Strong Girl Nam Soon

Watching a cartoon

If i can guess who would appeal to, it will to 5 years old and below. This story makes no sense, the characters are all (except the villain ML) so bland and too cringe to watch. The chemistry between the leads have no chemistry - it was completely forced from the get-go, and some of the side plots (like those two tent couples? and the grandma unnecessarily side quest for love) makes me want to gag.

The only things I actually enjoyed despite literally slept through 8 episodes is strong woman bong-soon's little cameo and the villain male lead. I felt bad that a 3D character that has so much depth and trauma was killed off so easily in the world of 2D mindless character. It felt like I was watching a cringy cartoon in episode 16. I wish Ryu Shi-Oh was in another series where it suits him. THE character got wasted like that.

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WHAT THE HELL?!!!?

I enjoyed the first few episodes, interesting comedy but it seemed to just work.
Wasn't sure about Nam soon but in the beginning I didn't mind her, I disliked her by the end though.
The three strong women had little to be desired to be honest, whether by poor writing and characterisation or just simply not being my cup of tea, I do not regret saying I didn't like any of them.
So much power basically wasted with bad writing and characters.
Hypocrisy everywhere and i swear some points i couldn't understand what the writer was on.
Didn't ship the mains at all, didn't feel any chemistry and just in general I found the male lead boring.
The story was so disappointing and cliche and underwhelming, i watched it all but i feel cheated. I feel unsatisfied in every way.
Only reason i stuck it out and finished it was Ryu Shi Oh. The most compelling character in the whole show.
I couldn't believe how they let him end.
This poor abandoned child made into a monster just wanted one person to stay by him, yet even the woman he fell for abandoned him and lied to him.
Yes he killed people, he's a flawed character that was put through hell. No excuses but the way this all played out was awful writing in my opinion.
I'm so upset l can't say anymore.

Anyway get Shi Oh's actor a main part in something mafia or anti hero because he was the best thing in this. Raised rating slightly from 2.5 to 3.5 for him and some scenes in the beginning.

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A bad written show….

~Warning this is mostly a rant~
The focus of the drama was all over the place
At first it was more of a typical kdrama romcom with a girl with superpowers that has been lost for years coming back to her also superpower family and also finding love along the way…in typical k-drama fashion…
BUT as the episodes went by the story became mostly a drug plot where the good guys try to take down the villain behind it. That left a lot of the storylines not properly developed or to become completely irrelevant by the end. Not only that the drug plot itself was also badly written leaving a mess of an ending (which was to be expected)
In more detail the things I didn’t like:
Undeveloped characters: There was just way too many of them and we didn’t get the chance to focus too much on anybody.. even the protagonist felt like a side character at times with how much unfocused the main story was, the cop love interest was too side lined he never got much focus and didn’t feel like a main lead at all… At least the main villain had some characterisation and even a backstory which I appreciated

Inauthentic relationships: There is not one relationship that is given a proper amount of care and development. The characters are what they are to each other because the script says so, we never properly see them building that connection. Biggest example is Namsoon with her family. The moment she gets found and has the touching reunion with them, that storyline is over and she barely interacts with any of them after. It’s like she never left…mind you she had been gone for many years and was a child then so how could she be close to them now she doesn’t know these people yet?? She doesn’t interact once with her grandma, TWIN brother, uncle, she meets up with her father who she supposedly was the closest with and he was the one that lost her episodes after she has been found-has a dinner with him- barely interacts with him after, even with the mother who had been so desperate to find her most of their interactions have to do with uncovering the drug plot- No emotional connection and bonding nothing

