- The story itself is what I find to be a little lacking as the tone was a bit uneven and it got a bit draggy in the middle. The character arc of Hyun Jae could be more fleshed out with how he changed so drastically, making it a bit puzzling (?) There are gaps in logic too that I wish they'd explain to make it end a little neatly.
Overall, it was a good drama. Enjoyable and full of heart.
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The OST is wonderfully catchy - I've been listening to it's soundtrack DAYS later. I've also discovered new actors that I thoroughly enjoy and would like to see again in other dramas, specifically Yoon Shi Yoon, Kim Min Jae (*love* his dimples!) and Cha Eun Woo.
This drama is very light with no real bad guys. I think the reason why I enjoyed it as much as I did is because it constantly had me laughing with the character's antics and incorporated comic-relief noises that simply made *me* feel lighthearted while watching. It's not the plot itself that's wonderful, but instead, the atmosphere the characters and *their* stories create. That's what hooked me and kept me watching happily till the end.
UPDATE: Rewatched 1/2021 - I *still* adore the main couple pairing (swooned often! Haha!), but this time around, I really came to appreciate the side characters more. The familial relationships created between Gwang Jae and Lee Soon Tae (President Soondae hehe) especially was really precious. When I first watched TBH, I remembered not really caring for the romance and relationship between Gwang Jae and Bo Hee, but watching it again now, everything leading up to them adopting Mal Sook was sweeter. Also, I *completely* forgot why Hyun Jae disappeared in the past (1994) (I'm getting old! ;D)! Yoon Shi Yoon really *is* a good actor - the way he depicted his 1994-self compared to his 1993-self was really good - I could *feel* the change in feelings and emotion between both selves. Even Lee Se Young was spectacular in demonstrating her heartbreak before the resolution to the drama. Anyways, the point in this update is: I wasn't sure if I'd like this drama as a rewatch and I needed to confirm if it's really one of my favorites, hence the rewatch. TBH truly is a drama that makes you all school-girly with loads of giggles and sweet relationships. I still 100% recommend after 2.5 years, even if the time travel and celebrity occupations aren't your preferred tropes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Good comedy switched to boredom
Sorry for the spoilers, but I can't review this without them. Before turning to the spoilers, let me just say that the storyline had great potential and the comedy was a strong feature, but somewhere in the middle, everything changed, storylines and hints regarding romantic developments were given but not finished and the comedy and several characters close to disappeared, leaving a boring romance lacking chemistry between the leads.Spoilers start:
The storyline was very bad. It started very good with an interesting male lead (which turned out not to be the male lead after all) who had actual chemistry with the female lead, then suddenly time travel and his own father came into the mix. I was a bit disappointed about that, as I hoped the show to be a realistic one (hadn't read the synopsis). Nevertheless, the comedy was scaled up though and the new male character was refreshing and fun. Things got screwed up though when they changed the leads! They had the nerve to have the father steal the big love of his own son! The son became a barely seen side character and the love of his life started a very boring relationship with his father. The father changed from major comedy element to boring, serious, romantic type, who secretly wooed his son's major crush (not telling his son that he started working at the same company as the female lead, not giving his son a fair chance to compete, doing things for the girl whilst claiming to help his son get her, when all he did was improve his own chances and not helping him in the slightest). The story could have been good if the father had actually helped everyone (help his son and Drill to better dance and perform, helping them get over stage fright and such, help his son get the girl he loves, help his former friend and costar get over his neglected and underrated feelings, etc.) The show was a big disappointment.
The time travel element became even weirder, as I wanted the father to return and die as he was supposed to, making amends to the bad storyline and allowing his son to get the girl after all, but suddenly there were two of him in the past?!?
