Wow! What a soundtrack and story!
This is a tale of survival that took me on a journey, serving up a platter of diverse emotions. There were moments of uproarious laughter, loud enough for all my neighbors to hear, and times when I held my breath as tears flowed. The story and characters had me completely engrossed. I eagerly anticipated each episode and, by the end, found myself wishing for more than the allotted 12 episodes. I yearned to delve deeper into the lives of the main characters who proved both fascinating and relatable.And let's talk about the music—it was as impactful as the story itself! The music felt like an additional cast member, bringing power, inspiration, and beauty to the series.
Now, this series has earned a spot on my all-time favorites list. My only gripe is that I wish it were longer.
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Good Introduction till Episode 6, but average in mid and later parts.
Meh, overall average drama. Mannerisms of Park Eun Bin seemed like she was trying to relive extraordinary attorney woo days with jelloa do accent. ML was totally absent from whole drama and his brother (SML) seemed more prominent to the story, maybe he was overshadowed by his own younger self. One-time watch.The whole struggle of FL seemed lacking with the addition of Kim Hyo Jin. Amidst the whole different storylines the writer should have given more time and emotions in each and every aspect of struggle from FL being above age, FL's struggle on Island(which should have been given a whole episode), Hyo Jin with her voice and ML with his family. Writer tried to tackle too much in too little detail and overall execution seemed bland and suffered from emotional disconnect. Finally the biggest weak point is in trying to lift up FL so much the casting of ML should have been better. He lacked so much screen presence in front of Eun Bin, guy should work in more dramas as Second lead or take more male centric parts to hone up his presence. I watched another of his drama Unlock my boss and it suffered from same problem.
Lastly, point of appreciation for high school parts played by teenage actors , they rocked their parts.
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The story gets blurred in the middle
Before i'm complaining this drama, i would to say about the good aspect of this drama,Good aspect:
1. They build base of this story so good, come from child abuse, childhood trauma from each father, but one still getting the positive mind meanwhile the other trying to swallow bitter reality. They empathize their feeling and helping each other. I fall in love with this drama because this background.
2. The positivity seo mok ha have, impossible one's have positive minds like mok ha, but they add reality to mok ha minds so it became possible about mok ha character, she know her dream is so unstable but she still want to try because the hardship of her 15 years will be nothing. Many people want her to stop imagine and pursuing her dream but ALWAYS male lead always being her supporter number one ^^
3. Mysterious Jung Ki Ho, after separated for 15 years, seo mok ha trying to find jung ki ho, a boy that encourage her to pursue her dream, also help her to set her free from her father. How the audience have to guess who ki ho is, with all the hint that seo mok ha get, it's so exciting ^^ I've waited each week just to know about who jung ki ho is.
That's it, that are 3 charming points for me
NOW, time for revealing lacking points + my complain.....
1. The chemistry of leads, actually i can't feel romance feeling in Jung ki ho and Seo mok ha, their feeling comes from empathy right? sharing same hurt feeling from their trauma, guilty, and comfort. But how they falling in love with each other I DO NOT feel that at all, suddenly Jung ki ho said he still loves her for 15 years and Seo mok ha feel same, ikr who is the crazy that still wait for ones if it's not love but HOW?? HOW THEY FALLING IN LOVE?? THEY FALLING IN LOVE BECAUSE THEIR ABUSIVE FATHER?? THEY FALLING IN LOVE BECAUSE THEY WILL RUNAWAY TOGETHER?? THEY FALLING IN LOVE BECAUSE MISSING EACH OTHER?? WHYYYY..... I can't feel at all, this is the most dissapointed part for me T_T
2. Screentime of the leads, scene ki ho and mok ha together to be lovey dovey couple OHMYGOD i can count it with my fingers T_T Indeed, this drama about how mok ha pursuing her dream BUT she have loveline with ki ho, i craving their lovey dovey scene, how they develop each other feeling from teenager's love to adult's love, they didn't explain this at all T_T
3. Love triangle with Woo Hak, i know it will be disgusting shit if brothers fight for a woman, but how woo hak falling love with mok ha, how he know his feeling is dangerous, and how he conclude his feeling is just like a flash, they explained woo hak's feeling in some scene :( i want it to be more little dramatic hahahaha it will be interesting though hahahahaha (ignore this point)
4. I don't know about this, but people made me realize, in the middle of the story, the story move to yoon ran joo, Seo mok ha just to get her dream via yoon ran joo, seo mok ha admire yoon ran joo is undeniable but how seo mok ha is depending to yoon ran joo is just not right, although i enjoyed yoon ran joo story too, but many people not satisfied about this point. the story get blurred about the lead character. Also seo mok ha had struggle about her debut, but she doesn't have struggle after that? climbing chart one by one is normal for rookie artist, i mean why her rival is just eun mo rae? i want more drama about her struggle after debut but nothing, she straight to the top.
