Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

A beautiful journey to heal yourself thanks to music, brotherhood and 1990's vibe

This youth drama with a fantasy twist and set mainly in 1995 provides a great nostalgia throwback feeling as you follow a group of high schoolers starting a band together. The drama approaches in a wholesome way profound topics about friendship, family, as well as differences and disabilities that overall resonated well with me as the characters grow and learn. Though both romances were pretty cute, it is the brotherhood within the band and especially the father-son relationship that really got me invested.

In terms of storytelling, I truly enjoyed the set up and introduction. However, I cannot help to think that the conclusion would have deserved more time to reap properly all the rewards of the set-up done in the show. I was expecting the way it ended, there was a lot of satisfying emotional payoff but it could have gone deeper on the aftermath for all the characters following one of the major event happening in the last episode as well as regarding the evolution of the main protagonists and their relationships (especially regarding the female leads where it felt a bit short).

Overall, the quatuor of main characters work very well together, and I am pretty satisfied by the performances of the ensemble cast (especially for some of the more secondary characters). Choi Hyun Wook delivers a consistent and reliable performance in the role of the frontman of the band. I loved him in Weak Hero Class 1 and I love him as well here. The only little flaw I see is that his character tends to be very shouty. I think it is both bound to the role as well as to some of the directing. It is not at all detrimental to the story but it prevents some range in the acting as the character is always at 100%. Despite this, he (and his character) was clearly my favorite part of the show.

The filmmaking is pretty great with a colourful and boyish atmosphere perfectly fitting for the scenario. I love the soundtrack with its "older indie rock" feels. Every song done by the band is super catchy and the musical scenes each time delighted me.

I would recommend this to people looking for a very solid youth drama set in the 1990's. If you enjoyed movies like "Back to the Future" and dramas such as the "Reply" series, you will for sure immensely enjoy it! If you are a fan of musical genre shows, this one is also clearly made for you. I personnally really loved it despite some issues with the pacing of the script and the way I would have liked a bit more development on some elements, especially towards the ending.

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It's good, but overrated!

I started this show about a week ago, but long after the show has ended, so I have seen & read many glowing reviews & saw how folks proclaimed this drama being the best one they have ever seen.
I not for one moment have felt that way, but it took me quite a bit of introspection to -I think- figure out why.
I mean at the very least we’ve seen amazingly well acted emotional scenes, that are up there with the best of the best in Kdramaland. There is a lot of good music, romances & one amazing bromance thing, so at the very least I can understand why someone would rate this at 10/10 amazing..

Let me explain, why to me this is far worse than 10/10 & why I felt something is really wrong with this drama throughout most of the episodes. Disclaimer, I’m a rather nitpicky person. I can find logical flaws in almost anything, but that has not prevented me to give 10/10 ratings to flawed shows before.
Let’s start with a TLDR to not waste anyone’s time with my long rambling: Many and perhaps most of the minor details in this drama are either wrong or off. This pile of immersion breaking lack of attention to detail is just too tall for me.

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So here I go:

I could go on and on about -tiny or large- time travel related plotholes, but I have begrudgingly accepted them, because time travel shows always have a ton of these. (Though the level of disregard for consistency is on another level in this drama.)

Music is an important part of this drama, but the sound is completely unrealistic in most scenes. Not only does everything sound like an overly perfect studio recording, but also every guitar in the show sounds like $20000. These kids are not millionaires, yo! Sure the guitar point is very nitpicky, but I have never at any point felt like I’m listening to music made by a very talented up and coming band, or anything remotely live-like. (as in live music sounding like a live performance)

Sol Ina is just too old for this role. Yes, she acted amazingly well here & I’m happy for her success. I’m sure no one could’ve done better in her place, but I would love to see a big budget kdrama where the teens are played by at most 22 year olds. Just to reiterate again, yes she is stunningly beautiful and everything, but she's not a teen & can never pass as one. If this only happened in a couple of flashbacks it would’ve been fine, but she is a teen the entire time.
This point applies to Ryeoun as well. He is not a believable Korean teenager at any point in time. He is 25, what could he have possibly done, right?