MJ was also an underdeveloped storyline. In several episodes, he was even hinted to be a contestant for the female lead but suddenly this idea was ditched and when MJ picked up his phone at the rooftop at the end of an episode, the next episode did not even go back to that scene. Like it never happened and was of no importance at all. I even double-checked if I had accidentally skipped an episode, but they just left it hanging... No idea why the writers were starting hints of storylines, but not finishing them. Like the female lead having a very clear dream of wanting to become a civil servant, studying for that throughout the entire show, and in the end working in the entertainment industry as they bluntly inserted a weird story that she had been in a band and wrote songs. Where the hell did that come from!?! It looks like every episode was written on a whim and without context. Very bad writing of what could have been a briliant show and storyline, had they kept up with the comedy and used the father as a helping hand and comedic relief instead of a girlfriend snatcher.
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The drama involves time travel and slice of life with comedy and romance and some mystery. It was a perfect combination of different genres. The plot was really not interesting but as the story goes on it was really enjoyable and I did not skip watching any part of the show. I also think that all of the characters, from main characters to supporting characters, were all well-written and have good character development. My favorite character is Yoo Hyun-jae, I find all of his scenes cute and funny. And I like how he was given a second chance by travelling in the future.
As for the actors, I think they were all perfect for their roles. They were all funny. Yoon Shi Yoon is the cutest! He really played Yoo Hyun-jae very well. I really fell in love with him in this one because he can play a cute and funny but at the same time serious (at times) and manly character. I also shipped Yoo Hyun -jae and Choi Woo-seung from the beginning. I think him and Lee Se-young has good chemistry. I also love the bromance between Lee Ji-hoon (Kim Min Jae) and Drill (Dong Hyun Bae).
The soundtrack was awesome. I still play them to this day. I think rewatch value is high since I watched this twice already, and I'm still thinking of watching this again in the future. There is also lesson to be learned in the story. I think it tells us how to be patient and hardworking to be able to reach our dreams in life. It also teaches us not to be selfish but to be grateful to people who helped us reached your goals.
All in all, this drama is refreshing and very enjoyable. I recommend this one. I find this drama underrated and I think more people should watch this.
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This review may contain spoilers
Hit the top?!! More like stuck in the murky middle
I would like to start of this review by saying I had such high hopes for this kdrama. When I watched the trailers, read the synopsis and saw the cast I was immediately sold! One of Cha EunWoo's very first dramas, YES! Kim MinJae?! Who literally carried, no SAVED Tempted/The Great Seducer, the only shining glory from that drama?! The storyline - KPOP and time travel - different and refreshing! And I KNEW, I just knew it was going to be hilarious with Yoon ShiYoon and Cha TaeHyun in the main roles. But about half way in, I realized this was a burning train heading towards a bridge over a canyon where tracks have been blown to pieces and the brakes don't work. Simply put, it did not end well.The most glaring problem is quite common and a major reason I favor thriller/suspense/crime kdramas over romcom/sitcom dramas - I have noticed that romcom writers focus a little too much on the comedy and romance and not enough on story development or clean (SENSICAL) end. Simply put, Hit the Top lacked direction and had too many underdeveloped, unnecessary storylines. There was a strong beginning with distinct, relatable goals that viewers could be invested in but ending was tepid, uninteresting, and unimaginative. A singer whose time in the spotlight was cut short and trying to relive former glory; an experienced manager trying to revive a dying business with a passion and charm to change an industry for the better; a talented son who hid his dreams because of his father's disapproval and his two equally talented and aspiring best friend also overcoming obstacles in the attempt for glory; and the guy from the past, who essentially ruined their lives inadvertently, dropped in the future - a strange world where he must reckon with his character and fix the mistakes of his past self. Also there was mystery! Where did the money go? Where did he disappear to in 1994? It was so good and interesting in the beginning, it is frustrating to know how it ends!
All of it fell flat when the show shifted focus to this strange father-son-girl best friend love triangle which had me asking strange questions like if it is appropriate to be interested in your son's best friend, who he also has a crush on, if you are you from the past so you are actually around the same age but still your his father so technically you are about 20 years older but should he be dating anyway he is an idol-in-training bu ... AYYYYYY JJINJA SHIRO!!!!
