This review may contain spoilers
An overrated overhyped drama
This is fully waste of time, not even 30% worthy. Before starting to watch this drama I was little hesitant to start to watch this drama because of the ML, I have watched his few dramas, in most of the drama his character is same that is he is fully obsessed with the FL without self pride without bottom line and he won’t feel ashamed at all whatever may be the extent that the FL may hurt or embarrassed him but he couldn’t feel bad, ashamed or hurt at all. I think this is not love this is just a obsession.The whole drama is total a waste drama, with so many loop holes because the main plot itself is a big blunder.
1. How can a best friend forces him(to ML) to cooperate for video broadcasting or interview with his ex-girlfriend even though he knew how much he suffered and wasted his life after she dumped him in a brutal way without any reason.
2. How can a person still have lingering feelings about someone even after getting dumped four to five times brutally and even after she treated him like a trash. That’s why I mentioned it as obsession not love, because when she was leading her life like nothing happened but the ML keeps on thinking about her.
3. Till 12th or 13th episode he keeps on showing his feelings yet she keeps on pushing him away badly. Literally she didn’t slapped him(you can think of to that extent). In the overall drama I think only once or twice she apologized him for her mistake but not first to say only after he apologized her for nothing (I felt like she did apologized out of pity). Of course it is portrayed in this drama like she is soo selfish, self centered and egoistic but according to me for everything there is a limit who on earth can compromise that much without a bottom line only because he likes her.
4. I felt like she is doing some charity by accepting his feelings each time after he begs her to reconcile. I really didn’t understand on what gut feeling can someone expect a stable relationship even after dumped four times by same person.
5. When ML parents saw FL again got acquainted with ML, they tell her that he was totally devastated when he was dumped and yet they offer to come home to have meals with them. As a normal human beings or parents they will definitely suggest to FL to not to disturb his life again when he had go through and overcome such devastating life.
6. In some scenes they have tried to portray the childishness in ML but I felt like he is mentally retard or having multiple personality disorder because all the time (till the middle of the drama) it is portrayed like he is not at all interested about her but in the same time he is very curious about her and sometimes jealous also.
7. Last but not least, after watching drama what I realized is the director has no idea what to do and what has done in the previous episodes he just directed according to what comes to his mind at that moment of time. You can say it is totally unplanned and unprofessional direction.
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Our Beloved Summer; The “ Break Up” Story With A Twist…
The “ break up” story is a trope in rom-coms which is timeless. Main lead meets main lead, a love story ensues only for the characters to end their relationship through an acrimonious breakup. However whilst Lee Na Eun’s screenplay alongside the directing reigns of Kim Yoon Jin offered viewers a fairly heartwarming coming-of-age tale with an element of mystique , it is important to establish that the drama rarely touched upon new subject areas or topics either.In the past Choi Woong ( Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-Su(Kim Da-Mi) were high school classmates and polar opposites. Whilst Yeon-Su was an intelligent, hardworking and top-achieving student, Choi Woong was a laidback teen during his high school days; caring little about being a low-ranking student and being focused upon his artistic abilities instead. By a whim of fate, Yeon-Su and Woong discovered that they were chosen as the main subjects (,out of wide selection of candidates,) for an indie-style filmed-documentary.
Even after the documentary finished filming , Woong and Yeong-Su’s mutuality for one another soon grew into sincere feelings as the duo began to date during their college years. However, shortly after finishing their respected diplomas, the former sweethearts went their separate ways with the intention of never meeting one another again,but, fate has an odd way of bringing people back together . Several years into the future , the documentary has become gained a viral cult -following and consequently both main leads find themselves reunited once more.
‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is a fairly lighthearted watch for the most part. Whilst the series does run highly upon certain elements of angst and melodrama surrounding certain relationship dynamics and unrequited feelings , Lee Na Eun’s focal drive of the series surrounded mainly the relationship dynamic between its main leads.
Of course, it’s wrong to say that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ wasn’t entirely
absent from its more droning “lovey-dovey exchanges” and tedious romantic setups, but, in a series where the focal point surrounds a niche break-up story and potential love story ( which could either irk or appease audiences), satire is sometimes quintessential to helping break the ice. Director Kim Yoon Jin presented the series as a self-conscious reflection of popular culture influences and references. The insertion of evident allegorical homages to different genre films such as; I Know What You Did Last Summer’, 10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘ Pride And Prejudice’, ‘ Catch Me If You Can’ ‘ Love Actually’ helped to present the different emotional stages of the main leads’ relationship in an obvious yet admittedly intuitive manner.
