Summer Strike

"people you briefly crossed paths with are sitting as passengers"

there are both bad and good things to this kdrama as there are for most. firstly, I really liked the premise and the plot (though, as you go on with the drama it feels like there's not an actual plot, not that that's a bad thing ig). the whole escaping life and finding the beauty in it when it becomes complacent, it started off very strong.. I could relate with how she felt at the start because I'm very close with my mum, and I liked that they added that because you don't just switch up your life completely without any large event happening. at least I don't think so.

the only character that I actually liked though was dae bom, jae hoon and at times yeo reum. starting off, Yeo reum is this nice character who gets walked over and pushed around. I think she's very realistic, but there was a great lack of character development for her which was disappointing, especially since there was so much potential. with the death of the grandmother, she allows herself to be blamed again, and although she was grieving and it was difficult, it felt like there was no point to the 10 episodes in which we saw her going through life and somewhat changing her habits. with dae bom, I genuinely liked his character, genuine, sweet, and kind. he helps other people all the time without looking miserable and although ji young criticises the way he chooses to live his life, not in Seoul where he could be famous for his abilities but rather in angok living a quiet life, he is still content and just a kind character. but with his trauma, it felt like there was also no development. of course trauma does not just go away and is a long term thing, but it was just suppressed. I also hoped to see how they would address it and deal with it, but that also didn't happen. there was still more potential for the characters, but we got to ep 10 out of 12 and it's not seen. heo jae hoon is the sweetest character who deserves much better. he still has his flaws, but not huge character flaws. he chases after bom but I understand, he's seen as childish from the start and his personality is established, and he's also a teenager so it didn't feel frustrating, but it felt realistic. the rest of the characters can just be unbearable. ji young is so entitled and thinks she can control others in her life. she constantly criticises others' lives just because she is unhappy in her own. the landlord's son in downright mean and nasty to Yeo reom in the first few episodes then after a few he does a complete 180 and "oh he's just a bit immature and he doesn't know how to go about it". no, he's a grown man and even has a son. that excuse just doesn't work. the love trope with ji young also just felt unnecessary, but it wasn't too bad. but I disliked how she could mistreat people in her life but they would still be close to her. I hated how bom treated jae hoon. so apathetic to his feelings and I know she was supposed to be a positive character but how can I believe that when so is so uncaring even though she knows how much he cares about her, and he was there for her as her only friend at times. there are so many characters I could go on and on about, because they are written so badly and difficult to sympathise with.

another issue I have with this drama is the murder plot in episode 10. it's typical kdrama content but felt so unnecessary. the same thing was also done in hometown cha cha cha, with gam ri's death but it felt different. in hometown, it was a drama about the beauty of life and it was a feel-good, small town drama which was in some ways similar to this one, although I much prefer hometown. in that drama, it was not to add drama or make a suspenseful plot, but rather to show that there can be grief in life but it is still beautiful and worth living, and there can still be happy endings. and that death does not always have to be sad as she lived a long and happy life with the ones she loved and to value your loved ones, like her son wished he did. with this drama, I can't say the same as I didn't get any of those aspects with the grandmother's death. im confused as to why they decided to introduce a new plot 2 episodes before the end, and I doubt that they can adequately finish it without it feeling rushed or incomplete, my hopes honestly aren't high.

another issue, bom being STABBED?? that was insane to me. it was wild. it was brushed over after about half an episode and she was miraculously better with little recovery time, but that is a common thing in kdramas. I can't say much on how the people around her thought that she should forgive her father and Yeo reum saying that he's still nonetheless her dad. it just felt a bit cold to me, as they didn't even try and sympathise with her and they would have no idea how she's feeling. however, addiction is an issue and I'm glad they dealt with it properly, with him going to rehab and later trying to fix things with his children. but that shit was crazy to me.

