The controversial “Backstreet Rookie”, was it any good?
Plot : Let’s start with, why it’s controversial. From what I read online, the main complaint was it’s too raunchy and of course the caricature of “Reggae boy”. But putting it all aside, It’s a pretty unique love story. First of all,it’s realistic. The main love interest isn’t some rich guy with a multimillion company, but just your average hard-working guy. To be honest the first 2 episodes I didn’t like, after the 4 episode I started to really enjoy it…but the two last episodes were a disappointment.Overall I would recommend it if you are tired of the cliche k-drama plots and want something fresh and more “grown-up” , but still silly and funTHE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN OUR MAIN COUPLE(S)?:
So our main couple is Choi Dae-Hyun and Jung Saet-Byul ,yes we do get a little love triangle situation but it was gone half way of the show,so I don’t feel like it’s relevant to talk in this context. Was there chemistry between Choi Dae-Hyun and Jung Saet-Byul? Yes and No,let me explain…First 4 episodes you could feel the awkwardness,I don’t know how or why,but you could feel they are not really comfortable with each other. After that I started to see the chemistry,but in my opinion, there were not enough cute scenes overall and that’s a shame!
HOW IT ENDS:*Mild Spoilers*
I was disappointed…they tried to wrap up all the loose ends in one episode…ONE EPISODE!!! And you could really tell they where rushing…the actual ending wasn’t that bad,just the feel of the whole episode was bad…sorry not sorry
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What a waste of time
I thought the first episode was really funny but a lot of cringe though and I did not like the potrayal of dreads on that webtoon guy. However, by the 3rd episode the show was starting to get on my nerves.I don't like JCW's character. He was too nice and so gullible. It's ridiculous. I hate ML like this. Yes you can be nice and honest but you don't have to be a doormat and act stupid or blind to things right in front of you. I have to stop watching these kinds of dramas. I also didn't understand why his girlfriend even likes him other than his good looks when she is so ashamed of him and his upbringing.
Almost every character is annoying with no redeeming qualities. I hate that rich people in these dramas find it abhorrent that their child may be in love with someone they find beneath them. Dae Hyun has his own business and works hard to live a good and honest life; what is so terrible about that? The class system is ridiculous.
I never drop shows so that's my character flaw and I guess I should but this was 16 episodes of nonsense that actually could have ended at episode 13 when all main plot issues had been resolved. Yet it carried on for 3 more episode just to make ML and FL not get together until the last episode. STUPID!!
I really have to stop watching my sister's recommendations.
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Misrepresentation at its best
Wow- you never see any people of color and when u do in Korean tv, the character couldn’t be lower. The screen time was dedicated to all the characters that no one was interested in. Apart from this, there was no romance. I am not sure what this show was. Someone forgot to write a story. There were so many subpar themes and dialogues. JCW and the female lead were utterly cute and handsome. They didn’t deserve this at all. I hope another production house can bring the main leads together again and do justice to their beauty and talent.Was this review helpful to you?
Don't waste your time on this drama
Started watching it because of JCW, Tolerated because of JCW... BUT JCW disappointed me..i had so much expectations. I thought it may be interesting after some episodes but NO.This four dimensional girl Jung Saet Byul is so nosy and annoying, Her one sided love is irritating.
How cringe to see they tried to portray cuteness and innocence but also a lil bit of maturity and strong.It is unacceptable and unrealistic ( just in my thoughts).
Story is boring ,Not a little bit of romance & No chemistry, not even Comedy. I can't understand exactly when lead's romance started. ?
Characters aren't good and mostly were use less with this kind of boring script and also predictable.
Highly Disappointed. Don't waste your time unless you want to watch meaningless drama.
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Excellent drama but wasted potential
The Backstreet rookie surprised me with a strong and self-assured protagonist and that despite having a superhuman strength she is completely docile, honest and hardworking. In fact, the drama is carried by Kim Yoo-jung who is undoubtedly the pillar of the drama.About the age controversies I found it completely incoherent, she was 19 and he was 26, there is nothing pedophile about it, it is actually a very normal age difference between couples ... And this affected the whole drama because because of the couple's criticism I am sure that the director cut the romance between the protagonists to avoid further criticism.