Yet whilst Kim Yoon Jin’s clever usage of titles and filming will certainly not go amiss amongst viewers, there is admittedly one elephant in the room which should be addressed openly surrounding the series; , the pacing. For the most part, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is slow-burn. Whilst the average episode could last around an hour and did take time to focus upon certain elements of relationship and character building, the series could feel somewhat dragged out by the latter-half also.
Naturally it isn’t always necessary for a series to have a specific antagonistic force or evident end goal. However for a series to keep viewers engaged characters can often be presented with motives, drives and personal goals in-between the main storyline to give flare or help to flesh-out character building. Whilst we did see some opportunities for this to happen with certain characters, the main leads were rarely given a more dynamic or personal raison d’être as characters. ( Aside from the potential impositions of their relationship or character drive for the “sake of plot”. ) As a consequence, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel as though it was slightly conflicted and dragged down by its pacing. Instead of either compacting the series into twelve episodes or attempting to add a more decisive plot-motivation, cliche misunderstandings, misconceptions and niche setups began to arise as the storyline entered its final part.
Nevertheless, the main cast were fairly dynamic as our main leads. Choi Woo-Shik versatility as an actor is proven again within his charismatic performance as main lead Choi Woong; a formerly deadbeat student and a successful artist and illustrator in adulthood who has shared complicated feelings for female lead Kook Yeon-Su.
Admittedly, Choi Woong could often feel shoehorned into “ plot” moments and tension in order to keep the storyline “ intriguing” . ( Incliding through several main subplots .) Yet rather than allowing the main lead to become the reimbursed “ vengeful lover” or “ cold and aloof” trope, screenwriter Lee Na Eun adds an air of subtlety within his equilibrated character strengths and flaws. He has an endearing relationship with his father ( Park Won-Sang) and mother ( Seo Jeong-Yeon) as well as with his best friend Kim Ji Woong ( Kim Sung Chul).
Costarring alongside Choi Woo-Shik is Kim-Da Mi. The actress likewise presented her persona as main female lead Kook Yeon-Su with a dynamic ambience onscreen. At times, Yeon-Su initially could often feel like a carte blanche female lead; enforced to become the “ polar opposite” to Yeon-Su. However , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ rarely shied away from giving golden opportunities for viewers to understand more about her as a character . Her misconceptions and labels placed upon her from others, a surprisingly heartwarming relationship with her quick-witted grandmother Kang Ja Kyung ( Cha Mi Kyung), as well as most notably coming to terms with her mundane office job , did allow some intuitive insights into Yeon-Su’s persona.
From being at one another’s throats in ‘ The Witch; Part 1’ to former-lovers in ‘Our Beloved Summer’, Kim Da-Mi and Choi Woo-Shik’s onscreen chemistry was undeniably one of the driving strengths of the series. However whilst Da-Mi and Woo Shik’s chemistry was sweet and heartfelt, their characters’ onscreen relationship could admittedly a feel a little shoehorned at times through plot and did place slight strain upon the written relationship feeling natural.
Kim Sung Chul’s role as Kim Ji-woong played a pivotal role within kicking off certain events of the series. Admittedly Ji Woong’s presence during initial events and revelations of the series could admittedly feel a little staid at the best of times but his involvement in later events of the drama is provided as necessary for plot-drive.
Then there’s also second female lead NJ ( Roh Jong Eui) ; a popular K-pop idol who becomes enamoured by main male lead Choi Woong after he doesn’t fall for her charms. Unsurprisingly, NJ’s role in the series was evident from the beginning to present an “ obstacle” within the battlefield of affections for the main leads. However , rather than reimbursing NJ as the “ jealous second female lead” archetype, the series does provide some golden-opportunities to explore some more depth behind NJ’s feelings as well as her personal-growth.
Director Kim Yoon Jin seemed to have a fairly tactful eye behind the camera also. Professional long distant shots and close-ups were cleanly cut , unobstructed and slick in order to delve into the characters’ mindsets and daily lives. In particular, Yoon Jin’s presentation of vivid palettes and tones stood out through the frequent usage of mellow-yellows, tonal whites and blues in order to bring about a hazy tone of nostalgia throughout the entirety of the narrative.
The OST was mainly subtle and predominantly composed of gentle instrumentals - sweet and helping for viewers to focus on dialogue ( instead of lyrics), but admittedly certain tracks delivering a more emotional and memorable impact also.
