Extraordinary You (2019)

BEST DRAMA EVER

I could immediately tell that the story and conclusion were excellent! I wish I had a part in his show since everyone gave outstanding acting performances. While I am watching the drama, I laughed a lot. I'm delighted I saw this program; it's fun. I watched all 32 episodes of this drama in around 4 days, however I want to let the author know that occasionally I found specific parts of the episodes to be boring. You should be aware that this drama features more episodes than usual, which may make viewers bored.

Good drama overall I hope you all enjoy this drama.

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An extraordinary drama that wasn't extraordinary

First of all, I just wanted to say that the drama was quite nice. The first half definitely hooked me into the drama. I had a lot of questions as I watched these episodes and good thing most of those questions that I had in mind were answered. Secondly, the casts were good. I already watched Lee Jae-wook act in his other drama (particularly When the Weather was Fine) and I totally loved his character in that drama and this drama as well. Based on the poster (which is pretty obvious), Dan Oh and Haru (Kim Hyeyoon and Rowoon's character respectively) ended up together. And there goes my heart for Baek Kyung??, played by Lee Jae-wook. I already knew that Baek Kyung was a second male lead to Haru but I was still rooting for Baek Kyung and Dan Oh? This was my first time to ever like or root for the second male lead with the first female lead, like EVER. So, this meant that Lee Jae wook's acting was superb. He had transitioned very well into such character from being funny and light-hearted in When the Weather was Fine. Rowoon's acting was quite nice. It fitted his character as protective and caring for Dan Oh. As for Haru, Rowoon's character, I guess I would like him if his character showed a lot more (other than having a mindset to always save Dan Oh which started to annoy me on the second half of the drama). Moreover, I cringed at almost everything about Haru. Yeah, his character was all about helping Dan Oh change her fate but that was it. He was so plain to be a main character, really. So PLAIN to the fact that he's like a robot or he didn't have anything else to do with his life. Haru was definitely my biggest and utter disappointment in this drama?. As for Kim Hyeyoon's acting, she's good, quite nice. I never saw her act in a drama before. Also, I haven't watched Sky Castle before (which she was in), so I'm planning to watch it someday. Okay... back to the Kim Hyeyoon. Quite similar to Lee Jae-wook, her transition from being a mean girl in Sky Castle to a bright, cute, and brave character was smooth. She gave justice to her character by her acting skills. Though at some points, her character, Dan Oh, also had an annoying side. Watch the drama and you'll know what I meant by that. I already marked her catchphrase throughout the drama as "Haruya. Haru." which annoyed me, really. Her relationship with Haru was also quite annoying. THEY made me cringe, to be honest. It doesn't mean that someone gave what you want, you'll be in a relationship with them. Lastly, this drama has a lot of plotholes (pretty obvious, let's admit it.)

Overall, this drama was good but was not enough to honor its title as extraordinary. It is an ordinary drama and I quite regretted that I watched this drama that has 30+ episodes. If it wasn't for Kim Hyeyoon and Lee Jae-wook's acting and the supporting casts, I would have labeled this drama as time consuming and definitely not worth it. Still, I recommend you to watch this drama if you don't have anything else to do or if you feel like solving an annoying and tiring case (more like, plotholes). Oh, and be careful of cliches, there are a lot of cringeworthy scenes.??

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This is one of my favorite dramas. The drama is always filled with mix emotions. I literally experienced sadness, happiness and angriness. All of them at the same time. The storyline is really interesting. The writer imagination is in a whole another level. I really wish Lee Tae ri/Dried Squid Fairy is more recognizable in the drama. He is the main character in the DRAMA but it feels like he is the supporting character or an EXTRA. Still overall, this drama is one of the best.

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Brilliant premise and such a new concept, starts off very strong but then it loses its track in the middle. I still don't understand the point of the unnecessary love triangle with Baek Kyung. He is such a complex character, and has a lot of trauma already, what was the point of steering the show into the direction of the cliched love triangle when it could have been so much more. I definitely think it was possible to explore romantic relationships without sacrificing the more interesting aspects of the drama. The ending does redeem it however, it's just a bit difficult to go through the middle episodes, mainly because of the repetitive scenes.

I was cackling when I saw the difference between Nam Ju and Do Hwa's gifts for Ju Da. I usually love traumatic historical scenes, so that was a plus for me. It would be a shame if I don't mention the acting of Lee Jae-wook which was what elevated Baek Kyung's character to such a level. His acting is extraordinary at all times and he does justice to the very complex character he plays.

