Celebrity (2023)

Unlocking the Path to Success : 3 #CheatCodes to Attain Fame

Plot : The story revolves around Seo Ari, a struggling woman who sells cosmetics door to door. After her father's company goes bankrupt, she & her mother are left penniless.
Drama follows Seo Ari's path to fame as she finds & employs 3 #CheatCodes to attain success.

What I Liked:
1. Captivating Cinematography : The visually stunning & glossy cinematography beautifully complemented the theme of the series & gives you wholesome experience.

2. High Production Values : High investments made by Netflix & Studio Dragon were evident in every frame of the show, showcasing their commitment to delivering a top tier production.

3. BGMs : BGMs were exceptional & went well with scenes. One particular BGM that played in the final scenes of each episode was especially enjoyable.

4. Impressive Acting : Main leads delivered commendable performances, bringing their respective characters to life & did justice to their respective roles.

5. Engaging Drama : From opening scene to the closing credits, Drama successfully captivated viewers attention, maintaining a high level of engagement throughout.


What I Didn't Like :
1. Story Development : While the direction & execution were great, the story was not really upto the mark. However, the overall quality of the production compensated for this drawback.

2. Characterization : The female lead's character & some supporting characters in the story could be better developed. There is a problem with the female lead's portrayal because her past wealthy background contradicts her surprised reaction to scandals involving rich people. This inconsistency makes her initial character description seem unrealistic because she appears overly naive in her responses.

3. Romance line : Makers tried to show romance between 2 main leads but it was not really convincing. Both leads have chemistry but romance line was weak but its ok as main genre of drama was not romance.

4. Lack of Relatability : Throughout the drama, I found it difficult to connect with the story & its characters, which detracted from my overall viewing experience.

Overall, the show is a worthwhile one time watch, especially for those who have a keen interest in fashion related dramas.

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Thoughts left the room, all that is left is me simping for the oppa.

Not gonna lie, this show made me feel pathetic - reminded of my young teen self getting obsessed over the rich entitled oppas. It’s been ages since an oppa oppaing so hard evoked so many emotions in me. He served us nothing, but served so much. The never changing face, monotone line delivery, 2-dimensional writing spiced up with all the possible cliches - all that to deliver the truest oppa ever. How shallow of me to open the review with that statement.

Surprisingly enough, no matter how ridiculous, unrealistic and over the top the drama might have been (which, by the way, were all the reasons I loved it so much), it actually had some thought-provoking scenes and moments. Social commentary dressed as fancy makjang? That might be an overstatement, but I’d be lying if I said it did not present even one aspect worth reflecting on. Basing your worth on your popularity, addiction to attention, seeing people around you as tools to be used and discarded when they stop being useful, how far can one go to achieve success, differences in how people perceive reality depending on their socioeconomic status and more. Bits and pieces of potential, all overshadowed by the entertainment.

And I’m not even mad about it. This is such a stress-reliever brainless entertainment I’m actually grateful it exists. Once you start watching, it’s hard to stop. There are awful and selfish characters to bitch about, a female lead that’s worth rooting for, a few characters you end up loving (even if the reasons are painfully shallow), twists and turns that come out of nowhere and make you question the reality that already makes no sense. And then there is the glamor and fashion that’s just so pretty you can’t turn your eyes away from it.

How’s the acting? On average mediocre. Some performances were good (looking at you Lee Chung Ah), some were fine (I love you Park Gyu Young, but not all of your scenes were to my liking), some were either barely existing or yet again typecasted (Kang Min Hyuk serving nothing but hot looks and Lee Dong Jeon playing the same character he did for the past few projects). Did it bother me? No. I have no idea why. I have no idea why all the things that usually make my blood boil just did not bother me here at all.

Overall, I finished the online exam in 15 minutes just so I can continue watching this drama as soon as possible - that will tell you how addicting it is. The pacing was fast, there was no time for chill and breaks, the characters were either unrealistically great or comically awful. Han Joon Kyung was the most oppa of all oppas. Whoever the casting director was - they need a raise.

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