There are a few key differences though:
1. The character of the male main lead - a very morally upright person that "does what he believes in". This may lead to socially indifferent situations, some logically questionable decisions, and also some superbly heroic ones, and while it isn't necessary different from a lot of main chacters in dramas today, the intricacies in his character development, and the way its acted out is superb to say the least.
2. The character of the female main lead - a exceptionally smart and good looking girl who may seem socially cold, her character is not something you would often see, especially in Korean dramas where they would simply be there just for emotional support.
The first half of the drama was exceptional, beautifully directed and shot. The pacing was on point, along with the character development of the team, but then, as with a lot of successful Korean dramas, it got popular, started getting littered with product placement, and the effort, character development, and everything that made it great got lost with it.
TLDR: The writing and key plot points were very clever and well thought out, and I'll be sure to give the webtoon and any of his future works a look. But the lack of execution from direction and production towards the second half of the drama was disappointing to say the least.
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A fight that never lost its purpose
It’s not just about revenge or ambition, it’s about the weight of choosing a path and accepting everything that comes with it, the loneliness, the sacrifices, the slow passage of time where nothing seems to change and yet everything is shifting underneath. Saeroyi isn’t written as someone extraordinary in the traditional sense, and maybe that’s exactly why he feels so impactful. He doesn’t bend, but he also doesn’t rush, he simply endures, and there’s something almost painful in watching that kind of patience, knowing how much it costs him.What affected me the most wasn’t the big moments, but the accumulation of quiet ones, the way people orbit around him, each carrying their own scars, their own need to belong somewhere, and somehow finding it there, in that imperfect space they build together. It’s not a perfect family, not even a stable one, but it feels real because of that. The drama doesn’t try to comfort you with easy resolutions, it lets things sit, it lets characters be wrong, stubborn, conflicted, and it asks you to stay with them anyway.
By the end, it didn’t feel like I had watched a story about success, but about endurance, about identity, about the quiet defiance of continuing to be yourself in a world that constantly asks you to change.
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Revenge is a dish best served cold !!!
I loved this drama!It’s been ages since a Kdrama had me this hooked — like, counting the minutes to get home just to binge the next episode.
Itaewon Class did that for me!
Don’t believe the bad reviews — give it a try, and here’s why:
• The story: it’s SO good. Super well-written, with just the right touch of romance.
• The cast/acting: can we talk about the male lead, please?? But honestly, Yi-seo stole the show for me. I know she’s not your typical female lead — she’s kinda a sociopath lol — but I was so over those girls who just sit there waiting for the guy to save the day… Nah. She takes charge and I LOVED that.
• The music: every single track is now on my playlist. Like?? Instant obsession.
• The ending: so satisfying. Everything clicks. No loose ends. You will not be disappointed.
Bref — watch it. Trust me.
And thank you, Itaewon Class — I freaking loved it 💥
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Firstly, acting is superb and either of the male or female leads are specially great and bring forward their persona completely, either in their facial expressions or their dialog they build characters that the viewers can connect with. The male lead is a very talented and known actor that does not need much introduction but what surprised me was the acting of the female lead. It was breathtaking. The personality of the female lead and her acting is so strong that in the most scenes her role feels more important to me than the male lead. Sometimes the acting of an actor or actress is so natural that you feel like they were born to take that role and no one will be able to do better; this was one of those times.
secondly, direction is good and the flow of the story is always appealing.
thirdly, music complements the dialog and events completely. Specially in important scenes music is like a third dialog that helps transfer more emotions and meaning and completes the scene.
As for the rewatch value I would say definitely and without doubt. Actually I believe this drama is gonna be one of the classics in a few years.
The only complaint that I have about the drama is the logic problems in the story. maybe it is a problem with the webtoon and not the drama itself, but never the less it exists. Some events seem too far-fetched to occur in real life which make the story feel like a fantasy and something that is never gonna happen. I'm specially talking about the phase of development for the male lead and his teem. Another matter is that in some specially important scenes, the reaction of the characters to someone or some events are unrealistic and sometimes too strong, it seems that they react in this way just to make story move forward and make something -usually romantic- happen between the characters.
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This review may contain spoilers
What can i say about this drama?For one i absolutely loved it. For me i literally couldn't find a fault in it. This drama is a breath of fresh air. So unlike other dramas. It tackles so many issues of modern day problems. Being racism, and the harsh opinions on those who want to live as a different gender. These components are rarely introduced into Korean dramas. And i especially like how they were involved with this drama. The actors were amazing. Park Seo-Joon did a great job playing his character. He was strong, and caring. Never wanting harm to those he loved. And Kim Da-Mi also did a good job in playing her character so badass and protective over the ML. You could easily tell how much she loved him. These main leads were perfect for the role. The whole cast were amazing. The story line was great to. I found it easy to follow without getting bored at all. And with the music as well. It made it so much better, and with some scenes, was very intense lol. This is definitely a drama i would rewatch. I'm sad that it is over because now i don't know what to watch next. For anyone who is thinking about watching this. Don't hesitate. Watch it. You will not regret it. Its soooooo good! And for those who are wondering if this drama has a happy ending... it doesn't.... Nahhh i'm joking. Best ending ever!