One of the things that's plaguing me is what happened to Eun Dan Oh in the stage at the end, how did the story appear in the comic, how was her and Baek Kyung's relationship drawn at the end of the comic? The show didn't clear this major point, along with several other plot points.

Because of my ranting it might seem like I was totally annoyed by the show, which was not the case. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half and the last two episodes. Dan Oh and Haru's relationship is amazingly sweet, Lee Do Hwa will always remain in my heart, it's impossible to not feel sorry for Baek Kyung and ofc I shed a few tears for the characters here and then. I also really liked Shadow Ju Da's personality and her final decision at the end. Overall I did enjoy parts of the drama but seeing such a wasted potential kind of made me sad.

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Concept is great. Execution not so much

I started watching this show just to kill some time but after the first episode I was roped in. The concept was actually very interesting and I liked the idea of them developing "egos" and becoming aware of being in a comic. However, after the 6th episode I started becoming very sceptical. The actual comic was kind of ridiculous, the character development was non-existent and even though Dan-Oh was supposed to be this "cute" girl, I was actually just getting annoyed at her mannerisms as they seem so unrelatable. But still I kept watching because I wanted to know more about the black hole, Ha-ru and why he can change the stage, if they were going to find the writer etc and none of those things ever got explained. The actual interesting parts of the story that gave it depth were rushed while the scenes that had romance in it were slow. Honestly, the character that I got most invested in was Beak-kyung since they actually put in effort to show why he was so mean to Dan-oh and he started opening up and becoming more himself whereas everyone else just seemed so shallow. Also another thing that annoyed me was, why did Ju-da pick Nam-ju over Do-hwa? Like Nam-ju was literally the most boring character in the entire story and why get our hopes up that she was going to pick Do-hwa by rejecting Nam-ju a few times, when you're just gonna make her pick Nam-ju anyways? The ending as well was so unsatisfying, even if you disregard all of the plot holes.

The best thing about this show was the acting (especially of the male characters) and the music. If you're looking for a filler drama because you don't know what to watch then yes, I would recommend this over a lot of other mediocre dramas but that's only because the concept is still very interesting.

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every good story needs a good pacing

first off, I'll start by saying that I really enjoyed this drama. I always enjoy the set up of stories where someone jumps into a comic book/novel and messy moments ensue.

I loved the main cast and supporting leads. you don't often see such a great round up! their characters were fun too even though Rowoon's was a bit flatter compared to everyone else.(understandably so). but even at the end there was nothing to him besides his love for dan o. I would have loved more character development.

my issues lie with the repetitiveness of the story and how stagnant it really was/ felt . the premise was great but ultimate delivery felt lacking.

if you want to something with a similar premise, I recommend that you check out "Fall for you (2022)". It's like a mashup of Extraordinary You and True Beauty.

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Better than I expected

I watched this drama thinking it was a typical school love kdrama (which I was intending to watch so no hate) so my expectations weren’t very high for it anyway. When I realised what the plot was about, I thought it was cool and so, the drama would remain a romcom but the minute the historical manhwa plot twist came to be, things got more interesting. The way both manhwas’ plots fit together (the shadow in Secret being the stage in Trumpet Creeper) was actually pretty well thought out and actually made sense.

However, I must admit there were times where I felt like the story was getting a little repetitive (Dano constantly being on the brink of death) but it’s bearable. Also, justice for Baek-kyung because the shadow characters literally always treated him for the character he was written to be. Maybe if they were nicer, he would get away from who he was in the stage.

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Awesome premise, could have been done better

You know, the premise for this drama would make for an absolutely riveting, nerve-wracking, and captivating horror story. The potential is immense!

What would you do if you found out that you were a useless side character in a comic book, and that you're basically destined to die soon and that your actions are determined by the writer? Moreover, whatever you do and tell people when you're in control, they won't remember it in the next scene. Unless they're special like you... which is rare

The grim implications of being forced to play out scenes against your will, while still fully and actually living through those scenes, are kept to mainly surface-level quirks and drama in this story. But in the hands of someone else this could have easily gone… uh, sideways.

Like a character who has to walk toward her own drowning scene, and drown right there, knowing full well what's happening, despite not wanting to. It would be a real horror show!

But since this is a kdrama obviously the romance drama aspects are dialed up to eleven while the rest rests on the sidelines. But I had a good time because of the quality of the premise. The story-within-a-story opens up all kinds of potential plot points although sadly, a lot of genuinely intriguing ones are left unexplored. I also enjoyed the style of the cuts (imitating a story jumping all over the place while you read). They were often unpredictable as sometimes characters are suddenly and abruptly transported to new scenes, even mid-sentence!

