This review may contain spoilers
I watched this because of its rating on this site…
Once you get past the ridiculous name, this was a fun drama! It’s far from my favorite time-traveling/90s nostalgia series, but it’s definitely above average.
My favorite part was the father-son relationship between Eun Gyeol and Lee Chan. Eun Gyeol’s concern and over-protective fawning over his father was adorable, and the comedy built around all those silly misunderstandings was next-level hilarious! And of course I loved all the band members—they were such an easy group to cheer for.
I also loved the inclusion of deaf characters, and how it affects—not only them—but those around them. Even when the story veered into darker territory, the core message revolved around friendship, hope, and the profound need to feel heard. Eun-gyeol’s protective instincts towards his mom was definitely another highlight for me. Every time he stood up to her awful stepmother, I cheered.
I may be in the minority, but my main issue was the predictable plot that occasionally dragged. That, and I struggled with certain story and character choices—particularly Eun Yoo. I never quite warmed up to her role in the story, and struggled to connect with her as a character. She came across as overly dramatic and illogical (her “sob story” wasn’t extreme enough to justify suicide and her “first love” plan didn’t even make sense. She was hard to take seriously.)
However, I found Se-Kyung’s character much more sympathetic, with a more compelling backstory—so it’s a shame they traded her out for her boring daughter. I honestly would’ve preferred to see ajumma in the past as an actual “helper” who returns as her younger self to overcome her regrets, and finally make amends with her father. Adding the daughter felt like a cop-out, like she was shoehorned in to force an unnecessary romance with Eun Gyeol that would survive the time-skip back to the present. Frankly, their romance added very little to the overall story—nothing ajumma couldn’t have accomplished in her place, and ultimately, I just didn’t feel much chemistry between Eun Gyeol and Eun Yoo. The only romance that really mattered, anyway, was Eun-Gyeol’s parents—and they were sweet, but a bit lukewarm as well, since the writer kept wasting time on the other couple. I would’ve preferred more focus and buildup for them to make the final payoff more satisfying.
It was a fun drama overall, but not one I’d outright recommend unless you’re a fan of the actors or this particular genre. I think it could’ve been better, but it was enjoyable for what it was: An amusing, far-fetched fantasy with short flashes of brilliance, and an ending that didn’t (completely) disappoint.
My favorite part was the father-son relationship between Eun Gyeol and Lee Chan. Eun Gyeol’s concern and over-protective fawning over his father was adorable, and the comedy built around all those silly misunderstandings was next-level hilarious! And of course I loved all the band members—they were such an easy group to cheer for.
I also loved the inclusion of deaf characters, and how it affects—not only them—but those around them. Even when the story veered into darker territory, the core message revolved around friendship, hope, and the profound need to feel heard. Eun-gyeol’s protective instincts towards his mom was definitely another highlight for me. Every time he stood up to her awful stepmother, I cheered.
I may be in the minority, but my main issue was the predictable plot that occasionally dragged. That, and I struggled with certain story and character choices—particularly Eun Yoo. I never quite warmed up to her role in the story, and struggled to connect with her as a character. She came across as overly dramatic and illogical (her “sob story” wasn’t extreme enough to justify suicide and her “first love” plan didn’t even make sense. She was hard to take seriously.)
However, I found Se-Kyung’s character much more sympathetic, with a more compelling backstory—so it’s a shame they traded her out for her boring daughter. I honestly would’ve preferred to see ajumma in the past as an actual “helper” who returns as her younger self to overcome her regrets, and finally make amends with her father. Adding the daughter felt like a cop-out, like she was shoehorned in to force an unnecessary romance with Eun Gyeol that would survive the time-skip back to the present. Frankly, their romance added very little to the overall story—nothing ajumma couldn’t have accomplished in her place, and ultimately, I just didn’t feel much chemistry between Eun Gyeol and Eun Yoo. The only romance that really mattered, anyway, was Eun-Gyeol’s parents—and they were sweet, but a bit lukewarm as well, since the writer kept wasting time on the other couple. I would’ve preferred more focus and buildup for them to make the final payoff more satisfying.
It was a fun drama overall, but not one I’d outright recommend unless you’re a fan of the actors or this particular genre. I think it could’ve been better, but it was enjoyable for what it was: An amusing, far-fetched fantasy with short flashes of brilliance, and an ending that didn’t (completely) disappoint.
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