Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

I LOVE THIS DRAMA!!! I don't write many reviews. To be honest, I don't really LIKE writing reviews. But, every once in a while, I watch a drama that I have to write about. Because, if I don't, people might not watch it. And this is a drama that you don't want to miss out on.

I almost didn't watch this drama. I don't like sports-themed dramas, so I was like "meh." But, after watching Goblin, I was searching high and low for a well-recommended drama to watch, and there were so many good recommendations for this one.

I'm so glad I finally did watch it! The story is well written and the cast is amazing. The sports theme tied into the drama as a whole, working with people and relationships, and how their lives interact with each other.

I couldn't stop watching this drama, but yet I waited a couple days to finish the last episode...why? Because I didn't want it to end! It was so heartwarming. I cared about each and every character and their relationships with each other. There was perhaps one episode where I felt they were stretching the storyline a little thin because it's 16 episodes, but it wasn't overly frustrating. By the time the last episode rolled around, I wanted MORE than 16 episodes.

So, if you like romance, friendships, family, with a little bit of school and sports thrown in, don't hesitate, START WATCHING!

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This is most probably the nth review about this drama but here I am, sharing my thoughts with you about this lovely masterpiece. WFKBJ is suddenly viral here in the Philippines the same time I was watching Goblin. I checked the wikipedia article and read that it is a sports drama and about, of course, weightlifting. I was not enticed plus the factor that the ratings are low in korea, I opted not to watch. But with the persistence of this cousin of mine (I shall thank her my whole life), here I am, after weeks, still in love with this drama.

The story was not a drag. It was real. The main leads started as friends and you can see all through out how they fell in love. It tackles LOVE, not just romantically, but love for family, friends, colleagues, sports and food (yes, you read that right). Psychological issues are also tackled here, making the story well-rounded. It was heartwarming. Not angsty not really a 'drama', but I cried tons because it is so lovely and I literally loved the characters.

Bok Joo of course is the star of the show. She was a strong independent woman, but some scenes showed she needed someone too. Lee Sung Kyung played it really well. I read an article stating that many turned down this role since they needed to add more weight and I am happy LSK accepted this. I can never see bok joo as not LSK. I loved bok joo's innocence over everything and as she experienced first love. First love can be painful sometimes. Same for bok joo - experiencing first love means experiencing first heartache. She cried 'real' tears that will literally make you cry too. She was hurting, I was hurting. She was ecstatic, I was ecstatic. I loved her here. Along with the messy bangs is a loving friend and a daughter. She loved weightlifting so much and I find her most beautiful when she lifts weight. Kim Bok Joo, swag. You're forever a favorite.

Jung Joon Hyung, played by the ever lovely Nam Joo Hyuk, is literally boyfriend/bestfriend goals. Bok Joo is the star of the show but HE WAS NOT overshadowed. He took care of bok joo and slowly fell in love with her. The transition of the feelings was slow paced but you will love every second of it. He has his funny antics, he gets jealous easily (my favorite parts lol), has playful personality, and he loves bok joo for who she is. He had dark memories in his heart that haunted him but it was not exaggerated. I love Jung Joon Hyung as much as I love Bok Joo.

The supporting characters are literally spices. Without them, the main dish would not be as tasty as it is. Bok Joo's bestfriend, Nan Hee and Seon Ok, are literally best friends. They were supportive, and sometimes, like in real life, conflicts arise, but they make up eventually. Tae Kwon was comical. He was Joon Hyung's bff who keeps dragging him in blind dates. I just hoped that he had more exposure in the end. Abeoji (dad) loves bok joo so much, i can't help but cry at some episodes. The whole weightlifting team's coaches are not just mentors to bok joo and the team, but more like parents that want the best for everyone. Joon Hyung's family is lovely. Despite some issues, they loved Joon Hyung all in all.

The music is A+!!! Listen to it if you want calm and peace.

Rewatch value is 10/10. I'll literally watch it again when I am feeling down.

All in all, the drama is heartwarming. Be ready to laugh and cry at the sam time. Be ready because I tell you, you will love the characters, so much. It's just so unfortunate Korea did not appreciate it. But i think it did well internationally. "BokJoonhyung forever" photo in instagram by skawngur earned 1 million likes already!!!

Swag!!~

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I don't think you'll ever find a cast that has more chemistry together than this one. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is an adorable, fluffy and hilarious, yet realistic drama that depicts the struggles of Bok Joo through her university life. The story is simple but deep, and always has life values to teach. The chemistry between Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung is off the charts - I've never felt more strongly about a couple. The acting is phenomenal, from the main leads to the side characters, and the entire cast just has an aura of natural sunshine, making WF very enjoyable.

