1
SKITC
Probably within reach of a coffee
A most unexpectedly sweet gem
Not every day needs a 120 mph roller coaster or surfing thirty foot waves or dining at a 5 star Michelin restaurant or sporting the latest haute couture fashion. Somedays, a casual walk in a familiar neighborhood in sweatpants and a hoodie followed by a simple grilled cheese sandwich is just as enjoyable. At that’s the vibe of “Once Upon a Small Town” - a leisurely, pleasant sojourn on a warm day.
No one will find anything remotely novel in the setup - a city denizen gets shipped somewhat against his will to a rural enclave. He initially recoils at everything unfamiliar but is won over not only by the community but also by a potential love interest.
And no one will discover any new angles on the romantic entanglements involving childhood relationships, ex-significant others, easily avoided misunderstandings, awkward confessions, friendzones and the like.
Nor will the vast majority of the supporting cast of rural inhabitants break any of the stereotypes from other slice of dramas.
In fact, mere minutes into the first episode of “Once Upon a Small Town”, the direction, destination, velocity and signposts on the journey are all readily apparent. But somehow that doesn’t diminish the ride. A short run of twelve episodes and runtimes of 30-40 minutes per episode deserve a decent amount of credit for keeping things moving without getting bogged down in secondary storylines and extended montages and endless rehashing of backstories. But there’s more to it. Director Kwon Seok Jang manages the pace of the storyline well, mixes in just enough interaction with supporting characters and doesn't let anything fog up the focus on the romance.
Choo Young Woo has a fairly light resume but he's got the basic attributes for carrying a lead role. The character of Dr. Han isn't particularly demanding - look pretty, feel awkward in uncomfortable surroundings and otherwise let everyone else around ham things up. And for this, Choo Young Woo hits all the marks (easy targets though they may be).
Meanwhile, Joy may find herself in as much demand as an actor as she has been as a singer. The Red Velvet singer has had two strong performances this year (the first as one of the very few bright spots in an otherwise rather dismal "The One and Only") and now to even greater effect here. A police officer would not be the instinctual direction for an ideal character for Joy, but this isn't a hardnosed violent crime detective. She's more everyone's little sister on the personal side and professional household problem solver. It may be a case of an actor and a role simply almost perfectly suited for each other, but as the show progresses and Ja Young becomes a more complex character, it seems less and less that "it's just Joy being herself" is what's happening here. Regardless, she's ebullient and extroverted and a delight at nearly every turn.
Props also to the sound editors who spare no opportunity to add all the buzzing insect noises in their inventory. Helps remind those viewers that might pull up stakes and head for the countryside in search of a dashing vet or comely policy officer that there are also less welcome inhabitants there too.
Recommended.
No one will find anything remotely novel in the setup - a city denizen gets shipped somewhat against his will to a rural enclave. He initially recoils at everything unfamiliar but is won over not only by the community but also by a potential love interest.
And no one will discover any new angles on the romantic entanglements involving childhood relationships, ex-significant others, easily avoided misunderstandings, awkward confessions, friendzones and the like.
Nor will the vast majority of the supporting cast of rural inhabitants break any of the stereotypes from other slice of dramas.
In fact, mere minutes into the first episode of “Once Upon a Small Town”, the direction, destination, velocity and signposts on the journey are all readily apparent. But somehow that doesn’t diminish the ride. A short run of twelve episodes and runtimes of 30-40 minutes per episode deserve a decent amount of credit for keeping things moving without getting bogged down in secondary storylines and extended montages and endless rehashing of backstories. But there’s more to it. Director Kwon Seok Jang manages the pace of the storyline well, mixes in just enough interaction with supporting characters and doesn't let anything fog up the focus on the romance.
Choo Young Woo has a fairly light resume but he's got the basic attributes for carrying a lead role. The character of Dr. Han isn't particularly demanding - look pretty, feel awkward in uncomfortable surroundings and otherwise let everyone else around ham things up. And for this, Choo Young Woo hits all the marks (easy targets though they may be).
Meanwhile, Joy may find herself in as much demand as an actor as she has been as a singer. The Red Velvet singer has had two strong performances this year (the first as one of the very few bright spots in an otherwise rather dismal "The One and Only") and now to even greater effect here. A police officer would not be the instinctual direction for an ideal character for Joy, but this isn't a hardnosed violent crime detective. She's more everyone's little sister on the personal side and professional household problem solver. It may be a case of an actor and a role simply almost perfectly suited for each other, but as the show progresses and Ja Young becomes a more complex character, it seems less and less that "it's just Joy being herself" is what's happening here. Regardless, she's ebullient and extroverted and a delight at nearly every turn.
Props also to the sound editors who spare no opportunity to add all the buzzing insect noises in their inventory. Helps remind those viewers that might pull up stakes and head for the countryside in search of a dashing vet or comely policy officer that there are also less welcome inhabitants there too.
Recommended.
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