Terrible romance: At first it was okay but a bit inta-lovey which I didn’t care for, she instantly likes him because “he is handsome” and talks about loving him in the first episodes, he also fairly quickly likes her because of her “quirky personality that is cute” (I don’t remember more specifically). Do they ever get any deeper???? Noooo. no deeper bonding (except some very rare instances like him telling her once about his brother that died), no romantic tension, no passionate moments, they barely give us anything other than some of the typical cute-moment-scenes. As the eps go by they become less and less of the focus leaving them only few if any interactions every ep. But they still go through the typical romance story beats they have to go through like a confession, first kiss etc leaving me wandering “where is all this love coming from?” It was not properly established why they would not like but LOVE and want to marry each other and I just don’t buy it
I wouldn’t wanna leave out of this the villains feelings for the main girl… What did she even do for him to start liking her and trusting her so much?? She had superpowers which got him interested in those (which is why many assumed at first he was trying to use her for her power), acted out her quirky self which apparently is enough to make any love interest fall for her without any deeper attachment and I guess she did one time told him one line that deeply touched him..that is all.. She literally made no effort in approaching and getting close to him or understanding him , He is the one that started involving her in everything, trusting her and expecting her someone he just met to keep all his dirty and illegal secrets.. someone who is supposed to be a big mafia boss.. is that really logical???

Boring storylines: I can’t stress enough how much time pointless storylines took, they were essentially half the show…. We have a storyline that involves the grandma romancing a barista and when the grandpa comes back some drama involving them, a storyline about the mother investigating a bread guy that does shady businesses (he also turns out in the end to be either the leader or a member in the mafia drug organisation it’s so funny how they made a comical and irreverent throughout the whole series character be the twist villain in the end). The mother has a lot of screentime investigating the drug case, going around in her motorcycle like Batman living a secret double live saving people from evil etc. We also had a storyline about the brother taking some diet pills with drugs in them, the ml with his cup buddies investigating the drug case and then their police chief dies cause of drugs… what else… some pointless scenes with the uncle and the mothers assistant and the most unnecessary of all a side story about the two homeless people Namsoon befriends and interacts briefly in the first episodes…

Ridiculous plot: I could talk about some smaller things like how Namsoon learned Korean in moggolia and her only language problem is talking in informal speech obviously for comedic effect and making her more quirky cause otherwise she speaks korean perfectly But things like that can be easily overlooked…
I do have issues tho with stuff like: Namsoon putting zero actual effort in but still being able to fool everyone and get information on them as a spy…. Like how she stole ryu sio’s computer without the Russian guy realising and no one even suspected her (the person that was literally hired the day before), how the dumb lady next to her would be won over and unconsciously help her simply because namsoon said she looked young, how ryu sio would tell her things like “I killed this person” and his drug operation, take her in his meetings and secret drug lab, believe in her simply because when he asked her if she was in his side she said yes??.. You can’t tell me a person that is supposed to be smart and a big mafia boss couldn’t figure her out….. they really had to dumb down the bad guys to make her succeed easily in whatever she had to do. She also was the one doing most of the work for the police and of course by the end she joins the police without having to go to the academy or anything…
Also you can’t tell me being a strongwoman in the family was not a relatively known fact when they are constantly using their powers in public without hiding at all?? Ryusio should have figured out with little investigation that the family has super powers and that she is the daughter because she also does.. instead his only clue was talking to the fake daughter….
One other thing… I know how extreme Koreans are when it comes to drugs but the portrayal of them in the show was wild. Not only is that one drug making you super strong, it can also make you a madman and it’s that dangerous and deadly that after you take it even once you die unless you have the antidote??? I don’t think that’s how drugs work in real life. I could go on and on about the plot but that’s all I thought for now.

