Sparkling Watermelon (2023)

Viva La Vida! ✨

This was my first time travel drama, and it surely did not disappoint!

I thought it would be a simple story of a boy travelling back to the past to meet his parents with a bunch of crackhead moments, but this was a tearjerker. :')

Things I loved:
- I SOOOO LOVEEE both the female leads. Both have such strong characters !!!
- The chaotic relationship between Eun Gyeol and his father!
- The family dynamic between the bandmates!
The friendship that was made even if it started out as a chaos between them
- Episode 15!
- The OSTs! Chef's kiss! Shining was so good!
- RYEOUN! He got my heart tbh.

Even though he wasn't able to change the fact that his father lost his hearing, he absolutely changed how he viewed life from then on and got him to enjoy what he actually loved. He also helped his mother which was my favorite scene, by the way.

Everything about this drama was seriously worth the hype despite its minimal flaws.

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I wondered what people found about this series to rate it so high. After a few episodes, I've become a bit of a fan of this cast. The time travel thing is a bit of an overused plot, but the story remains cute and unique.

Only one person in this family can hear and speak, the brother and parents are deaf. He loves playing the guitar and making music but feels guilty towards his father who wants him to become a doctor. “Ottokee?” Please the father or follow his dream?
He has a flashback to the past and finds himself in 1995, he meets his young parents and wants to avoid an accident to change the future of his family for the better, but he must be very careful, otherwise there could be big problems, such as the possibility of not being born .

I really liked the guy Ha Eun Gyeol (actor Ryeoun), a great guy between Park Bo Gum and Cha Eun Woo.

Interesting to see sign language. I also appreciated all characters and the beautiful songs.
For those who don't know, the singer of Spine9 is a singer of iKon.

PS: I was wondering what the watermelon was in the title and I discovered that it refers to Frida Kahlo's last painting, called "Viva la Vida" which had watermelons as its subject.

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semua tertuang disini.

WAH DAEBAK, one of best drama in this year si kalau kata aku mah. romance, family, bromance, friendship, comedy, heart-warming, time-travel, fantasy semua nya tu dicampur dan tertuang dalam drama ini. drama yang ga berat tapi bisa bikin nyes ke hati. marah, sedih, ketawa, nangis, kesal, salting, semua nya tu bisa aku ekspresikan untuk ni drama.

kayak 16 episode bisa ngebahas berbagai masalah?! keren si. cuma emang aku akuin ini tu rushed ending, terlalu sengaja dipercepat gitu. masih banyak pertanyaan yang harusnya bisa terjawab di satu episode lagi. imo, harusnya ada 1 episode spesial.
btw cowo" pada greenflag cokk walaupun aku ga nyangka si yi chan cepat banget pindah hati. hahaha

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Nostalgia, music and fluff with a side of cringe...

This could have been a 10 if only I would have loved the male leads character as much as I loved the rest of the characters in this really fun drama.

A drama that has so much good to offer combining nostalgia, with the right to communicate/language, the world sucks (yet again), people with disabilities are human too and being a kid that is different from the rest of the family has it's problem's too... all surrounded by lovely teen spirit, love, music, friendships, and shining, glittery fluff... Just the look on a the young version of them moms face when she sees someone use sign language pretty much had me thinking ok this is it, I love it and it is now my favourite drama...

As I mentioned in the first line this could have been a 10 but then the cringe took over and offered me a few of my pet peeves showed up, I cant really complain about the acting of Ryeoun as Ha Eun Gyeol but his character was mostly fun in the beginning but got on my nerves more and more as the story progressed. His interactions and chemistry with Seol In Ah and
Choi Hyun Wook where however top, top, top. I have been impressed with Choi Hyun Wook for quite a while but this drama made me appreciate him even more as well as completely fall in love with Seol In Ah and Shin Eun Soo.

Definitely a drama I recommend to most, when in need of fluff, fun and more or less predictable twists (some more predictable than others). This drama is an easy binge that offers a little bit of everything and with the exceptions of a few moments of annoying the overall feel to this drama is I want more!

