Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

Just want to air out my frustrations

(as the headline suggests this is subjective)

I initially liked the concepts of the show enough to overlook some problems with the execution but I can't pretend that I didn't feel a huge disconnect when it switched to the present in the last episode. The questionable aspects clouded my thoughts and took me out of the experience. Maybe I should've been more prepared for how much Eun-Gyeol's interference in the past would naturally affect the present, but I still feel like they could've done way better to make it less jarring and evidently divisive.

It's just so bizarre to think about how alone Eun-Gyeol is with his memories of what his whole life was like before he went back in time, and he's basically just now starting the life he's responsible for creating. Also the fact that everyone who knew him in 1995 has the worst memory ever and can't tell that he looks exactly like the guy they befriended and have pictures of and also has the same name. Idk I'm just disappointed and the emotional moments that really landed don't even feel like much anymore.

Eun-Yu as a character was very solid though I love her.

Leer más

Encantadora pero poco arriesgada.

Absolutamente encantadora, con personajes que te atrapan y se ganan el cariño del publico, pero la historia se queda a medias, no parece tomar ningún riesgo y todo lo que ocurre parece un simple tramite de lo que ya estaba establecido, de igual manera se disfruta muchisimo, aunque por momentos se siente que se puede explotar algunos personajes que parecen interesantes y solamente divagan en lo superficial.

El final me parece poco arriesgado, no hay consecuencias negativas, solo positivas, nadie sacrifica nada para obtener algo, y hay arcos que no se terminan por concluir. Pudo ser mejor pero se disfrutó muchisimo.

Leer más

I don't have any words left to describe how beautiful this drama is. Apart from the storyline the production crew also made sure that the songs included in this drama are all amazing and meaningfully beautiful.
Hats off to the story writer and the amazing production crew. Also a big round of applause to the actors who portrayed their roles perfectly. While watching the drama you can see and feel that the actors really became one with their respective characters
I personally think that this was by far the best drama released in 2023!
I'm just amazed by this perfect drama? I'll be waiting for season 2 desperately!

Spoiler Alert:-
When Ha Eun-gyeol returns from 1995 in 2023 and meets his father (Ha Yi-Chan), his father finds a cassette of an old song of his that he recorded in 1995 (A Song for you). His father (Ha Yi-Chan) suspects that Ha Eun-gyeol was his old friend from 1995 and he (Ha Yi-Chan) suspects Ha Eun-gyeol, when he was performing in stage too. I was waiting When Ha Yi-Chan finds out that his son goes into the past and meets him there and I'm waiting for Ha Yi-Chan and Ha Eun-Gyeol conversation after Ha Yi-Chan finds about his son's time traveling. But it didn't happen. (˙◠˙)(˙◠˙)???

Definitely go and watch this drama it's truly a work of art and perfection ❤ I'll never forget this drama and will desperately wait for season 2!!??

VIVA LA VIDA!
(Long live life)?

Leer más

Fun but NOT complete

A good way to waste time, without realizing your wasting time. Yes, it's that fun to watch. There are a lot of funny moments and the bromance is spot on and it makes you cheer for the family.

However, there could have been thinks that were done better. For example, it took way to long for both of the main characters to realize that they were both from the past (around episode 13 or 14). The ending also feel rushed and we didn't get to see a lot of time in the future. It would have been better to see how Yi Chan and Ah Chung went through and not just the main characters coming back to the future, and boom everything is fine and they are rich(?).

One thing that really bothered me is how they protrayed Yi Chan as deaf. Just because he is DEAF, does NOT MEAN he CAN'T SPEAK! Especially since he was not born deaf. I have a deaf friend, that can read lips and speak fine. So, it was annoying to see that being glossed over.

Reccommendated if you want to see something light-hearted with, just a bit of a plot and not just fluffyness. The acting was good. Ah Chung, really made an impact and how she expressed her self through her eyes!.

The female character (from the future) was annoying because she kept trying to mess things up for Eun Gyeol unintentionally. Also, the solution she had to solve her problem was so stupid. She cannot live her life for her mom, so how is finding her first love and setting her up going to do anything...?