As much as they poke fun at kdrama clichés, they also equally indulge in them which I found comical. Pacing was also meh as there are some redundant scenes clearly there just to pad the runtime.

The ending was also lacking a bit, we definitely needed more closure.

All in all, had huge potential, but has to settle for "pretty good".

You can add it to the pile of "kdrama with awesome early episodes that can't sustain that level of quality".

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Cute but gets repetitive

I was definitely gripped from the get-go, however the story does feels like the kind of thing I might have written about for a school writing project. Nevertheless, it was unique and intriguing.

I was really enjoying this show until it occurred to me that the story kept repeating itself; the characters would lose their memories and they would have to find their ego again. Towards the end of the show I started to wonder what Haru's actual purpose was because he kind of came from nowhere and was just this mysterious guy from the beginning. I know we discovered that he was in love with Dan-oh in the 'Trumpet Creeper,' but even in that, did I miss what his purpose was?

I'm not quite sure what the characters actually did in their spare time - they were always just at school. I guess their was the love triangle between Dan-oh, Haru and Gyeong that made the plot line a bit interesting. However, their characters were all pretty one-dimensional. Btw Gyeong was an ass. I did not like him; he was so rude and mean to Dan-oh. Even though this was the writer's doing, it was still harsh and uncomfortable to watch.

On reflection there were definitely many flaws of the show, but if you just watch it at face value and don't read too much into it, then it is enjoyable and easy to watch.

Taking it back to the first episodes - Oh boy, by the second episode where Dan-oh fell down the stairs and we still didn't get to see Haru's face, I was so disappointed and I just wanted to know who he was. The ending of episode two was, in my opinion, *chefs kiss* perfect! Seeing Haru's face appear through the umbrella was so beautiful and a memorable moment of the show. I really liked all the interactions between Dan-oh and Haru. They make a very cute couple.

I loved every scene where Dan-oh would get disgruntled at the writer for making everything about Ju-dah and Nam-ju, hence the fact that she wasn't the protagonist. I found the scene funny where she knocked over the statue in art class just to get people to focus on her. And then the writer rewrote the scene anyway XD.

I really liked the side characters i.e. Ju-dah and Dan-oh's friend (the one who was mean to Ju-dah). Although she is mean and a bully, she was still a funny character. I liked Ju-dah's sass and energy towards the later episodes where she developed her ego. I was really glad that she liked Do-Hwa as well. Speaking of Do-Hwa, he is such a cutie and in the final episode he made me laugh so much. The scene where he spots Dan-oh with the paper chain around her neck and he comes in flapping his arms trying to make her remember the butterfly. He is an emotional boy and I love him for that. I feel like the only characters that had any real progression or growth were Gyeong and Judah.

I was getting concerned when I only had five minutes left to go and nothing was wrapping up. I feel like yes, how it ended worked, but at the same time I just didn't feel way satisfied with the ending. For me, I wish I had have paid more attention to the tree scene in the previous episode when Dan-oh said to meet at the tree on October 10th, in order to always find each other. I feel like if you forget this scene and finish the show, you'd be like what just happened? I personally would have liked an actual flashback to the tree scene in order to emphasise their memories a bit more, rather than using the voiceover of what was said in the past.

I really liked the soundtrack for each moment in the show; when it was sad and emotional, or dark and intense. I am obsessed with the First Love song! I've never really been able to sing Korean but this one I can! XD

The acting was great - no qualms there.

Overall I rate it 9 because it was enjoyable and cute to watch. I think its downfall lies in the plot as on reflection there wasn't a great deal that happened and it kept repeating itself.

-E

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I enjoyed it - it was very different and that made it super compelling

9.5/10 is my rating. 2019 South Korean television series with 32, 30 minute episodes.

Eun Dan-oh (Kim Hye-yoon) has a heart condition that is terminal despite repeated operations. Despite that she is kind and hopeful that something in her life will change and her heart will last on. Her fiance, Baek Kyung (Lee Jae-wook) is the son of one her father's business partners and their parents paired the two. Eun Dan-oh's father agreed to the engagement because Dan-oh has had a crush on Baek Kyung for 10 years even though Baek Kyung can be cruel to her and does not return her feelings. Eun Dan-oh begins to have memory lapses and the sensation that she just "comes to" in various activites. As she digs to determine the source of these strange occurances, she discovers, by chance, that she is a character in a manhwa called "Secret." Not only is she in the Manhwa but she is a supporting character who must do things to aid the lead characters in falling in love. She begins to resent the role she must play and becomes determined to do things to change the story. She soon notices a boy that has no name. When she looks at the Manga she can see that he is a background character that is not even fully illustrated. Dan-oh realizes that because he is not a central part of the story he has more freedom to do things in the "offscreen" that can impact the way the plot plays out. His name is Number 13 (just number 13 alphabetically in the year-book) but, as Dan-oh begins to develop feelings for 13 (Kim Ro-woon), she give him a name. As time goes on, more of the characters discover that they are in a Manhwa and join Dan-oh in changing this up.

