Itaewon Class (2020)

Itaewon Class is a drama that strives to stand out from the crowd by proposing a peculiar mix of characters, including a black boy and a transgender, in contrast to a plot based on the most typical clichés of Korean drama: the class struggle and the love triangle. Despite the contrast, on the whole, the series managed to blend well the typical elements of kdramas with innovative and peculiar components, offering us a fabulous set of characters, perhaps at times too eccentric, a compelling soundtrack and excellent acting, where Kim Da Min and Park Seo Joon stand out.
However, as it often happens with kdramas, it has failed to entertain me in the long run, the solidity of the plot begins to lose its charm towards episodes 7-8, when the story begins to forget more and more about the revenge that the protagonist initially aimed for, fitting him into a forced love triangle and in a power struggle inherent in Jangga Co.
At the same time, the characterization of some characters will begin to falter, first of all, the protagonist, from revengeful man to martyr, he didn’t do anything for his own pub, other people have worked hard to make his dream come true, while he was busy helping & supporting everyone, enemies included. This kind of character totally clashes with his initial revenge plan. Overall Itaewon Class deserves to be viewed because as a whole it stands out from the multitude of drama that comes out every month, offering excellent performance in various aspects but it fails in the most important, the screenplay and the ML characterization, due to the inconsistency of writing. The drama had the potential to do more, especially without the romance part.

Read More

|| OVERALL ||

Let me preface this by saying that I prefer watching rom-coms, and that I watched Crash Landing on You (experiencing its accompanying post-drama blues) while watching earlier episodes of Itaewon Class which inadvertently affects my review.

To put it bluntly, throughout the drama’s run I didn’t get too absorbed into the plot or any of the characters. The weekly wait for new episodes wasn't too difficult and there weren’t a lot of scenes I would rewind and rewatch. That is not to say the drama was terrible as there definitely were scenes every couple of episodes that would be touching, heart-wrenching, lovely, cute, or funny. My main complaint is probably that I didn't feel much of a climax in the story or a comparatively more significant scene until the last few episodes. There were scenes that intended to be intense but I just felt it was poorly built up or dragged on. Character-wise I felt some could be more three-dimensional and those that do show development lack a smooth transition (simply stating many years passed is insufficient) hence changes seemed rather abrupt. As such, I found it difficult to fully root for any character or relationship. Regarding acting, most were good although chemistry was a bit lacking. Something commendable about the drama are the messages about society and people scattered here and there, although it is unfortunate that the drama only scrapes the surface of many important topics. Ultimately, this was a decent drama, hence the decent score.

**I recommend this drama to those that like underdog stories, or when people from different walks of life come together to achieve a common goal to help each other change for the better. Some viewers prefer a more visually appealing cast when picking dramas, but for this drama the focus is more on their personalities.