The music is also wonderful, always spot-on, and completes the drama in such a lovely way. Even if you don't think you're into sports, WF is a drama that revolves around an athlete, rather than the sport itself, so give it a try anyways!

This is one of my ultimate favourite dramas and I would honestly watch it several times over just for the pure magic of it all

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I got pretty far into this before I dropped it. Just a head's up.

Here are my observations along the way:

PRO
- This was the first drama with Nam Joo Hyuk in it that I ever watched, and I have to admit that I didn't expect much, but he was really great it it. He really shone as an actor, very enjoyable performance. I'll be watching more of his stuff.
- The main couple had really good chemistry. In a lot of kdramas the main couple often feels stiff and distant around each other (mainly bc skinship and kissing shown on romcom kdramas is very limited for reasons I don't quite understand. Maybe it's culturally, and Korean couples really don't touch as much as I'm used to? I genuinely don't know.) But those two felt very close and comfortable with each other and they touch each other in more ways than just the occassional hand-holding or the typical parrallel parking hugging routine. I liked that.
- I quite enjoyed the subject matter. Bok Joo struggling between her love for weightlifting and the damper that this interest puts on her dating life (or life in general) was believable and interesting.
- I really liked Bok Joo's friends and the relationship that these three have with each other.
- Finally a main character who doesn't get bullied and stands up for herself and other people!! Yay!!

CON:
- I just hate when movie or shows try to sell me some obviously gorgeous woman as ugly or otherwise undesirable. In this case they put an incredibly pretty, naturally very thin actress in oversized clothes and gave her an unflattering haircut and told me to believe that that's not still a very thin, very attractive woman?
- I was honestly kinda bored after the main couple got together. I felt like their arc (and thus the story) was kinda done after that. They tried to introduce some new conflict with the mother showing back up, but it felt contrived to me and that's where I ended up dropping the show.

Overall very cute, very enjoyable show that would benefit from being a few episodes shorter.

And that's my two cents!

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10 out of 10!
WHY?

First time out, I was not expecting anything. Very. I just think, 'let's give this a try because it was new. " Then I saw this. The first episode went smoothly, and tbh at that time, I did not get the hype, yet. But this is addictive, you know? I continued to watch it every week since it first comes out. Then, BOOM !! EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL HERE. I PROMISE.

THE CHEMISTRY? (Checked)
THE FRIENDSHIP? (Checked)
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS? (Checked)
OTHER RELATED CHARACTERS? (Checked)
MUSIC? ? (Checked) My favorite is -> From Now On - Kim Seung Min

I cried when it was over. Not the one "literally" kind of cry. But the real one. The One You have, when you watch something beautiful. It ended well bruuh!

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WOW!! I can't believe it finished. This drama was infinitely more than just a typical love story. It is a story of Youth. In fact, it is completely different from most Korean dramas in many ways. There was no love-at-first-sight incident. It was much more than holding hands, hugging, gazing, kissing...It was a sublime demonstration of a true emotional connection between a young man and a young woman struggling with achieving their greatest dreams, but at the same time dealing with the problems of youth- stress, family, friends, and romance. No matter what anguishing situation either Bok Joo or Joon Hyung were going through, they were always at each other's side to give one another the support and advice desperately needed. Even before they began dating, they sorted their problems out and got to know their true personalities, goals, and dreams. And that's how they fell in love. Just like the way it should be.
When Joon Hyung realized his feelings, he didn't deny it like it is typically done in kdramas. On the contrary, he made many sacrifices to prove to Bok Joo that he was the charming, caring man worthy of her love. What started out as a hilarious, cutesy friendship transformed into a beautiful romance. They shared their sorrows and celebrated their victories together.
Moreover, this drama emphasized Bok Joo's relationships with her father, uncle, friends, classmates, and inspirational coaches. Her strong, enthusiastic, (and awkward!) personality shined throughout the whole show. So did her obvious flaws, but that's what made it all the more relatable for all of us. Issues such as eating disorders, mental health, and the dilemmas of young womanhood were realistically portrayed. The characters' fight to realize their dreams was far from forgotten; it was magnificently intertwined with everything in between.
Most of all, congrats to Lee Sung Kyung, Nam Joo Hyuk, and the rest of the cast for breathing life into this lovely drama! Their facial expressions and overall acting was priceless! What began as a comedic drama had a supremely sweet and emotional ending that has managed to engrave this show in my heart.
Now for the final words of the drama that sums everything up perfectly...
"Everyone spends their youthful years. It's a time made more beautiful...because we are immature, awkward and clumsy. We're not afraid because we have nothing to lose and our hearts flutter because we can have anything, everything. I am a 24 year old youth. I'm not complete yet, I am still uneasy and nervous...But I'm more than perfect already"

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