This review may contain spoilers
Sweet, refreshing, the characters will take you away.
It had all the aspects of a typical romantic Kdrama, but presented it in a new and refreshing way. The two main strengths of this drama were the storyline, and the main actors. The storyline showed the reality of how relationships are impacted by the pressures and insecurities of being human. I like that the main characters were flawed, yet they found a way to overcome and still come together. I like that the main characters were stubbornly themselves, instead of being cliched, throughout the entire story, which showed the realities of how hard it is to be ourselves and be together all at the same time. They had to work at their relationship. It wasn't a perfect fairytale.The highlight of this drama were the actors, of which there were several, but I will focus on the two main characters, Choi Ung (Choi Woo Shik) and Kook Yeon Soo (Kim Da Mi) first. Equally strong characters actors who partnered together to carry the audience through an array of emotional angst, insecurity, happiness, new love, then anger and love rekindled. It was if I could feel what they were feeling by watching their emotions bubble up through their very souls, into their eyes, and onto they're facial expressions. This connection held me through the entire drama. Equally strong in their roles were the side characters, especially Kim Sung Choel.
There was a third strength to this drama, and that was the music. The right music was patterned with the right scene, and kept you completely immersed in the story. I noticed the music, but I didn't, which means it was done very well.
A really good story. I finished it quickly because I kept wanting to see the next episode. And was sad when it ended. Well done to all the production cast and crew on this one!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Love takes time and a lot of understanding
OKAY now I never expected to like this drama since this is the first work of Choi Woo Sik that I will ever watch. Kim Da Mi on the otherhand, watched her in Itaewon Class but barely finished it because it was just not my cup of tea. BUT BACK TO THE DRAMA.This drama has all the tropes that I genuinely love. Haters to lovers, highschool sweethearts, exes to lovers again, slow burn and it even has a strong female lead, which I find so cool. I literally cried the first episode! And the first episode isn't even that sad. The SFL and SML didn't even irritate me. Their chemistry is chef's kiss and the sweet scenes were enough to make me wiggle my toes and feel butterflies in my stomach.
Also, Yeonsu's (The main female lead) story is so understable and realistic! Even the reason for their break up is so realistic. Everything in this drama is realistic that is why I love it so much.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
a second chance at romance
Can two people break up and fall in love once again to create a much stronger relationship? Our Beloved summer is about friendship and family, what creates a healthy relationship that has boundaries, taking responsibility of your own values while trying to not be a savior of another's.I hate the prolonged misunderstanding plot, so a sole plot progressing material was that, I didn't have the best expectations and thought I would dislike it so much. but as you may see, although still not the best, it was a solid slow burn, glad that I did not rush watching it.
The drama is a study on human psychology, it showed how we can interpret and misinterpret certain events from the past differently. this is executed well in the drama, using different POV's of the character's in same situations.
we have basically no plot, just daily lives of our characters and their relationships, so lets talk about them.
NJ was a favorite of mine, she truly fell in love with Ung and had amazing character development in the show, it's just sad that she had to fall in love with someone who doesn't like her back, nothing on Ung but she needed a better ending than that, also had such little screen time when categorized as a main.
Yeonsu was hard to watch at first but grows with you overtime, Kim Dami was the reason I watched, so I'm glad seeing her amazing performance here. we start off seeing the character full of entitlement, a quote from a book I am reading perfectly described her "I suck and the rest of you are all awesome, so I deserve special treatment". Because of her poor financial situation, she became lost and entitled but gets to understand and rest her insecurities before the credits roll.
