Allow me to share how beautiful and tearjerker this Korean series is. I'm too late to watch this KDrama but I'm so glad I watched it late though, I think it aired in Korea last 2015. I never discovered Netflix 5 years ago and maybe it was not added yet. I just finished watching this last February 2020
If you haven't watched this, no worries as I won't spoil the fun for you.
But here are some expectations:
* You will for sure cry
- Many scenes will touch and make your heart sad. Not in the sense that many villains will rip the heart of the leads, but this will make you appreciate your parents, your friends, your old neighborhood, the old times when technology was not yet invented...you will realize that success is not always about finishing your studies and becoming the top of your class, coz there are many things more important than that.
* You will laugh
- remember your bully friends when you were young and haven't met them again when you were an adult already? you will suddenly miss the days of your youth, the times when all you do was to play until you get hurt. but it doesn't matter at all coz after that, in the next days, you will play again and they will start to bully you again and all will be alright. The characters played it well.
* You will be heartbroken, remember your first crush and puppy love
* You will value and appreciate your friends more.
* You will miss the simplicity of the old times
* You will miss your childhood and you will cry as you realize your parents are growing old while you explore adulthood.
* All of them were emphasized and the director/writer did not focus the story only on one character
- Although at first, it seems Sung Deok-Sun is the main lead and we have numerous guesses about who she ends up with, you will not be bored and stuck as all the characters were given the exposure and each has their own story. But of course, she is my favorite. She's childish yet she's kind and caring, she easily falls for someone who might give her the signal, yet she is gullible, she would do anything for her friends and the people she cares about. She is a crybaby, she is dumb and doesn't care about her studies at all, she was the second to the last in the school ranking. She doesn't know who she wants to be and she is always a failure. However, she always wins the heart of her parents and friends and wherever she is, happiness follows. She's like the life of the party.
How the characters developed and played their role is what I adored most.
You will know more about Sung Bora's character, how she changed until the end of the series, she is feared by her younger siblings and whole youth in the neighborhood as she is the most intelligent and has this domineering character. Even her parents feared her temper. But in the eyes of the one who loved her most, she is kind and caring, cold but also real.
The famous player Choi Taek, who is timid and innocent yet he's the most charming one for me, I swear my heart fell for him every time he smiles. He is like the definition of the word Calm and Charm. Lol, I am biased here. He's always focused and busy in his craft that's why he's always tired and barely has enough sleep. I swear I could keep him.
Sung Sun-Woo, the lover boy, and the most outstanding son in the neighborhood, the class president and he have the most likable attitude, he is patient and also selfless. One would feel like he's the most ideal guy in this drama. Every parent would be glad to have a son like him
Kim Jung-Hwan, this guy's character is like who I am in person, He is full of love and admiration over someone but full of hesitations and fear, He always let the opportunities pass him by. He is also the cold-blooded one, it seems he doesn't care but he is really caring and he thinks a lot too before he sleeps at night. He is a gentleman in disguise, he would protect the girl he likes on the bus but he won't let her know about it. This guy played well in this drama.
Ryu Dong-Ryong, of all this youth, he is the funniest one and the most bully, he is the leader of the bully club and a leader when it comes to doing silly things and yet, he is the son of the school principal. Who would've imagined? Lol. Despite his fun character, he is always alone at home and feels neglected by his busy parents. He doesn't feel at home in his own home but he found refuge in the comfort of his friends.
Kim Jung Bong, sibling of Kim Jung-Hwan, after graduating High School, he had no luck in passing the college entrance after many attempts, his parents were worried about him but they did not lose hope. He is the most creative one, he is always one call away neighbor when you want to find out about something or fix something, he is passionate and would spend most of his time trying to figure out what he is curious about. But not when it comes to studies. Lol. After all, he's the kindest and also romantic
Sung No-Eul, the youngest sibling of Bo-ra and Deok-Sun, I pitied him most, lol. He is always on the receiving end of the ill-tempered Bora and sometimes Deok-Sun. Yet, his second sister adores him and would fight with her girlfriend just for him. Who would have thought he has a secret talent in singing? He looks old yet he's the youngest and his father always cuddled him and pinches his face when he goes back home drunk.
You will also love the adults, their parents are cool and funny. Their roles were emphasized and they have played the most important part. You will learn from their stories and how they pamper and comfort each other, treating their neighbors as friends. There are so many scenes these parents played that made me cry. Kudos to the role played by Sung Dong Il, the drunkard but loving and humble father, Il-Hwa, wife of Sung Dong Il, who is always doomed by her husband's drinking habits and a worrier, yet caring and a supportive mom to Deok-Sun, Bo-Ra, and No-Eul. Also, I appreciate Ra-Miran, she is the richest of the trio (Il-Hwa, Sun-Young, and herself) yet she is humble and always lends her helping hand to her friends, the proud fashionista mom of Jung-Hwan and Jung-Bong, wife of president Kim Sung-Kyun. He and Deok-Sun are close when it comes to fun and making funny faces and gestures. He has the corniest joke and you will also see him smiling and cracking jokes to irritate his wife. But despite his funny side, he is always depressed every time his birthday approaches. He always misses his mom and would always feel like there's a void inside him. He is a loyal and faithful husband to Ra-Miran, he always follows her order. And of course, the single parents who are meant to be together, Choi Moosung, father of Taek and Sun Young, mom of Sun-Woo and Jin-Joo. Every one of their friends believes they have the chemistry, they were also friends before getting married and lived in the same neighborhood when they were young. They each married different people and both became a widow, but turned out, they are fated to be together. There's never a wrong-timing when it comes to true love. Choi-Taek inherited his father's calm and relax character, they would always feel alone despite being together since Taek is always busy and would come home tired. Moosung then found comfort in being with Jinjoo and Sun Young. Choi Taek would often come over to eat, it's like their second home until they, Moo Sung and Sun Young discovered they need each other.
And last but not the least, Jin-Joo, the 3-year-old cutie pie and only sister of Sun-Woo, she loves ice cream and always loves her brother, she always receives a forehead kiss and hugs from her caring brother and she loves to dance even when everyone is busy playing. Of course, that iconic bangs adored by everyone. She's a stress reliever.
The ending for me is sad. I am not sad to find out who Deok-Sun ends up with coz I'm also in favor of the guy.ROFL. But I'm sad coz it wasn't the ending I want. It feels like I'm reliving my childhood memories and I went back to that actual moment. It is heartbreaking for me. When the series ended, I feel like I also said goodbye to their place and their friendship. I found a connection in their roles and neighborhood. I miss them so much that up until now, I did not re-watch it. I'm not ready to cry again. However, of course, I understand that life will separate us from people who we thought will always belong to our squad goals. I wish time is not that fast.
How nostalgic.
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