Twinkling Watermelon

Excellent story about love, friendship, … totally recommend it

Quoting Tara Tara from dramacool…. I liked the way she phrased the comments:
“First of all, thanks to Jin Soo Wan for writing such a wonderful script, thanks to the director who masterfully realized it, thanks to the actors who made these characters so real that we cried and laughed along with them. This series had everything a quality series should have. There was laughter, and tears, and anger and compassion, and little life lessons that we all learned once but this hectic and chaotic life made us forget them somewhere along the way. I know we were all hoping that Yi Chan would be able to hear but this was actually the last in a series of lessons that this series has taught us. Running away from reality is not the solution to the problems we face, tackling the problems is the only way. We should use what we have been given in the best possible way, that is, use our disadvantages as a driving force. Exactly what Yi Chan did.”

Every episode made me laugh and cry… music was excellent… acting was great… pace was really good.
Overall.. yes, all the hype is absolutely true… it is a great story…

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Back To The Future--But More Heartwarming

I finally finished this with my sister and we LOVED it.

I had wondered if the high rating was deserving, and I think it is.

It is certainly unique as far as Kdramas go; the pacing and plot does not feel particularly tropey or cliche in the typical Kdrama way, with a really unique main character setup since the the ML and his dad (who I guess is technically the 2ML) are basically equal parts the ML. We see more of the internal world of Eun Gyeol (the ML), but it's Ha Lee Chan that this story revolves around, and he is ultimately the main focal point.

It was SUCH an endearing premise and so beautifully executed. My sister and I loved how the ML basically acted as the parent his parents never had, and his presence in their past (paired with the love he shows them) changes all of their futures in such cool ways.

By going to the past, Eun Gyeol helped his parents deepen their connection to those around them and build lasting community built on found family, compassion, thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice and love. He opened up a new world for both of them out of the fullness of love they had given him that he gave back to them when they needed it most.

I also love the theme of a child learning compassion and empathy for their parents' story (this is true for the ML and FL). After traveling to his parents' past, Eun Gyeol has such a different perspective of the imperfect parents he already loved to pieces, and I just loved how much he cried over them and their hardships, struggles, and pain. (It was refreshing to see the ML cry so often, and over things completely unrelated to romance. He now might be one of my favorite MLs of all time.) And, ironically, while Eun Gyeol parents his parents, haha, he also gets to have a second childhood, learning how to let go, let loose, have fun and do what he loves. For the first time, he also allows himself to play, fall in love and be a kid. (And he gets to do that with his very own dad while they are the same age. Eun Gyeol is a fussy mother hen, though, and he drives Lee Chan bonkers in the most adorable ways. I love that Lee Chan can also eventually see the place of deep care his over-protectiveness comes from; that was a lovely touch).

Some didn't like the ending, as they say it was a cop out and gave the wrong message about what was important. I disagree. The way my sister and I saw it was that the changed future shows the results of the love and care Eun Gyeol gave his parents in the past that changed their stories and life trajectories (for the better). He helped catalyze their growth and launched them into a more secure, grounded, flourishing independence and confidence. Because of him, they had more tools, stronger relationships, and realizations that allowed them to grow into a more stable flourishing. A byproduct was that this allowed them to not NEED Eun Gyeol in the same unhealthy way they needed him before he went to the past, and which gave him the freedom and independence he always craved. By selflessly helping his parents, he helped himself.

Another thing I loved is that all the characters in the past learned some form of sign language to draw Cheong Ah into their world and help her belong. As a result, I think it ended up being a crucial part of the main characters' stories changing in the future. And while Eun Gyeol's relationship with his dad in the past is just adorable and hilarious, Eun Gyeol's relationship with his mom is precious--he gives her a voice, and fights for her to have the dignity of a human and the quality of life of a beloved daughter. His aggressive, unabashed protection of her was just brilliantly and beautifully showcased. Eun Gyeol displays a man at his best--when he's wielding his strength to fight for the dignity and flourishing of those unable to fight for themselves.