Overall, i can conclude the story like this, these 12 episode were divided in 3 part, seo mok ha getting used from 15 years in desserted island to pursuing her dream, revealing Kang Bo Geol and his family identity also his problem with his father, Yoon ran joo achieve 20 million album selling, still the most disappointed part is lacking of lovey dovey part ki ho and mok ha :(
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Tissues are required to watch this drama
The first episode was a lot. The characters gave me GOONG vibes - you'd think this drama would be cheesy...BUT IT AIN'T!I did not expect to ball my eyes out in the first episode. The topic of DA really hits me hard. I think the director and actors did well in conveying what some scenarios are like (and how victims may feel/think). It really does suck for Jang KiHo's situation (Father being a police officer - can't really report him with how corrupt the government/society is).
As you go through the drama, some things may seem expected/predictable, but it's still such a well-told drama (so far, as i haven't completed the drama yet). I've cried almost every episode, as each episode brings up different challenges and back stories of each character - the struggles!
I'm such a fan of all the dramas Park EunBin has been in, and her costars are always so amazing (good team work).
Also, I had high expectations when I saw who the screenwriter (Park Hye Ryun) and Director (Oh Choong Hwan) were, as they have been responsible for many amazing dramas I love.
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Overall bland
Should have been story of stranded girl finding her own way into stardom. But viewers got all the other things instead.Cons:
1) Drama has too many plotlines and almost each supporting characters had a backstory. As a result, i wasn`t invested in each story.
2) Character consistency or logic
Characters changes suddenly without much logic or explanation.
3) It was supposed to be Rom Com but it didn`t do both of these well. Romance was not swoony and comedy was not funny.
Pros:
1) I loved Park Eun Bin`s performance. She sold this endearing character
2) OSTs were good.
3) I loved some of the messages writer was trying to tell
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It's really all about the correct fit, which this did not have
Edit - I recently was listening to a podcast that talked about the current situation in South Koreas for actors. There seems to be diminishing amount of work available even for the best of actors. My review hit Park Eun Bin pretty hard in her portrayal of the FL. One question I kept asking was why would Park Eun Bin take on a role like Mok Ha? Well with the amount of work for South Korean actors decreasing, that answers my question. I hope with the popularity of Kdramas, there will be plenty of work available for these talented actors.In watching this series, I can sum up my impression with one word...disconnect. Let's first talk about the disconnect with the lead role.
Probably like most other viewers, I watched this series for actor Park Eun Bin. Her stellar performances in The King's Affection and Extraordinary Attorney Woo brought me back for more. The expectations were high, maybe too high, as this performance did not deliver like her two previous series. Eun Bin is a gifted and talented character actress, and I'm not sure the role of Mok Ha needed what she brought to it. Maybe that is why I always felt at odds with Mok Ha when watching her storyline unfold. I never really felt there was a good fit between this talented actress and the character she was playing. However, the rest of the cast seemed to gel nicely with their characters. I especially enjoyed the actors who played young Ki Ho and young Mok Ha.
Next was the disconnect between my expectations of the series (based on the marketing) and the reality. It came across as a light-hearted, funny, musical-type of series. But from the very beginning, it had this dark side that carried the viewer through all kinds of torture with hellish family abuse, violence, attempted murder, suicide, business sabotage, and let's not forget trying to survive on a deserted island. I realize this adds layers and complexity to a storyline, but the execution of lighthearted contrasted with violence was a little too extreme for one story, and for me, made it unbelievable. I also had a hard time believing in Mok Ha's journey both on the island and once she was rescued. I know this is fiction, and anything can happen in fiction, but building a hut? How and where did those wood slats come from? The nails? The tools? I remember hearing an interview of Tom Hanks and Robert Zemekis when the 2000 movie Castaway came out in theaters. They spoke how they constantly debated on how far they would let Hank's deserted island character show the utter reality of surviving. If they showed complete reality, it would drive the viewer away as it would be too depressing to watch. I realize that same thing applied to this series, but it seemed they went a little too far as sometimes it just seemed everyday was a great day on the island.
