Twinkling Watermelon

CODA: Get ready to wrap it up beautifully

CODA, a word that is linked to two major topics.
While it has a place in music, where it means to conclude the song nicely, it also has a meaning in society, where it means child of a deaf.
Combining those two topics was a great idea and holds a special meaning storytelling wise.

Story:
The story itself is great and somewhat new.
The usual time travel dramas are dealing with a main lead, that is traveling back in the past to investigate, or even change their future outcome.
While this is partially true for Twinkling Watermelon too, it has more depth to it.
Ha Eun Gyeol was unintentionally sent back in time and Choi Se Kyeong got there to just have a wholesome last time.
One is trying to prevent the dad from a great misfortune, while the other is trying not to get born at all.
While both don't know why they are exactly there, their futures are more intertwined than they assume at first.
Linking light events like first love, family matters, but also deals with more in depth topics such as abuse, abandonment and many more together.

Casting:
The cast in Twinkling Watermelon is so phenomenal.
I can't think of better main roles.
Ryeoun and Choi Hyun Wook were absolutely astonishing in how they portrayed Ha Eun Gyeol and Ha Yi Chan.
Their bromance, the laughter and their relationship of friends/ father son is one of a kind.
It makes you wish to have this kind of relationship too.
Both did amazing in how they brought the complicated characters of them to life.
Seol In Ah did a fantastic job portraying Choi Se Kyeong.
Her character brought a cheerfulness and easiness into the drama.
But my highest respect goes to Shin Eun Soo who is portraying Yoon Cheong Ah.
Acting itself is hard as it is, but portraying a character, with no lines and purely throughout facial expressions and actions is top tier acting.
You could literally see the character development of Cheong Ah through the screen.
Hands down, my highest respect.

Music:
The OSTs as well as the songs played in the drama itself were nice.
"Higher" perfectly describes a spirit that is free.
Nothing can stop you, while you are trying to reach your dreams.

"Shining" is more of a motivational song.
It describes a feeling of Not giving up.
Forget about the past and start again. There are always opportunities for it.

Overall, Twinkling Watermelon is a must watch.
If you haven't seen it yet, you are missing out.
You'll feel all kinds of emotions while watching.
I caught myself cheering and even shedding tears several times.
The director did really great in directing the drama and the actors did fantastic in portraying the emotions.
Well done.

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Best Kdrama Of All Time on this decade

Watch Twinkling Watermelon with very very very high expectations because this drama is often ranked as the #1 favorite among 70-80% of K-drama fans. At first, I tried not to like it—I thought the story seemed cliché. But then, that moment happened. When she revealed herself, I was like, "Woahhh, this is new." That was the turning point for me.

And then I realized—even people who don’t like this drama still give it high ratings because there’s just nothing wrong with it. Whether or not you like the concept (a band-themed drama), you won’t find anything bad about it. Everything is well-executed, from the acting to the storytelling.

I genuinely tried not to like this drama, but the way I binged it proved otherwise. This was the first time I finished a full-length (1-hour+ per episode) 16-episode K-drama in just 1.5 days—nonstop. No wonder it’s everyone’s top pick!

FOR NOW THIS IS MY TOP 1 KDRAMA OF ALL TIME

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Heartwarming time-travel story

This show had everything: the sad backstories that make us empathize with the characters, beautiful redeeming arcs for the 2nd generation, as well as some amazing high school friend group scenes! Absolute must-watch for anyone wanting to relive their high school days.
When I initially started watching this, I thought it was a similar concept to a Bollywood movie from 2010 called Action Replayy since it involves the son going into his parents' past to make them fall in love. But as the episodes went on and Choi Se Kyeong's character was shown more (+her and Ha Eun Gyeol's relationship developed), it reminded me of A Map Of Tiny Perfect Things because of the similarities in the main characters stuck in the same "time loop" and needing to help each other to get back to the present. If you liked this drama, I highly recommend these two movies!
The last episode was probably my most favourite, seeing the positive implications of the changes that happened due to the time-travel instead of things going bad because of what was changed.

