Be Melodramatic (2019)

A drama that shows the birth of a Korean Drama

This story isn't really filled with dramatic plot twists but I enjoyed it.

All of the main characters are working in the industry but mostly behind the scenes like writers, directors, marketing, composers, and managers. (I think Somin is the only supporting character that's a celebrity). I learned how Kdramas are created in this drama because it showed the step by step process of it since the main couple is a writer and director creating a drama together. Sometimes I wonder if this is really based on the author's personal experience lol.

I really love how the side characters started low (?) and started to develop in the next episodes, making me more interested in them. There are a lot of side couples in this drama. I didn't pay attention much to Somin's character and story at first but I started to enjoy seeing her relationship with her manager and her life as a celebrity. Even I find Jinjoo's ex boss funny in the later episodes. But Director Kim Sangsoo really stole the show. He only appeared midway and I wished we got to see more of his story and character. I really liked his relationship with Eunjung.

[ SPOILER ]
I think I might be the only one that's glad Hanjoo and Jaehoon didn't end up together because I can't really ship them because Jaehoon's still with his girlfriend. I felt uncomfortable in their relationship (If I were Hanjoo, I wouldn't get too close to a guy with a gf or If I were the gf, I'd be jealous if my bf's getting too close with another person who also seems to like him).

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A gem amidst the pebbles!

Be Melodramatic is a breath of fresh air that strays from the mainstream of kdramas and stands up on its own, but not enough to call it unique as it still has hints of the usual.
A good philosophy is to be immature when having fun, falling in love and being in love and be mature when it matters; this show is the epitome of that. Forget the plot or storylines, or even some of the mediocre acting because the dialogue is enough to carry itself and everyone else. They're clever, real, humane incisive but always honest. The script and dialogue are what define this show for me, conveying the idea that life is meaningful and unpredictable which is reflected in the dialogue and the story itself. The living room conversations and discussions vary depending on the topic, but it's mostly funny, sometimes hilarious and at times heart-rending. Each episode had me chuckling or laughing out loud, yet some still had room to draw a tear or two. Issues like grief, depression, loneliness, and relationships are dealt with in a mature way.
The show is full of experiential life lessons which can relate to anyone who's experienced them or something to look forward to or avoid if you haven't. Don't expect any extreme plot twists or extravagant scenes because this series is grounded in real life. This show is grown-up, perfectly imperfect, insightful and refreshing. This is a show I would definitely revisit in the near future.

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i really watched this because i recently really like seeing yun jion. a few months(?) ago i tried to watch it but stopped in the middle of episode 1 and never touched it again until now. Now that i finished it, it's pretty fun? i guess. I don't really watch a lot of slice of life, since it can get boring. And i probably thought that a few times throughout this drama in specific scenes. But, I shall just really talk about the things that i like about it first. The songs are really nice. Maybe it's because I'm biased, but yun jion's ost is really good especially. His voice is calming and comforting to hear. Especially now that I'm going through a hard time, it's nice to listen to songs like that. Also the roommates concept they have of the three main women and the little brother (+ a child) is really cute and nice. While we're on that topic actually. There's quite a lot of scenes with the four casually hanging out at home, but there wasn't as much scenes of the lee siblings. well, could be because hyobong isn't part of the main cast, but it felt a little lacking. In the few siblings bonding scene they have, it was cute and really heartwarming, so it's kind of disappointing they didnt have more of it. (and kinda irrelevant? but i'm really bad at seeing people as "similar looking" when i'm already used to their faces. i thought the same for jeon yeobeen and yun jion getting casted as siblings. but after a while, i understand why they got casted as the siblings, i could actually see their similarity). Anyway... that was fun. And if I would rewatch it, it's probably just to see jion, and it's just looking at clips, cause idk, as much as i like it, i don't think i can or have the patience to.