Overally, recommend for something light-heart. It's NOT perfect, but it a good watch.

Leer más

Charming Characters with Frustrating Storyline

Recently, I have a bad experience with all these new dramas with an overwhelmingly positive reviews and ratings. So, I went on with the intention of changing my opinion on this one, but sadly, that didn't happen.

I have watched enough dreams to distinguish what the writers main focus is on, which definitely not the story in this one. Their main focus was just to capture the attention of the audience by charming and endearing characters when they couldn't make up for the lose and boring storyline.

1st episode after the second one, it started to get boring. I get it that every drama has a boring phase but this one just didn't get better. Boring, dragging and remains always the same. Everything that happens seems like a straightforward continuation of what was previously established. When it comes to the characters they have a mindset of a 10yo. No one was willing to give up anything in order to get what they want and in the end there were no negative consequences , only the positive ones.

In conclusion mostly teenagers and new audience are the watchers for this show who calls everything they watch a masterpiece. Hope soon mature audiences will pick up the show and the ratings will got down a bit. The storyline remains unfinished in the end and the fate of several characters remains undecided.

Final Note: Don't trust MDL ratings and waste your time on this one there are many drama's better than this one.

Leer más

Cute, fun, & interesting, but...

I definitely enjoyed this drama. It had me coming back for more all the way until the end. Unfortunately the ending itself felt rushed and incomplete. There was so much about the after that we didn't get to know about, and even the last moment was too quick imo.

I really wish there had been more expansion into after the return and how everything that was left behind unfolded to become how it was when they made it back.

I liked how their connection was consistent the whole time, but it still felt somewhat incomplete and rushed etc. I think he deserved his own explanation in the "after" - and more about their family relationships with him!

Very enjoyable, but not without it's many many plot holes.

Leer más

A fun youth story about family and responsibility but poor writing detracts from the experience.

Twinkling Watermelon is an enjoyable watch with an intriguing premise. While it had a warm, cheerful atmosphere, when emotional moments struck, it had me crying. The strength of this drama was the relationship between Eun Gyeol and his family, not the plot, nor romance, and most certainly not the logic. I also loved all their individual backstories; it was both relatable and emotional.

Eun Gyeol is a CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults) which shaped him into who he is. He puts his own happiness aside to ensure his family’s. He time travels back to when his parents were in high school and is on a mission to bring his parents together and protect them from what troubles them in the present. Time travel is a device, not the theme, for him to learn about his parents and how he isn't solely responsible for their happiness.

It started off strong, setting up the present perfectly to refer back to after time traveling, but then it devolved into one of those shows where I need to turn my brain off. Both Eun Yu and Eun Gyeol handled the time travel frustratingly. I would understand if this had something to do with their growth as characters, but it's dumb decisions that could have been written better.

Eun Gyeol states that he cannot find his mom and is breaking down because of it, but he never looked for her. He should have been asking schools if they've heard of the name Cheong Ah or literally anything.

Eun Gyeol and Eun Yu are terrible at keeping their time travel secret. He explains to Eun Yu that he wants to act as if they're from 1995 because he doesn't want to mess things up. Yet, he's been telling Yi Chan multiple times that he is his father and then taking it back over and over. When he should be hiding it, he's so bad at it as if he doesn't know how to come up with a better excuse. As for Eun Yu, sharing the same face, taking the same name, and acting absolutely nothing like Se Kyeong shouldn't have worked as well as it had. She's obviously not who she poses as when she's giving so little effort.

Eun Yu’s goal didn't make sense. She wants to romance her mother's first love to hook them up to avoid being born, but I don't see how she could date someone and then effectively pass that date. Se Kyeong would steer clear of someone who acts as if they know her, like how she was disturbed by Eun Gyeol who knew more than he should have about her. Not to mention, this first love would fall in love with Eun Yu’s personality and not Se Kyeong’s because she acts nothing like her.

