A drama with no saint, please bring your brain here
Someone said to me, "Sometimes you need to leave your brain to enjoy a kdrama, just watch and enjoy bro!" That 'sometimes' is NOT this drama. Please bring your brain, you need that. Also bring your empathy. You will enjoy this more with both.It's a drama with a very well written plot. It makes you guessing, make theories, broke your theories, give surprise, bring you to a journey of storytelling that is so refreshing and trilling. You can shrink the story of this drama into a sentence that describe a common fated love story, but it really more than that. It tackled the emotional side of you, also the brainy nerdy side of you.
The characters are lovable, but not in the way it usually are. If you're searching for 'green flag', 'rainforest' kind of characters, you'll find none here. What we have are complex flawed human that bring their own painful past. No heroes, no saint, no Gandalf. But if you watch it with caution and empathy, you'll get attached to all of them at the end. One reason why all of them are lovable, because every single of them get a trope that somehow disregarded by a lot of kdrama watchers these days: 'character development'. And like every part of this drama. The development written so well. Sometimes it written subtly, but never sudden flip.
This is a drama with no filler. The plot is packed, quite fast paced, but not rushed. No characters is forgotten, even until the end. It is that well planned.
The visual from setting, costume, make up, camera works, colouring, cinematography in general are top notch. I know Sky Castle is director's highest rated works. But I believe this is his masterpiece. And the soundtracks... award worthy! It consist of generally 3 songs. But all of them bring this drama alive and emotion. The magic they have... that can change emotions with every scenes. The composer you are Jung Jae Hyung...
And I'm forever thankful for director Jo Hyun Taek to bring me to Chun Woo Hee. The greatest actress of her generation. All actors in this drama act so good. Jang Ki Yong expression is no joke, he becomes better and better in his art. Whole Bok family and scammer family are full of great actors, both senior and junior actors. But among them, Park So Yi shining here. This girl has bright future in acting industry. Ten years from now we will see this drama again and reminiscing it as one of her great work among many.
And the whole comment section of this drama is MVP. It's so fun reading theories, making theories, debunked, get trivia. It's so fun. It's really really fun watch it on going. I'll never experience that again but I'll rewatch this drama again and again. You always can get new things after every rewatch. đŻ
Btw, my first 10/10 kdrama, welcome to the club kiddo.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
love this
I didn't have too many expectations when watching the first part of the movie. Like a family that gets rich thanks to the superpowers of family members, then they prepare to fall into a "financial crisis" when the members lose their superpowers due to "modern diseases". I find this quite funny and.... a bit "childish". However, the screenwriter has developed the plot reasonably and deeply. In fact, many people suffer from the same "modern diseases" as the characters.I love how the characters develop through each episode. Relationships and misunderstandings are gradually resolved properly. The movie is not only about love but also about family, friends, etc. What I especially like the most is the way the movie is shot, which is quite special compared to other Korean movies. The ending left me quite confused but overall it was an okay ending
Was this review helpful to you?
bittersweet and full of powers!
Overall I really liked it!For me it has been one of the best dramas that has come out in 2024
an original script, outstanding performances and very interesting plots
The chemistry of the leading couple was very good đ
in love with the bok ina characters and their plot of friendship, power and possible love interest in the future đ¤
The ending was bittersweet and confusing... I interpreted it in the way that he was happy and everything fell into place.
I'm sorry I need more chapters, 12 weren't enough for me... apart from that, everything was very good!
Was this review helpful to you?
TIME TRAVEL BUT DONE EVEN BETTER
if theres one thing i love, ITS TIME TRAVEL PLOTS! oh.my.god.this kdrama WILL NOT disappoint you!!!
everything about it is so perfect, from casting, to chemistry, to plots, to character development, everything! i legit have nothing to complain about except for the fact that it ended so fast without giving us more insight on how the hell she has gwijus child when he basically disappeared LMAOO and what the sons power is, and did the son actually bring back gwiju orâŚđââď¸
but really, the main couple in here is EVERYTHING. their chemistry is no joke seriously. the moment i saw their photoshoot (that one pic with the apple hooohđĽľ) i knew i had to watch this. both actors did so well with their characters, it was truly an honour to have followed this kdrama whilst it was still uploading.
really, i would even say one of the best kdramas of 2024 so far. and even the OST is amazing!! i literally added it to my spotify playlist because its so good! so unique and it makes me feel giddy everytime i hear it lol
just overall, everything was perfect and amazing. i canât recommend it enough, watch this !!!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's a rather strong & quirky healing drama.