|| DETAILS ||

= Story =
*Premise - Mainly just a group of “misfits” fighting for the same goal (main protagonist’s goal really) to take down a major corporation. Simple and not particularly unique.
*Genre - There were some elements of various genres but not enough to be categorized under any of them. In other words, there was some romance but not enough to cause heart fluttering, there were some funny scenes but not enough to trigger more than a chuckle, a bit melodramatic but not enough to be tear-jerking.
*Plot - As it was straightforward and simple, I expected more depth but it felt as if every time there seemed to be more to the story I get pulled back and realize the characters’ motives and justification to the story’s progression was quite shallow still. Though the plot could be seen as rather repetitive or dragged out, I won’t go as far as saying it was boring. It was entertaining to see their business grow and improve despite the setbacks, but I just didn’t feel that there was a major turning point or climax that would leave me curious as to what would happen next. The time jumps do justify a lot of the plot developments but because the foundation wasn't that strong, after the time jump the plot progression still felt somewhat sudden. Side plots were well executed in that they added some colour to the main plot and wasn’t too overpowering. There were themes of gender identity, racial discrimination, psychological disorders, and abuse, just to name a few. It is commendable that the story touches on these important topics but felt more like a flaw as the story could only scrape the surface of each of these topics making it seem like they were included just for the sake of representation. Somehow I just felt like the story had opinions on society and humans that were deep but these opinions were just thrown in which made it a bit cliché and extra.
*Characters - I liked how each character was significantly different from each other and had different reasons for why they were doing what they were. However, that’s as far as it goes. Focusing on the slightly more three-dimensional characters, initially almost all characters were so one track minded that it got a bit annoying to watch. The stubbornness made it extremely difficult to fully root for any character or relationship, and so I didn't find any character particularly outstanding or likeable. As the drama aimed to reflect real life struggles and conflicts, the characters also seemed a bit too extreme for my taste. The “evilness” of the antagonist was a bit exaggerated, and the sense of justice of the protagonist was also a bit ridiculous. Perhaps this could be favourable in another light as it’s the first time I felt annoyed with the protagonist, which is quite different. Character development was rather lacking in that there either was none or that the development felt rushed and random at times. It felt as if by stating numerous years passed, the abrupt change in character was justified. My recommendation would be to show more hints of change prior to the time jump so there is a smoother transition. There was definitely potential, just weak execution. For the character relationships, the main love line is unique but again difficult to fully root for. I flip-flopped too much between rooting for the two female leads that it got a bit tiresome. Near the end, I decided that the protagonist didn't deserve either female lead so didn't really care much about who he ended up with. The strong friendship between the Dan Bam crew was decently executed and explained though.
*Ending - An extremely predictable ending with all loose ends tied. I hit the fast forward button multiple times throughout the episode as it was dragging on, and the happily ever after aspect was a bit forced and try hard, but I suppose a plain ending is better than a bad ending. Simply put, my opinion on the ending was compatible with my opinion on the drama. There was nothing added, nothing lost. In the end, a decent ending for a decent drama. Unlikely to have post-drama blues for this one.

= Cast =
*Acting - For the most part, the actors / actresses portrayed the characters well, though I didn't feel that anyone in particular stole the spotlight. One of the actors I thought was a bit lacking regardless of the character design was Kim Dong Hee (Jang Geun Soo). Given his character’s experience I felt like he could’ve shown it more with his expressions (his go-to expression is the mild pursing of lips or just slightly raising his eyebrows) or his actions, as it seemed a bit mundane throughout the drama. However given he is still a new and young actor there’s plenty of time for him to improve.
*Chemistry - Didn’t feel that there were any perfect matches or overwhelmingly good chemistry that was exuded. Perhaps that’s what the story was going for as the Dan Bam crew were misfits after all.

= OST =
Decent soundtrack which was quite unique. There were a variety of songs including uplifting motivational ones and also sentimental songs. As a whole, not really the type of music I enjoy, however the songs were a great pick and did match the drama well.


|| A LESSON ABOUT POWER ||

True power comes not from materialistic possessions but from those around you. With the right people, everything impossible suddenly seems possible.

Read More

Unfortunately Overrated

I was really excited to watch this drama because of the immense hype around it.

After the first 3-4 episodes, I thought it would become one of my favourites. I loved the backstory they created for Park Saeroyi's character. Those episodes really make you hurt for him and root for his ultimate success. Unlike some Kdramas (e.g. Heirs), it was unique to see the male lead really stand up against bullying and class differences at school, and I was expecting an epic and satisfying revenge arc for his character.

Unfortunately the drama started to go downhill from that point. What could have been an amazing story fell flat. I expected the plot to be more layered and complex than it was. The episodes became excruciatingly slow, and the main female lead increasingly unlikable. Much of the dialogue became stunted and contrived, with excessive pauses and blank stares. Character motivations were difficult to justify, and felt cartoon-ish and unreal (particularly in the case of negative/villain roles). The social justice messages in the drama were also conveyed in a very long-winded, preachy and non-subtle way. And without saying too much - I also found the final few episodes laughable. It seemed as though the writer didn't know how to end the drama, or resolve loose ends, so they decided to throw together a cocktail of cliches and coincidences to make it work.

