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a must watch<3
this series is very heartwarming. I finished it everything in a maximum of two days. The first episode might appear pretty simple, but the later episodes are insane, sad love stories that really grab your heart. The humor is fantastic, and the characters are all very appealing. My personal favorite is Eun Danoh, she's humorous, smart, and all the characters' goals make sense. This drama isn't over the top or depressing. Don't worry—this drama is considerably different from those that may have vague information and behaviors that don't make sense for the characters. This is the warm, endearing drama you're hoping for.Was this review helpful to you?
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It seemed like a fail-proof drama to watch...
This drama had so much going for it. Great casting, relatively good soundtrack, and an interesting premise to hook us in.But my god, it was quite a mess wasn’t it? I don’t even know where to start.
It was really frustrating and confusing to watch especially because it felt like the story shifted from the perspective of Dan Oh to third person. WTF??? OMG that confused me a LOT. Don’t even get me started on the wasted time spent on rewatching a really bad parody of Boys Over Flowers/Meteor Garden/Hana Yori Dango. I understand that they needed a cliche story in the background to contrast our ML/FL as extras and is part of “world” created but it very rarely contributes to the plot. And my GOD, why in the world did we have to watch so many scenes of it?! Also— and this is more of a personal, and very much a subjective opinion, but why is Dan Oh so OBSESSED with Haru? I wanted to puke blood by the time it was the 14th and 15th episode and I realized that very little answers were given on anything. This made the whole experience of watching the drama VERY frustrating as it went on. More questions/interest were piqued till the we are now nearing the last THREE episodes, and then you finally realize, IT WILL NEVER BE ANSWERED. O_O” Lastly, there were many scenes is the drama that were wAYYyy too repetitive.
All in all I feel like a took away very little from this drama. The world is a very interesting concept and I would love a different take on it with a different story. But the jarring shift of Dan Oh’s perspective to third person perspective, parody drama running/competing with the actual story, the annoying FL obsession with the ML, bucketloads of unanswered questions, and repetitive scenes make it too hard to give this drama a decent recommendation.
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Dan Oh, the female lead, is my fave kdrama character of 2019 (Do Hwa might be a close second, but he didn’t get as much screen time). She is hilarious but not over the top, is frustrated constantly with the author, and is really determined to change her fate! She rolls her eyes and cringes at the author’s writing, gets frustrated as the sparkly beam of sunshine only shines on Ju Da, yells at the author for using her as a “love bridge” between the two main characters, and hates every interaction she has with Baek Kyung onstage (“what am I lacking that I have to like this jerk?!?!). It’s hilarious seeing all her reactions and inner thoughts to what the author is doing. Her love for Haru is funny and cute as well (“Dan Oh, how could you just be thinking of Haru all day?”). I love the friend squad of her, Haru, and Do Hwa. I wish they all got more screen time together!
Slight spoilers here, skip if you want: I’ve seen some complaints in these reviews that she just starts getting obsessed with Haru and that becomes her life. I didn’t really perceive it that way, but I see how it could come off that way. Off the stage, the characters finally have control over their own actions, and Haru is one of the few other self aware characters and she has a big crush on him, so of course she is gonna run and find him. Also, sadly, as the show goes on and the stakes get higher, she doesn’t have a lot of time left, so she wants to spend it with the person she loves. It sucks, but in the world they live in it isn’t like they have any goals to work towards besides changing the story; the future is determined by the author, and the story could be ending soon, so the present becomes all the more valuable.
I loved all of the characters! Do Hwa is amazing, Haru is sweet, Dried Squid Fairy is sketchy, Baek Kyung is a jerk and I hate him, and Ju Da is interesting. There are some great character arcs for multiple characters, and in this regard and others the show does a great job of taking kdrama tropes and turning them on their head. The show is very self aware of the tropes it is using and either makes fun of them or does something different with them. It’s a high school drama, but with a completely different twist on it. It is very cool seeing how the story twists and turns. They do a great job of pacing it and revealing information gradually so you continue to be intrigued. The rules of the universe are interesting and the way that you expect things to play out is rarely what happens. The show brings up some existential questions: is it better or worse to be self aware in a world where you ultimately have no control over your fate? Would these characters be happier if they weren’t self aware? What do you do when you have no control over your fate? The characters deal with these tough questions and sometimes handle them different ways. The acting is great in this, the young cast did a great job with their characters and I’m intrigued as to what they all do next, especially Hye Yoon.
