A very unique drama, in all the best ways
Friendly Rivalry stands out from most of the dramas I've watched in my life. There is much to love in here: the cinematography, the experimentation, the flow, the unafraid heavier tone and more. Some of the scenes feel like watching a movie with the way they are constructed, and the script excels the most in those special scenes - which I believe were not present in the manhwa, so special props to the team behind the drama. It's so cool to watch!I admit I started watching because of *that* scene preview. but I really won't mind if there are no more "explicit" romantic moments. Female-focused stories feel way more close to my heart, so it's not hard to love this one. The relationship and complicated friendship between Jaeyi, Gyeong, Yeri and Seulgi is enough to keep me entertained, but Friendly Rivalry delivers much more. If you're looking for a drama where you can play detective and try to figure out what is going on everytime an episode ends, look no further! Friendly Rivalry has it. And it's so much fun.
The cast is really great, especially the two main characters played by Chung Subin and Lee Hyeri. Seulgi and Jaeyi's roles are somewhat complex, and it would be very easy to make the characters end up a little cringe or just not that good, but instead they deal with the many difficult scenes with ease. To top it all off, their chemistry is great. The casting is on point.
Maybe because this is being streamed online and not on TV, it seems Friendly Rivalry has a bigger amount of creative freedom. This makes for a really interesting drama to watch if you're trying to get away from the same old stuff.
I am truly glad to find artsy dramas like these. I hope Friendly Rivalry gets more and more popular and becomes a big success! Wishing it the best :)
Was this review helpful to you?