P.s. Rating by episode ep 1-2: 8, 2-14:10, 15-16:7,5 = 9, pretty much follow the male leads character progression and regression... but not only.

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I wish everyone’s youth twinkles and shines!!

I loved everything about this drama be it cast, acting, storyline and music. The idea that we all want our youth to shine and be full if great memories is what made this drama very endearing. I then thought that my parents were also a kid once, who had their own dreams and desires, who wanted to enjoy their youth and fall in love with life. But the responsibility of growing up made most of their dreams to be locked up in their heart. Yi chan and Cheong ah had to sacrifice a-lot to keep their children safe and happy. On the other hand, both Eungyeol and Eun Ho were understanding and kind hearted children. I really loved how they portrayed all characters as positive even though life gave them so many tough events.

Cast and acting: Hyun Wook is an exceptional actor. You can feel every emotion that he is trying to convey like sadness, happiness, love, denial and acceptance. All the other cast were also exceptional in delivering their dialogues and emotions. Moreover, the chemistry between each cast is so good. It made me attached to watermelon sugar. Also loved the relationship between 1995 Yi chan and Eun gyeol.

Story: Although time travel plot is nothing new in kdrama world, I would say the story is definitely unique. I had gotten some spoilers from SNS, so some plot twists were not jawdropping for me, but for those who haven’t seen any spoilers, I’m sure you will be shocked. I really liked the whole setting of the drama which was in 1995. To be able to see your parents youth where something major in their life happens would be so cool. I cried ugly tears while watching the last episode because I got really attached to every characters. To see how all the band mates were still together in 2023 and how it transitioned to their youth days made me weep so hard. I also thought about how my youth will go someday and all I’ll have is memories of it to reminisce.
I wouldn’t say that romance is the main theme of this drama, since it mainly revolves around Eun gyeol trying to fix his parents destiny, but nonetheless the love story of both leads is really adorable. I wish we got to see more in depth about Eun gyeol and Se gyeong’s relationship in 2023 and how things patched up between Yichan and Cheong ah after the accident.

So to all those who are debating whether to watch this drama or not, I strongly recommend you to give this drama a try. I love that this drama has all the elements like romance, slice of life, comedy, family love, friendship and brotherhood. You will really love this drama.

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STRONG pacing issues, engaging storylines resolved off-screen and a very rushed ending.

So finally finished this... Can't believe it took me this long... But I struggled with the first 4 episodes... then was entertained up to episode 10... and then for some unknown reason slugged through the last 6 episodes.
I really wish I liked this as much as everybody else but for some reason this show wasn't "it" for me. I can't say it's a bad show... But reading other negative reviews... I finally was able to put my finger on what made me struggle with this show：

1. The pacing
2. The pacing
3. The pacing

Basically, this show was really good at creating interesting and engaging storylines but then didn't give enough time to them. It spent too much time on the less engaging ones. It didn't deliver on the romantic front for both couple... It was better on the friendship and youthful aspect, but it didn't deliver at all on the most interesting storylines created such at the relationship between Cheong Ah and her father nor between Se Kyung and her daughter or Se Kyung and her father or Se Kyung and her adoptive parents。 I'd rather they didn't introduce these conflicts if they had no intention of giving them a proper amount of time to be resolved in a satisfactory way... when there was a resolution for that matter because some questions are just... not answered. Yes I'm frustrated.

The end was rushed so that's another minus.

Now, most people really enjoyed the show and were able to get over it in spite of its flaws... And I get it, some of my favorites have plotholes and flaws I just disregarded because ultimately these shows delivered on what I cared most... But this show didn't. It introduced lots of storylines and only delivered on those I cared the least while giving some off-screen resolution if any to the ones I cared the most.

This made each episode feel really really overly long to me.

I know I'm part of the minority so don't let my opinion deter you from watching it. I still gave it a 7 which in my book means that it was enjoyable in some way.