It's also nostalgic in a variety of ways because of when it takes place; the 90's setting gives it a slight flavor of Reply 1988 which had such a deeply aching, nostalgic quality to it (the last episode of that drama tore me into little pieces and left me in a puddle). Both dramas do such a great job capturing the lovely, fleeting beauty of youth, and the hope, dreams and joy that accompany it. Beautiful memories are forged in that time of life, and this is one of the dramas that capture some of the quality of what it might feel like to relive those memories.

I kind of wish Episode 16 wasn't so darn emotional (it packs a punch), but it's a beautiful ending, and I think they wrapped up everything very well. The way they filmed some of the last scenes reminded me of the way they retroactively brought Hayden Christensen to be Anakin Skywalker's ghost in Return of the Jedi instead of the old dude that originally played Darth Vader (and don't worry, I'm not saying anyone dies). You'll know what I mean when you see the end.

The cast was awesome, but Choi Hyun Wook was so darn stinkin' cute. He was hilarious, and fit the role to a T. He just steals your heart. This is also by far my favorite drama with Ryeoun, too. He acted his heart out, and I love his deep, soft, velvety voice. Neither ML stole the limelight, but together, they stole the screen. Cheong Ah was a close second in cuteness, and she did a fabulous job with just her expressions and eyes.

Such a heartfelt, poignant, powerful, and beautiful watch. Highly recommend!

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A Promising Drama Held Back by One Annoying Character

**Review of "Twinkling Watermelon"**

"Twinkling Watermelon" is a drama that a lot of people really liked, but it didn’t fully work for me. I can see why it’s popular, but I struggled with the character Se Kyeong, who I found really annoying. Whenever she was on screen, it made the drama less enjoyable for me.

The first few episodes were pretty good, but the middle of the drama got a bit boring. Things picked up again towards the end, but not in the way I wanted. The ending left me feeling a bit disappointed and unsure about the whole show.

I’d still recommend this drama to someone who doesn’t mind one character being annoying. Unfortunately, Se Kyeong’s character ruined it for me, which is a shame because I really liked the rest of the show, especially the touching relationship between Eungyeol and Yi Chan and the emotional scenes with Chung Ah.

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Will Definitely Be Added To My ‘Favorites’ Box!

SPOILER:


99% of the time, I only watch K, J and C dramas. I can’t remember when last I watched anything from Hollywood.
My criteria are that all episodes must already available AND already subtitled, plus it must be romantic with a happy ending. So, now you know something of why I put a spoiler alert.

Because you’re probably unfamiliar with the cast, I’ll try and make them memorable.
Eun Gyeol ( Ryeoun) Guitar Man ML1
Ha Yi-chan ( Choi Hyun-wook) ML2 Guitar Man’s Dad
Cheong-ah (Sin Eun-soo) FL1 Cello Girl
Se-kyung (Seol In-ah) FL2 Deaf Artistic Girl and ML1’s Mom
Along with other delightful and some scary characters. In fact, one of the really good looking 1995 band members has his bad past create quite a bit of havoc.

This is not a light-hearted rom-com, though many parts had me laughing so much my stomach hurt. I got swept away on a roller coaster of emotions, and cried my eyes out in parts, too. In fact, I cried so much cos at one stage it seemed hopeless, soI went back to check again if it DID actually have a happy ending! Some of it was chilling, where the headmistress plays her part-( in abusing Deaf Artistic Girl)- so convincingly you can’t help be appalled, and end up hating her (headmistress.)

Guitar Man is the CODA- Child Of Deaf Adults to his parents and also a a deaf brother. He tries really hard to be selfless and to subjugate his guilty passion for music and guitar playing. He isn’t successful so plays anonymously initially. I think this is clever, to make his passion music and to bring in the musical CODA.( In sheet music it signifies that the musical composition is nearing completion. Guitar Man was taught that by the grandfather of Cello Girl when the grandfather was teaching him to play the guitar. This is how all the lives in a drama series entangle.)