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The title is both clue and metaphor

Rarely have I been so impatient for each successive episode to be released as I was for this series, such was its high level of enjoyment and anticipation and production.

Fathers and sons; mothers and daughters; and the notion what would we do differently if we had the chance to live our lives again - these factors underpin “Twinkling Watermelon”, whose title provides at the start no clue to the entertainment riches that will gradually unfold.

When so much of this production is good, two stars stand out for me: firstly, the character of Choi Se Kyeong is as unique and multi-layered a person as if she had leaped out of the pages of a 19th C. English novel. She is played by Seol In Ah with enormous spirit and exasperating ambiguity that is perfect for the part. She dominates almost every scene she is in. She is shaded only by the second star: Choi Hyun Wook as the younger Ha Yi Chan, in a performance that shines throughout the series, full of vigour and energy and the optimism of youth undisturbed by life’s curveballs, equally full of filial devotion and undiluted anger at parental neglect, impatient with life but still excited at its gifts and surprises, confused at first but then eagerly succumbing when falling in love for the first time. It is a remarkable performance by a 21 year old; for me it is the standout acting of this year.

There is so much to admire and the quality is high throughout. It sees churlish to find fault but a mention should be made of the Kdrama penchant for an evil character, the whipping post for deflected disappointments and difficult struggles. In this case, it is the step-mother Lim Ji Mi, played by Kim Too Ryoung with appropriately steely dark eyes and pursed lips. Jin Soo Wan’s script contains so much nuance that it is a shame the “bad guy” in this case gets no such layering.

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Toys with my Emotions - Makes me Smile one minute and Cries like a baby the next minute.

So much praise has already been showered on “Twinkling Watermelon”, so I came in with high expectations because everyone seems to love it and it has an impressive 9.2 rating right now. I am glad I wasn’t disappointed. I knew it’s about going back to the past but I wasn’t expecting to be smiling one minute and then crying like a baby the next. I thought the drama would be full of funny moments of a bunch of teenagers messing around and forming a band, and then cute and fluffy moments of teenage love. Little did I know that this drama is so much more.

I don’t think any Korean teen dramas have impressed me this much, that honor usually goes to C-dramas. So, I am really happy to have waited for the right time, the right mood to watch this. “Twinkling Watermelon” does an excellent job in combining different elements of family, friendship, first loves, healing, hardships, mystery, and finding yourselves. A drama can easily lose its identity when it tries to do too much, not this drama.

I enjoy many of the songs in this OST. I love the band's performances and wanted to see more. Everyone on stage, present and past, is charismatic and a joy to watch. Ha Yi Chan is full of sunshine and energy. He’s the perfect frontman. He exudes joy. Ha Eun Gyeol is the cool and good-looking guitarist with crazy charisma. The supporting bandmates also seemed to have a lot of fun performing.

My eyes can’t stop following Ryeoun. I didn’t find him this attractive when I watched him in “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse”. In fact, in my review I said he’s pretty but acting is not that great and lacked charisma. What a change in “Twinkling Watermelon”. I might have developed a little crush on him. His acting has improved so much. Choi Hyun Wook has a similar energy that I got from “Racket Boys”. He’s such a sweet and his character really grows on me throughout the drama. His friendship with Ha Eun Gyeol, and relationship with his grandmother are beautiful to watch. Actually, everyone’s acting is great in this drama - the young ones and the veterans. I love that sign language is used throughout the drama, and many different actors and actresses use it. I applaud them for learning a new language and I am sure it’s not easy.

When it comes to romance, I want to put young Ha Yi Chan and Yoon Cheong Ah in a tiny little box and protect them from all harm. They are so sweet, so cute and so precious!!! I am especially touched by Cheong Ah’s story and love how their romance is developed. The present day parent-couple is just as precious. They live so passionately and so freely even with a disability. No wonder they raised such a Mr. Green Flag in Ha Eun Gyeol. I don’t feel as strongly for Eun Gyeol and Cho Se Kyeong’s romance but I like how they supported each other in the last few episodes.

