Extraordinary You (2019)

First of all the plot is not cliche. But the way the drama was executed can make it the cliche romance drama in certain ways. But for this show, that's not a con! It brought out the fun of watching a kdrama with the traditional formula. Why this drama was appealing to me even though it has elements that I generally don't like is because it's in a comic book setting. So the cartoonish behaviour and cliches is excusable and acceptable. Even if you do not like the cliche romance drama in a high school setting (like me), still give this drama a try. It's cute, it's fun, it's full of suspense, heart breaking at times but loaded with scenes that can't make you stop smiling, laughing or saying 'you go girl!'

Now onto my actual review:

This drama was great! It could have being much more with the latter episodes (which is why I rated it 8 stars instead of 9 like I planned to). But still it was good enough.

I really anticipated this drama because of Kim Hye Yoon since I was really impressed by her acting (and visuals) in Sky castle. And I am not dissapointed. Her acting was really good. Normally I drop dramas because of characters like Dan Oh. I'm not a huge fan of cutesy dramas with aegyo characters because it comes off as nothing but cringy and boring to me. But Kim Hye Yoon really pulled it off. It was really enjoyable to watch her. Dan Oh's behaviour could be embarrassing and over the top at times but Kim Hye Yoon's acting was not. I'm so happy she got this drama as a main lead and I hope she gets many more great projects in the future. I'll be sure to watch every one of them.

It was my first time watching Rowoon act and he was good too. I didn't expect anything less from Lee Jae Wook either. I am glad that the drama used an all rookie cast because it really brought out their potential. Can't wait to see Rowoon and especially Lee Jae Wook in more dramas to come.

In terms of visuals, the drama aced it. They really pulled off the comic book and fantasy vibe. A number of scenes were really gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing which is something I never expected from an MBC drama. Plus they really gave justice to the actresses and actors good looks with the costumes, makeup and probably lighting too. Kudos to the director, cinematographer, editors, costume designers, makeup artists and all the other behind the scene staff.

The background music and OSTs were something else that I didn't expect to be so good from this drama. But everytime I heard the first note of a bgm or ost being played I used to always pique my ears and increase the volume. The music really helped with the mood of the scenes. Without the music there would be less tears, less smiles and less goosebumps from us. That's how good the music was.

However while I absolutely enjoyed this drama (so much so that I watched 28 episodes in 2 days and had to impatiently wait for the last 4 to air) I feel like it could have also being better. It did not reach its full potential. I'm not sure how the manwha went on with the second volume and its ending but the drama could have being a little more experimental with its final set of episodes and its ending. It could have touched on the writer of the web comic and their background while also diving a little deeper into the scenes of the finale. In my opinion, the drama did not give me that settling satisfactory feeling that I usually get from the dramas I love. This feeling does not depend on 'What' they end it with (such as a happy or sad endings) but 'How' they end it. But regardless of all that I still genuinely enjoyed 30 of the 32 episodes.

So in short, Extraordinary you is one of my favourite dramas for 2019. It's not THE best I watched this year, but definitely ONE of the best :)

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Trash

Childish drama with a fantasy romance nuance wrapped in very boring and ambiguous. From the start I knew that this story was only made for lonely women who want to feel the feel of romance surrounded by handsome men. I don't know why this drama gets a high rating even though the story it tells is not very interesting, that's why this website is very bad at giving ratings, such as good dramas with low ratings and trash dramas with high ratings, which is very normal on this website. It starts with a strange story and FL can be said to be stupid because he interferes in other people's affairs even though he is only a side character. I've done everything I can to keep watching this drama but I gave up because I didn't enjoy watching this drama. maybe for those of you who like fantasy dramas and you feel happy being surrounded by handsome men who like you, maybe this drama is suitable for you but for me this is just a bunch of rubbish.

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So disappointing I'm considering dropping it. The plot had SO MUCH potential, and the first few episodes blew me away. However, like with many kdrama, everything goes out the window to make way for the romance. I'm 11 episodes in and no one has attempted to do anything to save Dan-o's life so far. Every single episode is revolving around Dan-o being obsessed with Haru and their past and present romance.

Don't even get me started on Baek Gyeong. The actor does an amazing job at portraying him and I'd say his character is one of the saving graces of this show. However, it's so clearly obvious that he will never stand a chance against Haru and my question is... why!? Haru is probably one of the most boring characters I have ever come across in my life. His whole life and existence revolves around Dan-o and he literally has no life or personality other than that. How am I supposed to root for that, compared to a passionate second lead? Ahhhh this show is driving me insane! Don't even get me started on Ju-da, Do-hwa and Namju because I will be here for another 100 years. The choices made in this kdrama are baffling. They could've done something so interesting with this plot, yet they turned it into another mindless romance and took all the life out of its characters. I really don't think I can finish this one.

On a brighter note, I give props to the actors and the original concept. I also think it has a pretty nice soundtrack. I think if romance is your thing and you don't mind every other aspect of the plot suffering for it, and you can also put up with the cringe, this may actually appeal to you.