I am still racking my brain, trying to understand the thought process behind how the screenwriter turned so many storylines ... aniyo ... ALL of the storylines bad. What was the purpose of the supporting cast if you were going to abandon them half way in? Why did you switch the 1st/2nd male/female romance leads to this strange love triangle? Like, the 1st male/female lead is SUPPOSED to be JiHoon and WooSeung and the 2nd male/female lead SHOULD HAVE BEEN Do HyeRi and MJ. Why did you set it up and then scatter it? (like MJ did with the puzzle art, ha!... sorry, my humor is as equally dry as MJ's LOL!) And MJ?? I will say that Cha EunWoo did carry this character and I love him for that but that does not negate that he literally terrorized WooSeung for what?? And I still don't get why he blocked JiHoon from debuting? Such an interesting action that is never addressed. OMG, and I just remembered he came to the rooftop at the end of that one episode and then ... NOTHING! Never addressed, never visited again, like it never happened. Why build such grandiose problems and then have such simple solutions? For example, we literally watched Drill bomb his monthly performance, get kicked out of the company, at his wit's end working part-time and hiding from his best friend, and he just ... gets over it???? Why such lackluster villainy? They failed so miserably at setting Park YeongJae and the chairwoman as the bad guys that every win felt ... eehh, mild. Also, I enjoyed the grandfather's presence very much but that does not change the fact that his story did nothing, and I mean absolutely NOTHING, to drive the primary storyline. Like... I am assuming the main plot was supposed to be the entertainment industry is cutthroat and this person from the past has come to the future to fix his mistakes and help those that should have been great reach greatness. So what does the retired president of a dying agency having dementia have to do with the overall plot other than sprinkle sad, touching moments throughout the series? And this grand paragraph is just the surface of all that went wrong. I am still having flashbacks of the trivial continuity issues (if you see/saw it, you know what I mean, there were several).
I have to say I felt like Park Kyung Sun in "The Fiery Priest" - STREEEEESSSSSSSSSS!
It really hurt my spirit to finish this show because it's screenwriting 101 and they really missed the mark on what could have been a great romcom, sitcom, whatever it was trying to be.
One thing I will give DA BONG to is its comedic timing and predictability. Jokes landed where they were supposed to land and certain scenes had me going "oh no please don't tell me the wrote it in, don't do it, oh please... lol they did ha!" (i.e. when Da Bong fell through the roof on his own memorial altar - now THAT was comedy!) They relied heavily on tropes and cliches, either subverting them (i.e. the scene when he leaves the hospital and someone magically appears beside him to explain how he came to the future but is actually talking on the phone, ha!) or holding on to them dearly (i.e. the love triangle. It was fairly easy to spot the switch from the HyeRi-JiHoon-WooSeung-MJ to JiHoon-WooSeung-DoBong and also who would end up with who early on. Like COME ON, the sudden rain/umbrella trick, "helping" the other male lead get the girl he has been crushing on for ages, the adamant disapproval/hatred towards the female lead, ALL very obvious and truly tiring to see).
I truly feel it was a waste of the time and attention I invested. Reflecting on it, it really should have been written so much differently. Maybe it is just me but I think HyeRi, JiHoon, WooSeung, and MJ should have been the leads, focused on them plus Drill trying to resolve their respective problems, DoBong and GwangJae are the strong comedic support who help rectify the mistakes of the past and give the kids the momentum they need to succeed, BoHee's career revival actually HAPPENS, and then MalSook and haraboji have the cute sparks of wisdom/enlightenment moments. SEE! I have reduced the trillion storylines to three (and we would get more EunWoo-MinJae scenes. My eyes are already watery thinking about what we lost, disrespectful).
Thank goodness it's a pandemic and I am on vacation so I had nothing better to do or I would be even more bitter than I am now.
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HAPPINESS ( DA-BONG) (¬‿¬)
The first word that comes to my mind after finishing this drama is ' HAPPINESS 'Everything was so subtle in this drama.
It had a mix of everything, every genre one could include in a rom-com.
Plus the concept of time travel is what makes it even better. It's used minimally and that is the charm.