If I have to pick on this drama, it’s that bullying is everywhere in all K-drama genres. I know it’s hard to avoid that when we have a central plot around people who are hearing impaired. But I still wish there are other ways to tell the story without such a focus on bullying. I also find Choi Se Kyong/On Eun Yu a little too loud and annoying. I didn’t really care for her character much when she came back from the US. I also would like a little more explanation on why the Master is who he is, and how this all happened.

I strongly recommend this drama if you are looking for something fun yet heartwarming and touching. This drama toys with my emotions! It also has great acting and music and a good-looking cast.


Completed: 12/25/2023 - Review #386

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So refreshing!! ?

first of all, i never felt so comfortable watching a k-drama. like, every episode that i watched i felt like I was having a popsicle on a refreshing, sunny day. the fun, chaotic, youthful energy made me feel good, made me want to be friends with the characters.

speaking of the main song, wow what a good song!! I've never heard an OST so enjoyable to listen to!

and of course, I can't forget sign language, it was a great plot! it was also cool to see some of the korean sign language.
I also can't deny that I was moved in many parts, not only in the sad ones but in the happy ones too!

The only criticisms I have are:

1° they could have shown how On Eun Yu's life turned out after their return to 2023. What happened? What has changed?

2° There could be a part where Ha Yi Chan asks Ha Eun Gyeol how he found the cassette tape of his old song.

3° They could show in detail how Yoon Cheong Ah and Ha Yi Chan's lives changed. We can see it, but not much.

ah, anyways, this k-drama will stay in my thoughts for a long time. I've never seen a drama like this! it was a refreshing experience 🍉

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First off, why does 2023 have the best kdrama releases? I'm on my kdrama slump for years but came back like something tells me to watch kdramas again. I'm absolutely glad to be back.

When the official teaser came out, it caught my attention. It's fun, youthful and has a unique plot. Of course, you would watch a kdrama if you like the casts. I always trust Choi Hyunwook when he picks a project and Ryeon?!!?! Why did I only see him this year????Where was he all these years?! I first saw him in a Tiktok edit from his previous project "Adult Trainee". I watched it and obviously loved it. I'm obsessed. When I saw he stars here I had no choice but to watch it. Shin Eunsoo!!! I'm surprised to see her Its been months since I watched Summer Strike lol. Looking at the teaser alone I know she'll be famous. I love her character development in Summer Strike. Seol In-ah!!!!! I cannot believe she is '96. I love her!!!!

Onto the review, the team behind this *chef kiss.* Creating a set in 1995 and matching its vibes is not easy. The amount of research and gathering of resources were real thought of. The same energy goes to the the casts as well. Their dedication to learning musical instruments and sign language! Making this drama with all their pure hard work and love for their passion and it resulting to a masterpiece.

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It is decent but it could have been better if the pacing was made well.

It is a nice story and up till the end, I have liked it. But for all the hype that it has, it still did not reach the standard that I have expected it will have.

I have heard about this kdrama months ago when a lot of people hype it up in social media. I have watched some few scenes and it really did not interest me. I mainly watched this because it is always in the list of kdrama recommendation for rom coms. So I tried it. It did make me finished it till the last episode which is a rare for me as most of the famous kdramas out there, I did not even finished like Queen of Tears, Crash Landing On You, etc. More likely because I already predicted the end. This one, I still reserved my predictions as there will be countless possible results of how Ha Eun Gyeol's, the Main Character, actions will change the future and there could be so many possible scenarios for it that I just have to see what the writer decided to pick.

