Barul Mistic (2020)

Come in for a soju and a chat

This was an extremely original concept for a show and, for me, there was a lot to like about it. I loved how each episode was like its own self-contained little drama. The music was wonderful. The special effects were really good. The story of trying to solve the grudges of others while holding onto your own was very good and I loved how in every episode you got another snippet into the back story of the main characters. There were so many funny aspects to this show, but with a serious base, and the two were well-integrated.

The acting: Choi Won Young as Chef Gwi was terrific. I'm used to seeing him in supporting roles as the driver or the secretary of the male lead, and he was really up to the challenge of a leading role. I liked his character from the outset and just kept liking him more and more. Yook Sung Jae as Han Kang Bae - he has that wonderful innocence about him, and he really conveyed the loneliness he felt because of the gift/curse that he had. Hwang Jung Eum as Wol Joo - I know she's kind of a controversial actress, people either usually love her or hate her. Unfortunately, she usually gets cast as someone that yells/screeches/screams a lot, with broad physical movements (think Lucille Ball) because she is good at physical comedy. I was pleasantly surprised that was not the part she played in this show. She starts out extremely cold and unlikeable, and as the story goes along and you find out more about her, you are able to empathize with her and the life she is forced to live.

Production quality: This show was beautifully filmed, full of bright colors and nuanced textures, drawing your attention to the sidewalks, walls, pop-up tent, etc.

I did not find this show romantic. There was a romantic subtext to it, but, for me, this was a show about building a family. Resolving differences, building trust, letting go of grudges. It was so heartwarming to watch Han Kang Bae go from being alone to being part of a family.

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Kdrama I fell in love with!

Plot :I finished watching it yesterday, and guys…this is GOOD! First starting this drama it gave me BIG Hotel La luna vibes(at first), but then it became something different… and I love it! The only critic I have,it has just 12 episodes…and I do feel it needed more.
If you like past lives, paranormal, comedy-dramas you will LOVE this one.
THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN OUR MAIN COUPLE(S)?:
We have (kinda) two couples. The first one is Han Kang-Bae and Kang Yeo-Rin, Omg they were soooo cute! Such good chemistry and the cute moments….just awwwww. And the second couple was Manager Gwi and Wol-Ju. I loved the bickering and the low-key flirting. It was nice to see a more mature couple in such a drama.
HOW IT ENDS:
*Mild Spoilers*
It felt rushed….and too short! Yes, we get all the plot holes filled, but it was rushed. Overall I liked the ending.

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Excellent Drama - Must Watch

I totally, totally loved this drama. Took me quite a long time to watch, but this is what happens when you are spoiled for choices - one just can't make up ones mind on what to watch. I settled on this one simply because it was only 12 episodes and I thought I could watch all 12 in two sittings - took me three. Unfortunately work calls.

The storyline was great and it flowed. I loved the back and forth between the worlds and how it explained where they came from and how they got where they were. The characters were excellent and this drama was quite hilarious. Did a lot of rewinding because I found quite a few parts funny as hell.

I enjoy the music from these dramas and have purchased a lot of the soundtracks due to this. However, I was so engrossed in this drama that I really didn't hear the music.

Do yourself a favour and watch this dram - it is more than worth your time.

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I've seen this said before either in comments or reviews: When first watching this, the concept reminded me of Hotel Del Luna. BUT
I will say this is NOT an exact copy of Hotel Del Luna.
I personally don't care if there's similarities between two dramas/stories because I feel all dramas have similarities when it comes to their themes/messages. While the concept and some of the ideas are similar, these two dramas are not the same. The message of this drama was slightly different than that of Hotel Del Luna's. The ending was different and better than HDL as well. I feel like the writer did a good job of making this drama special in its own way despite having similarities to another drama. And I will say the acting was amazing as well.
Story & Acting-
If you follow the story well and pay attention, you will figure out or have a good guess for SOME of the things that are revealed in Mystic Pop up Bar (not all of them cause some things I guessed incorrectly, but the main "plot twists" I guessed already). You will already know it before the characters in the drama find out.
I don't mind that. I watched because of the interaction of Weul joo, Gui, and Kang Bae's characters. (Mainly Weul joo and Gwi). They are very entertaining to watch.
I wished there were more Weul joo and Gui / Kang Bae and Yeorin moments, but it's fine since they had to finish the story in 12 episodes. The chemistry is fine for a 12 episode drama that is trying to finish the drama's story, it would be hard to add more scenes developing romance. I actually thought there was a good amount of chemistry between Weul joo and Gui.