The way that Eun Gyeol treated Eun Yu was unfair and overlooked. Eun Gyeol should have put more focus into finding and uplifting his mom into his dad's heart instead of focusing on destroying Yi Chan’s relationship with Se Kyeong and Eun Yu. It made him come across as unlikable and immature for me. Yes, he's acting as a caring friend and son since Se Kyeong had been lying and leading Yi Chan on, so Eun Yu picking up after Se Kyeong doesn't leave her with a good impression. But for all Eun Gyeol knows, Se Kyeong (Eun Yu) is an actively changed person apologizing and trying to make it up to Yi Chan by giving him a fair chance, and Eun Gyeol is trying to rid them of Se Kyeong (Eun Yu) when he has no right in policing Yi Chan’s relationships. Of course I know that Eun Yu has ulterior motives, so we as the audience overlook Eun Gyeol's actions, but that doesn't make it right.

Eun Gyeol was hypocritical when he got angry at Eun Yu who's now responsible for Se Kyeong’s action of leading Yi Chan on, but then he did the same by lying about his love for Se Kyeong (Eun Yu) to string her along and away from Yi Chan. I can understand why both Eun Gyeol and Se Kyeong did this. Yi Chan wouldn't take no for an answer and Eun Yu was disrupting Eun Gyeol's plans, but it does decrease their likability since they never suffer the consequences or apologize for it.

The romance between Eun Gyeol and Eun Yu was baseless at first. They had no reason to like each other. Eun Gyeol was constantly trying to get Eun Yu out of their lives yet he made her heart flutter? Eun Yu has been nothing but an obstacle with a bad impression for Eun Gyeol, but he is developing feelings for her? I only started to like their romance when they began to have a reason for liking each other. Like when Eun Gyeol began to show worry for her, and when Eun Yu would help Eun Gyeol out with his problem despite being ignorant of it.

I love Se Kyeong’s storyline, but it was disconnected and a waste of potential. I found it tragic that no one truly suspected that Se Kyeong was no longer Se Kyeong. All everyone knows about Se Kyeong is “I take cello seriously.” This should have been explored more to make her more connected to the plot. She's a main character that was cut off and comes back for one or two scenes at the end. To make her storyline less disconnected, she should have been more involved. It would have been more impactful if the catalyst for her to rebel from being her mother's jewel and to become her own person was if she got to know Eun Yu and found out that everyone wasn't able to distinguish who's the real Se Kyeong.

Se Kyeong, Eun Yu, and Cheong Ah’s relationship should've had more tension or at least acknowledgement. Se Kyeong is friends with Cheong Ah, knows her crush, told her that she did not like Yi Chan, and that he's all hers. Se Kyeong (Eun Yu) actively pursues Yi Chan, yet Cheong Ah doesn't show any acknowledgement or conflict toward Se Kyeong (Eun Yu) who went back on her word. There's also that time when Se Kyeong openly showed enjoyment about leading Yi Chan on, yet Cheong Ah only showed dislike toward Eun Gyeol when he wronged Yi Chan. I couldn't tell where the relationship stands a lot of the time.

The ending was rushed and did give the bare minimum to infer. For some reason, the Watermelon Sugar members didn't realize that 2023 Eun Gyeol looks exactly like 1995 Eun Gyeol, but we know they should since Yi Chan was hinted to have connected they're the same person. It's only a matter of time before they discuss the past. Did things change between Se Kyeong and Eun Yu? Eun Yu’s hair length represents her freedom. In the ending, she had short hair that was slightly longer than in 1995. This signifies that things did change and that she didn't just keep her hair length after time traveling. Se Kyeong was always meant to go back to Korea and meet her real father, and might have always meant to break the furniture as a small act of rebellion before going back to how things were. I don't see how Se Kyeong could’ve changed when she was disconnected from all the changes in the past. That leads me to assume that when Se Kyeong came back to Korea, all the connections Eun Yu made transferred to her, giving her true friends that she didn't have previously which instigates positive change. Perhaps Eun Yu’s goal to transfer a romantic relationship to her mother wasn't so far-fetched after all.

Even though I had a lot of problems with Twinkling Watermelon, the characters, the relationships between them, the theme of responsibility, and the way the story made me feel for it made it worth it.

Leer más

Overall, good but not great. Long live the bromance and friendship!^^

Eun Gyeol is the only one who is hearing among his deaf family, he loves his family and has a passion & talent for music. One day he goes back in time to 1995 where he met his young father who is still hearing, so he wants to change the future. Will Eun Gyeol succeed and can he get back to the present?