It was good, but I am hardly satisfied, The ending is so rushed out when it already suffered some pacing issues halfway through the episodes. Halfway through the story, there are some filler scenes that are not really that necessary, like flashback scenes, dating scenes, casual scenes that indeed has some use for the story but was not integral. The writer in me had already figured that they are just adding scenes to fill out the running time, I find myself speeding up the scenes more and more. Then it came to the end, and even the first half of the last episode was lengthen. The scenes of what happen now in the new future was super rushed that it leaves me dissatisfied, The whole purpose of the time travelling was to change the future but we only saw glimpse of it which is so dumb in my books. The CODA message in the book stating that its meaning was to wrapped things beautifully as it is nearing the end was contrary to how this drama ends, it was not wrapped out well.

Most of the consequences was not told. There are a lot of missing information and how that future came was missing. It felt it needed one episode more which should not have been as the past episodes could have been made into a normal pace, that way we can have more space for the future arc. They should have been tackling the future arc from episode 15 or the very first minute of episode 16, but the writer decided not to which is a major fail for me. But overall it;s not bad and I like it even if it did not reach my standards.

Shin Eun Soo and Choi Hyun Wook's performance was good and they have silent chemistry. I like the way they are casted and they are perfect for the role. Ryueom on the other hand was a good actor but he was overly acting in this, there are scenes that needs mild shocked but his face and body acts like the world ends. He is good on portraying different emotions and he is ver convincing in his acting, too convincing in fact that it made me question if I am just too chill or the character he was portraying was over-reacting. When he is happy. he is super happy; when he is sad he is overly sad; when he is angry he is overly angry . I was waiting for the controlled emotions instead of blatant manifestation of it but I never saw it. Seol In Na was always good in terms of her acting skills but I think she fails this one in different way. For one, she was miscasted for me. She did not fit the image of a teenager, she had played so many mature roles before aging beyond even her real age around 30s that her playing a 17 year old girl despite how young she looks, still will not make it convincing for me. Aside from that, her character was pretty annoying and antogonistic in a way that when romance happens, I was just not convince.

They have no chemistry with Ryueom, I felt that their romance plot was haphazardly made. I did not know what Eun Gyeol sees in her. When their scenes came, it felt like they were siblings instead. I can't feel the tension, longing, care and affection between them. They have no chemistry. I can't even romanticized Ryeoum because my Unnie side will rise up. I can only see him as a teenager guy who was struggling with how life made him mature early and how he needed someone to care for him. He felt minor despite how I am only 24 and he was 25 in real life, it felt violating. When I see him with Choi Se Gyeong, I felt like shouting in the screen :"Focus on school first kid and drink your milk". He was a kid in my eyes. With his romance plot with CSG it felt unsatisfying. Mostly half of the drama, CSG was unconsciously painted as a hindrance and something annoying that stops him from achieving his goal. I fell antagonizing feelings for her. She was not introduced well. Her character was misintroduced as someone annoying and she felt wrong afterwards. It could have been better if they introduce CSG as a simultaneous or synchronous character instead of a surprise one, this way she will be loved more and be understood, we would even cheer for her as we knows what she is doing.

Overall it is good, but it could have been better.

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This is a charming drama that is better than its title implies. Choi Hyun Wook steals every scene he is in. He’s also a pretty good singer (assuming that was really him singing in the drama). The drama has a Back To the Future vibe to it and it doesn’t quite stick the landing but it comes close enough.

One thing I always wonder when I see dramas where the protagonist time travels to the past then returns to a changed present is what supposedly happens to all of the memories the protagonist had from his life before he time traveled. As a result of the changes he made noone else in his present life would have those same memories, right? And he would have no memory of his revised past.

I need to know in case I ever time travel.

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Disappointing

Started great but then got boring and repetitive. Our ml is the only hearing member of his family, the rest are deaf as such he feels responsible for them and can't do what he really wants to do aka music, he time travels and meets his parents in the past in hopes to change the future. Now the beginning with his family was great and him trying to convince his father that he is his son and all the comedy that came after that.. At some point eun yu gets introduced and the plot begins to drag as the main focus was his parents.. It's became his parents and that girl that traveled back to change her mom husband so she can not be born. An emo girl that is so annoying and I genuinely don't know how their romance started. Mom and dad romance started late and then dragged. No re-watch value. It could have been much better but ahime

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