The Jamaican character doesn't seem offensive to me, he is just a boring character, he was grumpy and not sympathetic.
Ji Chang-wook's character bothered me too much as he was indifferent towards Kim Yoo-jung, he had a full sense of the even obsessive love she felt for him but at no time did he need affection for her. Okay that he was committed and it was the right way to deal, but the coldness and indifference he had for Yoo-Jung bothered him a lot, but when he finally separates from his first girlfriend and finally starts to empathize and consider Yoo's feelings -jung, so the character was cool for me
But I didn't understand in the penultimate episode Kim Yoo-jung rejecting Ji Chang-wook. It didn't make any sense, she has an unconditional love for the guy, she chased and did everything to win him over. Her rejection of her dating request was a very stupid way for the director to show that she didn't want to show romance between the two, reserving the last minutes of the drama for her to accept dating and thus end with the "happily ever after."
That was the most frustrating because the chemistry that existed between the channel was and not seeing 1 episode dedicated to the romance between the two made the huge drama lose points for me ... Because you end the drama with that feeling of incomplete ...
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That ending though...
I am really a fan of Ji Chang Wook also known as Wookie. Knowing the fact that this series is new, I got my self available in watching the 16 episodes. The first episode got me hooked. But the next episodes got me hooked with fire volcano, the webtoon artist and the second lead of the series.I got disappointed because the story became draggy. The kiss scene is only shown in the first episode( and it was a controversial one, that's it).
Backstreet rookie, it seems it was ended in a very fast phase. The ending was nice, but still they can still showcase more.
I want more! I don't need season 2. I just need a little twist of the ending.
Woookiiiiiieeee please another series please. Please give justice:)
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Family Drama from an adult webtoon? Backstreet Rookie : Hold My Beer!!
There are quite a few successful drama adaptation of webtoons like Whats Wrong With Secretary Kim and Mystic Pop Up Bar, The reason why these webtoon based drama succeeded was because the story was good if not great and had some scope for character and plot development.After seeing this drama caught up in all sort of controversies after only 2 episodes, I actually read a couple of chapters of the manhwa "She is too much for me" to see what the fuss is about
- This is not a typical damsel in distress K drama, in fact it appears to be the other way round. The female lead clearly shines, this drama is more centered towards the FL than the ML. Kim Yoo Jung overshadows everyone in this drama, yes even the veteran JCW. It is hand's down her drama!
- The manhwa "She is too much for me " is an adult webtoon so it is no surprise that it has the "asian kink" of sexualizing school girls and a grown man fantasizing about a teenage girl at its core, However why the writers choose to adapt this webtoon into a 'family show' is a mystery. This isn't Reply 1988 or even a Smile Dong Hae
- However it is to be noted that the directors and writers are trying their best to "tone down" and "cleanse" the adult content of the webtoon and the actors (especially the female lead) are doing a good job with their roles.
- As the main backdrop of the drama is the convenience store, the sub plots have limited range...ML suspecting the FL of stealing cash from the store, ML getting in trouble for selling cigarettes to minor, expired food etc
- I have read a couple of chapters of the manhwa and I did not come across the reggae friend of Dae Hyun , (who is actually a Korean in the drama as well as in real!) The way he he portrayed as an adult webtoon writer with licks coming out of his hair, Saet Byul's friends calling him a caveman/ neanderthal, Saet Byul giving him weird looks for comical relief is again unnecessary, disappointing and has surely backfired
- It is clear from Episode 1 itself that Saet Byul is chasing Dae Hyun and probably do whatever it takes to separate him from his girlfriend Yeon Joo. She is clearly shown to be infatuated with the male lead for no particular reason from the moment they met. The male lead is not a regular K drama alpha main lead but more of a 'guy next door' with a flat personality and little charms but still has two women vying for him (an alpha go getter Saet Byul and successful and elegant Yeon Joo). It is very brave of Ji Chang Wook's part to take up a role of wimpy male lead like Choi Dae Hyun.
