The Universe’s Star

I've pretty much been crying since the first episode but the last two episodes god! Even the loving moments got me emotional. This is the kind of drama that really gets to you. Acting is so good throughout, I'm not going to even start talking about just how beautiful Kim Junmyeon is because trust me that's not the only thing good about this show. This is like Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, had the same kind of amazing acting, plot, direction, angst. It's dark but not too dark, it's romantic but not too cheesy, it's just the right amount of guilty pleasure, and wish fullfilment coupled with a fantastic script. It's deep, meaningful, poetic. No annoying females, and the love was FELT not just a bunch of confession scenes, and the brilliance of the lead actors made it not only a pleasure for the eyes but also for the heart. He's not just some hot, loaded caricature of a chaebol and she's not in love with him because he acts like a jerk to her. The way they talked about the nature of any idol and fan relationship, they don't dismiss it because not every fan is a sesaeng and not every idol is a pretentious overbearing asshole. They talked about issues like stalking, and for once it wasn't encouraged or justified. The way 'fans' react if god forbid their bias starts going out with someone or falls in love. The truth is if you can't be supportive of their happiness you should definitely stop calling yourself a 'fan.' Anyway, all I want to say is if you love kpop, kdrama, if you love an idol and want Suho to melt you with his gaze and serenade you with his beautiful voice WATCH THIS DRAMA. The best part is it will take you a full 3 hrs but at the same time, like many other short drama where you feel like it was disjointed or disappointing because there isn't enough time to even enjoy the couples time together, this one will leave you completely satisfied.

Read More

Heartwarming Gem

There were a few rough edges but lots of heart that shined brightly once things got going.

In particular, although the ending was necessarily abbreviated it was satisfying. I’m surprised that this series hasn’t gotten the 12 or 16 hour long episode treatment. The three hours didn’t seem long at all but forced what I felt was a too brief treatment of some twists.

For example, the ending revealed several interesting connections among the living and the dead that deserved to be expanded in more background story developments.

Also the ending revealed a final ending for the main character that could and should have had a longer exploration vs the few minutes it received.

A little jarring for me was that midway through several people talked to a girl they knew died 7 years prior without much of a dramatic ripple. That really needed more context and development - the livings’ reactions and perhaps the formerly dead girl’s adjustments.

This is one that gets better as you go and finishes with a satisfying ending.

Read More

A drama that doesn't leave any aftertaste, no good one no bad one either. I was worried Suho's acting would be an obstacle to me getting into the story, but in the end, the female lead's acting was the worst. I wouldn't be able to explain why but she had a knack for getting on my nerves ; the male lead's acting lacked of feelings, passion, it was too bland, flat.
The plot could have been interesting but is very cheesy, and doesn't make sense at times. Small mistakes that get you out of it and doesn't let you jump back in.
I wouldn't watch it again, and wouldn't recommend it either!

Read More

ESTOY LLORANDO OK

Como les digo que hace mucho rato un drama no me hacia llorar tanto, al inicio quede como con bug mental por que no sabia de que si iba a tratar y me encanto el no saberlo, creo que me entro mucho el sentimiento por el hecho que soy fan del kpop entonces cuando pasaban algunas cosas, pense que eso realmente les podia pasar a los idols , y mas que esta protagonizado por uno de mis bias de EXO, Suho y me dolía pensar en que no los podría proteger, este drama lo deben ver todos es que es hermoso, el ost fue arte, la historia te deja una moraleja bella, en cuanto a el elenco me gusto mucho nunca habia visto actuar ninguno de los dos protagonistas apesar de que los conocia, sin duda lo volveria ver

Read More

I decided to watch The Universe’s Star because I needed a light and short drama after going through a long and complex drama such as A Korean Odyssey. And after stumbling on this drama’s blurb, I decided to give it a go.

To be honest, I wasn’t too excited on this drama based on its premise. I knew I had to lower down my expectations. I mean, another Grim Reaper drama? I guess Koreans do love their Grim Reapers.

But the poster did an incredible job at luring me in completely into the drama. I mean, look at that poster. Wouldn’t you say that it’s a poster fit for a catchy drama with an adequate length?

I didn’t realize it was Exo’s Suho playing the lead, at first. I actually didn’t bother to check the cast as I know that for a short drama like this, it doesn’t have a lot of budget for a bigger production. And they actually advertised Suho as Kim Jun-myeon, which I think was the right choice. It’s a big step in separating himself from the boy group he was in.

