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From sweet, innocent puppy love stories to passionate, vibrant youthful experiences, Korean dramas paint a colorful picture of the beautiful years of adolescence. Each scene is like a diary entry, capturing memorable moments and genuine emotions that everyone experiences at least once during their formative years.
"Our beloved summer": delicate, meaningful, healing, and full of youthful spirit.
Subtle, healing, sweet, yet not overly heart-wrenching, "Our Beloved Summer" doesn't possess an overly dramatic plot, but it successfully captivates fans little by little. The film has even been described as "so profound it hurts the viewer's heart."
These are gentle summer scenes that everyone wants to cherish.
Starring Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi, Our Beloved Summer quickly became a phenomenon thanks to its intriguing storyline about the on-and-off romance between Choi Woong (played by Choi Woo Shik) and Kook Yeon Soo (played by Kim Da Mi) from their school days. While seemingly just an ordinary title, "Our Beloved Summer" holds profound meaning.
A story of friendship and gentle love in childhood.
Summer is not just an ordinary time of year, nor is it simply a summer spent together. That "beloved summer" represents youthful passion, pure adolescence, and their innocence and purity, much like the summer itself. Notably, the episodes are subtly named after blockbuster hits released during different summer seasons.
The film is gentle yet profound, leaving no one with a lasting impression.
"At twenty-five, twenty-one," a first love filled with heartache.
Set in 1998, Twenty-Five, Twenty-One revolves around the story of Na Hee Do (played by Kim Tae Ri) and Baek Yi Jin (Nam Joo Hyuk) whose dreams are suddenly shattered by the economic crisis. Their first meeting is idyllic and innocent; their budding romance is also romantic and pure; but their parting is deeply painful.
First love never has a happy ending; it's gentle yet heart-wrenching.
The film concludes with the poignant and unfulfilled love story of the main characters. Their love ended at the ages of 25 and 21. They became a memorable part of each other's youth. Those who have experienced first love like Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do will likely understand. Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do loved each other beautifully, seemingly destined to be together forever, but ultimately they parted ways. Perhaps it was because they were young at the time; their feelings for each other were genuine, but their impulsiveness, egos, and inability to forgive each other's mistakes were also real.
Youthful friendships are as beautiful as a movie scene.
Such a beautiful first love, which changed everyone's life for the better, why shouldn't we cherish it? Someone once said that when we remember a love, we may not remember the person, but rather ourselves at that time.
"Family By Choice," a love song about family and youthful love.
"Family By Choice" is a South Korean television drama remake of the popular Chinese drama "Go Ahead" (2020). Set in 2003, the series revolves around the life of Yoon Joo Won and her single father, a noodle shop owner. Yoon Joo Won always dreamed of having an older brother. Then, unexpectedly, fate arranges for her to have two older brothers.
Despite not being related by blood, the three lived together under one roof, forming a peculiar family.
Compared to the Chinese drama "In the Name of Family," "Family By Choice" focuses more on the family story of the three main characters, rather than developing the romantic relationship between the two older brothers and the female lead, Joo Won. The drama conveys a message about how we define true family. Family can be made up of strangers who find common ground and support and rely on each other. Family is built on how people treat each other, not just on a piece of paper proving a blood relationship.
They healed together and shared a beautiful childhood.
"Sparkling Watermelon," youth in countless forms and sounds.
"Sparkling Watermelon" begins with the story of Ha Eun Gyeol, the only one in a deaf and mute family who can communicate. From a young age, he has been passionate about music. However, he must suppress this joy that makes his heart flutter in order to play the role of a good student, as his parents always wished.
Nestled within a romantic tale of love and youthful passion, "Sparkling Watermelon" is also a profound reflection on memory and time, conveyed through poetic and beautiful cinematography.
Until a heated argument with his father erupted, Eun Gyeol stumbled upon a strange music store and unexpectedly traveled back in time to 1995. At this point in time, he met his father, Ha Lee Chan, when he was a schoolboy and discovered that his father wasn't born deaf, that he was once a bright, cheerful teenager who could speak and sing.
This gentle, pure love story heals the viewer.
From here, the story is no longer just Eun Gyeol's perspective, but becomes more objective through the viewpoints of Lee Chan, Cheong A, and the adults who grew up during that time. Misunderstandings, intertwined friendships, and romantic relationships create countless "laugh-out-loud" situations, leading viewers through a dual emotional experience: enjoying the lighthearted nostalgia of school days while simultaneously worrying about the misfortunes that may befall these innocent teenagers.
Friendship is as vibrant as summer.
More than just a story of youth, "Sparkling Watermelon" skillfully exposes the lingering wounds beneath the calm and tranquility. These pains are left unspoken, resonating through hands – hands that express sign language and hands that play the strings of a musical instrument. In everyone's life, youth is the most beautiful time. Sometimes we don't need to do something grand; simply daring to express ourselves, passionately pursuing our dreams, is enough to create unforgettable memories.
Painting a bright and vibrant picture of youth, filled with both joy and sadness, where friendship and love blossom most brilliantly, these Korean dramas have taken turns stirring the hearts of viewers throughout the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
