Lee Doo Na! (2023)

Bitterly perfect~✨

✨9.5/10

So after much thought I think this drama is actually pretty great.It started of normal with pretty light hearted shades but midway through changed into a melodrama. I think I was too focused on the leads but the other love interests had their own stories too. I was afraid the world building would be unsatisfactory cause these short netflix dramas tend to focus solely on the main characters and doesn't bother expanding with different characters and relationships.but it was not the case here.Visualy it is stunning.the actors portrayed the characters well and got me rooting for them.

FL is a fallen star that collided with a university student. For once a character like her was believable.She found peace with him.

ML? He's a warm and caring guy. Though oblivious to what romance is about he was perfect.He actively tried to be there for her made her have a sense of belonging.

From cinematography,acting,story and the OSt everything wrepped up well in a bow. They really did well in showcasing the concept of bitterd romance.
This kept me worried and wanting to see how the plot progresses so it means it's a good drama.

My thoughts on the ending:

Well there seem to be a pretty heated argument about the open ending.
(I respect your opinion. here I'll state mine.)

So I thought it was going to be a pretty bad open ending but IMO it wasn't that bad.
Sure the leads are not dating but at least they still like each other? They like each other but decided to wait for the right time for love instead to focus on their dreams and careers.
That's what I interpreted from the ending.

(I think it's not that bad if they do decide to do a s2 that is. But the problem is that it is highly unlikely.)

In full honesty this drama was a drama that is completely out of my zone. A melodrama?I would never watch it. I was so frustrated during the last half of the drama but that frustration turned in to admiration in the end for how good the writers and actors did to sell us the concept of a bittersweet romance. Though I was emotionally exhausted at the end.

Anyways I'll post enough GIFS about this on feeds so it means I love it.lol

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Only for people who choose realistic ending

The drama is about a retired idol and a ordinary living boy who shifts upstairs in a home sharing. As the male lead helps the female lead when she is sick, there's the story starts giving butterflies. The female lead is unstable in both life and career but the male lead this hard and maintains his ethics so it was no way that he would've called for such person but, he did in spite of having a long one-sided love.
In the course of time, the drama portraits sadness and the story ends with disappointments in viewers eyes by choosing realistic ending.
P. S : There are wonderful kiss scenes and lots butterflies.
Hope you add in your list.

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mid and disappointing

as a bae suzy fan who has been waiting for this drama for a loooong time, i expected way more. ML character lacked development. total waste consdering yang se jeong and suzy have a top tier chemistry. it was a boring kdrama, even though it had potential. i thought it'd be just as good as crash landing on you (as it's from the same director) but definitely not even close. some characters were bland and added nothing to the show. as a brazilian the brazil references were too much and definitely unnecessary and useless. kim jin ju is not likeable and her character could be wayyy better - i liked her friendship with doo na though. premise was good but executed poorly it's a shame.

not a bad kdrama but not the best either. wouldn't have watched it if suzy wasnt the fl

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A flame that burns twice as bright makes everything else seems dull

Doona is my definition of a Traffic Show. Bae Suzy has the titular role and all the marketing is focused on her. It is to be expected if you need to generate as much traffic as possible. This it succeeded, but it also sabotage itself.

Doona is a difficult person to deal with because she has little life experience. She has questionable interpersonal skills and has no filters. Knowing the idol industry, the bulk of her young life would be consumed by training and “being” an idol. This exerts a heavy toll on her health, both mental and physical. It is no surprise that she feels like she is drowning just before her breakdown.

Instead of giving her help and guidance, her manager dumped her in a share house full of college students. This is particularly heartless because he knew she has a crush on him. Is this tough love or punishment, you be the judge.

The start of the show sees our ML moving into the same share house. The ML is stoic and studious. Dull to be honest but he is just the rock Doona needs to anchor herself at this point in time. The start of their relationship is certainly tremulous. Doona holds all the cards. Teased and played him mercilessly. However, over time, she accepts his presence and let her guards down bit by bit. It took a while, but they sort out their confused feelings eventually.

All is well until the manager re-enters the scene. This is not a total surprise because the show hinted strongly that Doona needs to perform to feel alive. She has been channelling her energy into her love life but it is obvious that she can't be a housewife nor hold down a desk job.

I must admit I was worried about the manager’s role as she still has a crush on him and his influence on her is overwhelming. This was confirmed by the scene at the grandmother’s house. I understand why the writer-nim wrote it that way but I do wonder if it can be done better. I'm glad that Doona soon realised that the manager was only using her and ended her crush. However, more storm clouds are gathering.

For a nine episodes run, you would think that there is no shortage of plot materials but the A-plot is so focused on Doona that everything else seems to pale by comparison.

For instance, the ML has 3 separate romantic entanglements in three different stages of his life. The show managed to get all 3 girls to live in the same share house at the same time. You would think that there will be fireworks, but it is quite the contrary.

