Extraordinary You (2019)

Children's version of W

The premise was good and at first it was great, but it got boring. The last 4 episodes (29-30-31-32) was só difficult to watch because I couldn't take it anymore.

Beak Gyeon had the best character development that I've seen in a while and haru was the worst, I mean, like, he barely had a character development.

I saw someone saying that would been better if haru didn't came back on episode 13/14 and now that its over I think it would be a more interesting story using this and baek gyeon development.

Anyways, just a children's and less developed version W - Two Worlds

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I Feel So Many Things

I know I'm technically about 5 years too late to watching this, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that I finished, yeah? Now, this review will not be like some of the other reviews in this section. I LOVED this show, so I won't be agreeing with the rest of the peanut gallery in regards to this show. Like always, I did NOT feel the same way the majority of the K-Drama fandom felt about this show. Not at all, and I'm perfectly fine with that.

I do want to start off by acknowledging the elephant in the room here - usually I only find myself salivating and obsessing over the female leads in this story. However, Ha Ru (Rowoon) is absolutely positively divine. The show did such a great job at creating the buildup to revealing and introducing his character to the audience. The first time I saw him, my mouth dropped. I was absolutely shooketh. I was stunned by how absolutely beautiful this man is. I've never been blown away by any of the male leads in most K-Dramas and that's something I've had to deal with for quite some time and I was fine with it. The entire time I watched this - that was the only thing going through my mind. I was awestruck by his beauty. Don't get me wrong. The actress that plays Dan Oh is adorable too. They were both a very good-looking couple. However, I'm now in love with Rowoon so there's that. Now, onto the review.

While I will agree with some fans about the story not making sense, I don't care enough to stress about it. I'm one of those annoying fans who doesn't give a fuck about a shoddy plot, just as long as the characters are likable and I get my romance. Yes, I'm THAT fan. The plot could fall apart in 5 episodes and be held together by a single piece of thread for the remainder of the show and it won't matter if those characters are hitting all of the right beats and tugging on my heartstrings in the way that I enjoy. I do believe this story lasted far longer than it should, but that's always been a pet peeve of mine regarding most of these dramas. Most dramas don't need more than a certain number of episodes to tell the story. In that way, I do feel as if the writers dragged certain things out that they definitely shouldn't have, but what can you do? The pacing is the issue in that regard. Also, having two love triangles in the same show means that I am entitled to some sort of financial compensation for emotional damages. Down with love triangles! It's not 2008 anymore.

Now, The Writer. The hand wavy God-like figure writing the comic within the show. I did have an issue with this part because I honestly thought that Ha Ru was The Writer before they revealed that he wasn't. I feel that may have been far more interesting. Ha Ru is The Writer who somehow ended up in his own book. Ha Ru, The Writer, jumps through that weird black hole to get in and get out of that make-believe, fictional world. That's what I initially theorized but that's not what happened. I don't like the fact that we never found out who The Writer was either. I did like the subtle meta digs the characters would take at The Writer though. I found that kind of funny. I never saw Boys Over Flowers (?), so I don't understand that reference. Sorry!

Let's tackle my favorite aspect of this show now, shall we? The lead couple sunk their claws into me and they never let go. These two have my heart and will always have my heart honestly, because they were just that perfect. They had the right balance of angst and happiness. I did not care for the long, drawn-out love triangle though. I'm past the age where love triangles interest me so I would have preferred that Dan Oh and Ha Ru's relationship woes were purely about fighting their predestined fate instead of fighting with Baek Kyung (just wait for it because I have a LOT to say about him). I know some people had an issue with Ha Ru seemingly only existing for Dan Oh, and I don't see the issue. Most men need to learn how to stand there, shut up, and look pretty sometimes. It's a necessity, if you ask me. Plus, that's a favorite trope of mine - man only existing to serve, worship, and protect his female love interest. Again, what is the issue here? People kept saying that Dan Oh's journey was minimized to simply loving Ha Ru, but it makes sense. For all intents and purposes, Dan Oh is a teenage girl. What did people really think her priorities would lie? Have you ever actually talked to a teenager in high school? Their priorities are mostly about what they're feeling right now in that very moment. The attention span is short.