Mok Ha's transition back into civilization was another disconnect. First of all, trauma is her middle name. She has an abusive father, runs away, is chased into the sea by this abusive father, washes ashore, sees her dead father in the waves, and has to survive by herself for 15 years. Yet, with all of this trauma, when she does come back to civilization, she immediately dons her fan-girling hat, blows up balloons, cheers for her favorite idol as the most balanced and stable human being on the planet. It just is way too unbelievable. I also have to say that I find this somewhat offensive. If a person actually went through what Mok Ha went through, there would be years of therapy to work through the trauma and re-enter life. The way the writers completely ignored this is great disservice to abuse and trauma victims. Not only was it ignored, but when Mok Ha is rescued, all the focus goes to the selfish, self-serving celebrity hitting her alcoholic bottom lamenting her lost career, and how Mok Ha takes care of her! This is what I least liked about the series.
My advice to someone thinking about watching this series is to treat it like a fairytale. There is a hero, heroine, villain, and the stuff that happens to them is a bit on the "magical" side, but it's done to get them to that happily-ever after.
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what did it want to be?
I'll preface my review by stating the obvious, in the hopes that no one gets hateful, this is just my personal opinion. Please take it or leave it alone, agree or disagree, but please respect the opinions of others (and I'm kind of irritated that I even have to say this).There was a lot to like about this show:
Acting. Everyone was really good. Park Eun Bin as Mok Ha was wonderful. I think there were certain mannerisms that we saw that she displayed in Extraordinary Attorney Woo and I think are just part of her DNA, because I've seen them in other shows of hers. However, they absolutely worked here. She was charming and likeable, driven, yet devoted to those she loved. All of the other actors were excellent as well. I especially loved the younger actors, they were the standouts for me. Also, Kim Joo Heon playing a morally gray character, and both Lee Seung Joon as Ki Ho's father and Lee Yoo Joon as Mok Ha's father were surprising. We are so used to seeing them in the role of good guys, their transformations were amazing.
Music. As you'd expect, the OST was wonderful. Eun Bin's voice is sublime. I could literally listen to her all day.
My problem came in with the writing and the way the story was put together. On the surface, or maybe because of the trailers, this was an original premise, with strong possibilities of feeling all the feels. My struggle was this drama couldn't decide if it wanted to be a romance, a drama, a comedy, light or dark. For me, the extremes were too great. I wasn't expecting it to be fluffy, but the darkness was too dark for the rest of the drama, and the flipping back and forth wasn't allowing me to flow with the story. I didn't feel that there was enough of her on the island (a whole episode would have been nice) and the whole thing just seemed too implausible - she was that close to civilization all that time? Then, her reintegration was just too easy. First of all, the voice is a muscle. She would have needed to get used to using her voice again. Add to that, her early life was just trauma. So, she's traumatized as a child and then has the trauma of having been on an island by herself for 15 years, but she comes home and there appear to be no after-effects, just that she's glad to be back home and she immediately gets back on the track of wanting to meet her idol. It would have been so much better if we'd been able to see/feel her struggles with reassimilating into society -- that would have really improved the flow and made it more realistic.
I'd say, if you've actually read this far and are wondering whether to give this show a try, you should, definitely. Just because I'm one of the few outlier people that didn't fall in love with it, you may (and probably will) have a different reaction to it.
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A new fave
This will now be one of my absolute favorite dramas! It had suspense, love, tears, relationships & a family oriented show.I don't write many reviews bc most others have said what I agree with. But this drama gave me the "good feels!"
The story started out with family issues & dreams of overcoming those dynamics.
Ki-ho & Mok-ha survived 15 years without each other both missing the other.
Both grew & their story wasn't the only one for the show. Many side stories with complications but the ending was appropriate & the ending I wish had a little more but seriously what can ya do.
I wonder if I can buy the soundtrack but will definitely be a favorite that I watch again.
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Seo mok-ha or woo young-woo?
