Why did I like this show so much?
I'm still trying to answer that question.
It's just a music-based slice-of-life, which are both genres that don't interest me in the slightest.
I really only watched it due to a strong "recommendation" from a friend.
But now... sitting here... writing a review... I-I have to admit that I grew extremely fond of it.
How on earth did this happen?
Here's what I know....

Story 〆(・∀・＠): What hasn't been said yet?
This show takes place in a school dedicated to helping kids become stars, so the entirety of the story is centered around personal growth. Because of that, it was a straightforward show to watch. It was a story that had a few heavy topics in mind but always addressed it in a more calming manner. That way, you could see some dark truths but never feel the show losing its calm slice-of-life vibe.
What I think Dream High's strongest point is that everything ran like a well-oiled machine. No topic hung around too long, and every problem hit its climax and resolution at a perfect time. I applaud the writers for being able to do this since, in a lot of high school shows, misunderstandings tend to be taken out of proportion. It's this smooth writing style that might have had such a substantial impact on my opinion with the show.
Another thing is the side stories. As you can see in the title picture, there is a large group of protagonists. And of course, they each have their own challenges to face, which brings quite a few sub-plots. But here's the weird part...
I liked the sub-plots more than the actual one.
Of course, the main one was strong (more in the end than in the beginning), but I could connect with the side stories more than anything else. This also relates to how I liked the side-main characters more than the main main ones.
Does that make sense?
An example being Pil-Sook and Jason (IU and Jang Woo-young). I loved watching them more than anybody else, and they weren't the show's prime focus.
What I'm trying to say is that all the characters are likable in their own way. Maybe not at all times (I'm looking at you Go Hye-min) but enough to find yourself wanting to watch what life has in store for them.
It's a really empowering show in that way.
Buuuuut, since it is a slice of life, I have to be honest and admit I did get bored a few times. Just a few though...
The show provided enough moments to where my undivided attention was brought. So congratulations show!
You've done what other feel-good school shows couldn't. Not even Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo could do it.

Acting ｡゜(｀Д')゜｡: eeeek. Alright...
I've never had such a problem with acting before. It's rare to find a show where every single cast member is perfect. But usually, it's up to the leads to pull through and help the viewer overlook it. Yet, in Dream High, it was the side characters that seemed to do the pulling. Bae Suzy.... girl... Where do I start with you?
She was one of my main issues with this show. I've seen her in more recent works, and I can confirm she has definitely improved. But in this show, I was really disappointed. She just couldn't show emotion.
When she's angry she'd yell, when she's sad she'd cry, and when she's happy she'll smile.
But what else does she have to do? I feel like she couldn't answer this question. So much of the show was just her lifeless eyes spouting out lines. Although she'd do those things to show emotion, there never felt to be any sincerity. It even became a joke in the show how Hye-min was so emotionless. And I know this type of acting wasn't purposeful since I saw scenes where other actors were giving it 110% but she just.... I dunno.... smiled lifelessly?
She was irritating, that's for sure, but not enough to where I was miserable.
Other actors were okay. A lot of them were just pretty faces. I never had an issue with anybody else the way I did with Suzy, but I did feel like some would only say their lines with emotion yet not fully put themselves out there.
The one who truly blew my mind was the actor who was the only one not an idol. Yet his acting made it look like he had the most experience. So fantastic job Kim Soo-Hyun!!!
But in short, the acting is okay. It's extreme eye candy, that's for sure, but nothing to win an award with.

Music ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪ / Other (ง°ل͜°)ง: Usually I keep the music and the other sections of the review separate, but this time they were so close in content that I just thought it would be easier to lump together.
For the first time in Kdrama history, I can actually talk about the music without scavenging for something to say.
I also need to preface that I am not a Kpop fan. I don't dislike the music, but I'm not a fan of any one band and have only bought a few songs. But regardless of that, I still found some really catchy tunes. What helped me appreciate the music part of this show was how much variety there was. There were some slow-paced ones, catchy pop ones, and maybe one or two light rock ones. Most of the melodies themselves were terrific on their own. I can't say there was a particular song that I fell for, and I'll most likely never listen to the songs again. But that doesn't mean they were terrible.
If you're a Kpop fan, than this show will be a gift to the ears!
And when you see some of the dance moves that these idol actors can do.... it.... it just blows my mind!
I wish I could've seen more of the dancing since it was just so mesmerizing.
All in all, the whole musical part of this show was pulled off really well. There was an equal distribution of music and drama, so one side never felt too overpowering. It was so fun to watch that I even had the urge to brush up my old piano skills (something I haven't done since I was 8). So yay for the empowerment!!

To summarize everything up in a neat little conclusion, I enjoyed this show more than I thought I would.
It was so easy-going and enjoyable while still having that slight worry of who's going to make it.
The character development was amazing to watch, and each side-story connected to the bigger picture.
The romance was cute ( I wished there was a bit more ).
The ending was heartwarming.
There wasn't too much action or tragedy, yet your heart strings were still pulled.
It's a show I'll recommend even though I wouldn't watch it again.
Happy Watching <3