A Rollercoaster of Satire, Drama, and Frustration
Heard It Through the Grapevine is a drama that boldly kicks off with a strong, gripping premise, immediately immersing viewers in its sharp satire and intense family dynamics. However, while the opening episodes shine with energy and intrigue, the series gradually loses steam as it progresses, particularly in the middle stretch, where the narrative seems to meander. That said, the show manages to fill its hefty 30-episode runtime without feeling overly padded—a commendable feat in itself.One of the drama’s standout strengths is its masterful tonal balance. Few shows can oscillate between laugh-out-loud comedy and moments of heart-wrenching seriousness as seamlessly as this one does. This duality keeps the audience engaged, even when the plot occasionally falters. The ability to tackle heavy themes like family expectations, societal hypocrisy, and class divides while maintaining an undercurrent of humor is where this drama truly excels.
The production quality is impressive, especially for a 2015 series. Save for the occasional sound clipping during shouting scenes, the visuals, direction, and overall execution feel polished and modern. The music, while excellent, is sparse—more tracks would have enhanced the emotional depth of the longer runtime.
The characters are a mixed bag, with the male lead’s parents emerging as the ultimate villains—unbearably out of touch with reality and masters of deflection. Their treatment of Seo Bom, the drama’s central character in my eyes, is particularly frustrating. The absurdity of blaming her for everything, from adultery to workplace strikes to the proverbial end of the world, becomes a recurring theme that borders on exhausting. While this blame-game dynamic is likely intended to highlight the absurdity of their privilege and prejudice, it can feel repetitive and draining by the latter half of the series.
The subplot involving workplace politics is another weak point. It often feels disconnected from the more engaging family drama and personal conflicts. However, the side characters are handled well, with just enough screen time to add depth without overstaying their welcome.
Despite its flaws, Heard It Through the Grapevine delivers a satisfying emotional arc, with the final episode standing out as one of the series’ best. Alongside the stellar first episode, it bookends the story with poignant, memorable moments that linger long after the credits roll.
In conclusion, while the middle episodes sag under the weight of repetitive conflicts and misplaced blame, the drama’s sharp humor, emotional resonance, and strong start and finish make it worth the watch. It may test your patience at times, but its highs more than make up for its occasional lows. If you’re ready for a rollercoaster of laughter, frustration, and heartfelt moments, Heard It Through the Grapevine won’t disappoint.
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Different take on rich ML/poor FL
This drama should have been named "The art of manupilation". Everyone in this drama, is manupilating someone else. I was pleasantly surprised by this take on rich guy/poor girl, as it's different.The humor is very understated, so you kinda have to understand humor to find it in this drama. LOL
The music is a mixture of alien and the 50s, kinda weird.
If this drama was even 10 episodes shorter, I would have rated it 9/10, but it's really too long. Over all I do recommend it, as it's interesting to see how easy people can be manupilated.
This would have been 100 daily soap, so for those who like soap operas, this is highly recommended.
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Brilliant music! Unique sense of humor! exceptional taste of drama.
disclaimer: I've watched 14/30 episodesIt slightly reminds me of Prison Playbook; the comedy and how everything happens quietly.
It is also a bit realistic. Not too much that it takes out the dramatic effect, but only enough to make us relate.
The dark setting also gives a unique vibe to it. I seem to only like to watch in the dark.
The father is the most hilarious thing; and their relationship with the baby is so cute.
The atmosphere between the workers is not portrayed excessively unrealistically.
And most importantly, an adorable couple that hooked me up to the drama.
Everything is perfect. There are many moments that touch your heart and make you smile really wide. Every moment is enjoyable.
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This review may contain spoilers
Loved it!
I have to start with Yoo Joon Sang’s performance in this drama. The actor never disappoints me. One minute he’d have me hating him, then the next he’d have me laughing my head off.I usually get tired of the wealthy family and their machinations a quarter way through the drama . I think what kept me watching was the dynamic between Han Jung ho and everyone around him. The parents’ obtuseness when it came to their children especially his son cracked me up. Yet they became typical grandparents when it came to Jin young.
I do think it was a little draggy but the ending was perfect because Jung Ho still didn’t get it even after his wife left him. Not that she was any better with her children than he was. Their inability to accept any responsibility for their actions no matter how many times they were told it always came down to blaming Bom.
I also liked how the music would be kind of eerie in the house when the parents were somewhere close or about to enter a room.
I’ll probably watch it again.
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