Ji Ung was personally a relatable character, always on the background and could never tell what he really felt, pain in so many levels, adding to that is his horrible situation with family, it showed why noble sacrifice is terrible, we should always confront rejections and pain, not hide and cover from it.
in the show we have an artist + a producer as part of the main cast, so exceptional cinematography was expected, good techniques and uses of light, that rain kiss scene is still in my mind vividly. Music was amazing, I sooo loved "Christmas Tree" by V and "Drawer" by 10cm
during the end we are treated with a drawing of Yeon Su, which symbolizes that the loneliness and insecurity from drawing only buildings was no longer there, they were a couple the complimented each other, and made themselves a far better version. also ends with a marriage documentary, it was a clever ending after starting off in a high school documentary. I'd like to praise this show for it's uncoventional take on second chance romances, must watch!
Was this review helpful to you?
Cute and sweet
I rarely watch shows that are ongoing, since I prefer binge watching, but this was worth the wait each episode. I wasn't hanging from a thread in dire need of a continuation; I was content and quite intrigued.The cast was really well picked. I've only ever seen the FL in Itaewon Class and it was really nice seeing her in this role. The story was great (not AMAZING but it did sum up a realistic childhood-to-adult-life relationship). The music was PERFECT. I have no complaints.
Everything ended quite nicely too and nothing seemed really forced. I recommend watching if you are looking for a lowkey, cute, modern, non-intense drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
Good enough
Korean Drama "Our Beloved Summer" is a slice of life love story that founds its success in the lingering feelings between two exs who have to work together after a long time.The drama does a great job creating the perfect atmosphere, with the use of lighting being on point, the scenes were beautifully shot and executed and the OST was brilliantly selected. And true, the game between the two main characters was an intriguing one, with the yearning for them to be back together being the force prompting the interesting factor. However, when that one was taken out of the equation, the drama got tiring and lots of scenes were added that were unnecessary and only there to fill in. So, yes, the drama started pretty strong, but it got predictable and boring towards the end. It also left out the family situation of the main lead out, which was a plotline that could have been explored in more depth.
Finally, the performances were great by everyone in the cast, which was consisted of an all-star pallette.
So, overall, 7 out of 10.
Was this review helpful to you?
love will come back to you
firstly the ost of this serial is so good to listen (Christmas tree by v🤭🤩😍)i have listened it thousand times,the story of this drama is so different that it got me hooked all the time,how they know each other in school time..how she helped her,how she mocked her🤑how he fell for her all was so different ..the breakup was so 💔emotional,but when they met again,they were like Tom and Jerry...the funniest scene was when he spelled water on her when she knocked his door🙈🙈the expressions of lead actor was always funny...i really enjoyed this drama❤️❤️❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
Rom-com at its peak
Our Beloved Summer adds a brand new and refreshing layer to romcoms that I feel most have lacked. Although sometimes entertaining, I'd gotten bored of the regular rom-com K-Drama formula; two main leads, one with a very traumatizing and troubling past, they both somehow had a connection all the way back when they were children that they're unaware of, they get together by episode 8, spend some time resolving a side-conflict which forces them to break-up and then get back together in the end. Our Beloved Summer very VERY loosely follows this formula and adds their own charms along the way. But mostly, instead of relying on overused plot points to get viewers emotionally attached, OBS takes a more realistic and simplistic approach as they deeply dissect the true complexities of a human relationship. It's a worthwhile watch that touches you in ways without being too overtly dramatic or incredibly traumatic (not necessarily an issue if other shows do, but it's nice to see something new). The show has a way of portraying loneliness especially, and I find that it does a great job of doing it.Besides that, OBS also has a knack for absolutely amazing cinematography. The colors not only look gorgeous on screen, but also hold their own significance. The use of seasons was stunning and overall, very pleasing to the eye. You can find several edits of The Beauty of Our Beloved Summer to see it for yourself.
And I cannot write this review without mentioning how great of a job they did on the main relationship; one of the healthiest and best executions and subversions of popular dynamics into one couple. It goes without saying that Kim Dami and Choi Wooshik absolutely killed it with their on-screen chemistry. In fact, my main complaint of this show is that I wish I had gotten to see even more of them.
