A Calm Journey & Beautiful Setting, But Something’s Missing
If you’ve seen When the Weather Is Fine, you’ll immediately recognize the similar tone in Summer Strike. Both dramas carry that small-town, quiet-life healing concept, but after watching a lot of dramas over the years, I can clearly see where this one falls short.
This drama tries to deliver romance, comedy, and even a bit of mystery with a murder subplot. The romantic element is there, but the chemistry between the leads is quite flat. They both performed well on their own, but as a couple, the spark was just missing. On the other hand, the comedy parts were genuinely well written and enjoyable—it’s the one area where the show shines.
Now about the mystery: honestly, the murder angle didn’t fit. This drama only has 12 episodes with short runtime, so there’s limited space to build any strong suspense. The pacing suffers as a result. Episodes 3 to 6 felt like fillers—nothing important really happens, and even if you skip them, you won’t miss much. The plot could’ve stayed focused on healing and relationships without the crime angle.
Shin Eun Soo, who plays the second female lead, delivers a fantastic performance. I already liked her from Twinkling Watermelon, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but she felt more convincing than the main leads. The second male lead doesn’t get much attention, and his role felt more like background support than a full character.
Also, the supporting cast overall did a much better job than expected. One thing I have to point out—Kwak Min Gyoo gave a better performance than both the male and female leads from my perspective. I genuinely enjoyed her scenes more than the main plot scenes.
In conclusion, Summer Strike isn’t a bad drama, but it struggles with its direction. If you’re looking for something light and peaceful, and you've already watched most slice-of-life or healing dramas, this one is okay for a one-time watch. Just go in with lower expectations.
This drama tries to deliver romance, comedy, and even a bit of mystery with a murder subplot. The romantic element is there, but the chemistry between the leads is quite flat. They both performed well on their own, but as a couple, the spark was just missing. On the other hand, the comedy parts were genuinely well written and enjoyable—it’s the one area where the show shines.
Now about the mystery: honestly, the murder angle didn’t fit. This drama only has 12 episodes with short runtime, so there’s limited space to build any strong suspense. The pacing suffers as a result. Episodes 3 to 6 felt like fillers—nothing important really happens, and even if you skip them, you won’t miss much. The plot could’ve stayed focused on healing and relationships without the crime angle.
Shin Eun Soo, who plays the second female lead, delivers a fantastic performance. I already liked her from Twinkling Watermelon, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but she felt more convincing than the main leads. The second male lead doesn’t get much attention, and his role felt more like background support than a full character.
Also, the supporting cast overall did a much better job than expected. One thing I have to point out—Kwak Min Gyoo gave a better performance than both the male and female leads from my perspective. I genuinely enjoyed her scenes more than the main plot scenes.
In conclusion, Summer Strike isn’t a bad drama, but it struggles with its direction. If you’re looking for something light and peaceful, and you've already watched most slice-of-life or healing dramas, this one is okay for a one-time watch. Just go in with lower expectations.
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