A Good Day to Be a Dog

Okay!… but a little disappointed

Cha Eunwoo is one of my favourite celebrities, and I was no doubt excited for this drama ever since it was announced. However, as a reader of the original webtoon, there are a few issues I had with the drama.

I’ll firstly start off with the many things I enjoyed about this drama:

The first few episodes were genuinely interesting and executed the story in a fun, witty manner. The production quality was top notch and the mix of CGI and real life action for Haena’s dog form was hilarious! The pacing for the series was engaging and I even rewatched the first few episodes while I waited for new episodes.

While people like to complain about Eunwoo being typecasted, he played his character very well and it remained true to the original character depicted in the Webtoon. Actually, I was surprised how he managed to make Seowon cuter! But I guess that is very possible when played by Cha Eunwoo hehe. And don’t get me started on those kissing scenes !! Hoyyy do you want me dead, Eunwoo!?!!?

Park Gyuyoung has become one of my favourite actresses after this series! She was very funny. It was a bit of a 180 compared to the last time I saw her in Celebrity. But she looked so warm and amiable in her light brown hair!


Now… while I did enjoy the series for the most part, I must now complain.
As I had been anticipating this drama for over a year before its release, I was not happy to hear that it would only have 14 episodes. And even worse, they were going to air once a week.
Um… Okay. Can’t be that bad right? Wrong.
I can imagine it would be much more enjoyable to binge this series, however, watching it while airing was exhausting considering the first few minutes of each episode would be a recap of the last. Like thanks! I totally forgot what happened during the single episode you gave me last week.

And to make matters worse, there was the repetition of the typical Kdrama MONTAGE! That’s right. They did it almost every episode to remind you that indeed the main characters looked at eachother 4 episodes ago. And yes.. they KISSED 2 episodes ago… Oh and remmeber that time they went to the park!??.. SUCH A WASTE OF SCREENTIME. It is just such lazy storytelling.

In the Webtoon, we got more insight to Seowon’s family, yet in the drama we literally don’t know anything about him. No, seriously. Instead we got almost 2 whole episodes of the most BORING historical backstory flashback in the history of fantasy Kdramas. The romance was cute between their past lives.. But I can’t believe they decided to change Bogyeom’s character that much… He was so irritating here.

The last 4 episodes of this drama were a snooze feast. I literally used to rush to watch this every Wednesday night as soon as it was released but there came a point where I dreaded it because I do not wanna know about some petty God’s tragic love story…

Basically. If you’re gonna make a Kdrama adapted from a Webtoon, don’t make it worse than the original?! There were SO many opportunities to make it better, instead we got the same montage over and over.. ITS TIRING.

If I wasn’t a Webtoon reader I’d probably be okay with this drama. However, having the original plot in mind I had the bar set higher but the drama was just too much of a disgrace for me.

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Inconsistant day to be a dog...

Is it really a good day to be a dog? I do not think so as this show teaches us that being a dog can be really scary, being a human by day dog by night can get you in to a whole lot of trouble... not to mention mess things up for a bunch of people...

This drama has some good parts some cringe, some annoying elements, some fun, some more or less predictable twist or should I say side stories within the story with the side stories that are messed up... but at timed interestingly intwined...

The selling points of this drama are the eye candy and fluff!

Our male lead Cha Eun Woo is probably one of dreamlands sweetest, best looking and the over all most interesting personalities and whose use of lip gloss can only be beat by Park Hyung Sik in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Though there are parts that are a bit odd... He was a pleasure to watch thruout the show.

The female lead Park Gyu Young (and her sister) had a few to many moments of oh come on, oh the cringe, baby voice... Luckily they dd not last long enough to completely ruin the show but where enough to drag down the score by a bunch of points. To be honest she is actually 80% adorable, with great acting both as a dog and human however those 20% where so bad I almost dropped the show, and had it not been for Chae Eun Woos (well everything) I probably would have...

The villain and side characters also range between oh my please stop the cringe/annoying parts to great amazing, lovable, I want to adopt that kid... sometimes in the same person, same lifetime, different lifetimes.. As this is another one of those drams where the writers figured most of the childhood connections where already done and could not be beaten so they had to add the past life connection to show the depth of the connection between the cast.

