Be Melodramatic

Melo definitely suits them, and its ok to be melo, isn't life always a bit melo anyways?

This drama definitely felt like Age of Youth, but in their 30s. Instead of school life, it focus on women and them juggling their careers and personal life. Perhaps because I really enjoyed Age of Youth, I also really enjoyed Be Melodramatic.
It is more of a slice-of-life drama, journeying with the characters through their personal highs and lows and the in-between (there is a lot of in-between moments). There is no sweeping romances, but slightly heart-fluttering and fuzzy romances. No crazy plot twists or twisted villains, just life getting in the way (e.g: death of a loved one, being a single mother, getting stuck in an unfulfilling job). I do think that there are more funnier scenes than melodramatic scenes, such that I find the drama title ironic. I also like how the drama incorporates meta.
Some of the characters might not be the most likeable at the start, but they definitely become endearing at the end of the dramas. Especially the male characters, some of them seem too aloof or arrogant, but gradually and somehow, the story reveals more to their initial impression and ended up liking their characters at the end of the drama. I am realllly liking Jeon Yeo Bin's acting, especially now watching Vincenzo too. I think because the actors/actresses are not the most well-known, I got to really immersed myself with the characters of the drama (lol sounds weird but idk how else to phrase), not comparing with their other works. (excluding ahn jae hong in reply 1988 and lee yoo jin in age of youth)
Sadly, maybe the drama's production is smaller or for other reasons, the OST is lackluster-ish. Different covers of the same song is repeated in the drama. Initially, it was played for gags, but it kinda overtook as the main theme as the song is still about romance which fits the drama. It is nice that one of the cover is sang by the main leads (I am not too sure tbh but it sounded like their voices). And now this song is stuck in my head :') (Song: Your Shampoo Scent in the Flowers - jang beom june)
I have to end this review with my favourite quote/dialogue from this drama, maybe even the best quote ever (paraphrased): "You'll always be moneyless, you don't have money now because you're studying, then after getting a job, you'll get married and need a house, but it belongs to the bank, so you still don't have money. Then you'll pay back the mortgage but when you have children, then you'll send them to college to provide them good education, then when its retirement, you'll not have any money. And that is just the successful cases, there are worse ones yet."

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Be Melodramatic is probably one of the dramas that I put off for a long time, but once I started it was an immediate binge( I finished it in four days). The story has more of a realistic approach than most dramas and honestly could become frustrating in way? I don't mean it in a bad way, but it's like a slap to the face kind of feeling. The best way I could describe it would be maybe as if the writer was making the audience realize that they need to face reality and not stay in la la land because one day or another you'll have to face it. I definitely would say that this is a romantic comedy, but with the main focus on friendship. I would say that was my favorite aspect of this drama. It honestly made it feel as if no matter how good or bad your day was your friends are always there.

The cast is just great and I think the characters were portrayed well. The character development was well paced and made sense with the overall story. I would say that some moments were predictable,not too much, but with a hint of twists. It's just enough to keep the viewer's attention. You come to love some characters and others maybe not so much, but they all have a purpose and make the story feel more complete. You will definitely feel a mix of emotions where one moment you'll be laughing and the next thing you know a tear might be forming ( unless that's just me being a snowflake hahaha). I think the main deciding factor whether or not you watch this drama is whether you care that the story goes back and forth a lot( past to present). I would recommend to at least give it a try.

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This type of drama always catches my eye in the beginning but always fails to keep it I loved the stories the acting and the relationships between the characters lets not forget about the amazing ost but sometimes I just fail to understand the characters emotions and alot of things in the story are useless and I felt that the parts I like were always cut short what I mean is that by the time i reached the final episode I reached the point that I stopped reading the subs cause it wasnt interesting anymore for me it felt as if sth was missing and I stopped feeling connections with the characters also it was nice to see an lgbt storyline i wish that we saw alot more of it though in hopes it opens up more doors for future dramas overall it was a fun watch for me although it wasnt perfect it was still has many amazing sides that I dont see often in recent dramas

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One of the female characters becomes pregnant unintentionally, but abortion isn't mentioned or even considered. How odd. I was actually wondering if this was an American series. And then I realized that abortion wasn't decriminalized in Korea until 2021, and since then, there hasn't really been any way to actually get one. That explains it all.
It's a bit of a shame to see this kind of reactionary plot device in a series entirely centered on three women in their thirties and their professional struggles. It could have served to make a point about this particularly important issue, but it seems that's not part of the Hallyu agenda.

They all come across as endearing and funny, surrounded by very ordinary jerks. They have to put up with all these hurtful remarks on a daily basis. It's the same everywhere... the working world, really.