With all of that being said, let me drag Baek Kyung for a minute. I did NOT like him at all. By the end of the show, I still didn't care for him. I didn't pity him either. The only feeling I had by the end of the show was wondering whether he fixed what he screwed up because he thought it was the right thing or if he did it because his guilty conscience started to eat him up inside? That's where my mind went, because I didn't buy his so-called redemption arc. The writers (all the Baek Kyung lovers should blame them for sure) spent too much time on him being the antagonist and not enough time actually developing a believable redemption for me to buy it. I didn't buy it. Yes, he fixed it but it was AFTER he fucked it up. What he did was the bare minimum. He killed the girl he claimed to have true feelings for and suddenly realized that forcing someone to be with you when they don't want to be and removing their agency and free will is wrong. Finally! He realized this in the fourth fucking quarter! You realized this in the penultimate episode? Wow. We can blame The Writer for making him a jackass on the stage. But what's his excuse for him being an asshole in the shadow? What was the reason? He treated Dan Oh like crap the entire time, both on stage and in the shadow. But you expect me to believe he truly had feelings for her? He only started to feel something for her once he realized that she started to have a mind of her own. For the longest time, he kept trying to convince her (and Ha Ru) that her on-stage self was the real her when it wasn't. Baek Kyung never liked the real Dan Oh. He liked the girl who constantly chased him after he spit in her face (metaphorically speaking) and humiliated her in front of their peers every single day.

I didn't like the Dried Squid Fairy; I couldn't stand him. The boot licker in him agitated me. Why are you so adamant about following the rules and allowing things to happen to you without attempting to change them? It was clear The Writer lacked creativity, so who cares if you change things here and there? The Writer didn't have enough creativity and imagination to walk outside of their own front yard. Who cares? Burn it all down! Buck the system and stand up for something for once in your miserable life.

Now, I LOVED Lee Do Hwa! After the main two characters, he was my favorite. I enjoyed his character so much. I hate that he didn't get his happy ending but I knew it wouldn't be possible. Yoo Ja and Nam Joo were ... something. Yoo Ja became an interesting person to watch and I liked her. Nam Joo was there, I guess?

Okay, are you still here? Good! You get a cookie. Would I recommend it? Yes! Don't listen to the naysayers. If you want to watch it, watch it. Decide how you feel for yourself. I would definitely rewatch certain episodes again; I wouldn't rewatch the whole thing because there's just too many episodes but definitely some of my favorite episodes now and then.

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All the back n forth with the writer was driving me up the wall. I loved the Rowoon who played Ha Ru, he was believable and I felt bad for him. I don't know what the writer was thinking regarding this storyline. I braved through it and watched all the episodes. Kim Hye Yoon, I loved her personality in this drama. Always smiling! I feel that she had to be zoned out in the drama. The other actor and actresses did ok and I am wondering if they were also confused trying to put this together. I gave it 7 just for them trying to get this storyline together. It may be cute to those who may want to watch it.

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Take Me Wherever

You know my absolute favourite thing when I watch dramas? ...When the story takes me wherever it wants to go.

I sort of subconsciously knew this but could never articulate it until I watched this drama. This is the kind of story that just grips you and for me, never let go. I love that the writers created a whole new world and I couldn't really guess what the next turn would bring. You know what? A story can just flow without making sense and without the writers solving every single riddle in the story...so I am saying this to anyone who might be discouraged by reviews taking about plotholes. It's okay that there are gaps. This story was still incredibly beautiful.

I loved the lead couple, absolutely charming and lovable. Just put Rowoon in front of a screen and I am happy to watch him being cute all day *love eyes* Kim Hye Yoon's performance was stunning! She had the type of nice female lead character that could get exhausting but she played Dan-o flawlessly. Jung Gun Joo's character Do-hwa was a surprise ...absolutely fell in love with him

Loved the OST as well! 10000% going to rewatch all those cute scenes.

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Multifaced Story Within A Story

I cannot begin to express exactly how much I adored this story, but I’ll give it a try anyway.

❤ Dan-O is everything you could want from a protagonist - she’s feisty, passionate, driven, and courageous. You can’t help but root for her as she pushes against her destiny to create her own story.