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The premise is interesting enough, and could actually be used to offer a bit of philosophical insight about how Dan-oh is waking up from the dream of life, but the writers did not choose to go there, which is perfectly fine. However, they still proceed, in my opinion, to waste a good enough premise by failing to follow through with a strong, well-written story. The story just sort of wanders off into an aimless ramble soon after it starts. And you're made to expect greater things that don't end up getting delivered. I've noticed this pattern in most web toon-based dramas.

My main problem, however, is with the male lead. If you're fine with male protagonists that are pretty but weak, with zero personality (in this case, starts out as an actual non-entity with literally no remembered persona), then this might work for you. I personally like my men strong, especially in kdramas. But alas, with the current trend in millennial politics, those old dreamy chaebols with their Byronic charms are long gone. They have been relegated to a dark corner called "toxic masculinity" and have been wiped from the face of kdramaland. This drama is a perfect example of how this type of discourse has crept into kdramas and destroyed all the fun (at least for me or others like me). The female lead is strong (or starts out strong) and she is set up to save the pretty-and-weak male, to literally lead him by the hand into salvation (female power! Yeah!). However, things don't seem to work out well in that respect either, based on other reviews I've read.

Dear new breed of kdrama/web toon writers: You do not need to emasculate and totally lobotomize your male leads in order to emphasize strength in your female characters. Also, having or wanting a strong male lead does not necessarily equate to weakness in your female characters. Males and females have different types of strengths that are meant to complement each other. Please bring back our chaebols!

Eherm. Anyway, in an effort to upturn old notions about male dominance, the villain here is the old stereotypical bad boy with a heart of gold, which I end up rooting for anyway, despite the writers' best efforts to, well, villify him. There's a reason why formulas are formulas -- it's because they work. This one just doesn't for me. I suspect it would work for the younger breed of kdrama fans. But for the other old gals out there, kdrama veterans who love the same things I do about kdramas -- the silliness, the romance, the flawed but strong men who could sweep us off our feet, the bad boys with a heart of gold -- you might consider passing on this one.

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It was interesting in the beginning of the episode to episode 4 or so but then..

I'll be honest about my comment about this drama. However,i do hope if anyone who likes this drama or hated it won't judged my honest comment. Because everyone's tastes and opinions nor interests isn't the same. So I'll just break down to the point. Basically this drama is about a girl named Eun Dan Oh whom realized she live in the world of comic and that her ending was only decided by the writer. She was a life threatening disease and really anxious to knew what will her life ahead of her despite her condition. She was purposedly ended up with Baek Kyung who is a famous guy pretty much all around the school that has this 'Bad Boy' manner and vibe. She was firstly,wants to follow how the storylines when and basically wants to do everything that the writer has planned for her. Which I do strongly agree she's followed. I thought the story will when smooth just like this tell the end,but i was so wrong.

When she learned the truth that Baek Kyung doesn't have any romantic feeling towards her(he does but he don't want to admit),instead of facing the fact she has to followed the rules,she was totally against it. She was determined to set her own path,yes. She wants to change the ending. (That's why i stopped watching it cause i hated the fact that she's really stubborn at the same time). I really would finished the entire episodes if she really when with the storylines when but no,she was then meet up with a guy named Ha Ru whom is a none-existent character that made up by Dan Oh. And with all due respect,I am also will be honest that he doesn't really potrays the character well. I'm so sorry but it's the truth,as much as I really love Seok Woo(Ha Ru),but I seemed to having hard time to support his first male leading drama. It would be better if he didn't meddling in the situation,that basically ruined the storylines. He even got himself in a lot of troubles too just so that Dan Oh could change the ending once and for all without thinking the consequences. She was then falling in love with him rather than stick with Baek Kyung and I stopped there,I couldn't bear to watch it any further as I know the fact that I will get nothing but disappointment. I watch a lot of Kdramas but this is by far the worse one(미안..). I was expecting it to be different and purposedly made me satisfied but I'm not. I didn't even know why many peoples shipped them together,I couldn't even feel any chemistry between the two of them. As far I seen,I strongly think Baek Kyung is the best option because that's the way it's supposed to be.

High fiving to anyone who feels the same as me. I don't encouraged anyone to agree with me but I believe honesty in something is far important,I don't think this drama is worth watching if you don't want to watch a female lead with persistent,determined and cringe personality as well to be honest. It might makes you annoyed in some way. I did knew how the ending ends because someone spoiled it in twitter and FB,and it makes me despise this drama even more even of I don't want to. I hope that I won't stumbled in any drama which has the same storylines or etc,because I knew at some point that some new dramas that released somehow copying other dramas scenes and endings as well or much more.

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The first episodes were a breath of freesh air but it became boring predictable and full of clishes. I gave up around episode 20 with no intention to return. I just want to point out that for my first time i had a serious second lead syndrome. He was a jerk don't get me wrong but the actor was very good and the ML was a paper thin character. And now i must add more words to this review to publish. On a very personal level i was annoyed by the FL preference of wearing heels. Most of the time were short ones but she wore high heels in at least one scene. I get it it was a comic world but not once she complained about this ''set up'' of her character.