It was evident to see from the outset that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ would attract a lot of intrigue and interest from its main cast; particularly A-listers Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi’s dynamic onscreen reunion and performances. However despite the series offering a different take on old tropes and diverging from expected character archetypes with a touch of depth , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel weighed down by its predictable setups and inconsistent pacing in parts. Nevertheless, whilst ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ did not possess an original setup, the series was a surprisingly heartwarming watch also.
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Strong start until ep6. Then things gradually go down.
The velocity of good start got me high until ep6. After I figured out that this story has no more element than a love story between two grudged exes, my curiosity and interest levels decreased. There's no more interesting conflict, so things are flattening down along the way. I had no more interest to watch this until the end after finishing ep12, esp. when being compared with Snowdrop that is on air during the same time and kind of competes for the audience's attention. I came to watch it until the end, though. After the last ep has broadcasted, I came to pay my due. And yeah... I was right, it isn't interesting anymore after ep12.In terms of acting, I don't feel the character of grown-up Yeon Soo in Dami. Grown-up Yeon Soo portrayed by Dami was intentionally stern and kind of melodramatic. I'm not very satisfied with Dami's acting. Come to think of it, she also felt off in Itaewon Class. Among the three main leads in Itaewon Class, Dami was the weakest (her character was more challenging to act than the 2nd female lead, though.) Anyway, naughty, young Yeon Soo in Our Beloved Summer was still fun and enjoyable to watch. Only the grown-up version that was lacking. For Choi Woo Shik here, his acting was also off from scene to scene. All in all, I don't feel the lover vibes between them. Toward the end, they started to kiss a lot, and I felt nothing in their kisses at all.
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Over hyped Drama... ┐( ˘_˘)┌
Sorry I'm NOT sorry !
I had very big expectation for this Drama. I am very disappointed.
It’s unbearable to see female lead be so rude to her ex when she’s the one who broke his heart.I know there’s more info that revealed about her life but I can’t imagine male lead really wanting to be with someone who lied and broke his heart and never apologized. No interest in their romance.
And when I tried to watch it till the end..
I was just speechless, how could they concluded at last that whatever male lead achieved was all just waste ? They bragged about how he is famous artist , giving live demo for such a great building, his paintings are very admirable , a celebrity is fan of his work & his paintings are EXPENSIVE and of soo much value . Then at last they're showing that someone told him that his paintings are nothing but "JUST EMPTY ", A child who's Trapped in his own world ? And they're showing that whatever he did was all meant nothing to him ? ( Okay... they're trying to show us , he didn't know what he likes, what he wants to do in his life and he was just doing it without any meaning..does that make sense? NO !!
As an art lover myself I strongly believe that they just ruined the half meaning of this drama by showing this kind of story!
I was trying to complete this boring drama because of their boring romance, where I feel no emotions but at last I'm watching this ?
I'm just Disappointed
At last ...This story so far has no pull so they are manufacturing it by slicing and dicing the scenes and jumbling them so the audience cannot figure out what's going on.
The more I think of it, it is becoming more and more frustrating.
God knows why people are loving this drama ! There are more good dramas related to this kind of content.
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This review may contain spoilers
Drag, Drag & Just Drag !!
Please don't keep high expectations!After completing it ( started skipping after 7-8 episodes) I honestly feels like this one is hella overrated. I was trying to feel their love for each other but I just couldn't coz there WASN'T ! So ex-lovers can't even talk properly & figure out their awkward condition Even when they have to shoot and work together? FL was so cold tbh, i understand because of her past & all but still...
And... I was like wtf when they showed that whatever ML did in past 5 year was in vain. You know the reason if you've watched it. I can't understand what they want to say/proove after showing that!!!
So disappointed !! I really hoped this one will be good if it's getting this much popularity but...
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Slow and repetitive
Not sure why many people are liking this drama... it started off interestingly enough. It was funny, quirky, the main couple were very cute and had lots of chemistry.Then it started getting repetitive, a lot of push and pull, the same old drama/ issues/ problems. I don’t quite like character developments of both leads. They seemed to really lack any sort of communication, even after 5 years of being together, breaking up and after another 5-year lapse and meeting again. Towards the last few episodes, we do see some growth & maturity in Choi Ung, but Yeon-Su was just disappointing. To be honest, I didn’t really like Kim Da-mi’s acting. She was cute but I didn’t like the way she talked. She seemed to mumble her words way too often, it just annoyed me.
As for the supporting casts and story, found it too dull and cliche. Unfortunate I skipped most of it with NJ and Ji-Ung. OST was not too bad, it had that one song Christmas Tree sung by V from BTS.
