( Korean drama review)
About : Korean Drama
Year :2017
Episodes : 16
Distributor : MBC
Type of Entertainment : TV show
Rating : 4.8/5
Genre : Romance, Comedy, Friendship, Sports
Where to watch : Netflix
Cast : Lee Sung kyung,Nam Joo hyuk,Jung Jae y,Kyung Soo jin
What is it about:
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok joo Korean drama series is a 2017 Korean drama. MBC distributes the dramas 16 episodes. It is the story of Weightlifter Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) and her childhood acquiantance Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk). Its about her first crush & hardships,along with her athletes friends as they try to make to the national team.
The Story Brief:
Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) is an up -and – rising weightlifter. She is a friendly and outgoing peron and stands up for the people close to her. Her father inspired Kim Bok-joo who is also a weightlifter to pursue a career in this unusual sport. She has two best friends who are fellow weighlifters & they all hang out together in college. She has a supportive family in her father and uncle, who run a chicken joint.
People thought that, as a weight lifter she is physically strong person and not a delicate woman. She accidentally runs into a doctor Jung Jae y(Lee Jae-yoon) from a weight loss clinic, who treats her delicately. She get swayed by this new experience and develops a crush for him. But she is very conscious about career and somehow is not comfortable to reveal about the same to him.
Meanwhile, back in the college she runs into Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk), who is a fellow athelete and a promising swimmer. Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) is popular in college for his good looks and boyish charms. He is a fun and confident person.
He losses his chance to get into the national team and struggles with the trauma of sorts. Later, he makes a mistake in the start of the match during the deciding swimming tournament.
Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) and Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) are childhood school friends for a brief period. Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) is delighted to meet Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) back in colllge after a long time. He liked her from her childhood because he finds her cool for her strength.
The story begins when Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) discovers that Jung Jae y(Lee Jae-yoon) is Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) elder brother. Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) finds it amusing to see the feminine side of Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) while she keeps going to the weight loss clinic to see his brother Jung Jae y(Lee Jae-yoon).
While he teases her; he helps her keep it a secret from others. They become good friends in the process and end up spending time together. Unconsciously they both start caring for each other too.
Song Shi-ho (Kyung Soo jin) is an outstanding gymnast. She is Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk)’s ex-girl friend. Who breaks off with him when her career goes into a slug & is away for a while.
When she comes back to college, she is co-incidentally Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung)’s room mate. She still has feelings for Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) and gets jealous when she sees him with Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung).
Then she mistakes Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) and Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) to be in a relationship and exposes about Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung)’s weight loss clinic visit to Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) coaches, to vent out her jealousy.
Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) has a tough time facing her coaches and fellow mates, as she is not supposed to loose weight as a weightlifter.
Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) spends so much time with Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) that he starts liking her,more than a friend. Fast forward a few events he proposes to Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung).
Watch Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok joo Korean drama series to know how does Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) and Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) move from “friends” mode to “couple” mode. Importantly, do they manage to stay focussed on their careers.
The Setting :
The Korean drama series is shot in the city of Seoul. The setting is predominantly across various universities that create the imaginary Sports university of this Korean series.
The University scenes is shot across places such as Inha University-Incheon, Korean National Sports university, Sahmyook University & Yong In university to name a few. The outcome is simply beautiful.
There are other locations that appear in the series, such as E-World theme park, Daegu & Seoul Museum of Art.
Review :
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok joo Korean drama series is one of the best in the Korean drama romantic comedy category. The series is cute, funny and has “cuddly” romance all the way! The beautiful and alleviating locations add to the energy of the series. The leads and the supporting cast just fit into the roles perfectly and make the series funny.
Lee Sung kyung, fits the character well as a tall and strong weighlifter; who is not exactly delicately feminine in the way she walks and behaves. She is confident because she always knows what she is doing. Her transformation into the “cute, caring and possessive” girlfriend of Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) is delightful to watch.
Nam Joo hyuk is the real find of the series. He is perfect for the role of a swimmer, with his perfect physique, boyish charm, chiseled jawline, superb smile & deep voice. Most importantly, it is his acting skill that makes you his fan.
While the story is about a female protagonist, he steals the show. His role is multi faceted. He is a typical “boy” teasing her and embarassing Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung); but he is also the almost perfect boyfriend material who stands and cheers for her and does not mind one bit that she does better than him at sports. And yes he also cries to show his hurt, because of his mother.
Eventhough it is a rom-com; you will appreciate the stress and lifestyle of athelets by the end of the series.The slug phase of Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung), where she does not know if weightlifting motivates her anymore feels real. (Most athletes supposedly to have a “dull” phase in their career).
Kyung Soo jin scenes where she practices and does gymnastics was engaging. It is not something easy to enact. Again how she crumbles under pressure and eventually decides to come out of it was well twined into the story.
Fun fact :
This Korean drama series is based on the real life story of weightlifter Jang Mi Ran.
The chicken joint run by Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) father &uncle in the series by the name “Bok Chicken” actually exists! It goes by the name Restaurant Small Town. They don’t serve fried chicken though 😉
After the series, the lead couple – Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung kyung fondingly known as NamLee. The viewers totally loved the on screen romance.
Watch out for :
Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) and Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) start off as just friends. The way he tease & annoy her is so typical of a “boy”; its funny, cute and so real. We all would have similar experiences with our friends or cousins.
The OST of this korean series is chirpy and young. The main songs will definitely make it to you shuffle list : My favourites are Dream (by Han Hee Jung),You &I (Kim Jong Wan), I’ll pick you up( Standing Eggs) and From Now On(Kim Min Seung).
Listen to it on Spotify
Dont miss: Episodes 8,12,13 and 14( my favourite)
What’s refreshing :
This Kdrama provides some very fresh couple & friendship goals! Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) and Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung kyung) get into a relationship. They have some funny moments like how friends do. They are simply cute!
Passion Quotient : 4.5
Thumbs Up :
This Kdrma has multiple emotions in its storyline; but all in a very subtle manner. It maintains the funny scenes and moments throughout the series till the very end.
Thumbs Down :
Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo hyuk) has a strained relationship with his mother. The storyline is pretty vague on the same on why she is unavailble for him. There is no proper closure on the same, in the end as well.
My Verdict : Highly recommend
I would highly recommend this Korean series. Weightlifting Fairy is a perfect example of romantic comedy filled with cute moments. It is binge watch worthy and a total stress buster.