I felt the ending was rushed. There were a few things they didn't properly explain just to give it an ending but I let it pass because I was satisfied with the ending.
There were a few things I wanted to know, which is why this drama isn't exactly perfect.
This story, almost made me tear, definitely made me laugh, and the growth of the characters were decent.
A lot of people felt that the side stories were unnecessary, but I feel it was necessary just like it was in Hotel Del Luna. Through most of those side stories, you get to see the growth, development, healing, and personality of the main characters.
You see Weul joo who appears to be a cold person trying to reach a goal, but you see her real self later on and her motivation. You also see Gui's purpose and you just end up cheering them on.
I've seen Choi Won Young's acting in other dramas (Hello Monster, and others) and I already had expectations since he is a decent actor. He did not disappoint, he did a really good job in his role as Gui. Sung Jae didn't do so bad as Kang Bae.
As for Hwang Jung Eum, I've seen her other dramas, and was hoping she wouldn't scream too much in this one, and I'm glad. Her role is different and much better. She did a great job and yes she was gorgeous with those hanboks.

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Couldn’t be any better

This was my first K-drama and it hooked me in, I fell in love. From the storyline, to the characters (and actors), to the music, to the comical sound effects. The main characters are great and portray their characters very well, especially the ML, I love his acting style in this. The directing is excellent and I just love the sound cute effects. I have struggled to find another drama that compares with this, it’s a 10 out of 10 all round, even 3 years later after the second watching and many more dramas on my list. I would love to see a season 2 made. I don’t know if I will find one that beats it, it will always hold a special place for me.

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Great Show!

I've watched a lot of Kdramas (and received apt summaries from my unnie who's watched even more). A lot of them tend to drag in the middle, or add unnecessary plotlines, or even stupid twists. This drama has none of them. In a time where shock value is sometimes valued over narrative sense, or even to substitute for lazy writing, this drama knows Exactly where it's going with the story and it's characters. And while that may make it a little predicable, it is Extremely satisfying to go, "I KNEW IT!" or go "Ohhhhh my god, that makes sense!"

MPUB at first starts out pretty episodic, with Wol-joo and the gang helping out various people, but the show is great at getting you invested in solving their grudges. At times it even gets pretty heavy and makes you shed a bunch of tears, with just how emotional it can get. As it goes on, the little bits of foreshadowing and character building we've seen in early episodes build up into a plot that focuses more on the main cast, but it is a welcome change and a chance to solve the questions viewers having been asking themselves. It also helps that all the cases the main cast help out with relate to their own backstories and struggles, and never really feels out of place or random. This show knows exactly when to hit you with the comedic beats but also lead you into more emotional moments, and even takes the time to linger silently on the heavy/somber ones.

The main characters are compelling and enjoyable to watch. Their personalities mesh well together; especially Kang-bae's puppy-like personality. The show also takes the time to explore the deeper depths each main character has and has some really great character development. The main trio really start to feel like a little family, and their bonding moments are especially heartwarming.

The show definitely takes the time to flesh out the Afterlife, and while many aspects of it are mostly comedic, they're also weirdly brilliant. Some references might be lost on viewers who aren't familiar with Korean folk tales/legends, but the show is pretty good at giving context in case you don't. Also a quick google search will answer any other questions you might have.

MPUB is also very pretty to look at, looking warm and cozy at the bar and showing us delicious cooking shots. While the OST isn't exactly memorable (I still clearly remember "You are my destiny" from My Love From the Star, even after 7 years), it fits with the emotions of the scenes and is nice to listen to.

Overall, if you want a show that won't drag on, neatly ties up (almost all of) the narrative plotlines, makes you both laugh and cry, and has a great cast of characters, watch this show. This show might not be for you if you like your shows more grounded in reality/melodramatic, or don't like the episodic narrative format. My only complaint is that I want more.