You may ask then “why did you watch it through the end if you didn’t like it/it was that bad?” If I’m being honest I wouldn’t be interested in watching the show if it wasn’t for Byeon Woo Seok and that is because I saw his character beforehand and he looked cool… He did do a good job at portraying his character enough to give me an interest at least to see what his fate would be. I don’t understand tho what their intentions with the casting and that character was? On one hand they managed to get more people invested because of him on the other hand everyone was left disappointed by the end because 1 of his wasted potential and his bad ending (for the ryu sio fans) and 2 of the big focus the show had on him (for the people that wanted the focus to be on the main couple)

Other than that the production is good, the music and actors are okay too (I mean rarely ever have a problem with acting or anything) if it wasn’t for the writing being that bad it could have been a decent show…

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Disgusting - worst kdrama I had watched

its all disgusting.do not waste your time. Cringe overload on chemistry of female character.also the story was meaningless.it didnt have character development.the story messing with all the characters.if you watch this drama u will die bcoz of cringe female lead character. Want to banned like this drama not mr queen.
its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgustingdisgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting its all disgusting


You will thank me later.

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Who else watched this drama with great anticipation but was left with a sense of bitterness?

I will start off by saying that I believe this drama is likeable and fun to watch, however I feel like there are aspects of it that could have been handled differently to make the story have more sense and coherence.

THINGS I LIKED
First of all, Strong girl Nam-soon was fun and watchable. There were elements of suspence that kept me hooked to the series until the end and there were also a few adorable romantic interactions between the leads, which lightened the plot.
Compared to Strong Woman Do Bong-soon this drama is a totally different thing: the romance is much less, the chemistry is not the best and some things don’t make sense. Despite this, I still liked the series because it felt different and it has potential.
Also I enjoyed SGNS because it addresses some important issues of today’s world, such as criminal organizations, drugs, corruption, self acceptance (Nam-in’s case) and people’s hardships (such as homelessness and overworking).

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
Now I will delve into the reasons why I didn’t like this drama. And they are MANY.

SGNS vs. SWDBS
Starting strong with a comparison between SGNS and SWDBS.
I’ll be honest. I really disliked how the powers of the three women were connected. It lost all the originality of SWDBS, in which the powers were just given from mother to daughter without the need to form a connection. It was exeptionally annoying, especially in that scene in ep. 15 in which Geum-ju tosses and turns like an idiot in the mud, drinking from a water pipe.
The way their eyes turned blue and all those effects just felt tacky and unnatural. It was like watching an American superhero movie: the hero, who’s got amazing powers with amazing effects, always wins and never develops psichologically. If I wanted to watch that I would’ve opted for a Marvel movie, not a kdrama.

IRRELEVANT GRANDMA’S LOVE STORY
Honestly all the grandma’s love story had good prospects… It conveys the message that even elderly people can still fall in love and experience a youthful, heart-beating love story… only that it didn’t fit in this drama. At. All. It was totally unnecessary and it just took away screen time.
And the grandpa? Jun-gan’s husband? Totally unnecessary. I feel like he didn’t add anything to the series. It was just a big waste of time.

NAM-SOON’S HOMELESS FRIENDS DESERVED BETTER
All the screen time wasted on the grandma’s useless love story should have been given to Hyun-soo and Teacher No. Their story was actually interesting and it would’ve been such a perfect add to the plot. For instance, they could’ve helped Nam-soon when she started working at Doogo, instead of disappearing for half of the series ony to appear again when they’re useful for the investigation. I genuinely liked them and I am very disappointed in how their story turned out to be left incomplete.

IMMATURITY
All the times Geum-ju (or others) told Nam-soon to have a baby I wanted to throw myself out of a window. It was so cringe!! And it never fit well with the atmosphere!
Also, telling Nam-soon to have kids is the equivalent of telling a four-year-old to start a family! The FL was too immature to have a baby and she barely knew Hee-sik!
I liked the ML and I liked the way he took care of Nam-soon, but I don’t think they can have babies yet!
Another level of childish was the grandma. You think she would be a mature and wise person since her daughter grew up with a strong will and a strong sense of justice… but no! Turns out the grandma used her daughter to get rich, leech off of her and then proceeded to not even care about her husband’s whereabouts when he left! She beat him to a pulp and she didn’t care about him anymore.

