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Thirty but Seventeen korean drama review
Completed
Thirty but Seventeen
63 people found this review helpful
by Amy
Sep 18, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
There were things I absolutely loved about this drama, although there were things that prevented it from being the best. This drama is probably the best feel good drama you’ll find, the sincerity, love and wholehearted support that the characters have for one another will definitely warm your heart. The friendship between Seo Ri, Woo Jin, Yoo Chan, Jennifer and Chan’s friends is the type of friendship that resembles family, and even the little moments that they spend together, no matter happy and sad, all become priceless memories that will be remembered and cherished forever in their hearts as well as ours.

This isn’t your ordinary healing drama, it is a piece of sweet candy with a slice of life filling, wrapped in a layer of melodrama, wrapped in a comedy. The balance is perfect, and when you savor it, you feel the taste of life, where joy, elation, sorrow, bitterness, numbness and relief become one and shape who you are. And through experiencing those emotions, that is how our characters Woo Seo Ri and Gong Woo Jin mature from a mental age of 17 to 30 together. I appreciate Seo Ri’s optimistic approach towards life, and I’m sure that if I had experienced the same thing as she did, I wouldn’t have been able to smile in the same way. She is truly a strong person who knows how to appreciate the beauty of life as it is.

The side characters were also memorable and beautiful. The dorky and caring Yoo Chan, who introduced us the life motto “Don’t think, pill (feel)!”, Jennifer, the mysterious butler who is a living encyclopedia, and Deok Gu/Fang, the dog who is worthy of winning the Dog Oscar of the year. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over them, and I genuinely wish I had friends or a family like them.

Despite how emotionally beautiful the relationship and growth of the characters were, there were still some parts which could be played out in a better way. Since this was originally meant to be a 40 (20) episode drama but got shortened into a 32 (16) episode drama near the end, the pacing was off in the latter half of the plot. All the dramatic things happened at the same time, and secrets were revealed all at once. Originally this was acceptable, but given that the first half of the story was very slow-paced and stretched out, the sudden speed-up became unnatural and destroyed the momentum of the story. Nearing the end, things that were once suspenseful felt like they no longer mattered to the audience. I once considered that maybe the pacing would’ve been better if it had been 40 (20) episodes, but I felt like there was not enough material to last for that long either.

All in all, this is the kind of drama that you will enjoy if you are looking for a heartwarming story about people growing up together, approaching devastation with optimism and learning to face traumas head on, and supporting one another. This is not the sort of drama where you will be kept at the edge of your seat. This drama is purely character-driven with a little bit of plot to drive their change. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed every minute of it and I never felt bored (mind that I’m a person who dropped What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, Weightlighting Fairy Kim Bok Joo due to boredom).

The OST is highly worth mentioning, especially the classical music they put in each episode to match the themes. It really pulls on my heartstrings and enhances the emotions of the characters.

I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone who likes lighthearted, slice of life comedies and sincere genuine relationships. "Monster Rookie" Yang Se Jong and Shin Hye Sun truly brought their characters to life, seeing how different they are compared to their previous roles. A must watch!
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