Most of the time Guitar Man succeeds in being the obedient child who strives to excel academically,and in all other areas, where he can be seen as an asset, and good example, so his parents can bask in the reflected glory. His parents aren’t knowingly bad in this respect, it’s almost an unconscious pressure they exert.

When Guitar Man’s Dad discovers his son’s secret passion, they clash, and Guitar Man rebels, and lands up at the time travel musical shop. Once he travels back in time he meets his charismatic, often hot-headed, but always well-meaning 1995 Dad. Cello Girl also travels back in time via the same music shop. She’s had enough of her home-life/situation, too. The younger version of his Mom, Deaf Artistic Girl is , of course, already there , and also enters the picture. So their lives, Drama-land style, intertwine.

Guitar Man and Cello Girl are unaware that both are time travellers until nearly the end. She tries to help Guitar Man prevent any disaster which might be the reason for Guitar Man’s 1995 Dad going deaf.

I got a bit lost with Cello Girl’s back story, as I thought she was the adopted child who was supposed to replace a child who died. That she was the adopted child who took up the cello in a desperate bid to try and gain her alcoholic Mom’s attention. How is she then a carbon copy of her 1995 “Mom” then? Confusing, or maybe it’s just me that is confused.. I never had time to go over earlier episodes to see how I missed some of that story so I will definitely need to watch it again. But even if I weren’t confused, I will watch it again, sometime in the future.

Both time travellers leave the only chance that they can, when the two moons appear in the sky. Guitar Man, who left 1995 feeling like a devastated failure re-enters a very different 2023 . Him and Cello Girl meet up again.

The ending satisfied my romantic bent. A lovely and very romantic kiss between our leads. It seems to me that the female leads in most dramas generally aren’t allowed to kiss so much as just be the recipient, so it is almost always up to the man to make it convincing, but Shin Eun-soo participated nicely. Ryeoun put his heart and soul into this series. Love his acting...loved the guitar playing parts (of both the men.) Many actors can’t cry convincingly- he acts very well generally -and cries absolutely convincingly.

The second leads were captivating and adorable. Again. Choi Hyun-Wook kisses beautifully (and cries convincingly). So nice for us, their audience, as often, though the second leads are shown to be romantically together, you hardly ever have a really breath-taking romantic moment/ satisfying kiss between them. This series was refreshingly different. .There’s a lot of gaps in this series. We learn that the Dad of Deaf Artistic Girl was hell-bent on hustling her away abroad to study poste-haste. How did Guitar Man’s parents then meet up again? What happened to them, and to other characters, in the years from 1995 ? Surely an 8 part side series could be made here?

To conclude: if you like the romantic, coming- of age time- travel genre that has some depth, it is well worth watching.

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Loved it but something was missing

I honestly loved the story. I liked how it was going but the ending felt a little off? I felt like there could be more to the ending. Like how Chung Ah reacted to Yichan's hearing loss, how they overcame the struggle. Or something like how Eun yu:'s family ended up in 2023, though there were not any changes but yk Eunyu met Sekyung in 1995. I felt like in the ending it was more focused on Eun gyeol and Eun yu and they didn't show much of the struggle of Yichan and Chung Ah. But otherwise i absolutely loved the story . I loved how well written the characters were. I loved Chung Ah's father's character development, how he tried to rebuild his relation with his daughter. And I'll be honest I was more interested in Chung Ah and Yi chan than the main couple 😶‍🌫️ idk but they seemed wayy too cute 🙈

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VIVA LA VIDA ???????

