Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

a perfect blend of melodrama, light-hearted humor, and heartfelt moments

In this captivating 16-episode Korean drama, the narrative unfolds as a perfect blend of melodrama, light-hearted humor, and heartfelt moments. From the initial episode to the finale, the storyline progressively improves, delivering a touching and engaging experience. The cast, proficient in sign language, brings authenticity to their performances, enhancing the emotional depth of the drama.

One remarkable aspect is the enchanting music that accompanies each episode, leaving a lasting impression and warranting repeated listens. Choi Hyun Wook shines in his role, displaying exceptional talent in bringing a spectrum of emotions to the screen. His voice and infectious smile contribute to the drama's charm, solidifying him as a noteworthy actor.

The relationships depicted, whether in bromance or friendships, are authentic, and the romantic elements are delicately balanced. This drama proves to be a well-rounded experience, leaving a lasting impact with its captivating plot, talented cast, and a memorable soundtrack. The standout actor's outstanding performance and the genuine connections among the characters make this drama a compelling and worthwhile watch for enthusiasts.

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DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH THIS✨️???

This is my first time reviewing a kdrama on here and I don't normally watch shows that have been hyped up a lot after the events of squid game (*cough cough*) but THANK GOODNESS I watched this because it had me SCREAMING CRYING BAWLING SINGING DANCING you name it! The scene with yi chan in the hospital with his grandma, with him trying to understand what she was saying literally broke me I fell asleep crying😫. In my opinion I think everyone should stop what they're doing right now and watch this show (I wat he'd it on hitv but you can also watch it on dramacool). As I'm writing this review I'm listening to the twinkling watermelon soundtrack specifically "SHINING". I'm now going to stop writing this review, open hitv and reach TW.

ps: Chung Ah is the cutest girl alive and yi chan is a whole green forest! THE SIGN LANGUAGE SINGING SCENE! THE CRY I CRODE!😫😫

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Viva la vida -- Long live life!

This Korean drama is at turns delightfully light and emotional. The music is superb. The actors are adorable. There are elements of coming-of-age, rom-com, and fantasy time travel. But, foremost, it embodies a celebration of life -- especially of aspects that are sweet and sparkly like the title, Twinkling Watermelon.

The emotional core involves the enduring dilemma faced by young people: whether to live a life that makes their heart beat or follow the lead of their parents. The main character Ha Eun-gyeol, a CODA (child of deaf adult) youth, grapples between following his passions and serving the needs of his family, when he is presented with an opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives by slipping back in time when his parents were his age. We're also presented with the question, would life really be better if the past changed to our liking?

As the story transpires, we see some of the joys and sparks of youth, its conflicts and uncertainties. It delves into teenage anxiety and mental health issues and the pressures from parents and society. The show also portrays beautiful friendships and loving, albeit sometimes misunderstood, family relationships. The deaf character portrayed by Shin Eun-soo is a gem. And Choi Hyun-wook is a master at capturing the spirit and zest of youth.

In a way, the show follows some of the winning formulae of other recent successes. As in the movie CODA, it peers into the lives of the deaf who face many challenges but lead meaningful lives. As in Someday or One Day, it makes you dream about rewriting the past, preventing accidents, and letting go of guilt and resentment. As in 2521 and the Reply series, it taps into 90s nostalgia, when times were simpler, when you had to run to a pay phone to answer urgent beeper messages and could drop by your friend's home anytime. So, in a way, it is not groundbreaking but a good story nonetheless.

If splitting hairs, the series is not without imperfections. Time travel presents logic problems. It's apparent from the proficiency of signing that the actors are not deaf themselves. And there is a reliance on common tropes to create obstacles for the characters. But I recommend you watch this for its emotional journey and uplifting message.

The main character's parents are deaf, but they are 'cheerful, healthy, and happy because they could communicate with their eyes, their hearts, and their hands.' We all have problems, but we can also grow, adapt, and have fun. The show promotes embracing music and loved ones: Seize the day, its joys and opportunities! ¡Viva la vida!

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How appetizing!

Watching Twinkling Watermelon was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I laughed so loudly at times that I'm pretty sure I disturbed my neighbors, and there were moments when I needed to grab my box of tissues. Regardless of the emotion, one thing was certain—I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it!

I have to confess, I'm a bit biased when it comes to anything related to time travel because time travel shows are just plain fun for me. A series has to be really bad for me to give up and walk away, and Twinkling Watermelon was far from that. Every week, I eagerly looked forward to watching it, and it quickly became a priority over other shows on my list. Usually, in a series, there's a point where it slows down and gets a bit boring, but Twinkling Watermelon never hit that hump. Instead, it always left me frustrated that I had to wait for the next episode. If they had released it all at once, I'm sure it would have taken up an entire weekend for me.

It's difficult for me to pinpoint what I loved most about it—whether it was the captivating main characters, the awesome music, the engaging storyline, the meaningful dialogues that made me rewind to listen again, or the mix of fear and pain with sweet romance. So, I'll just conclude by saying that I loved the whole package—from the beginning to the end, it was a delightful experience.

