The plot is simple, but it's so funny and moving at the same time.
The cast is overall great (although I didn't care that much about some of the subplots to be honest, imho the only weak parts) but, most of all, Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk's chemistry is off the charts! No wonder they were dating in real life, back then. They're both so good in their roles and soooo cute! Lee Sung Kyung manages to be more boyish than what she usually is (i.e. a beautiful, very feminine woman), which speaks volumes about how great she is here. If you're looking for a show that will make you smile and feel good, then look no further!
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Nothing memorable for me
I might be in the minority but I honestly wasn't that impressed. The only redeeming quality for me was Nam Joo-hyuk was SO cute and adorable. This was my first drama of his I watched and he made me want to go try his others that he's in. Sure, he's not your typical "super hot swoon worthy" type but his mannerisms and smile and character make me love him so much. PLUS he does have a really nice body to look at.TW:
There were a lot of things in this that made me uncomfortable. The physical abuse and literally SEEING it happen was a bit much for me.
Also the whole weight loss thing was not handled well imo. She CLEARLY is in shape and even the Dr notes her muscle mass and healthy bmi, so why is he still pushing weight loss? This, to me, portrayed a poor image of body positivity and was pushing weight loss for an already healthy person.
Side note- I know a big portion of this was supposed to be "slice of life" for most of the characters but I honestly found a lot of the side arc boring and skipped a lot.
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Cute Romcom
Overall I liked it, it’s a cute lighthearted drama!The cast is really good, my fav character was the ML I feel like he got the best character development and was the only mature one at times lol. The FL is your tipical dumb girl that is supposed to be “not attractive”, she’s not like other girls yk lol but more tolerable than most FLs imo. The only thing I don’t like about her it’s that she’s a bit selfish and immature mainly in her relationship with the ML.
I honestly skipped the love story of the ML’s brother, it just felt forced and I wasn’t interested in the man after the story with the FL was done, I would’ve love to see if Seon-ok and Tae-Kwon got together at some point we only saw them flirt one episode and then the story jumps to 2 years later and that’s it, the last episodes felt quite rushed tbh.
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This review may contain spoilers
Thoughts after rewatching
A little while ago I’ve decided to rewatch this drama just to see whether it was as good as I’ve remembered it from almost four years ago. Turns out it wasn’t, but I still very much love it.The female lead, Bok Joo, just has it all. She is fierce yet caring and cute in her own specific way. She always tries her best, but her clumsiness (which might feel a little bit too much sometimes) gets in her way. Her story is well-developed and although one can argue with some of her actions, the reasoning is always there. Joon Hyung, the male lead, is as fun, caring and loyal as she is. He deals with a lot of stuff, but never laces into anyone. What I’ve refused to notice before is how officious he is at times, especially at the beginning. It is also a shame that his character wasn’t explored as well as Bok Joo. But at the end of a day, he’s still a loveable, supportive guy who can easily gain viewers’ sympathy despite a very few flaws.
Perhaps the most heart-warming feature of this drama is seeing those two grow not only as a couple but also as individuals. I must say, I’m still at awe of how smoothly a relationship between the main pair flowers. Throughout the show, both characters keep supporting each other in every possible field from sports career to mental health issues, which is a really nice alternative to all toxic kdrama relationships. Although a few of the occurring conflicts might feel childish to some, they all feel natural and get resolved in a fitting time and manner. As for personal development, I really loved the lack of stigmatisation of Jong Hyung’s therapy. Even while going through breakdowns, the couple still supported each other without being “too much” for one another, which felt absolutely refreshing.
