Diva à Deriva

Summary: We really like this show and recommend you watch. Overall an 8. Good but not great

We watched this because of Park Eun-Bin who was so great in Attorney Woo. It turned out that Chae Jong-Hyeop, from Love All Play, stared as well and we really like him too.

The Good Stuff:

• Beautiful actors
• Really good casting and acting
• Interesting story
• Most of, but not all, the serious trauma is in the beginning, but it doesn't drags the whole series down
• Some great songs for the OST
• Ms. Park - beautiful and so talented. Watch it for her smile.

The Sub-Optimal Stuff:

• Somehow the story did not draw us in and get us as emotionally vested as the best series do.

• Not enough romance between the leads. Their relationship is caring and sweet, but lacked passion. It was fine for this story, but was a bit too low key for us.

• Pointless love triangle-ish setup. Why do KDramas insist on this plot device?

• Pretty predictable story. Enjoyable, but you'll know where it is heading most of the time.

This Korean drama is a story of resilience, hopes, and dreams. It highlights the enduring spirit of a woman who continues to reach for the stars despite the odds. Mixed in are celebrity drama, family conflict, mystery, and doses of rom-com.

The series is the third collaboration of writer Park Hyeryeon and director Oh Choonghwan, after Start-Up and While You Were Sleeping. They masterfully interweave humor with depth of emotion. The female lead, Park Eunbin, of Extraordinary Attorney Woo fame, brings quirkiness and charm, not to mention some impressive singing. The plotline is at times whimsical and imaginative. The visuals, sound, and design are polished, as to be expected from Studio Dragon.

Pacing is dynamic. Each episode generally contains some balance of serious problems and inspiring moments. The writer excels at portraying heartwarming friendships and is known to keep you guessing about who will end up in a relationship with whom. There are mystery elements here, and you're drawn in rooting for their dreams to come true. There is some rewatch value as you can notice the crumbs and intentional miscues throughout the story.

Parts of the first episode could be difficult to watch due to scenes of physical abuse. But I recommend you stick to it to watch a beautiful and inspiring story showcasing the struggle and merits of chasing your dreams and the value of loving family bonds.

Maybe it's because it is the same actress or production company, but it carries some of the Extraordinary Attorney Woo emotional appeal and vibe.

It starts off a bit slow to establish the basic premise which is, to be honest, like a lot of k-dramas, a bit far-fetched, However, if you can live with the premise, you still get some of the feel-good vibes from Extraordinary Attorney Woo as already mentioned.

So definitely an above-average, feel-good, somewhat inspirational k-drama with a bit of an unbelievable premise.

But until you wait for Extraordinary Attorney Woo Season 2 if ever, this hopefully will help lessen the wait.

It's worth the time. A memorable production is the work of the actors, guided by the director and enhanced by the cameramen, sound engineers and editors, both they and the story. And here, that's what we have. The first episode is a kind of bibimbap, a mixture of fragments, which put me to sleep. Apparently, episode 2 is just as bland... until PARK EUN BIN starts singing. To be honest, I had already given up after the first episode and a half, the time of transmission in Europe contributing to that. After the music appeared on YT, I resumed watching and discovered that what seemed boring at the beginning begins to connect starting with episode 3, scene by scene. In short, the scenario is risky as a format but brilliant in how the crescendo format attracts your interest. After only 6 episodes, although transmitted gradually, 2 episodes per week, it is already in the top 10 worldwide on Netflix, competing with fully released productions. Without being anything ultra-original, it's a good work, for which everyone deserves thanks.

Park Eun Bin is a very talented and versatile actress. She's taken her roles to new heights and increased her singing talents in this one. I was skeptical at first but she's actually singing. Pretty crazy how talented she is. Beautiful story so far. It starts off a little disappointing but gets better as you continue to watch. Like her other dramas you might be tempted to wait until tge series is done so you can binge this one. Either way should work as viewers wont be disappointed. If Park Eun Bin is in a drama, you just have to watch it. If not to watch her acting skills in action, at least to see her light up a room with her smile. Enjoy!