We also have to put up with scenes where a character talks to someone as if they were there, when they're not. It stresses me out. He's dead. You know it. We know it. Everyone knows it. Stop writing sick stuff like that ; and always for women, too. Always. It drives me crazy ! It drags the show down ; it's not interesting. Please. Stop.

Well. The production assistant is so nice. Her relationship with her coworker makes me a little sad. They're making a big deal out of nothing when they could just be friends, and that would be nice. But a man and a woman are bound to see each other through a romantic lens or something more. Exhausting.
Still, it's great that she dumped her son's father. He's a loser from start to finish, no redemption. And the whole "pretending to be sick" thing to get back into her life : well played. We dodged a bullet. I was so scared.

Finally. That screenwriter. She cracks me up. Her calm but snarky responses. And when she magically pulls out her guitar... so funny. Best character. She's the reason I was watching, after all. She waits until the guy finishes cooking his dish to say she doesn't like it and won't eat it. Nice move.

All three are adorable, with their flaws and their strengths, they are authentic. Everyone's character development is satisfying, more or less. But as is so often the case, 16 episodes is at least four too many. I skipped quite a few scenes because they dragged on for no reason, but seriously, you could see the filler coming a mile away. I often find 16-episode K-dramas too long for what they offer, while 30-episode C-dramas just aren't enough.

Humor works really well. The series deals with sad topics (from the perspective of privileged women, don't forget that), but it remains genuinely funny. The romance doesn't work as well. The tragedy works even less, just a miss. The "social" commentary, which is very superficial, works mainly through the humor and never goes very deep.

It smells like an autofiction screenplay. A screenwriter told us about her life and that of her friends.

"The tears in your heart will turn into an illness. But once you cry them out, they evaporate and disappear."

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I know there are a lot of critics regarding the slow-pace, the overall storyline. But i will critize The cast. There is something strange with the emotion and chemistry between the writer and director characters. They are seems forced to have a romantic relationship, even i doubt is there any attraction between them. Idk maybe something is missing from the way te actors present it. Sometimes I'm confused about the meaning of their stares and smiles. The writer is too quirky and difficult to understand, i cant relate to her since her expression is often annoying. The director is also the same, many of his expression I barely watch. I can't help to resemble him as the Jung Bong of Reply 1988. Often, when it's their scenes, I speed up or even skip. The two main characters look like forced to be complicated, and make it meaningless instead.

What kept me to still watching until the end was just to know the endgame of the other two female leads. They have better storylines and developing characters than the main story. What should be the main story isn't even interesting :) idk but this drama is overrated. sorry. Keep it up, everyone involved! I hope your next project will be better. I love the main OST btw.

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[I honestly don't remember much of this drama, I wrote this review in my notes 3 years ago]

Having mostly watched for the Jae Hoon and Han Joo storyline, I am somewhat disappointed in their ending. Perhaps, rewatching this drama when I am in my late 20s or 30s will bring about a more enlightening perspective to fully understand and relate to the drama’s issues. While I understand the creative intention of the way their storyline was ultimately concluded, I find myself struggling to accept it due to some issues I have, but this could be to biases and my inherent desire to escape from reality by watching idealistic rom-com shows. From what I gathered, Jae Hoon’s implied reconciliation with his ex-girlfriend somewhat rubs me the wrong way (wanky) in that it fails to understand the true nature of alcoholism and toxic relationships. The depiction of Jae Hoon’s contribution to the decay of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend was not executed that well in my opinion. Having just watched 500 days of summer with its themes fresh in mind and similarities to this, the execution wasn’t done as well. My honest opinion of this drama is that on the outer surface, it claims and portrays itself as a fresh and groundbreaking drama with the issues it tackles, when in reality it’s execution of these important and significant issues are subpar. However, this is specifically what I gathered from mainly being invested in the Jae Hoon-Han Joo storyline. Going beyond my focus of that storyline, it fails to really go deep into the struggles of Hyo Bong and being an openly gay male in modern-day Korea. The exploration of same-sex relationships and homosexuality made only a speck of the plot, but in a very outer-perspective and outer surface manner. Another thing is being a young, single mother. These issues that go beyond my initial reasoning for watching this drama were barely explored and poorly executed. I’m not so much upset that Jae Hoon and Han Joo didn’t end up together even though I was rooting for them, but it was more the disappointment of the endings they were given, more so Jae Hoon, and the final conclusion of the nature of their friendship in an attempt to subvert typical kdrama tropes and expectations.