The portrayal of disabilities in Korean media always have been very annoying to me. Here it’s probably the best I’ve seen so far from them, but there were still quite a few weird moments. Being deaf is very difficult to portray well to begin with, I don’t know. Largely because you want to keep the audience entertained, but if you as an actor do over the top emotional faces in every single scene, then the end result cannot possibly be something believable. Though of course the actors followed well what was asked of them. I can somewhat understand why they choose to do it like this. Imagine if the story was almost the same in every way, but Cheong Ah had not been deaf just an introvert, if Eun Gyeol's parents were able to hear, but lived a very hard, tumultuous life. To me it seems like most of the plot would have worked just the same. I strongly suspect that the writer added decided to go with the CODA thing, because there were a couple really big hit shows that featured disabilities. Deafness is not completely an important, integral part of the show.

Romance is only so so, I did not really feel the chemistry, nor are the romantic plots very engaging. Then again this is probably the most realistic part of the drama, because teenagers falling in love is the easiest thing in the world, no elaborate plots are needed.

The main villain is very sterotypical and boring, her actions were very silly & her end is anticlimactic. The family situation at that house makes no sense. They could have made Cheong Ah's backstroy much more interesting without opting for this whole "her father ignores her suffering" plot.

The late nineties Korea in the show is -you guessed it- highly unrealistic.

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My fellow MDL user, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now how most of my criticisms are about realism. It would be a logical conclusion that this is a me problem, since kdrama as a genre tends to be very lacking in realism & anyone who wants realism should not watch kdramas.
I agree with this of course, but if a show’s end goal is not just to entertain with comedy & sugar, but maybe to educate about disabilities, to present gut wrenching moments and to make the audience empathize with the characters, then realism becomes rather important, or at the very least a fantasy setting should respect its own established rules & just in general the writer should not insult our intelligence.
Just look at the various Reply dramas, every single one of them has a similar blend of teen romance, bromance and to a lesser extent family tragedies to Twinkling Watermelon, but they are far more reasonable in every way, the emotional scenes in those are really really great, while the comedy and romance still get to shine.

The overall presentation is a bit childish. So perhaps we should just judge this as a teen programme. That’s fair, I’ve given it some thought & perhaps watching this at the age of 14 my mind could have been completely blown, I don’t know. Most of us on MDL are adults though & with that in mind I decided to settle for a rating of 7.5, because despite everything I've said, here and there there were moments of real brilliance in the show.

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As fresh as summery fruits, as hopeful as green grass in the winter

When I watch Twinkling Watermelon, I remember that Shakespearean idiom:
"My salad days. When I was green in judgment, cold in blood. To say as I said then!"

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The plot revolved around two teenagers who feel that their whole lives are mere fulfillment of their parents expectation. Until one time they find themself in the year of 1995. This time the two teenagers able meet their parents in their salad days, youth as bright and as sweet as summer fruits.

Yi Chan is a bright, passionate teens, living his youth to the fullest. Cheong Ah, a lonely deaf teens, keeping her desire to communicate with the world in silent. Se Kyeong, the cello queen, living as replacement, unable to owning her own live. Now the two teenagers able to see them not just as 'mom' or 'dad', but individuals with their own struggle and dream.

Here they begin the journey to understand. Journey to accept. Journey to learn to listen (because apparently it's not deafness that make you unable to listen, it's unwillingness).

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Actually the beauty of this drama didn't lie in the plot. It's heavily rely to the charm of the characters and relationship between them. Their bonding moments, how some slowly falling in love, the desire to help the person you love, youth friendship. But overall the vibe is summery bright, no somber at all. At the end, there is no regret.

The main attraction is Eun Gyeol and his parents. Yi Chan, this man is the frontman of this drama. His way of live, how he treat others, this charming youthful energy. Cheong Ah, the sweet girl that's been treated unfairly by the world. Her journey to connect to the world is the highlight of the show. This two is my main couple. Our appa and eomma, haha.