The GoodⲠThe acting is amazing across the board.
ⲠThe leads had fantastic chemistry.
ⲠI'm just repeating myself at this point, but OMG the FL actress is just amazing. (11/10 pretty, 11/10 chic, 11/10 acting ability, similar to Jeon Jong Seo in Wedding Impossible)
ⲠIn my mind the romance is 10/10.
ⲠThere is a lot of wholesomeness & wholesome healing content in this drama.
ⲠThe main plot is rather interesting.
ⲠThe 12 episode format works well for this show. (though I would've preferred 13.. **)
The Average
ⲠThe drama had some really cool superpowers, but using them in a cool way only happened like once. (Lois & Superman scene)
ⲠAdding to the previous point: The least fun use of mind reading I have ever seen
ⲠThe fake fat was not great, though not horrible either.
ⲠThe sister's boyfriend/marriage plot really overstayed its welcome.
ⲠI'm not entirely comfortable with the backstory about swindling/scamming, especially thinking about FL's relationship history, basically whoring herself out at the call of her "stepmother". (This leads to fun writing, but they could have made the background story less offensive without anything else degrading in quality I think.)
ⲠWhile 12 years old Park So Yi did an amazing job, she is completely miscast for the the high school adolescent role, she's way too young compared to her classmates, it's just jarring.
The Bad
â˛** I'm displeased about the 5 second happy ending & how it happened. (though considering where e11 was on the emotional roller coaster, I totally expected something like this to follow.)
ⲠThe drama had some slow & boring moments. (admittedly not in a huge abundance)
ⲠI'm not happy about the redemption arc the stepmom has gotten. I for one don't think what she did to a child etc. is forgivable so easily.
ⲠI feel the writers pushed the chicken and egg paradox way too far.
ⲠIn this drama the characters talk a lot about how abusing precognition to get lottery payouts is stealing. While technically true, I find this sentiment really silly.
ⲠML driving his family members around with his car = awful.
ⲠElectric stovetops exist..
Was this review helpful to you?
hermoso me encantĂł
realmente es un kdrama q desde el inicio del capĂtulo 1 te da gusto es emocionante la pareja tiene una quĂmica increĂble y solo espero y aspiro q tenga un final hermoso xq ambos han sufrido como spoiler pienso q Ina sabe lo q la mamĂĄ pensaba antes de tirarse al barranco asĂ q espero q en estos capĂtulos q quedan sea awwww y puedan ser felices tantos los protagonistas como la niĂąa necesitan tener un final feliz xq la niĂąa ha sufrido mucho pensando que ella era un error porque escucho a la abuela decir que nunca debiĂł de haberse casado con la mamĂĄ ni nada. la abuela no me cae bien asĂ q espero que el poder lo utilice para algo bueno en estos capĂtulos que me quedan por ver realmente los recomiendo es un buen comienzo para el actor masculino principal que ha regresado de su servicio militar y que mejor hacerlo con una actriz de primeraWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Hard To Forget - Kdrama
= Edited Review =So I finally finished watching this show and it gave me a mix of emotions, I was sad one moment, almost crying, but then I was laughing like crazy, both feeling in a single episode, now imagine it during the entire show? Truly a really well done and unique story.
This drama is so different from everything I've seen in my life watching kdrama, such an original plot, I'm amazed by it. Also, I'm glad I had the opportunity to give this one a try.
But the reason I don't give it a 10 it's because... The final moments of the show. By the episode 9 things started to get way too fast, it was kinda hard to understand what was happening. it seemed like the directors wasted time with useless scenes that it didn't give them enough time to create a better ending. I felt like they were rushing everything in only 3 episodes to finally finish the show.
And what we say about the ending?
We got a happy ending? Yes we got a happy ending.
We fully understood how we got this happy ending? No, we clearly don't.
