Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

A BLAST TO THE PAST ⏰✨

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

This drama is about the dilemma that many young people face: whether to pursue a life that makes them happy by doing what they love or to follow their parents' dreams and satisfy their parents' expectations. Eun Gyeol, the main character who is a CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults), struggles between following his passions and servicing the needs of his family until he is given the opportunity to change the course of their life by sliding back in time to when his parents were his age. We are also confronted with the question “Would our lives be better if we could change the past?”

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Likes:

The plot is excellent. It basically combines all of my favorite genres, romance, humor, mystery, parent-child relationships, friendship, high school life, adolescence. This drama keeps you entertained and hooked throughout, providing stories that touch your heart. I don't want to give away too much or spoil, but it is a fantastic drama. While watching this drama, I felt warm and nostalgic, and I wished I could travel back in time to experience how my parents lived in the 70s and 80s. This show made me cry so much lol… I cried maybe 6 times out of the 16 episodes.

We witness some of the pleasures, tensions, and uncertainties of adolescence as the drama progresses. It explores the demands from parents and society, as well as mental health concerns and anxiety among teenagers. Beautiful friendships, misunderstandings and familial bonds are also portrayed in the drama. Even if it's pointing out details, there are flaws in the series. Logical issues arise with time travel – the characters broke almost every rule known to man. Additionally, a lot of cliché tropes are used to put the characters in difficult situations.

The young actors outshone the older actors. I was thoroughly impressed by Ryeoun, Choi Hyun Wook, Shin Eun Soo and Seol In Ah. Shin Eun Soo's portrayal of a Cheong Ah is quite remarkable, my heart broke every time she got abused by that horrible principal and they locked her away attempting to dim her shine. Choi Hyun Wook is a master in encapsulating youth's energy and enthusiasm, he was a delight to watch and I couldn’t help but laugh / kick my feet giggling in most of his scenes. I started crying at the last moment when he was recording the song on the cassette and referred to Eun Gyeol as his son and thanked him. Ryeoun is a young actor with a lot of promise. It was amazing how much heart he brought to every single scenario. You couldn't help but adore him, support his character development. I was so impressed and I will definitely be watching his future projects. Seol In Ah was a lot of fun. The fact that she and her mother were portrayed by the same actor bothers me since they were so strikingly similar (basically twins). She tried her hardest, and her performance was good, but I believe she's a little too old to be portraying a 17-year-old. I also liked the chemistry between the actors and their pairings. Both couples demonstrated that there is hope and that there are people out there who will embrace you for who you truly are. As many have said before, YI CHAN IS THE STANDARD (AND EUN GYEOL LEARNED BY EXAMPLE)

Overall, they mastered their roles seamlessly and you couldn't help but be captivated by their on screen presence, they truly brought their characters to life. I loved the use of sign language – it is such a beautiful language to learn and I wish more people would use this drama as an example to see how inspiring it is when someone steps outside of your comfort zone and strengthens / improves their overall communication skills. You never know when the opportunity will arise and you will be able to help someone.

Dislikes:

I did not watch this drama from the beginning like everyone else, and I believe that is why I enjoyed it so much more. I was able to binge-watch episodes 1-14 all at once, and I honestly felt that this drama was something extraordinary, as other commenters had stated. Having said that, I became uninterested after waiting a week for the last episodes. I believe that episodes 15 and 16 could have been fleshed out and developed further. It appeared rushed, as if they were attempting to assemble the final parts of the puzzle and conclude everything on a high note. Personally, I was curious in what happened to Yi Chan and Cheong Ah and how they eventually reconnected. I wanted to know what life was like for them, especially Yi Chan, who had lost his hearing but still had so many goals. It's clear that his aspirations came true, but I wish they'd shown me more of his backstory instead of only telling me.

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Quotes I Loved:

"Life didn’t have to be perfect for it to shine. It’s the little moments that make your life twinkle, and happiness is what you experience when those moments come together.”

“If you push the wall, it becomes a bridge. If you fall somewhere, there will be a hidden treasure.”

“You don’t have to try so hard to be impressive. Continuing to live is already a great feat.”

“I was always lonely. I felt lonely and isolated as if I were stuck on an island by myself and couldn’t join the world where my family was living. But you see, I now have a chance to live in the same world as you do. I want to seize this opportunity.”

“I’m done being the girl who is only loved when she is needed or useful. I don’t want to be anyone’s trophy, war booty, or accessory.”

“Music isn’t something you listen to just by ear. Music is something you can feel with your eyes, mind, and heart.”