As I could go for the whole day about how much I love the drama, here I’d like to concentrate on a few issues I find a bit annoying. First of all, what really bugs me is the lack of research on sports the characters were performing. I’m no professional, but it took only a few google searches to prove that some of the sports-related issues presented in this kdrama would never occur in real life. Secondly, I really dislike the irrational ex-girlfriend trope. As much as I like and feel for Shi Ho, her introduction as an obsessive ex well, unnecessary? Moreover, the relationship between Jae Yi and Ah Yeong felt a bit off – out of all fun characters Jae Yi felt like he had nothing but a doormat personality and thus no one can tell whether he really cares about Ah Yeong or just does what he is supposed to do. Additionally, I absolutely hated how Joon Hyung was encouraged to make up with his mother – again, I had literally no reason to have any sympathy for her and found it disturbing how everyone justified her behaviour as she had not traumatised her son before. Lastly, I was sad to see that Tae Kwon’s and Nan Hee’s personalities were based on a single trait, which made those characters a bit cartoonish.
As for casting, I think we should all address an elephant in the room. It is kind of ridiculous how the story spins around “ugly girls have it worse” scenario and yet the ugly girl in question is the top model Lee Sung Kyung herself. Baggy clothes and short haircut don’t really portray her any worse. On other hand, what might sound quite controversial, the one good thing that in my opinion comes from this tragically reused trope are Bok Joo’s facial expressions. Although they might look a bit awkward, I find them really matched to the character. Yet, even though I truly despise this “ugly girl transformation” trope, I truly cannot imagine any other actress playing Bok Joo as good as Sung Kyung did. Nam Joo Hyuk did the hell out of a good job as well. The chemistry between both the main characters as well as the rest of the cast members is quite unmatched.
Rewatching this piece made me realize how many small or a bit bigger problems are here in the drama. Some of them were a bit annoying, some of them almost unnoticeable. Nevertheless, it might be my personal bias, but I would still name Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo the best comfort drama for both teenagers and young adults.
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The series is light and romantic
The series is based on the real stories of athletes—the lives of champions, their struggles, and doubts. It also explores the topic of female athletes, femininity, authenticity, self-acceptance, and the desire to be both a woman and a dedicated athlete, as well as how society perceives all of this.At the same time, it contrasts with a sport often considered more "feminine"—gymnastics. It’s a very interesting and refreshing subject, touching on sensitive issues but without delving too deeply. The storyline lacks boldness and feels somewhat watered down to appeal to a broader audience. It's a shame, but in terms of popularity, it works.
The female lead acts well—I think she managed to portray an interesting character despite not fitting the role perfectly. The male lead is likable, with moments of strong acting and others that are less convincing. Their love story is enjoyable.
The biggest flaw is the choice of the main actress, who does not fit the role. She is very pretty and not "big" at all, yet the script repeatedly insists that she is, which really bothered and annoyed me. They should have either acknowledged that she is attractive but simply less conventionally feminine or fully committed to the idea by casting a more convincing actress for this concept.
Secondly, the constant eating does not add much value to the story. If it was meant as a critique or had a deeper meaning, they should have explored it further.
Thirdly, the friendship dynamic between the FL and ML is unbalanced (at least until episode 15). The FL constantly shares her struggles, but the ML also has problems, and she never asks how he is doing. Even at the end, she encourages him to win so he can join her, but in a way, it’s still about her. Yet, at the beginning, the ML criticizes his ex-girlfriend for being selfish.
The series is light, romantic, and overall pleasant to watch, especially for younger audiences.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is amazing!! I can’t put into words how much I loved it! The story is just too cute! My favorite will always be Bok Joo and Soon Ok. Soon Ok little relationship with his friend was so funny. I’m not going to lie I really felt bad for the Doctor because he is such a good guy, and just so sweet. Same with the younger brother his past with his mother is so sad. I cried when she showed up at the school. I couldn’t get over the fact that he was really letting his feelings out. And when his aunt smacked him….. I could not take it. I could really feel every emotion. Now on the the three musketeers. I absolutely loved their friendship. When they finally found out about Bok Joo liking the Doctor and going to the diet clinic. I could not help but to cry with them.In conclusion, this is an all around amazing K-drama. I would definitely recommend others to watch this. You get so immersed into the story and you feel like you’re apart of it. Bok-Joo SWAG!!