Other perks with this show are the huge amount of fluffy, sweet, slightly mean, cute dogs, with or without transformation. So to sum it up, the drama is messy, inconsistent, annoying at times cute most of the time and extremely fluffy


So: Story as a whole 8,5 ⭐️
Male lead: 12 stars (out of 10) ⭐️
Deduction for annoying elements: -4 stars 👎
Fluff: 10 stars ⭐️

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Weirdly interesting

I hesitated so many times before starting this drama because the storyline was weird. A girl turning into a dog but a huge turn off for me. But being a fan of the main leads, I finally started. Still, I find it weird but I like how events are unfolding. It's that kind of drama that would make you laugh or smile all through. I like how romantic feelings between Seo Won and Hae Na isn't rushed. Things are happening at a slow pace as they spend sweet little moments together.
The little suspense around Hae Na's attempt to break the curse really does it for me. I keep wondering if she'd be able to do it. Also, till now, I still don't know whose side Bo Gyeom is truly on and I hope to see in the subsequent episodes.

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missing romantic connection from female lead

A nice story with a historical basis, which went into the future and again into the theme of past/future lives. The theme of being cursed and turning into a dog after a kiss was funny and there were a lot of funny moments related to it. I take it as a minus that after 200 or so years, the God of the mountain did not overcome the loss of a loved one and started playing his ugly game there... I would have expected a slightly more mature character. The reincarnated young woman was more intelligent than him. Besides that, the chemistry between the main actors somehow did not suit me. Cha Eun Woo was cool... I trusted him with everything. Maybe it was the script ... The writers really shouldn't be afraid to go into little bolder scenes. Or not to play it on lovers like they were 15, but they are adults.

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Not amazing but weirdly I loved it??

disclaimer: I have never read the webtoon so bare with me on this one

This show is badshit insane, and I LOVED it.

The premise of a woman who turns into a dog by kissing people? I am confused, but nonetheless intruiged, something about weird plotlines allures me what can I say. I described it the best in a quote I wrote while watching, "ugh this kdrama is everything a kdrama should be, stupid as hell plot, cliche upon cliche upon cliche, awkward situations UGH IM IN LOVE". Like yes sign me up. Now, what I didn't know I was signing up for however, was the actual amazing romantic chemistry and heartfelt connections that paint this show in an absoloutly beautiful light? I was strapped in for a silly time why am I suddenly crying????

WHAT IS GOING ON? :
Now, I have to adress the ginormous elephant in the room, that is literally everything but the budding romance between the two main characters, cus none of it really made any sense, like at all..?? Like beforementioned, the show mainly foces on our main female protagonist Haena who has a special ability. Her family suffers a curse that makes it so every female born, literally gets turned into dogs when kissing someone for the first time. Okay?? But why?? Now that is the question isn't it. Throughout the show we get small flashbacks that all point to the reason for this curse, but it's not explained fully until the last couple of episodes.

In a previous lifetime (iknow ofc ), Haena and her love interest Seowon ends up in a tricky situation. Haena is the maid of a princess(?) or daughter of an emperor(?) or something I don't know (my memory sucks), and to save her lover, she reveals the whereabouts of this princess to some bandits that wants to get her. What Haena isn't aware of however, is that the princesses lover is literally an all-mighty mountain spirit (???), who somehow mistakenly thinks that Haena and Seowon actually KILLS HER, thus resulting in the mountain-spirit cursing all of Haenas bloodline through generations.
You see how everything kind of imidiately falls apart?

THE SAVING GRACE:
Looking away from all the previous lives, magic spells, curses and mountain spirits however, what is this show really about? Haena, together with Seowon (love interest) and Bogyeom (mountain spirit in hiding), is a highschool teacher trying her best to navigate the ups and downs of romance and dating, while having a terrible dog-kiss curse. She has a crush on fellow teacher Bogyeom, and wants to confess her feelings for him. In a moment of true desperation (she was drunk at a work gathering), she decides it's finally time. And, not only does she confess, but she also KISSES this man, being fully aware of her curse. But uh oh! It turns out, she was so blackout drunk that she ends up mistakenly kissing Seowon, the other teacher at the gathering, and she totally freaks out and runs away cinderella style (she turned into a dog). Now the show is about Haena trying to inexplicably get Seowon to drink with her? So that she can kiss him again? Before it's been 100 days? Or she is going to stay a dog forever?