I did, however, like the monologue in ep 10, although it did seem at times like it was trying to overly victimise Yeo reum (even if she was the victim) and it did erase any development over the episodes when she said "I never should've come here." it wasn't too surprising as she did say it previously but I thought that dae bom squashed her doubts about that. I understand to an extent though as it's natural in that situation to blame yourself, but it's not a good way to deal with it. I also understand her deciding to leave. I liked the analogy of the bus and her bringing in her mother again, who was obviously very important to her.

other aspects of the drama, the cinematography was good but nothing special. I liked the ost and it was probably my favourite aspect of the kdrama tbh. the music fit the situations and scenes and it fit the vibe of the episodes, cute, healing, small town scenery (excluding ep 9 & 10) my favourite actor of course was dae bom's actor. I also watched 2 other of his kdramas where his character was similar to dae beom, the wholesome green flag and he nailed it every time.

sorry for the long review but I think I covered everything here. overall this is an average drama but disappointing because of its potential. I also heard good things about the webtoon which makes it even more disappointing. despite it all though, it was fun to watch at times. I like the episode where they went on a trip and the talk that Yeo reum and dae bom had.

hopefully the last 2 episodes can somewhat redeem it!!

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The Despicable and Deplorable People of Angok!

If you're looking for something along the lines of "Hometown Cha Cha Cha," you will be sadly disappointed. And if you're looking for a mystery/thriller along the lines of "Stranger" or "Flower of Evil" you will also be disappointed. "Summer Strike" is not a romantic series, despite the presumptions one might get as the series begins, and the story is far darker than one might anticipate. In many ways, the writers seem unsure of the story. In many ways, the writers seem unsure of the story they want to tell. The romantic scenes have little-to-no chemistry between the leads, and we're left with a town of despicable, moody, and angry people who aren't very appealing.

Yeo Reum Lee is a 28-year-old woman who acts like she's 18 at best. She's basically a doormat for anyone to use and abuse. She never speaks or stands up for herself and frequently makes poor choices based on the smallest influences from those around her. She's a pleaser who lacks the ability to stand on her own two feet. She's neither a mature nor a strong woman. She flees Seoul for the small seaside town of Angok, hoping to simply live an easy and frugal life. The big question is: is Yeo Reum running toward something or running away? The more we observe Yeo Reum, we can see that she doesn't change. She leaves one abusive life for another because she refuses to see that SHE is the problem. When you move from one place to another, you take your problems with you. They don't get left behind.

Kim Seol Hyun is the weakest of all the actors in this series. She just can't seem to get a handle on her character while frequently uttering her lines in a soft, breathless manner. When she's being chased by the police officer, she doesn't shout at the taxi driver to keep going, she softly says in a mousy voice, "Please don't stop. Please keep going!" Nobody in that situation would react that way! Especially a woman! Kim Seol Hyun can't even manage to put panic into her voice. She was a poor choice for the female lead of this series.

You can pretty much go down the line of characters that will leave you cringing. Arguably the worst is Ji Young Jo, who works at the library, has feelings for her co-worker and childhood friend, Da Beom An, and treats him like an overbearing mother hen. There is scarcely anything appealing about this woman who snaps and barks at everyone around her. She also does her absolute best to control and manipulate Da Beom into living the life that SHE thinks is best, without taking any consideration for his feelings. I'm not sure I've seen many characters in 45+ years of television who are as deplorable as well as lacking in any positive qualities. I'm not sure how anyone would ever find this woman as being attractive or appealing. She's as horrid as a snake with fangs at both ends!

Don't get me wrong, I liked Granny for her sweetness, even though she's a very weak-willed woman who has zero control over her son or anyone else. She's told-even by her grandkids--what to do. She is a perfect example of how Yeo Reum will likely be when she gets to be the same age. I'm not sure what kind of a grandmother would summarily dismiss an attack on her granddaughter and ask her to lie to the police in order to avoid sending the father (her son) to jail. What kind of a family member--who has ANY love or integrity--would make such a decision? It was heinous and sadistic. You would support a man who is physically abusive as well as being a raging alcoholic who nearly kills his own daughter?!

A big issue with Yeo Reum Lee and Granny is their inability to speak up--especially when they NEED to speak up! If you're not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem. And it's people like these two who help keep the cycle of abuse going because they are too afraid to do the right thing--and do right by others--and speak up. Make no mistake, by not saying anything, they are just as responsible for the abuse as those who are doing the abusing, which is another reason why I disliked these characters so much. And people who are too afraid to properly discipline their children, are child abusers themselves.

It seems that Chang Soo's wife can only ever vent her anger on everyone around her, including the physical abuse of a little dog. This woman is hateful, and where we are supposed to be sympathetic, all we see is a vile woman who cannot see beyond her own tragedies and problems.