I tried so hard to watch it without thinking about the acting of Park eun-bin who plays almost exactly like woo young-woo who's autistic and now that she's playing a castaway girl it's like she tried to be "socially awkward" but it just cringe me. like when she walk its the same mimic as attorney woo and sometimes I even see the same expression in her face so I'm kinda mad that I can't disconnect her from the other show. I feel like just because of this I want to drop it cuz its too cringe. sorry folksWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"what kind of crazy woman would worry for a man for 15 years without any feelings"
"what kind of crazy woman would worry for a man for 15 years without any feelings" mok-ha (ep 11)"What kind of lunatic searches 15 years for someone he's uninterested in" ki-ho (ep 8)
ki ho and mokha invented love.
just step on me! that'd be easier!!!!
ALSO,
"One person is lying to protect his children while the other is lying to punish them. Then, which one do you think is the real father?"
THE PROSECUTOR IS THE MVP HERE!
Kiho had learnt early that the system can't protect him or his loved ones. His father being a cop and yet being abusive towards him must have stalled the faith he should've had on the justice system. So, his family being protected by the same system was so heart warming.
Mr Lee is the father that stepped up and I love that for the brothers and the mom too. I'm glad she found a good and loving man after what she went through with the ex cop Jung. they are just a cute Lil family and i love it for them.
Ranjoo's entire arc felt a bit lukewarm to me. maybe it's cuz throughout the entire drama she could never make her mind about one thing. She was jumping on and off of every decision and something about it just felt off. I get her being in the dark and bit having people around her to help her through but did she really need that long to figure out why her career was going down the drain. I felt like that show wanted president Lee and her to have an equal footing ? I'm not sure but at felt like a tug of war between both the characters which was frustrating to some extent. both of them seemed to have a past and yet just no communication. Ranjoo is supposed to be a women who has been in the industry ( that too on top) for a while so her not being able to put two and two together was also disappointing. it's not her fault for being decieved by people close to her but at the end of the day, she seemed like a character with a weak backbone ( not that there is anything wrong with that) and too kind of a heart ( she is the cutest might i add) . I think I just expected more from her character but maybe that was also the point too, just because someone's been in their industry for a long time and has experienced the turning of the wheels of time aren't all necessarily the wisest and sharpest. I still love her through all her ups and downs and I'm sure since she has received her cooler , soon enough she'll find her drone too. maybe she already has. she is talented when it comes to music and producing is something she is passionate about. I'm sure she'll shine going forward no matter which direction she takes.
President Lee was not my favourite character. he was okay in some scenes, bearable in others and downright infuriating in a handful. he maybe the better person to run the company but i just don't like the way his character was written.
I'm so glad they didn't make Ranjoo and president Lee get together romantically. please no. Ranjoo is better off alone ( she is too good for him anyway)
the way the show shone light on abuse and how in the past, people just didn't have any way out is sad but true nonetheless. Ex cop Jung never saw his own fault till the moment he took his last breathe and died a pathetic death with no one by his side and that was the most justified ending that stupid excuse of a man could ever receive.
The one complaint I do have is that they really stretched the mok ha and woo hak plotline.
I mean, did my cutie pie Woo hak really had to fall for mok ha? why could'nt they just be good friends. Woo hak seeing mok ha as someone who also didn't have much connection with her past and become good friends and later family through the common connection of kiho would've been better in my opinion. Woo hak could've found out everything while being a friend who wanted to support his new island stranded friend would've also worked out. I just don't see why the brothers has to fall in love with the same person and while he never made a move when he realised kiho and mok-ha's past connection I just don't see why he had to go ahead and fall in love with her.
I really hope going forward kdrama directors would go easy on the love triangles cuz those are just so unnecessary and I feel like there are enough dramas with those arcs.
and even if I can let the falling in love with mok ha arc subside they really stretched it to the end. It would've been better if they actually showed him moving on quickly once he would out ( let's be real, he didn't spend that much time oblivious anyway) so him backing off and actually showing that those feelings were fleeting would've been better. also, he is so cute with those glasses!!! and I love how clingy and loving he is with his family and his older brother side coming out with kiho!!! woo hak really is the best brother to ever brother.
WOO HAK BEST BOY!
