The Sound of Magic

안나라수마나라 ‧ Drama ‧ 2022
Completed
theviewer
1 people found this review helpful
May 14, 2022
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

The moral of story is what makes this worthwhile

This is not the best but it's not the worst either. The production/story reminded me a bit of Willy Wonka. The acting was satisfactory but I was not blown away. But of course JCW's visuals did blow me away haha. What really stuck to me was the message it imparted. I think it is important to realize that following one's heart matters, even if that makes u different from everyone else. We don't have to conform to society's standard of what is acceptable and respectable. We should allow ourselves to be who and what we want to be, regardless of what anyone thinks.
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Completed
KaraM
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 30, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Two things...

kept this drama from being 10 stars.

One, I was disappointed with the ending. I know that it mostly faithfully follows the webtoon (and I think it's a great thing when TV or film adaptations do this), but I also found the ending of the webtoon a wee bit disappointing. I don't like that the magician disappears. Symbolism, and all that, but still, as a voracious eater of media, I like my endings satisfying. It's the same reason I don't watch dramas where my favorite characters die. It's just not my thing, and it's a very personal feeling.

Two, there were just a few small things that didn't add up. Who were the kids that were beating up Il Deung toward the end? He just all of a sudden started getting bullied when it had been happening to Ah Yi all show long? And then we never saw them again. This is just lazy writing, when characters appear out of nowhere to fill in the plot with no foreshadowing. And the way the murder was solved also just came off a little toooooo convenient for me. But that sometimes happen when you are literally writing with magic in your story.

Overall though, there was a lot I loved in The Sound of Magic. The length was exceptional. Often I feel dramas are too draggy with a lot of filler, and it causes me to drop them. Sidenote: I drop a lot of dramas. With the sound of magic, 6 episodes kept the plot moving at a quick pace, and it didn't feel like anything was rushed. The acting was impressive, with Ji Chang Wook blowing me away as always. The other two main actors were talented as well, and I am fast becoming a fan of Hwang In Youp.

Music and singing were blow me away fantastic, yet not inaccessible. I like that I could sing any of the songs if I wanted to because singers weren't trying to reach the highest notes or singing with too much vibrato. I've always been a fan of Wookie's voice, and I loved him here.

Special effects were well done as well. I loved the butterfly symbolism.

Spoiler Alert:

I didn't love the way Bella was treated by the writers. It's not that she died that I have a problem with (though I do feel it was entirely unnecessary and cheap), it's that Ri Eul specifically asked Ah Yi to take care of Bella while he was away, and then we never saw her again until she had passed. There was no scene of them caring for her, and I found it strange, but I know that in Korea, domesticated animals are not revered as much ad they are where I am from, so maybe that was it.

I do feel this drama is worth watching, but maybe my expectations were a little too high. It's definitely short enough to give it a watch and see how you feel.

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Completed
XaiXai
0 people found this review helpful
May 26, 2024
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

Magical Kdrama

Sound of magic was an fantsay genre and it was my first Korean fantasy with magic. Brillisnt acting, beautiful songs and the setting was gorgeous. one flaw wsd the profanities in the final episode. Had it been without it, it could have been an all age entertainment. Ji Chan Wook stoke the spotlight.
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Completed
Mizzlefizz
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 20, 2025
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5

Definitely worth the watch!!

I went into watching this drama with the thought that it wouldn't have much substance and it would be a quick watch without much thought put into it, seeing as its only 6 episodes. Boy was I wrong! The casting was perfect for this drama! Ji Chang Wook did such an amazing job and I really enjoyed watching him act with Hwang In Yeop. This drama was surprisingly impactful for only having 6 episodes that are only an hour long. It had the perfect background music to make sad parts truly sad and the actors did such a good job portraying their feelings and thoughts with their facial expressions! This drama made me actually feel for the characters. And clearly some of the actors did a fantastic job because they made me so angry!
The only thing I didn't LOVE about this drama was the music. I really liked the songs (although by the end it felt like they were just reusing songs) and the singing was lovely and I liked to hear it all but the songs just felt so out of place! It was a good musical though. Maybe the songs just felt so out of place because I was expecting just a normal k-drama but then it turned out to be a musical. Other than the songs feeling completely random and as if they weren't really a part of the drama they were really good. I had no idea that Ji Chang Wook could sing! Overall this drama was amazing and definitely worth the watch! It may only be 6 episodes, but they are jam packed with substance that you wouldn't normally get with such a short drama! Don't miss this one!

