frommelbtoseoul
Melbourne
Review can be seen at: https://frommelbtoseoul.wordpress.com/2020/04/20/review-uncontrollably-fond/
I did try to watch this during the time it was airing, but didn’t make it past episode 4 or 5. I’m not sure what made me want to give it a second go, but I guess it’s because I hadn’t seen anything from Kim Woo Bin in awhile and missed seeing his face (lol this reasoning). Regardless of why though, I am glad I gave this a second try because I genuinely liked it a lot more this time around.
A major reason why Uncontrollably Fond was a great watch came down to the actors/actresses and the portrayal of their characters. This was especially true for Kim Woo Bin as Shin Joon Young (the male lead of course), Jin Kyung as Joon Young’s mum and Yu Oh Seong as Prosecutor Choi. All three conveyed such depth and growth within their characters and I found that I enjoyed watching their scenes and what they brought to the drama. In fact, my favourite scenes were between Joon Young and his mum. There is so much emotion involved between the two and it was so difficult not to become emotionally invested in their relationship. I can still vividly remember the different moments between them and how much it tugged on my heart.
I’ve seen a number of praises for how Kim Woo Bin plays Joon Young and I wholeheartedly agree. The character is a break from his classic troubled high school/angsty teenager. Yes, he still has a number of angsty scenes in Uncontrollably Fond and he starts off as a troubled high schooler, but there’s actually layers to his character. He presents Joon Young as a public figure who apparently everyone knows about, but holds onto so many scars and secrets that cannot be shared with anyone, even the people he loves most. However, that doesn’t stop him from wearing his heart of his sleeve. He doesn’t shy away from expressing his feelings, especially when it came to who he wanted and didn’t want in his life. I found it was easy to grow attached to his character and just wanted the best for him. For lovers with Suzy, whilst I think she’s watchable, I do think the female lead could have been played by anyone and it would not have made a difference. Woo Bin really carried the show with his acting and the way that Suzy’s character is written, coupled with how she portrayed the character, doesn’t give her the chance to shine.
The storyline itself heads in one direction. It’s not hard to see what will happen at the end. There are a series of conflicts and drama that requires resolving, but those moments are predominately vehicles for character arc development and to emphasise the importance of the overall message the show has to offer. That’s not to say that those scenes were boring. They were simple, to the point and tied very well into the overall plot. I don’t think there was any episode that was useless per se, but do think that the first 3-4 episodes and last 2-3 episodes were most memorable and grabbed my attention. What I did like from the writing is the script, essentially what the characters say either to themselves or to each other, especially in the last few episodes. There were speeches that carried a lot of meaning and I oh, so very quotable.
Uncontrollably Fond is a very, very sad watching experience. There may be some scenes that can be a trigger for those who have experienced loss and grief, but ultimately, I think the show really delivered an accurate and meaningful representation of the appreciation of life and the importance of making sure you live your life to the fullest. The emphasis on reflecting on your actions and behaviours, the relationships you build and whether you have any regrets before your life comes to an end is something I found really memorable. There’s a lot to take away from this drama, which I really liked, beyond just the usual romance and resolution of the drama presented.
I did try to watch this during the time it was airing, but didn’t make it past episode 4 or 5. I’m not sure what made me want to give it a second go, but I guess it’s because I hadn’t seen anything from Kim Woo Bin in awhile and missed seeing his face (lol this reasoning). Regardless of why though, I am glad I gave this a second try because I genuinely liked it a lot more this time around.
A major reason why Uncontrollably Fond was a great watch came down to the actors/actresses and the portrayal of their characters. This was especially true for Kim Woo Bin as Shin Joon Young (the male lead of course), Jin Kyung as Joon Young’s mum and Yu Oh Seong as Prosecutor Choi. All three conveyed such depth and growth within their characters and I found that I enjoyed watching their scenes and what they brought to the drama. In fact, my favourite scenes were between Joon Young and his mum. There is so much emotion involved between the two and it was so difficult not to become emotionally invested in their relationship. I can still vividly remember the different moments between them and how much it tugged on my heart.
I’ve seen a number of praises for how Kim Woo Bin plays Joon Young and I wholeheartedly agree. The character is a break from his classic troubled high school/angsty teenager. Yes, he still has a number of angsty scenes in Uncontrollably Fond and he starts off as a troubled high schooler, but there’s actually layers to his character. He presents Joon Young as a public figure who apparently everyone knows about, but holds onto so many scars and secrets that cannot be shared with anyone, even the people he loves most. However, that doesn’t stop him from wearing his heart of his sleeve. He doesn’t shy away from expressing his feelings, especially when it came to who he wanted and didn’t want in his life. I found it was easy to grow attached to his character and just wanted the best for him. For lovers with Suzy, whilst I think she’s watchable, I do think the female lead could have been played by anyone and it would not have made a difference. Woo Bin really carried the show with his acting and the way that Suzy’s character is written, coupled with how she portrayed the character, doesn’t give her the chance to shine.
The storyline itself heads in one direction. It’s not hard to see what will happen at the end. There are a series of conflicts and drama that requires resolving, but those moments are predominately vehicles for character arc development and to emphasise the importance of the overall message the show has to offer. That’s not to say that those scenes were boring. They were simple, to the point and tied very well into the overall plot. I don’t think there was any episode that was useless per se, but do think that the first 3-4 episodes and last 2-3 episodes were most memorable and grabbed my attention. What I did like from the writing is the script, essentially what the characters say either to themselves or to each other, especially in the last few episodes. There were speeches that carried a lot of meaning and I oh, so very quotable.
Uncontrollably Fond is a very, very sad watching experience. There may be some scenes that can be a trigger for those who have experienced loss and grief, but ultimately, I think the show really delivered an accurate and meaningful representation of the appreciation of life and the importance of making sure you live your life to the fullest. The emphasis on reflecting on your actions and behaviours, the relationships you build and whether you have any regrets before your life comes to an end is something I found really memorable. There’s a lot to take away from this drama, which I really liked, beyond just the usual romance and resolution of the drama presented.
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