It was just one of the all round best shows I have ever seen. There is not one one thing I can pick out that I would have wanted to be different. The acting, the development, the twists and turns were just perfect. I have a habit of reading many reviews before watching the show and I read many mixed reviews but decided to give the show a shot anyway. Thank god I did. After watching the show I just can't understand and relate to any of those faults they found. I genuinely found the show just amazing.
Story: The main complaint in the negative reviews was the lack of story. I am not one for melodrama's so a story like this that is light but intense of the romantic side and extremely focused on main couple is something I am very content with. I don't believe you need major second lead jealousy, manipulative parents and all the crazy K drama go to cliches for the story to be interesting. I quite enjoyed this break from the typical angst. Something I was personally worried about before watching was the 'health' concept. I really didn't want it to be too preachy and to make you feel really pathetic for not being motivated like her but that god they approached it in a light enough matter.
Characters: This show made me realise the importance of chemistry. Honestly there could be nothing else and just the main couples interaction and the show wouldn't be boring because the chemistry was electric. It was like nothing i've seen in any drama or movie before. I didn't for a second feel like they were two actors playing a part.. I recently watched and dropped 'My lovable girl'.. A show that also showed me the importance of chemistry but in the opposite way.. This has lead me to make the hypothesis that chemistry between the main couple is what can make or break a show. Can we now mention the eye candy? How hot were all 3 of Kang joo eun's men? Cutie pie ji woong, Mouth water-ingly hot Joon sung and of course our flawless coach-inim
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The story itself was quite straightforward and I loved the overall message of living a healthy life. It inspired me to take up jogging. Nothing really stood out in terms of OST but the cinematography and editing made the show flow quite well.
Definitely worth a rewatch. Don't hesitate.
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The road to self-esteem is full of dimples
After watching four depressing dramas in a row, I definitely needed something silly and with a happy ending. Most of all I needed something horny.Someone suggested OMV saying it was full of skinship yet a bit problematic and, in the end, Shin Min Ah convinced me.
Oh My Venus! is indeed horny and silly but I didn't find it as problematic as it may seem at a first glance.
Yes, there are fat suits (Shin Min Ah is adorable even without dimples) and the discourse around body image, just like the whole "you can if you believe it" message are a bit too simplistic.
However, I feel like the underlying moral of the story is an uplifting one, nonetheless.
Shin Min Ah is Kang Joo-eun, this woman who was once Daegu's Venus and, for a number of reasons we just get a glimpse of (like the death of her father and a difficult workplace), has gained a bunch of weight and lost a bunch of self-esteem.
Her boyfriend of 15 years breaks up with her on their anniversary and she finds out he is dating her former friend. Said former friend was once very fat and is now very slim and, also, her new boss (and a bit of a bitch).
Joo-eun is, understandably, distressed by her life.
But fate rescues her in the form of an extremely fit and sexy man that soon becomes her personal trainer.
There is one exchange in these first episodes that convinced me this wasn't a chauvinistic male power-trip about saving women by making them hotter and thinner and it occurs when Joo-eun is venting to her friend about her former friend/boss and she says "I should've said that I was happy to see her. It's something I should've said, and it's not hard to say, why didn't I think to say that until now? Even if I couldn't tell her that she looks great and that she got prettier I should've at least told her that I was happy to see her. She is a friend I haven't seen in a long time. She underwent a total transformation and I turned into this. We could have laughed together about it. Why am I becoming meaner and meaner?".
She is acknowledging that her weight is not the root of the problem. She is so unsatisfied with her life to the point she has become bitter. And she doesn't want to be bitter, nor envious.
She wants to be able to laugh about her misfortunes with the friend she missed.
Joo-eun wants to regain control of her life, of the person she is and she wants to like herself again.
In a way, her body is the easiest starting point for this journey of self-rediscovery.
The aim of Joo-eun's transformation is becoming healthier, rather than looking as thin as she was at 15, and her personal trainer soon becomes the person she trusts her life with and to whom she will show the things she is ashamed of. He comes to know her at her lowest, at her worst and falls in love with her regardless of it.
While he takes care of her body (the whole concept of "your body is mine" is more cringe than cute for me, but I'm starting to think it is a trope in k-dramas), Joon eun will take care of his mind and show him the sweetness of life (mainly in the form of sugary food and lazy days he never allowed himself before).
They heal each other… except for when he refuses to see her for the whole year it takes to recover from a terrible car accident (she accepted his help at her most vulnerable and he can't accept to be seen at his weakest! … The mother-in-law tries to reason with him on this point in the last episode, though).