This drama was love at my first-sight until ep 6. The story within those episodes give me a lot of typical sweet kdrama moments that first got me like first-watching kdramas. I appreciate the heartwarming family, as they have been underrepresented in recent dramas. Each character is given a strong personality that make me root for them. All-round very very good acting! Their expressions seep off of the screen and pulled my heartstring instantly. The young cast, they are so cute and perfect together. Also the emotional moments are so heartbreaking, I could cry any moment thinking about them. Everyone so good in doing sign languages, but my favorite is Bong Jae Hyun who plays the brother, the way he’s doing sign language is so cute especially when he’s angry XD

The film-editing is on-point: the band, the musical world in Eun Gyeol perspective and such... all fit perfectly with the context. The music is nostalgic and few gives 80's vibes. Storyline is easy to follow but the plot is not-so-simple; different threads and relationships are going on without them being confusing. Honestly, I didn’t know this is a timeslip show until I reached ep 2. What can be either a con or a pro, depending on your own taste, is the drama constantly being very plot-driven, that a lot of things are happening around characters and they don't have enough chances to drive the plot through their decisions.

…this part has spoilers:
So after ep 6, it fell a little flat. Even though there's no slump, the concept of wanting to change the future feels out-of-the-blue, they don’t say anything convincing that take me to be on board with this mission. How much time pass in present day while being in the past is not clear as well. They spent many episodes on lovey-dovey moments, which was sweet, but not as impactful. However, I really like how they develop Chung Ah’s character, that part makes me want to learn sign language now...

Also, the foreshadowing incident that is discussed throughout the drama is teased to our faces with a typical high-school trope, which is serviceable, but doesn’t sit very well with me personally, especially due to what really happened to close this incident arc has nothing to do with this. Another thing I was hoping to see is the conflict resolution between Eun Gyeol and present-day father in the early episodes about schooling vs music… I was curious how they handled this and we get practically nothing, so I'm a bit salty on that. The ending is good but also not explainable, it sooths our souls with happy moments but it could have been a lot more interesting had it be a bit more consistent with the premise.

Leer más

Light and Shadow

“An artist should recognize a metaphor” a character tells the show’s protagonist towards the end. And like Jin Soo Wan’s earlier shows, this one uses metaphor (in this case the trope of time travel) to explore how pain can become the garden in which art and joy grow, how parents can fail and save their children, and how it is not luck or fame or fortune but love that keeps us rooted in this broken world.

Most shows hesitate to mix comedy with serious themes, as if by merging the two, they’ll either destroy the lightness of the former or dilute the gravitas of the latter. Twinkling Watermelon explores child abuse, neglect, suicidal ideation, and discrimination against the deaf community, but it does so amidst a candy-colored swirl of music and unbridled teen exuberance. Its characters face real trauma, but they also laugh and flirt and rock out with their friends and wear their hearts on their sleeves for all to see. There are few dramas as unapologetic in their delight as this one, and even when plot points get messy or a random gang of thugs appears, the show’s warmth never falters. And in the end, it suggests that’s what truly matters both in art and life.

So to judge it by this criteria, does this show spark joy? Yes. So, so much. And its happy moments shine all the brighter for being set against the darkness.

Leer más

WATERMELON SUGAR!!! ?✨

Ah, I’m sad I finished this show… The characters were so fun, to see the band practices and the friendship tighten throughout the show was just so 😎👍🏻. Eun Gyeol’s unconditional love for his parents and how he tried so hard to make their lives brighter💗. Personally, I think they focused too long on Yi Chan’s crush on “Se Kyeong” (even though eventually they strangely made it seem like he knew for a while that “Se Kyeong” actually liked Eun Gyeol – I wished we would have gotten more of Yi Chan and Cheong Ah). I also think that Eun Yu and Eun Gyeol should have found out about each other’s identities a little earlier. But overall, this show made me cry, laugh and was a lot of fun💞.

Leer más

Across the board, outstanding!

Time travel that works?
Amazing music?
Brilliant cast?
Amazing story?
Great Humour?
Life lessons?

