Once Upon a Boyhood (2023)

A weird but at times endearing mix of comedy and the most blood boiling rage inflicted by bullies

To be fair after the first episode I almost dropped this show, but boy am I glad I carried on.

Boyhood made me genuinely laugh out loud at times with its silliness which is the reason I felt extremely blindsided when the violence unexpectedly got very much out of hand in the middle of the show.

I had a great time with episodes 2-5 and then partly due to my expectations and/or predictions of the story not being met I fell into despair.
The last two episodes pull together and the show manages to finish the narrative it was writing itself around - to have power it is not enough to physically dominate everyone, real respect must be earned by honest emotions. Still our main character achieves this by beating up a bunch of people.

Byung-Tae was a delightful and most times heart wrenching character, Im Shiwan was the perfect man to do this if we ignore the fact that he looks very much like the 30 yo man he is... a characteristic most characters share I think due to the subject matter and trying not to be too traumatising.
Unfortunately the other characters fell short as I learned very little information about them and some of their "storylines" just get dropped and never examined. That leaves us with a supporting (and sometimes main) cast whose motivations we barely understand. Main and most frustrating of these characters being Gyungtae, whose backstory was never explored and he just comes off as a cartoonish villain cackling In front of himself just to disappear into the?? what actually happened to him I don't understand, and Sunhwa (girl really was just an accessory ..) and to be honest even Jinyoung has little journey in our story (don't be mistaken I love this girl and I wish her the best).

All in all Boyhood was one of the most 'funny' dramas for me this year, it just feels weird saying it about a show where around 8 people get hospitalised because of school bullying.

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It's my fav drama in 2023.

It has everything I have ever loved. Slight bit of romance, friendship, action, drama and comedy! I love the end too it's just so wholesome. This drama makes me laugh, cry and it even melts my heart! It also kinda made me more interested in martial arts too.! I have always been interested in martial arts but it made me more interested in it. I like the aesthetics of this drama too. Even the bad guys are fashionable. Every single outfit can inspire your wardrobe! Well about the male lead, even though you get annoyed with the male lead sometimes, he is a really lovable character. He kinda reminds me of nobuta from doraemon it's just that nobita is way weaker (well at the beginning he was just like him) though he is a separate character of his own. He gets stronger at the end but he still remains the same. I JUST love this drama!

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a truly great and creativ premise that flows between very serious and very funny

First of all I was really into this story, it seemed like the premise was written in a way that felt very unique, complex and creative, but with a touch of comedy to lighten the mood and keep the audience more immerse.
One thing that caught my eye was the cinematography, the close up shots in the beginning is so effective to get to know the expressiveness of the characters, the visual effects looked really nice and refined, the stuns were filmed in a really interesting way and the shaky scenes during the fights were a nice shot, the music choices were amazing and set a nice atmospheric, as well as the makeup and styling.

Another interesting elements was how dynamic each episode felt, the story didn't let the audience sit for way too long in a story and kept it moving as they presented the characters and personalities, it seemed like the chemistry was really natural and they had fun on set.

The actors were so great, the use of satoori is always an interesting element to me, the delivery in terms of dialogue was so good, and I was, once again, impressed by Siwan, he was able to show a spectrum of different expressions as well as manage the physical comedy elements in a very subtle, balanced and seamless way, he adapted his posture and even tone and voice for this character, his attention and care for each role truly impresses me.

All the characters had something different to bring to the table, I do feel like some characters didn't quite hit in terms of the story and I wish they showcased more of the relationships in the family, the ending is a bit... well I don't feel as convinced, but I could be jumping to conclusions. I had fun watching it, and I recommend it.

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Boyhood: A unique story that is fully of comedy and serious moments as well

Loved the drama overall. The drama was just pure comedy up until episode 6, where it got dark when the SML became a super bully after he regained his memory and started to really bully the ML to the point where he beat up his own BF to just get money from him. The way he got his love interest taken from him and how he was treated like garbage was just depressing overall and showed the real effects of bullying and how it can make people so desperate and feel like they are worthless. The training arc and revenge arc that took place for the last 3 episodes was great and I loved the ending where he finally took his revenge. The only thing that I wish was maybe they could've expanded on the ML's first love interest as she just becomes a forgotten character after she becomes the SML's girlfriend. Also it would've been nice seeing the ML and FL have more romantic scenes together, but maybe that would of derailed from the focus of this story.

