Disappointing story and characters
I really like CWS and though I didn’t like KDM in Itaewon Class, I was willing to give it a try. But I’m 10 episodes in and just barely hanging on.CWS is too passive (yes I understand his character, but this is a drama and he lets KDM walk all over him) and KDM’s character is incredibly annoying.
If any of the characters would just share the tiniest bit of what they’re feeling the plot would fall apart. Or be resolved in half the episodes. I think that’s lazy writing.
It’s infuriating to see KDM be so rude to her ex when she’s the one who broke his heart. She only shows vulnerability around her grandmother and best friend. I know there’s more info that will be revealed but I can’t imagine CWS really wanting to be with someone who lied and broke his heart and never apologized.
CWS manages to stay likable through sheer sweetness. And I blame the writing for KDM’s frustrating character. I would love to see her play someone with less of a tough outer layer. Or someone with a genuine sense of humor.
I’ll stick with OBS till the end because I’m a narrative junkie. But I will definitely be skipping sections and groaning with frustration.
Updates coming after I’ve watched all 16 episodes.
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Slooooooooooooow but addictive so far
Slow burn is not slow enough to describe the show. It’s so full of cliches and so utterly predictable that you can safely guess whatever’s coming a mile away. The problem is that it takes soooo long for the story to unfold that you’re just sitting there tapping on your watch waiting for the show to catch up with you. This story definitely could’ve been told in a few episodes but it just drags on.Despite all that… I can’t get mad at them because I love the main characters. I get extremely frustrated with Ung-i because he’s so passive and slow-witted sometimes (appears to be at least) but he’s so likable.
We’ll see what happens going forward. Hope everything will work out for everyone.
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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?
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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This review may contain spoilers
The Good:⌲ The documentary concept
⌲ The sequencing of the major plot points (first half is more melo, the second half more romcom)
⌲ The docu flashback scenes are the best.
⌲ The romance, mostly (It's way more magical in Hogu's Love)
⌲ The chemistry between the two leads
⌲ The brilliant acting (If ML did variety, he could dethrone YJS in a few weeks & the FL is also incredible)
⌲ FL's cute chubby face
⌲ The bickering
⌲ The weak love triangles
⌲ The last 5 minutes of the drama (Had they spent 1-2 episodes on that 3rd documentary, I would have given the drama a 10/10 rating for sure, flaws be damned.)
⌲ The mild melancholia
⌲ The visuals
⌲ Despite all the stupid foreshadowing the leads stay together after they start dating again.
⌲ The rewatch value should be excellent with some FW buttoning.
⌲ The low key good OST
The Neutral:
⌲ NJ (I'm suspecting the actress was portraying Sulli & that made me quite sad)
⌲ Let's be friends! (Horrible plot device, but the ensuing romcom moments were good)
⌲ There were some well acted, but underutilized supporting characters.
The Bad:
⌲ The writing is not coherent, this is especially obvious if binge watching. (yay live filming)
⌲ The reasons for the initial breakup (I would have accepted "pride", but they just had to put a noble reason spin on it)
⌲ The second ML's character feels misplaced & pointless. (Could have FW buttoned all his scenes for more enjoyment)
⌲ The last 3-4 episodes were sullied by the entire "French Architect School" plot. (Woong of all people is such a genius that he has become an architect/engineer in 2-3 years and then he went back to Korea to continue drawing for galleries and whatnot)
⌲ The story drags in the middle. (The writer pulled the breaks on romantic progress in jarring ways, because 16 episodes..)
⌲ The final episode is weak, sans the last 5 minutes. (It's not ruining anything, it's just whelming)
⌲ The audio quality is trash, don't bother with those planar headphones! (were all microphones bought at the 1$ store, then again even some of the songs sound horrifyingly low-fi, while some others are excellent)
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I strongly recommend watching https://youtu.be/yxGomiIUN8s AFTER you are done with the drama. (it's only 2 minutes long)
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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?