The main criticism I have of the show is that about 75% of the way through it starts to recycle some of the same arguments and plot threads, so even in this tightly plotted show it felt like several episodes were superfluous. We did get some darn cute scenes of Haru and Dan Oh though in those episodes so it’s worth it.
I highly recommend this show. Whether you’re a first time kdrama watcher or a veteran, this show is very fun and very interesting and has great actors and beautiful cinematography.
I made one of those silly PowerPoints about it on tumblr if you want an lol version of my review: https://kdramakitty.tumblr.com/post/190601494269
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Extraordinarily funny
"Extraordinary You" is an enchanting masterpiece that has left me utterly captivated. This drama weaves an intricate tapestry of reality and fiction, immersing viewers in a world where destiny is rewritten by one's own will. The dynamic characters, led by the charismatic Kim Hye-yoon, breathe life into a narrative that unfolds like a mesmerizing puzzle. The blend of romance, mystery, and coming-of-age elements is executed flawlessly, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The vibrant cinematography and unique premise add layers of depth, making every scene a visual treat. As a true connoisseur of dramas, I'm thrilled to have discovered this gem. "Extraordinary You" is a resounding testament to the power of imagination and choice, earning its rightful place among the best.Was this review helpful to you?
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2 Words - Wasted Potential.
The concepts in this drama were beautiful and unique and distinct. Eun Dan oh's character was straightforward, clever and amusing. I was overjoyed and jumped headfirst into this drama in the beginning. The overused loss of memory trope and repetitive scenes ruined this drama for me. The way Eun Dan Oh began to fall for Haru was also not likeable. It was not due to his personality as he hardly had any character development. It was more cliche like fate because he happened to make her heart beat fast a couple times. The ending was the worst as it broke all the basic logic and rules the comic world had introduced in the beginning. Haru's character could have done with so much more development. He seemed to pop up out of nowhere for no reason. This drama was a wasted potential. A lot more could have been made out of it. Eun Dan Oh's and Haru's chemistry was non-existent in my opinion and their romance screamed "forbidden love" in my face all the time. It was like they picked the 2 characters who would find it hardest to love each other and pushed them down a roller-coaster together. The unique plot made watching it worth it for me though.Was this review helpful to you?
I didn’t think this drama would be my type, but it was a pleasant surprise. Light hearted, cute romance, bromance, parody level humour and intriguing plot that keeps you wondering what’s next even though it feels like you know it already.
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This drama....*sigh*.... I've got a lot to say about this drama The first couple of episodes were so interesting and absolutely refreshing with Dan Oh realising that she is an extra in a comic book and deciding to change her fate. At least that's what the show pitched to everyone. Yeah no this show pitched L I E S. bold faced, clickbait lies.
I seriously don't know what happened after the first couple of episodes but the show suddenly pulled a reverse uno and all of a sudden turned into the k-drama cliche romance story which THIS SAME SHOW MADE FUN OF like TWO SECONDS AGO. I was confusion for like a hot minute and suddenly the show which I praised for being so refreshing and having an interesting plot became a mess. With SOOOOOO MANYYYY repetitive scenes and uninteresting characters as the main focus, watching this show became a chore. I was like begging at this point for something NEW to actually happen but nope and everytime I thought something different was going to be explored further other than Dan Oh's EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL TO WATCH love triangle with Ha Ru and Baek Kyung, for example Dried Squid Fairy and his love with Su Hyang, Do Hwa's character or Baek Kyung with a potiental character arc (finding his true self, love or both). Like seriously how did Su Hyang, a character that came in around the last few episodes, have more substance as a character than Ha Ru. Nam Joo was more interesting than Ha Ru. Even the unknown writer was more interesting than Ha Ru. I initially thought 'I can't be the ONLY one who had these opinions about the show ' but after reading other people's reviews on the show here, I'm so glad that other people felt this way as well.