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Twinkling Watermelon is absolutely the best drama of the year for me.

Main Actors—Ryeo Un (Secret Romantic Guesthouse) and Choi Hyun-Wook (Twenty five Twenty One, Weak Hero Class 1)

Twinkling Watermelon Youth Music Life Romance is a great concept drama.

A hearing little boy has deaf parents and a deaf older brother. He speaks to them through sign language. When they move to another neighborhood, the boy begins to be mentored in music by a music shop owner. The boy is uniquely aware of sounds, living in his family’s deaf world and he uses his hands to communicate. The shop owner chooses to teach him the guitar. This is a perfect match, because the boy must use his hands with the guitar to speak the language of music, the same as using his hands to communicate with his family. The shop owner discovers that the little boy is a musical genius. You get these rare finds of a drama which concentrates on a unique story. Twinkling Watermelon is a concept drama about Youth, Music, Life, and Romance. This is a youth driven music drama, but it will appeal to all ages. I am totally impressed. It is a high Yes to add this drama to your drama list.

There is a huge plot redirection in the drama, Twinkling Watermelon. I am totally surprised that no one has blabbed and let the secret out. The redirection knocked me for a loop. I will have to write up a spoiler later on. This can’t stay a secret long. I am watching real-time. For bingers, I would suggest to start this drama ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ and view the 5 episodes posted already, then you can binge episodes 6-16 later. It appears that no one was given advance notice, by what I have read so far. However, some want to be the first to tell the secret. With 5 episodes posted, many won’t keep the secret long. In addition, so many others do not understand what a spoiler is. Twinkling Watermelon may tap out to be one of the best Music Life Romance Korean Dramas ever.

The boy is a coda. That means that he is the only one in the family who can hear and speak.

Quote: Music is the only legal drug.

Sign hung in the father’s restaurant: No need for words.

Cast

Choi Hyun Wook—This role is in his wheelhouse, playing a creative dare devil who falls for the rich chick. He is so good in this drama. He overwhelms his scenes. Many have touted the acting talent of Choi Hyun Wook and I am one of them. He will not disappoint you.
Ryeo Un—He gives a breakout performance, which many will be talking about.
Seol In A—She is a veteran talented Actress and once again gives a great performance.
Shin Eun-Soo—This actress is a newcomer and she is a little shinning star. Shin Eun-Soo is given a difficult role, which I will not spoil.

Is it acceptable to use the word ‘Deaf’? Yes, most of the Deaf community do not shy away from this word.

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Melancia cintilante

“Sabe, a vida pode não lhe dar tudo o que você deseja, mas às vezes esconde pequenos presentes aqui e ali. Espero que você supere isso as dificuldades do caminho e receba os presentes escondidos."

Ano passado teve 2521, e esse ano twinkling watermelon que mexeram com meu coração. Como eu amo um drama com um bom squad! Essas crianças conquistaram meu coração de tal forma que vocês não tem noção. Não estava muito confiante por ser drama de viagem no tempo, mas esse superou todas as expectativas. O fato da história envolver pessoas com deficiência auditiva se torna ainda mais interessante. Amei como toda a história se seguiu, terminando sem deixar uma ponta solta sequer (algo raro no gênero). O romance entre o Yi Chan e a Cheong Ah é a coisa MAIS LINDA QUE EXISTE. A atuação de todos impecável. A filmografia perfeita e a OST de bom gosto. Obrigada por tudo WATERMELON SUGAR

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SEOL IN AH first love of father and his two Son's

I love this drama, i i had no problem with the ending what so wrong with being rich ML mother was born into that family and he help her reconnect with her father, and her only brother become a criminal himself, so it was common sense that she is going to get everything from her father,
only thing i i was hoping was that Seol in ah did not meet older brother first ... in new version
i was hoping for one more ep of Seol in ah meeting ML parents too as her old friends now her in laws to be....

i think there music ooo ho oooo hoooo was Show me Your Panty (MY PS Partner)
Some Nitpicking
WHY does ML only recognize his own parents after knowing there names like i know actors are different but dude, they are your parents and you have seen them when you were growing up they were not born old parents..