Both SFL’s have their backstories but they have very little impact on the A-plot. His high school crush should play a key role but by the time we find out about her troubled upbringing and her eventual confession to the ML, it was all too late. She just can’t compete with Doona. Ditto, the other housemates did little more than move the plot along when needed.

That is a shame because Doona is not as captivating as the show would've liked. Yes, Bae Suzy owns the role but her performance can be a bit stilted at times. She has her moments and some scenes are artsy and beautiful, but I won't call it a breakout role.

The same goes for the ML. He is laser focused on his studies and entering the coveted public service. He loves on cue and cries on cue. He plays the noble idiot card and made both of them suffer for years. He even acknowledged that. It is not a strong role. His delivery can feel flat at times. More than once I was willing him to do more, anything.

Now we arrive at the tricky part, the ending. There has been some chatter about whether the OTP reconciled or are they estranged? The show did not give us a definitive answer. However, the following is my take and I’ll die on that hill. ;)

Before I watch the last few minutes of the finale, I would've said that they are done. Both are in pain, but they are getting on with their lives. HOWEVER, after watching the emotionally charged scene in his room my view changed. He apologized without hesitation. He said everything she wanted to hear and more. They both knew that their love each other hasn’t changed. They hugged it out like desperate people clinging to a life preserver. You can't tell me that they walked away as strangers after that.

Yes, of course, anything is possible, but I would prefer to believe that they have learnt their lesson and reconciled. I'm not sure if it is all hush-hush but they can pursue their own goals and live parallel lives like some celebrities and their SO's. They love each other dearly and they will make it work.

BTW, the last scene is ambiguous but it is literally a chance meeting. She looked back because she knew he will be in Japan (as couples do). It wasn't a wistful look. The nonchalance could signal a deliberate separation of their public and private life. It is a "I see you" moment and that’s enough.

I have no doubt it will be the trending show for a while, the hype around Bae Suzy will guarantee that. It is watchable but not amazing. The swoon worthy moments are worth the price of admission. Peace out.

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Um pouco desapontada...

Antes que queiram me jogar pedras por me sentir desapontada, ou falarem que minha opinião "não tem profundidade", coisa que já li por aqui em outros comentários, queria dizer porquê e o quê me desapontou em Doona.
1. Muita coisa do Webtoon simplesmente foi ignorada na adaptação em mini-drama. Talvez, se tivessem mais episódios, o lado "comédia" da categoria poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvido.
2. Dizem que 'final aberto não é um final triste' e eu discordo... uma porque não achei nada 'aberto' o final. Da mesma forma como várias analogias de saúde mental foram relacionadas ao sentimento de Lee Doona, andarem em lados opostos num corredor, é uma analogia bastante clara de que ambos seguiram cada um o seu caminho. O final é agridoce somente para quem acredita que ser feliz profissionalmente equilibra o fato de não se ser feliz emocionalmente. No entanto, como ambos são jovens, não seria esse o fim do mundo para eles e eu entendo este argumento. Porém, para um mini-drama, cujo foco era o romance, um final realista neste nível, não é caloroso o suficiente para quem sofre de doenças de saúde mental. A verdade é que esse final e o final de "O Guarda Costas", com Whitney Houston e Kevin Costner são os mesmos, com a diferença de que no filme, a história foi melhor trabalhada. Só lamento!
3. Apesar de eu ser brasileira e, de certa forma, ter gostado de saber que pensaram no Brasil, como ponto turístico, não gostei dos aspectos estereotipados com que trataram os homens, como aproveitadores e exploradores de mulheres. Tampouco de se meterem a ele pelo sobrenome "Dos Santos". Aqui não chamamos as pessoas pelo sobrenome, mas pelo primeiro nome. Achei pouco caso não terem sequer pesquisado isso antes. E que me desculpem os brasileiros com síndrome de vira-lata, mas verdades precisam ser ditas. Se não gostamos quando fazem isso com a Coreia do Sul, não devemos passar pano para o que fazem conosco.
4. Alguns personagens, pelo menos no mini-krama, não tiveram profundidade alguma! Estavam ali, apenas por existirem, com exceção da Jin-Joo.
5. Mas, sim, visivelmente falando a fotografia de Doona é maravilhosa, a escrita é impecável e as lições tiradas de lá são satisfatórias. De maneira geral, eu só esperava mais...

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Netflix "realism" predominates.

Netflix has a definite style of youthful romance which may not be to everyone’s taste. The characters (not necessarily the plot) are more realistic and less “wholesome” or formal than the one’s coming out of Korean television. More willing to mess with the standard norms and to be concerned with the realities of things like depression. Less afraid to explore the uncertainties of youth, which make it more afraid of the finality of rejection than living with the denial of feelings or unfulfilled desires.

The production style here is more akin to “Nevertheless”, although the storyline is totally different. It has a greater emphasis on showing more realistic reactions and character traits, such as smoking, swearing or anxiety attacks. The characters are often much less sure of themselves and can display behaviour that is obvious red flags, such as a dangerous tendency to want to be violent, or being caught up in abusive relationships. The actual impact that these situations have on an individual is more honestly portrayed. Often K-dramas gloss over the effects of trauma and create miraculous and timely recoveries so that the sense of a moral correctness, or fairytale happy-ever-after can be preserved. Whereas this story takes place amongst the uncertainties and messiness of life.

