Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! BESTEST TIME TRAVEL DRAMA OUT THERE!!!

I seriously loved this drama soooo much!!! It served exactly what i wanted. Teen musical fantasy romance. everything was on point honestly. And it made me cry like I've never before. No lagging, no boring episodes honestly!! But at the end i felt like they could've shown more about their future lives. And also they didn't show On Eun Yu's parents i wish there will be a second season!!! I loved the bond between Ha Eun Gyeol and Ha Yi Chan so freaking much!!! And I didn't expect Choi Se Gyeong to be a time traveller too fr and The end was so awesome!!! OVERALL I'D RECOMMEND TO WATCH IT COZ I'M GONNA REWATCH IT TOO!!!

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A refreshing drama to make you think about life.

If you want a show to put you through every emotion, ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ is the ones for you. I can say with no regrets that this is easily the series that has made me the happiest out of the hundreds I’ve watched. Saying that, throughout the duration of watching it, there was always a mixed emotion, such as confusion, sadness, even anger; but overall, joy pushed through these and became everlasting.

Without spoiling anything, this drama, as said by many others, felt refreshing to watch with its unique characters, bright colours, and cheerful music. Although it discussed some dark topics, such as death, depression, and abuse, the show was quite cheerful. For me, I am an emotional person who loves watching dramas that put me through many emotions, since I feel more connected. If you’re a sentimental one like me, this will always be a show I’d recommend.

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the most heartwarming kdrama that i watched!?

WAH DAEBAK, one of the best dramas this year if I say so. romance, family, bromance, friendship, comedy, heart-warming, time-travel, fantasy are all mixed and contained in this drama. A drama that is not heavy but can make you sad. angry, sad, laughing, crying, annoyed, salty, I can express all of that in this drama.
like 16 episodes can discuss various issues?! that's cool. I just admit that this was a rushed ending, too deliberately rushed. There are still many questions that should be answered in one more episode. imo, there should be 1 special episode, but overall is so worth to watch! at least once in your life?

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“The moment you give up, it’s game over.” – Ha Yi Chan

I postponed watching this show before it was all the way done. It was so tempting at times because I would see clips of this show on TikTok. I finally got around to watching this drama and it does not disappoint. This show lived up to the hype and many more. Twinkling watermelon might just be in my top ten dramas that I watched in 2023. This show falls into the all the things that I love in korean dramas from the funny wholesome friendships to the cute romantic relationships. It even show the different dynamics between the character and their parents. And to make this even better the music is really good. So shout out to everyone who was apart of making the music for this show. And shout out to the actors who worked so hard to produce such an amazing performance for all of us to watch.

The dynamic between Ha Eun Gyeol and Ha Yi Chan had me laughing, smiling, and crying all throughout this series. Their is just somthing that pulls at my heart strings when a son wants the absolute best for hsi father and vise verse. And with this show eun gyeol is dedicated to making sure that his father dosent suffer from the accident that makews him go deaf. Even when his father say’s meana things to him and even disregard his advice he always comes back to make sure yi chan isnt hurt or in trouble. He really cares about his father and yi chan even comes around to view eun gyeol as a son and is truely grateful for the things that he has done for him.

A couple I really love is Ha Yi Chan and Yoon Cheong Ah there the epitome of what love looks like. Love is a language that need no words it is just something that you feel. So when I see yi chan and cheong ah you can just tell that it is love. From the way yi chan learned sign language so that cheong ah would feel just a littl less alone in the world. Or how he even sang a song using sign language so that cheong could feel include and so she could watch him performe just the two of them. There was also so just such a cute couple that some time it made me want to throw up. But then at the same time I envy their love and that being able to communicate with eachother didnt stop ether of them from falling in love. All of this aside their visual are just amazing like their actors are just so attractive.

