This review may contain spoilers
Kids always pay for adults' mistakes
My review will be all over the place just like this drama.Everyone is trapped in their own prison and they only freed themselves in the very last 30 minutes.
This drama started great. No sugar coating, just the reality of this industry(at least for a few episodes) then it was about revenge for 2-3 episodes and then the story-wrapping time came.
IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO FLY, SOMEONE ELSE MUST EMBRACE THEM. Kang Su Hyeon only said this but her actions said otherwise.
Yoo Jin Woo-
I think they mostly focused on Yoo Jin Woo’s past. I wanted to see more of his career. Character development and how he overcame from harming himself to loving himself. Starting was bang on and the plot was so good. This drama could’ve been on my top list but after episode 5 it lost its charm. The writing was all over the place. When he said CEO please don’t abandon me, my heart cried. It broke into a million pieces. It was like he barely came in episodes after entering TA Entertainment.
Kang Su Hyeon- I did understand this character a little bit in the beginning. She was doing everything because she felt guilty towards her son. Then she gave hope to Yoo Jin Woo and used him and sold him. She knew his past. She knew what he could do to himself. She was selfish till the end. Did she think her son would be proud of her after knowing that she sold his friend for that factory?
Chris- I wanted to see more of this character. Why did Kang Su Hyeon let him leave the company? At first, I thought he was only keeping Yoo Jin Woo by his side to remind himself that it is okay to give up on your dream but then it was all to protect him from this industry. But making an underage work in a nightclub was also wrong.
This drama is about the music industry but the OST was mediocre. It could’ve been so much better.
I still don’t know what message they wanted to give and what was the conclusion of this series. Revenge? Yoo Jin Woo’s singing? Shim Jin Woo’s dream? Where is it?
They started everything but they didn’t know how to wrap every character’s story.
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What A Cutthroat Industry!
Won't go into what this series is all about as it has been touched on already.The actors are great, the story is fine, however, I would have preferred more of the behind the scenes so as to see what pressure young artists are really put under as well as all the going ons we have no idea about that can make or break them.
We do get a tiny glimpse of the unsavoury side (exploitation, bullying, mistreatment) of the Entertainment Industry, but I would have liked to have seen a lot more.
One significant let down for me with Namib so far has been the mediocre music in it as well as the main actors/singers themselves that don't have what I would call the IT factor - as in the IT factor vocally.
Nothing has made me say: "Wow!"
Still 3 episodes left out of 12 so there is still time yet.
Oh wait! Perhaps one singer made me listen attentively only that was short-lived and one background song made me gravitate towards it a bit, but for a drama that is all about young talent, auditions, contests, contracts and music as in songs. Ouch!
To be fair, there is more to it than just music as we also get to observe hidden insecurities, personal demons, competitiveness and the dynamics between certain individuals.
I actually like all of the characters in this whether good or bad, but my favourite in this one is actually the teenage boy who is deaf followed by his dad. None of the mains really although they act their parts really well.
Oh! Wait! I did like the main male lead and felt for him and his difficulties, but as for CEO Kang...
Anyhow...
It's fantastic having a music industry drama, but it would have been a match made in heaven had the music (melodies) and songs stood out more.
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Namib the Sea and the Desert
This drama started off classically—a boy who desires to become an idol and a CEO that only cares about herself and her family's good. Things, of course, change when the CEO's world collapses.The interesting part of this series is that the genres are integrated seamlessly, like it's a slice of life and a musical drama, but these elements are blended so well that it feels very smooth.
The character arcs develop very well, like Soo-Hyun, the CEO, who starts to descend from her pride and coldness into affection and wisdom. Yoo Jin-Woo's character arc was the same—he learned how to love himself, appreciate his abilities, and give himself space to recover from past traumas. The two characters, in particular, perfectly embody the metaphor suggested by the series title and scenes—Namib, a land in Africa where the sea meets the desert. Soo-Hyun, a desert—desolate, rigid persona—meets Jin-Woo, a very emotional, vulnerable, lively persona. Well, their bond development led them to internally heal from the wounds of life and admire each other as a teacher and a student (I liked this part soooo much; seeing their relationship develop in each episode, although slowly with small initiatives, was really heartwarming).
