It is possible to have way too much of a good thing
There are a ton of reviews for this show, so I wasn’t going to add to them, but I feel frustrated enough to want to write one. I’ll try and make it short, in keeping with my critique!I loved how this show started. Great characters, clever interweaving of flashbacks, beautiful unfolding of relationship etc etc. But as a writer I got really frustrated watching this. There is a natural arc for any story that you write and it has an appropriate length that does it justice. The perfect length states your case and leaves a clear impression in the viewer’s mind that is just enough for them to want to hold it in their hand and gaze at it a while longer, hopefully realising things for themselves, that lead them deeper. In my mind, this is the joy of a story. Not just what is told, but where it leads you afterwards.
However, in order to realise that goal, a writer needs to do two things:
1) have the message precise in their mind;
2) write only enough to illustrate it clearly.
Mostly, too much information is written and the job of editing is the delight of tightening and sharpening and chipping away until that message shines like a cut diamond. When you have cut sufficient away for the brilliance to emerge, then you have found the natural length of your story.
But dramas are commissioned and given a length: write a story that fills 16 episodes. What happens when you need to expand the story to fill the space allotted? Your diamond gets cut to fit the setting and instead of being sparkling and sharp, it becomes cloudy and dull. The writer tried to expand the beauty that was there and in the process went round and around and around the same material until it was trampled underfoot in the endless circularity that was all the middle episodes, by which time I was barely interested enough to follow it through to its inevitable conclusion.
If this had been an 8 or even a 10 episode drama, it could have rated at 8, no trouble. There was stuff that was good. The dialogue, the performances of the leads in particular, the sets, the cinematography, the drawings featured in the show... But sadly, it just has to be a flawed 6.5 for me.
What my rating means: 6+ Some aspects of it were OK but it had serious flaws. It will pass the time but you can find something better.
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Go into it with certain expectations
I'm coming out of this drama conflicted over how I feel about it. From a slice-of-life perspective, it's fantastic. The characters are all very well thought-out, from their backgrounds and histories to their personalities and how they react to the world around them. I think Woong himself is the best example of this, introduced as the kid in school with the worst grades whose only ambition is to live comfortably. Over the course of the drama, we get a lot of depth into how he really felt during that point in his life as well as how he feels in the current day, and there are a lot of layers to his character that you wouldn't expect if you were only to see the first few episodes. Yeon Soo also has these characteristics, though her side of things didn't pull at me the same way Woong's did.The story has a bright cast of side characters, too, who make the world feel very lively and lived-in, and they wholeheartedly make the drama better. Except... the unfortunate reality is that they're underutilized. Early on they feel like they might be important, but as the episodes go on they lose their significance. I can't really say that any of their stories are left unfinished, but none of them were particularly satisfying. Ji Woong is the best example. Early on, we're shown just how close he is to Woong, we see them growing up together and later on we see them leaning on one another. But further into the show, that starts to fade. As they pull more and more focus on the main couple, they leave him behind to deal with this small, out-of-nowhere plot with his mother. His mother is important to his character to a degree, sure, but that's all that his story amounts to in the end and that was really disappointing to see. Certain aspects (spoilers - if you watch it, you'll know) felt like they were just thrown in to find a way to end his conflict, and his romance with his coworker, which was hinted at and hinted at, was resolved very briefly out of nowhere. All of the couples but the main one were like that. We could have gotten so much more out of these characters than what we did.
That doesn't mean I hated the show. I liked it, I just didn't love it. The show shone its brightest during the original flashback scenes. All of the high school content and the original documentary was a lot of fun. Woong and Yeon Soo were lively and funny and charming, and it really felt like something special. I honestly wish the rest of the drama could have kept that feeling going, because it just became a bit generic once their adulthood started. And for a drama whose premise centred around a follow-up documentary to the one they starred in during their high school years, it didn't seem to matter all too much to the plot.