If you thought this was the worst of it all T H E E N D I N G was when I gave up trying to care about the characters. I'm not even going to talk about the ending that's how annoyed I was.
I swear this show spent like half of their budget making Dan Oh say 'Ha Ru' for like 15 minutes and have her "fall" from chest pains for majority of the show. Not only that but this show left SOOO many unanswered questions with TOO MANYYY plot holes.
Conclusion: The only characters that were my favourite were Do Hwa, Baek Kyung (the actor for this character can SERIOUSLY act) and Dried Squid Fairy. Overall I think this show had such an interesting premise that had so much going for it with amazing cast and acting but it just became wasted potiental. If you're someone that likes cliche love or still find this show interesting, watch it. But if you are someone like me who thought that the show was going to be about a girl who wants to change her fate and be independent in her fate than BOYYYYY will you be absolutely
D I S A P P O I N T E D.
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How did she climb those rocks in heels?
The premise of this drama is very interesting. It had me asking my co-workers and friends 'what would you do if you found out that you are just a character in a story (and not the lead/?' It brought about some interesting conversations about free will vs destiny as well as showed me how many rebels I keep in my circle. All of that to say, I would have loved for the drama to have dug deeper into that aspect. Dan Oh was a set up for a marvelous stand off with the writer but her character seemed to become weak once she fell in love. A lot of her spunk went away, which caused the second half of the drama to feel so depressing. I think E32 was incredibly sad. I found myself missing the girl who checked out the guys while they were changing (for her mystery man, of course) and ogled Ha Ru has he sat next to her removing his shirt. Who wouldn't take a good look at those abs?! Hye Yoon did a great job of making me laugh and cry, regardless of how annoying Dan Oh's decision making became.Speaking of Ha Ru, he had the introduction of a Greek God. The glimpses of him which led to the umbrella reveal were some of the dreamiest I've seen thus far. But they dragged out his storyline a little too long. The pace didn't seem to match what was happening in the current story so the end felt rushed. One of his best scenes was when he confronted her on the steps are loosing his memory. Being frustrated and showing some emotional range gave him some dimension and growth. Otherwise, he was stuff in an odd child like state that didn't match with any of the other characters.
Baek Kyung on the other hand reminded me of every jerk in high school. He needed therapy and some anger management. Even when he was having better moments with Dan Oh at the end, it was hard to see past the guy with the daddy issues. This is no reflection on the actor. As with Rowoon, this was one of their first roles so you can really see they were relying on the script/writers.
Do Hwa was a surprising stand out as the 'second ML.' I found him to be the right amount of comedy to help balance out Dan Oh/Ha Ru's emo moments. His storyline with Joo Da was very cute and, again, a good balance from the other character's chaos.
The end felt thrown together and I had more questions than answers. While quick ending can be a thing in drama's, we did not go thru 32 episodes for you to have them meet under a tree and fade to black. No ma'am or sir. If we could have gottend even 5 more minutes of dialogue, maybe Ha Ru explaining what it felt like when his story ended? Maybe Dan Oh catching him up on what happened after he left? Anything. But instead, we got a tree, that didn't even make sense until the last third of the drama.
I'd recommend this to someone looking for a serious MELOdrama. Now excuse me while I go cleanse my pallet with The Business Proposal.
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But let's talk about Dan Oh, aka: the love of my life. She is my spirit animal tbh, she is always just DONE with the author and his bs. Dan Oh really is one of my favourite female leads, she’s got such spunk and I can really relate with her.
And Haru, Haru my baby. Cinnamon roll, too pure. Give Haru the world
Then UGH fcking Baek Gyung, god. What a jerkwad. So violent, son just calm down.