I won’t forget how Jin-Woo didn’t just impact Soo-Hyun but also her family—their bond became stronger, and they started expressing their feelings to each other. I liked the family comedy and the triple squad of the Jin-Woos and the girl.
The ending scene was something that surpassed emotions.
I felt gratitude and fulfillment—it brought me to tears.
Well, it's just a series that is a true portrayal of reality with a sprinkle of comedy. The cinematography really suited the vibe of the series, and the acting was on point. I love Goo-Hyun and her choices—she loves to portray a "mother" in her series with all their struggles, guilt, and affection.
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A química perfeita entre o deserto e o oceano
O K-dorama Namib oferece uma imersão no competitivo e muitas vezes sombrio mundo dos trainees que aspiram a se tornar cantores, explorando não apenas as lutas profissionais, mas também questões psicológicas e emocionais profundas, como a automutilação e a compulsão alimentar. O dorama se destaca por sua trilha sonora emocionante, que inclui pérolas como Cheers to Youth do Seventeen e My Sea da IU. Esta última, em particular, é uma obra-prima que transcende a narrativa, iniciando com uma reflexão poética sobre feridas emocionais que resistem ao tempo, sugerindo que a incapacidade de amar a si mesmo plenamente pode ser a raiz de uma sensação de pobreza interior. A letra é um convite à introspecção, ecoando os temas centrais do dorama.Namib aborda uma gama complexa de temas, como culpa, sonhos interrompidos, abandono parental, vingança, perdão, desilusão e, sobretudo, segundas chances. Embora o dorama esteja longe de ser tecnicamente perfeito — com subtramas mal desenvolvidas, como o plano de vingança de um dos CEOs, que se mostrou pouco convincente —, ele brilha em sua mensagem central. A jornada de redenção e crescimento pessoal dos personagens é comovente, especialmente a transformação de Yoo Jin Woo, cujo sorriso nos episódios finais simboliza uma vitória emocional profundamente satisfatória para o espectador.
A dinâmica entre a CEO, que personifica a aridez do deserto (aparentemente insensível), e o trainee Yoo Ji Won, que representa a vastidão e a profundidade do oceano, é uma metáfora visual e emocional poderosa. Essa química entre os personagens não apenas enriquece a narrativa, mas também reforça o contraste entre a frieza do mundo corporativo e a vulnerabilidade humana.
A evolução dos personagens ao longo do dorama é um dos pontos altos de Namib. Assistir a cada um deles enfrentar seus demônios internos, crescer e encontrar um sentido de propósito é uma experiência emocionalmente gratificante. Como o refrão da última canção de Yoo Jin Woo proclama:
"
Ainda sorria de novo / Levante-se novamente / Ombros encolhidos / Isso não combina com você."
Essas palavras encapsulam a essência do dorama: uma mensagem de resiliência e esperança. Por mais que as portas se fechem e o cenário pareça desfavorável, erguer a cabeça e seguir em frente é um ato de vitória. Namib pode não ser um dorama impecável em sua execução, mas sua mensagem sobre a capacidade humana de superação e autodescoberta é, sem dúvida, perfeita em sua intenção e impacto.
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This review may contain spoilers
"Namib" is a story about two broken people who help each other heal.Soo Hyun seems like a very cold and distant person, but in reality she is a woman who carries a lot of guilt, she blames herself for her son's accident and his hearing loss. Soo Hyun doesn't want to appear weak, so she hides all her problems and worries, trying to fix her son's future, with the obsession of buying a factory for him. One day she meets Yoo Jin Woo, a very talented young man, but in order for that to become something, he needs work and attention, so she makes a deal with Jin Woo, she will sign with him, with the promise that Jin Woo will become popular and pay her back.
The drama is very intense, the story deals with difficult issues like self-harm, depression and guilt, as well as the whole issue of being an idol, how this life is not easy at all. It is a beautiful story, because it takes all of this and turns it into hope. Jin Woo is an incredible singer, but his life was very difficult and hurting himself, it was his way of surviving, of coping... Soo Hyun then becomes his shelter, his home and the person who changed his life.
It's the kind of story that people need to watch, it's inspiring, it reminded me of the drama "Uncle". If I had to find a flaw, it would be that there are only a few musical moments, there should be more.