I understand that for a Kdrama, it was definitely unique and progressive for featuring characters from different backgrounds, in terms of race and sexuality. For that I give it credit. The actors did a great job too, and the OST is brilliant. But unfortunately, those things don't save it from being poorly written. I hope in 10 years they decide to remake the show, with the same premise, and a better ending!

Read More

Itaewon class as one of the most expected drama in this year was just an okay experience for me. I agree that there are segments which were different from the regular set of ROM coms but sometimes the drama tested my patience. Park SEO Joon had very little to do in this drama where the rest of the costars where mainly involved in the acting part. Finishing the drama, I had mixed feeling . Rich evil guy is something that is overused in kdrama world, and in this drama, it seemed more unrealistic. The chairman who played the antogonist role was superb ,I would say. The lead actress was okay, but there were moments when her acting got on my nerves.
Music and ost are below average. Finally , this is not a drama that I would recommend if you value your time and data

Read More

If you want to go on a journey about human relationships that explores all the subtle nuances, gray areas, and motivations, that encompass being a human, then this is a must watch. Every single character was so finely etched and just the fact that you sympathize with each and every character in the show at least once, conveys the amount of depth and sincerity in the narrative. Every single scene has so many undertones and if you try and pay attention to everything that is NOT being said, along with everything that is being verbalized, you'll come to appreciate the brilliant storytelling even more. I can for sure say that just by watching this show, I was able to reflect more on my actions, motivations and aspirations, and grow into a better human being. The acting is A++++++. Will not be forgetting any of the characters, especially SRY and YS for a long long time.

Read More

I’m not really one for writing reviews- just because I’m terrible at it haha.

Let me start with saying that it’s been awhile since I have been sucked right into a show with all the things I love, action, fighting, Revenge, I wouldn’t say romance to be exact .... maybe near the end but it fits perfectly with the direction of this show.

The story starts and ends really nicely for the amount of episodes, it ties up perfectly not rushed and finishes everything cleanly, I was super impressed actually since some shows tend to rush and leave you with questions.... they literally cover everything.


Music was really good I actually downloaded some of the sound track. Music was fitting with the scenes.


Acting: Every single character was amazing in there part!! I’m always blowin away with Park Seo-Joon acting, very talented !!



Like I said I’m no good at writing reviews lol this show is well worth the watch !! :)

Happy watching

Read More

I don't know where to start. It's so fascinating how a story with such a gripping hook and beautiful portrayal of a broken teenager could turn into a sap story cliche. Not only did the acting turn sour, the characters and the plot completely pushed it down the cliff of cringe. Some of the moments were honestly so atrocious, I found myself yelling at the TV screen; how could a series go from phenomenal to something so sub-par in a matter of 8 episodes?

Let's start with the acting. For the first 5-6 episodes, Park Seo-Joon had my heart. I felt like I wanted to hold him as he battled the more than flawed system. I wanted to kill anyone who'd damaged this poor boy, yet he continued to get up and persevere. They way that he swayed me with his constant belief in his principles and how he didn't want anything more than to be a son that his father could say he was proud of; he totally had me. I was constantly impressed (that is until episode 8 and on). He went from the strong boy to a clueless and dependent man. Nothing like I wanted him to become.

And his relationship with his female leads? Atrocious. Purely horrendous to watch. First it's that childhood crush of his, Soo-Ah. He constantly talked about how independent she was and that she should only rely on herself? I call bull. Constantly wants to be assured that PSJ likes her while she's practically lying in bed with the family that killed his father, got him expelled and tried to ruin his career. And she sheds a tear when he gives a little more attention to himself than to her? I honestly have to laugh at this hypocrite. Selfish, inconsiderate, dependent, lazy, etc.

