Before I watched the show, this show seemed like a typical idol drama where there are pretty girls and handsome boys and the storyline will not be that good, and how a cable drama will be good considering cable channels don't have that much budget, but this show has proven my assumption wrong!
Why this is a must watch drama:
1) The friendship between the 2 leads and among their classmates. From BFF to BGF, this is a fresh concept which I enjoyed alot. Nowadays dramas tend to be a little too unrealistic for me- I don't believe in 'I-love-you-once-I-see-you'. The BFF to BGF pace is just nice here, giving the drama a realistic touch.
The friendship between the classmates is a must watch too. I believe many viewers enjoyed the 'current-vs-past' concept. The 'present' scenes intersect the 'past' scenes at the correct moments, either adding on the the tension audience is holding or highlighting the fact that despite being 10 years later, friends will ALWAYS be friends. Nothing change. All the childish quarrels classmates have when they are teenagers (about idols) are dismissed. The 2 leads still share a 'predator-vs-prey' relationship lols. He still do the little things that seem insignificant but are not.
They might have matured, but they still hold the teenager bit in them. Eunji (I forgot her character's name) is still crazy over HOT even when she has a kid and is pregnant with another. Her fanatic actions are still prevalent, leaving her husband in despair. (those are the funny scenes!)
2) The highlight of the 1990's KPOP fandom and Korean sports arena, when HOT, ???? (forget the English name)and SES are the limelight, followed by DBSK. The era when there are no lightsticks but balloons, when fans have to really queue outside the bank and skip school to get the tickets (now we have the internet), when fanwars are literally fanwars (now different fan groups have 'fanwars' over the internet. It is alot 'darker' now!)
After watching i really appreciate how we can fangirl/boy over our idols with much ease with technology developments. We can purchase our tickets online, we can catch a glimpse of our idols through photos posted on the internet, taken by fans everyday, we are able to catch up with what our idols are up to blah blah blah. We tend to take these priveleges for granted at times.
But some things remain in the fandom though. Fanwars are still prevanlent, queuing for tickets overnight too, fans waiting outside their idols homes/hotels just to catch a glimpse of them.
I guess even if the world has developed economically, human mindsets (going all out for idols) just don't change that easily.
3) The fact that there are no bad characters. The parents are so jolly, especially that of Eunji's. So this drama is very lighthearted, we need not be frustrated over unreasonable mother/father-in-laws who are against our very much anticipated love.
4) Although there are many new actors/actresses, their acting is considerably good. So I can safely say they have the looks + skills!
5) The OST. Although it is very simple (I think only 1 song - 'All for you' sang by the 2 leads), it is enough to enhance the drama. The lyrics revolve around the leads relationship, and the melody is catchy.
This shows proves that a good show need not be one with fanciful OST sang by big shots, or a cast consisting of award-winning actors/actresses, or a director with excellent directing skills. Everything are just average, but it is how well these aspects (right choice of cast, OST, storyline, directing, acting etc) complement each other that make this drama so successful!
I strongly recommend KPOP fans to watch to increase our exposure on the 1990's KPOP arena which is not known to many these days. If not for these pioneer KPOP idols who set the base, the KPOP industry may not be as successful now. Drama fans will enjoy it too for its good storyline!
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