Its just something about this show that bring out my love for kdramas. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this show “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.” – Mr. Viva. another quote is “Everyone just goes on with their lives while giving meaning to their lives or trying to find meaning. They do their best to rationalize their lives.” – Ha Eun Gyeol.“ You connect the world filled with sounds with the world of silence, using your voice and hands. And at times, like you through music.” – Mr. Viva

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One of the best drama in my watching all drama

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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The best tv drama of 2023

Twinkling Watermelon was a great surprise for me this year! It’s the best drama of 2023, no doubt! I didn’t expected that I’d like so much this perfection of a show. The plot, the characters and everything else made this so special and incredible, it’s really amazing. The relationship between father and son, the main plot of the series, is something beautiful. Every scene with them had comedy, drama, and so many other things that only if you watch it you’ll understand. It’s so hilarious when have to be, emotional and good as well. I lost count of how many times I’ve watched these two.
It’s a drama that talks about deaf people, a family with a CODA (child of deaf adults) and time traveling. I know, it seems like they have many informations, but I guarantee you, everything makes sense for the purpose of the show.
And it was the end. I’m still not prepared for it. I’m so sad. I feel so attached to this characters. My precious Ha Yi Chan, you were one of the best characters on a tv show of all time, I love you so much. My awesome father/son duo, Yi Chan and Eun Gyeol, I’ll never forget you guys, you were the best thing that happened in this drama. Thank you for everything. Ok I’m crying lol. Twinkling Watermelon, forever in my heart.

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the best drama of 2023

I've never written a review before, actually, I have no idea how to write one... but this drama deserves to be honoured. many time travel dramas lack the necessary context behind them, however, I felt this drama perfectly captured the present, past and future and still somehow made it understandable.
i guess you could call this a melo-comedy... a drama has never made me laugh and cry so much throughout every episode. this really touched my heart even reminding me that our parents all have a story about their youth.
as for the casting, every actor was practically made for this role somehow.
the only issue I have with this drama is the rushed ending. the pacing throughout the drama is actually quite perfect and makes sense, however, in the end, it was a mess. this would have been perfect as a 20-episode.
all I can say is, you need to watch this to understand the hype, because for once I can understand why a drama is so hyped up. and go hug your mother.
VIVA LA VIDA

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When I tell you this show is life changing...I really mean it

The emotions I have evoked from Twinkling Watermelon are unexplainable; never in my life have I cried so much of sorrow and happiness from watching one show.
When I watched this, I felt as though I was really there, with them, laughing with them, crying with them, fighting for my dreams, living the magical youth, stumbling across life problems and eventually overcoming them...

This Kdrama truly is the definition of everything happens for a reason, and therefore we should never miss a second of our precious lives and value it with all our hearts.
However, us humans, we take things for granted, and we don't appreciate what we already have, which is significantly shown in this drama. Once we lose something so valuable to us, only then do we realise how much we should have treasured it. This show wants us to see that life is worth living, and even at your lowest point, you should never give up, whether it's because you lost a loved one, or you feel like no one loves you and you see no point in living, or maybe that you lost your hearing...never give up on your dreams!
As someone who struggles and doesn't always see the point in living life, this drama truly gave me hope.

What I loved about this drama, is the portrayal of the deaf and those who are unable to speak. Many people in society look down on them, but even with disabilities like these, they don't give up and move on, as they become stronger day by day. I also loved how the characters communicated between each other using sign language, it was so beautiful and I truly think that it's one of the most precious languages out there, as you speak through actions and not words. You pay attention to every little detail to understand the other person.
This drama places a huge emphasis that we should be grateful for what we have, like hearing, and even if we don't have it, life is still worth living.

STORY
It was well written and thought through, there wasn't a second when I paused and thought, this is getting boring and it feels like it's being dragged, no. This was definitely not the case. It was all connected from start to finish, which made it so entertaining to watch. The time travelling from 2023 to 1995 was so intriguing, as it gave Ha Eun Gyeol the opportunity to not only try to change the future, but to also meet his parents when they were young, make new fantastic friends and make unforgettable memories...
This show is based around a lot of factors: like music and passion and how Eun Gyeol helped his father (Yi Chan) to create a band. Additionally, falling in love for the first time and how truly beautiful and innocent it can be.
This drama presents how deaf people overcome their struggles. Additionally, this drama shows the relationships between the loved ones in families and how they support each other no matter what, it also targets the sensitive topic of domestic abuse and inequality, this is to spread the word and to show how people overcome it.
The story is just wonderful in every aspect, I really can't think of any flaws.

ACTING/ CAST
What can I say, the acting was absolutely outstanding. If you were to ask me who stood out the most, or who carried the show, I'll reply with: I can't choose, they all did. Everyone in the cast carried the show, It was absolutely amazing.

