Sad and beautiful
Watch at your own risk....this one killed me. It's heartbreaking and touching. I watched it all in one sitting. Once I started I couldn't not continue. I was totally hooked. I didn't know too much about this drama when I started watching it, so I was surprised that it wasn't more light-hearted, and I don't know..... I just was not expecting to be holding back tears. You think magician = fun and comedic, right? I was so so so wrong. It was touching and magical. I'm so glad I watched it. I really wanted the story to continue, though. It wasn't enough for me. I don't know how the original story went, but I hope it was pretty accurate. I really want to know more about the other characters' ending, not just the female lead role. Not only that, but I hope there can be a season 2.Was this review helpful to you?
Really to watch... 6 hours more or less so worth it
I was a little excited about this drama due to the presence of a musical part of it. So my expectation were a little high.. And I'm not disappointed at all. Great acting between the leads, two world colliding, fantasy and reality trying to get each other!!! There's a reason for enlight everything and everyone. I have to watch eps of others drama. but I stopped everything to watch all the epsI love, love, love it!!!
I really love Ji Chang Wook characterization, the magic world around him is real and surreal.... There's always more in daily life to see. Great script!
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do u believe in magic???? just say Annarasumanara
the drama has absolute so many beautiful scenes the truth of the society the pain of today generation the love the purity the beauty of magic even for sometime if something makes u happy u must do that .... life has so many hurdles but u need to overcome it find your dream live with it ...... believe in god is same as believe in magic ..... even though u cant see it but u can feel its presence......this drama had a pure a pure story ..... its beautiful...... and so so sosososososo much worth a watch .... it has lot of hidden meaning in it.life is beautiful with magic and magic is within us
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This review may contain spoilers
the sound of excitement going down the drain
magician ✅️musical ✅️
interesting premise ✅️
decent visuals and aesthetics ✅️
acting on point ✅️
so, what went wrong?
this is a magical-esque drama with thrilling vibes that also happens to give the viewers a reality check of how everyone's circumstances in life isn't simply a fairytale. the sound of magic makes use of fantasy elements in its message of believing yourself to take a step forward, regardless of how shaky the road can get.
for the first episode, i was a bit iffy of how the drama was going to utilise a mysterious character like ri eul. in a way, i was anticipating a thrilling execution to his story in the following episodes. however, little did i know, the level of enthusiasm i was feeling in the first episode didn't follow the rest of the episodes.
three main characters yet all stories were not developed that much. ah yi had her family thing going on. il deung had his inner struggles that could've been given a tad bit more spotlight. ri eul surely has a whole ass story to tell. even the romance was yeeted out of the story. all i can say is six episodes was not enough for many topics to be covered which is why it felt rushed and kinda all over the place.
i do not hate open endings but for a drama that teases you so hard with this mysterious character, it should've opened the lid a little for a slightly better ending. there are just so many questions.
maybe, the female lead's story could've been compressed a little because it wasn't really unique. il deung and ri eul spiked my interest and i kept waiting for something to happen but i was served none. i guess i'm at fault for having expectations.
personally, i wasn't digging the songs. although the lyrics were fitting to certain scenes, it wasn't enough to catch my attention. if i were to choose out of the twelve songs, my favorites were 'a curse of asphalt' and the ending song 'fantasy'
overall, i did enjoy it somewhere in the middle but it didn't last long for how underdeveloped the stories were for all the main characters. it could've been better.
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This review may contain spoilers
What a Surprise! Short and sweet!
I admit when I started watching this I was kind of skeptical because the description was kind of missing something...but I was thoroughly surprised. I really enjoyed this! The music, the acting, the story.... I really liked the originality and the fact that it ended the way it did was also good. They didn't give it that "he's back" happy ending and kind of left it open. And I really did not expect the culprit to be who is was. Also, the number after the ending credits was another great surprise. What a way to introduce the cast. I really hope they do another season because I think there are a few strings that need to be tied up, but all in all, I'm glad I gave this a try.Was this review helpful to you?
Keep your eyes closed and mind wide open you will enter in a new whole world
This drama is full of romance(a little), friendship, thrill, mystery, and magic. This drama is a package of everything.I am not gonna waste my and yours time by writing long long review I will just suggest you to watch this drama just one tip just don't stop this drama just watch in in one go while watching the drama don't look to any comments.
Secondly, this drama is such a needed drama means those who are becoming adult like me will need this so badly This drama made me feel the real magic as this drama talks about mental health, poverty and adult matters.
I will so badly recommend you just dive into the magical world.
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This is a wonderful tv musical!
