Finally a fantasy drama that doesn't forget about the "fantasy" part
Finally writing this after rewatching the show and I can say it's just as good as I remembered. W stands out to me because it's probably the only fantasy/romance drama that actually develops the plot in a satisfying way, since most of the time the fantasy element only works as a set up or to make the romance a little more interesting, but it's not properly explored. So, as a fantasy fan, I was delighted, but not without some criticism.
The plot is very original and quite gripping. Who hasn't thought of entering the world of a beloved book or movie, being able to interact with their favorite characters? But I like that in this drama, this encounter is portrayed not as just fun and games, but the fl also gets into a lot of trouble because of it. The writers do a good job in building the suspense, making you anticipate every episode. There's also some good action scenes and the worldbuilding is pretty great, although there's a point where things get a bit messy. They start to create so many rules regarding the manhwa and how the other world works it feels like they are taking things out of a hat. There's also some minor plotholes, however they didn't bother me that much.
Even though I really enjoy the plot of this drama, I have to say the romance was kinda meh. Since they spend so much time developing the fantastic story, the romance is left aside and it's honestly hard to believe the two leads would love each other so much, specially Kang Cheol, when they had almost no proper establishment of their romantic feelings. The leads also lack chemistry in some scenes because the acting on both parts is simply unconvincing and comes across as very artificial. I love Lee Jong Suk but damn, it almost felt like he was being held at gunpoint in certain fluffy parts.
Outside of that, Lee Jong Suk has a very consistant acting. At first I was a bit bothered that his character seemed so perfect, but in the context of the drama that makes perfect sense, considering he was a fictional character created to be that way. I was actually quite pleased that Kang Cheol showed his intelligence many times, cause in some dramas the ml is only said to be smart but never shows us that. His arc is interesting, a simple fictional character that develops a will and conscience and tries to break free from his pre-determined fate. Yeon Joo on the other hand is very annoying. It enrages me this habit that Kdrama writers have of making the fl always inferior, even if they have a prestigious job they're not actually good at it, just like with Yeon Joo. She's a doctor but she's not really that good of a doctor, like c'mon! She doesn't need to be a genius, but being as dumb as she is she would've never graduated med school in the first place. The way she just stares like a gawking fish in most situations is pathetic.
Sung Moo, though, really deserves some attention. He had the best arc by far, and the actor who played him did a fantastic job in conveying every emotion, I think he even stole the show from the protagonists at some points. The soundtrack is nothing special, though.
All things considered, I think every fantasy lover and people who prefer a more plot-focused story will like W, just don't go into this expecting an unforgettable love story or anything of the sort.
The plot is very original and quite gripping. Who hasn't thought of entering the world of a beloved book or movie, being able to interact with their favorite characters? But I like that in this drama, this encounter is portrayed not as just fun and games, but the fl also gets into a lot of trouble because of it. The writers do a good job in building the suspense, making you anticipate every episode. There's also some good action scenes and the worldbuilding is pretty great, although there's a point where things get a bit messy. They start to create so many rules regarding the manhwa and how the other world works it feels like they are taking things out of a hat. There's also some minor plotholes, however they didn't bother me that much.
Even though I really enjoy the plot of this drama, I have to say the romance was kinda meh. Since they spend so much time developing the fantastic story, the romance is left aside and it's honestly hard to believe the two leads would love each other so much, specially Kang Cheol, when they had almost no proper establishment of their romantic feelings. The leads also lack chemistry in some scenes because the acting on both parts is simply unconvincing and comes across as very artificial. I love Lee Jong Suk but damn, it almost felt like he was being held at gunpoint in certain fluffy parts.
Outside of that, Lee Jong Suk has a very consistant acting. At first I was a bit bothered that his character seemed so perfect, but in the context of the drama that makes perfect sense, considering he was a fictional character created to be that way. I was actually quite pleased that Kang Cheol showed his intelligence many times, cause in some dramas the ml is only said to be smart but never shows us that. His arc is interesting, a simple fictional character that develops a will and conscience and tries to break free from his pre-determined fate. Yeon Joo on the other hand is very annoying. It enrages me this habit that Kdrama writers have of making the fl always inferior, even if they have a prestigious job they're not actually good at it, just like with Yeon Joo. She's a doctor but she's not really that good of a doctor, like c'mon! She doesn't need to be a genius, but being as dumb as she is she would've never graduated med school in the first place. The way she just stares like a gawking fish in most situations is pathetic.
Sung Moo, though, really deserves some attention. He had the best arc by far, and the actor who played him did a fantastic job in conveying every emotion, I think he even stole the show from the protagonists at some points. The soundtrack is nothing special, though.
All things considered, I think every fantasy lover and people who prefer a more plot-focused story will like W, just don't go into this expecting an unforgettable love story or anything of the sort.
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