Ryeoun is such a talented actor I must say, this was the first project I have watched with him, so I didn't know what to expect, but oh my- he for sure delivered. Every emotion he portrayed as Eun-gyeol, I could feel through the screen. The way he cared for everyone so much, and was determined to save everyone from their problems and worries; will always grasp my heart with appreciation.

I will also never get over the most iconic duo and the beautiful bond between Eun-gyeol and his father, Yi Chan. Just tears. The father and son relationship is just so exquisitely presented.

And of course Choi Hyun-Wook, the God- given actor he is, who played Yi-Chan, was beyond words amazing. He supported his son back, was always ready to sacrifice himself for someone he deeply cared for. His realisation when we fell for Cheong-ah is the sweetest thing ever. He put the time and effort into learning sign language just for her. And when he hit rock bottom he didn't give up, he carried on fighting and believing in himself; he is the strongest character in this series.

Furthermore, our wonderful actress Shin Eun-soo who I'm also new to, was extraordinary. She had one of the hardest roles, she played Cheong-ah who is a deaf girl with family problems. Throughout the whole series she didn't speak and communicated through sign language which I think is hands down incredible and deserves an applaud!
She conveyed her feelings through emotions, through her eyes and actions, I was absolutely stunned, what an amazing performance!

Finally, Seol In-ah. Such an inspiring actress who played two roles, one of her mother when she was younger in 1995 (Se-kyung), and the other as her present self, Eun-Yu, in 2023. This should be praised, because she effortlessly portrayed two completely different roles, with opposite personalities tremendously.
Seol In-ah shows through her character how in the beginning she doesn't have the will to live and masks out her true self, filled with pain and regrets. Everyone sees only her bright side and her outgoing personality which many fall for, when in reality she is fighting internal problems and doesn't have such a bright personal life. However later, due to a life changing experience, where she meets many new friends, gains support from Eun-gyeol, and falls in love. Eun-Yu overcomes this and realises life is worth living.

In terms of the rest of the cast, they were all absolutely splendid in portraying their characters. Yi-Chan's grandmother was so adorable, and supportive, the band group in 1995 were so fun and always happy to help each other, Eun-gyeol's parents and his brother (Eun-ho) in the modern time were always there for him too.
All the actors in this show were absolutely incredible. Bravo!

MUSIC
The OST was beautiful. Especially because this drama was heavily based around music and band groups, the director and filming team had to seriously focus on the compositions. It contains 90's rock songs and modern pop, and the background music was also fabulous.

The ending was better than I expected. I heard it will be bitter-sweet which is partially true, because unfortunately what Eun-gyeol was so desperate to change, didn't work out, he wasn't able to accomplish it. However, everyone got their happy ending in the end, which I was so relieved to see. They all deserved it after all.

Throughout the whole series I cried every episode emotionally, which is surprising because this rarely happens, and I was so touched in every way. This show will forever have a special place in my heart, which I will never forget. This drama showed me that life is worth living, and if I'll ever feel at my lowest point, I'll remember Twinkling Watermelon, and reassure myself to stay strong and keep fighting, just like characters did.
And this is why for some people, this show may be life changing, it's full of life lessons and motivation to keep going.

So go and watch this show, maybe your perspective on life will also change...

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THE *BEST* KDRAMA EVERRRRR

"Twinkling Watermelon" is hands down one of the most fun dramas out there. I mean, it's got everything—comedy, romance, and a bunch of talented actors who totally kill it. Ryeoun and Seol In Ah? They're like the dream team, stealing the spotlight with their killer acting skills. And let's not forget about Choi Woo Hyuk and Shin Eun Soo—they bring so much depth to the story, it's unreal.

I was hooked on this drama from the moment it premiered on TVN. And let me tell you, I've watched it more times than I can count. The plot is wild—it's all about this 18-year-old dude who gets in a fight with his dad, who's deaf, and then wants to smash his guitar. But then, he goes into this magical shop and ends up time-traveling back to 1995 when his dad was his age and not deaf yet. Now he's on a mission to stop his dad from going deaf in the future.

As he's hanging out with his dad in the past, he meets his mom and this girl who's also from the future. She's on a mission of her own—trying to find her mom's first love. Thing is, they don't know she's from the future at first. It's a whole mess, but they all end up forming these super tight bonds and, surprise surprise, falling in love along the way.