I had been waiting for this musical when I realized Chang Wook started from musicals and am absolutely thrilled with this production. Also am glad it is on Netflix. I definitely enjoyed this production more than LaLaLand, the last tv musical I've watch.I loved the music scores and acting was very good by all the cast, as expected. I was amazed and loved the silky quality of Chang Wook's singing voice. The duets with Sung Eun was wonderful, well harmonized.
The script is very good, a thriller amidst the drama and singing. I was like, enjoying the singing and duet performances, and the next minute hanging on the story line to find out whodunnit. The visual fx is very well done.
The finale/encore with all cast is a nice ending, just like a live musical. This is definitely worth rewatching for me too, if only to watch CW and SE's duets again. I usually put in a high rating because the efforts of the cast and crew deserve credit.
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Beauty in Staying Ingenious
It has been a long while since I sat to write something about a drama that touched the deepest part of my heart. Odd how a fantasy drama turned into something completely realistic. Hidden beneath the magic, fantasy, and musicality lay the yearnings of an innocent soul who tried to break all shackles of presumed social stigma. When aberrant from the usual flow, family, friends, and society express ambivalence toward a “different” person. In various scenes few dialogues caught my attention focusing mainly on incinerating the real self of a person. We all need validation and recognition for apprehending the “normalcy” of society. Why can children growing up not just be themselves? Why cannot they follow their own dreams? Why they cannot be just an average person? Why is it always necessary to have a dream? Why is it that being a little deviant earns you the title “abnormal”? What kind of race we are all after? At the end of the day, ninety percent of human beings are just engaged in modern-day slavery. We achieve big degrees to earn money, to gain acknowledgment from society, to impress them, and to satisfy our ends by meeting the ever-unquenchable thirst for materialism. In course of such superficiality, we lose our innocence - our true self.When some people, do not accept insubstantiality being their pillar of existence, they fall victim to other people’s doubt and unnecessary resentment. Sometimes, prison is created by setting high expectations we attach to our own children without even realizing what harm it might cause them. It is alright to remain average, to remain free-spirited, to live in independence, to find peace in solitude – the message given by this beautiful story. Being an adult does not mean being an imposter or following the regular crowd; apparently, some people admire living in an unconventional world where they could unleash their full potential. However, the trivialities of life ultimately ensnare them to nothingness. The extreme competitions we put our children into eventually is futile, rather harm them physically and mentally.
Also, felt a strange attachment with the magician mainly with his 16 years old self. Could relate to the same stress, frustration and mental breakdown I was going through before the important board exam and like him, I was screaming inside for someone to at least hear me out. Alas, my parents who should be the closest were completely in oblivion. These parents could be so cruel sometimes, living in a delusional world of knowing, feeling and giving to their children everything at the same time without understanding their personality or nature, forcing them with their unhealthy greed of winning the rat race of this imbecilic societal system. Now as I realized this, a long time has already passed to mend anything. Still trying hard to fit into the “society’s standard”.
Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun and Hwang In Youp all played their part sufficiently well. Liked the fact that all three protagonists’ characters and individual stories were depicted properly without exaggerating. It was heart-wrenching to know more about Ji Chang Wook’s character as the story unraveled. The songs were all wonderful with meaningful, hopeful, and positive lyrics.
The story seemed unfinished, do not know whether there will be season 2 or not but I would personally like to watch more about the magician’s character. Yet this first season was well rounded and the makers successfully finished depicting what they intended within six episodes.
Overall, this drama is fantastic. Enjoyed it intensely.
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A Unique Korean Musical Drama
The cinematography in this drama is excellent, the storyline is good too. However, what stood out for me is the actors' skills in terms of acting. All the leads did a great job at portraying each of their characters, especially Choi Sung Eun. She expressed a vulnerable teenager who was forced to become an adult, and she did a great job at portraying it.The story is new and fresh, however, there are some confusion whether Ri Eul really can do magic or if he's a scam, but I think it's the point of the story, whether we really believe in magic or not, the writers purposely put a confusion for the viewers to choose their thoughts.
The story is about two different students who are the opposite of each other. FL is struggling financially, but though she lacks money, she did great academically but it is not her priority. ML has a rich parents, but from the outside, he seems like an all rounder, but in fact, he's struggling too because his parents have an impossibly and ridiculously enormous amount of expectation of him. Thus both FL and ML were forced to grow up so fast by their environment. So what I can get in this story is Ri Eul tries to make ML and FL think their purpose in life, whether they are happy with current choices they made. The quote that stuck to me was "you should do whatever it is you want to do just as much as the things you don't want to do". I think the quote really becomes a comfort to me as a person who stressed over everything.
