidence, and sweetness, painting a character that lingers in your thoughts. And Park Bo Young, ah, her effortless portrayal adds layers of depth to the drama, making every scene a canvas of emotions. Jang Mi Kwan, as the psycho killer, delivers a performance that sends shivers down your spine, adding a touch of suspense to the narrative.
We can't forget about the OST!!!!The beauty this dramas OST is, it has the ability to evoke feelings and memories long after the drama has concluded. They are the invisible threads that bind the viewers to the story, creating a lasting imprint on the soul. The soundtrack, a collection of beautiful melodies, becomes the heartbeat of the drama, enhancing the overall experience.
For lovers of romantic comedies, this is not just a recommendation; it's a mandate. The charisma that Park Hyung Sik exudes in this drama is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The on-screen chemistry between Park Bo Young and Park Hyung Sik is nothing short of enchanting. Their connection outdid the scripted lines and staged scenes, creating a palpable energy that captivates the audience from the very beginning. What makes their chemistry exceptional is the natural flow of emotions between them. From the playful banter to the tender moments, every interaction feels authentic, as if they share an unspoken language that adds layers to their characters. It's not just about delivering lines; it's about the unspoken glances, the subtle gestures, and the magnetic pull that draws viewers into their world.
In the grand tapestry of K-dramas, "Strong Woman Do Bong Soon" is a shining gem, a magic that unfolds when a stellar cast, a captivating storyline, and a sprinkle of humor and romance come together. It's not just a drama; it's a journey, a delightful exploration that leaves you with a lingering smile and a heart full of warmth.
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...because for some reason I could not binge it 100%...
If you're not sure about watching this drama, let me help you decide. WATCH IT. It will be worth your time.
Although there are not many plot twists, the writers did a good job in preventing it from getting too predictable or boring. It had just the right amount of comic relief to level out all the seriousness and if you're a hopeless romantic, you're going to love the fact that this drama is packed with couple cuteness.
If you're not a hopeless romantic, don't worry, neither am I and I was not that bothered by it since it gave more depth to the characters, which I feel, was a big plus, since non-stereotypical characters have been rare lately. I feel like the writers got creative and made some memorable favorites. Not to mention the amazing cast who did an incredible job in all the settings and scenes.
Yes, there is a triangle (I feel like there always is) but it does not cover much screen time and it wasn't the kind of triangle that makes the drama frustrating to watch. The girl doesn't pace back and forth between the boys. It's a very comfortable change from one love to the other.
I also want to warn you about the comedy. It's very loud and over the top so when you enter the world of Do Bong Soon, brace yourself. It is so worth it though because some scenes were adlibs that the producers decided to keep. Those are hilarious.
With all that said, I don't think I left any important details out....
.....ENJOY!!
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Acting/Cast: The people chosen for their roles were really on point. Every character is likable and you get to know some backround of the protagonists as well which is crucial for the storyline. I think that some characters wouldn't have been necessary but that's just my own opinion.
Music: I really really loved the music! I fell in love with the love-song-theme from VROMANCE, omg my sister and I are singing or more humming (we don't speak korean) the melody all the time xD
Rewatch Value: I would definitly rewatch this show, but not too soon, because the storyline has so many strings that it's not an "easy" show to watch because sometimes it seems too much :D But I would rewatch it some day for sure ;)
Overall: Overall I'd say that this drama is very adorable and likeable.
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