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Completed
kdrama-fanatic-1984
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 18, 2022
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Lovely Watch!

I really enjoyed this mini-series. It was 6 episodes and it was long enough for me. I know there are some negative comments about unanswered questions and so on...but I don't feel the same way. everything wrapped up nicely to me with just enough mystery left. I don't care to know where the musician is and I know that the magic isn't real, and I also get where the story was going. I loved that he swooped in and save these two teens from their miserable lives, by helping them to change their mindset. I'm a big believer and doing things that make you happy and enjoying the happy moments even while you struggle. life is too short to just follow the routines and as cliche as it sounds 'life is what you make it'.

The show does give that broadway feel to it which Wookie nailed, ofcourse. It did add a heartwarming feel to what started out as a very depressing drama. I am not sure that there is proper character development or that the writer showed the changes in the ML properly. Yes, it showed him dropping out of school and so on, but the main people were his parents.

All in all, I really enjoyed it! Do I need to rewatch? Probably not.

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Completed
fluffy
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 30, 2024
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

journey of healing in a musical

I think this is the only kdrama of its kind that’s set in musical standard. It was such a refreshing watch because I LOVE musicals.

To think JCW can still get better. The haircut in this was just on another scale of handsomeness, and his singing was so captivating.

The story is a good story. It’s not great, but the music really made it stand out. Personally, I’m not a fan of Hwang In-Yeop’s character. He did grow throughout this story, but I feel like he was useless to the plot. His plot line was kind of weird too because I wanna know what happened to him… If he wasn’t in it, the story would’ve been find.

I know it’s not a romance but there was definitely some chemistry between JCW and the main girl. Sorry, Hwang In Yeop, you had no chance. Zero sparks there.

Main girl had a wonderful voice. Angelic I might say.

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Completed
xBBBLUE
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 23, 2022
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

Great cast and...

First of all, I want to point out that the cast was great. Really perfect. This is a musical drama, so it should contain good music that fits the theme. And it had it all.

Magic in this drama symbolizes joy, even the small one. When we are children, we have something we dream about, but over time we stop thinking about it and we often become ordinary adults who adapt to the expectations of society and are afraid to be original. We forget about these seemingly small things that give us joy.

But each of us needs some magic in life, which will make us feel better at least for a moment. So let's keep at least a little of this childish joy in us to the end. Even if the public finds us weird, it's worth it.

This drama is really good and it covers an important topic.

I have to subtract one point, however, because especially in the first episodes the relationship between the magician and the high school student was shown in a strange way at times. And I didn't like it. Fortunately, this was changed later. But don't get me wrong, there was no romantic relationship between an adult and a student.

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Completed
Greekviewer
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 7, 2022
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

It was clearly a ten for me

I had my preservations, when I first started watching it, especially when the first song hit off. I said to myself, 'nahhh', there was no way I was going to watch a musical, so I dropped it mid half the 1st episode for about two months, I think. And then, its' time was up! I tried to rewatch it (in the meanwhile I'd forgotten all about it) and it swept me away! I was even wondering, why on earth had I dropped it then, but there's a saying 'everything has its' proper time' and I guess that series was made for that saying.
It was one of these musicals that give meaning to the songs and the songs did indeed came on the right time with the right follow up. The lyrics were on the spot, the actors were amazing as they interprete the songs with their facial expressions and emotions; and that's something one does not easily find in musicals. I applaud for the hard work of everyone.
The ML, Ji Chang Wook, I'd seen in other series and I was pleasantly surprised with his singing and dancing talent. The same goes for the FL, Choi Sung Yun.
I was afraid I was going to be disappointed as the end approached, but thank goodness, no. It was delivered with a rational explanation that did not destroy the whole essence of the story, so congrats to everybody that helped in making 'The sound of magic'.