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My first review on MDL

This is such a precious drama. The characters are so honest, raw and relatable, that you end up feeling like they're your friends. The storyline may seem boring to some, since it adresses trivial problems, but if you open your heart to it, you may appreciate the simplicity of this narrative. Though it's rather uneventful (there's not a lot of big events or great tragedies to move the plot forward, like most k-dramas), it's very interesting to watch.
Many times I was deeply touched by what seemed to be a silly story. I particularly loved the dialogues (Jin Joo is my spirit animal! So many great quotes from her), the character development (it's so endearing to watch them grow), the way the drama seems to laugh at itself sometimes, and just the honesty of it all.
The only complaint I have regarding this drama is that I felt they went too heavy on the meta stuff towards the end, and that felt a little lazy sometimes. Despite recognizing the drama has its flaws, I can't not give it a 10/10. I just love it too much. If you like slice of life, please, give it a shot!

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Laugh your heart out, bawl your eyes out

How is this drama not more popular? How is this drama not on everyone’s recommend to watch list?

This drama has the most intelligent writing I have seen amongst the 80 odd KDramas I have watched. The humor is quirky and brillIant. I loved how the drama has pulled a meta on the drama industry and the references are hilarious.

Story: The story is simple, 3 women friends finding their way in their 30s in their career and personal lives. Find me a drama that has a great balance of emotional upheaval and comedy. This one does it splendidly.

Cast/Acting: Again a fine example of great casting. Jeon Yeo Been and Chun Woo Hee are the stars but the rest of the cast is also brilliant. My favourite scenes are the ones between the trio and Eun Jung’s gay brother and Ahn Jae-Hong & Chun Woo Hee’s characters bantering. I couldn’t stop laughing at the funny lines and sarcastic takes. Jeon Yeo Been in her emotional breakdown and dealing with depression was phenomenal - it made me a fan of hers for life. She dazzles in this role , if you loved her in Vincenzo, don’t miss her in this one.

Music: The entire album is brilliant, but come back to me if you listen to ‘Your Shampoo Scent in the Flowers’ and don’t get addicted to it, we need to have a serious talk ;-)

Rewatch Value : Zillion times and over. It’s my comfort drama , I have rewatched it twice and I keep going back to many scenes when I’m dying to have a good laugh. This drama never fails me!

Overall : Go Watch Now if you have landed here!

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Heartbreak Three

Be Melodramatic is a drama that really challenges the status quo on Korean society and standard story telling. Having no primary plot, it tells the story of 3 FLs and their hardships, experiences and encounters in their daily lives. Each FL has had a sad or unfortunate circumstance and they are trying their best to continue on with their lives. Personally, I would include Lee So Min as the 4th FL since she also has so much backstory and her second lead ship is one of the cutest and well written past I have ever seen. (I was introducted to this drama because of the 2nd lead Lee So Min/Lee Min Joon ship that made me want to watch the entire drama) This drama literally has everything in it, from emotional trauma, heart wrenching pasts, funny and comedic duos, close friendship, feeling powerless, touchy subjects and honest love. There is so much well thought out backstory and personality behind each character that this IP could have went on for many seasons. Last note, this drama for me has the single most memorable line for years to come; "I need a hug...I am talking to you guys..." when you finally understand the meaning and reason behind this single line, five boxes of tissues won't save you.

Quick Story/Plot
Be Melodramatic does not have a primary plot but instead tells stories and events that are occuring with the 3 FLs. The plot also does not shy aware from touchy subjects that are much less talked about in Korean society. If I were to give a general flow of the story, the first half the drama is about the unfortunate and sad events that have occurred and the later half is the healing and becoming honest with oneself. Also not having a standard story telling format was a great benefit to the overall story as it made the audience curious and anticipating the transition of the characters and where it would bring them.