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MY NEW FAVORITE DRAMA ??

oh my lord. THESE FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN THE BEST THING THATS EVER HAPPENED TO ME😭😭oh my god. i didn’t think i’d ever feel the same after watching and finishing business proposal BUT THIS DRAMA made my mondays and tuesdays something to look forward to😭😭😭IM SO SAD ITS OVER. oh my god. the double couple. YOUNG HA YI CHAN SO SEXY. the time travel. THE FINDING EACHOTHER TIME TRAVELLING. Oh my hot. this was written so well like i couldn’t have predicted anything BUT IT WAS SOOO FEEL GOOD AND SOOO SWEET!! UGHH CHONGCHAN COUPLE 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ WHEN HE LEARNS SIGN LANGUAGE FOR HER. WHEN EUNGYEOL ONLY LIKED EUNYOO/SEKYOUNG WHEN IT WAS THE REAL EUNYOO,,,, STfu. if i had to change anything, maybe the ending showing what’s it like w eunyoos new life and MORE CHONGCHAN oh and have eunyoo and eungyeol meet each other earlier on. also the grandpa being the viva la vida guy?? i kninda knew that but i need to look and think it over a bit more…. SO GOOD. ANYWAYS. THE LESSONS THIS DRAMA TAUGHT? LIKE i could write essays about this. UGH. SO FEEL GOOD. SO GOOD. THE BAND. UGH . just so many heart fluttering mom ents. i wish i could rewatch or see this for the first time again😭BEAUTY ALL AROUND! (oh and the sexy other band members,,, MEOW)

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Two words... Youthful and Amazing.

I think I have found my favorite k-drama so far, it will most likely enter my top 5 and will stay there. I have so many things to say about Twinkling Watermelon, it combines precisely many of the things that I like and love to see in kdramas (music, youthful plots, romance, comedy, heart touching, lovely characters, time travel and more).
This story so beautifully uses the element of music as an escape and as a form of genuine expression, it shows how difficult it is to grow up and how traumas and dysfunctional families affect our lives, it also portrays how beautiful it is to have a family and I'm not just talking about the one we are related to by blood. Likewise, it portrays youthful romance in such a charming way. Without a doubt, there are too many things that I highlight about this wonderful k-drama, which is worth watching, so I will mention a few:

- I loved the way the story is constructed, from the beginning it is intriguing and makes you want to continue watching chapters even if you need to sleep early, time traveling plot has caught my attention lately and I thought its execution was perfect in Twinkling Watermelon.
- I found the story very moving, it made me put myself in the shoes of all the characters, in the past and present. It made me cry so many times and also think about so many things, especially about my parents life.
- Each character is necessary and adds to the story, I loved the relationship of the boys in the band and I loved each one of them, seeing their interactions and how with the small intervention of Eun Gyeol they managed to build such a beautiful friendship and brotherhood made me want have friends like them.
- The comedy is so good and gives it a special touch. It made me laugh even when I had just cried because something touching had happened.
- I found the romance between the two couples cute, without being rushed and just how love arises in adolescence. (It also made me cry wishing someone loved me in such a way).
- YiChan's character is so cool, lovely, and funny and with Eun Gyeol, his dearly son, they make the perfect duo. I definitely love both of them.

I could go on saying many more things, but my final opinion is that this drama is very heart touching, with a well-constructed story, with characters very well created and executed by the actors exceptionally (I applaud the cast), and without a doubt with many lessons. In life there are many things that are out of our control and no matter how much we try to avoid them, they will happen, but we can always take advantage and overcome adversity, youth is a charming and very painful stage but those friends that we make genuinely and the family we created it can make it easier. I would recommend this drama without hesitation. I loved it from beginning to end and if I see her again I know I will feel the same. (Although I would have liked to see a little more of the new future and how things happened, especially Eunyu's future). No matter what, in my opinion it's a solid 10.

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THE BEST YOUTH DRAMA EVER!!!

This was definitely one of the best youth dramas I've watched. It made me laugh so hard, cry so much, warmed up my heart and brought me so much comfort. This had the best squad, family & the most precious couples!!

I loved the way they wrapped up the story. They showed how a person can make their life twinkle so brightly despite the hardships we face. With our passion, efforts & along with our loved ones we can overcome anything. This whole drama and the characters were such an inspiration.

I fell in love with every character and all the actors did an amazing job. The casting was literally PERFECTION!! Ryeoun did a flawless job as Ha Eungyeol, Hyunwook was the perfect casting for Yichan, he just made me fall hard for Yichan so bad, Eunsoo nailed the role of Cheongah & won over everyone even without talking at all, she did a great job portraying such a hard character & In Ah also did so well with acting 2 different characters though I felt like it could've been a bit better

The story did have flaws from here and there but regardless of that it was such an enjoyable drama. If you watch it without complicating it too much, anyone would definitely enjoy it because it just brings you so much joy. You can simply have fun watching it though the last eps were so painful and made me cry a whole river but the ending so good that it felt like all that pain was worth it ♡

DEFINITELY ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE DRAMAS!!!!

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Melhor dorama de 2023!

