W (2016)

Don't watch this if you have trouble with complex plots

I've read a lot of negative reviews about this drama, which I think is completely absurd because this drama was masterfully done. The plot is intensely complex, however, so it's possible some people just aren't following the entire thing well enough to understand why certain plot choices are made. This seems to happen frequently with transferring webtoons to tv dramas. There's a LOT of content, and it can be difficult to give the drama the same impact as you can with the much more freeform webtoon medium.

I should preface this by saying (none of you many mega fans kill me please) I don't appreciate Lee Jong Suk as an actor very much. I don't think he has a lot of depth or variety and I haven't been a fan of many of his performances. W is an exception, however. He was really solid in W, thanks largely to the female lead who is very intelligent in her performances. The two leads have a good amount of chemistry in W, but the passion and drive comes largely from Han Hoy Joo's performance. She doesn't overact and she knows masterfully when and how to apply emotion and energy to a scene. The supporting cast also had some really solid character development and charismatic interactions.

W itself is one of those alternate dimension sort of shows, with a lot of dimension swapping going on at various points. The handling of interactions between the dimensions and their affects on each other was really well developed. It was interesting to watch the story develop and become more intense as you got closer and closer to the central piece linking both worlds. The romance plays really well into the overarching story without becoming too overbearing. The ending was well conceived and well delivered and fit the story perfectly without being too predictable or trite.

Overall this is a really really solid drama with a lot to offer. It's absolutely one of my favorite Kdramas...but then I tend to like dramas with complex storylines and intelligently interwoven themes.

Edit: some nice person caught me...I actually have literally no idea what a Webtoon even is and was 100% wrong that the script for this show comes from a webtoon. IVE BEEN OUTTED AS A POP-CULTURE NESCIENT.

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This drama was mind-bending and imaginative and a lot of fun. I liked the fact that I never knew what was going to happen next. The writer was very very clever and managed to pull it off, for the most part. Lee Jong Suk was perfect for the role. After all, he looks like a manga character come to life. I always underestimate his acting ability due to his looks but he routinely exceeds my expectations. No exception here. And I always love Han Hyo Joo, who seems to pick good projects. There were a few particularly inventive things that stood out from the usual drama. The fading in and out from manga drawings was magical, especially due to the fact that they kept the manga aesthetic rather than trying to make the portraits exact copies of the subjects. And I could tell that the writer tried really hard to make everything tie together, while throwing in unexpected delights such as the water in the bathroom, probably my favorite scene. Well done, everyone.

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Wow. This was INSANE. As a writer, I cried because it felt so accurate. I felt the pain of having characters who don't want to listen, when it feels like they are acting of their own accord. As a reader, I was feeling ALL THE FEELS because what reader hasn't imagined meeting their fave characters in real life and falling in love??? And as a hopeless romantic, I was completely enthralled by the chemistry and love shared between the leads. It was such a treat to watch! And on top of all of this, it avoided all of my least favorite technical tropes in story-telling and stayed well within the rules they created in the world-building, while also continuing to shock me and break my heart over and over again. I will be watching this one again soon. What an incredible show!!

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NOTA GERAL: 8,2/10

Como uma grande fã dos famosos quadrinhos coreanos, não pude deixar de me interessar por esse título. É uma boa obra, especialmente no quesito romance meloso. Recomendo assistir se quiser ver algo descontraído e não pensar muito.

• História (8/10): Uma história com uma temática interessante, porém com tantos furos de roteiro que nem mesmo uma mesa digitalizadora mágica poderia consertar.

• Visual (9/10): Efeitos especiais adequados. Um destaque para os belos desenhos ilustrativos.

• Som (8/10): Músicas bonitinhas.

• Personagens (7,5/10): Ponto fraco do drama, seria preferível se os personagens agissem de maneira menos pitoresca e mais humana, aderindo um tom mais sério. A atuação dos dois atores principais também deixa um pouco a desejar no aspecto transmitir emoção (especialmente em cenas em que eles estão psicologicamente abalados, mas não gritam, se descabelam, batem em objetos, nada).

• Entretenimento (8,5/10): Legal, mas forçado. Eu diria que a trama teria tido mais sucesso em produzir uma sensação de perigo real e chocado mais os telespectadores se os problemas tivessem surgido de forma gradativa, ao invés de apresentar uma situação de vida ou morte seguida da outra.

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Angst and Time Jumps

This KDrama never got boring and kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. I even went as far as sneaking my phone during class cause I NEEDED to know what happens next. I'm not usually the type to go for violent romance dramas(full disclosure: there is a LOT of violence) but this drama did it pretty well and I totally fell in love with the leads and their romance. The comedy in this drama is also very well done and really helped me through some of the depressing moments. This was actually my first ever drama and it is what got me into korean dramas to begin with, so I'd say this is a very beginner friendly kdrama to watch!