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comforting soooo much
SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD wth. The story portrayed not only their childhood friends reunion that turned to lovers but also Bok Joo's hard working to always do her best as a weightlifting athlete.. love u sungkyung n joohyuk.And also Bok Joo's father that I really like. He's a hardworking person, and has been taking care of Bok Joo himself since long time ago. He seems so protective but he loves Bok Joo that much (and some dad's love language is like that.. ig)
And i love Bok Joo and Joon Hyung's scenes. Just like... your heart feels warm? And Joon Hyung's jokes always get me.. yes!
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I really loved everything about this show. The main actress is just great in this role and I loved her in Cheese and the Trap as well as was the male lead as they were both supporting roles in that show and leads here. We have a spunky strong female lead and a guy who is sort of in the shadow but who is the best sort of guy.
First of all this is a sports rom com so it might not be for everyone but I loved it even though I am not so much a sports fan in general. The goal of working to win a medal is a big goal but it's not the only goal in the female leads life, she also wants to have a boyfriend and be a girl. The weight lifting girls are not treated so well by their rivals the gymnasts and this was so relatable. There are so many humorous situations and things that the female lead gets herself into. A big part of it is her lying and creating problems that did not need to exist but in this case the lies really create whole episode situations. She definitely does not fall for the main guy at first but he is the friend for a long time so it progresses slow in the romance department but it is so strong when they finally do get together that they are just so cute as a couple and have great chemistry together. I think this female lead has to be my favorite in a long time and this couple is just so cute. She is great with over top sort of girl and I think she is an awesome actress.
I highly recommend this show to anyone who likes strong female leads or if you liked Strong Woman Do Bong Soon you will probably love this as well.
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I really loved their development and it just proves that friendship is such a great foundation for a relationship. They both had problems to go through and they helped each other when they needed it most. They were such a healthy pure couple!!!
There was just so much fluff, and I loved every minute of it. The first ten episodes were okay but afterwards was when I believe the show really began to shine and increase in quality. We got had gotten to know the characters now, and relationships started to flourish. The characters had developed and matured as well.
I loved the aesthetic of this drama too. The gorgeous colours and lil cartoons were so cute. The soundtrack was also so good!! It is so lovely and soothing.
All in all, this drama was so pure. The last few eps are definitely re-watch worthy, and I’m really glad I took my friend’s recommendation and watched this adorableness of a show.
This is a show for all you lovers of fluff, you'll feel like you're on a cloud :)
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8/10
it was a good drama, I liked the development of the characters, main and secondary, the ending was acceptable, it was not so open, it was good 8.0/10Was this review helpful to you?
An uplifting and positive story throughout, one of my favourite aspects of this story is how the ML and FL first become genuinely good friends without any pretense towards romance, it was fun to watch them being completely themselves around each other, playfully kicking each other or all those other things that you do with your mates but probably not with your boy or girlfriend.
Kim Bok Joo is a very talented weight lifter and one of the storylines is following her progression through and beyond university. There's less focus on the ML's sporting career which is reasonable - his name isn't even in the title at all :) But he does have his own story to tell.
Actually the ML's story was the one I felt had the least well executed conclusion, he gets a kind of blackout when he's about to launch to the pool in competitions and it has caused him lots of problems with late starts or early starts and disqualifications. He seeks psychiatric help and then just one day without any kind of revelation, it's just not there anymore, it just goes away. I was really hoping to see some kind of attack start, and then dissipate (perhaps on seeing Kim Bok Joo in the crowd) and that then be the transition to a better life, but it didn't work out that way. Not a huge deal but just something I was waiting for that didn't feel satisfying enough.
I loved the characters in this and the way the trio of girls acted together was fantastic, including their "Swaaaaaag" expressions. The chemistry among friends was spot on, and the later chemistry among the two leads was right on too.
It was really interesting to see this sport covered too, usually it'd be one of the more mainstream ones like running, swimming and that kind of thing - but seeing the weight lifting side of things was really interesting for a change and does give a small insight into the challenges that these athletes face in contrast to many other sports.
There's no bad bits, there's no stupid breakups, there are some tough topics covered including one of the gymnasts having her own serious issues that are then dealt with, but overall this one is just light, fluffy and wonderful!
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