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Completed
Zynia
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 13, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Absolutely amazing

i LOVED this so much, i watched it in one go as it only has 6 episodes, it felt like a whole fever dream. I laughed, cried, hated and loved throughout this show. Even if you dont normally watch this type of genre i definitely suggest you watch this as it was just amazing. Its definitely a gem and the concept was SO unique, definitely stands out from other kdramas.

And yes it is a musical but i honestly just skipped the parts where they started to sing and i still loved it so it doesn't really matter if you watch the singing parts or not.
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Completed
jaxminx
0 people found this review helpful
May 29, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Wow ok! But what?

Overall, I liked this drama! I'm not usually one for musicals, so i expected to get a little impatient with the volume of characters bursting out into song. But the enchanting visual effects and character's plot lines had me captivated and kept me watching.

Visually the show is vibrant and stunning to watch. Full of creative magic and good old fashioned dance numbers. The magical, child-like element to this show creates an interesting contrast with its darker tones and the mystery that shrouds the magician. And of course, its all wrapped into a classic high school setting (love, love, love).

We follow the two main characters, Ah-Yi, and Il-Deung (both very appropriately named), as they navigate their own issues of growing up and the pressures put on them by adults. We are meant to pity both of them and cheer them on as they go against societal restrictions and the ones fighting to keep it in place. Despite the repercussions, we as the audience, constantly wish for each of their respected successes.

The only downfall of this drama, in my opinion, was in the writing the last 3rd of the episodes. Suddenly, an intriguing introduction is met with vague plot devices and relies on the audience to guess it's direction. As the story kept going, I found it hard to concentrate on the beautiful effects and cinematography while I had so many questions about the plot. It was distracting to say the least.

Buuuuuuut...

I think this is definitely worth a rewatch! Not only after getting enough context for those last episodes by the first watch, but also simply because of the music. I definitely will be adding them to my Spotify for the best sing-along rewatch in the next little while.

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Completed
Schew
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 16, 2022
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Stellar performance by a stellar cast! The whole execution is a masterpiece! I can't believe they actually pitch a musical drama on Netflix and what's even more unbelievable is that it did well globally. Musicals can be a hit and miss but this one is poignant and brings across many meaningful messages. If you have seen the original manhwa, you would agree that execution was very close. The whole art direction and the singing is top-notched. I can't sing enough praises for the cast, especially for JCW and CSE. Too impressive and totally mesmerizing and unforgettable!
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Completed
Eccentricstate
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 28, 2023
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
This review may contain spoilers

Fun time but a little messy

I thought this was pretty good but it also felt somewhat like this didn’t know what kind of show it was trying to be. Is it fantasy, a musical, a slice of life or a psychological thriller?
Personally, I preferred the psychological elements and found the other parts corny. That twist actually added some excitement.

Funniest scene? When Il-Deung’s mom found his box of magic stuff and acted like she just found explicit magazines under his bed or something looool. Wasn’t supposed to be funny but it was so ridiculous.

One thing, so they explain that the magician isn’t responsible for the murder… but he did strangle a teenager??? How are we explaining this sis?

They also kind of leave it open to whether or not Ri Uel is actually magical. Which means if he isn’t, he must have drugged these kids to give them hallucinations lol

It really felt more like a stage play, which was why when they showed the post credit, I was like: yeah, that just suits this show. The random cuts to songs and just the overall pacing felt like a stage play.

It was fairly entertaining. Watched it while I did other things. Recommend.

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The Sound of Magic poster

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  • Score: 8.2 (scored by 37,128 users)
  • Ranked: #1561
  • Popularity: #178
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