In the first episode, we immediately saw how Byul died. Although it was hazy and unclear, we already got the gist of how she became a Grim Reaper. A few years later, we see Byul as a Grim Reaper who, let’s just say, isn’t a good one. She failed to guide the souls assigned to her as she always let them live at the last minute.

Can I just say that this drama portrayed Grim Reapers a little differently? Unlike the preceding dramas with bigger productions, Grim Reapers are usually portrayed as supernaturals who can transport anywhere, wipe out the minds of humans, and possess incredible fighting skills. In The Universe’s Star, however, Grim Reapers are portrayed as almost like ghosts who have been recruited in a “Grim Reaper Agency”. No supernatural abilities and such. They almost felt like normal people except their invisible to the living. And I think that’s what they actually did.

In all honesty, I wasn’t too thrilled with Ji-woo playing the female lead. She seemed to be too average and lacks charisma. However, I was proven wrong. She was actually perfect as Byul. Her reactions were realistic as it should be. Unlike the female lead in the webdrama, Exo Next Door (who can I just honestly say was bland and unnatural in the webseries). Ji-woo is truly an underrated actress.

And I can’t help but compare the two dramas as it almost have the same plot. Both dramas tell about the love story of a cold-hearted and emotionless famous singer and a die-hard fan who wished to be the former’s lover. And both have Exo members as their leads.

But what set The Universe’s Star apart from Exo Next Door is its originality and complexity. Unlike the latter, The Universe’s Star delivered more than just simple fan service drama. It brought us a mixture of emotions, a well-thought plot and a bittersweet ending. It truly packed a punch for a six-episode drama.

Now, as for Suho, I never imagined that he would go for the acting industry. He wasn’t my bias in the boygroup so I wasn’t too familiar with him. But seeing him in the The Universe’s Star made me like him more. He wasn’t the best actor in the drama. Let’s get that right. But he does have potential. A potential that needs a lot of training and experience. And I can actually appreciate him in this drama as you can clearly see him trying hard as an actor. I was actually surprised by his acting and wondered why wasn’t he cast in a bigger role in his group’s webdrama.

This drama made me like Suho more than I did before. And it made me realize how I, or perhaps some of us, underestimated him both as a singer and an actor. So it was actually nice seeing him explore into the acting industry as it gave him the spotlight that he needed.

The Universe’s Star actually became Suho’s platform to showcase who he is and who he can be without depending on the worldwide famous name of Exo. Also, we can actually hear him sing for himself and not get washed away by the voices of his other members.

The plot was decent. Actually more than decent even with its cliché premise. While there were cringe-y moments scattered all throughout the drama, there were also golden moments. Moments of genuine comedy, fluttering love scenes between the OTP, and heartbreaking conflicts. The backstories were actually brilliant. I was actually a bit blown away since it was supposed to be a light and comedic drama. And even if the heartbreaks were simple and uncomplicated, if you put yourself in the characters’ shoes, it is just as painful as any other heartbreaks. It brought us complexity and depth. Something I wouldn’t expect from a drama such as this.

The writers also did well in intertwining all the characters in the drama. For someone who has watched a lot of dramas before, I could’ve predicted how every character is related to one another. But I wasn’t able to. In fact, I predicted it wrong. And that’s what I liked about The Universe’s Star. It gave us loving characters that grew on us as we go along the drama. And I especially liked the friendship between Byul and the ghost Gak-shi.

It is strange for a Grim Reaper to be best friends with a ghost, considering that Byul was supposed to guide Gak-shi in the afterlife. Both of them shared the same love for the popular Woo-joo, which was so entertaining and funny to watch as even though they’re a couple of supernatural beings, she still act like normal, living, die-hard fans. I adored watching these two best buds so much that when it was time for them to have they’re goodbyes, it made my heart ache.

The OTP was also lovable. They were both cute and, at times, funny. And even if there were a few cringes in their love story, they were also been able to give us heartwarming and heartbreaking scenes. Despite their weak chemistry, the OTP surely grew on me.

Also, the soundtrack was beyond my expectations. As I have lowered my expectations on this drama, I didn’t expect to enjoy this drama as I would’ve had.

If there’s one thing this drama lacked is clarity. There were a lot going on in the drama, and even though they were able to pull it off in six 20-minute long episodes, I wished they would’ve stretched the story more in order for them to fill the plot holes that were left unfilled.