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From meaningful story to be a boring superheroes movie

At first the story is interesting. I'm so excited to see how Kang Chul manage to fall in love with a new lady that coming out of nowhere to his life.

Like first half of the episodes are making you want to see the story development more and more, especially after Kang Chul realize he is in a comic, and then magically go to the real world to throw his anger to the author. That's very unpredictable! what an awesome plot!
It's a melodrama, really romantic, mature yet very meaningful. It makes us learn in this real lfe how painful it is when the author of our favorite book is suddenly not appreciating his works.. and just stop half way. It breaks the dreams of us as the readers, also break the purpose of the characters in his story as well.
Kang Chul is really teach the author a lesson.. and make us want him to be a real human.. so he can make a good life which is not being played with series of tragic events, based on the personal life issues of his author.

But then, after the evil Father has appeared as a super villain character in episode 10, I suddenly feel like I'm watching a superheroes movie.. when the villains are getting stronger and did everything uglier, meanwhile the heroes tried to win the battle with their magic "drawing tablet". Then, some dramatic events suddenly come up like Kang Chul's memories gone.. like WTF.. and like most of korean drama with break up scene. Ok fine.. but second half of the episodes...it become a new drama that not focus on "W" meaning.. but suddenly to be a story of an author getting eaten by the monster that he just created. I finally saw this drama is getting unnatural, and so foolish.

It's fine then.. I keep watching.. until the repeating stories where the father monster being a horrible villain. He keep appearing again and again, even after he died, he make his come back to the story.. and it's totally out from the logic. I know it's a fantasy story.. everything can be happen beyond our logic there.. but I feel the story become out from its focus on Kang Chul's character development. It's not even focus to find out Who and Why. It's a complete mess with W turn to be "WTH".

In the middle of the story, this "W" drama forgot its main focus to emphasize how female lead should be a better doctor through her experiences in comic life, and how Kang Chul should be a super cool character and a great shooter! He never did a super cool actions again, despite of becoming a smart detective to find out how the comic's work so he can easily teleport from comic to real world and otherwise. Kang Chul suddenly become smarter than the real human, even more than the author itself.

The way the main leads solve the mystery is getting less interesting, and slowly its turn out they simply just go with the flow as how the comic wants how its ended. What you see is MONSTER FATHER + EVIL POLITICIAN VS THE FUGITIVE.

When the female lead dead, and getting alive by some magic drawing.. I was like "ok.." because they can make next "magical healing" story in new chapter, with those magic drawing tablet. But then, how come the monster can be alive again by possessed the human father? The story line is getting messy.. it's out of control..

Last challenge: female lead has to choose between Kang Chul or her father to go back to reality. Do they need to push the story to be very dramatic so it become mind blowing? Sorry.. It doesn't work for me.

Hello!! All the human of course should go back to their real world. It's ok if the drama never want to explain why Kang Chul can be a human later on,
but what's with the concept there about human can become a cartoon? LOL.
Can you imagine how the story in "W" comics turns to be messy there? I wonder the best selling book suddenly turn out to a complete confusion for the readers.
Well.. It's a sad ending in the comic.. where the hero: Kang Chul is dead, just like that.. with 1 bullet, and all villains remain survive.
The readers must be think how a cool "W" comic that started as an action story, turns out to be a romantic melodrama.. and last.. change to be a mess by making his super cool main character get a tragic dead by getting a single shoot.

Last episode.. we finally know that the fact that is all villains are dead in the comic, but Kang Chul is not dead, and he can be human. It just the readers never know about this side of the story.

The human dad then become a comic character but disappear for good... and TADAA... the "happy ending" just happened in reality. Yeah..just like that.. after Kang Chul went to the jail for 2 years to clean his name in the comic, he then teleport to real world to be a prince charming.. and satisfy us as the audience to have a happily ever after.. by a closing kissing scene in the end of fairytale.
Hell yeah!

Honestly.. W has a unique concept. They can make a better story without trying too hard to make so many surprising plot! If they want to make it an action movie in the first place.. so be it.. they have to be all out about it till the very end.
But even if it's main focus is more to romantic story.. they should make a beautiful plot till the end too.. with clever human character who are the female lead and her dad go to comic and help Kang Chul kill all the bad guys, and make "W" project as his successful achievement. So they can back to reality together with a super cool final chapter of the book.

But we only watch a "cry baby" female lead who is desperate, and Kang Chul who become very busy with his runaway from the police and villains.
After all.. I thought at least the drama will give us a moral of the story in the end. Unfortunaly it's not. The dad ain't getting better: from drunken human in real life to be a freak, till he choose to disappear into the unknown for the good shake of everybody. And Kang chul in the "W" readers' mind is remain dead in misery.