GEUM-JU
There’s one thing I want to say about Geum-ju: I don’t like her. She’s too unrealistic.
It felt like all the opportunities in her life fell from the sky, but not in a good way. Rather, in an unnatural way.
First of all she started her business God only knows how. She easily made lots of money and became super rich. Then, with all the drug situation approaching, she stumbled upon Opulentia (or even better, Opulentia came from the sky and knocked at her door) and she started getting all the top secret information without lifting a finger. Honestly she should’ve struggled at least one bit, but no she didn’t.
Also she was the biggest hypocrite ever. She yapped about how much she cared about Hwa-ja, and about how natural it was for her to help people, but apparently she’s not talking about her family. She didn’t look like she genuinely cared about her children. She never stopped Nam-soon from putting herself in danger and from risking her life. And she never ever cared about Nam-in. When that poor boy left her to live with his dad she just accepted it, and when he got sick she never showed interest until she discovered that he was drugged.

OPULENTIA
I don’t know if they will make a second season, but if they do, they need to explain Opulentia, because it is the biggest plot hole I have ever seen.

SI-OH
Can we all agree to the fact that Si-oh deserved better?
If someone told me that I could change just one thing in this drama, that would be Si-oh’s fate.
He deserved far more attention than what he was given. He has a tragic backstory: they could’ve certainly delved into it a bit more. His story with the mafia at a certain point became even confusing, since the writers didn’t address it properly.
Also, Si-oh didn’t deserve that insignificant death that they gave him. He died without a fight and that was unnatural of him. It is crystal clear that the writers just came up with something to get rid of him. He’s the character with the most psychological depth among all and he deserved a second chance.
He’s the only one that had some chemistry with the FL. I liked their interactions and it looked like she could make him genuinely happy. He also started reflecting on himself and he started wanting to change into a better person thanks to Nam-soon… I was furious when Nam-soon turned her back on him with such ease!!


Here I will point out some other aspects that should’ve gotten more attention.

CULTURAL HERITAGE
Can somebody tell me what happened to Nam-soon’s hair and traditional clothes?
I can’t believe how they totally erased her Mongolian cultural heritage and made her fit, in just one day, into the Korean rich girl standard! It was extremely disappointing to see her culture erased just like that, only because now she was Geum-ju’s daughter. She became an entirely different character.

BREAD SONG
Oh! So Bread Song was the Nozh the entire time! End of the series.
Honestly I am very fond of his character. He was fun and witty and I wish I had gotten to see him more as a villain. He would’ve been interesting.

NAM-SOON’S FATHER
Probably my favorite character after Si-oh. He genuinely cared about his children like a real parent would do. Even though he knew he didn’t have powers, he tried his best when he had to find the antidote for Nam-in. And on top of that, he knew when to step back!


LAST THOUGHTS
In this review I wrote all the things that I didn’t like. But if someone asks me whether I would watch this series if I went back in time, then my answer would be yes. It is true that it has plot holes and that some parts of it (all the grandma’s drama) are unlikeable, but overall this series is pretty good and easy to watch.

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Think twice

From the start, this show was lacking. Unfortunately, all the "strong" women are roles that don't do anything for the seasoned actors. The plot and script were poorly developed and executed. The only strong point to the show is don't take any kind of "medication" from strangers. I continue to watch and keep hoping the show will pick-up but it is just more of the same. I guess reviews have to be at least 500 words, but this would be one negative review. I'm not sure what more I can say about this show. I guess if you like a particular actor, then the show is worth watching. Just don't be too disappointed.

