Sugar Baby’s Review Corner: Backstreet Rookie

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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Yes, I completed this very very controversial drama. We don’t ask questions when it comes to me, we just accept whatever I do. So anyways, I didn’t hate this drama tbh and it wasn’t the devil incarnate like everyone was making it seem. Yes, it had terribly problematic elements, but it really just seemed like a lot of the criticism was trying to dig for woke points to me? I especially think that it was fans of the actors being very upset about the age gap? Whatever.. This drama’s biggest flaw was the execution of the funny sidekick trope. It wasn’t funny.

What I liked: The one thing I really enjoyed about this drama was the family aspect. I can’t explain it, but I have always been fond of shows that show hardworking families that care for and supported each other. I even felt my heartstring tug a few times when Saetbyul and Daehyun’s mother had their scenes. I also enjoyed the way Saetbyul’s character was portrayed—there seem to be complaints that she was a bully and that clearly wasn’t the case at all. I also thought that Changwook and Yoojung had a really nice and easy chemistry even if it didn’t entirely feel romantic. There was a comedic nature to the first few episodes that I liked to see that was genuinely funny, but then it disappeared.

What I dislike: THE BLATANTLY DISGUSTING CULTURAL APPROPRIATION. I was not amused by any actions and quite frankly I am beyond disgusted. I didn’t like the character Yeon Joo at all and not just because she was his girlfriend, but such a fickle simple minded individual. I didn’t like the way it ended or the way they tried to convince us of them having feelings and growing into each. We knew that Saetbyul liked him all this time, but I wish there was a realization to Daehyun’s feelings and if there was maybe I missed it which meant it wasn’t good.

Overall, a very skippable drama. Out of the 16 episodes I would say that a solid 8 were pretty decent, but the ending was long, boring and kind of a waste of time.

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