If you're someone who enjoys character driven slice-of-life stories with said characters actually well-written on top of having pretty shots and scenes, definitely give this a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
More than about First Love Reunited.
Completed - 2/26/2022 - 9.25 ratingThis review is my very subjective interpretation of the drama and how it speaks to me. “Our Beloved Summer” moves me so much that my gut tells me it’s deserving of such a high rating. This is more than a love story about first love and second chances. It is about self-discovery, finding your own paths and living your chosen life.
When I binge-watched the first 7 episodes, I immediately knew that this was going to be a special drama. I could not exactly pinpoint why I like it so much. I am usually not a big fan of slice-of-life dramas as I find the pacing to be slow. Not with this drama. I can’t wait to tell Netflix to go to the next episode and skip that intro. I want to know what’s next.
I really enjoy the storytelling of this drama. Though it’s full of flashbacks, they are done in such a way that I do not find the flashbacks annoying. I enjoy the parallel storytelling of how the documentary was filmed 10 years ago, compared to the present. The high school bickering and sarcastic remarks are fun to watch. Even though our leads act like they dislike each other, you can’t deny the strong chemistry there.
When we are brought back to the present, you can feel all the suffering, longing and hurtful emotions the leads are feeling. The attraction is obviously there, yet it took them a long time to find a way to be honest with themselves and with each other. When Choi Woong and Yeon Soo are finally together, I was so happy for them. The audience is rewarded with really cute, sweet and loving moments. I am glad to see skinship with decent kissing as well. The initial breakup might be painful. But Choi Woong and Yeon Soo need the right timing and have to grow up to be a better version of themselves, before they become the match made-in-heaven.
Initially, I find the storyline about Kim Ji Woong and his mother to be out-of-place. It seems like I am watching a whole different drama that has nothing to do with our leads. Then I realized, this drama is not just about Choi Woong and Kook Yeon Soo. We also have a third character, the observer from 10 years ago and the observer again for this documentary. This is also Kim Ji Woong’s story.
We actually have three successful adults who seem to have conquered past challenges and grow up to be mature professionals. But deep down, they are lonely and broken. We have Yeon Soo who has to shoulder her family’s financial burden and suffers from an inferiority complex. We have Choi Woong who feels lonely and abandoned, and continues to struggle with these emotions, and also feeling unworthy of his parents' love. He’s trapped inside his own little world and unable to break out of it. Lastly, we have Ji Woong who is desperate for his mother’s love and attention, and continues to have a missing piece in his heart.
If I have to find one thing to criticize, it would be the continuous playing of songs. I actually really like the OST and all the songs. I just found them overplayed. I think I counted one episode where 3-4 songs were played almost back-to-back. Sometimes, I don’t need the music to tell me how to feel. It’s ok to have some silence when our leads are contemplating.
Other Observations:
1. I have seen Choi Wook Shik in other dramas before but I never found him that attractive. But he’s so adorkable in this drama. I really love his character and his cute and shy smile. What a sweet boyfriend!
2. I also enjoy seeing a more mature Kim Sung Cheol.
3. No annoying characters in this drama!
4. The color palette of the drama seems to be a little washed out or has a yellow tone. Is it me imagining it?
Was this review helpful to you?
Those who have been through breakups understand this drama a bit better
I watched this drama while it aired. There was a hype going on, and i decided to join the gang.This drama is about lovers who break up, despite loving each other for personal reasons.
The story is sad at times, but realistic.
Character development was the great point of this drama. We all carry a heavy baggage in our lives, and so did the leads. It's not like they couldn't move on. They actually did, but deep down when you love someone letting is go the hardest.
During the course of the series, i always told myself they will breakup again and it will be a sad ending. Who has ever seen a broken couple get back together, even better than their first encounter?? Well, this drama is all about that.
It's cliche, boring at times, but very romantic. You can feel with the leads and live with them for a while.
The soundtrack is just marvelous and carefully chosen.
Overall, a must-watch for diehard romance lovers!
