Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

I hold this drama very dear to my heart because I’m also a weightlifter and feel a connection to Kim Bok Joo because of that. The couple in this drama is probably one of my most favorite couples ever because their dynamic is absolutely off the charts. This is that perfect slice of life drama that has a plot and does an amazing job of exploring its characters’ personalities. There was absolutely nothing problematic about this drama and I looked forward to watching it every single day. The angst was very minimal (essentially nonexistent), so that’s a huuuge plus for me because I have a really bad tendency to absorb all the characters’ emotions when I watch a drama. When something bad happens, I also end up having a really bad day. It just sucks for everyone. WFKBJ is like a sweet tablespoon of pure sugar: it’s super sweet, pure, and makes me want to watch it again and again for the wonderful ensemble of characters and its wholesome plot.

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This drama is so light and warm that all u will feel is butterflys everything was so good from the music to the acting to the visuals like it was just amazing i wish we had more episodes with joonhyung and bokjoo as a couple but it is what it is.Aside from that it was so cute i would always squeal at the interractionbs between the main couple and the friendship scenes were so nice to watch. I liked that even tho bokjoo was strong she still had her moments where she would get upset or break down, the realistic parts of the drama made me the happiest bcz its as if u can actually relate to the characters within the drama and carry their hardships with u. The storylines throughout the drama were all interesting and i wasnt bored when i watched them also the OST is just perfect the songs will make u just jump up and down in happiness well i know thats how i acted when listening to them ok bye....SWAG:)!

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You have TOTALLY got to watch this!

This show will make you laugh out loud and make you cry. The characters are wonderfully written and portrayed by the actors. The romance was just lovely - he liked her first (I love when that happens!) and their relationship developed from friendship. This was a realistic portrayal of a developing relationship. They talked to each other, spent time together, etc. His romantic gestures were in the way he took care of her. He is the kind of boyfriend every girl dreams of, just wonderful in every way. I also loved the stories of the friendships between Bok Joo and the fatties, between the male lead and his friend and the development of the relationships between the two groups. Even the obligatory evil ex-girlfriend was well fleshed-out and you really understood why she behaved the way she did.

I was impressed by Lee Sung Kyung as Kim Bok-Joo. She portrayed the character in a way that, even though she physically didn't change much from the beginning of the show to the end, as you watched her she became so much more attractive. That to me showed that our actions help determine how attractive we are. She was a stalwart friend and how she behaved with her friends, and ultimately Jung Joon, was always supportive and positive.

The biggest surprise for me in this show was Nam Joo Hyuk as Jung Joon. I have seen him in supporting roles in a couple of things and was questioning his ability to tackle a leading role. I needn't have worried. He brought such heart to the role of Jung Joon. At the beginning he seemed like he was very immature and heading toward being a bully toward Kim Bok-Joo. He was able to walk that razor-thin line between meanness and playfulness successfully. He was strong, but when he showed his sadness and vulnerability it just about gutted me!

Wonderful ending. And cameos by Ji Soo and Lee Jong Suk were a bonus.

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Swag!

I can definitely see where the negative reviews are coming from, and would definitely check them out before starting this drama, as I'd say to enjoy this drama you have to at least be okay with a bit of cringe and sappiness. However, the way this drama handled that really appealed to me and so I'd say it's going down as one of my favourites!

I loved the main actors (I loved most of the actors tbh, but especially the leads) so much and IMO their chemistry was what lead the show and kept me so hooked - right until the credits, which is something I'm not used to. I have some minor gripes of course (I have yet to find what I would consider a perfect drama), but I'd rather focus on the positives as I think many reviews on here have already tackled the negatives.

I LOVED the fact that there was no "glo-up" sequence. I was afraid that the whole weight loss clinic storyline would be used as a plot device to make her become within society's standards of what's "healthy" and "beautiful", but I'm pleased to say the FL kept her quirkiness throughout. Her passion for weight-lifting wasn't something she was made to feel ashamed of or something she felt like she had to drop in order to become more "girly". The ML, her friends and her family all supported her wholeheartedly and helped her see herself as a woman despite qualities some would perceive as manly, which I thought was a wonderful message to send to the young women watching. They also delved into MH issues, normalising counselling and getting help for your issues, which is something I rarely see done in dramas (cough cough IOTNBO).