Quick Acting/Cast/Characters
There is so much backstory and personality for each character that it would be difficult to go through each one + I would recommend learning the cast yourself to really have that deeper emotional connection. Nevertheless, here is a short summary:
- Im Jin Joo is an unfortunate script writer met with unfortunate events. She eventually leaves the toxic environment and learns to cope with the people from her past and meets new people in her life.
- Lee Eun Jung is a documentary director experiencing life's cruel fate. Without much spoiling, she is now trying to cope and accept her mental trauma and move on.
- Hwang Han Joo is a single mum that has worked hard to reach the position of head of marketing team for a drama production company. She lost most of her youth getting to this position while taking care of her son and would like to experience love again.
- Lee So Min is a rising actress that does not have a painful backstory, but she is oblivious as to how important Lee Min Joon, her manager, was to her until he was scouted by another company.
- Son Beom Soo is a drama director with a quirky personality and different way of thinking. He becomes involved with Jin Joo and tries to persuade her to become his writer.
- Choo Jae Hoon is a staff under Hwang Han Joo's team and is dealing with a toxic girlfriend. Jae Hoon then starts a younger man/older woman "relationship" while working with Han Joo.
- Special shout-out to my boy Lee Min Joon, manager of Lee So Min. Due to a promise made back in high school, he now supports So Min as a primary goal in his life.
- Rest of the cast also have a wealth of backstory with them.

Music/OSTs
The music and OSTs are a banger which not only elevates the scenes but also brings out an extra layer of emotions to improve what would have just been a normal scene. The popular OST song " Your Shampoo Scent In the Flowers" covered and loved by many people is from this drama.

Rewatch Value
Would definitely rewatch and experience the emotional, heartbreak, funny and empowering scenes all over again. Sometimes I would go back to watch clips of notable scenes or listen to the soothing playlist.

Why my current rating (10)
All in all, this drama is a healing story for the 3 FLs. Learning to look past the painful experiences and forward to a better future. Since the setting is set in modern real life Korea with real examples, the plot can be taken in any direction and continued on as a series. (I am deeply saddened there is no follow-up seasons) What made this drama so compelling and eventually becoming my No.1 Drama is how well each character was written and weaved with other characters + backstories. It was like having 5 main stories all told in parallel with 7 side stories being told by most of the side casts. Each character had a role and had purpose in the story. I would definitely recommend giving this drama a go if you like RomCom, Slice of Life, Friendship dramas and remember to have boxes of tissues next to you, you have been warned...

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Smart, Sassy and Female Driven

Not a single misstep in this entire drama.
Meta and self-aware with witty dialogue and killer scenes. This drama deals with loss, love and careers in a delicate balance while maintaining cheeky humor and perpetually side-winking at the audience.

While it is female-centric, and not my usual genre, all the relationships, either platonic or romantic, were fantastically written with subtleties I've never experienced before. The characters were consistent, and while there was growth among the two leads, their original zany and brash ways were kept throughout the entire series.

The production was out of this world, wonderfully produced beautifully shot. At no point at all did I feel as if I was watching B-team or pick-up scenes as you often feel in other dramas towards the later episodes.

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REAL AND HEALING DRAMA

"More than the story, it's the characters that matter" : this sentence can summarize the essence of drama; The story is focused on the development of the situation and the feelings of the characters. It is more focused on love, but it also deals with taboo subjects in Korea (and throughout the world as well) such as single mother, the death of one's lover, sex, cheating, homosexuality... It's NOT BORING, even if it is simple, the story is really exciting.

LOVE : the writers depicted love in a very fair way. It seems real.
FRIENDSHIP: the same sense of reality ! It's a healing drama for that.

The acting is amazing, perfect... all the actors of the drama have a real talent on screen. Usually, in k-drama, there is always at least one actor whose character is ridiculous, poorly played (most of the time a supposed-to be funny character). But it's not the case !! I was really impressed by the overall quality of acting;

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When I started this drama, I don’t have any expectation that this drama would be one of my favorite romcom kdrama. I just love everything, how the story goes, how all characters portray their characters and oh the OST.
But I have to admit that Lee Eun Jung is my favorite character, I feel sympathized with her story, her love story is somewhat tragic. When she finally realized her bf is gone, the studio scene, I cried my eyes out. Though I was hoping to see more of her and the Director but I’m satisfied enough with her ending story. The main couple, they are hilarious, how they were bickering and then suddenly they turn to lovey-dovey couple, love ‘em.