There was also an extra bit of happiness, every moment between Joon Suk and Bong Gyu, their bromance is so cute. At first they only fought because of Soo Hyun, but after spending so much time together, they became friends <3
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Pigpen from the Peanuts comic strip has only one joke really
Charles Schulz created one of the most iconic comic strips of the 20th century with his warm and charming characters idly navigating school and youth baseball and adolescent crushes but layered with subversive and existential themes. Kids with absolutely no parental involvement. Bullying laughed off as kids being kids. A consistent message that practice and trying hard does not actually always garner rewards. Alienation, melancholy, anxiety, et al. It just so happens, however, that one of the oft-overlooked characters from "Peanuts" is the ideal metaphor for "Namib".Pigpen is mostly a backdrop for the main characters and rarely gets a line. Namib has been garnering ratings of under 3 percent viewership.
Pigpen has the basic construction of other Peanuts characters. Big round head with close-set eyes, a few wisps of hair, trapezoid-shaped body and oversized shoes. Namib has the diva female lead, the angtsy male teen, the awkward girl with a crush, the cold and conniving CEO, the bad boy peer and the princess in distress.
Pigpen, in the comic strip, has a single gag which is that he [dramatic pause] cleans up [TA DA!!!! Jazz hands!] but as soon as he does, he almost instantly gets covered with dirt and dust again. It's not really a great gag but as mentioned above, deep literary analysis of Peanuts is about as light and fun as a semester studying Dostoyevsky and Lermontov at a little known liberal arts college in rural Indiana (if that sounds oddly personal and specific, well, yeah it is).
And that cycle is pretty much "Namib" in a nutshell. It's a mess. Throughout. Unrelenting. Except for a couple of really great scenes.
Gyo Hyun Jung is absolutely lost as Kang Su Hyeon. The character doesn't make sense, either in the backstory or her actions through the course of the show. She seems nice and smart and intuitive on the exterior but the primary plot requires her to do things that are unconscionably cruel and dumb and hurtful and the portrayal doesn't even show a lick of internal "I know I have to do this but I feel really awful about it". Instead, Gyo Hyun Jung sleepwalks through her scenes with about as much emotional heft as if she were ordering a diet soda through a drive-thru.
Lee Seung Joon is a terrible villain. The writing for the villain isn't great. It's irredeemably dumb that he has some sob story and a parade of misunderstandings about why he's such a jerk. Just make him a jerk. Less backstory. More present day jerkiness. And with a better actor. Lee Seung Joon is about as menacing as a one of the horses on an antique carousel that doesn't even bob up and down.
And the cliches. And the poor blocking. Some weird editing. One of the weakest supporting casts of any drama. Questionable wardrobing. Even the name makes so little sense that an awkward explainer scene has to be inserted so there's at least an attempt to make it make sense but in the larger context of the show, the explanation is profoundly nonsensical. It's an almost wall-to-wall mess.
But like our good pal Pigpen, it has a couple moments where somehow, someway, it has a terrific sequence. Every once in a while, Ryeoun (our angtsy teen heartthrob whose psychological issues need SERIOUS psychiatric counseling but instead gets haphazardly used as a plot device and then immediately glossed over) sings a ballad. And there are ballads in just about every drama. And they are almost always fillers for some montage so the production can eat up a few minutes without having to stretch some flimsy dialogue even more thinly across a sixty minute runtime. It's typically a perfect opportunity to use the 10 second skip ahead button until the schmaltz stops.
Not these. Man, this young man can sing. Act? Debatable. He had moments in "Twinkling Watermelon" but he's certainly not elevating a character beyond its weak writing here. But sing? [long dramatic pause] Sweet holy infant in a Middle Eastern manger. He could probably get the most machismo-fueled, fundamentalist Christian, straight-for-life Navy SEAL to think twice about his sexuality.
And then like Pigpen resuming his dirt & dust covered wallflower existence, Ryeoun stops singing and "Namib" goes back to its messy dialogue and trite characters and other assorted forgettable wreckage.
Not recommended.