All in all a little disappointed. Expected much more from this, but it reminded me a lot of the drama More Than Friends.. which was SOOO SLOWWWW and boring. OBS was at least more interesting.
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This drama gives you butterflies.
As I am seeing this drama roll out every week I find myself fascinated by how good the Main Leads of this drama are in portraying there emotions that it just leaves me mind-boggling and a loss of words. So if you were considering of starting the show then don't think twice and start this show for it's talented actors. The chemistry between the two leads is off the charts. And the way they portray sadness just leaves my jaw dropped and eyes wet. You can actually feel the emotions they are trying to portray. The actors did justice to the script and storyline. The supporting actors also are to die for.It is slow-paced romance drama which never gets dull at any point of time. And leaves you craving for more. The writers did a great job in not letting the story die at any moment. I personally am a huge fan of slow-paced romance dramas. But not many drama are able to pull them off. The writers have written some very meaningful lines, and the thanks to the translator of this show they have done a really good job,translating into equally meaning lines. As some of the Korean I can see is not what the English meaning is, but it fits the best and I like it more. I remember, how in RUN ON, she loved her job translating films and series, and through that series, I really came to know, translating is hard and meaningful job.
I rate dramas that can make one emotional over the dramas that makes one laugh just because I think it is difficult to touch someone's heart. And only by touching their hearts can you make them connected to the characters and the story. So do give this drama an eye. I assure you that you won't be wasting your time on it.
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Magic Number 7
Majority of the popular kdramas are a 7 for me. That's how I feel about OBS as well. It is good but not great and perfect. It is likable but not special and close to my heart.It started great with a very compelling theme of documenting two high schoolers and an interesting screenplay going back and forth between past and present. The characters were flawed and relatable and so were their actions. I liked the comparisons of lifestyles of the two leads.
Oddly, I wonder what are the odds that all three leads have issues in the family. It was with a few unpredictable twists but I wasn't particularly thrilled to know about their family issues as I only came in for the documentary part. I was eager for glimpses of the final cut of their adulthood documentary but that didn't happen. Had they even spent like 15 mins showing that instead of all the family issues then I would have willing watched it. Guess, my expectations were different.
I expected a bit of comedy and a nice breezy romance with a slice-of-life setting. The initial comedy with a coworker and drunk scenes were hardly comical. I found this to be very minimal on comedy. Romance is more about feelings, talking, and bickering. But it was hardly breezy. There are many moments I felt "just open up and talk about what you are feeling or what went wrong". I didn't like how they got into a relationship without proactively discussing what went wrong. Yes, they were constantly pinning for each other, but getting back with an ex without resolving past issues is low-key problematic.
Character-wise, I can see what they were trying to portray: toppers don't necessarily become achievers and last rankers don't necessarily end up as mediocre. But I felt ML had more luck than most of all would have, to get rich and good parents and to have talent and to actually put that talent to succeed whereas FL was poor, had no parents, was hardworking, and got some job. I think this characterization felt forced and it more made me feel that ML was very lucky and despite his issues, I couldn't feel empathy for him. Also, there are these moments where ML gives up on something very easily whereas FL had been working very hard for a similar thing. For instances like these, I couldn't look past their jarringly different notions on life, money, and stuff. But of course, I'm looking into too much but on the superficial level, they are interesting characters. Likewise, FL opening up about her issues could have done better. She rarely got her cathartic "baring it all" moment of showing her vulnerable side in the relationship and if at all done, was hurried through. Ji Ung deserved so much more than the closure he was given. Rarely was anything shown about his mother's actual reason, and his occasional rudeness to Ung felt quite random.
The pacing felt good up to episodes 10 or 11 after which I was constantly skipping scenes and 2Xing. Similar to most of the kdramas losing their charm around 10 -12 episodes, OBS ran out of stuff to talk about. Maybe they could have added nice flirty scenes but their chemistry felt cute and okayish for me.
I really wanted to see CWS in a nice rom-com as a nice guy so that wish has come true. As for KDM, she felt reminiscent of her Itaewon Class character sometimes. I will be rooting for KSC henceforth. RJE's voice is really nice.
Would I rewatch the scenes during their school days? Likely. Would I rewatch adult life or romance scenes? Meh.
As for music, it was good and suited to the theme of the drama. But I won't bother about adding it to my playlist.
OBS feels intriguing as the Youthood but immemorable as time passes by.