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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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Sweep under the rug and move on
It started well and was interesting. As it goes on, it makes me wonder whether my mindset or the story is the wrong one. The main couple interactions will give you butterflies in your stomach. It's like you're walking on a floor with many holes covered with pretty carpet. You won't notice the plot holes but once in a time, you will feel there are holes under your feet. It's nice not to have to see family conflicts mess but is it right to ignore the root problem between our main couple? It's frustrating to see FL doesn't try to understand ML's inner conflict and trauma which makes him hesitate to get back together. It's disappointing when ML asks FL to go together without considering FL's conditions first. Does being in a relationship mean only being together and fulfilling your own needs to be happy?STORY - When they were high schoolers, they bickered like cat and mouse while caring for each other at the same time like summer which is hot while also giving you a chance to go picnic or beach to enjoy the sun and have fun. Now they meet again after being grown-ups with their own scar but there is still that sparks hiding in the corner of their hearts. Seeing them face each other again try to make do with the past, deal with the present, and move on to life is exciting to watch.
I expected Kim Jiwoong will be our SML. He didn't cross the line but his doings with FL make me hate him. In earlier episodes, he's pictured as a very loyal and caring friend. He's done great as ML's best friend. The story going on, I started doubting that and ended with decided to ignore it (again).
ACTING - Do we still need to discuss about Kim Dami and Choi Wooshik's acts? Their act, facial expressions, eyes, and small gestures will pull you deeper into this drama.
MUSIC - OST filled with star-studded singers. All are nice songs to hear and good reflection to the story. It only lacks that 1% of the catchy hook to keep listening to them.
All to say this is a good drama with many fluffy parts to brighten your days. You can ignore all the discomfort like me and keep watching Woong and Yeonsoo's story.
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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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My beloved drama couple<3
The main characters have very clear characterization and motivations, making them feel more human and thus made me feel more invested in their relationship and their well-being. I loved how they worked as each others'foils and how crazy fun the flashbacks of their relationship were. ( I rewatch these scenes twice a month💀). The second lead was likeable enough but wasn't as compelling to have that much screen time, same goes for nj.The two best friends were adorable, I liked them as much as the main leads!!
The only thing I'd change in the drama( which I think would fix every problem) is the length of it. Had it been 4 episodes shorter, the story would have played out faster, cutting filler/dragged out/ repetitive scenes .
Overall a great feelgood romcom with really well written characters and lots of entertaining moments! It will always have a special place in my heart
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Lovely production. Unbinge-able plot wise
I'm conflicted with how to rate this one.I loved the directing. The soft, warm color schemes. Even the wardrobe consisted mainly of white and tan clothes. And the OST was just so lovely, calming and chill (quite a few of the songs ended up getting a little heart by me on Spotify).
But at the same time, this drama could get so dull at times. This was in no way, shape or form a drama that should be binged. It just doesn't work like that. It's best enjoyed by watching one or two episodes at a time. Otherwise, the softness that was so compelling in small amounts turns into unappealing, unexciting blandness.
It was mentioned a few times by one of the characters that what makes their documentaries good is how they capture moments of everyday life that are so ordinary they would otherwise go unnoticed, and that's pretty much this drama in a nutshell. How even daily life is full of special moments we are only made aware of in retrospect. But you can only witness so much of a person's uneventful, daily life before you get bored.
So, yeah, pace yourself, spread the episodes out in between maybe something more high energy, dramatic and tense, and I'm sure you'll end up enjoying this one all the more for it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Choi Woo Shik is honestly the cutest. And such an amazing actor! I think my favorite moments in this drama were his "quirky" reactions to pretty much anything. But the best part? Woong and his parents. There was so much love and affection and respect and I think theirs was the best family dynamic I've seen in a long time.I must admit, though, that I liked the first half of this drama better than the second one. IMO, it was funnier and it kept me on the edge of my seat, the push and pull between Woong and Yeon Soo, the will they won't they was polished to perfection. Once they got together, though, it just... lost something. It was still very good, don't get me wrong, and the actors were keeping the standard high but some of the, well, spark was gone.
Some of my favorite moments were when Woong was sick and laid his head in his mother's lap. Or when she and Woong talked about Woong knowing about his past at the end. Or the genuine care that Woong showed to Ji Woong when Ji Woong was sick. Or... well, like I said, pretty much all Choi Woo Shik's scenes, what can I say. He's a truly marvelous actor!
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