This is actually true for most of the series; moments when--if we felt any kind of REAL emotional connection-we should feel sympathetic toward many of these characters. Kim Bom and Da Beom are the only two characters in the series for whom I felt some sympathy.

For the most part, this series is very dry, uneven, and disjointed, and it doesn't venture deep enough for us to really gain some perspective on characters like Da Beom and Kim Bom. Frankly, the series would have been better served had these two been the focal points of the story. Yeo Reum is hardly appealing, and by the end of the series, I couldn't have cared less about her situation. She was mostly annoying, and by the end of the series, it's clear that she hasn't learned a thing or shown any kind of growth. She's very much like a woman who's never grown up.

Despite all of these problems, the show works for the most part. I'm glad it didn't go beyond 12 episodes because the series was starting to limp toward the finish line at the end. We get the wrapping up of a mystery that already had a very weak foundation and hints of possible romance between the two leads that had no warmth or chemistry to it. Even when Da Beom is hurt or in pain, Yeo Reum just stands there, offering little-no comfort.

Angok is a dark and dismal town compared to the one from "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" filled with angry, immature people who gripe and complain about everything. There's nothing so sad as one person playing the victim as a whole town doing the same. And that isn't inspiring storytelling at all. It's sad, and not in a good way.

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Summer Strike (2022) - it’s been quite long since I watched a “slice of life” drama and I enjoyed it. This drama reminds me of High School Love On, but this time on a mature note. I love the characters especially the supporting ones because I don’t know most of them or watched them once maybe on other dramas. It felt so realistic seeing them. I think this drama felt like a reminder to me as a person that I am enough. I cried alongside the main character Yeo Reum whom I really admire while I am watching. The characters in the drama are all so kind that it made me believe in humanity in general. It stays true to the drama’s title as well which I really like. My type of drama. Must Watch.

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Story about healing, Finding yourself , yet no one changed.

the Story is about healing, and Finding your self,
it started Well, and i liked it, But the ending wasen’t really anything big or unexpeted.
in the end, ofc We didn’t know who did it, Because the show didn’t try to tell us that.

i feel like at some moments i Hated the whole show, like fighting scenes, or police scenes.
And i Hated, HATED the scene with Yeo Reum telling Bom that she should pretty much forgive her father, i mean what?
it didn’t feel like her character at all.

The characters didn’t in fact change or find themselfs that much.

But overall the show is Okey, it is beatiful, has an cute dog( amaizing acting from him Btw ) acting was Okey, didn’t really have a Story or a telling , not worth Watching again But it is good show to Watch when you are bored.

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Seol Hyun Shines

It took me 1 1/2 years to complete this drama, because
1)Slow beginning
2)Fl’s drunk episode
3)ML mumbling
4)FL started out a tad bit unlikeable

But once I got past episode (6) it’s actually a decent drama.
No other actress could have pulled off the leading lady role, Seol Hyun’s fresh faced beauty, her flowing locks, her infectious smile…. I put her in the top (5) of all Korean Actresses.

The other actors all did a good job.
Bom grows on you over time, the other characters have decent growth arcs.

***Slight Spoiler Warning***


The antagonists, there’s more than one are well written and surprising.

I would have given this a higher rating if not for the use of the ubiquitous KDrama “drunken plot device”
Please KDrama use this a bit more judiciously, I employ you.

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Not review just a lot of spoilers actually

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★★★I didn't like
★ Her getting drunk & doing those weird stuff that time I really hate her character
★Leaving her while she is drunk !!!
★The 2 nd female lead character she doesn't really own him !!!
★That restaurant ajumma 😠 took 450$ for the dog
★ also For keeping Her son at home 🔒 !!!!
★Didn't like bom attitude after what she did for her
★Also that drunk dad of bom !! How dare he slap her
★What was with dae ho ???

‌★★★ I liked
★Her leaving the job in that attitude ❤️
★Going far away to live by herself giving herself a vacation
★calling him unnie was really funny 😂
★& him! Not being able to talk but always there to help her such a great man
★Helping her while she is drunk
★Looking for her money & not saying what that the kid mistakenly took the money
★★& & & His face🥲 why so handsome vai
‌★ BTW morning walk became useful in the last few episodes 😂

‌★★★ now me actually this is the life I want not caring about others just live for yourself in right way some time doing good things for others. Sometime reading books in a library, see the sea & the clear beautiful sky everyday a peaceful life & some time maybe some people to care for me

‌★★★Ok so I thought these thing 👆👆 when I was watching the drama but they were just the characters & I really liked their acting. The cast was great. But still I would like to say that there is something lacking I don’t know what but I wasn’t really satisfied with the drama. Maybe because of the sudden plot twist as I thought it to be a healing drama? ..