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Itaewon Class Is Fun But Not Special
As far as Kdramas go, Itaewon Class does nothing to distinguish itself from any other Kdrama that relies on tired tropes, sibling and romantic rivalries, and overarching themes of revenge. Still, the characters are likable enough and the performances are pretty solid and manage to maintain a consistent energy throughout. There's even an attempt to address hot-button issues like racism and transphobia but they seem to resolve too easily and in an unsatisfactory way just to score some quick social justice points. And I'm not sure why Chris Lyon's character, Toni, would be the only staff member at Danbam to be required to learn English. But I did enjoy the cinematography, the fashions, and the overall David v. Goliath vibe of the show.Was this review helpful to you?
this show was really so emotional and pure love
it made me feel warm many times
except few things in it like the timing, it wasn't right during the last episodes in many scenes
such as when (ahn bo hyun) was chasing them with his car (park seo joon) was telling the FL about his feelings
far away from being incorrect time for this confession the car took so long to reach them although it was very short distance
and many other flaws like this during the end
it has also a great messages
like..
*under any circumstances you should never abandon your principles
because once you abandon one time the rest will be easier
*and away from whom you love, even if for long years
only situations & supporting can make you continue loving him or not
what bothered me much.. i felt the ML was senseless many times, he even discovered his feelings too late
and i couldn't feel sympathy at all with (ahn bo hyun) the whole drama although he was victim for his father
and (Nara) was a real selfish, coward B***h
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Inspirational Park Saeroyi is worth 16+ hrs of your drama watching time
At first, I was not that into the show, just finished Sweet Home, and here's yet another show where there is nonsense bullying, a corrupt parent enabling their child's evil deeds, turning the child into a mini-version of themself, and the evil cycle continues on. But Park Saeroyi (Park Seo Joon). It's impossible that he will not grow on you. He's just so decent (How to be you?), which is so rare nowadays. Itaewon Class is a great inspirational underdog (revenge) story.As the world becomes more and more chaotic, it's becoming much harder to be a stickler for the right morals and principles, as people struggle to survive in a 'dog eat dog' world. It's so easy to conform, and take the easy path. Saeyori knows the righteous path is usually the harder path, but he knows no other way.
I appreciate that the writer veered away from the usual 'Candy' heroines, both Soo Ah and Yi Seo (Kim Da Mi) are complex and driven characters, but the romance has to be the weakest part of Itaewon for me. The idea of a Romeo and Juliet type of romance between Soo Ah and Saeroyi felt more drama epic, I wished the writer showed more of Soo Ah's struggles along the way. For Yi Seo, it was hard to understand her very frank ways at first, I'm also not comfortable about the fact that she risked it all for Saeyori. Maybe I'm more forgiving in fantasy dramas than real-life setting lol.
Itaewon has an unforgettable OST that's just perfect for the motivational message of the drama. Good cast, I watched Ahn Bo Hyun in Kairos first, but he's a phenomenal villain here that comes off a little unhinged. All in all, Itaewon is more than a classic revenge story in a modern setting, it also tackles struggles of the youth and life lessons, including timely issues like transgenders, racism, business startup, and that there is no single path to success. Saeroyi is definitely worth 16 hours of your time.
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Although I thought it would not be your typical drama, it did have those cheesy Kdrama moments. I do believe that this drama is worth a watch if you are into vibrant, inspiring slice of life series!
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The show never gets too dark or dreary that it would make it unwatchable , the colorful streets of Itaewon and the glamorous restaurant scene of Seoul just added enough fun to balance out the sad parts. There was no scene which felt unnecessary and this show had my focus from start to end. Considering how important romance is to me in a drama the fact that I managed to enjoy it without the main focus of the show being on the love story shows how amazing this drama is.
This show had some amazing messages and I feel that I have actually learned a lot of things about life from it. The soundtrack featured more rock songs which made it different from the usual cheesy stuff we are used to hearing in kdramas. Park Seojoon outdid himself here and the actor who played the villain did an amazing job. Please do give it a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
The main character did it for me
It really was an amazing K-drama. I have seen alot of opinions of people on this drama but for me, the story was really good. Especially when it comes to revenge and character development through out the whole thing. And the connection between past and present makes you realize that, it do be like that irl sometimes, people change even if you want to hold on to them. And plot twist around the end was amazing. I really rooted Saeroyi and Soo-ah but oh well, Yi-seo was the really supportive one. She is the type to fight for the world for her love. But then Soo-ah should have told him she was plotting smth too. But either way, it was really good drama, might be boring for some but alot for me.Was this review helpful to you?