In the words of Haru “I know you’re a douchebag - in both worlds” Haru you’re doing amazing sweetie.
I loved that most episodes were such high quality, especially at the beginning. I loved the plot, the characters, everything.
I also love that Dan Oh and Haru are confirmed soulmates. Every universe, no matter the character, place, time, memories or not, they always find each other and love again. It’s beautiful, just my kind of otp.
And I LOVED Yeo Ju-da’s character once she got her agency. Her written character is all:
#nice girl #wouldn’t hurt a fly #beautiful but doesn’t know it #so innocent
But once she gets her ego she is like "bACK OFF BITCH" and doesn’t take any crap from the bullies. Girl SNAPPED and I’m liVING. When she’s like "why did I never get you guys back before? oh yeah I’m the protagonist and they must remain 100% morally perfect." She doesn’t want Oh Nam-ju to do everything for her, she wants to do things for herself. A feminist icon
And Lee Do-Hwa! My boy! The 2nd lead but 1st in my heart.
I realise now that all I've done is talk about the characters but they ARE what make the show. I couldn't imagine reading the comic the writer wrote on its own, ew no.
My favourite parts of the show are when the characters are doing a stage scene and they are just like "seriously??" or "oh my god that was so cheesy!"
And my favourite line ever, from our bae Lee Do-Hwa: "Why is my scene with you always the same? Crying or playing the violin! I feel like I'm not the second male lead but a soundtrack player"
In summary: watch this gem of a drama!
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like in the beginning eun dan oh had a clear goal and motivation: to change her life for the better, to become the main character of her story, though she is only an extra in another's. but she literally lost the will to change it all for herself and decided that a boy should be her fate. A BOY. sis did not have any sense of living for herSELF. like she had an amazing father, amazing friends, amazing (and hot) doctor, amazing support system overall and for what???? she literally prioritized him over everyone else and gave no thought as to the idea that maybe, her life can really be something more than just him and her. and their love scenes -- don't get me started on its downfall. at first the puppy love was cute, the "annyeongs" and perfect smiles made me smile too. but when u see the same scene over and over again? it gets real tiring hellllla fast. by the end i wasn't even cheering for their love, i was just watching for the sake of finishing it and because of the amazing side characters who i loved and desERVED BETTER but didn't get because they're just extras >:(
and ok i get it, had a fine mysterious kind ass (but nameless) man with the ability to change my life waltzed right into my storyline, i too would have fell for him. HARD. but it really felt like he was nothing more than a romance mannequin. at first, he too had a motivation: find out who he really is. and we do find out his "beginning" and "end", but there's nothing more to him than that? he's solely there to be a love interest and nothing more. like i get it's a comic book world, but it's a comic book world inside of a drama that we're watching, and i'm sure the writers could've spent a couple more hours giving us reason to cheer for him other than "hot mysterious guy makes main lead girl happy".
there are definitely some good and great things here, like the amazing acting of the cast and the relationship between certain characters/friends, but the good did not lead up to the hype the writers created in the first few episodes.
honestly after forcing myself to finish this drama i feel too drained to write a full, thorough response highlighting all of my disappointments and the reasons why this drama could have been so much more. there are just too many plotholes for me to list out, too many "could've beens", too many OK BUT WHY SHOULD I CARE (especially with that messed up endings) that i can not reccomend watching the entire drama to someone else. maybe watch select cute and touching parts but honestly, skip the whole middle section, and you'll be okay.
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one of my first ever dramas and it didn’t disappoint
I thought the plot was really unique and I absolutely loved it.really appreciated the character development.
loved the comedy element
I liked the romance at the start but then nearing the end, I found the main couple so annoying.
I wish the mml (Rowoon) spoke more, it didn’t sit right with me that he was such a bland character.
I am forever grateful that this show introduced me to Lee Jae-wook in 2020
This show was a really good introduction to K-dramas for me, and gave me more incentive to find more. Jow, here I am
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