Our Beloved Summer does have some really heart-wrenching moments. The characters are very human and sympathetic, and it plays its strengths well. But it's not perfect, and it could have done better. A good example of its shortcomings is the plagiarism incident that happens early on in the drama. Another artist goes on television and implies that Woong has plagiarised him, but when comparing both artworks it doesn't really become apparent how the work was allegedly plagiarised, other than (I think - don't remember too clearly) them being drawings of the same (or similar if I'm remembering incorrectly) building. The thing about buildings is that if they're drawn at the same viewing angle, those drawings will look pretty similar. It's a bold claim and one that's taken very seriously in the art world, but I couldn't see the plagiarism myself because of that and thought, well, maybe they'll point out how it was plagiarised. But they didn't. They introduced the conflict and used it to push their plot along and show different facets of their characters, but they didn't care about the plagiarism itself. Naturally, Woong did not plagiarise. If anything, I believe that the other artist plagiarised Woong, but what bothered me was that there didn't seem to be a reason for this claim to be believed. Woong didn't address it and it faded from the story. Like a lot of other subplots. It came in, caused some trouble, and then vanished without any real resolution.
So, watch Our Beloved Summer. It's cute, and they care a lot about their characters. Well, about the main 2. Like cute couple scenes? Watch it. Like slice-of-life? Watch it. Don't like things feeling half-finished? Well, then maybe this one isn't for you.
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one of my fav dramas so far
Everything about this drama is perfect so far. The acting is well done, the express the emotion perfectly. the story plot is simply but interesting enough to captivate viewers and pull them along for each episode, and even make views think about their own life and relationships. The beautiful cinematography makes it hard for viewers to look away, it help strengthens the mood and emotions in scenes, especially with the help of pathetic fallacy. Also looooovee the ost, v's voice is like a comforting hug after you feel the emotions portrayed in the drama. The only bad thing about this is having to wait every week, every episode makes me longing for the next. 10/10 would recommend this drama. only on ep 8 will alter when finishedWas this review helpful to you?
OverHyped
Had gr8 potential but iam disappointed and also the female lead is annoying and often selfish. She loves then leaves the male lead with no explanations. This is not love. Leaving someone to pick up the pieces after your breakup is immature and doesnt let the other person get closure. If the roles were reversed, we would be calling the person toxic. Unfortunately, women seem to get away with a lot more selfishness in dramas. Netflix has great production, music, locations but somehow loses out on empathatic characters. The women are portrayed as get-up-and-leave kinds in the name of female emancipation and freedom. I just dont get it. Had Dropped the drama after 12, felt its draggy . Drama could have finished in 10 or 12epi .She seems to be stuck, acting out like a high schooler.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
TOXIC AT ITS MOST
Many people are going to disagree with me but this show is SO overrated just because the casts are famous people. If this show were to casts unknown actors and actresses it wont go far.First of, i hated the FL. Her character and personality in thr drama was too much for me. But then again, this is only my personal opinion. I read the review and ALMOST ALL the reviews said this was a good drama but when i watched it, i felt like i was watching a totally different drama. The FL annoyed me in every single episodes and their relationship, was HIGHKEY toxic. She was too dominant was him and he, was weak.
They kept breaking up OVER SMALL THINGS and then make up. If that aint red flag i don’t know what is. Overall, i did not enjoy this drama. Don’t get me wrong, i love both actors but i just did not see what the hybe is about.
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Just Beautiful
Our Beloved Summer was one of the first K-Dramas I ever watched, I didn’t know anything about the actors or story at the time, so I didn’t have any set expectations when I started. And it remains one of my favorite comfort K-Dramas, even with the twenty I’ve watched since.Opinions about this show seem to be quite polarized, and I’m glad I watched it before reading all the negative reviews that might’ve scared me off. People love it or hate it, and I’m certainly one of the former.
The story spans over quite a bit of time and I thoroughly enjoyed both the flashback sections of the show and what's happening in modern day. The structure allowed for some beautiful parallel scenes too.
While I love this show, I do understand why some people don’t, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. The story and relationship progression are both slow, so if you hate slow dramas, you’re most likely not going to like this one. But even with the slow progression, I was never bored.
Our main couple, Choi Ung (played by Choi Woo-Shik) and Kook Yeon-Soo (played by Kim Da-mi) were both perfectly cast. They made both hilarious rivals in the beginning and an awkwardly sweet couple later on. I thoroughly enjoyed all of their different dynamics.
I’ve seen several people bashing Yeon-Soo as a character, and while I will say initially, I didn’t find her very likeable, as the story progressed and her character developed, she won me over. I did like Ung from the beginning though, but as fellow sleep deprived artist I may be a little biased.
