Usually my reviews start with the plot, but I feel like I definitely have to mention the characters more this time. You Who Came from the Stars has some of the most well developed and memorable characters I've seen so far, three of which are some of my favorites - Jae Kyung, Song Yi, and Hee Kyung (four if you include Han Yoo Ra who played a smaller role but very well I may say). Many romcoms have typical characters like a male lead who's mean but turns soft and then the ditsy candy girl who "is unlike any other girl" (except for every other candy girl out there), so it's rare for a character from this genre to stand out, and evenmoreso for three of them to stand out.
Before even watching the show you've probably already seen or heard of Shin Sung Rok for his outstanding portrayal of the evil Jae Kyung in this show so it's not surprising that I'd mention him. Usually I'm the most skeptical about characters everyone loves because I don't want to be like the crowd but without him, this show would not be the same. He plays a villain that you love to hate comparable to Loki from the Avengers. Stories don't seem complete without a good villain, and Shin Sung Rok definitely proved to fit the role. Not only does he have a debonair exterior (he pulls off a suit very well I may add) but is smart and capable as well. As you wait on the edge of your seat to see what he does next, you secretly want to root for him not because has a good motive in this case (strangely) but just because he makes things exciting. The rivalry between him and the main character has a certain tension that keeps it suspenseful.
Many people have also probably heard of Jeon Ji Hyeon before watching the show; heck, even the lipstick she wore got famous from this show and was sold out selling at $95 per tube after it aired. She's not only one of the most beautiful lead actresses I've seen (she looks like a model and can wear anything I swear), but she also demonstrates a strong character with admirable confidence and a very cool, for lack of a better word, persona.
Hee Kyung is the last of these three characters. I have to say that his character is not as original because it's is the second male lead personality. The reason I say he stands out is because I think the writers and actors created a character that is one of the best second male leads I've seen and he really is the definition of this role. This is gonna sound really shallow to people who don't like remarks about actors' appearances, but I have eyes and it does play a part in how I judge characters. At first I thought he looked a little odd and really hoped that he wasn't the second lead, but his acting and the writing for his character made me change my mind because of how dedicated he appeared to be. He never gives up on her, and while heartbreaking, it's also very nice to see and hope that someone like that really exists. (As a side note, I watched him on family outing later and he has a cute personality irl too).
Yes, I know I didn't mention Kim Soo Hyun or Yoo In Na, but they didn't stand out as much in this drama for me, even though Soo Hyun plays an alien, The only cool scenes from him were the car and elevator ones but his character seemed emotionless (which might be how he wanted to portray the alien, but seems not too different from many male leads I've seen that aren't aliens- I hope it will be different in Producer which I'm waiting for). When he cried it was the exact opposite and the amount of emotion he had did not seem to match the reason for crying and made me feel out of place because of the lack of emotion throughout the show. Yoo In Na was one of my favorite characters in Secret Garden; she was forgettable in this one.
Now for the plot. I wasn't really fond of the flashbacks, and the little girl relationship was not only weird in itself since it was pedophilic but made the main relationship awkward to say the least. The climax and ending I thought would be better too; I think because I watched the Running Man version first and their ending, I was expecting something similar or related to that. It left me satisfied, but a little disappointed in Jae Kyung. I think they could have used the super powers for more entertainment purposes as well (like in the car and elevator scenes) and carried the rivalries out more because they were entertaining and some of the other parts seemed a little boring.
I don't really rewatch shows and the music was okay. "You Are My Destiny" is memorable but not my favorite; I liked the song from Younha and the scene with Hee Kyung that came with it more.
I'd recommend this show if you want to watch a show with a villain that you love-to-hate-but-really-love, a strong female lead that looks cool no matter what she does, and one of the most loyal second leads out there but don't mind some flashbacks in the beginning of every episode and a few boring parts here and there. It wasn't as funny as other romcoms, but more on the suspenseful side with a superman/ Lois Lane feel.
Was this review helpful to you?