Tentando superar essa obra de arte chamada "Melancia Cintilante" até hoje sem sucesso!
Que dorama encantador, fechou 2023 com chave de ouro e entregou tudo: Comédia, romance, drama, amizade, fantasia… Foi realmente muito prazeroso e divertido acompanhar Eun Gyeol, Yi Chan e os demais personagens e a sua juventude mais que brilhante. Fiquei impressionada com o desenvolvimento da trama e dos relacionamentos entre os personagens e com a sensibilidade do dorama ao abordar a deficiência auditiva e a linguagem de sinais, não apenas como uma ferramenta, mas como parte integrante da narrativa.

E os atores me impressionaram muito (principalmente os protagonistas) por precisarem aprender linguagem de sinais, a cantar, tocar instrumentos, tudo enquanto atuavam transmitindo tanta verdade e naturalidade para a tela. Eu saí apaixonada pelos intérpretes do Eun Gyeol e do Yi Chan.

Enfim, definitivamente foi o melhor dorama que eu assisti em 2023, me emocionou, me fez rir e me cativou do início ao fim com uma história e personagens que se permitiram brilhar lindamente.

"Você nunca pode recuperar sua juventude. Você precisa se soltar e se divertir um pouco aqui e ali. Farei tudo o que puder. Vou fazer tudo o que vai fazer a minha vida brilhar".

OBS: Só não dei nota 10 para a história porque eu senti que alguns pontos da narrativa ficaram meio jogados ou foram passados muito rapidamente por cima, sinto que o dorama precisava de mais tempo para trazer algumas resoluções de forma mais satisfatória, mas esse realmente foi o meu único problema.

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THIS IS THE BEST DRAMA OF ALL TIME…AT LEAST FOR ME.

Twinkling Watermelon will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. A perfect blend of romance, comedy, and drama. One moment you’re laughing, then you’re bawling your eyes out a few minutes later, then you’ll find yourself smiling from ear to ear as you feel butterflies in your stomach. It’s very well written from start to finish—truly a masterpiece.

Saying that the cast did their job very well is an understatement like you’ll literally be blown out of your mind. All of them did a perfect portrayal of their characters especially the four main leads—Ryoeun, Seol In Ah, Choi Yun Wook, and Shin Eun Soo.

Ryoeun showcased his versatility in acting. He never failed to deliver, be it comedy, drama, or romance, he nailed them all. Seol In Ah’s character here might be frustrating to some as she was getting in the way of the CheongChan ship, but she did very well especially as her character was like an icebreaker to the 1995 time slip era. She really excels in romantic-comedy dramas. Choi Yun Wook’s acting here could catapult him to a rising star status, if not already. It’s like you’re feeling all his character’s emotions first-hand with his acting, especially in his tear-jerking scenes. Meanwhile, Shin Eun Soo might have the least screen time out of the main leads, but boy, oh boy, those facial expressions were the best. She roughly had no dialogues because her character was deaf and couldn’t speak properly, and all she had were voiceovers of her thoughts. But her eyes tell a thousand words. I think she is the most impressive in this drama.

This drama got me hooked from the first episode, and up until the very last second of the finale. For me, there were no dull or boring moments that you would want to skip. Not to mention all the cliffhangers every episode, it would only make you look forward to the next episode.

The romance here may be a slow burn but it made the story a whole lot more exciting for me as the moment when the leads were finally together, it was sweeter and more heartfelt.

The best parts for me were the endless banter of our Ahjumma-Ahjussi couple, the CheongChan sweet interactions, the Watermelon Sugar band friendship moments, and our Best Grandma scenes. Everything was perfect.

With regards to the ending, it kind of felt like it needed one more episode to explain some things but I guess that was how they wanted the drama to wrap up as they seemed to add an element of surprise for the ending scenes. They kept things to viewers’ creative imagination. Nevertheless, it didn’t make it less impressive for me. All I can say is that everyone should watch this god-tier drama and enjoy it as much as we did.

Story: 100/10
Acting/Cast: 200/10
Music: 100/10
Rewatch value: 100/10
Overall: 1000/10

Disclaimer: I'm a sucker for RomComs and my Top 10 were all that so I may be a bit biased here. So for non-romcom fans, take this with a grain of salt.

VIVA LA VIDA!!

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ALMOST perfect but too good not to have a 10/10

I really enjoyed this drama for many reasons. Whilst I think their portrayal of deaf people could have been better (e.g. usually deaf people still make sounds and especially someone that lost their hearing later in life could still speak on occasion) I do agree they went with the most respectful route. Had they tried to imitate the way deaf people speak, I feel that it may have come across as offensive as the actors are not actually deaf.

I also think the ending was rushed. I was excited when it was mentioned in ep 14 that they would be returning to 2023 soon becuase i thought that would mean we would get at least a full episode of when they're thrown back into their new timeline. But alas, we got maybe 20 minutes where they rushed going through how the world looks now. What I think could have made this new timeline so much more impactful is if they showed a little memory flash of Eun Gyeol's new memories from this new timeline so he knew what had changed.

The ending was just very open and I would have preferred for it to have come together more clearly.

That being said, this was amazing. The characters, their struggles, their relationships... It was so special and I cried a lot in the last ep. And because of that, I can't not give it a 10/10.

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