I don't have much to say about the OST, as nothing really stood out to me, but I'm at least glad it wasn't used like it is in other dramas to the extent that I begin to hate a particular song. I dread to give any drama much more than a rating of 9, particularly such a light-hearted romcom, but I still consider this one of my favourites and recommend you watch it if that is indeed your thing.

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This drama is totally awesome !!!!! It's so fun to watch, and it may be very cringe but is resistible .You will fall in love with the characters and with the actors at first sight . The story is absolutely beautiful and the love story of the main characters is super duper awesome .
I loved this story because the main's character personality is really similar to mine ( referring to the tomboy/sporty girl style) .
!!!!!!!( SPOILERSSSS) I really loved how they were actually friends from childhood and they didn't realize it until they had a really awkward moment and he started calling her " Fatty" .

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One of my top tier k dramas. This show is extremely captivating. The first episode is a bit slow, but after that the story really picks up the pace. I find that most slice of life dramas tend to become boring after a while, but I think Weightlifting Fairy holds up and manages to keep you engaged all the way through it with interesting conflicts without being overdramatic. It touches upon important issues such as mental illness and how much is worth to sacrifice for your future without letting the atmosphere get too heavy. The only thing that bothered me was the use of physical punishment on students, but aside from that the plot is good enough.

The acting is great, I was very impressed by Nam Joo Hyuk's performance during more emotional scenes considerng I'd never seen him before. I also want to point out the OST From Now On, which is super bubbly and uplifting, it fit in with the whole concept of the show perfectly.

The characters are nice, I liked both of Bok Joo's friends, although I think their backgorund could've been more explored and they also did a good job with Shi Ho, setting her as some sort of antagonist but also showing her life struggles so she wouldn't feel like just a bitchy, salty ex. Tae Kwon was also a fun, charming character and Bok Joo's uncle served well as comic relief.

As for the leads, Bok Joo is a good female protagonist. She has some spine and I loved how the writers explored her lack of femininity in order to pursue a weightlifting career. I must admit that during the whole subplot of her crush on the doctor she turned quite obnoxious. I get that's the first time she fell in love, but she was 20 already and still acted as a 12 year old. She makes some questionable decisions but is still a nice, relatable character.

Joon Hyung is is funny and seemingly imature, but as the drama progresses he really shows a very sensitive and level-headed side of him, making the character totally swoon-worthy. He is super sweet and his chemistry with the fl was also splendid. I honestly think their relationship is one of the healthiest and with the best progress in dramas. They start as just elementary school acquaintances, then they start to get closer, becoming proper friends until they finally get into a romantic relationship. They're constantly communicating, advising and helping each other through their individual problems, sincerely a delight to watch.

Definitely recommend this to everyone, a must watch for romantic k drama enthusiasts

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So good

Personally, i really liked this drama. It’s very aware where a female leads actress have a tomboyish character which i liked about this drama. The main couple had a wonderful chemistry and i adored the friendships in this drama as well. The storyline was wonderful in my opinion. This drama is a romance con. But it shows you the importance of friendships and not giving up which i liked. This drama does deserve the hype that was getting. While watching this drama, i cried, laughed, swoon (over the main couple, they were so cute). Please give this drama if you haven’t watched it yet. I hope you enjoyed this review

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This was fun to watch, and it will win your heart. Surely, it will put a smile on your face. The Director had made such a winning, lighthearted, and fun to watch drama. The cast was funny, all of them, even with some over the top moments, they deserve high marks. There were also some intense moments so that the characters felt real, and the story did not feel silly romantic, but rather lighthearted and warm. And while personally, I may not see it again, it would mark high in the category of rewatch value for so many. Would have loved to see Ji Soo appear once again in the end. The leading couple had both perfect chemistry and a natural vibe. The entire cast, everyone, they were all-stars. If you look for something that will give you a smile and will have you spend a good time, this one should make it to your watch list.