Honestly, I’m not usually a fan of second chance romances but this one got me. Through swapping between the current day and flashbacks of when the characters were previously together, it becomes quite clear why they didn’t initially work. But unlike many second chance romances, this one is able to take the reasons they didn’t work then and through a ton of character development, show why they do now. And they do work beautifully.
While much of the character development is shown through the lenes of a relationship, much of it is deeply individual. Ung and Yeon-Soo go from somewhat miserable individuals, both wallowing in their struggles, to two people who are able to make the best of their lives. And it was done beautifully.
Besides our main couple, there is a side romance with their friends, I found this to be the least interesting part of the show, ultimately though, it didn’t dampen my overall enjoyment.
I don’t fully know how to describe the overall tone, but mellow might be a good word.
Everything that I liked about the show was amplified by the OST. There isn’t a single miss in the soundtrack. The music helped set the mood phenomenally, and I’ve listened to it so many times that four of my top five most listened to songs in 2023 were from this soundtrack. It’s without a doubt my favorite K-Drama OST ever.
There’s so much more I could talk about in this review that I loved, from all the side characters to the family dynamics and beautiful cinematography, but this review is already long enough. So, I’ll leave it here.
Our Beloved Summer is a beautifully thought-provoking show, that made me laugh, cry, and reevaluate my life. Go give it a shot.
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Chemistry between leads and coming-of-age theme supported by mellow cinematography and soundtrack
The chemistry between the leads is the highlight of this show, which the plot helps develop by showing them at different points in their relationship at different ages. I loved how they developed the ML. The FL was developed too, but it seemed more like just breaking down her walls, whereas the ML found himself over time. The coming-of-age theme was supported well by the mellow cinematography and soundtrack.Was this review helpful to you?
green flag
tbh... i've watched this drama many times but somehow i don't get bored while watching it, i'm sure buddy. i really like the acting of both of them, the main character Choi Wooshik (Choi Ung) and the main actress Kim Dami (Kook Yeon Soo). they are both very cool in acting, i won't lie about that, this drama is very inspiring for couples who have fallen out of love but both of them still have great love, i as a man really want traits and personality like the main character Choi Ung, he is like an angel for her beloved partner, i also study what he does, what Choi Ung does in this drama, and yea... as you know, the character Choi Ung in this drama is highly coveted by many women out there, they call it the word "green flag" LMAO.Was this review helpful to you?
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I should have loved this
I wanted to love this. When I came across it on Netflix right after watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha, I thought it would be the perfect substitute with similar vibes. I was wrong.I know Our Beloved Summer is a well-made drama. I can see it through the acting, structure, story and other characteristics. However, I couldn't help but feel disengaged by it. I wanted to fall in love with the story really badly, but I was left hanging. I don't really blame the drama, I think this is on me. To each their own.
I love Choi Woo-shik and he was really good in this.
But yeah, overall, I wish I had loved this like everybody else.
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A warm, visually appeasing and heart soothing drama.
I cannot begin to express how beautiful this drama was. I don’t know about anyone else but kdramas are my little escape from reality and this one did not disappoint. It was well written and the actors were so amazing, the chemistry was top tier, they just overall complemented each other well. Right now I will have to rewatch it from episode 1 to 16 bcuz it was that good. Most kdramas give you an “ok” ending but this ending was just so perfect and the relationship was just so extraordinary. At first it seemed as if the relationship between the leads was toxic since they would constantly break up but after learning more about them you realise how healthy their love were.Was this review helpful to you?
"People Crave for The Normal."
As a person who enjoys binging thriller dramas, this one is sure to have ended up in my dropped/fast forward list had I tried binging it.The very interesting discourses and comments regarding certain characters is what drove me to begin watching this drama. Slice of life dramas are not my forté. But, seeing such intense character analysis for a seemingly sunny drama was what made me curious.