I mean, I can understand their son's power but how a 5 years old managed to save a 30'y man that was supposedly in a middle of a fire?
Just... How that happened?
How did this child do it?
I mean, I'm not complaining since we got our happy ending but as I said before, things were way too rushed in my opinion. That's why I don't think this show deserves a 10 completely. The ending for me is the more important thing in a story and this show's ending... Wasn't that good as the story was itself.
But anyway, I liked the show. It made my cry so many times as I laughed too. I hated some characters but then all of the suddenly I started to love them.
I loved the Female Lead in this show since she was so different from the ones I'm used to. She was quite badass.
I loved all the stuff about Father and Daughter relationship.
I also liked how the FL "mother" showed that she really loved her as a daughter.
ANYWAY!
Although the story is a bit confusing and the ending wasn't what I wanted... This show is totally worth to try. It's been so long since I watched a Kdrama that left me with this "empty" feeling from reality. I wish I could forget everything about this show so I could watch it all over again...
Since you don't know this show yet, I recommend you to enjoy every single piece of it
Was this review helpful to you?
A top-tier drama
Prepare to be swept away by the heartwarming tale of the atypicalfamily, where every moment surpasses expectations with its unique storyline and beautiful character development. This drama is a delightful blend of love, growth, and family, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that keeps viewers coming back for more.What sets this drama apart is its refreshing and original storyline. With each episode, the drama unfolds new surprises and twists, keeping the audience hooked and eagerly anticipating what's next. It's a breath of fresh air in the world of dramas, offering a truly unique and captivating viewing experience.
The love story is beautifully unique, with a chemistry between the couple that is both heartwarming and genuine. Their relationship unfolds in a way that feels natural and authentic, drawing viewers in and keeping them invested in their journey from beginning to end.
And let's not forget about the acting, which is nothing short of phenomenal. Jang Ki Yong, in particular, shines in his role, bringing his character to life with a depth and authenticity that is truly impressive. His portrayal is so convincing that it's impossible not to be completely engrossed in his character's journey, especially as a father, where his performance is both endearing and inspiring.
In conclusion, the atypical family is a friendly reminder of the power of love, growth, and family. With its unique storyline, beautifully developed characters, and phenomenal acting, it's a must-watch for anyone looking for a heartwarming and uplifting drama experience.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Hidden Gem
I watched this series a while back, but Iâm just now taking the time to write a review. One thing I loved about this series was how different it is. When I first started watching, I didnât expect muchâhonestly, I thought Iâd end up fast-forwarding or dropping it halfway through. But to my surprise, I didnât!What I loved about the series:
⢠The directing and editing â I loved how each time the protagonist time-traveled, we got to see glimpses of what he went through, usually near the end of each episode. This added an extra layer of intrigue and made the storytelling even better.
⢠A super-powered family⌠thatâs losing their powers! â I did not expect all the struggles they were facing. It was the perfect example of something imperfect, which is a refreshing break from the typical K-drama formula (poor girl dates CEO, and he saves her all the time). The storyline that resonated with me the most was the sisterâsâshe gained a lot of weight, ended up in a toxic relationship, then later lost the weight, befriended her enemy, and regained her ability to fly.
⢠The main cast and their chemistry â Iâve been away from K-dramas for a while, so I wasnât familiar with any of the actors. But they nailed their characters! I honestly wasnât expecting the female lead to be a con artist tricking the familyâthis early twist hooked me and made me stay for the rest of the show.
⢠The little girl and her crush â Letâs be real, Iâm sure everyone can agree they were the main reason we started watching!
⢠The storyline â Itâs been a while since K-dramas have come up with something this creative, with a solid twist. The way everything unfoldedâthe leads, the side characters, and the bonds they formedâmade the series both entertaining and meaningful. I know this is one series I wouldnât mind rewatching, and that says a lot because K-dramas just havenât been it for me lately. But Atypical Family? It definitely won my heart for 2024.
Final Thoughts:
Atypical Family is about a family with supernatural powers who lose everything after the male lead suffers a devastating accident. Struggling with the aftermath, he turns to alcohol to cope with his daily life. Later, he meets the female lead, who initially tries to con the family, believing theyâre wealthyâonly to discover they were rich thanks to the male leadâs mother's powers.