And Eun Gyeol, a CODA, the dutiful kind child who do everything to protect his family. He is so precious, his burden was too heavy. I'm glad some of this burden lifted from him. The ending is working in a sense that it's hopeful and satisfying. It's so fantastical but it's keeping some of realistic take. That no matter what happen in your life, don't take all burden by yourself. Communicate with the person you love. And even though life doesn't give everything you want, it has unexpected present for you in many points of your journey. It's keeping the spirit of living.

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soft, funny and romantic

loved everything bout this show.. soft, funny and may bring tears to ur eyes in every episode... it doesnt matter how old are you, your gender or your character; this show can give a piece of some emotions that you even dont know that you need it... also there is a good chance this show can give you a new perspective about people with disabilities... especially if there is a person with diabilities in your family i guess this show make you vry like a river from beginning to the end... actors and actresses are perfect fit in scenario and from the first episode you can relate with them easily...

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I think I just found a new favorite Kdrama!

Sometimes, a hyped show is overrated. You keep turning it up and down, trying to figure out what others see in it but it makes no sense. Then sometimes, the show isn't bad by any means but it's definitely not as good as others say. But on very rare occasions, the show is actually as good as everyone says it is! Twinkling Watermelon is definitely one of those rare stars in the night sky. Sure, it's a musical and that is a bit irritating, but the show makes up for it with a very creative plot, amazing cast with natural chemistry, effective humor, and so much genuine emotional anchoring that not watching this show would be an absolute loss.
Now, obviously this has time travel and I think they did it in such an interesting way and we're not gonna over-analyse the logistics of it...anyway, I thought the way that this works out which is sort of similar to "Back to the future" was so cute. It's just so emotional when Ha Eun Gyeol, the main character, meets his parents for the first time.
The plot is complex, very complex, but the show doesn't fumble and it wraps it up so well. And I'm so surprised to be saying this but I think this show could've had maybe an extra 20 minutes to explain some bits from the ending even more! (I know, asking for more time when usually 16-episodes shows drag, already! WILD!) The whole thing is heavily relying on the relationships between the characters and these characters are just so easily lovable that watching the show is just so fun. I didn't totally love our female lead as she caused a whole lot of drama but the actress is a personal favorite and she did a good job and despite the frustrations, it's all a part of her character growth so I think it wasn't a bother. My favorite characters remain Ha Yi Chan and Chung Ah, though. And of course, nothing beats the relationship between Yi Chan and Eun Gyeol. It was so touching and I just wanted them to be happy. :(
I've already expressed my love for the four main actors but the supporting cast were wonderful too. Everyone was just right in their own position and they all did such a good job. Kudos all around.
I wanna gosh more about just the plot and the perfect humor and the fact that despite a little hiccup between episode 11 and 12, this show manages to escape the curse of epsidoe 12 and the show doesn't lose the narrative momentum in episode 12. Despite the fact that it could've ended at that point, the story does find an excuse to keep going but at least here the excuse they use lands well for the plot and facilitates the existence of some of the most emotional moments of the whole show in the final episodes. Overall, I'm just so impressed with the writing in this show. It stands out among the sea of repetitive (if still endearing) and overwritten shows that keep getting made. And I think this isn't even a webcomic adaptation, right?! An extra star just for that!!!!
The production is very good here. It's nothing revolutionary but there are little affects used here and there that just make the show quirky and unique. The story is mainly set in 1995 and the fashion is just the right amount of vaguely retro that it isn't offensively modern and still conveys the 90s aesthetic. At least they don't have a 30 year old woman wear a 2024 trendy hairclip!
I might rewatch this actually. I loved it.
Final comment: This show deserves its place at the very top of Top Shows list. It was a delight to watch and I recommend it to everyone!
P.S.: If anyone knows who the singers for the main characters are, please let me know! Thank you!

