The Atypical Family (2024)

Will it be the best drama of the year?

This series has a sophisticated atmospheric magic blended with real life traumas and believable characters. Every person in the drama is flawed, but relatable and likeable (except the ML’s sister, about who I'll rant below). As opposed to recent “Queen of Tears” where every character was also flawed, but none of them were likeable (perhaps the exception being the aunt).

In “The Atypical Family” story as well as character development expands with an atmosphere – the colour tones, the music scores as well as sound design, and the easily flowing caesural pauses allowing the viewers to take in the vastness of the scene settings, the seriousness of the situations. One could almost compare this drama with the poetry. Actors and their characters are allowed pauses to think, not to say that they’re slow, on the contrary, it makes them and their choices more believable. The script and most chosen actors are spectacular in their roles….. except one minor detail.

The rant (at ep. 4):
To me it seems that in Korea there are no plus size actors. I’d bet anything it’s not the truth, but the industry is hellbent on trying to prove to the world that there’s either no obese people in Korea or no “fat” actors. Whenever the creators need to have a heavier character in the show, they just find the skinnies actress and put her in a costume. (To be fair it is impressive, what a film crew can do nowadays, and it does look somewhat realistic, however, it also gives “uncanny valley” vibes, because the actor trying to act is not actually fat.) Not to mention, the creators make that particular character as unpleasant visually and in personality as possible. Around the world there are plenty of big and heavy people, who are wonderful, who do not care for their weight, and even have a sense of fashion. But noooo, let’s vilify the fatness. I would not wish it but, I’d guess the plan for Bok Dong-Hee is to lose all the weight, so she could fly again. I would prefer, if she could accept herself as she is and still could regain flying, because that power should not depend on her actual weight, it is after all a Super.Power.
End of the rant.

All in all, I find the story refreshing and interesting, the clashing of one dysfunctional family with a fake united one, the deadpan comedy, the pain of trauma and not managing to let go of the past.

This drama for me might even be the best of the year.

Second rant (at ep. 10):
At ep. 10 Bok Dong-Hee becomes slim, just like that. Boom. We see each episode that she is becoming slimmer, but that amount... just took me out. I generally skip a lot of her scenes because her personality is too childish for me and grinds on my nerves about the whole "get back the cheating man" by losing weight. Ughhh. Bish, if he doesn't want you fat, he will not want you slim.
The only, ONLY redeeming point about the whole lost weight thing is that she still can not fly! Thank you! Because it's not the weight that was holding her down!!! It. Is. A. Super. Power!
End of the rant.

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Masterpiece of 2024!

I began watching this drama for Jang Ki Yong after loving him in "My Roommate is a Gumiho" - 2021. It didn't took long before I started watching the drama not for him, but because of how amazing it was. Let's discuss all aspects:

Storyline:
The plot is beautiful. It all goes amazingly and the bond between the leads is something quite new in the drama world. I get a different vibe in comparison to other dramas.
The superpowers plot is not overdone, and greatly written. Something I really liked is the bond between Ina and Gwiju especially in ep 9. And Ina and Junwoo are such cuties !!! <3

Characters:
Besides the villan mother we do have great character development. I like how Donghee and the grandma are finally realizing the price of their past actions and doing some growing up. Dahee was first presented as a negative character, but we quickly learned she's a sweetheart as well. Her bond with Ina is a pleasure to watch. And her with Gwiju... again I really like their relationship.

OST:
Thumbs up to Lee Sora's OST. <3

Acting/Cast:
The acting is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Especially Jang Ki Yong's in ep 10 accident. It looked extremely real and natural. Chun Woo-hee is slowly becoming a favorite of mine. She's doing a great job. Also Claudia Kim and So-e are showstealers. I am glad we can see Caludia's gorgeous visuals in the end! And MOON WOOJIN!!! I first watched him in "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?" and was shook when I saw him again in "Castaway Diva". I really enjoy watching him act. I am sure he'll become an amazing actor as an adult. Can't wait to see him portray adult roles in the future.

Overall:
Give it a try, you might find yourself enjoying the drama!