I watched this drama twice and might watch it again when I’m bored and looking for something light and entertaining to watch.

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Beautiful Story About Love, Loss and Friendship

I have been struggling to find the words to accurately describe how much I loved and appreciated this drama. The writing made me laugh, cry and think about the ways I could relate to the lessons being shared in each episode. All the characters were beautifully written, especially our three leading ladies, and I found myself being instantly attached to them since the first episode. I was blown away by how well the writers were able to flesh out almost all the characters(especially considering how large the cast was)without it becoming too overwhelming, and the plot was never convoluted, messy, or predictable. The lack of predictability was something that really shocked me since this tends to be a huge issue in kdramas, specifically melodramas. Towards the end of the episode, I had no idea what was going to happen next and the realization soon hit that going with the flow and letting the story do its thing was the best way to enjoy this drama.

The friendship between Jin Joo, Eun Jung, and Han Joo felt so incredibly realistic and it made me yearn for a friendship as beautiful and lovely as theirs. Eun Jung's brother, Hyo Bong, was also a part of this tight-knit group of friends, and his presence was natural and never felt out of place. These 4 individuals had so much love and respect for one another and you can see that in the way they spoke to one another and supported one another. There was a deep sense of trust amongst the group, and apart from little spats, we never actually see them fight. It felt warm and cozy watching the scenes where they all sat on the sofa at the end of the day watching TV, eating snacks, and just talking about their day or how they're feeling. It felt so natural and I would always get a warm fuzzy feeling. What sealed the deal for me is the way they handled Eun Jung's grief, which was a major theme in the show. The 3 of them never pressured her, never forced her to speak about how she was feeling, and graciously accepted her with open arms once she was ready.

On that note, the way Be Melodramatic handled the topic of grief and mental health was so well done. Oftentimes, kdrama's tend to fail horribly when it comes to addressing those themes, but BM was certainly not one of them. Despite the fact that 2 years have passed, Eun Jung has yet to address the pain from losing her boyfriend, Joon Woo. Because of that, she's found a way of coping by tricking her brain into thinking that he is there with her and even carrying full-on conversations with him. She pretends that she is fine but once she realizes what she has been doing, she is hit with the harsh reality that Joon Woo is gone and that he isn't coming back. It's a poignant scene that reminds the viewers that Eun Jung is still in a great deal of pain but hasn't learned to deal with it. What was great is seeing how Eun Jung willingly sought therapy after her brother urged her to and how these scenes were taken seriously. The therapist genuinely cared about her wellbeing and what it is she had to say, and Eun Jung genuinely made an effort to answer the therapist's questions to the best of her abilities. It was nice to see her go back to the same therapist a few episodes later to show that she was still actively receiving help. Mental health and grief are usually not taken seriously in dramas and tend to be solved easily, but BM handles these topics with care and presents Eun Jung's journey of healing as realistically as possible. By the last episode, she still sees and speaks to him, but it is clear that she's in a much better place and is beginning to learn how to live her life without him. There is no clean-cut conclusion because grief and healing are not easy and it was such a beautiful open ending to her story.

God, I have so much more to say about this show. The way the comedy fit so well with the quirky atmosphere, the way both romantic and platonic relationships were written so nicely, the way the plot was clever and nicely paced, the way every single character, pairing, and group had immense chemistry, and especially the way the actors did an incredible job portraying their characters. My one and only complaint is the way the plot twist is thrown in the last episode where it is revealed that Han Joo was actually dating someone the entire time. We were never given any indication that she was in a relationship and it felt like a cheap way to let the viewers know that Han Joo and Jae Hoon were strictly platonic. It was genuinely frustrating considering the fact that the show had led us to believe that there were romantic feelings present, but since they wanted to show that they were just friends, I wish they had done a better job at revealing this fact. Because it is such a small issue within a sea of perfection, that one flaw isn't enough to bump down my 10-star rating and I highly, highly, HIGHLY, recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy and heartwarming drama to binge.

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