Kiho, my sweet chocochips dizzled on an Oreo cake. I love you. you did everything right and you're the most amazing person out there and I hope you get a lifetime of happiness with your family and friends and mok ha by your side. I love you .
anyways, Mok-ha, our main lead, our Island princess, the president of Ranjoo's fanclub and kiho and the Lee family protector, she is honestly a ball of sunshine and that's only way I can explain her. she is so beautifully written, no wonder Kiho fell in love with her ( cuz same bro)
she shines so brightly and i honestly felt like she taught me so much in just a few episodes. After being stranded in an island for 15 years and entering society must have been so scary, especially with how much the world has changed but our brave girl never faltered! she kept her head high and learnt from her misfortunes and mistakes. she is wise beyond her years and she is superstar material. I'm sure she'll be an amazing superstar. I also like how they showed how agism is so prevalent in the entertainment industry and how after a certain age it's so difficult to make career moves and I'm so proud of mokha for persevering and achieving her dreams.
also there confessions sharing the same words, ughhh!!! the way i yelped!!! they are too cute!!! mok ha and kiho best couple ever!!! and their kiss scene in ep 11 when mokha runs towards him an she takes her in his arms and ansnxhxgsbxgxbzhsnsbxhjzznxbxnnshsajaznxbzbbb
yeah, I'm fine.
overall, an amazing show! I'd definitely watch it again!!!
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Beautiful and heartwarming
Happy endings are the best endings, and this was one of them. I have so many things to say about this beautiful Kdrama. From the first episode, I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the music.All characters were well-written, and the support roles are included. The actors did so well bringing their characters to life, and the two actors portraying the young version of Mokha and Kiho are such good actors.
Mokha and Kiho were so cute together, always supporting each other ♥.
Kiho: "What kind of lunatic searches 15 years for someone he's uninterested in”
Mohka: "What kind of crazy woman would worry for a man for 15 years without any feelings”.
Their love is so beautiful♥
Kiho is such a walking green flag. He waited 15 years for Mohka, even prepared everything for her, and always supported her. I'm not going to lie, I'd have loved some more romance just to feed my hunger for it lol, but this was perfect anyway. It was about her journey, and her desire to become a singer.
Kiho and Chaeho, my two walking green flags. Ki Ho with his puppy eyes and beautiful smile, and Chaeho with his bright personality. I'm glad this didn't turn into a love triangle although my poor Woohak/Chaeho suffered a little.
The main topic of the drama is domestic abuse, and let me tell you the father is so scary and annoying. He remained a coward and selfish until the end, even using his own death to hurt and harm those closest to him. I'm glad he couldn't keep hurting them. At least this family had the happy ending they deserved.
The OST is just soooo beautiful that I couldn’t stop listening to it (and I think I will listen to it for a long time). Park Eunbin’s voice is like honey. Her singing was a blessing to my ears. It's so amazing when a non-professional singer sings so well. She really is a great singer and a great actress.♥
Side note: The only thing that bothers me about the story is the time she was on the island. I think 15 years is too much, and she was in good health? her skin, hair, and everything was healthy. How is that even possible? that makes no sense lol. Despite this, I really loved this show.
I like the ending, it was also so balanced. Not rushed or too draggy, Just perfect and beautiful. I cried so much while watching this, and they even played 'Someday' at the end of the last episode only to make me cry even more. I'm going to miss this drama so much 🥺
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Enchanting Echoes: A Love Letter to Park Eun-Bin's Voice in 'Castaway Diva
I have fallen deeply in love with Park Eun-Bin's voice in "Castaway Diva." The series, while not necessarily emphasizing romance prominently, has left an indelible mark on me, and I truly believe that no amount of kissing scenes can surpass the sheer brilliance of her voice. Throughout the entire series, I found myself experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions—crying, feeling sad, and getting excited in equal measure.
If there were a voting system in place, I would wholeheartedly cast my vote for "Castaway Diva" as a top K-drama for 2023. Park Eun-Bin's performance, coupled with the overall emotional depth of the series, has truly resonated with me. It's not just about the romantic elements; rather, it's the raw and authentic portrayal of emotions that has left a lasting impact.
Sharing my sentiments about the series and Park Eun-Bin's exceptional voice is something I am eager to do. Even without a formal voting system, expressing our appreciation for such outstanding performances is essential. Whether through social media or online forums, discussing and recommending "Castaway Diva" can potentially connect me with like-minded viewers who share a similar passion for quality storytelling and remarkable acting.
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse "Castaway Diva" as a top K-drama for 2023, and I encourage others to explore this captivating series, not just for its romantic aspects but for the rich emotional tapestry it weaves, brought to life by the incredible talent of Park Eun-Bin.
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