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A sweet surprise

When I saw the trailer for this I thought this was just another superhero movie so I decided to skip it. But I stumbled upon clips of the young couple on YouTube and decided to just watch their parts .I ended up really enjoying the first episode and I continued watching it week after week .I realised that this was more than just a movie abt some people with superpowers,it was the story about a family who was lost themselves in their power and how they get back the control of their own lives and power and grow closer as a family .This was a story about family and friendship and love and it was a pleasure to watch week after week .
Definetly one of the best dramas of this year

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JKY como eu não tinha visto antes

Agora que concluí o drama, vou fazer um complemento a minha review: me apaixonei pela OST e a escuto com frequência, mas achei que atropelaram o capítulo final. Deixaram para resolver tudo no último capítulo e não explicaram as coisas direito, além de deram saltos no tempo que, para mim, deu um gosto de história pela metade. Poderiam facilmente irem a 14 episódios para deixar que nos despedissemos do drama de maneira adequada.

Eu estou absolutamente apaixonada por este k-drama! Sem dúvida, é a produção que mais me prendeu em 2024. Ontem, finalmente terminei os quatro primeiros episódios, e agora estou ansiosa pelos próximos.

A trama é incrivelmente intrigante. Cada reviravolta me deixa com mais perguntas e teorias. Os personagens estão bem construídos, e a atuação é surpreendentemente convincente, especialmente considerando que se trata de um drama de fantasia.

Quanto à trilha sonora (OST), confesso que não tenho uma opinião muito forte. Ela não se destacou para mim, mas também não me incomodou. Acho que a história em si é tão envolvente que a música fica em segundo plano.

E agora, sobre o ator Jang Ki Yong: eu não era exatamente uma fã dele antes. Suas outras produções que assisti foram apenas OK, na minha opinião. No entanto, desta vez, ele acertou em cheio! Sua interpretação está impecável, e estou ansiosa para ver como seu personagem se desenvolverá ao longo da série.

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Definitely deserves the title of one of the best k-dramas of 2024!!

I had pretty high hopes for this one because of the cast and the unique storyline and I am happy to say it didn't disappoint me till the end!!

Pros:
1) Little to no lagging
2) No overused cliches regarding the backgrounds of the leads
3) real life issues depicted in a comical manner
4) perfect amount of episodes
5) great osts and songs throughout
6) great casting choices
7) morally grey characters finding their place in life
8) teens finding love in a cute way

Cons:
1) the biggest con I had was the superpower with time every little change you make should have huge domino effects but here they pretty much ignore those aspect ig? but we have to understand that a 12eps drama can't cover all the semantics

Overall a great show, its a breath of fresh air as compared to your everyday rom com and it was definitely a great watch, but I have to say that if you are a huge fan of romance and not the angst then you may struggle till around ep 8-9 after that I'm sure all types of viewers will be satisfied

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Don’t know what’s worse - Oppa’s atrocious mullet or his deadbeat, loser dad personality.

While Atypical family started out as a charming love story between a con artist with dubious intentions and a depressed single dad struggling with past trauma, it quickly becomes boring with predictable and contrived writing, lousy time jumps, trauma and death baiting and wasted potential.

✔️The good
The younger female characters in this story are probably the only saving grace of the show. I think Chun Woo Hee did a good job in this drama with her cunning, prickly, initially selfish but compassionate, black-bellied heroine who was refreshing to watch.

Other than her, both the ladies of the said atypical family - young Ina who can read minds and is a chronically ignored and neglected child and Bo Dong Hee - the girl who can fly but now only waddles due to her weight gain are interesting characters that bring some flavor to the show.

The main couple definitely has chemistry, there are some good comedic moments and the kisses are good. Other than that, the transitions between past and future as far as the hero’s time jumping superpower is concerned is interesting and executed well. And, that’s basically where the good stuff ends.

❌The bad
The cinematography and styling of the characters are mediocre at best. The music score is terrible with a weird awkward beat playing at all romantic scenes that sucks out all the romance. There is just some extremely terrible writing in the last couple episodes with a lot of pointless death baiting when it’s obvious nothing is going to actually happen.

There is also a time jump that magically has Bo Dong Hee lose all her weight - which is so dumb because up till that point, the drama did a frankly good job of her struggling with her weight loss only to give her the most lackluster makeover ever.

There is also some seriously wasted sismance potential in this drama (though they do try to hastily stuff it in the last two episodes) and all the older characters - the hero’s mom and dad, the heroine’s adoptive mom - all of them are a pain in the ass with their constant yapping.

❌The Ugly
This is possibly Jang Ki Yong’s worst role yet. Seriously, his character has the maturity of a pea, is the worst dad ever, qUirKy in SPADES to a point where it’s not adorable anymore and did I mention his hair is AWFUL? That mullet is an actual crime against humanity.