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1This review may contain spoilers
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away" - Philip K. Dick
Confused by my title? You will understand after you watch the drama.Our Beloved Summer is the first modern rom-com drama I'm rating 9.5. I don't usually rate an ordinary modern romance drama more than 9, unless it has some fantasy in it. But, this isn't any ordinary slice of life rom-coms that we see here and there. This isn't ordinary at all! This beloved drama just came, stole my heart and went. Let's look why:
THE STORY
This drama is inspired from a webtoon 'Our Beloved Summer' created by Han Kyoung Chal and original work by Lee Naeun, who is also the screenwriter of this drama. The webtoon can be considered as the prequel of this drama as it focuses on the high-school days of the characters. Honestly writing, I haven't read the webtoon. So, I came here with am empty slate and went away (I don't think I'll be able go veryfar. I'll soon come back.) with my heart full of love.
This drama is a coming-of-age, which tells us the story of ex-lovers Choi Woong and Gook Yeon Soo (will hereby be mentioned as CW and YS). They had broke up with a promise to never meet again. But, fate brought them together again. They were forced to come in front of the camera and into eachother's lives as a documentary that they shooted 10 years ago, in high school, goes viral. This series shows their complicated feelings for eachother and their growth, how they managed to organize their feelings.
The thing that I loved in the story was how the story is said. The perspective of the story changes throughout the drama, which helped to focus on all the four main characters's emotions. Also, the portrayal of the relations between each characters is done so amazingly that we could relate to our real lives. This is what a true slice of life really is.
This drama also had many realistic quotes that are hard to realise but will make you stronger.
I also liked the titles given to each episodes that is a summaryof the whole episode. Though we don't get why the episode it named such at the beginning of the episode, we would surely get it at the end. This helps us to digest the whole meaning os an episode.
CHARACTERS
I have never seen such cute wand warm chacarted in any modern romance drama. In most of the modern rom-coms, either the female lead is annoying or the male lead is a goof. I'm not saying I don't like these types of dramas but that the main reason I most of the times give these kinds of dramas a 9 or below is because of the characters of the story. But, in this drama, I saw the kind of characters that can be related to real life.
The character growth in this drama is another aspect that made me give this drama a 9.5. YS was an independent, no-nonsense, aloof and hardworking girl. She was the top of her class. She cared about everyone but was forced to wear a cold nature in front of others due to her poverty. She didn't want others nor herself to be bothered about her feeling. She thought she could handle everything by herself but, ultimately, found out she was not the master of her own emotions. SHe also realised her mistakes and realised that her life too is beautiful.
CW was a free-spirited and unruly last ranker who always avoids doing works. He loved drawing buidings from high school. He was the type of person who don't bother being hurt or uncomfortable, if he can hurt the people around him. As the story went on, he changed into a more matured and understanding person. He, for the first time in his life, followed his heart.
Kim Ji Woong (KJW) was the type of person who is almost like YS, although he is poor. He too didn't want others to bother about his feeligs and always confined everything to himself. He also changed in many ways. He understood his mother, most importantly.
NJ is a kind of person who is always excited and kind. She always want everything to go her way. She is cute and friendly. Also, I have not seen any SFL who is less annoying than her.
The other supporting characters also have fully formed characteristics, which helped to enhance the story line of the drama.
This drama is all about realising mistakes and finding our trueselves.
ACTING AND CAST
I just recently ventured the lands of k-dramas. So, I was utterly umfamiliar with the cast. Through this drama, I became the fans of both Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi. They nailed their character with such degree of emotional depth that there is an intensity of the convincement that touched my heart. They are simply perfect for the roles and their chemistry made me think they are meant for eachother.
And as far as the other characters are concerned, I can say that they all did a good job in portraying their characters. Supporting roles like Ahn Dong Goo and Park Jin Joo madethe drama lively. Also the actors who portrayed Choi Woongs parents did a commentable job.
THE MUSIC
This drama have a whole lot of OSTs, which were just amazing! There were OSTs in English as well as Korean languageThe is another thing that raised my rating for this drama. Most of the episodes introduced new OSTs of the drama. Christmas Tree
and Home are my personal favourites. Some of the notable OSTs:
"Drawer" (서랍) by Kwon Jung-yeol (from 10 cm)
"Maybe If" (우리가 헤어져야 했던 이유) by Bibi
"Squabble" (티격태격) by Ha Sung-woon
"There for You" (이별후회) by Kim Na-young
"Christmas Tree" by V (from BTS)
"Home" (집) by Janet Suhh
"Why" by Janet Suhh
"The Giving Tree" (언덕나무) by Lee Seung-yoon
"Summer Rain" (여름비) by Sam Kim
"Even Now" (아직도 좋아해) by Yang Yo-seob
"I Will Make You Happy" (행복하게 해줄게) by Jang Beom-june
"Our Beloved Summer" by Kim Kyung-hee
"Red String of Fate" (우리가 다시 만날 수 밖에 없는 이) by Kim Kyung-hee
All these OSTs also have their own instrumental version too.