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The Good:
1. My favorite part of the drama was the relationship between SB and DH's mom. Those parts make my heart warm and also made me tear up sometimes.
2. The acting of all the characters is good and one of the things that made me stick around.
3. Some of the tributes to previous dramas are funny.
The Bad:
1. As everyone's concern, the age gap between the actors made me wish that they had a platonic relationship more than a romantic one. I think I would have been totally okay, even happy if the main leads did not end up together but instead had a sibling sort of relationship.
2. The relationship between the 2FL and the ML was very long and just did not end. Maybe the main leads would have convinced me more if the 2FL and ML had broken up earlier.
3. The gags and side characters. Some of the gags were overdone and made me a bit uncomfortable, ML's parent's relationship, ML's friend, and FL's friend's characters and relationships being a few.
4. The side characters got sidelined by the end.
Overall:
I would most probably not recommend the drama to anyone, but there are some funny scenes. If you are really really bored and want to watch something then you could watch it, but there are plenty of other funnier dramas to watch.
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Enjoyable watch
I watched this series on a whim but I also wanted to know what the controversy was about. I had no context to the story and started watching without any expectations. The end result was that I enjoyed it.The acting was good and I even added a few tracks from the OST on my playlist. I do have some bias to the ML, FL and second love interest as I like their work in other dramas.
If you're after something with a bit of comedy, kick ass female fighting and 'get back at the baddies fun' then consider this show.
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Perfect Drama (Blockbuster Standard of Romcom)
There is no drama like this. It's so unique. It's about Convenience Store, you could learn a thing or twoand the beautiful Kim Yoo Jung's totality method acting carried this drama. Best makeup, her visuals are the best here compared to all of her dramas.
Eum Moon Suk and Kim Sun Young are the best support.
Best action, best acting, best plot, best romance without kissing, best cast, best chemistry of all cast, best cameos.
This drama has it all. Never a single dull moment in this drama. It's all healing.
The music is so good, the very first drama to use KR&B, I believe. Colde is not to be taken for granted.
"it's not that bad?" it's never that bad to begin with. Cmon you guys have watched so many boring melodramas, makjangs, and murder mysteries, try to rewatch them again. If you like Hotel Del Luna, you'll like this drama.
I don't get how people don't like this drama, it's funny and emotional, at least there was no break up. Maybe if you like too serious drama, don't watch it.
Controversial stuff? Guys, you have watched Netflix, you are used to it. It's nothing. Just an excuse because the news said so.
Ironically, Clean With Passion For Now is more vulgar than this drama due to its "longest kissing scenes".
Back to the point, I can watch it again and again, for Kim Yoo Jung. So if you are not interested in a very beautiful action girl who can do 1 take running scene without blinking and need no stunts for most parts, idk what you are interested in.
Jung Saet Byul is as heartwarming as Kim Yoo Jung. and this is the most seductive girl in all k-dramas I've ever watched.
Conclusion, this drama has everything. Even VIU cannot move on, even Japan still loving it. To even turn an adult webtoon to family drama, this is a great outcome. Let's not take Yoo Jung's risk taking for granted, she deserved that award.
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It's Freakin Amazing OMG !!!!!!
What is wrong with the ratings about this drama, it's so freaking good and the humour oh my god. This is the only kdrama after Iotnbo that I liked so much (I'm surprised as well),So underrated it's making me so angry, I used to trust mdl for choosing what to watch but not so much I guess cuz all this time after Searching for some satisfying show to watch and just ending up with boring stuff cuz couldn't find anything else And here this masterpiece is laying hidden geeez.
Aaaaaaaaaa this is so frustrating, make this drama famous aaaaaaaaa.
Fellas Im not gonna judge a show based on its ratings again, maybe I'll watch the trailer or it edits lmao, cuz they are more accurate about what's real good drama shows.
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