It might just sound like I'm dunking on this show, again, but just trust the process. Basicly, this forces Haena to go out of her way to talk and interact with Seowon as much as humanly possible, so that she can lift the curse before it's too late. Throughout this pretty long period of them interacting more and getting into whacky (kill me) situations with eachother, they honestly build up such a believable and trusting relationship it makes my heart ache. Seowon is conviniently afraid of dogs (I have to laugh), and Haena helps him overcome this fear. After this their romance builds up in an extremely natural and satisfying way and you almost forget how fucking weird this show actually is, cus the chemistry is simply TOO DAMN GOOD. Both the main actors perfomances are so good and it just made me really buy their connection and relationship, especially when put in dangerous situations and all the other shit that happens in the later episodes. They FEEL like a real, honest to god couple, and they play it so extremely well. Also them being lovey-dovey legit made me want to die so if that's not the bes confirmation of good performance idk what is.

IS EUNWOO HOT ENOUGH TO GIVE A GOOD SCORE?:
This show, is a show :)
Personally, I give it an 7.5 for story, because it seriously drags in the middle with the mountain-spirit guy, and it was so excruiciatingly boring to the point where I almost stopped watching, BUT I can't give it anything but a fucking 10 for romance. The cast is SO GOOD and Eunwoo really put his heart and soul into this role, I swear I have never seen him act as hard as this ever. True Beauty is seeing this and crying.

All in all, I loved a lot of it, but a lot of it was also extremely boring. I had to skip most of the parts of the mountain-spirit guy in the last episodes, because I just could not for the life of me pay attention or pretend to actually give a shit about his character, his story or motivations. Also, if they were going to reincarnate his lover from their previous life (which they do btw oops), why of all things reaincarnate her as a highschool student MINOR, while the mountain-spirit was a grown ass adult teacher at the school she was attending? Their dynamic was so off and I was so weirded out every time they interacted. ALSO ALSO, in the end they tried to pair her up with eunwoos nephew anyway, SO WHAT WAS THE POINT? She basicly did nothing for the story and her character mostly just confused the hell out of me.

Anyway, Eunwoo ate down, Haena is my mom and I never want to take a walk in a mountain in South-Korea.

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Better than many other rom com released in 2024

disclaimer: thank God I dint know about the webtoon version.

The storyline - not bad at all. unraveling the curse and lifting it they kept the story intact. mountain God (gumiho) holding a grudge has definitely gave me a vibe of tale of nine tailed but it's not exactly copy.

the cast was good. the kisses were fire!
the supporting charecters got their own story which I liked.

what I don't like is it could be finished in 12 episodes. they dragged a bit. else it's alright.
if someone can buy the plot of kind the land (like the most common 3rd gen chaebol guy with childhood trauma) then I don't know why the same audience did dirty to this show.

ignore the reviews, go watch. I know you will feel it's dragged somewhere, so just fast forward those parts. but just watch. it's not as bad as the reviews are saying!

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Cute Chemistry but a Lackluster Storyline

I mean, who wouldn’t want a teacher like Cha Eun Woo? Beyond his good looks, his acting is awesome, and he brings charm to his role. The chemistry between the main leads is definitely the highlight of the drama—their moments together were heartwarming and kept me watching.

However, the storyline itself felt a bit underwhelming. It had potential but didn’t quite hit the mark in terms of depth and execution. While the romance was sweet, a stronger plot would have made this drama truly shine. Still, if you’re watching just for Cha Eun Woo and some cute interactions, it’s worth it!

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Untapped Potential in 'A Good Day to Be a Dog'

A Good Day to Be a Dog" offers an engaging story, yet there's a lingering sense that something crucial was missing, potentially in its direction. The narrative catches interest but doesn't fully satisfy, as if some key elements in the storytelling or progression were overlooked. This feeling of incompleteness leaves one wondering what could have been if these aspects were better addressed or given more attention.

Despite this, the main characters stand out remarkably, imbuing the series with charm and relatability. Their likable nature and dynamic interactions are the heart of the show, making it special and memorable. However, a desire for more depth and detail persists. Expanding on the characters' backgrounds, motivations, or the world they inhabit could have significantly enhanced the viewing experience, making it not just enjoyable but truly captivating.

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At least this show is not a dog . . . technically

Ok, it pains me to say this but this review will sound like I'm damning it with faint praises.

On the positive column, I wrote handsome OTP, nice chemistry and a decent amount of skinship that doesn't look fake. Some swoon-y moments. Cute dogs.

On the other hand, the A-plot is tropey, same-y. There are awkward and cringey moments and its fair share of plot holes.

However, overshadowing all that is the stretching of the main plot to its limits. When you consider once the OTP comes together, the writer-nim gave us one ep of fan service then parachutes in the old amnesia trope for our edification. It totally killed any forward momentum.