OVERALL
I don't usually favour rom-coms, especially the ones without any special elements like sports, crime or supernatural. But, I'm glad that I didn't avoid this by categorizing it into an ordinary rom-com. Although, primarily looking like an ordinary romance drama, this thakes us through a roller-coaster of emotions, without wasting its potential. It beautifully captures different perspectives of life and thus lives upto its slice-of-life tag. As I said before, I went in with a blank slate and this show truly went beyond by expectations.
Thanks for reading!
Please notify me in case of any mistakes and errors as this is my first long review.
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This review may contain spoilers
All is fair in love and war…
… And this is a little bit of both.Delightful is the one word that comes to my mind when trying to describe Our Beloved Summer. I will not lie, this series nearly lost me in its second half, but now that is done and all wrapped up, I can’t help but miss it. I try not to have too high expectations in dramas these days no matter what I hear as to not set myself up for disappointment and then be too harsh on a show, as it has happened in the past, but I couldn’t help but be excited for Our Beloved Summer before it even aired. I love the cast and the mature concept and good God- I just love a mockumentary format. It’s a trope that I will never ever get tired of. So yes, I would say that had pretty high hopes for this drama. And while this is definitely not flawless, it still delivered what I wanted from it.
Even at its weakest moments, Our Beloved Summer felt comfortingly youthful from start to finish. The actors, as expected were great. I adore Kim Da-mi, I find her oh so charming and looking at the webtoon, she seemed like the perfect choice for her character. And without a doubt, she definitely did end up being my favorite aspect of this romance. Gook Yeon-su is such a great female protagonist, I couldn’t help but fall for her. Strong-willed, smart, competent, cold but never cruel, childish but never annoying. She was just a wonderful lead.
Second lead syndrome also definitely hit me hard here, Kim Ji-wung was my second favorite character by far. I read many complaints about him being hung up on a girl for years despite having little to no contact with her and while I will gladly admit that he was annoyingly whiny about it at parts, I always viewed Ji-wungs affection for our female protagonist as an extension and manifestation of his jealousy towards Ung: His best friend already got the restaurant chain named after him, the loving family to come home to, how come he has to get the girl as well? So even though I didn’t necessarily agree with our second-leads actions at certain points, they made sense to me from a storytelling-perspective. Him being in love with Yeon-su didn’t feel like a plot point shoe-horned in for a love-triangles sake, it was pretty clear from the beginning on, that his romantic attraction was entirely one-sided. Instead, his unresolved feelings were something for him personally to overcome, and considering that, he felt like a more well-rounded and realistic second-lead than what I am usually used to from my K-dramas.
The chemistry, the most important thing in any romance, was definitely there. Our two leads were great together and a joy to watch through all their bickering and loving scenes. It’s hard to convince an audience, that two characters are good for each other even if you see them constantly fighting and making each other miserable but I think this was achieved here. There was never a doubt in my mind, that our two protagonists deeply cared for each other. Their relationship felt heart-warming and believable and I just had a lot of fun watching them interact.
I don’t think that Our Beloved Summer’s cinematography was necessarily anything special in terms of shot-composition but the color-grading definitely stood out to me and largely contributed to the youthful vibe of the show. Also: the documentary format worked excellent here. The many hand-held shots made this feel even more intimate, like I was genuinely eave-dropping on this couple and experiencing their love with them. The interview parts also fit in really well and were the shows main source of humor. In not many stories do we get to see the dissonance in how a character views themselves and how they actually behave, I thought it made a really fun addition to the show and allowed me to get to know the two leads on another level.
But I had mentioned in the first paragraph that this show nearly lost me in its second half. Even though this is a pretty mature and fresh story in concept, I can’t help but feel like this series still fell into all too many K-drama tropes it really didn’t need.