I started this one in October of 2019 not realizing it was still on air. I normally do not watch those that are on air as I prefer to be able to watch them all at once. 12 episodes in and I cannot wait for more episodes to post. If it continues as it is now it is going to the top of my list as one of my favorites.

Spoiler ? This was good the whole way through. I love the chemistry between the leads. I like the way Baek Kung realized that she would be happiest with Ha-Ru and yet is still always there for her. It had a sort of reincarnation angle to it without really meaning to. Some may not like the ending but I got it because they aren’t real. If it were a comic book series I could see myself reading all the comics even if it just re-told the same story. I highly recommend it - it’s very unique.

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Not sure if it's stnds to its name.

I started this drama with zero hopes like literally zero. Wasn't interested to watch even when my friends kept suggesting me to watch saying it's good.

So i started watching this in 2022, ofc late to the party. So when I started it was okay the way scenes were going back and forth was confusing and then revealed that it's a comic World and all. The way things were unfolding was going good. I thought maybe i should have watched when my friends suggested me to watch. I judged this drama wrong( my thought).

And then after at episode 13-14( ep 7) i started feeling that, i wasn't wrong for thinking this drama won't be good. The dialogues, scenes became repetitive. Like every line is used multiple times which you get sick to keep listening to them. At first they mocked the cliché and cheesy lines and story and slowly the drama itself became cliche and cheesy. At first the FL was strong and she kept looking for haru to help her change the story.

The things should have been answered like how the story effects and changes if they are trying to change the stage.? And they showed that just because he gets wine spilled on his clothes he will be late to the stage? I mean if the things were go back to normal once the stage starts, why does the wine effect them at all? It was lame.

The romance between Ha ru and Dan Oh felt forced and Unnatural like we don't know why she started liking him and an entire 1.5ep(for 1hr ep) goes in dan oh crying for ha ru. And she keep calling Ha ru ha ru. It's so repetitive that i stated skipping their romance scenes and focus more on the side characters. And also if she was an mere extra why did she had more screen time. Every time she ends up in hospital and the heart aches. She runs and does activities which a heart disease patients aren't allowed to.

The likeable characters (off stage ofc) are sae-mi, do hwa, and sae-mi's boyfriend.

All characters were same till the end except haru got more lines after he got introduced as extra in comic.

The good character growth was of gyeong.

After skipping skipping and skipping and only seeing how the story is going, i finally finished it.

It can depend on what type of dramas you like. More of a cliché type or no. And this drama is so repetitive that at point I thought that i should just skip to last episode to see what happened and finish it but somehow skips and Ff button saved me.

There are so many things unexplained and unanswered.

Not going to re-watch

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I am writing this in an absolute awe.



I watched Nevertheless just before this show, which became a 10/10 for me, so I went into this with not only low expectations because the trailers and clips didn't catch my eye at all, but also because I saw an opportunity to fill some space after Nevertheless with a show I had on my watchlist for about a year and I was stuck on the first 30 minutes of episode 1.


As of writing, I have tears in my eyes from how much of an emotional rollercoaster this turned into. Last 4 hours I couldn't stop watching at all. I was hooked onto every detail and rooted for the main pair so hard. In the end I was just crying, whether it was happiness or sadness, madness or confusion. This drama is so incredibly beautiful, so incredibly mesmerising. The story, acting, everything. I felt like dying inside every time the story showed a possible twist, I got kore intrigued every single time someone figured something out about the story.


I am still processing what was happening on my screen. The only issue I think this drama has is a very low rewatch value - simply becose discovering is one of the main hooks of the story, the romance and intriguing parts of the story lose meaning because in this case, it is more of you finding out WITH the characters, opposed to dramas where you know and watch the story while you understand the connections. You, as a viewer, know only as much as the character who knows the most as of now does.

I definitely recommend this, 100 %. Bonus points for music, because every single time an episode ended I didn't skip and finish the rest of the OST, criminally underrated OST, sung by Stray Kids. Seungmins vocals hit so hard when an episode has a cliffhanger.

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