Not all in one drama at the same time, right? Yep!

Bottom line, ya just need to watch it, brilliant.

OK, Mr/Miss/Mrs Sceptic who is still here, why...

First up - time travel stories are hard to do well and this one nails it. It doesn't go overboard, and its respectful of the timeline. Is it perfect? No, because it's never going to be - time travel doesn't exist right? - but it feels right and not over done.

There's some great humour here, a towards the start (and a little again at the end) there's these fun little riffs on the Back to the Future sound track and some familiar facial expressions and reactions from Eun Gyeol that you might recognise from it too. But - true to everything else, they don't overdo it. Get it out of the way, have a quiet chuckle with the audience, and move on. This isn't back to the future, it has its own story to tell (probably a more meaningful one, if we're honest here - and I'm a BTTF fan).

The cast are utterly brilliant in every respect, different characters portrayed really well. I loved the deaf angle on this one, it makes it stand out - who'd have thought to make a heavily musical story, about musicians, and then make key characters deaf? Takes a bold team, and Jin Soo Wan (writer) and Son Jung Hyun (director) pulled it off.

The music, throughout, is fantastic. I'll be getting some of these on my spotify play list as soon as possible. Fun, upbeat, something to sway to.

Broadly, the main character is the only hearing-able person in his household and this weighs on him constantly, his passion is music but he's afraid to share it because it's something the others can't do themselves so it feels selfish. After his dad discovers him performing in a band and careless heated words are spoken in both directions, the main character finds himself wandering into a music store to sell is beloved guitar and give up on his dreams. The owner of the store takes the guitar and after they talk for a while, the main character leaves - and finds himself back in 1995, where he soon meets up with his younger father - who can hear just fine.

OK back to the waffle / gushing...

I really enjoyed the storyline elements involving Cheong-ah (main characters mother) and the journey that, in particular, her father took. There's a moment where the main character says to him something like "I really want you to see your daughter smile, she has the most beautiful smile" and later when he does see it, it pays off big time, Kim Tae Woo who plays her father nails the scene perfectly.

Our two main characters learn and grow through this journey in different ways, they each get different things out of this but they get what they need to put themselves back on the right track.

Enjoy it, the title is wacky, the drama is a bit wacky, the characters are completely wacky, the music is fabulous and the end result is one of the most fun dramas of the year in my view.

Leer más

A Time-Traveling Melody of Love and Nostalgia

oh my! "Twinkling Watermelon" is a time-travel love story that hit me right in the feels. Picture this: Eun Gyeol, a high school whiz by day and a guitar-wielding maestro by night, accidentally stumbles into a 90s time warp. Yes, you heard me right, time travel!

Now, this isn't your average time-travel tale. It's a heartwarming blend of laughs, romance, and music. Eun Gyeol's meet-up with his young dad, Yi Chan, is like a comedy goldmine. Imagine trying to play matchmaker for your own parents while your future dad thinks you're a lunatic. Hilarious, right? But the twist? Yi Chan ends up falling for a cellist, not Eun Gyeol's future mom. Talk about turning the love story playbook upside down!

Let's talk tunes. Oh, the music! It's not just a soundtrack; it's a time-traveling jukebox of 90s hits and soul-soothing originals. Eun Gyeol rocks out with his dad's band, trying to play cupid through melodies. It's like a musical journey that transports you to the good old days.

The characters are the cherry on top. Eun Gyeol's struggle to keep his parents' love on track while navigating the awkwardness of time travel? It's relatable, and you can't help but root for the guy. The band members add spice to the mix, making you wish you had a gang like that in your own life.

Well, the pacing hits a few bumps, and some story bits could use a little more TLC. But who cares when you're swept up in a whirlwind of laughter, romance, and sweet tunes? This series hooked me with its charm and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Twinkling Watermelon" isn't just a show; it's a time-traveling symphony that'll make you laugh, cry, and maybe even dance a little. It's a sweet escape into nostalgia, exploring the messy business of changing destiny. Trust me, you're in for a treat – a watermelon-flavored treat that'll leave you smiling and maybe a little teary-eyed. 🍉💫❤️

Leer más