I loved Ungs family, they were incredibly lovable characters, but I am so sick of secret-adoption plot-lines. No matter how maturely they are handled, and I feel like Our Beloved Summer did its best with it, they always seem so cheesy and needlessly melodramatic to me. Like, was this plot point really necessary? His adoption wasn’t something for Ung to work past, he kind of just makes his peace with it without any major events, and I wouldn’t say that this detail about his past really added to his character. The whole thing felt like something written in solely for a plottwists-sake. I don’t think you need to justify a character having adoptive parents, unconventional families are definitely something that should be represented more in media, but I much would have preferred it, if Ungs adoption hadn’t been like a grand reveal or something his parents kept from him. If this was an attempt to further normalize adoptive families, I think it would have been much more sincere and overall tasteful, if Ung had simply been adopted by a loving family, aware of that fact and at peace with it. To me that way, this plot point would have felt much less out of place.
Speaking of out of place, I don’t know what to make out of NJs character. In no way did I find her unlikable or unpleasant, if anything I think she is rather cute but something as glamorous and otherworldly as an idol didn’t really fit into a story that, other than her, felt pretty grounded and somewhat thrived of its relatability. I don’t know, I have to admit that I enjoyed her dynamic with Ung but I can’t help but feel like her presence took away a lot of realism from the show.
However, both of these flaws really didn’t bother me all that much, they were just minor things that took me out of the show a bit. My main critique is something else and it’s a sentiment I don’t think is shared by many people. In my opinion Our Beloved Summers biggest weakness is Ung himself.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Ung, he is funny, kind, intelligent and thoughtful. He is basically flawless, perfect even. But herein lies the problem: Ung is too perfect.
“It is her fault we broke up”, is something Ung says about Yeon-su in one of the first few episodes. Through the majority of this show I was under the impression that this attitude would be something he would have to overcome. That Ungs weakness was supposed to be his ignorance about his own shortcomings. Very rarely can you blame a break-up entirely on one person, I thought that would be something he would have to come to realize. But then a weird thing happened: The plot validated his thought-process.
It is very subtly implied, that Ungs immaturity and sunny mindset are the reason our female protagonist doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her pain with him. That his nonchalant attitude seems othering to someone who has had it rough and I figured that, since he, for the most part, had lived a comfortable life, Ung can sometimes be ignorant about the struggle of others. But then the show portrays it as if that is something for Yeon-su to work past alone. She should just get over it and open up more. It is stated by herself that the reason they broke up was her own pride, no questions asked why she never felt completely safe to share her burden with her boyfriend. Ung never has to self-reflect. He is someone that was wrongfully left by his girlfriend because she had issues to overcome. His carelessness not only gets portrayed as something that makes him more lovable but as an actual strength Yeon-su has to learn from. Meanwhile her strengths, like her strict work ethic, are actually also portrayed as her biggest weaknesses that made her miserable all her life while her ex-boyfriend got to follow and achieve all his dreams.
I don’t understand why so many K-dramas are so terrified of giving their male protagonists actual tangible flaws to overcome. Maybe it’s because romance dramas mainly serve as female wish-fulfillment and the writers are terrified that we will lose interest if the love interest is not perfect in every single imaginable way, but it is something I am starting to grow really tired of. It’s especially tiring because Yeon-su is such a great example of a perfectly imperfect character, with an equal number of strengths and weaknesses. She had an actual character arc, wisdom to share but also things to learn. I just feel like the same thing can’t be said for our male lead. That is why this felt more like a story about Yeon-su’s growth than like a story about two people both working past their issues to rekindle their relationship. That didn’t make this drama unenjoyable, I love Yeon-su and her learning to open up was still an interesting character arc I enjoyed watching, but I just think that this show could have even better if it had provided Ung with chances to grow as well.
All this doesn’t change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed Our Beloved Summer. I feel like 2021 had been somewhat disappointing on the romance-front but this drama truly was a breath of fresh air. Hopefully this is a good sign and I can expect more out of 2022. Despite its flaws, Our Beloved Summer really felt like summer to me, keeping me warm through this cold winter season.