I didn’t dare nitpick the flaws of this drama as I know it would ruin the drama for me. I know that this drama has a lot of flaws, but I was willing to overlook all of them as I did enjoy the drama.

And let me just point out how clever the writers are in coming up with the title? If you haven’t noticed, The Universe’s Star, is the literal translation of Woojooui Byuli. In other terms, it can be understood as Woojoo’s Byul. Cute, isn’t it?

Read More

A first episode unlike any other

This drama has the most perfect length.

Secondly, it took double the time to watch the first episode of this little drama for how many times I kept rewinding scenes. The drama has an incredibly strong start but begins to lose that charm towards the end but it's still very good as it maintains the most important thing: It stays true to its roots throughout. The first episode promises powerfully unique characters that have never been delivered by the drama world- ever, and the actors are flawlessly in character. There were no jarring changes or inconsistencies with the characters but somehow this drama lost its initial lustre (perhaps a story issue, or the tells of the imposing shadow of popular cliches rocking the market)

I would have preferred the characters to stay in their characters as in the first episode right through the six episodes. The moody pop-star got all soft and just a bit, lost the essence of his character and so did the chill grim reaper rocker chick who jammed to Sweet Child Of Mine by Guns n' Roses. The rest of the soundtrack remains top-notch throughout the series (except for episode 5 I believe where the typical drama tunes play in the background) with beautiful instrumentals, some Indian twists in one song and brilliant complexity. And something to be mentioned is a lot of the stunning cinematography. Some of these shots will take your breath (quite literally) and not just artistically but symbolically as well.

The heartfelt moments run rampant in this drama and its short length has been handled wonderfully for some parts (leaving out the unnecessary fillers such as the revealing of one's backstory to another character which other dramas tend to prioritize on and run entire episodes together for just one reveal while in this drama the lack of such a thing speaks for itself about the strength of their bond) but seems rushed and over-complicated in much too short a span at other parts (having so many impactful events occur in too close a time frame is overwhelming and therefore pulls you out of the immersion).

For a drama with a 'tragic' ending, I was left rather satisfied upon its completion. Everything fell in place and the story and acting were so real (despite the whole supernatural plot) that you can understand why each thing happens and you're okay with it! They're real people. Grim Reapers, and humans, they're all just people, and you may be able to control things for a while but it's inevitable and for the best that they return to their natural state.

Upon all of the above, just watch it because it is so incredibly short! It's a great drama which I highly recommend. It's something special. That first episode... I won't be getting over it- ever. I will even go as far as to call it revolutionary.

Read More

The plot was simple and sweet with the right amount of cheesy. Sparked emotions in my cold dead heart and left me feeling giddy like a school girl when the two main leads interacted. The ending left me feeling sad, but content with how it ended. The two main leads suited each other well and I wasn't bored with the small side romances of other characters like I usually am. It's definitely worth watching if you want something short and cute, to just simply enjoy without dramatic story arks that leave you feeling tired afterwards. I really loved the main ballad song. Suho's vocals fit very well with it and even though it's a simple song, I found it really heartwarming.

Read More

This should’ve been just a shorty short and fun drama that I picked up to watch whenever I had a few minutes to spare… Instead, I ended up bawling like a big baby, really.

The premise sounded fun: a rather incompetent grim reaper girl decides to save an idol from dying and much kerfuffle follows. And the drama really is downright hilarious - but! It also deals with death, how one approaches it and deals with it, with the sudden kind but also with the kind that’s years in the making and you need to learn to live with it. And when it comes, you have to go without regrets. That I did not expect from this series, to be punched in the heart so thoroughly.

I also loved how intriguing the relationships were, how all the characters were connected one way or another, through friendship or death - or both. For a web drama this was so well done and plotted! Actually, not just for a web drama, this is simply a really good series, period, and well worth watching!

So, if you have barely 3.5 hours of spare time - it’s just 21 10 min. long eps or 6 30+ min. long, depends on where you actually watch it - give it a try. It’ll definitely stay with me for a very, very long time.

Read More

I am still new to kdramas but have watched short compilations of some scenes from many dramas. I found this story quite unique and loved the way it was enacted. They didnt try to do something over the top and kept it simple which i think gave a lovely experience to me. Also i felt that they looked like a real couple. I mean the casting was superb for the roles as per me and the supporting characters also did very well. I also loved the fact that everything was related to one another at some point and was well stated without creating any sort of confusion or dilemma.I would recommend people to watch it who want to see something which is not too loud and dramatic and pleases the heart.❤Cheers for kdrama.