As the good news: at least we still have Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo as the main leads here, with their good looking face and brilliant acting to be a positive side of this drama :)

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Ah, W.
My first Korean drama, and the one that ruined me for all others.
With how amazing it was, of course (:

Basically, my *only* complaint about this drama is the music. Which... wasn't terrible, but also wasn't great. It just wasn't exceptional or noticeable in any way. But it also didn't ruin anything. So... it was sort of just there. Not really to hit you in the feels, though.

Aside from that, anything and everything about W was fantastic.
The plot, the characters, the acting.
The concept of this drama is so very unique, and I felt that the actors did justice to it.

It was heartwarming, heart-pounding. I smiled, I was sad.
I didn't cry, but it certainly did hit me in the feels.
It was... *intense*. One second you're all "awww" over the romance and the next you're "oh god what is happening noooo!" over the action and suspense.
The perfect combination, and I loved it.

Final thoughts: I *highly* recommend watching this drama. HIGHLY. It has it all - heartwarming romance, touching scenes, funny moment, happy moment, sad moment, wonderful moments. You'll fall in love with those characters and you'll root for their happy ending.
That's the kind of show W is.

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The Plot Is So Confusing.

The Plot revolves around two worlds. The comic world and the real world. GREAT concept to be honest. At first, I was really against watching this show, why? Cause I wanted to watch another one. BUT. Gave this a try, now, do I regret it? No. But is this amazing? So so. It was good but not mind-blowing.
My problems with the story was the plot, even though I loved the concept of the whole thing. The show made the plot really confusing. The show starts off REALLY strong with the plot! It's weak on the romance though, as I'm a sucker for romance, this main couple's romance was like a 6/10 or 7/10 at most. Not really heart racing at some moments. The connection between the two main characters with eh. Nothing bad but not that good either.
What I also have a problem with was the characters. Yeon Joo seemed to have no personality in my eyes. She's okay but nothing interesting, like funny or badass. Just bland. And Kang Cheol? Same thing. He's introduced as some rich kid in the comic, some what cocky, nice, and a player. All the characters in this show (Even the villain) were just plain. MAD PLAIN. Can't even relate to them or anything. Won't spoiler anything but after Episode 9 I started skipping most of the scenes or just looked away from my laptop.
I also had a BIG problem with the flashbacks, WAY. TO. MANY. Or even way to long! I get some people need recaps from the start and stuff but sometimes the flashbacks were up to 5 minutes. Which wasn't needed.
The Acting was average, nothing special much. Nothing that really makes you cry unless it's one of Lee Jong Suk's scenes. Need to mention that I LOVE his acting! That's mostly why I give the acting so high.
The Music is nothing special to the point where I'm looking up the OST. It's just average.
Rewatch value, I could say somewhat high. Just to really understand the concept of the whole story and why the characters did certain things.
In conclusion, the story isn't bad but after a few episodes the plot is repetitive and a bore to the point where you can predict the ending. Romance is also weak but not THAT weak. If you wanna past time, watch this. But it's not THAT bad so I say give it a shot. One day I'll re watch this JUST for the plot and what I was confused with. Don't make my review stop you from watching or giving it a bad review!

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Great romance, not so great story

While the first few episodes were interesting, the story quickly loses steam and begins to fall apart. It seems like the writers had no idea how to expand upon the original concept and were just throwing in random dangers and half baked villains. By the end of the drama the plot became almost non sensical.
However, the performances and relationship between the leads is the saving grace of the show. Han Hyojoo does a great job of playing a clueless woman who is out of her depth after being sucked into another world. The romance was engaging throughout and the chemistry makes the show enjoyable to watch. Even though I was not invested in the mystery of the show I was eager to watch the next episode just to see how the romance played out.

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Story - 10/10: The plot might be confusing in the beginning but I promise you, it gets so much more clearer. I've watched this when it just came out but it always comes into my mind when someone asks for a drama recommendation. It's a great drama to get someone new hooked. All my guy friends had a prejudice against dramas so I told them to watch this and they thanked me afterwards. The thrill that it gave me was amazing. To be honest, it was a little scary for me but it's definitely worth the while.

Acting/Cast - 10/10: I don't have much to say about this because I feel like every character was just meant to be there. It's incredible how each actor/actress embodied their character. The father (artist/drawer) was amazing at his role!

Music - 10/10: The music in the drama gave me chills. Each ost was great. I personally liked the osts they put in during emotional scenes. It really added and gives the audiences the emotion. During the scary parts, they also had sounds in for that. There's really no words to describe how good it was.

Rewatch Value - 7/10: The only reason that this is pretty low is because I feel like if I watch this a second time, the same feelings I felt when I watched it the first time will not be the same. The excitement won't be there since I already know what's going to happen. I feel like if people do watch this though, they might be able to discover things they haven't seen in the first time but I'm the type to focus more on the emotions.

I would recommend this drama to literally everyone I know. It's the type that everyone would enjoy no matter what kind of genre you would like!

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