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Great spin-off

Best cartoon drama - loved it, the couple, particularly Ong Seong Wu (love his jackets!), and just about everything such as the scenes in Mongolia, secretive/rich environment (along with Penthouse-like OSTs) and play on capitalism, female empowerment with the mother, the grandma (who had their own backstories) and Nam Soon of course, great comedy like with the lazy brother (he was so funny kind of like the sloth in Zootopia), making fun of misogyny without being offensive like the Barbie Movie (we know some losers complained about it), little moments like Nam Soon looking at Hee Sik dancing from afar thanks to her super vision (iconic scene) or the rain falling above him with the rainbow and when he disguised himself as a woman, Nam Soon keping a picture of Eunwoo in her journal in Mongolia saying she wants to date a good-hearted Korean guy and then fate happens in a really fun way, open-minded take on old couples, contemporary issues, vulnerable people, family relationships (some more complicated than others), adoptive parents/finding your biological family back, teamwork, side characters (the homeless couple, Mr. Bread and his OST, the semi-villain Hwa Ja who impersonated the real daughter, the detective Yeong Tak), etc. I liked how it was a big fight revolving around drugs and Russian mafia, and Nam Soon had bigger superpowers (and the "link" they had in their family). The production quality was high, the ending was great (satisfying conclusion and then surprise), and Season 2 is apparently coming out! (https://kisskh.at/798770-strong-woman-jang-chung-dong)

I didn't think it was poorly written, and there wasn't too much content either. It was all tied together and there was 16 episodes of 1 hour each, which is more than enough.

People hated it because "the villain was hot" (he has a terrible backstory, so yeah). I'll never forgive them for insulting the leads, saying the male lead is ugly and hating on them, the whole cast and story (even saying, "who cares about an old couple, I skip their scenes, only watching for the villain"), saying the prequel was much better and this is the worst drama that nobody with taste should enjoy, even shipping Nam Soon with that massive murderer (I always feared their interactions because she was pretending and past some point I was even disgusted when he showed her affection, I started to really hate him when he did one specific thing, I'll write it in spoilers in the comments). The villain had small appearances at first but although I thought he was really good and a fitting casting choice, it's absolutely untrue that he carried the drama. Everyone did - it's an ensemble cast. (Unlike the prequel.)

"there are too many characters/storylines so we can't get attached to them except for the villain" this makes no sense. Even the music and acting would be rated a 1 because "everything was annoying and cringe except Ryu Si Oh". About the music, it had kpop songs because it was exactly what the drama needed.

The prequel: focus on romcom/CEO romance (Hee Sik and Nam Soon had great chemistry too, it was just different), typical love triangle, popular male lead who acted all cutesy... And while the girl was childlike there too oh let's complain about Nam Soon even though you see how she grew up and her personality and also complain about Hee Sik because he's "boring"??? Well yes, the romance here was more mature if anything. I loved his acting all the time, he always improves and showed his range the best here, I was glad he got a role in a big drama like this, it was popular in Korea too (JTBC is a paid channel and it got high ratings) and I've seen the reels of him in the military with his mates holding fan items, which was lovely (he watched the drama with them). At the time a dance contest of Seong Wu actually got viral in Korea, and if you don't know about him he was part of Wanna One. Anyway just to give an example of his acting here, the fear in his eyes when he was about to lose another loved one was very impressive. Seong Wu is a goated person with a big heart and this cruel world doesn't deserve him.

A last thing, the romance isn't bad simply because Hee Sik got attached to her quickly. He was just a kindhearted policeman and I loved how they got entangled. Their relationship was so cute, how she found her dream thanks to him.

I also appreciated the contrast between both dramas. By the way, you can watch it without having seen the prequel but Bong Soon and Min Hyuk do have a cameo, Nam Soon is Bong Soon's distant cousin.

P.S. There was a Parasite and Nevertheless reference too, that was awesome.