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Full Package Experience of a Young Boy

Lemme just say If not for Kang Hyewon, I would've dropped this halfway, not because the drama was bad, but because the bullying really went even harder in the second half, and I couldn't stomach it.

The story was a hell of a ride. I'd say it's a full-package experience of what any boy would experience during his high school days. I was about to say minus the exaggerated bullying and gang shit, but if I were to compare it here in my country, I'd say it's pretty similar or even worse, cuz you've got some who actually bring icepicks or knives in school.

Anyway, unless you were an outcast or loner then you probably won't be able to relate with anything that was presented here.

My minor critique of the story is that although it's very relatable, as it was directed in a not-very serious & comedic way, it didn't really hit harder on me. I can kinda see why it was presented as it is because it could be something you could look back on and say "Ahh, yes!! I went through all these things back in high school"

The Characters, I think are all good. They have a lot of characters here because of the gang aspect, but no one is wasted. Everybody did their part. Seeing Siwan playing a High school boy character was kinda "???" like let's be honest here, he looks young, a great actor, a top-tier one at that, and very versatile as well, but he's not young-looking enough to play a high school boy. However, as you went on, you could tell he melded with his characters like as if you were actually looking at a high school boy. My opinion is also the same with FL. She and Siwan got a good chemistry going, and their relationship dynamic is so funny. Kang Hyewon is the sole reason why I watched this drama because I'm a wiz*one myself. She's great here, hearing her curse a lot felt so weird hahaha her acting, yet improved again. She's almost there, I think her sad acting just needs a little polishing, and then she's good to go. For 2nd ML, mind you he's almost absent for almost half of the show, but when he came back, he was like nerfed af, it kinda makes sense because he just had an accident. I thought with all the things going on with him, he would get the character development later on, but I think the writer went "Nope!" and just stuck with his villain character till the end. His actor is also so, so good at pulling the bad guy role, like my god!

OST, although I'm not the type who listens to songs from that generation, I can still appreciate it, especially if it's a good one.

Overall, a good drama. Even though I couldn't stomach the bullying, I would still recommend this. I think I see the appeal of dramas about gangs because of this one, it was kinda hype you know.

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DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE THIS GOOD

I might be biased in this review as I like movies and shows which are set in the olden days especially the 70s and 80s and adding countryside setting and accent to it is just chef's kiss. The OST of this drama is just on another level and has become a constant in my workout playlist lol.
This was such an unexpected fun drama that just made me speechless. The story is about school bullying and how much it affects the victims and those surrounding them and being teenagers their fights are just seen as youthful brawls which are occurring due to their growing hormones. The starting of the story portrays bullying as just another thing which an individual has to go through in order to become an adult.
Till episode 5 it was a funny story where our lead hero is just deceiving everyone to think that he is the real bully which is so hilarious, that all believed him to be and there was not much fighting till episode 5.
Episode 6 had me crying as the whole episode dealt with how real bullying is and how much it hurts the victim and their family, but we also get to see that our protagonist is not like all the other bullies.
Afterwards its just the training of the hero and him learning to fight and realizing that to take revenge one has to get their hands dirty but does not have to become like the thugs.
All the fight scenes were done so well, especially the last boss fight was amazing.
All in all a very fun experience, but the subtitles were so bad, I wish there were good subs, I was able to understand most of the Korean as I've learnt some, but the subs were just so off in most of the times. May be because the dialogues were in satoori (Korean dialect) so it might be difficult to translate.

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I originally watched this drama because it was recommended to be similar to High School Return of a Gangster (2024) and Weak Hero Class 1, if you’re looking at specifically the redemption/revenge story line, (in Boyhood very different compared to those two) we can say that they are similar, but we really do have to then ignore the rest of the details. Such is the plot line/main characters personality/ motivations in each, and despite my initial “displeasure” to seeing the main character in the first few episode (compared to the two brain/brawn powerhouse mains I mentioned above) I’m still very glad I decided to watch as it was very much worth it.