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This story started off really slow -- each episode they solve 1 person's grudge, and the goal is to solve 10 grudges by the end of the month so the female lead doesn't need to rot in hell.
However, as the grudge-solving goes on we see bits and pieces of the female lead's past... and as we start to put the pieces together, we realize that the story is a lot more put-together than it seems. The foreshadowing that happens in the first few episodes builds up into major plot twists, and the last 1/3 of the show is pure dramatic bliss. If you're into foreshadow-hunting and plot twists then stay on board... it's a really rewarding watch!

Wishing I got to see more of the second couple though :( They're so cute.

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Found Family Trope

I really liked the found family trope in this drama. I’m a sucker for it. And when it’s mixed with supernatural and humor? Then I’m all the more for it! Also, that Yeo Rin was all “I’m here to save my man!” at the end? W00t! That’s so up my alley because I love it when the usual cliché gender roles are flipped!

Also, this was the first drama that I’ve seen where Choi Won Young played the good guy. Gosh, he’s so good as as one of the good guys. Why have I only seen him playing baddies so far? Unfair!

I have to say, though, it was good that the drama only had 12 eps. As it was, I ended up fast-forwarding through some of their shenanigans, through bits where the drama went too far and slipped from humorous into silly. So, I’m glad that they didn’t go for the usual 16 because I can’t even imagine what silly padding they would’ve used.

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10 COZ WHY NOT?

It took me long to finally decide watching this series and I am not regretting my decision. I should have watched it earlier.

Historical, fantasy and the present time. It was perfectly combined and the transitions form past to present, from real world, to dreamworld and to afterlife, with it's magical elements can all be easily comprehended without rewind.

The comic relief injected in many scenes balances this heavy drama that tackles on unspoken feelings, dreams, and good byes. Romance is just a bonus, but I can't complain since the story and the plot is really good.

Jung Eum is perfect to the role. I could not think of other actress seemingly fit to portray Wool-ju. Hands up to her crying skills, full of real emotions one could really be carried away. Sungjae is such a sweetheart. I will never get tired watching him. I hope to see him more in many projects.

It was a series of laughs and cries. If someone was watching me while I watch, probably think I am insane. I definitely recommend this to everyone who is looking for peculiar stories to watch. You'll definitely not be disappointed.

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"The words we speak and the actions we display will one day come back to haunt us."

Welcome to the mystical realm of the afterlife and everything that goes along with it. Which is apparently a glass of soju, smiling faces, and listening ears.

This gave me some strong Hotel Del Luna vibes, but spun off into the lighter hemisphere of the drama world while still remaining engaging. Mystic Pop-Up Bar follows the lives of four people who had their worlds turned upside down five-hundred years ago. All of whom are working towards righting the grudges in the world, and trying to muddle through life on a little luck and a lot of hope.

I enjoyed the journey of this drama. It was light enough to keep a smile on my face, with just enough plot, suspense, and life lessons to keep me watching eagerly. MPUB teaches the importance of communication, family, and to think about the consequences of your actions. There is not much mystery to the story as they drop enough hints along the way, but it was still a fun ride. The last two episodes were a teensy bit lackluster compared to the oomph of the previous ten, but it was nothing too disappointing. There were a few inconsistencies and missed explanations within the story, but I guess those got traded for a pleasant ending. The OST, while sparingly used, is good and the acting was done well.

All in all, a lovely and refreshing drama to watch. I would recommend if you're looking for something nice and engaging with just a touch of past life angst.

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It feels better if you watch it before Hotel Del Luna

This show was really good and Hwang Jung Eum was spectacular. Her character was someone you could easily empathise for and her yearning to just be free was palpable. The story was, for most part, beautiful and some of the early "ghost of the week" episodes were unforgettably good. But the show had a very simple formula to it and there were aspects to the story that just wasn't as enjoyable. Hwang Jung Eum was the only memorable actor in it.

I don't know about anyone else, but I also think I might have enjoyed this show better if I hadn't watched Hotel Del Luna first. I couldn't stop seeing the parallels and each one was a poor comparison to HDL. By the end I was resenting the similarities because I wanted something different to Hotel Del Luna, which i rated very highly. So, Mystic Pop-Up Bar was a very strange one for me. Some really good episodes and great acting from Hwang Jung Eum but undercut by this nagging feeling that it was retelling a story told by Jang Man-Wol from Hotel Del Luna, and not told nearly as well.

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