Review: Bubblegum (2015 TV Series)

Wednesday, April 20, 2016
I thought it would be good to see a light-hearted feature! And Since this would be my first time seeing Lee Dong-Wok and Bae Jong-Ok reunited in a series after the reality show, “Roommate,” I couldn’t resist!


“Are you two stuck together like bubble gum?”

The Rundown
Behind the name: Original title—풍선껌Boung.sun.kkum—literally, bubblegum
Country: South Korea, 2015
Genre: Romantic Drama
Network: tvN
Director: Kim Byung-Soo
Cast: Lee Dong-Wook (as Park Ri-Hwan), Jung Ryeo-Won (as Kim Haeng-Ah), Lee Jong-Hyuk (as Kang Suk-Joon), Park Hee-Von (as Hong Yi-Seul), Bae Jong-Ok (as Park Sun-Young), Lee Seung-Joon (as Kwon Ji-Hoon), Kim Ri-Na (as Noh Tae-Hee),
Kim Jung-nan (as Oh Se-Young)
                  Compare to: Flower Boys Next Door, radio version & Emergency Couple
                  Hate it or Love it?  Love it

Synopsis in a Sentence: Sibling-like friends since childhood grow up to discover their love for one another, but can love stand its ground with tragedy in the cards? And even if it might, what kind of love would that be?
           
On Writing: The Plot
It’s a good story; fun, but not entirely light-hearted, deep but not comepletley hearbreaking. It’s a story of love and hope and family, and the plot does very wiell to relay that story. We get our experience with these ideas right off the bat, as the series launches when a high schooler calls into a radio station to announce her attempted suicide live on air!
After this dramatic start, it goes on with an exploration into the real meaning of happiness, contentment, hope, love and of course, family; for those who don’t have a biological family, for those whose families are far away during the holidays, and for those who just have horrible families! It juxtaposes these experiences to underscore what exactly family is all about. I know; it sounds sappy, but it’s done very well! It’s not too schmaltzy and it actually does a great job of finding a middle balance. A good story!
(4/5)


On Acting: The Cast
So, I picked this one because Bae Jung-Ok’s and Lee Dong-Wok were in it, and after seeing them on the TV series, Roommate, I had to see them at work; and they didn’t disappoint!
Bae is elegant and sophisticated and a great actress!
Lee is the handsome lead, but still a good actor
Actress Jung Ryuh-Won is also fun to watch and completely believable!
I wish I had the endemic steely aloofness of Kim Ri-Na’s character, and she embodies it well!  
A quick Shootout to actress, Kim Jung-Nan who plays the delusional DJ
And while we’re at it, another to the eccentric Park Jun-Keum to relays the eccentricity of her character!
 (4/5)

On Production: The Creativity
Production is light and creative in the way that tvN does well! They’ve mastered the delivery of their romance-infused real life dramas and production is an art!
(4.25/5)                                             

On Resolution: The Conclusion
The resolution is quite unique! For an almost-sappy, almost melodramatic romantic drama this is a good, good conclusion, but I can’t give it away. You’ll have to see it to the end to know what I mean!
Go on, it’s only 16 episodes!
 (4.25/5)

The Verdict: A good, light-hearted, not-so light-hearted watch exploring happiness, contentment, hope and familial bonds!  

Overall Score = 16.5/20










2 comments

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