Seriously, there are moments when you forget they're father and son—they're just so in sync, it's like they're soulmates or something!

And let's talk about the chemistry between the characters—it's through the roof. Ryeoun and Seol In Ah, and Choi Woo Hyuk and Shin Eun Soo? They absolutely nail their relationships, making them feel so real and touching.

But "Twinkling Watermelon" isn't just your run-of-the-mill time-travel drama. Nah, it's so much more than that. It's all about family, love, and the power of relationships. It's a real feel-good reminder that no matter how tough life gets, there's always hope for better days ahead.

Seriously, if you haven't seen "Twinkling Watermelon" yet, you're missing out big time. It'll have you laughing, crying, and rooting for the characters every step of the way. So grab some snacks, kick back, and get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions. Trust me, you won't regret it!

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The best drama of the year

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD

Let me start by saying that I usually hate time travel dramas. They're tropey and tend to follow the same plot. The characters tend to spend too much time freaking out over the culture shock, etc. I also actively avoid shows that are currently airing. I have no patience, and I prefer binge-watching. This drama changed my perspective. While I initially started watching because of the Reply series vibes and Ryeoun's performance in Adult Trainee, I was quickly won over by the cast's chemistry, amazing acting, and the refreshing take on the recently overdone time travel trope.

This has to have one of the best cast chemistry of all time. They felt like childhood friends. The cast's acting was amazing, especially Choi Hyun Wook and Shin Eun Soo's performance. Yi Chan and Cheong Ah were my favorite characters and my favorite couple. Yi Chan as a character was so charismatic you couldn't help but fall for him. His bromance with Eun Gyeol was so funny and endearing. His romance with Cheong Ah was so sweet. You have to watch the drama just for their scenes. Shin Eun Soo shines in this drama with her ability to convey such emotions through sign language and expressions alone. Cheong Ah goes through a lot of highs and lows in this drama, and she becomes her own hero. The writers tug at your heartstrings throughout.

This drama had me emotionally spent by the end. I cried at least once per episode. The writing, acting, and OST worked together to just rip me apart. That ending was beautiful. The return to 2023 was a little jarring. Suddenly everyone was famous and rich. It was too different for me, but that all ended when the parents' friends showed up. Intersplicing the younger versions of the characters with the older ones brought back the wholesome and sweet vibe of the show.

I did like the changes made to Yi Chan's future. He still had his friends by his side and they all learned sign language for him and his wife. I appreciated that he still became deaf, despite Eun Gyeol's efforts, because it wasn't something that needed correcting. Eun Gyeol's impact was ensuring Yi Chan didn't abandon his friends and dreams.

I feel like I could spend hours listing all the things I love about this drama. It was such a sweet story and I'm definitely rewatching it whenever I feel nostalgic for a simpler time. It's one of my favorite dramas of all time.

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Unexpectedly Charming

I went into this show with little expectations, just thinking it would be another teen love story with a twist. From the minute I started it until the very last episode I got the most wonderful treat. The way Ryeoun and Choi Hyun Wook absolutely embodied their characters, the classic sight gags and overall energy of this show definitely created a different and enjoyable time travel show. The creativity the writers put into the series could be felt and the way relationships evolved. Each one was unique and you could see that. There was no anxiety induced intense scenes that made you question if you should keep watching since the show revolved around the relationships of the teens and not so much the tragic backstory of the 4 main characters. This is definitely at the top of my “rewatch when I’m feeling down” list.

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Excellent story about love, friendship, … totally recommend it

Quoting Tara Tara from dramacool…. I liked the way she phrased the comments:
“First of all, thanks to Jin Soo Wan for writing such a wonderful script, thanks to the director who masterfully realized it, thanks to the actors who made these characters so real that we cried and laughed along with them. This series had everything a quality series should have. There was laughter, and tears, and anger and compassion, and little life lessons that we all learned once but this hectic and chaotic life made us forget them somewhere along the way. I know we were all hoping that Yi Chan would be able to hear but this was actually the last in a series of lessons that this series has taught us. Running away from reality is not the solution to the problems we face, tackling the problems is the only way. We should use what we have been given in the best possible way, that is, use our disadvantages as a driving force. Exactly what Yi Chan did.”

Every episode made me laugh and cry… music was excellent… acting was great… pace was really good.
Overall.. yes, all the hype is absolutely true… it is a great story…

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