Each family member has their own storyline, and together, they create a narrative that resonates with different people in unique ways. As I mentioned before, I personally loved the sisterâs arc, but it was the little girl who drew me into the seriesâand I stayed for the unexpected time travel element!
All in all, the individual stories, each distinct and heartfelt, made this series incredibly engaging. Itâs one show I found myself recommending over some of the more popular ones in 2024. Atypical Family is truly a hidden gem that more people need to check out. If you're looking for a short series with a great cast, emotional family drama, and a touch of romance, youâll definitely enjoy this one.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not your typical time travel story
The Atypical Family is incredibly well written with complex characters who change and grow in surprising ways. Though many of the characters are morally gray the show's lens is deeply humanistic and you'll grow to care for these very flawed human beings. The show's central message is don't regret the past or worry about the future, live in the present and love the people close to you.Time travel is handled very differently in this show than in dramas like Lovely Runner and Twinkling Watermelon. In those shows, time travel creates different timelines and it is possible to change the past and the future. But The Atypical Family is more like the film 12 Monkeys, which has a single closed time loop. It's not possible for the time traveler to change the past or the future because their actions simply cause events that were going to happen anyway.
The closed time loop turns this into a very Buddhist story. Buddhism puts a huge emphasis on the idea of non-attachment, which means letting go of what you can't control and focusing on the present moment. There is also the central idea of loving-kindness, viewing yourself and those around you with compassion, generosity and empathy.
Gwiju starts out from a place of: I need more control, I need to control my own destiny. He wants to change his past and future and it's his repeated failures to do so that turn him into a depressed alcoholic. But after Dahae enters his life, he gradually realizes that he can't change his fate but he can change how he reacts to that fate. He can become a more loving and responsible person no matter what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future.
Gwiju isn't the only person who has to learn this lesson. Dahae needs to detach from the idea that she can avoid the pain of her traumatic past by manipulating and controlling the men she scams and instead embrace her found families. Dong Hee needs to detach from the idea that her weight has anything to do with whether or not she can fly and instead allow herself to eat joyfully and be happy. Bok Eomma needs to detach from the idea that her prescient dreams will keep her and her family safe and stop using them to control people. And even Ina needs to detach from both her fear of her mind reading powers and her belief that those powers can be used to manipulate people into giving her friendship and understand that she is a loveable and worthwhile person.
I think it's this emphasis on detachment and acceptance that truly sets Atypical Family apart from other time travel stories. What's amazing is that despite a philosophy that sounds like it would lead to stagnant, boring storytelling, the drama is absolutely gripping and the last half hour is hugely cathartic. I cried buckets at the end.
In addition to the amazing writing and the interesting philosophy of the drama, I have to shout out the acting performances which are uniformly great. Special mentions for Jang Ki Yong in his first post-military drama; Chun Woo Hee for portraying a morally ambiguous female lead and making us care about her; Park So Yi for more than holding her own with the adult actors; and Claudia Kim for humanizing a character who could've been an offensive caricature.
I also have to mention the amazing cinematography and the OST which is phenomenal, probably the most sophisticated OST I've ever heard in a drama.
There are very few things I disliked about this drama but many people struggle with the FL's behavior in the early episodes, as well as the ML's neglect of his daughter due to alcoholism and trauma. There are also a lot of people who don't understand the time travel rules in this universe and had trouble understanding the ending. I even made graphics to explain it: https://x.com/daebakpodcast1/status/1800000910699147378
Verdict: So far this is my favorite drama of the year and one of my favorite dramas ever.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Unique and Engaging Take On Relatable Problems
My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.I wanted to watch this drama because of Jang Ki Yong (ěĽę¸°ěŠ). I loved his acting in My Ahjusshi, but it seems he's only played emotionless, stoic characters since (I hate it...). Except maybe Born Again; that drama was alright. So, I was interested to see how he'd do in this drama, although I didn't have high hopes.
