Convenience Store Venus (2020)

Too many reasons to skip this drama

One can only put up with so much for what is ultimately a typical romcom. There are obvious challenges to adapting an “adult” webtoon for a general audience: crude humor, offensive stereotypes, and questionable objectification of characters. Is there an audience for this type of material? Yes, but it is most likely not you.

Let’s make it clear(er). Fart jokes and body gags - check. Uncomfortable and unnecessary depiction of “Jamaican” culture - check. Love line between a minor and an adult - check. Backstreet Rookies is not worth the mental gymnastics needed to overlook its glaring flaws.

Story:
After peeling away Backstreet Rookie’s controversial gimmicks, a very familiar plotline remains, i.e. hardworking leads that suffer from a series of misunderstandings. Even the “female chases male” tag is easy to find elsewhere. Characters are also black-or-white and never break their mold. So, the drama relies on various gimmicks to push the narrative forward. While some are wholesome or funny, others are uncomfortable or offensive and cringe inducing at best.

Acting:
The cast is definitely the lone bright spot in Backstreet Rookies. Ji Chang Wook is well established, and Kim Yoo Jung is quickly establishing her young adult career. Some viewers criticized the age difference between the two, and all I will add is that Kim Yoo Jung is at least of adult age (compared to her age while shooting Love in the Moonlight in 2016). Supporting cast is stellar with Kim Sun Young, a staple highlight in kdrama land. Everyone outperformed their simple and flat character designs.

Music:
Backstreet Rookie’s OST fits well with its story and the lyrics are even used as lines throughout. The drama uses a more modern sound and often relies on input from various kpop artists. Rothy’s OST contributions are always solid. Still, the music is rarely compelling enough to make a drama watch worthy in itself.

Rewatch Value:
In the end, I am surprised to find myself finishing the drama. It was difficult to get through my usual 4-episode trial, and there were later episodes (scenes) which made me want to drop it. Save yourself the headache and indulge in the many other kdramas available. Although it has its own flaws, the recent drama, Itaewon Class, is a better feel-good drama about hard working under dogs.

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It's Freakin Amazing OMG !!!!!!

What is wrong with the ratings about this drama, it's so freaking good and the humour oh my god. This is the only kdrama after Iotnbo that I liked so much (I'm surprised as well),
So underrated it's making me so angry, I used to trust mdl for choosing what to watch but not so much I guess cuz all this time after Searching for some satisfying show to watch and just ending up with boring stuff cuz couldn't find anything else And here this masterpiece is laying hidden geeez.
Aaaaaaaaaa this is so frustrating, make this drama famous aaaaaaaaa.
Fellas Im not gonna judge a show based on its ratings again, maybe I'll watch the trailer or it edits lmao, cuz they are more accurate about what's real good drama shows.

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I LOVED it! Ignore the criticism as the story in here is full of good principles and pure love..

LOVED IT.! 😍 i really cannot understand why this drama has created so much controversy,but i understand nowaday many people get personally offended for so many reasons, and that is fine, we are all free to have different opinions. Talking about stereotypes, well i myself come from a country that is represneted around the world by many stereotypes, but i dont get offended by it! If you feel personally sensible about a topic, just dont watch this drama, easy like that, as nobody is forcing you to watch this drama!
I have enjoyed every episode of this drama, ok, i love the ML Ji Chang Wook... he is so good, funny, cute, sexy, owwwww love him in every roles i ahve seen so far, Healer has been my favourite one,,, but backstreet rookie is too funny to miss! His character here is one that everyone would fall in love with... romantic, loyal, altruistic... and handsome 😍
He cherish the most important things in life, family, the loved one, the sense of community.. and protects his principles even if it means to look weak from the outside... to others perhaps that dont share his principles.. but who cares?
His close friend DalSik is hilarious, well represent many of my friends with dreadlocks, naive, still virgin regardless appearances, happy about silly things-he is a very positive character and i am satisfied with the way things have turned unexpectedly for him!
I like this drama because for once it is portraying real people, easy going, versus the bad guys, which in this story were the Corporate directors/the rich- i particularly like this as nearly every kdrama i watch, the main characters live in penthouses, they change outfits 2-3 times per episodes... and i am not sure this reflects real life for the majority of Koreans..? Are you all extravantly rich? If so, easy , i might decide to move to Korea!
Jokes aside , a big well done to the production team, i understand you went through many troubles for this show, so thank you for being able to make everybody happy, and less offended! From my end , i LOVED every bit of it!
I am just concerned this will be available on Netflix in UK next week... and i am pretty sure you will get lot of attention , and complaints about some stereotypes, as in here they are very sensitive about everything... good luck with that x

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Great, lighthearted kdrama

I was a bit surprised when I saw that this kdrama had such a rating considering most of the reviews I read were saying it’s a great kdrama - and then I got to the reason why.

If you ignore the SJWs opinions, this tv is great, it’s light hearted, it’s fun, it’s emotional.. the whole package. Just like many other reviewers, I appreciated the fact that they didn’t take themselves too seriously and that it didn’t go over the top with drama and/or ridiculous scenarios like some other kdramas, I loved the fact that for once I got to see a real person’s problems like struggling with money and the desperation that came with it, and I loved the fact that they didn’t force the couple dynamic and we got to watch it develop instead.

I do think this tv show deserves a lot more love and praise than it did but oh well .. loved it!

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Drama that rose above criticisms

This drama started with bunch of criticisms but rise above everything to prove it's worth. Both YooJung and ChangWook proved their versatility as a professional actress and actor. It just so happens that Korean culture might be different than the rest of the world.