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What An Emotional Rollercoaster
This is now one of my favourite of all time KDrama. Ryeoun's acting was superb and had me emotionally invested from start to finish. I was emotionally drained up to episode 10 but thereafter I was able to breath. There were a few themes dealt with in this show and they were done very thoughtfully. I do think however, there needs to be a warning given as some viewers may be triggered by a particular theme/scene. All endings were tidied up nicely which added to the pleasure of watching. But I was blown away by Ryeoun and Go Hyun Jung's acting chops but all the cast performed very admirably as well.Highly recommend watching this show, but its not your regular feel good hit.
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interesting story and great acting
I watched this drama mainly for Lee Jin Woo but I found that I was totally invested and really enjoyed it. I could not quite get on board with all the characters (I did want to strangle the FL a few times!)but thats ok.I was most impressed with the acting of the two boys. Ryeoun broke my heart with his excellent acting . The way he portrayed a vulnerable boy who seems to have it all worked out at the beginning but quickly you see how broken, lonely and desperate he is. Then JinWoo who is overprotected by his mum mainly because of his disablility but who finds his own path and friendships that help him on his way to independence.
I usually like it when dramas are shorter but this one I wished we had a bit more time to explore the background of some of the characters more.
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So Emotional
It's a whole new emotional story.. it made me a wreck as I know some things myself too.The acting was on another level especially Ryeoun.. i kinda was irritated by Su Hyeon character.. idk if it was the character fault or actress fault but she was definitely more hated by me than CEO Jang. I was so angry at her when she used Yoo Jin Woo and then just like that he joined her again.. well it ended good for him after all but, after all he's been through she just played him for her own good.
Overally it was a good story and I especially loved the music. It made me smile.
Big applause for Ryeoun!
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“Smiling again” is not enough to overcome depression
Ryeoun once again tackled a challenging role by depicting the pains of mental health. The found family dynamics in this show kept me coming back for each episode cause I’m an absolute sucker for that stuff. But despite the elements of healing and overcoming challenges, Namib leaves viewers with a few questions. One in particular still looms overhead:Why oh why, would a boy with severe depression and struggles with self-harm, go into the celebrity biz?
Though Namib highlights the negative effects of stardom and challenges of mental health, it fails to face them head on. Instead, the show illustrates how good friends and a positive outlook on life will help get you through.
No.
If a story wants me to take mental health seriously, THE STORY needs to take it seriously.
Overall I enjoyed Namib and its story and characters, but there are multiple elements it didn’t quite flesh out and the ending left me feeling dissatisfied. The set up for the characters was great, but there were several plot points that didn’t make sense for the characters. This is especially true for Kang Seo Hyeon who frequently contradicted her own character—she was honestly a bit of an extraneous variable for the story.
I wouldn’t say Namib ended too quickly, but rather that it bit off a little more than it could chew. As someone who struggles with depression, it’s always off-putting when stories suddenly “resolve” it. Ryeoun does a fantastic job, however, in his performance. If you’re a fan of his, you will likely find this drama worth it!
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Worth its time
The writing, the camera work and the realization are excellent, we have here top Korean cinematography at its best.There are a lot of pretty fcaes, of course, but also very good actors like Go Hyun Jung and Yoon Sang Hyun. The cuts
are very intriguing at the beginning, I had the feeling of following a hriller or a fast criminal series, but it has a lot of psychology and harsh views on a for sure very hurtful world. Everything s packed with beautiful music worth listening
on its own. All in one I can say that this drama is worth its view time.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Tale of Dreams, Struggles, and Redemption
Namib tells the compelling story of a 19-year-old idol trainee with a turbulent past, grappling with feelings of disposability in a cutthroat industry. Choosing mediocrity as a shield, his path intertwines with the determined ex-CEO of Pandora Entertainment, a woman navigating the complex roles of mother, wife, and daughter. Together, they embark on a journey of mutual support and self-discovery, betting everything on a shared dream.Having watched the first two episodes, I find Namib both promising and deeply engaging. The narrative captures the joint struggle to reclaim self-worth, beautifully portraying the strength in vulnerability and the power of second chances.
Ryeon, as expected, is phenomenal in his role, bringing the same charm and nuance that captivated audiences in Twinkling Watermelon. Familiar faces enrich the cast, adding layers of intrigue and familiarity. The story hints at even greater depth, making it a must-watch for fans of heartfelt dramas.
So far, Namib has been an enjoyable ride, and I’m eagerly looking forward to where this journey leads!
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