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Melancia cintilante

“Sabe, a vida pode não lhe dar tudo o que você deseja, mas às vezes esconde pequenos presentes aqui e ali. Espero que você supere isso as dificuldades do caminho e receba os presentes escondidos."

Ano passado teve 2521, e esse ano twinkling watermelon que mexeram com meu coração. Como eu amo um drama com um bom squad! Essas crianças conquistaram meu coração de tal forma que vocês não tem noção. Não estava muito confiante por ser drama de viagem no tempo, mas esse superou todas as expectativas. O fato da história envolver pessoas com deficiência auditiva se torna ainda mais interessante. Amei como toda a história se seguiu, terminando sem deixar uma ponta solta sequer (algo raro no gênero). O romance entre o Yi Chan e a Cheong Ah é a coisa MAIS LINDA QUE EXISTE. A atuação de todos impecável. A filmografia perfeita e a OST de bom gosto. Obrigada por tudo WATERMELON SUGAR

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THE BEST YOUTH DRAMA

its my first time writing a review it won't be that helpful but i just wanted to say how much i love this drama and that you should definitely watch it
it was one of the best drama i watched no words can't explain how good it is, i will literally do anything just to watch it again for the first time it had everything I love music ,youth, friendship, romance, time travel, fantasy. the romance is so good it literally had me giggling and kicking my feet like a high school girl and the FRIENDSHIP WOW where can i find friends like that? ;-; they should make more kdramas like this you will not regret watching it.

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Refreshingly good! Viva la vida!

This is a failure as a time travel drama since its ending has loopholes galore but as a family drama full of heart, this is one of the best. It doesn't have any major mind boggling concepts. You can almost predict the storyline but with cast's solid acting, their on point facial expressions, the simple story was really brought to life.

The main character, Ha Eun Gyeol, is kind, smart and handsome, the perfect son any parent would want to have. As a child of Deaf adults (CODA) with an older brother who was also Deaf, he always felt some guilt for being the only hearing member of the family. He tries to excel in studying so that people wouldn't say that his parents didn't raise him well because they were differently abled. But because of this, he began to feel like he was a trophy. It was only when he time travelled to the past that he was finally able to understand the struggles his parents had in their own youth.

When the MC returned to the future in the end, a lot of logical questions remained with me. Because I mostly enjoyed his journey and I kind of expected the changed future because of his interventions in the past, I chose to let them go and accept the drama logic as is. Everyone received their just ending so I'm good.

My main takeaway from this drama is Viva la vida, long live life. No one can live your life you. Life, like a watermelon, may have many seeds/struggles but it doesn't take away the sweetness that you can experience. Enjoy it, let it twinkle, but always choose to be kind when you can.

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Started off pretty good but the ending fell short

I’ll keep this review short for now but I might come back and write a full fledged review later on.

Overall, this was a warm-hearted drama that honestly started out pretty good. The drama went between light-hearted and funny to melodramatic and serious. Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the switching, I think it was done decently well. I loved Cheong-Ah and I loved seeing her story play out.
But as for what I disliked, it felt like the last two episodes were too rushed and too many questions were left unanswered. The pacing could have been done much better, leaving more room for us to see Yi Chan and Cheong Ah’s love story develop more if they didn’t spend so much time on that love triangle earlier. I would’ve also loved to see the new 2023 be more fleshed out as well.

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THE BEST K-DRAMA EVER

I could also title this "the best show ever," because this drama has set a new standard for shows for me. Everything was perfect and I totally understand why the ratings for it are so high. Every episode was amazing and made me want to watch the next one as soon as I finished one. I am usually not a fan of time-traveling but the way it was done in this drama was amazing. And of course I have to praise the best drama couple ever, YiChan and CheongAh. Everything from the storytelling to the chemistry between them was perfect. And typically when I'm super invested in one couple I don't care about the other one but I was still very much rooting for EunGyeol and EunYu. I want to praise everyone involved in this amazing drama. I had to take a break and wipe my tears before writing my review because of the finale.

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