Th plot is cute and fresh. The comedy is made out of ridiculous scenes which are actually funny. YooJung and ChangWook's chemistry is romantically cute and funny. It wasn't the best romantic-comedy I've seen but I really loved the it. GeumBi and DalShik's romance is also one of the scenes I anticipated the most. More than romance, it also tackles family drama with a lot of heartfelt scenes that brought my eyes into tears.

There were some premises in this drama that might be uncomfortable for sensitive viewers like the fact that SaetByul is way too young for DaeHyun, but if these kind of things doesn't bother you, I can assure that this drama is worth the try.

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Don't waste your time on this drama

Started watching it because of JCW, Tolerated because of JCW... BUT JCW disappointed me..i had so much expectations. I thought it may be interesting after some episodes but NO.
This four dimensional girl Jung Saet Byul is so nosy and annoying, Her one sided love is irritating.
How cringe to see they tried to portray cuteness and innocence but also a lil bit of maturity and strong.It is unacceptable and unrealistic ( just in my thoughts).
Story is boring ,Not a little bit of romance & No chemistry, not even Comedy. I can't understand exactly when lead's romance started. 🤦
Characters aren't good and mostly were use less with this kind of boring script and also predictable.
Highly Disappointed. Don't waste your time unless you want to watch meaningless drama.

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Excellent drama but wasted potential

The Backstreet rookie surprised me with a strong and self-assured protagonist and that despite having a superhuman strength she is completely docile, honest and hardworking. In fact, the drama is carried by Kim Yoo-jung who is undoubtedly the pillar of the drama.

About the age controversies I found it completely incoherent, she was 19 and he was 26, there is nothing pedophile about it, it is actually a very normal age difference between couples ... And this affected the whole drama because because of the couple's criticism I am sure that the director cut the romance between the protagonists to avoid further criticism.

The Jamaican character doesn't seem offensive to me, he is just a boring character, he was grumpy and not sympathetic.

Ji Chang-wook's character bothered me too much as he was indifferent towards Kim Yoo-jung, he had a full sense of the even obsessive love she felt for him but at no time did he need affection for her. Okay that he was committed and it was the right way to deal, but the coldness and indifference he had for Yoo-Jung bothered him a lot, but when he finally separates from his first girlfriend and finally starts to empathize and consider Yoo's feelings -jung, so the character was cool for me

But I didn't understand in the penultimate episode Kim Yoo-jung rejecting Ji Chang-wook. It didn't make any sense, she has an unconditional love for the guy, she chased and did everything to win him over. Her rejection of her dating request was a very stupid way for the director to show that she didn't want to show romance between the two, reserving the last minutes of the drama for her to accept dating and thus end with the "happily ever after."

That was the most frustrating because the chemistry that existed between the channel was and not seeing 1 episode dedicated to the romance between the two made the huge drama lose points for me ... Because you end the drama with that feeling of incomplete ...

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What a waste of time

I thought the first episode was really funny but a lot of cringe though and I did not like the potrayal of dreads on that webtoon guy. However, by the 3rd episode the show was starting to get on my nerves.

I don't like JCW's character. He was too nice and so gullible. It's ridiculous. I hate ML like this. Yes you can be nice and honest but you don't have to be a doormat and act stupid or blind to things right in front of you. I have to stop watching these kinds of dramas. I also didn't understand why his girlfriend even likes him other than his good looks when she is so ashamed of him and his upbringing.

Almost every character is annoying with no redeeming qualities. I hate that rich people in these dramas find it abhorrent that their child may be in love with someone they find beneath them. Dae Hyun has his own business and works hard to live a good and honest life; what is so terrible about that? The class system is ridiculous.

I never drop shows so that's my character flaw and I guess I should but this was 16 episodes of nonsense that actually could have ended at episode 13 when all main plot issues had been resolved. Yet it carried on for 3 more episode just to make ML and FL not get together until the last episode. STUPID!!

I really have to stop watching my sister's recommendations.

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Perfect Drama (Blockbuster Standard of Romcom)

There is no drama like this. It's so unique. It's about Convenience Store, you could learn a thing or two

and the beautiful Kim Yoo Jung's totality method acting carried this drama. Best makeup, her visuals are the best here compared to all of her dramas.

Eum Moon Suk and Kim Sun Young are the best support.

Best action, best acting, best plot, best romance without kissing, best cast, best chemistry of all cast, best cameos.

This drama has it all. Never a single dull moment in this drama. It's all healing.

The music is so good, the very first drama to use KR&B, I believe. Colde is not to be taken for granted.

"it's not that bad?" it's never that bad to begin with. Cmon you guys have watched so many boring melodramas, makjangs, and murder mysteries, try to rewatch them again. If you like Hotel Del Luna, you'll like this drama.

I don't get how people don't like this drama, it's funny and emotional, at least there was no break up. Maybe if you like too serious drama, don't watch it.

Controversial stuff? Guys, you have watched Netflix, you are used to it. It's nothing. Just an excuse because the news said so.

Ironically, Clean With Passion For Now is more vulgar than this drama due to its "longest kissing scenes".

Back to the point, I can watch it again and again, for Kim Yoo Jung. So if you are not interested in a very beautiful action girl who can do 1 take running scene without blinking and need no stunts for most parts, idk what you are interested in.

Jung Saet Byul is as heartwarming as Kim Yoo Jung. and this is the most seductive girl in all k-dramas I've ever watched.

Conclusion, this drama has everything. Even VIU cannot move on, even Japan still loving it. To even turn an adult webtoon to family drama, this is a great outcome. Let's not take Yoo Jung's risk taking for granted, she deserved that award.

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