The director, Lee Jeong Hyo, has a string of hits in the last 5 years, including “Crash Landing on You” and “Romance is a Bonus Book”. Here he has adopted a less predictable style. He likes to observe the reactions on the actors faces and Bae Suzy is well worth looking at as she successfully conveys her inner emotions. Yang Se Jong is less convincing, but his character is lacking light and shade in the writing and it is very much a cypher and a foil for Doona. For me, the ML character is too young to be believable and as a result is played more mature. In general, his circumstances and themes were under-explored. At this length, the drama could easily have opted to focus only on the leads and gone deeper. There was plenty of material, particularly on Doona’s side to do so.

Instead, they chose to introduce secondary characters and subplots that did not hold up particularly well. There was an air of plot convenience about them with insufficient integration between their characters and the lead story. The script for these subplots, particularly between Lee Won Jun (Yang Se Jong) and his old flame, disappointingly often slipped into the banal and trite.

One annoying detail was that the continuity was bad. The weather and costumes were very mixed up. People wearing summer outfits in early spring and full tree foliage with snow. I’m prepared to overlook bright sunshine and rain, as that is often unavoidable due to a shooting schedule. But deciding on the season and dressing appropriately is something that should be unified.

There were some deliberate attempts at stylistic cinematography - especially towards the end. The breaking up the images into multiple rectangles (there’ll be a technical term for this, sorry not really my speciality). The use of a lot of close up reaction shots. It had a modern feel. Slightly smokey images, with the edge taken off by using less saturated colour, and moody lighting, nicely played into the slightly sombre tone of the piece. Greys, blues and browns predominate. The spare use of music carries emotional weight because it is unusual to have no background sounds.

Overall, for me, there was a lot to like about this production regarding the central characters and storyline, but the subplots and details let it down. It was an emotional 8, but a rational 7.5.

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Love vs. Lust

I'm somewhat of a newbie to the K-drama scene and this drama made join this platform to write a review.
First things first, the acting was superb. Despite how I feel about the characters and the plots, each actor committed to their roles and executed them quite well in my opinion. Now, as for the storyline itself...holes on holes on holes. Yes, we all know that relationships aren't perfect and people aren't perfect and relationships take work. Sure. But, WJ and Doona's relationship was giving toxicity - poor communication, neglect, feelings of unworthiness, co-dependency, jealousy, selfishness, and just levels of dysfunction. It's one thing to be young and in love, but these two had some personal issues that when combined just would did produce a healthy relationship. When they did spend time apart and supposedly grew, I didn't think they had anything left to stand on besides chemistry (basically lust) because they still barely knew each other. For what it's worth the chemistry between them made for some good TV, but when you really analyze the relationship for what it is, it just doesn't work. The other cast members were awesome and their side stories diversified the plot and kept the series interesting. There were some good comedic elements that made me lol. Overall, I did not regret watching it, but I also thought leaving the ending open was a bit of a cop out after taking the audience along on such a polarized ride.

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RESEÑA <3

Empecé a ver este drama porque me llamaba la atención, pensé que no me iba a defraudar, pero desde el principio, lo hizo. Terminé de verlo por que no me gusta dejar las cosas a medias, pero la verdad, me costó acabarlo.
Está bien para verlo en un día lluvioso de invierno si quieres entretenerte con algo, o no tengas nada exacto que quieras ver.
Algunos de los capítulos se me hicieron eternos aunque no son muy largos.
Quizá en algunas partes noté cosas forzadas, pero bueno, quizá eso solo sea sensación mía.
No es que me arrepienta de haberla visto, solo que me da pena que me haya defraudado tanto.
El OST es bonito, y los conjuntos que lleva Doona también.

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Doona

Eu tava com muitas expectativas pra esse drama e de uma maneira diferente, quando eu percebi a história que ele ia trazer tentei deixar de lado elas (expectativas) e ir acompanhando mas acabou que não me conectei tanto quanto gostaria com a história e com os personagens infelizmente, particularmente amei a história, essa questão de focar no lado ruim da indústria musical que os Idols em geral sofrem e de manter a vida particular tão restrita e seus relacionamentos acabam sendo prejudicados, são tantas questões, cobranças e as vezes eles nem conseguem escapar e respirar e acabam sucumbindo. A Suzy atuou incrivelmente bem e o Yang se jong tbm, o personagem dele extremamente cuidadoso em todos os sentidos, nas palavras e nas ações. Mas achei a história lenta, não gostei, não me conectei com o romance deles apesar de ter sido bom, não sei o que houve. Não sei se o drama deveria ter sido um pouco maior, os amigos que apareceram bastante no começo só voltaram no final pra mostrar como estavam... Enfim, eu gostei, só um pouco mas não foi o que eu esperava (porque realmente fui com muita sede ao pote)

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