Probably one of the most well loved dramas that premiered last year, "Our Beloved Summer" is the chronicles of Choi Ung and Kook Yeon Su, two vibrantly different personalities who are forcibly put together in high school to film a documentary. The Proximity Principle proved true and it's not long before their hateful relationship morphs into love. After a disastrously earth shaking break-up, they meet five years later. Now, grown up and absorbed in their own career paths, they are unexpectedly thrown together again. But, this time, both of them are determined to change for the better…
I suck at expressing emotions in general and have a penchant for accepting characters and the story as it is presented, hence watching this was personally a purely fun experience for me.
Be warned… the slice-of-life tag doesn't lie.
The story follows the ordinary lives of both Yeon Su and Choi Ung along with one major supporting character (Kim Ji Ung).
Sticking true to the tag, it's the characters who are the soul of the story. Though it began with almost little to no emotional attachment from my side, I slowly grew attached to them by episode 14. There is not much purposeful happening with the plot, so, if you are a fan of strictly plot driven stories, this drama isn't for you.
Kook Yeon-Su can sit together with Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Studious and meticulous in every aspect, she sets vigorous boundaries and rules to who or whatever crosses her path. Including Choi Ung. She has an almost aggressive reaction to everyone, trenchant and assertive with her words… which naturally makes her one of the most unlikeable students in her school.
I found her bravado tiring. But, the writers did a good job, taking time to explain her actions and errors.
Choi Ung is far from her strict good-girl regimen. He slacks off at class, is meek like a puppy and knows more social skills than Yeon Su. He understands what he has signed up for once he begins to date her. I loved how he was not driven by goals, but rather went with what his heart wanted.
The life outside their perfect bubble has an almost domino-like effect on them. These polar opposite duos had their own ways of expressing their emotions as a result. Yeon Su was more on the *tell* side of the sphere whereas Choi Ung was on the *show* side. They each await empathic responses to unasked questions. To me, this lack of understanding and failure to express themselves was the prime reason for their break up. Now, as adults, their tables have turned. They are much more aware of their mistakes and are ready to accept the error of their ways.
40% of the drama is seen partially through the eyes of the Documentary Producer, Kim Ji Ung, Choi Ung's best friend. He was a character whose presence was pivotal in understanding the leading ones. We see a deeper side of Choi Ung through him, his own personal troubles, his support and ear for Yeon Su, the rapport with his workplace colleagues… even Ung's manager and Sol - I were important.
NJ, an idol, felt really out of place. She was not annoying… but I didn't understand why there was so much time being invested in her story, which could literally be spliced out and kept as a different special episode. Her presence did incite major changes to certain characters, but I felt that the writers failed to portray her with more depth or importance. The main reason seems to be her lack of interaction with the major characters.
It's the actors who breathed life into the chara ters. They lived them. Even the minor ones. Choi Woo Shik was mind blowing in portraying the very insoucient Choi Ung. Rather than appearing lifeless and boring, he was vibrant and unique. Kim Da Mi had less internal monologues than Choi Ung, but the process of unwrapping her various layers was smoothly portrayed.
I didn't find the drama too funny, though. There were a few slapstick comedy scenes, but there was always a serious shadow in the background for more than half of the drama.
The soundtrack was overall pleasant to listen to with "Home" and "Christmas Tree" being my favorites along with the opening theme by Kim Hwan Hee.
It's a drama that I'm sure I'll probably never rewatch. But, sometimes you stumble upon a coin on the road and check it out.
As Mr. Park said to Ji Ung, people crave for the 'ordinary'. And so do I.
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What a heartwarming drama?.
😭😭No way it ended. I want to see more. What a heartwarming drama🤧. Love this drama, it will always be in my heart. My comfort drama and I also learned many things through OBS. I hope we get more dramas like this in future.Please I want to see dami and wooshik in another drama again😭 really they are so natural with each other, they are perfect.
Also this drama is so relatable like everything is so emotional, relationships in this drama had the best developments, not dramatic but in a realistic way. Also this is so my type of drama, cinematography is so aesthetic and scenes also their arrangement were really good, I noticed during flashbacks there would be flicker effect and many more minute details. Also I like the scenes where they showed their hands while talking, also when yeonsu was crying they focused on the filled basin as it was overflowing, we could see the meaning behind these scenes. Our second leads they were the best, they were respectful towards our leads.
I really really mean this drama is so creative, I could say an art!
Not our usual kdrama I would say.I really really mean this drama is so creative, I could say an art!
Not our usual kdrama I would say.
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