You have girl who look like an Angel a real Angel from heaven
And you cast a demon looking man as her father who creepily stalk own daughter,
I loved the scene where Seol IN Ah did not even recognize her grandfather. ( he deserve that feeling that now his daughter doesn't even know him at all)

Our Hero (time travel try to mess his fathers first love so he can be born..
Thanks ML did not fall for mother but daughter Seol In Ah
It focus on music but in my personal opinion it was unnecessary noise..out hero hasn't meet his mother and did not even try to search for her and is focused on his father for so long


Ep 6
we found out all ML care about is his father and his mother was just a machine for giving him birth, this man knows nothing about his own mother and doesn't even recognize her...but is obsessed with father so he can be born,
I don't believe in this love story because his father would have even thought about his mother if he would not have manipulated
Ep 8 our ML BECOME INSANE AFTER he read his mothers name on but fail to recognize his mother before
Now he protect his poor mother and its like she will fall in love with her own child if he continues like that....
yi chan did not love se kyung for sure, after getting treated at hospital dude did not even once asked for her, even after he remembered she saved him...
Fake Lover Yi Chan

How did real Se Kyung know her first love can eat spicy food because she never eat with any of them before going to ABROAD.( she eat with her husband in front of her daughter )
Now he did not give a F about his father who has him inside his testicles. Will follow his mother because she is pitiful...


10/10 for first 8 episodes
8/10 for final 8 episodes


Ep 9 ML started to act like a jerk(become Great again)


Ep 12
Yi Chan dude did you forget who you love that fast ? What a fake lover....

Ep13 Lovey-dovey
ep 14 how ML forget that this Ajushi is father of Se kyung ?
ep15 - ep16 Happy 9/10
OVER-ALL NICE AND ENDING WAS FINE, people complain that why they don't remember him, because if they remember i don't think mom can explain how there second son look like there friend, and how there both son like the friest love of there father...or her daughter who look exactly like there fathers first love..

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Too many plots

First of all the things I liked about this drama:

◇the Ha family before the time-travel
◇portrayal of deaf people and their struggles
◇Cheong-Ah as a character
◇Eun Gyeol as a child and teen
◇the relationship between Eun Gyeol and Choi Hyun before the time-travel

Now to the things I did not like. They tried to put in as much plots, subplots and storylines as possible to make it shiny, the problem was though, that the quality dropped because of it. It's like trying to learn 5 languages... you will be mediocre at all of them instead of choosing one and using it perfectly instead. So what was this drama trying to be? A story about a boy who is a CODA? A story about music, passion, teenage dreams? A time-travel story?
After choosing that, they again had to choose on which character they wanted to go with. Eun Gyeol? Lee Chan? Cheong-Ah or even Eun Yoo? It was all over the place and like that, the story was half-heartedly executed. And even with all those plots, subplots and storylines... it was still boring. It was predictable and not a special drama to remember in the future.

There were characters without a real purpose and who did not even get introduced properly, like the people who would dine at grandmas. And then there was Eun Gyeol who I felt like was carrying the whole drama. The screenwriters must have realized this too because in the last 2 episodes, his character got cheesier and out of character lines.

The characterization of Lee Chan was not the best either and he was one of the main leads. In his old form, he is way different character-wise and this is not something that can be explained with age or trauma. Old and young Lee Chan were 2 completely different people and I couldn't put them together. Also the casting of Choi Hyun/master. All 3 actors were so different from eachother... it was just not good.

The ending was not executed well either. Eun Gyeol and Eun Yu arrived in the present and it had no consequences. The parents didn't recognize Eun Gyeol and Eun Gyeol himself got all his memories from his first life. It just felt like lazy writing.

I was trying to find reasons to love this more, but sadly I couldn't.

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