I mean it’s almost a talent how they were able to make freaking beautiful Jang Ki Yong look so incredibly not sexy. It’s definitely a choice. Man’s is so deadbeat and has 3974392 issues, solves nothing for the MAJORITY of the show and his reaction to basically everything is to start hyperventilating and unleash waterworks that put the best soap operas to shame.

Sure, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in the first few episodes because of his trauma, loss and struggles with alcoholism and depression but if you are going to sell me that love can cure all that then the fact that he can go from ten episodes of development to BUM mode on the drop of a hat is so stupid, I can’t.

Jang Ki Yong’s absolutely extra acting and wobbly bottom lip + flaring nose theatrics at anything and everything just had me yawning. I felt nothing in his scenes because he was enough of a drama queen for all of us.

He has ZERO genuine consideration for his child, only fake promises and emotional crying scenes to overcompensate for the fact that he is a weak man living in the past who could go spiraling any time.

Up till ten episodes, that is 80% of the show, I really didn’t understand the point of all of this because is the drama telling us that one woman could heal all these individuals? Because it’s not healing if she is putting bandaids on their wounds and they unravel if she so much as goes to the loo.

These people hardly change much from the first episode until the tenth episode because Ina is still a neglected child, Bong Hee even with her magical two second weight loss is still cranky and misunderstood, the oppa is still spiraling and the grandparents are still yapping in the back. The only character that was developed and remained strong throughout was the heroine and honestly, her alone wasn’t enough to carry the show.

Then, suddenly, episode 11 hits and EVERYTHING fixes itself. LMAO. Literally even the villains have forced redemption arcs and they put a cute little sorry on their shitty behavior and give it a pass.

Don’t even get me started on how little self-preservation these characters have. In every life or death moment, they absolutely have to waste at least ten minutes, staring into each other's eyes moping or doling out theatrics. None of them would survive a real life accident.

And, finally, the drama ends with the most poorly written, contrived ending I have ever seen. It’s just comedy at that point.

Still, overall, it’s a fine time-pass to watch on the weekends. A slow paced palate cleanser if you will, but it’s nothing deep and shouldn’t be taken as such.

Enjoy!

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A NOT SO HIDDEN HIDDEN GEM

LOVED THIS!!!!!!
This is definitely one of the better ones in 2024!!!
After LR ended this was the only thing i looked forward to every week....Everything here is so so good.
I am a sucker for pretty cinematography and the way they've captured all the scenes and emotions of each and every actor is the biggest reason i loved this. The best part of it is how they've given proper time for each characters personal life stories. which is oftentimes missing in some dramas (even if they're dragged to 16 episodes lol).
The actors are all amazing at their jobs...especially the little girl. The amount of emotions she has shown and the pure talent she has is clearly visible through the screen.
Another thing that I really liked was the bgm, specially the playful one at the end of each episode.
Also the pacing in this drama is soooo good, like you would not want to miss a single scene and everything holds some importance. I loved how in the start it was so sneaky and everything but as the show progressed things became much more serious.
Again, shoutout to the production team, they did an amazing job with everything as well as the writing, directing even the sets were so pretty.
All in all if ur reading this u need to watch it....it's more than just superpowers and the plot, it's also about how you grow as person, learn from your mistakes and just be a better person.
Tbh it just has so much content and quality that even without the superpower plot it would make a quite decent drama.
EVERYTHING'S GREAT ABOUT IT. GO WATCH IT. BYE.

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Way more boring than it should've been

A family with superheroes loses their abilities from modern-day ills: depression, insomnia, obesity, smartphone addiction. A woman joins their family and makes a change in their lives. This is a decent premise for a drama, but the execution was just horrific. The quality of the writing was just so bad. It's kinda impressive that a drama that's only 12 episodes long can be so repetitive, but this manages to accomplish that feat. There were some legit actors in this, but they had nothing to work with. The ML must've been one of the most one-note characters I've ever seen on screen. His mother's also not at all interesting either. Broadly speaking, this was a drama where nothing meaningful was said and nothing interesting happened.

I could go on a long rant about the many problems this drama has (though for my own sanity I won't), but I feel like the main one is just the choice of genre in the first place. A drama like this should just be a comedy. As soon as it went in a different direction, everything went horribly wrong.