On edit: Two things I've learned, there is a spin-off manhwa "Strong Girl Geum Ju" (Nam Soon's mother) and the drama actually surpassed Strong Girl Bong Soon in the ratings.
https://myanimelist.net/manga/167932/Strong_Girl_Geum-ju

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Decepcionante

Muy poco rescatable de esta serie, esperaba mucho más o al menos esperaba que fuera divertida y pasarla bien un rato pero ni la historia, ni el guion, ni los personajes lo lograron, llena de chistes horribles, con poco gracia y hasta teniendo como objetivo burlarse del físico de las personas, y no me mal entiendan, disfruto todo tipo de humor siempre y cuando sea bien planteado, pero aquí los chistes no tienen gracia y aquí tengo que decir que mucha de la culpa la tienen los personajes poco interesantes y poco agraciados, exceptuando los protagonistas, Nam Soon y Hee Sik, los demás personajes son increíblemente mediocres, algunos pudieron ser salvables pero otros no tienen una pizca de gracia, me da lastima que un villano tan interesante termine siendo tan irrelevante y tan poco intimidante, y todo porque la historia está muy mal escrita, sin tensión y peligro, al contrario de Do Bong-soon aquí no existe peligro alguno, todo parece una mala parodia de esta otra serie. Y habla muy mal de una serie cuando lo más memorable es un cameo en el 6to episodio.

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Writing 101: How to make a happy ending a bad ending

If a happy ending and a cameo from the original IP (Strong Woman Do Bongsoon) couldn't even save a show then it means it's very bad storytelling.

You've got as FL a reckless girl with superhuman power. Overload it with an overacting, self righteous with a savior complex FL's mother. Sprinkle in the ditzy FL's grandmother with a cringe love story. Then add in a kind of wimpy, goofy cop with gold digging parents as ML. Garnish it with a sexy villain with a tragic back story. That is the recipe for making you root for the villain and his redemption instead of the good guys. The story should have been about Namsoon but Geum Ja kept being pushed to the forefront. It would have been fine if Geum Ja was a good mother and on the surface she is but she truly isn't. Her fat phobic comments to her son, her derision for her husband, her self righteousness just because she is strong turned me off. The comedy were cringe and weren't funny, not at all. The only people that I really liked were Namsoon's adoptive parents, the villain Ryu Shio, Shio's childhood friend and Namsoon's father.

The way they ended Ryu Shio's arc was so tragic that even though the story supposedly have a 'happy' ending, it made me unsatisfied and wished that I have never watched this drama. Will I rewatch? Will I recommend it to others? Definitely no, unless it is to give an example of very bad and lousy writing with lousy and overacting actors.

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"A Lackluster Sequel"

Strong Woman Namsoon's sequel falls short of its predecessor in several key aspects, leaving me longing for the charm and chemistry that made the original a hit. The absence of a strong connection between the main leads is glaring, robbing the series of the magnetic force that once held me captivated.

Surprisingly, the villain manages to steal the spotlight, capturing my' heart with a love story that outshines the lackluster romance between the protagonists. His charismatic smile and towering presence become unexpected highlights, overshadowing the supposed central love story.

Regrettably, the sequel fails to deliver a compelling mystery, leaving me yearning for the intricate plotlines that characterized the original. Forced comedy among family members further diminishes the series' appeal, creating awkward moments that disrupt the flow of the narrative.

However, amidst the disappointment, there are a few redeeming qualities. The villain's unwavering love and trust towards the female lead provide a refreshing dynamic, offering a rare glimpse into a complex and compelling relationship. The villain's endearing smile and imposing height become unexpected sources of enjoyment, injecting moments of charm into an otherwise lackluster storyline. I just love him ❤️❤️❤️..

Additionally, a standout character emerges in Namsoon's mother, who proves to be a true badass, adding a layer of strength and depth to the narrative. Despite the sequel's shortcomings, her character stands out as a beacon of resilience and strength.

In conclusion, Strong Woman Namsoon's sequel falters with a lack of chemistry between the leads, a captivating villain who steals the limelight, and a noticeable absence of a compelling mystery. While there are moments to appreciate, particularly in the villain's character and Namsoon's mother, the overall experience falls short of the expectations set by its predecessor.
Its really disappointing 😔

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