“There’s no scale that can measure who’s hurting more, and there’s no one who can judge that. No one has the right to judge others’ pain, and we have no duty to have it acknowledged by others.”

“I can’t hear your voice but I see it. I can feel it. You shine the brightest when you’re doing music.”

“Looking back, I realized that this song wasn’t the only thing you helped me complete. When I wanted something, when I felt like I lacked something, when I was in despair, and even at my most radiant moments, you were always there with me.”

“You lied that you were my son. But you know what? For some reason, I felt as though you were like my father. Even though I have never experienced a father’s love, I got to experience something similar thanks to you.”

“The moment you give up, it’s game over.”

“Here’s a thing about life. It may not give you everything you want. But it does hide a small present for you from time to time. I hope you can endure the cruel hardship life throws your way. So you can receive the present life has tucked away.”

“Life is filled with all kinds of metaphors. Interpretation is solely up to the receiver. There are no right answers.”

“When your life can twinkle again on its own, I hope it twinkles as radiantly as possible.”

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Final Thoughts:

Would I recommend this drama? Well yes, after I watched it I immediately begged my friend to watch it and she was hooked as well. I think this drama is very comforting / healing especially during this time of year and I feel like everyone no matter what age people find some enjoyment in it whether that’s nostalgia or portrayal of friendship, love, family etc.

My advice is don't allow the drama's title or the ensemble of actors stop you from watching it. I guarantee you will be surprised. It took me some time to decide to press play, but it was an absolutely incredible experience!

The premise is that if we can identify our flaws and limits, we can rectify them and grow as people. The other recurring theme is that change is inevitable. We can try as we might to control and assume personal responsibility for our own fate but nothing in life is certain. It seems as though life has selected a predetermined path for us, and we are simply just along for the ride.

This drama reminds me of this quote that says “You can be the master of your fate and you can be the captain of your soul but you have to realize that life is coming from you and not at you – and that takes time.”

With all of that said I give this drama a 8.5/10

VIVA LA VIDA! || LONG LIVE LIFE! ₊˚⊹♡

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(Tysm for reading!)

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A YOUTH DRAMA WE DIDN'T KNOW WE NEEDED

So what actually happens?
There is a guy named Ha Eun Gyeol, he's passionate about music but he is currently the trophy son to his deaf parents and the only person who can communicate with the outer world in his family. And boy got a deaf brother too (Ha eun ho) who does taekwondo... So dude gotta be responsible for all of them but his guitar keeps calling him and he's unsure if he should pursue music or not... One night magical shit happens and he lands in 1995 where his parents are now his age and he is now going to play cupid for his future parents as younger version of his father (Ha Yi Chan) is a lively youngster who is in a band, is chasing a popular girl, has no interest in studies or Eun Gyeol's future mother (Cheong Ah)

Twinkling watermelon is another sunshine kinda, wholesome, cute cum melodramatic sometimes yet funny and enjoyable youth drama that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

This show has a lot of music, dramatic comedy (often overdramatic with exaggerated expressions but trust me it will make you smile), two cute couples and a bunch of high schoolers who would apparently form a band and great friendships (usual to such youth dramas).

What I loved the most in this drama is Yoon Cheong Ah, the bunny girl who is literally the word "cute". A deaf girl who has not received much warmth growing up but she isn't all weak and tries to protect herself in whatever ways possible. I love how they chose the right actress Shin Eun Soo for this role because her smile is honestly all pretty and as worthy as Eun Gyeol talks about in some scenes.

Younger Ha Yi Chan acted by Choi Hyun Wook was again a bonus because we know he's great at portraying this funky outgoing guy vibe. Chemistry of Ha Yi chan and Cheong Ah was also so mushy and natural that made me root for them all along... Ryeom and Seol in ah also did a convincing job at their roles... haven't seen Ryeom before but he was good at acting all those frustrating scenes when he had to face the mess of his time travel.

Also I don't think I need to mention this but you gotta love the father-son duo, be it 2023 or 1995, you'll love how they fight, bicker, protect or kick each other or have emotional conversations. They're simply adorable.

A noteworthy character here is Yi Chan's grandmother acted by Go Doo Shim. Loved her positive presence throughout the show... somehow this show is such a comfort watch thing and quite entertaining if you end up liking the characters. I watched it as it aired so I actually become reluctant towards the end that like "is it really ending tomorrow? I'll miss them"

You'll get the suspense of "if Ha Eun Gyeol can make things right" as a bonus. The ending might have raised questions but most of the major questions were answered in micro details while some mysteries like the time travel link, the shop Viva Music are better left unanswered (because I don't think a satisfying backstory or explanation can be built for that) so its better being left like that.

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