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Atypical Journey with 'Atypical Family

"Atypical Family" is a paradox in itself - it presents a family that seems ordinary on the surface, yet the drama is anything but typical. It brims with unique concepts, shifts paradigms, and consistently breaks the mold. The heroes deviate from the standard hero archetype, the female lead is not your usual damsel, and her family, too, is far from ordinary. The male lead possesses one of the most unique, and indeed, atypical powers that I've ever seen in the realm of Kdramas!

This drama weaves a therapeutic narrative, laden with suspense. It keeps you on tenterhooks till the last moments, maintaining its unpredictable charm even in the last seconds of the final episode. It’s the kind of drama that you don't just watch but experience.

What began as a time-pass during a meal, turned into a captivating, then heartwarming, and finally an incredibly rewarding journey! The brilliance of the writing is evident in the flawless time-travel sequences, a concept that is notoriously difficult to handle well.

The direction is commendable! The melancholic vibe, reminiscent of the "My Mister" color palette, and the stunning OST – I'm obsessing over it! "Atypical Family" is so refreshingly different that it has set a new standard in my over two decades of Kdrama viewing. It's a travesty that it's not drawing the attention it deserves. Perhaps it appeals more to a mature audience?

Each episode outdoes the last, and the female lead! She's a revelation! Every time she sheds a tear, it tugs at my heartstrings. Her acting prowess is commendable, and she's a vision of beauty. Overall, "Atypical Family" is a must-watch! It’s a beautifully atypical gem that breaks stereotypes and sets its own rules.

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Will the Korean Addam's Family be scammed or embrace the scammer?

Ep 1: Love it. When I first read the description, my mind immediately thought, so we are getting some version of Korean Addam's family. It just has that kind of vibe. Initially, the FL didn't leave much of an impression but as the minutes passed by and we reach the end we see the real her and that makes this drama interesting. Even more so than the weird powers all the family members have. The entire Bok Family seriously vulnerable right now and may just fall for the scamster. It was funny seeing ML's mother try to paint all the red flag FL waved into green ones. I'm excited to see how this one goes.

Ep 2: Okay so much happened. First things first, the scene with the treadmill seems as if it is inspired by real life incident or some other drama, because for some reason I feel like I have seen the exact thing happen before. I can't remember where it was from though. Bok Dong Hee is so relatable right now, overeating is an affliction that's hard to break, especially when the food can make you feel so good. The ML also gives us a clear insights into depression, when he said that he is too depressed to be grateful to anyone. It can make one so selfish to ignore their child who is also suffering. Their family dynamics are such that they enable each other to avoid confrontations and that's the norm right now. Despite his addiction, the Gwi Joo's interactions with Da Hee are pretty interesting. I am still curious about the FL's family and how they come to be who they are.

Ep 3: Da Hee's family kinda got the wrong target this time around. They are trying to take advantage of the Bok Family's disorders but she'll only end up curing them. So, no pay day for them. The writers are going to keep me guessing if what comes out of Da Hee's mouth is the truth or Gwi Joo really did all those things when he went back into time. Love Ina though, in the previous episode she told Da Hee to run away from the crazy family. A call back to that was fun to watch. The ending was so damn good.

Ep 4: Each episode is another version of what will Gwi Joo's future self do only for his current self to be completely oblivious to it and I love it. It is fun to watch. Finally got to learn some interesting tidbits about Da Hee's family. And the episode ended with a good kiss. Apart from that, this episode was pretty tame compared to the previous one. Hopefully, it will pick up the pace again in next week's eps.

Ep 4: This was one of the most beautiful episode ever. The grandma is finally doubting Da Hee. I don't like that it is because her mom was ex-convict. She chooses to hold something that Da Hee's adoptive mother has done against her but falls for her poor me innocent act based on one dream. She clearly can't distinguish the good from the bad. I like Dong Hee, she doesn't let the FL's act fool her. She is also wary of FL's foster sister. I wonder if the person who saved FL was her uncle and not the ML. I'm so glad that Ina has some backbone. I wonder how it is going to play out. What an interesting episode. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Ep 6: Well they finally found out that Do Da Hee is a fraud, at least she admitted it herself rather than having someone else do it. I don't think they know what a grand wedding means, this was such a basic wedding. Ina's story is also getting interesting, I wonder though if the girl is going to bully her now. Gwi Joo really did fall for her, here I was thinking he was just going along with the flow. Next week's episode will be a bit sad, but I don't think Ina will cut ties with Da Hee, she might seek her out.