And let's go to little miss Yi-Seo. If you think constantly reminding someone who's rejected you for 5-6 years is romantic, you're twisted. If you reversed the roles around, the man would be considered to be harassing the women, but just because she's a young, pretty and smart woman, it's a pass? That's disgusting. Nothing about their relationship is romantic. She's a smart woman but wouldn't know professionalism if it her in the face. This goes for Soo-Ah too. Not any of the three deserve to be in a relationship. PSJ is indecisive about anything related to his heart, Soo-Ah just likes the idea of being chased, and Ii-Seo has can't get over a first love. It's ironic that she once said that just because you get rejected once doesn't mean they're the only one, and yet she's being an annoying baby about PSJ. Both females are hypocrites, and PSJ is just plain stupid.

Honestly, the saving graces were To-Ni, Hyun-Yi, and Seung-Kwon. Thank the directors for being inclusive with these characters. I wouldn't say I'm an advocate for the LGBTQIAA+, but I truly wanted to understand the group better thanks to Hyun-Yi's portrayal of one of their many struggles. Thank you for that refreshing character.

I was really hoping for a lasting drama considering the acting cast. There were so many weak links, it just couldn't be possible. I have to say though, the first 8 episodes were beautifully well down. I do not mean to hate on this drama, but I'm criticizing it because I know that the actors could and can do better.

Read More

We need more dramas like this one!

I was super excited to write a review of this drama because I've enjoyed it soo much! If you browse through some reviews on MyDramaList, you'll see that there are many negative ones. I feel like this drama deserves a lot better and I'm going to tell you why.

Story: First of all, I think we all know this drama is not perfect. It was messy at times, but you could tell the producers tried their best to make it unique and memorable. For me personally, they really achieved that. As for the story, I loved it (at least most of the time). While watching this drama, I've learned so much about the definition of hard work, going after your dreams and goals no matter what and showing the world you can do it. And you learn some cool things about cooking, food, and advertising. It was interesting to get a little insight into this industry. I found it truly amazing how Park Saeroyi managed to stick to his goals and values, even though he had to overcome many obstacles and hurdles to reach his dreams. But let's just appreciate the fact that he really did it! His determination inspired me to go after my dreams as well. Now I feel like I want to work harder in order to live the life I want! Thank you Park Saeroyi for teaching me some life lessons and for motivating me to do my best!
I loved this aspect of the story but I figured the vibe of the whole drama (like being an outcast, working hard etc.) kind of changed at a certain point towards the end (when he established his company) which made me quite upset, to be honest. I was also a tad annoyed the main focus on this drama lied on revenge. This became quite tiring after a while... From then on I wasn't really excited to see the ending. But thank god, the last episode totally convinced me to give it a 9/10. Also, it felt super refreshing to watch because they covered topics like sexuality (transgender), racism, and whatnot. It was the first time ever I've seen something like this in a K-drama and I'm glad Korea is starting to get more open-minded in terms of topics like these <3

Characters/Cast: I cannot lie, THE CAST WAS AMAZING! This was my first drama with Park Seo-Joon (Park Saeroyi) and wow, he's an amazing actor and I cannot wait to see his other dramas! He totally pulled off his role as Park Saeroyi and it was perfect for him! As I have mentioned above, I love Park Saeroyi and I still think a lot about this drama and how he managed to achieve everything he wanted despite the circumstances. He is a big inspiration to me and I'm glad I watched this drama!
As for Kim Da-Mi (Jo Yi-Seo), She was my favorite character in the whole drama! I really can't believe it was her first role in a drama ever... She was absolutely amazing in it! I also cannot wait to see more dramas with her! Yi-Seo is now officially one of my favorite female characters ever! She was so damn badass, iconic, and cool! She would do everything for Saeroyi and it really pissed me off in the beginning that he couldn't see her as a woman. I mean yes, she is like 10 years younger but come on, who cares? I shipped them right from the beginning and I wished they had gotten together a little bit earlier. It took him ages to realize he loves her... At least they ended up being together which made me very happy. The two of them really deserve only the best!
A character I absolutely couldn't stand was Oh Soo-Ah! Gosh, I hated her so much! In the first episodes, I thought she was okay but oh no, she wasn't. Working for Jangga and the chairman knowing what they had done to Park Saeroyi and his dad made me so angry. I really couldn't understand how Saeroyi has loved her for 10 years! She was a hypocrite, expecting him to love her but silently turning her back on him. I couldn't even look at her face because it made me mad. But I do have to admit I was glad she had a little character development at the end. The last episode made me hate her a little less. What confused me as well, was the character Jang Geun-soo. I loved him in the beginning but once he started working at Jangga he really started disappointing me. I was glad he apologized for his deeds and became a better person in the end. I guess I don't have to say how much I hated the Chairman and his stupid, cruel son.
Other than that, I loved the squad and the staff at DanBam. Super lovely people <3

