"Be Melodramatic" -- Meandering, But Moving At Times
The first half of Be Melodramatic can feel unhurried to a fault, which made the back half all the more satisfying. From episode 9 onward, the series gains emotional momentum while retaining its dry, self-aware sense of humor, allowing its characters to reach genuine turning points.
Most of the show’s major relationships come to a boil, most notably Jin-joo and Beom-soo’s. Jin-joo spends much of the series hesitant to commit, weighed down by regrets from her previous relationship. I appreciated how the show frames her eventual decision to embrace Beom-soo not as a grand romantic revelation, but as a quiet moment of clarity. A dinner date with her ex at a fancy restaurant (one he can barely afford) is meant to win her back through spectacle. Instead, it backfires, making clear how little such gestures matter to her now and confirming that her feelings lie with Beom-soo.
While others move toward romance, Eun-jung continues to process the death of her fiancé. In the second half of the series, she becomes more committed to confronting her grief head-on. As the visions of her late partner grow more persistent, she begins therapy and slowly works through the pain she’s been avoiding. By the show’s end, she’s in a better place, though notably not “healed” in any tidy sense. Her storyline is easily the saddest and most affecting of the series’ latter half, and the show deserves credit for allowing grief to remain unresolved rather than conveniently overcome.
Although the back half leans more heavily into drama, episode 13 stands out as a deliberate tonal detour. While ongoing storylines continue in the background, the episode largely revolves around a fart-related misunderstanding. The writers commit fully to the bit, mining bodily humor for laughs. This includes a sequence where Jin-joo asks her mother to fart in front of her husband to test his reaction, followed by a montage of discreet, situationally inappropriate gas. Against all odds, the episode manages to be both juvenile and strangely heartwarming, capturing the show’s knack for finding intimacy in absurdity.
My main complaint with the second half lies in the show’s overall form. While the production of Jin-joo’s drama serves as a narrative thread connecting the characters, it remains secondary to their interpersonal dynamics. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it occasionally leaves the series feeling directionless. This is most noticeable in the finale, which I found mildly disappointing. Some emotional payoffs land well, but I couldn’t help wishing the show leaned more heavily into depicting the drama’s production itself. Watching these distinct personalities collide on a working set — rather than circling around it — might have provided a stronger sense of narrative cohesion.
Still, these criticisms don’t outweigh the show’s strengths. Be Melodramatic is an enjoyable, thoughtful comedy-drama with memorable lead characters and a mature approach to love, loss, and creative ambition.
Most of the show’s major relationships come to a boil, most notably Jin-joo and Beom-soo’s. Jin-joo spends much of the series hesitant to commit, weighed down by regrets from her previous relationship. I appreciated how the show frames her eventual decision to embrace Beom-soo not as a grand romantic revelation, but as a quiet moment of clarity. A dinner date with her ex at a fancy restaurant (one he can barely afford) is meant to win her back through spectacle. Instead, it backfires, making clear how little such gestures matter to her now and confirming that her feelings lie with Beom-soo.
While others move toward romance, Eun-jung continues to process the death of her fiancé. In the second half of the series, she becomes more committed to confronting her grief head-on. As the visions of her late partner grow more persistent, she begins therapy and slowly works through the pain she’s been avoiding. By the show’s end, she’s in a better place, though notably not “healed” in any tidy sense. Her storyline is easily the saddest and most affecting of the series’ latter half, and the show deserves credit for allowing grief to remain unresolved rather than conveniently overcome.
Although the back half leans more heavily into drama, episode 13 stands out as a deliberate tonal detour. While ongoing storylines continue in the background, the episode largely revolves around a fart-related misunderstanding. The writers commit fully to the bit, mining bodily humor for laughs. This includes a sequence where Jin-joo asks her mother to fart in front of her husband to test his reaction, followed by a montage of discreet, situationally inappropriate gas. Against all odds, the episode manages to be both juvenile and strangely heartwarming, capturing the show’s knack for finding intimacy in absurdity.
My main complaint with the second half lies in the show’s overall form. While the production of Jin-joo’s drama serves as a narrative thread connecting the characters, it remains secondary to their interpersonal dynamics. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it occasionally leaves the series feeling directionless. This is most noticeable in the finale, which I found mildly disappointing. Some emotional payoffs land well, but I couldn’t help wishing the show leaned more heavily into depicting the drama’s production itself. Watching these distinct personalities collide on a working set — rather than circling around it — might have provided a stronger sense of narrative cohesion.
Still, these criticisms don’t outweigh the show’s strengths. Be Melodramatic is an enjoyable, thoughtful comedy-drama with memorable lead characters and a mature approach to love, loss, and creative ambition.
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