This Drama focuses on the main lead Jang Byung Tae, who in the beginning episodes I truly disliked and was disappointed with, at the very least annoyed (maybe because I still had expectations him to be someone like the main leads of the two dramas I mentioned above). Jang Byung Tae, in the begging of this drama, let’s just say is the least likely to use his brain to create some elaborate scheme to pull of some big and satisfying redemption ark. I believed him to be on the autism spectrum as well, with how much he was being misunderstood by his peers/people around him, combined with his low ability to read social clues or maybe downright ignoring them! I thought any minute he would say something idiotic and he’d get beat up by some primary school student! That how bad my view of him was. He was just making it super easy for people around him to pick on him!

Seeing him getting beat up at first was pretty sad, and there are moment even in further parts where I thought this is just inhumane and too much, however I have to admit at times I did burst out laughing at the pure idiocracy of him despite his multiple beat ups. And as you start watching the first episode you’ll understand what I mean, he doesn’t make it easier for himself. But slowly I started enjoying his silly character, I even started rooting for him. But at most I liked that in later episodes his character goes though a change, and he grows into himself and becomes from annoying, to someone I looked up to! So if you get discouraged halfway don’t lose hope, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for his character. The cringy parts turned simply funny to me, and spoiler alert: at the last episodes he starts getting back at everyone who hurt him is very good, and at times super funny, I can’t get over those last 3 episodes even now I giggle to myself as I think about them as I write this. So if just for those parts alone it’s really worth watching because they really good.

Now into the background characters and his friends I really liked Park Ji Young, she was badass and endearing, she was superb at stating the obvious, so in way I was alway left satisfied as I felt she said all I would’ve in that situation.

Cho Ho Suk Was super funny, he was literally the best comedic release and his shenanigans with Jang Byung Tae never failed to make me laugh, especially towards the end when the two gets super close.

The rest of the boys were ever changing in my opinion of them so that made the drama more interesting, they kept me in my toes whilst watching, and after the big turning point I really did like all of the boys, even our main antagonist, Jung Gyeong Tae. The actor who played him is very young and less experienced compared to his co actors but delivered his character super well! I truly believe if you give this drama a try you won’t regret it. Especially if you don’t jump into it with a large expectations and constant cross referencing/comparing it to other dramas like I did!

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I watched this because Hyewon was in it, but besides Hyewon being in it, I do in general like a plot that's set in the past. I really enjoyed this, and I hope there will be a second season. As far as I recall, the director did state there may be a season 2, so I hope the second season will focus more on Byeongtae gaining more confidence and a romance between Jiyoung and Byeongtae. I liked the combination of Action and Comedy. Despite Hyewon being a main character, she wasn't in it as much as I had hoped that she would be, but I do this that Hyewon was great in this. Hoping for season 2.

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Unanswered Questions and Plot Gaps: Thoughts on the Story

The plot and characters were engaging, and the ending was good, but a few unanswered questions leave the story feeling incomplete. With the script for Season 2 still in progress, I am particularly concerned about these unresolved points:

1. Gyeong Tae's Past:
What exactly happened to Gyeong Tae that led him to become the White Tiger? When he lost his memories, he seemed like a caring, normal, brotherly person. His mother also appeared curious when she first encountered Byeong Tae hints at a deeper story. Their backstory feels incomplete and unexplored.

2. Seon Hwa's Mysterious "Fortune-Telling" House:
Why did Seon Hwa lie about living in a mansion? Why is she secretive about her personal life and more drawn to power than love? There's no clear explanation of her past or what made her so manipulative, which leaves her character unclear. It would be more fulfilling if we had a clearer understanding of her motivations and backstory.

3. Gyeong Tae’s Birthday Night:
What happened between Gyeong Tae and Seon Hwa on his birthday that caused the awkwardness between them? What did Seon Hwa whisper to him after the fight with The Black Spider? These key moments are still unclear leaving us with more questions than answers about their relationship.

4. Ji Young's Story:
Why did Ji Young transform into The Black Spider? How did she learn such skilled tactics? Why did their parents relocate when Ji Young and Byeong Tae were children? Her backstory and transformation are still a mystery.

I hope these questions are addressed in Season 2, as they would help make the story feel more complete and satisfying.

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