Music: This is something I was super excited to write about as well! The OSTs were amazing and I'm sure I'll never forget them. Especially the songs "You Make Me Back" by Woosung and "Start Over" by Gaho will stay in my playlist for a looong time! They are super motivating. I also loved the instrumental songs and I love listening to the whole OST album :)

In conclusion, should you watch this drama? Yes. Is it perfect? No.
I feel like this drama's imperfection is really not that bad cause it showcases that life itself is NOT perfect at all and that everyone is going through life for the first time. This drama was a total rollercoaster ride with unforgettable characters, amazing acting, and awesome music. It's now one of my favorite dramas and I hope it can become one of yours too. :)

Read More

To me Itaewon class is one of those drama I would definitely let my kids watch. Apart from all the romance in it. It’s such an eye opener. You get to see the world from different angles. It also shows us the relationship between people. Those who will willingly sacrifice for you and those who are greedy. I always tell my friends this. We can never choose who are parents are, we can never choose your own name when you born and you can’t choose the color of your skin either. But we can choose who we make our friends, we can choose our spouses and we can choose who are business partners are. So choose wisely. I enjoyed it very much FYI I’m not the type that rewatches a drama again no matter how good it is that’s why I scored the rewatch value at 7

Read More

Danbam, a sweet night. And I had many sweet nights (and days) watching this drama on a weekly basis.

The story is not ground-breaking. It is your standard David vs Goliath revenge tale, but sprinkle in characters like Park Sae Ro Yi and his immovable principles, Jo Yi Seo and her cunning brilliance, and I'm hooked.
Contrary to what is said in the show, is it not easy to be a person like Sae Ro Yi (or Yi Seo, either) and that was a lot of the appeal for me; to see a character so unfamiliar and uncommon in a world that does not favor those who don't compromise.
The development of supporting characters is also very good, especially Seung Kwon.
The romance wasn't the point of the story for me but I wasn't disappointed or confused by the result. It was also really enjoyable to see Soo Ah and Yi Seo square off time and time again.

I would definitely recommend a watch of this show and hope you can take some lessons to heart on the way.