Hands down best kdrama of 2023 or to say best of all time (atleast in my opinion), It is an all-round show, telling us the story of a CODA (Child of deaf adults), which will make you laugh, cry, happy and sad all at their BEST. A show about a family, love, dream, passion, child-parents relation and those fluttering hearts at the age of 18 (With the addition of TIME-TRAVEL). All four main leads RyeoUn, Choi Hyunwook, Shin Eunsoo and Seol Inah were amazing in portraying the details of their characters.
PS : Twinkling Watermelon ✨️🍉 has one of the most beautiful and pure love story with a historic confession, Most favourite CHAOTIC father-son duo, CALM-BEAUTIFUL mother-son duo in the world of kdramas!!!


HOPE this show reaches to larger audience so all can feel the joy and beautiful emotions with it 💝
VIVA LA VIDA!!! WATERMELON SUGAR!!!

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The acting carried the whole show.

Overall the show was ok. In my opinion, unfortunately, completely overrated. I've never watched a show that made me not wanting to watch it but, at the same time, I couldn't stop watching it. But only because the acting was very good and the character building was excellent.

The story was just bad though. I am generally not a fan of time travelling and this show didn't change that. Too many plot holes and the twist with the grandpa at the end was just unnecessary. I mean how the squirrel could they not remember Ha Eun Gyeol. He literally is the sole reason for their achievements. And this is only one part of the problem.

It also felt like they wanted to put everything in the show and that made it really overloaded. They should have focused on one or two things. The time travelling was definitely not necessary and caused more problem than it brought value to the show.

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A super heartwarming story: perfect for summer!

This drama did a great job showcasing a beautiful relationship between characters with a beautiful plot and story. I loved most of all
the relationship between the band members and the way they’d always go along with the ML’s plan despite not agreeing with it all
the time: isn’t that what friends are for? Of course the romance was great too: a super cute and innocent high school romance. The whole drama made me feel nostalgic for my high school days! Also, for those sentimental
people out there (like me), there were a bunch of memorable quotes to remember! I’d highly recommend this, especially if you’re watching during the summer, as the vibes are perfect!!

Viva la Vida!

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Twinkling Watermelon is like the Umbrella when the Sun rays burn you, a comforting feeling.

Twinkling Watermelon is one of my favourites this year. Underrated in my opinion, it deserves so much more love. The casting and their acting is phenomenal starting for minor character to major ones. We were foreshadowed how Yi Chan's youth was his last chance to shine and Eun Gyeol despite his efforts couldn't undo the accident but through his trial and errors we navigate through the lives and struggles faced by our parents which are very similar to our own but due to the gap in terms of age and communication we feel like our problems are greater, beyond repair and hurt the feeling of our parents. Just like Eun gyeol and Eun yu we get a glimpse of life and see it in a brighter lens, relationships may sour over time if we can't communicate better and They sure teach us how to do that.

The best dad and son awards of the year goes to YI CHAN & EUN GYEOL.

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Feel good show with great character dynamic

I definitely enjoyed this show. What made me interested in this show was a snippet of the conversation between the Chairman and his daughter, when he used sign language to speak with her. I didn't realize until I watched it, that that scene was actually at the end 😆.

The cast was great. I definitely enjoy the dynamic between the characters in 1995. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Choi Se Gyeong, who was actually being portrayed by On Eun Yu, and Ha Eun Gyeol. Their witty banter really drew me in and made me wish there was more romance between them.

I also like the relationship between Ha Eun Gyeol and his teenage father. At times they were like brothers and at times like father and son.

I'm not into rock music, but I didn't mind the music that was played during this show. I also struggle with seeing injustices happen, so I also had a hard time watching how Yun Cheong A was being treated in her teenage years, in 1995. I was happy to see that Ha Eun Gyeol stood up for his mom. I thought it was so funny that he kept calling her mom in 1995. I kept waiting for her to look at him funny, but I only realized later in the show, that he would say it at moments where she could read his lips. I thought it was beautiful to see that his mother taught him sign language, and he ended up being the one to teach her.

This really was a feel good show, with lots of laughs and definitely it's fair share of tear jerker moments.

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