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It was going good until the past connection resurfaced

I really enjoyed the beginning 10 episodes until episode 12 happened, something just went wrong there as a story about characters in a comic book started turning into a past connection story. Even thou it was an entirely different comic book story yet writers still some how forced the past connection into the comic book world. I was soo mad here like Wtf !! This overused past connection trope just ruined the uniqueness of the story. And then comes another overused trope “the amnesia”. Haru’s sudden disappearance and then him appearing in the next episode with memory loss was soo cliche and boring. Then him remembering everything by the end of the episode was also cliche. the story became just like any typical kdrama and uniqueness of the plot was lost somewhere and I couldn’t regain my interest hence dropping it .

The lead couple didn’t had much spark in my opinion. Something felt off about their pairing. The 2nd leads love triangle was more fun to watch . I was shipping yeo joo da with Do hwa rather than nam ju. But Do hwa giving up on Yeo joo da kinda made me sad. The cast was great but story somewhere lost the charm. There are too many plot holes don’t know if they fill those holes later in the show or not. For example why was haru always at school or they never show his home or family( till where i watched).
Maybe i will continue watching it again someday but don’t feel like watching it just now.

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Stuck In A Comic Vortex of Boredom

What would you do, if you found out you were a boring character stuck in a High School comic forever?

Well, I'd break out of high school for one thing, as I don't even really exist, so why the heck would I even stay there?

But, the FL decides to play by the rules (I'm not sure why). Is there nothing outside of this high school in this comic book world? I watched this a while ago, so can't remember if she decided to try to break out or not.

Anyway, the ML is so incedibly hot, that it might be worth staying just for him. If the FL wasn't so darn ordinary and had no personality (I want to clarify that you can be innocent and a good person and still have personality), then this interesting story premise might have gone somewhere, but as it is, the High School setting and the blandness of all the characters (sorry, Rowoon, but good looks don't replace personality for me), just ruined any interest I might have had in this drama.

Of all the settings, and of all the characters you could have built this story idea on, these were what the comic creator chose? Wasted opportunity. I do remember the cinematography being very artsy and intriguing, and the washed-out colours went with the colourless setting and characters.

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Overrated. Teeny-bopper bubblegum comedy

This... is so overrated. At the moment, I couldn't get past ep 10. First, there's the trio of scrawny guys everyone in school seem to fawn over. I didn't believe even once ANYONE would fall for these papier-mache built doofuses. Then there's the wasted potential of Dan Oh. The producers could've taken her cynicism to great comedic heights, but instead she falls into the same tropes she's mocking the "stage" characters over in the first place. People have been saying this show was hilarious - good for them. It wasn't funny for me at all. It was excruciating to watch and I kept holding out to see if it gets better but ultimately decided to just stop. Maybe I'll finish this later but I'll have to watch in small doses.

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From the First Ep, I loOoOOve it!!

I really really like the storyline and the actors, like it's so creative??? Although i'm late to watching this, but it's amazing.
Although i've only watched 2 episodes, but I know what i'm talkin' bout'-

So, I had a lot of friends saying this is the one kdrama i'll love, at first I didn't believe them, but I'm already in love!!
The plot, the actors, the acting, chefs kiss!!

I love this series so much because it gives you butterflies, but also laughter!
I actually really am out of words, like who ever wrote this is the one of the best writers ever.
I'd really recommend this so stop reading and go stream!!!

Sincerely, a happy girl :D

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Misleading Synopsis + Cringe + Boring as hell + Typical school Kdrama + Failure

I love how the synopsis says she is supposed to be a support character while being totally presented as a main lead. Good job writers.

From the beginning of this 1st episode I could foresee anything this drama held for its own future. A total bundle and collection of all possible cliches you can find in any set-in-school romance stories whereas you have this supposedly support..oops, I mean main female lead who is supposed to be the support lead (then who tf is the main lead?) acting like it's the end of the world for her just because a lot of confusing and magical things happen to her EVEN THOUGH SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SUPPORT CHARACTER XD.
I mean, I only watched 30 minutes of this and saw through every single line...plus the cringe set up for a youthful school romance love triangle or whatever reverse harem.
Everything is stereotypical. "Badass" and "attractive" male students walk up the hallway?! Check -> Have all side characters act like NPCs and drool over them or make way for them while another irrelevant NPC crashes with one of them.
Want to make female lead seem relevant even though she is supposed to be irrelevant since she is a support lead?! CHECK -> Make her have a heart disease plus a one-sided crush with one of the male leads.
Everything just comes back to that damn synopsis. She is a support character that fights over her fate to become a main one? MAKE HER LOOK AND BEHAVE SO or at least make it interesting you buffalos.
Only dull and over-the-top kdrama fans will give this an above average rating. Truly sad.

My judgement for this drama is.......0! I give this a 0/10.

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