Acting/Cast: I felt like Jang Ki Yong (ěĽę¸°ěŠ) actually played a unique character in this drama. I'm so proud. Everyone did great. I wasn't previously too familiar with any of the other actors in this drama, but everyone exceeded my expectations. I would say the acting of Park So Yi (ë°ěě´), the male lead's daughter, stood out to me the most. Her character felt very realistic and I personally related to her a lot. Kim Soo Hyun's (ęšěí) character came across as a bit annoying and over-the-top in the first half of the drama, but even she grew on me as her character grew. I really liked watching viewers cry about the female lead not being a perfect, sweet angel. Con artist male leads are fine but con artist female leads are unthinkable? Thank you for a unique female lead with an actual personality and character growth. However, I kind of wish they leaned more into the bad girl aspect of her character though. Don't be afraid to make an immoral female lead; that way, seeing her character growth will be more rewarding in end. 8.5/10
Writing: The plot is on point. Such an interesting premise -- a depiction of common issues that regular people face, but expressed metaphorically through a family with super powers. I also really like how the writers didn't explain the metaphors to us, therefore preserving this drama's intelligent writing. However, the male lead did talk about having depression a little too much. Saying it once was enough. Also, the food-addicted sister was a bit much with the scenes of her stuffing her face with food. However, I like how the story unfolded; it didn't become predictable. The characters were written well. Each character had notable character growth throughout the drama. The time jump towards the end was jarring. I'm not even quite sure how big of a jump it was. It seemed like it was only a few months, but the weight loss was too severe for it to be that short...so it just confused the hell out of me. Also, the sudden romance at the end should have been hinted at throughout the drama in order to make it more cute and believable. The dance club plot point with the dad seemed like it came out of nowhere, too, as if it was only used to further the main plot. I felt that as the drama was wrapping up, a certain character had too sudden of a change. It was too idealistic for my taste. In reality, a tiger tends to not change its stripes, especially that quickly. In other words, the ending was too happy in contrast to the rest of the drama. However, the ultimate ending between the two leads was beautifully written. 7.5/10
Direction/SFX/Music: This drama is well-produced with a vibe somewhat reminiscent of a Tim Burton film (a bit gloomy, a bit cartoonish, a bit eccentric). The SFX wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. A lot of fire in this drama and some flying - both are effects that seem to be more difficult to get looking right. I can say though that I was highly impressed with the quality of the fat suit and makeup. It looked very real. The OST is just as unique as the rest of the drama. It adds to the drama's quirkiness. 9/10
Entertainment Value: This drama kept me guessing until the very end with its unique plot and cast of characters. I think a huge reason why this drama was so entertaining is because it's so different from anything I've seen in the K-drama world. It's slightly controversial, it's deep, it's relatable, and the leads aren't your typical romcom leads. I watched this as it aired along with Lovely Runner and I was so surprised at how much I was enjoying two airing dramas at once. It has really been a good year for K-dramas so far. 10/10
Overall, I gave this drama a 9/10. All in all, I was very impressed by this drama. In the beginning, I was so shocked that I was enjoying it, that I kept looking through comments and reviews to see if anyone else was feeling the same way (and they were). This drama also pulled on my heartstrings a lot as I personally related to the struggles that multiple characters were going through, especially the daughter. I definitely recommend this drama to anyone who wants to watch a very different take on a romcom, family healing drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The moment that saved them all â the day Ina was born
Throughout the episodes of The Atypical Family, we've seen how Ina's birthdate was shown to be cursed or at least believed to be cursed by I-na.We saw her battle this out internally, and finally be freed of it in her first conversation with her father, Gwi-ju in episode 9, and how once again this date became a dreaded moment in the past. But this date, the most precious moment to Gwi-ju, is the one that saved them all.
In Gwi-ju's last moments in the present, he was transported back to this most precious memory escaping death. This chance allowed him to save Da-hae who would turn their failing superhero lives upside down for good and help save the two families together, 13 years later.
Everything started with I-na being born, it wasn't the end but the beginning as Gwi-ju said.
The ending of this drama, for me, is very The Atypical Family style. It is not a lot, but it is not empty. I think the more you ponder on it and understand what happened, you appreciate it more. Gwi-ju and Da-hae's son really put the story in its full circle.
For everyone who is more into healing aspects of this drama, they've gifted us that wonderful and brilliant episode 12, but the show's plot came full circle in the final episode. Brilliant show.
Was this review helpful to you?