Read More

Pardon my French but (major major spoilers btw)

Oh shit oh fuck what even was that? I’m pacing my room bc I don’t even know how to contain all these emotions. I totally spoiled myself and knew the ending was sad but holy God it was so much worse than I ever could have imagined. But it was so good at the same time. Like it was better than I pictured it but also way fucking worse. THEY HAD A KID??!! From the way the drama was going I was like ok, they’re gonna have a romance, they’re gonna be “in love” for a few months, she’s gonna die, he’s gonna be sad, but he’ll probably move on in the future and she will accomplish her little bucket list and go to heaven. That’s kinda sad but could be worse. I jinxed it. I totally jinxed it. I was kind of spacing out during the rooftop scene so I didn’t pick up on the fact that she was planning on staying for 7 more years. I thought she was just saying random nonsense to make the grim reaper save her little idol. But she stayed for seven years to save her love and then she took the spot of the grim reaper’s daughter? Omg this is like that Chinese drama (which I won’t name but if you know you know) where her husband died from poison like 5 years down the line. Why they gotta do this to me!? The only way to make a sad ending more sad is by making them live happy lives together only to take that happiness away a few years later. I’m literally tearing up just thinking about her smiling and hugging her kid being like, “it’s my time now” and him just looking at her with tears in his eyes, knowing he can’t do anything and their time together is over. Ugghhhh that cuts deep. I gotta rewatch that, that was so good. On a more negative note, this is what I wrote down before I watched the ending (I write reviews as I go sometimes): “I usually don’t mind nonsensical romances but this one was just too much for me. Their attraction for each other came out of nowhere, and in general, the entire reason why they initially started hanging out makes no sense. If I was a star, the last thing I’d want to do is take the girl that stalked me, stole my dog, broke into my house, and tackled me on stage on a date. That wasn’t enough, however, because she behaved in the creepiest way the entire time she was around him. She openly idolized him, and while that’s understandable, I can’t imagine how you can have a romantic relationship with that type of person. I don’t really understand die-hard fans, so to me the whole fangirl culture is almost like legalized and socially acceptable stalking. I can’t imagine falling in love with someone like that.” Um yeah, and this is the reason why I can’t in good faith give this drama a higher rating, although that ending will always be a 10/10 and if their romance was done better, you bet this drama would’ve been at LEAST a 9. Yeah, overall their romance doesn’t make a lot of sense, and worldbuilding was rather confusing (there’s a LOT of corruption in the underworld, who knew?) but I think I’d still recommend this to others because I love crying and this is a 10/10 tearjerker. If anything, watch for the ending. Happy (sad) watching! :)

Read More

When Death Stans an Idol

This drama starts off feeling like one of those shows that dares you to quit. Within the first few episodes, I was hovering over the eject button thanks to some seriously questionable choices—like stalker fan behavior being romanticized even after death. Apparently, dying grants you emotional immunity and a backstage pass into someone’s life. And the setup of a high school-aged grim reaper being romantically paired with a grown adult? Slightly unsettling. But then again, this drama seems to live in a galaxy where "What the eff" is a guiding principle.

Despite the eyebrow-raising premise, Ji Woo as Ha Na manages to anchor the chaos. She’s not your cookie-cutter rom-com lead—there’s no faux innocence or forced charm. Instead, she delivers vulnerability wrapped in quiet determination, and it works. Ha Na feels more like a person trying to make sense of an existence interrupted, rather than a plot device designed to prop up Suho. That said, Suho as the “Universe’s Star” isn’t just casting convenience—it fits. He carries the aloof superstar persona with just enough melancholy to sell the cosmic metaphor, even if the script occasionally flirts with melodrama overload.

The real strength of this drama isn’t its logic—it’s its emotional intent. When it decides to stop being quirky and just be sincere, it lands. It tackles themes of second chances, unfinished business, and living with no regrets. For a story that includes supernatural fan service and death bureaucracy, it surprisingly pulls no punches when it comes to asking: “What would you do if you had one more moment?”

Flawed but affecting, The Universe’s Star is best consumed with lowered logic defenses and an open heart. If you can overlook the premise quirks and moral landmines, what’s left is a story that whispers carpe diem through stardust and grief—and sometimes, that’s enough.

Read More