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We Go Through 4 Seasons for A Reason
More mellow than a comedy-one of a kind drama that affect viewer emotionally in a marvelous way. I rarely rate romance drama with a full score or even above 8.5, but this drama made me otherwise. It reflects perfectly how my life is, especially the female lead narrative. Like the life in summer, the change from the fall, farewell for winter, and the growth of spring. I can relate to their story of pain, longing, and sincerity as if I am the one in the story. From the conflict that stop the main characters, a reason why we should sympathize and rooting for them, and how the characters change and finally getting their goals at the end. This story journey is unraveled through the theme of weather and season like a pacing stage of life, it lives up to its title "Our Beloved Summer" and the reason why I named my review, "We Go Through 4 Seasons for A Reason". Let's start~[ Compelling Plot ]
The drama is started on the leads most memorable season, summer. It is the season where they entail the growth of love which strengthens the bond and distance between them. They start and end their journey with documentary filming, a lively concept from this drama. The unfolding between the past and the present is another 'fun' point. The stories are told from different perspectives by Choi Woong, Guk Yeonsoo and Kim Jiwoong maximized immersion in the narrative and emotions of each character. The story that was still hidden will be unfolded anew through the second half like a reversing mirror. Their past story, which encompasses the reality they face, providing a warm touching sympathy beyond laughter and excitement. They show us how real and valid the leads try to rebuild a strong relationship that can stand the test of time, by understanding the different stage of life they go through. This drama isn't only about romance, but it is also about balance between friends, lovers, family and this drama express how that could influence our lives's priority.
[ Warmful Character ]
Every season has a set of associated traits and it shows in the four main lead personalities. They are introduced like a different weather. Choi Woong is summer and Yeonsoo is winter. Both leads are a really contrast and different person with a strong similiar traits that compliment each other. Choi Woong is like the bright blue sky of summer for Yeonsoo, and she is like a warm christmas gift to Choi Woong. Jiwoong is fall by his complexity of emotions. While NJ is spring represents exciting beginning. The characters have fully-formed personality. We can imagine them as existing person as they have both strengths and flaws. Most importantly, from main leads to supporting characters they each have personal goal that determines their arc. The cast also did a great job delivering emotion in the most realistic and natural way. Good acting and good story truly can make interesting play.
[ Attention of Details ]
I found crazy little thing everytime I rewatched. Like the time-shift narrative method they used. Then the episode title that is referenced by a lot of classic movie and how it connects the two stories. The number and date details on the flashback scene. The staff also give a lot of attention to property, showing a hint of colors from both main leads, a change of hairstyle on actress, handphone version to determine era, and filming setting with words of referenced korean literature. What I like the most is decalcomanie dialogue and scenario between two main leads. These 'easter-eggs' add to the excitement of watching this drama. Throughout episode, they have hidden messages and references to other works as a little game eagle-eyed viewers can play to enhance the experience.
[ Unique Perspective ]
I must say this drama is another watching experience. Aside from eagle eyed game from easter egg they give through all episode, at the same time you can also look the perspective from their past 10 years before drama timeline by reading the prequel webtoon. While watching the drama, I strongly suggest you all to read it so you can get better understanding how the main couple grow, learn, fall in love with each other and why their reuniting has bigger chance than them moving on. The story is like two sides of same coin and if you only watch or read one of them, it might become one sided bias.
[ Impressive OST ]
The OSTs are also top one. I always think good OST are songs that make us focus what is going on the screen while still listening to it at the same time. One that remind us the scenario in the drama without having to watch it. One that is perfectly in tone with the story and our life. And for me, this drama truly has those soundtracks. When I listen to "Maybe If" I will remember the hand holding scene. "There For You" reminds me when Yeonsoo broke down into tears. "Christmas Tree" recall the kissing scenario. That is just three songs I mentioned and more soundtracks you have to discover from this drama. All of it perfectly conveys the story of the characters - their yearning, hope, heartache and the struggle to be fine despite the pain of their break up that resurfaced when they meet again.
[ Overall An Emotional Satisfying Love Story ]
Our Beloved Summer is an outstanding drama that has a message revelation that stays with me and that is the biggest reason of my high mark. This drama might have a simple premise but I promise, the story captures well beautifully and realistically complex how relationship work from various perspective. It remind us the different view between people and how to keep the harmony and discord in relationship balance of people around us. Because we know relationships are not all sunshine and rainbow! Will I recommend it? Of course yes.
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Mellow and quiet
This is a character-driven drama for sure — if that's your thing, then this drama pretty much does it perfectly. It's just a drama about relationships (family, friends, lovers) and there's never really any outside pressure. The characters and relationships are all pretty unconfrontational; things just happen as they do and this drama is more of a ferris wheel, as opposed to a roller coaster. What that means is that if you prefer a more plot-driven plot, it might feel like the drama is dragging and that there's nothing happening.With that being said, I definitely skew towards the latter; there were scenes and progressions that I was craving and never really got. At the same time, I really loved how all the characters were portrayed — nobody was over-the-top, there were no true villains, and I liked how even minor side characters had their distinct personalities come through in very little screentime.
Overall, this is just a warm, soft drama — for me, it wasn't a tear-jerker or a heart-wrencher, but it'll make you feel fuzzy and cozy.
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