First Impressions: Butterflies and Cigarettes

This past weekend I checked out two dramas that I have been anticipating for a while for differing reasons. It’s funny seeing the responses that these two have garnered and I wish I could claim surprise, but that’s not my style. Kim Soo Hyun + Seo Ye Ji. Ji Chang Wook + Kim Yoo Jung. Continue on to hear my thoughts!

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It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

The drama tells the story of Moon Kang-tae, a community health worker at a psychiatric ward who doesn’t have time for love, and Go Moon-young, a successful children’s book author who suffers from antisocial personality disorder and has never known love. After meeting one another, the two slowly begin to heal each other’s emotional wounds.

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Thoughts: You know how the theme of 2020 has been about manifesting? Well I manifested this fucking drama. Ever since Kim Soo Hyun came back from the military I tweeted saying that I think him and Seo Ye Ji would make a pleasing to the eye pairing. Imagine my pure excitement when I first heard this casting news? I have been meticulously following every inch of this drama and I had it marked on my calendar. This drama was by far my most anticipated drama this year and it did not let me down. First of all, I love that it was going to explore trauma and mental illnesses. I love romantic comedies. I loved reading the description of the characters and the role reversal. This drama thus far, has not disappointed me in the least. Everything is clicking just right. It has fantastical elements to it that help to elevate the story. What I especially love besides Oh Jung Se and Seo Ye Ji’s delivery, is the way they chose to use the darker versions of fairytales. It makes me anticipate seeing them refer to the Grimm classics. The comfort in knowing that it is not a bubbly upbeat drama is truly what I am liking the most. I loved the first scene where she says that she made the witches in her stories beautiful and not the princesses as a mirror to reality. There’s a Tim Burton-esque style to it and I am eating it all up. There have been quite the comparison to Hotel Del Luna which I can certainly understand. It does initially give me that same vibe which makes sense considering it is the same production studio. It’s not just the acting and storytelling that’s great though. It’s also the cinematography and transition between scenes. In episode two Jung Se’s character is eagerly heading to the book sign and that scene transformed to give us a glimpse into his mind and it reminded me a lot of Harley Quinn’s police station scene in Birds of Prey. So yeah, needless to say I’m not yet disappointed. I am literally obsessed and I would like to watch everything right now. Here’s to hoping this goes off without a itch. 🙏🏾

Recommendations: Lovers of Kim Soo Hyun/Seo Ye Ji, Lovers of cliches, Lovers of healing romances

Where To Watch: Netflix

First Impression Score: 10/10

Backstreet Rookie

Choi Dae-hyun runs into a group of female high school students, including Jung Saet-byul, who look like troublemakers. Saet-byul asks Dae-hyun to buy them cigarettes from a convenience, But he bought them candies instead and gave Saet-byul his number but she never called him.

Three years later, Dae-hyun runs a small convenience store after resigning. While looking for a part-time worker to work the night shift at his convenience store, Saet-byul applies for the job and starts working there.

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Thoughts: So the reason I wanted to watch this drama wasn’t because I thought that the storyline would be interesting, but simply because I love Yoo Jung and Chang Wook. I’m a basic bitch. I’ve been a basic bitch. You give me a drama with two of my favorite leads, and I’ll watch it. So like I had no expectations coming into this drama. I literally told oomf that I want it to be ridiculously stupid because the WEBTOON was trash and I doubt that with an origin material like that, much else would happen. So when I saw everyone up in arms about the kiss and the erotic writer I was just like… K. Anyways, I liked this. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the chemistry was between the two. I really do think Yoo Jung is chemistry queen. She’s so young, but already so talented because of her years of experience. Many others cannot relate. I know the complaint is that Saetbyul is insufferable, but idk I’m biased so I found nothing worth bitching over about the character. I did find that Daehyun was a weak little boy with no backbone whatsoever, but I enjoyed it. I’m curious to see the dynamics of everyone going forward. It seems like it’ll be a mindlessly enjoyable drama. 😝

Recommendations: Lovers of age gap romances, Unbothered by silliness, wanna see Yoo Jung slay looks.

Where To Watch: IQIYI

First Impression Score: 8/10

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