I think overall the movie is great, not my cup of tea, but I enjoy it. It is worth watching, and it's a short drama only 6 episodes without waiting every week to come. Plus I'm surprised of how the leads can sing! I watched all of their previous dramas - never thought of them singing this great.
p.s. idk why but this drama reminds me of Peter Pan, maybe because it's about "never growing up" kind of genre, child-like ML and has magic in it
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This review may contain spoilers
This one beats all odds
And they did it…This is a musical. With dark intriguing background which they managed to described whimsically.
At first glimpse, The Magician is almost presented like the replica of one Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Owning his theatrical appearances and mysterious exits. However, his magic is the tie breaker. His dark and light seducing words had very fine-tuning each of their utmost complex scenes.
Opulent cinematography which they had created even for the common scene such as at school moments, delivering this mischievous vibes taking us hinted of many perimeters. Netflix has set the bar.
Their stories are bleak but hopeful. It felt like when you reading any of Dickens’s books. Taking you deeper and darker but lighter with a tinging bell sounds of deliverance. It took you laughing unexpectedly, on the edge of your seat calmly or teary eyes unknowingly.
The skill of their musical could take you straight to that theater seat experience which you could’ve been booked. Is like bringing that aura to your very own living room or TV room. Their songs is telling stories and unlike just singing. Expressing heartfelt despair then joy then hatred then all of those explicit facial feelings but in lyrics.
Ji Chang Wook, I applaud you. Sure you are gorgeously handsome styled as this Magician topsy turvy. However your performances here in this drama si spectacular spectacular. Ah Yi’s character has also lifted the tales of this drama like tidal waves. And Hwang In Youp colored his scenes with his convictions which is amazing also.
You must believe in Magic to watch this. Or Not. But for sure. This drama is extravagantly depicted that borderline where reality and imaginary.
This year I have been amazed by how one genre of a movies are no longer defined the movies. Zombie movie could be drama. And musical movie, could be mythical, mysterious, cop-detective, high school and thriller.
Try and watch this production like a blank canvas and it will surprises you…
And Ji Chang Wook here is stunning like back in the days of his Empress Ki.
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A truly special 6 episode show
It's honestly about as much as I could expect from a 6 episode series. I cried.There are a lot of deep topics at play in the narrative, but there’s one quote from Jiddu Krishnamurti that stuck in my mind as I watched, "It is no measure of good health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Mental health is the main theme in discussion, and that’s very rare among kdrama’s.
The story is very cohesive and the plane lands much better than I would have expected it to in the last episode. The acting was impeccable, outside of Il-Deung's parents in one specific scene, and Baek Ha Na's performance in a couple of scenes. The music was part of what put the show over the top.
The biggest flaw is that a lot of the plot can be torn apart really easy with critical thinking. These kids needed a good adult to help them solve their problems, not magician in an abandoned amusement park that made them forget their problems. Although it is wonderfully whimsical, delightful, and intoxicating.
* Annara Sumanara *
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This review may contain spoilers
Magic, mystery and plenty of music
The series reminded me of the musical Mary Poppins but instead of a nanny, Yoon Ah Yi meets a mysterious magician who keeps trying to get her to believe in magic whenever she's at her lowest thereby alleviating a little bit of her misery.Yoon Ah Yi is a highschool student struggling to look after herself and her younger sister after her parents abandoned them when they were children due to debt. Ah Yi is a meek child who longs for the return of her parents or to grow up. Due to having no guardian in her life, she is forced to work odd jobs while trying to do her best at school. In trying to pay the rent and provide for herself and her sister, she lands herself in trouble and makes uncomfortable deals.
The positives:
- Her classmate and also the topper, Na Il Deung, begins to have feelings for Ah Yi but finds it difficult to express them. Those moments and the ups and downs of their relationship is interesting with cute moments.
- The magic depicted has both stage level magic and fantastical elements. So when the magician asks, "do you believe in magic", you want to believe him.
- The mystery element added as a side plot is intriguing.
- Unlike Mary Poppins, there are some very nasty natures of people depicted and it's very realistic and a contrasting element.
- Several good messages are shared throughout the series especially the end.
The negatives:
- The story slows down several times throughout the show. Some episodes have a lot happening and are enjoyable but other episodes seem to be dragging.
- I generally enjoy the soundtrack of shows. Unfortunately didn't enjoy this one as it's quite slow and brings the story to a standstill many times and I had to skip ahead.
- The idea that parents can simply abandon their young children and leave them to fend for themselves in their home is infuriating. There is no explanation how Yoon Ah Yi survived all these years. She seemed under 10 years of age and her sister might have been 3-4 years old. It was bizarre storyline.
- There is no explanation of what happened to the mother.
- Bella, the parrot. Watch till the end to understand why.
Overall, I liked the drama but with so many dramas releasing, I would probably not come to this one except maybe to parts of the last episode as I enjoyed some of the dialogues. Very meaningful.
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