Ep 7: I gotta say this drama keeps getting better. So Gwi Joo & Da Hee at least have decided to embrace the scammer. I think the Gwi Joo's father will be okay with it to, his mother and sister might not be ready for it. This was a beautiful episode, can't wait to see the next one! Poor Da Hee gets slapped not once but twice.

Ep 8: We finally got to know more about Hyung Tae, the family muscle. He is such a softie. It was fun watching him blow the bubbles and loose at the game with Ina. The rest of the episode pretty much confirmed that it was Gwi Joo who saved Da Hee. I'm not sure what Da Hee's mom is going to deal with all of this. The tidbit about Gwi Joo's father also made him a little more interesting.

Ep 9: Why do they have to scare me like that. I though things were going pretty well for them, but all throughout the episode there was a foreshadowing of doom, as if someone was gonna die. According to Gwi Joo's mother it will be Gwi Joo, but looking at the preview of next week it seems like it is going to be Da Hee who might sacrifice herself. When the drama began, it never crossed my mind that it would have sad ending. I hope the next episode clears some things up for me.

Ep 10: Okay, false alarm. No one died yet, but I feel a sense of forebonding as if someone will in the future because why go into it having expectations up. I just hope that it is a happy ending for Ina, she deserves it after all the grief she has had to go through all her life. I hope even if Da Hee dies that Gwi Joo can step up and take better care of his daughter & if Gwi Joo dies so does Da Hee.

Ep 11: It was fun watching Grace, Da Hee, & Dong Hee kick the cheater's ass. Dong Hee was so blinded by love that she kept giving him countless chances and went out of her way to woo him & he again cheated on her. Even when he had Dong Hee by his side. I'm glad that Da Hee finally had a good talk with her mom. Now everyone has braced themselves for the future where Gwi Joo might die. I wonder what role Grace, Hyung Tae, & her mother, Baek Hong are gonna play in the future. Will they even be a part of Da Hee's family?

Ep 12: Oh, I never thought putting Dong Hee & Hyung Tae together might work but wow they look so adorable together! Ina and Joon Woo also were cute throughout the drama, often their first love was exactly what the drama needed. I am a bit disappointed with the way the story of him saving people from the fire turned out but to think about the plot wasn't all that novel. It is as expected, it started with him loosing his powers when he failed to save a person during a fire & ended with him saving his lover twice & his daughter once. The 5 year time skip is a bit much for my tastes, I detest time skips in the final episodes especially when there is a separation. At least we have cutie to lessen the blow. How do you tell your 5 year old to go back in time to get his father back? Imagine where the boy would end up, he could get hurt! Did that thought not cross Da hee's mind? Anyways, the ending was kinda meh. It would have been better seeing them together as a happy family once he returned.

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Why they're atypical

I love how the drama shows us the good, its bad, how the good becomes bad and how the bad can be turned back into good.
It poses and answers a poignant question- shd we follow our dreams or make our dreams a reality? There doesn't seem to be much difference between the two but the drama highlights that barely visible difference and gives us a convincing solution to it.
Entire credit goes to the team of the writer-director duo for spinning an exciting and exhilarating tale around a simple, wafer-thin concept. Any mistakes in handling- screenplay or narration- could have turned this into a weak, melodramatic bowl of cold, soggy noodles.
I love how everyone has more to offer than they seem to be giving. Through its multi-layered characters, well thought out script and gripping narration, the atypical family keeps the audience guessing and hooked without ever going down the lanes of melodrama or thriller. Powerpacked performances by the cast, especially Park So Yi as the wonderful Bok I Na, elevate the story to another level completely. They've totally owned their characters and immersed themselves in the drama.
Despite dealing with several modern themes like Bulimia, Insomnia, Addiction or Depression, and despite the shadow of Parasite looming over some portions of the narrative and the taking, the atypical family appears light hearted and soothing. This is thankfully a drama that focuses on healthy ways of getting healthy right from the beginning. Although, those maybe the issues being shown on the surface, there is also a bigger question being addressed- what do human beings strive for? What is their ultimate need?
The drama subtly provides the answer to it as a running underlying theme in all the episodes and through intelligently worded dialogues wherever necessary.
It's a beautiful interpretation of life that translates just as beautifully to the screen.
Find your interpretation. Find your dreams. Find your happiness.

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