If there's any drama that has used the concept of time travel in the most straightforward yet effective manner, it's this one.
The characters are outstanding, and every episode is written in a way that will make you want to binge-watch this (and this is coming from me who rarely binge-watches dramas)
The romance was so subtle, it started smoothly and went on till last.
The plot is simple, this is one of those dramas where you throw your brains away and just enjoy how the story is being told.
You laugh, you cry, you smile, and you feel everything this drama makes you do.
Such writing and direction are rare.
This drama is a pure gem.
Even the acting is absolutely top-notch.
~ Every character in this drama seemed happy from the inside despite it having sad moments.
Unique I must say.
All of them had a significant role to play.
~Plus there was no real evil in this drama, each character was so supportive towards the other.
To be able to write in such a way is a tough job.
In the end, you're left with zero spite against anyone, KUDOS TO THE WRITER!
~ Moreover the chemistry b/w our leads is mesmerizing, and you'll melt right away.
~ In the end it leaves you wanting for more, especially the comic moments.
~ Ahhh, this drama was the epitome of happiness, I could feel the fun they must've had shooting it.
I'm gonna miss it, coz you rarely find such gems to watch.
And also the fact that I can't see it again for the 1st time as I did. ?
Also, initially, I avoided watching this drama due to the poster since it didn't appeal to me, but what a big mistake I made .?
PS : DA-BONG( Inside joke from the drama) (¬‿¬)
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At first I want to inform you that I am not a big fan of comedys but 'Hit the Top' is one of the Comedys I can't not like. Why? Because it is fresh, funny and sad at the same time.
Story: At first I thought: 'Oh no. Time travel...again?' This year there are a lot dramas with the theme time travel. Could it be the new Medical theme? A Popstar from the 90s travels due an accident to 2017 and meets his friends and new people. He wants to find out why the accident happened and what happened 23 years ago. The Story sounds fun and fresh. All in all it sounds like everything I don't like. But there was one Aspect in the Story I loved. A father and his son. After I watched Tunnel there isn't anything which could shock me. So the story gets a 8.0 from me.
Acting: The Acting was the best. Every single Actor did an Amazing job, so I want to pick some Actors I want to talk about.
Firstly I want to talk about Yoon Shiyoon. Honestly when he enlisted in the military I thought 'What? He is 30 years old?' In my Opinion he looks very young. He could be young than me. The last of his dramas I watched was Mirror of the witch (but I dropped it...). I completed Flower boy next door and I liked it. And I loved his Performances which could be a reason to pick up MotW again. Yoon Shiyoon played a 90s popstar who is arrogant, selfish but also very lonely. One day he time travels due an accident during a Typhoon. He finds himself 23 years later in 2017 and is found by three young people who befriend him (even though it does't look so). His Role (Yoo Hyunjae) has a big development in the whole story. I think it is the biggest out of all the characters. YSY did an amazing job. From the first until the last Episode I was amazed by his acting.
The Second Actor I want to talk about is Kim Minjae. I loved his Acting in TA but I loved his acting here more. His Rapping is amazing, too. I was a little bit sad, that he didn't rapped more in the drama, because I also like the OST he sang with Younha. KMJ plays Kim Jihoon who is a Trainee at a famous company for 3 years. His Bromance with Drill (BBs Taaeyangs older Brother plays the Role) is cute to watch and his Friendship with Wooseung is a good watch, too. Jihoon keeps his trainee Status a secret from his family, who think he is studying for the civil exam.
His best friend since years ago is Choi Wooseung who struggles to live a good life because she has to work part time and preapring for the civil exam which she can't seem to pass. Played by Lee Seyoung she doens't seem like a typical girl. In the Friendship with Jihoon she seems to be the boss. On the outside she is tough, but she is kind-hearted and sensible. Seyoungs Acting is very good but I didn't expect it otherwise because I loved her in LTT.