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My Comfort kdrama

I just wanna say watch this drama and feel alive. Its so simple yet so captivating and comforting! i love lee sung kyung and her portrayal of our favourite kim bok joo. Just go ahead and watch this lighthearted show and enjoy!
the show is liteterally the definition of warmth and love. the idea of mismunication turned into friends into crush into lovers is so simple yet interesting and the love for food that is potrayed by kim bok joo is so true!
I fell in love with lee sung kyung because of this drama i literally watched all her kdramas. this was my second kdrama of hers! first being cheese in the trap where she also stole the show! i loved the chemistry between nam joo hyuk and lee sung kyung and the fact they dated after the show. it added more authenticity to the beautiful chemistry and spark

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Lovely story about falling in love and overcoming life challenges. Fresh writing well executed!

I love this Kdrama. The script and directing are executed much better than the typical Kdrama. My typical pet peeve of misunderstandings that get dragged on and on was well managed. This feels like it almost fits the slice of life genre with a bit more drama which is why some reviewers feel the show was pointless. This show is an exploration of everyday life problems and how these people navigate them.

Execution by actors nicely done. Unlike other people, this was my first time seeing the Female lead so her previous work did not make it hard for me to believe the dorky image. The leads had chemistry and I loved seeing the characters grow on screen. Why they fell in love is totally believable and actually pretty realistic. Most things make sense.

The 0.5 marks come off from sometimes making the weightlifters too cartoonish. I didn't think that was necessary for us to get the point that they are dorky not typically associated with beauty. There were also some unexplained loose ends. How did Sun-Ok manage to come back to school? I didn't really understand what happened to Jun-Hyuk's career in his last two years of college.

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Here is the thing, there are so many drama that contain certain story and certain characteristics that makes a romcom become a romcom. So when you watch this drama please keep one thing in mind: be open minded do not expect a general romcom or you're gonna end up resenting it like some people did. Here is why :
1. Bok Joo is not your daily woman character in a romcom, so if you're portraying someone sweet, a girl next door with a harmonious best friend where everything was cute sweet and fluffy, or a tough girl whose having a bad past you will not get any of that. She's tomboy, walks weird, likes to shout, have a short temper, if you're get used to see kdrama girl having a short temper and you kinda forgive her because she's cute, that won't happen either.
2. At first some people resent her forgetting the message that writer wanted to send through this drama, this is a story about a real weightlifter who resent herself from falling in love either to weightlifting or to her own love life. So if you heard her shout a lot, eats a lot, kind of annoying around men it's because she's rarely interact with man, so don't expect your daily romantic build up where men slowly fall for the woman and he start to change.
3. What happen is exactly the opposite, and what makes me kind of pissed off with some review is the fact that if male lead being all cold, bad, towards female lead it's okay but suddenly if it's the exact opposite it's a big No No (I smell sexist peeps) so yes you will find her annoying at times but her build up won't be disappointing at all.
4. The story is realistic, Imagine being a weightlifter since kid, hit the puberty, start to fall in love and doing stupid thing she resent, the protagonist is not being a perfectly sculptured character, the antagonist is not overly evil. Shows that in life, there is a time You're making a mistake but as long as you find yourself back on track you will be fine, nobody's perfect here which is why I like it.

I also really appreciate on how good LSK portraying the character, imagining her who used to walk in the runway and need to walk and talk weirdly like that, she's not portraying the stereotype kdrama girl at all and it takes a lot of effort to act weird rater than to act sweet, so kudos to her.

As for NJH I really like the chemistry between them, rather than they're look like a real couple, my point being..they look like a genuine best friend in the real life which makes this drama more lively

I love the soundtrack but none of them was standing out too much for me, usually from a track list there will be one kind of song that stand out so much but I find it hard to name the song in here..but still a really great compliment to the drama itself.

Will you rewatch? Definitely, as long as gou get the message correctly it's nice to see a drama that at least can happen in the real life, falling in love with your best friend, find a way to love yourself and enjoy youth!

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An incredibly refreshing drama in a sea of over the top dramas

An incredibly refreshing drama in a sea of over the top dramas. Weightlifting Fairy is a wholesome and light (so rare!) coming of age story with many relatable elements that simply just makes you feel good & giggly while watching. The chemistry between the main leads felt so special & real (they ended up dating IRL), you can't help but to excitedly root for them. All supporting characters (except for Song Shi Ho) contributed to the fun & comedic atmosphere. I'm constantly searching for a kdrama that makes me feel like I did while watching Weightlifting Fairy, but nothing ever measures up.

If you're solely looking for crazy overly dramatic plot twists of revenge, death, etc., this may not be for you.

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