Read More

Itaewon Class is one of those rare kdramas that have an explosive start. The first two episodes are enough to capture the viewers' attention and raise their anticipation. The plot is strong, very promising, I wouldn't say unique, but is still a rare gem in the kdrama world an feels like a breath of fresh air. The screenplay is amazing and gives a sense of hope and inspiration while showing common people strive through hardships and do the unthinkable. The drama has also touched sensitive issues like racism and lgbtq and has dealt with it quite well, given that it is a korean drama. But the ending just put me off very badly. I am so disappointed. They could have pulled it off in the most majestic way, yet they had to drive us all into the overused hole of romantic angles and cliches. The determination and principle that started the very plot of the drama seem to fall flat towards the end. The drama didn't do justice to many characters and gives a bad aftertaste.
Well, I couldn't end the review without talking about the characters. The group of misfits namely Seungkwan, Hyunyi, Toni, Yiseo and their boss/leader/mentor Saeroyi are the center of attraction in this drama. Park Seojoon's portrayal of the character Saeroyi is awesome. He is trustworthy, dependable and an awkwardly funny character, capable of making the viewers laugh with him as well as shed tears with him, though his decisions towards the end of the drama disappointed me a lot. The unbreakable bond between these characters is a delight to watch. Kwon Nara as Soo Ah has done a fantastic job. She represents the independent working woman of 21st century, struggling through her internal conflicts between loyalty, gratitude, competition and love. Ahn Bo Hyun as Jang Geun Won is totally believable as the typical rich brat who bullies anyone and everyone on his way but is actually an insecure kid at heart, terrified of his father. Speaking of his father Chairman Jang Dae Hee (played by Yoo Jae Myung) is the epic villain of the story. This character deserves equal appreciation as that of Saeroyi. He is evil, shrewd, plays dirty politics but on the other hand, is hardworking, self-made, inspiring and a successful man. Yoo Jae Myung gives a new persona to this vicious character and i am sure the viewers will see this villain in a different light. As much as I hate this character, there is a certain sense of admiration and respect towards him in my heart which I can't explain. Lastly Yiseo (played by Kim Da Mi)- oh boy, i can't deal with her. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like her at all, nor relate to her feelings even remotely. She is a confident, smart and very capable young lady but has lots of negative traits. Okay, her character is meant to be a sociopath, but that doesn't give anyone the free pass to act in the most hypocritical way possible. She uses people and discards them like an old tissue. The fact that she is one of the main leads in the drama and doesn't even have a character growth at the end just angers me the most. The rest of the supporting cast have done their job quite well. I just wish there were an alternate ending to this story, a more righteous and impactful one. I would recommend you to watch Itaewon Class but I can't guarantee you that you will like the ending. For Park Seo Joon fans, definitely go for it, for the awesome fight scenes and his signature awkward comedy.

Read More

Promising Start that lead to a disaster

THINGS I LIKE
(+) Strong starting hook
(+) Relatively strong to decent acting
(+) Diverse and inclusive cast
(+) Plot is somewhat inspiring
(+) 1-2 memorable OSTs

THING I DIDN'T LIKE
(-) Story quality decreases half way through
(-) Unnatural and misplaced romance throughout
(-) Flat antagonists that becomes more illogical as the plot progress
(-) Major plot scenes felt forced
(-) the main character Park SaeRoYi only accomplish his goals through luck

REVIEW
The opening episodes did an exceptional job to draw you in with a very unjust conflict that reliably foreshadowed the themes of revenge. The first 3-4 episodes was executed in a very unpredictable manner that was great at making you second guess on where the plot was going and made it effortless to binge watch. However, I can't give the same compliment to the rest of this drama as the scenes begin to drag soon after and this got worse later on.

(Spoilers) By far the biggest issues I have with this drama are the characters and their character development. Firstly, our main protagonist Park SaeRoYi really wasn't all that intelligent as a businessman. Had he not luckily got YiSeo to fall in love with him, he would have not even come close to his success in the end as he did. In fact, both of the women that loved him were far more competent than he was. It only took a numerous amount of second chances where he'd almost completely run his company to the ground due to his stubbornness before he was able to learn from his mistakes. And technically, Soo Ah was actually the one who destroyed Jangga, not SaeRoYi. Secondly, I also just cannot relate to YiSeo's character. It made no sense to me that she would love SaeRoYi so much just after learning about his past whereas before she was a girl who did not give a f*** about anything. Her character is quite controversial among all the reviews I've seen - people either find her creepy and overly obsessive or admire her dedication. Either way, her character as a whole is just a huge stretch especially if you consider how little she knew of Park SaeRoYi before deciding to dedicate her entire life around him. I also want to comment on HyunYi (the chef of DanBam). She came from a background with zero education and experience of cooking and somehow she is able to be beat Jangga just by some trial and error style learning with YiSeo's taste-testing? Like, I wish the world was that easy. The last comment I want to make are for the villains - both Jang Geun Won (the son) and Jang Dae Hee (father)'s character just feel really flat and one-directional. The son being reckless is something I can see but Dae Hee is the CEO of a massive corporation. Yet, his way of thinking is just way too immature for anyone close to being as successful as he is supposed to be.

Overall, I think this drama had good ideas and meaningful intentions but tried way too hard to make a grand finale for this story resulting in poor and disconnected execution.

Read More