The last Actor I want to honour is Cha Taehyun. I watched him in variets shows and I watched him in My Sassy Girl. He is a very good Actor. I wanted to watch Producer but two of the other Actors are two of the ones I can't bear to watch...He acts as Lee Kwangjae, the manager of Hyunjae, who is the adoptive father of Jihoon. He takes care of Jihoon and his mother, is kind-hearted but unlucky with business. After the Accident he manages a bakery and works as the CEO of World Entertainment, but struggle because of financial issues. CTH is an amazing Actor and I hope he will be acting more again. Maybe in a weekender of KBS because the shows are most of the time very good.
The supporting Cast was good, too. Cha Eunwoo was a surprise for me, because he did a very good job as an arrogant top star (but the earring...v.v)
Music: The Music is very good. Kim Minjae feat. Younha and Kyunhyuns (Super Junior) If you are my favourite Songs. I recommend these two Songs, because they suits the drama the best.
I am sure I will watch this drama again in the future.
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It's been a while since I've liked almost every character in a drama. Not only that, but also it's been a while since I've liked a main male lead this much. This drama may not be the best out there, may not have the most consistent and plausible plot, but it's enjoyable, heartwarming and funny. And at the end, even if you didn't like the drama, at least you'll know the word I said in the beginning lol
Hit The Top begins with a demi-original plotline: time traveling. While it's not completely original, and the explanations are very faulty, the show does a good job at exploring it's slice of life themes like family, friendship, love and finding your place in the world. The struggles the characters face are very real, althought not so deep exploited, and you will find yourself indetifying with them.
The first time I saw Yoon Shi Yoon was on Flower Boy Next Door (one of my first dramas) and I absolutely loved him there. Here he plays a similar character, but different at the same time. However I'm not here to compare the two, after all it's a completely different drama. But what I notice here was a slightly improvement in him. He seems more light, more funny. It's not like he's playing a character, his acting is so natural that you actually believe Hyun Jae is a real person.
As for the rest of the cast, I was quite impressed with Cha Tae Hyun, Yoong So Ha and Dong Hyun Bae. Each gave interesting layers to their characters, offering portrayals of real people rather than just characters. As for Kim Min Jae and Lee Se Young I wasn't impressed at all, but rather than liking their acting, I liked their characters, which was the main reasons I didn't dislike them at all.
The music fits the light and sometimes more tense tone of the drama, but nothing unforgetable.
As for the lenght, I thought it could've condensed everything a little bit, or at least give some decent explanations for the time traveling. Really, while the drama's strong points lies on characters and interactions, I think they forgot to add a more logical, without so much plot holes ending. Also I would've liked more hints on one of the big reveals of the series, because it ended up being too forced for my taste.
Overall it's a good drama. I liked almost all the characters, their friendship despite most having nothing to do with each other and the little life lessons it gives. Not perfect, it would be if it had a better execution and less plot holes.
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Surprisingly good with a fresh angle on time travel
This is a 2017 South Korean Romantic Comedy’ also known under the titles “Hit The Top” and “Best Punch”.Lee Hi-Joon (Kim Min-Jae) must hide that he is pursuing music and wants to become an idol from his parents. They think he is studying for the civil service exam like his friend Choi Woo-seung (Lee Se-young) but he is sneaking off to take idol training. What Hi-joon does not know is his real father, Yoo Hyun-Jae (Yoon Shi-yoon) a famous idol, went missing in 1993. The father Hi-joon never knew actually traveled forward in time to 2017. His adoptive father Lee Gwang-jae (Cha Tae-Hyun), used to be Hyun-jae’s manager but had a one sided love for Hi-Joon’s mother whom he married when Hyun-Jae disappeared.
I loved the male lead character so much in this. He started as a very arrogant, seemingly full of himself idol but you could tell that was not who he really was. The time travel component was very interesting and I really had no idea how it would play out. His previous manager and the mother of his son were both very sweet and I liked the non traditional relationship they had. Their little family was touching. I wanted to see them all fulfill their dreams. It was a place I really missed when it was over as I found them all very likable. It ended very well. I recommend this very well done feel good story.
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