The drama seems to only scratch the surface of the serious issues it intends to explore. While I have rated dumber dramas higher, the distinction is that this drama intends to be groundbreaking and so I must rate it on that basis - on how it executes their intention. As opposed to dumb and exaggerated rom-coms, those should be taken as what they are as their intention isn't to spark some sort of relatability like this drama attempts to. However, I do give it a relatively high rating despite my dissatisfaction with the ending because I love the refreshing characters it presents us with. This really distinguishes itself from other dramas and made it an enjoyable watch.

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Start Strong, Finish...?

From the get-go, "Be Melodramatic" bursts onto the scene with a bang, introducing us to a colorful cast of characters who are as eccentric as they come. Think drama writers talking to their handbags and documentary directors with a penchant for unexpected fame – it's a recipe for hilarity!

But hold onto your hats, because as much as I'd love to tell you that the excitement never wanes, let's keep it real – there are a few bumps along the way. While the early episodes promise an exhilarating journey ahead, the thrill ride starts to lose momentum, leaving us longing for the excitement of those first few episodes.

Despite the occasional lull, "Be Melodramatic" still manages to keep us entertained with its witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and heartfelt insights into the trials and tribulations of adulthood. Sure, there may be moments where you find yourself checking your watch, but stick it out for the sake of those golden nuggets of comedy gold.

And let's not forget the stellar performances from the cast – they're the glue that holds this melodramatic train together. From the hilarious antics of Im Jin Joo to the endearing charm of Lee Eun Jung, each actor brings their A-game to the table, elevating the drama with their impeccable chemistry and comedic timing.

So, while "Be Melodramatic" may not be the heart-pounding thrill ride we were hoping for, it still delivers enough laughs and heartwarming moments to make it a worthwhile watch. So grab your popcorn, settle in, and prepare to be swept away on this eccentric rollercoaster of a drama!

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The friendship between the leads is the highlight!

The first half of this series is solid. You will be automatically engrossed in in the lives of the characters by the second episode. My favorite character is Eun-jung. Her story was both heartbreaking and uplifting and the actress played her brilliantly. I wish she had more screentime than the main lead female who plays a writer. Although I enjoyed the main lead at the begining, by the end I found her annoying and the conversations she had with the 'director' were too philosophical and at times nonsensical. Maybe if I knew Korean I would understand better. The gist is that by the end they both aggravated me. I think the drama is slightly overrated here in MDL.

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Joyous Slice of Life

I really enjoyed this drama, it made me laugh, cry, hold my breath, but also did not feel over the top at all throughout the whole drama. I enjoyed the diverse set of characters all with different backgrounds.

The story was pretty simplistic, but thats what made it great, there was no major plot to follow as it shows everyday life of 3 women. It was not over complicated or too unrealistic. It is what I expect a slice of life would be, nice and slow burning.

The actors/ actresses were fantastic at portraying their characters. Jeon Yeo Bin did an amazing job of acting as someone suffering from loss, and I loved the comedy that Ahn Jae Hong Brings to most roles I have seen him. He manages to brighten the drama which can have have some serious tones to it and make it less hard for the viewer.

Again with music, nothing struck me as amazing nor awful, so I do not have a proper say in this.

I would totally recommend this to you if you are wanting to watch a lovely slice of life about 3 career women with their own struggles.

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A Love Letter to the Show That Ruined All Other Kdramas For Me

I need to clutch my chest and gather myself before writing this, because how does one even begin to review a masterpiece? Be Melodramatic didn't just win my heart — it moved in, rearranged the furniture, and refused to leave.

Im Jin Joo, Lee Eun Jung, and Hwang Han Joo, three best friends in their thirties working in the entertainment industry — on paper that sounds simple. In execution, it's devastatingly, achingly alive. Not one of these women is a sidekick to the other's story. Every single character — down to the smallest supporting role — was written with such tenderness that I found myself invested in lives I expected to forget by the next episode. That is not an accident. That is craft.

And can we talk about how female-centered this show is without it ever feeling like a Statement? It just... is. These women stumble, succeed, grieve, heal, fall stupidly in love, and get back up — and I saw myself in every one of them at different points, which is a rare and precious gift a drama can give you.

The comedy deserves its own paragraph of praise, honestly. It's the kind that sneaks up on you mid-sentence and makes you cackle alone in your room like a lunatic — never forced, never performing for laughs, just... organically, chaotically funny, the way real friendships are. And yet, in the very next breath, the show turns around and breaks your heart with grief, loneliness, or the quiet terror of not knowing if you're doing life right. That tonal tightrope walk — comedy to catharsis and back — is something so few dramas pull off, and this one makes it look effortless.

I am not being dramatic (okay, I am, the title demands it) when I say this is one of my favorite kdramas of all time. It didn't rely on cheap twists or over-the-top villains to earn my tears — it just told the truth about being a woman, a friend, and a person trying to figure life out, and that truth hit harder than any plot twist ever could.

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