❤ It’s absolute perfection watching Dan-O and Ha-roo fall in love. Their romance is like eating warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven (the highest of compliments from me). This is very much a “first love” story with a focus on looks and hugs, not kisses.

❤ I 100% could not get enough of the friendship between Dan-O, Har-roo, and Do-hwa. I loved how they supported one another, particularly when they went on one of their “missions” to change their fates. If anything, I wish the other self-aware characters had been more integrated into their story and shenanigans.

❤ This story is multifaceted, layered, and always intriguing. It’s very much a “story within a story” so be prepared for lots of surprising twists and turns.

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You will not get this if you haven't watched Boys Over Flowers

I see so many reviews that assume that this is just the typical teen/school drama. It's not, it's a satire of teen dramas and more explicitly a satire of Boys Over Flowers. When I say satire it's for the lack of a better expression, should say "lovingly made satire" that respects yet is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek satire of BOF. Also, it's not being a cliched rom com, it's an homage to cliched rom coms. There are so many wickedly intelligent undercurrents that only a seasoned k-drama addict (this is the 114th k-drama for me) will get. So sorry, but if you really haven't watched BOF, you'll only get about 20 percent of the meaning. Where should I start? The violin, closing off the school rooftop, the mother paying off poor gf, I could go on and on. Yet I guess you can sill enjoy even if watched as a typical teen or school drama. Because Rowoon is just perfect in this role as the dreamy handsome prince, and the FL can rather effortlessly carry the whole thing since she's present about 90 percent of the time. She's just right and rarely overacts. The other characters have less work to do in terms of development, but the rude 2nd lead is written as pleasingly ambivalent, not knowing himself whether he is himself "in role" or outside of it. And as always, there's no limits to the philosophies and lessons you can make out of the plight of the characters having to be either monotonous robots saying pre-written lines, or struggling to become independent persons. One last thing: the set designer would have earned an Oscar for his/her work. There's so much to look at from the fairytale-like scenes to the FL's home and bedroom. This was really done with the highest level of ambition possible. Full applauds! The weak side of this drama is the same as in most k-dramas: there is not enough material for 16 episodes. It starts to get very repetitive around the 11th episode. It would be just great if the industry could agree on making 14 episodes the standard length. My last word: when you say "cliche" I say "classic ." Like in the Dramaworld series, it is clear here that showing cliches is out of love for them. Personally, I love my classics like a seasoned k-drama lover would.

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An excellent premise

Drama premise is very good and against all my beliefs I was binge to it since the first episode and excited to know more. The cast did an excellent job and the chemistry of the "extra" couple (main couple ig) was great. OST was also excellent, the soundtrack in the background of each scene was well chosen.

Now, even though I liked the drama a lot, I felt plot had some ups and downs. Sometimes it was a bit tedious, just in the middle of the drama I feel like story lost it course a few times and then resumed up again. Despite that, I enjoyed the drama and its performances.

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Haru ya , Nae Sarang

This drama has a special place in my heart. I think no drama again that can replace extraordinary you in my heart. I really excited from the beginning until the last. The plot is unique and have many surprise in here. I can't guess what next happen and i feel what if I be like dan oh in this drama. This drama invite me as the watcher to be part, to feel in this drama. I really aprreciate for the main role not cause they in the center story especially haru. From beginning he doesn't have many conversations but with the gesture with his trait. I really melt with him. I really blessed to find and watch this drama. And this drama make me really cry and lost because haru must be dissapeared and forgotten unless dan oh. It really hurts to see her feel that. At the last i really thankful for the writer can give the story like this than unique and different by the other drama. Thankyou for producer and the main role dan oh and haru.

For the watcher that still fell hesitate about this drama to be your dramalist. Please don't think again watch this drama now and you won't regret later. I really reccomended it !! :)

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it could have done so much better

the drama started out so good, got me hooked and the story was just *chefs kiss*. BUT it suddenly got boring?????? it got repititive and the same old connection with past life made a very good drama into a boring one. they could have made it short and good but it felt like they were just stretching the plot and the story was not moving. at some parts, acting seemed a bit off too? they looked stiff and at other parts it was too cringe. i just think that it couldve been more interesting and without the past life trope. overall i think its pretty watchable but i would not recommend it a lot.

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