If that is not enough, we also get a couple of eps of historical reenactment, Joseon Style. This is on top of a decent sprinkling of recaps throughout the Show. It is like a trail of breadcrumbs. There were minor twists in the final cut, but they are not shocking. To be honest, you probably have already foreseen it if you know your dramas.

So, we have Fate, sacrifices and an ancient curse, what I'd like to call the three horsemen of k-dramas. It is serviceable but it walks a well-worn path.

The show can still be lifted with a strong finish. Alas, the Show delivered something that is, once again, agreeable but hardly inspiring. Ergo, the curse was lifted with minimal fanfare. The antagonist just disappears without so much as a "Oops, my bad". Oh, the pain suffered by generations of the FL's family. The injustice of it all!

The last ep is total fan service but it doesn't quite stick the landing either. The HEA ending is never in doubt. Everyone gets something, Oprah style. It is cute how they retold the OTP romantic journey in a different context but once you see past the gloss, it is just a storyboard with a highlight reel. Changing the wrapping doesn’t make it a new gift.

Acting is serviceable (where is my thesaurus?) The comedy side is well handled by the cadre of experienced actors in support. The OTP managed the light and fluffy stuff just fine but when the going gets heavy, they can be found wanting. It is par for the course though. BTW, maybe it is just me, but the FL's Joseon character just doesn't feel natural.

This Show is a light and fluffy cloud with a dark lining. It is watchable, undemanding and will occupy your time. A pair of rose tinted glasses will help as well. A one-time watch for me. Peace out.

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cute funny rom com

I will be honest i didnt expect to like this drama as the story sounded so crazy. But its really cute light and frothyAll the characters are great you know fl sister will end up with her bf the vet. the ml and fl are çerfectly cast although fl does look older than the ml. the introduction of the ml nephew in episode 2 has just added more spice tp the drama. i cant wait to watch the next episode. Just gutted its only one episode a week. the little dog is so cute i couldnt work out whether it was real ir cgi this drama will be a superhit i would be very surprised if it isnt and not just because the ml is cha eun woo from Astro

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Cute but struggled with balancing the genres

I said it before: The award for the worst airing schedule goes to ... A good day to be a dog
Firstly, before I started the drama I thought the synopsis sounds really ridiculous. Or I thought there was no way to execute this on TV without making it seem ridiculous. Something like this would better left as a webtoon. Surprisingly, it was way better than I thought.

Things I Liked:
- The story sounds silly, but they executed it quite well. It was cute.
- The characters were likeable and the main couple was enjoyable
- I like the mountain god. I know he is hated. But the story was getting a little bit boring. It might just be that I started to be a fan of Lee Hyun Woo. His acting is excellent and I love his expressive eyes. I hope he gets a new main-role soon. His love story in the drama was quite enjoyable.
- At times it was actually hilarious and it was entertaining
- Btw... Eunwoo's acting has gotten better, and his delivery felt more naturally. I still think there is still a long way to go. But his acting does not pull you out of the story

What I disliked:
- The airing schedule! One of the worst enemies this drama could have was its own airing schedule. What was that? Just horrible. Especially the beginning, where the episode were released one every two weeks. But I have to say I kept on watching, so I must have been invested in the drama. Who knows... maybe I would have ditched the drama earlier if I watched it in one go.
- The recaps every episode. Because of the airing schedule, they added long recaps at the beginning of each episode
- The drama had trouble balancing all the genres it wanted to convey. It was a romcom only, then it was fantasy drama only and the last episode was happy romcom again. They could have integrated more of the fantasy-story earlier on, without focusing whole episodes on that. The tone-shift felt very bad made. I personally like the Mountain gods' story, but objectively viewed it was badly handled. Just like the whole dog-story was suddenly done.
- The last episode felt unreal. After all the drama, it suddenly shifted to romcom and fillers. Instead of nicely ending the story of the mountain god and the girl, their ending felt somewhat fabricated and unreal.
- Characters disappeared for some time and suddenly showed up again, after I didn't care for them any more

Objectively speaking, I can understand if someone rates this drama lower than a 7/10. But for me personally, even after knowing the flaws... it was quite enjoyable for a romcom-fantasy mix. Shout out for Lee Hyun Woo, who's acting I really enjoyed. It's still entertaining, and usually I easily lose interest in romcom's. So it is still a 7/10 for me. May change my mind later on and give it a 6.5... but right now that's how I feel about it.

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