Was this review helpful to you?
Nostalgia feeling with feel-good breeze
A romance drama about two grown adults who had their documentary shoot 10 years ago and relationship thereafter, which ended eventually. After 10 years, it happens once again and yes it feels nostalgic in every way.The best thing about Our Beloved Summer that catches the eye is the cast. The charms of Kim Dami and Choi Woo Shik, who radiate youthful energy, fill up the screen, and the chemistry between the two naturally leads the story. The drama emphasizes the images of summer and thanks to this, the play’s overall atmosphere is full of freshness. Also it might feel relatable to many viewers' teenage life they lived.
The cast, whether be the lead or the supporting, had a great connection. The soundtrack is soothing and melodious which fits the setting of the drama. The story had depth, but it was fairly executed, if not efficiently. Also the supporting characters weren't given much exposure as one would have thought. Although it doesn't come close to other feel-good romance drama (like Hometown Cha Cha or When The Weather Is Fine), Our Beloved Summer manages to hold itself through freshness and nostalgic moments of reminiscing the good old teenage life.
To summarise, Our Beloved Summer ends itself as a dama that conveys the sweetness of love and the freshness of youth at the same time. It's effective enough to catch viewers' attention with it's fair, if not excellent story and screenplay.
My Rating : 6.5/10
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Life Lessons
When I first saw this trailer for OBS, I saw it had both Kim Da Mi and Choi Woo Shik and I immediately thought of The Witch: Subversion. While the trailer depicts this as a romcom, this is more on the slice of life side than it is romcom. It has romcom moments, but the overall message it sends can really resonate with anyone, which to me was in order to find happiness, you must be willing to forgive and let go. This is a very relatable drama as there's a bit of each character in all of us.I have talked to some people I know that have watched it entirely and some of them only look at the surface level plot of the story, which is the relationship woes between Choi Ung and Kook Yeon Su and then critique them on what they should and shouldn't do. The core of their issues was communication, but as a viewer objectively, it's very easy to say "Oh, just tell them, it's so easy!" If you place yourself in their shoes and experience the kind of struggles/trauma they have, no, it's absolutely not as easy as just telling them straight up.
While the story is mainly about the ML/FL's relationship, but what this drama does very well is through the use of flashbacks, it places you, the viewer, in the character's shoes. You then understand WHY they did the things they did and HOW they became the person they are today. Near the end, when everything is revealed, you get the complete picture of the characters. When you connect all of the dots, you get why Yeon Su has so many walls built around her, you get why Choi Ung acts like he doesn't care when confronted with an issue, you get why Ji Ung has a one sided love for Yeon Su. It's a story of growth and development for them and really just about being an adult and going through life.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The feeling of true love is indeed timeless :)
Love and affection towards a person does not necessarily depend on some quality of your lover, but the person itself - that's what was beautifully demonstrated through this drama. From the time of teenage to adulthood, both Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-su went through several transitions of personality, perspective, environment and struggles but what never changed was how they felt for each other all these times even though they were not together for 5yrs in between. What I loved about this drama is the portrayal of a very important message that seem to be overlooked by most people these days - the feeling of love is about the thought and emotion that you feel towards a person and has nothing to do with materialistic achievements or fame.I absolutely loved the scenes when both the leads were shooting their documentaries during teenage time and their late 20s, I loved how beautifully the story, thoughts and perspectives of all characters were shown in the drama and honestly speaking, the way each characters expressed their thoughts and emotions to each other in few different episodes really brought tears to my eyes. For some weird reason, few parts of these stories felt very relatable to me. How we feel love and see love during our teenage time is not exactly the way we do when we gradually grow up and life happens.
If you looking forward to a heartwarming romantic drama with a bit of fun, this drama is definitely for you. I bet you'll enjoy the transitions of the characters' personality, thoughts and the way they expressed love to each other in this drama ^_^
Was this review helpful to you?