‌★★★spoiler: Plot twist was the police thing he didn’t really get much screen time but at the end he became the villain. But one more thing people who Watch a lot of dramas might have guessed that something is wrong with him 🤭

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Give it a chance.

I think this kdrama is very suitable for marathoning, so much so that I finished it all in one day and enjoyed it. I think its length is sufficient, it didn't bore me nor did I think about fast forwarding through it, I think it had just enough of everything... except romance, although I guess I say that because I'm more used to this type of series containing more romance and that's why I expected more in the main characters. However, that doesn't detract from the plot of the series, the way the characters connected I thought was unique and certainly cute. Some people didn't like that the characters somehow didn't change that much over the course, but I think that's a pretty real thing, in the end our personalities are hard to change 180 degrees, but the characters did have a lot of growth and gained more wisdom about life, but they were still them at the end of the day, and that's fine from my perspective.
I want to highlight the cast, it was adequate and they executed it very well.

I would recommend this series without hesitation. I liked it.

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it's the most amazingly well done kdrama

So I watched it and let me tell you something if you didn't watch this. WATCH IT. Its so amazingly well written and makes you relate to some parts especially in the beginning of the kdrama where she felt she was running and running with no destination work,sleep and everything whole over again. She decided for herself for once to go to a place where she can relax and get better. And that's something I wish I done too mine days are always the same school,go home worrying about school watch some tiktoks and sleep and then whole ever again. But this kdrama when it aired and finished made me realise life is sometimes hard but we have people around us that make it way better some people not but still "happiness: is the state where we lack nothing". This kdrama got some amazing quotes made me feel so much better for mineself I watched the last episode little bit sad cause of some real life issues and. When I watched it I felt so much better. if you didn't watch this. I really recommend watching it you will not regret. :)

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the definition of “comfort show”

guys. i can’t believe this drama is not talked about enough??? HOW IS THIS NOT TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH???

let me begin with the casting. they really chose the most perfect main leads they could’ve casted because oh my god the casting was *chefs kiss*. the actors fit so well with the characters, i almost forgot that im watching a kdrama for a second. as always, siwan did a spectacular job soaking himself into the role SO WELL. the female lead was also so perfect in her character and she was so natural the whole time that i shed so many tears with her because i just felt so connected to her. also, im literally in love with siwan’s character because oh my god how did he just portray it SO WELL???? the quiet, kind, shy country boy LIKE IS THIS THE SAME MAN FROM UNLOCKED???? of course he always just slays his roles because of his phenomenal acting 🙏🏼

the vibes of this show are literally the best, this is THE drama you’d wanna watch under your warm blanket with a warm cup of tea. THIS IS IT. the sweetest, innocent type of romance that i missed watching so much, they gave it to me. the supporting characters were also amazing and the found family trope is just *chefs kiss*

summer strike is truly SO WELL MADE i truly hope people do watch this because this is going to be your go-to comfort show!!

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Lovely Kdrama

Its such a calming kdrama..watch it when you're feeling low or in need of an escape. This show will make you want to escape just like the main character. It makes you intrigued and makes you wonder just how much can your life change if you do one thing thats huge and out of the ordinary. Will your life change for the better? Will you regret it? Who will you meet.. will you meet someone who will change you? Waahh.. all I have is good review for this kdrama. Though some episodes can be slow paced and a bit boring but i swear they quickly make up for it. Also another great Siwan role!

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One of the best k-dramas of 2022

This drama is the perfect representation that a drama doesn't need so many extravagant elements to be an amazing and memorable drama. Summer strike is that drama that leaves messages of self-discovery, what life means and what happiness is, so watching this drama is a journey with the main character in search of those answers but it's also a drama with characters so real and human that it's easy to identify with any of them. This is a drama for any type of person because it not only fulfills its goal of entertaining you but it also ends with a sense of happiness, comfort and leaves you wanting to begin your journey in search of your own answers.

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