The main couple has outstanding chemistry and cute kisses and horny moments and, most definitely, carries the whole show. The other characters are not really developed but I liked the attempt at making a parallelism between Joo-eun and Soo-jin, whom still doesn't like herself despite having lost weight (this is to reinforce the message that the weight itself is not the reason behind unhappiness). I also liked that they apologize and make up.
The ex-boyfriend also proves not to be a total asshole. Another aspect I appreciated, in fact, is the lack of truly evil characters. We get only one scheming uncle whose every attempt at harming the male lead proves ridiculous.
On the other hand, there is no angst whatsoever and that is mainly because there isn't much of a plot to begin with.
The little bit of plot we get is absolutely ridiculous. For example, the scandal about (!?!) John Kim's double life as chaebol and fitness trainer, which becomes the reason he starts training Joo-eun, doesn't seem scandalous enough to ruin a CEO (I've come to learn that Koreans are easily shocked, though, especially if t comes to celebrities dating), nor it seems plausible that the slightly-evil uncle decides to embark in a kamikaze mission in order to provoke a car accident and kill said CEO.
In short, the plot is risible and, consequently, the pacing is uneven throughout the 16 episodes. The story could have done with half of them, really.
I like the ending. It felt realistic as the journey toward self-love is never-ending and there are ups and downs along the way. Also, pregnancy wreaks havoc on a woman's body. But Joo-eun looks happy in the end, even without her dimples.
Female Empowerment Score 5/5
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Also, I felt warm inside when they quoted a few iconic lines from "I'm sorry I love you" and John Kim's like, those lines are very familiar, I wonder where I heard them from. I was like, very sly m8, I saw what you did there and I loved it. xD
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Acting/Cast: Generally great acting from everyone, including newbie idol-actor Henry. I do not know why but I'm not entirely sold on the main couple of this drama. Sure - I enjoyed the witty conversations and exchanges between the two of them - even their playfulness....but I'm not entirely convinced of them as a couple desperately attracted and in love with each other. The relationship felt more of best friends turned older brother-sister rather than the passionate and hot attraction of lovers. Maybe because they are an older couple, therefore the love felt more of a simmering sort rather than burning? Anyway, the chemistry between Shin Min A and So Ji Sub was not entirely the kind that made my heart go thump thump or sigh sigh...if you get what I mean.
Music: Quirky, silly and upbeat but not my cup of tea. Suitable for the drama though.
Re-watch value: Considering that there are many excellent KDramas in the romance and comedy genre out there, this drama has a pretty low re-watch value for me. Maybe because there were no scenes that I would like to re-watch or maybe due to the lack of burning chemistry between the main couple? It's an okay drama to pass the time with but not one that'll make me re-watch it again and again. It's a tick-I've-watched-it-and-it's-okay-but-now-let's-move-on-to-the-next-drama type of drama.
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THIS DRAMA IS SO SWEET! (~^-^~)
No joking. This is a perfect drama to make you laugh.
AND it will give you some good vibes about yourself and add some boost to your determinations
for... whatever (e.g. doing sports).
Personally, I wasn't interested in the plot with her boss/old friend/the-bitch-of-the-series at all,
so I just focused on the good stuff.
Love the crew around Young Ho, his two pals and his "butler" (lol).
And now I know - I totally need a "You bastard", too!
Ahhhh, this was so cute and entertaining... I feel content like after eating a sweet cupcake
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One of the best OTPs you will ever see
As are all my drama watching forays - I watch dramas purely because of the synopsis and try my very harderst to not let hype , acclaimed actors etc influence my drama watching however I do admit that my intentions with this drama were not as “pure” in that respect. Why do I say that? Mainly because once upon a time I picked up this drama and watched the first 5 minutes and immediately dropped it after those 5 mins and declared myself not to be in the mood to watch OMV.Fast forward months later and I hypocritically declared myself in the mood because , *ahem* I wanted to see the fuss about So JiSub nation and this particular drama of his was readily available at my disposal. Sigh.
Now for the review.
These were my first impressions : The title is tacky , plot is unoriginal albeit cliche and my senses were telling me that this was going to be a shallow drama. Perhaps ,in hindsight ,that’s why I initially dropped it. However ,I stand very corrected. All those first impressions actually all have a deeper more profound reasoning over the course of the show which was a gift that kept on giving .
Admittedly slow start but after three episodes: I was fully sold . By the fourth episode I was giddy . I’m fully in Oh My Venus universe . I want to work out , start watching UFC fighting and wear some hoodies with the hood on a la John Kim . Heck , I wanted to sign up for a fitness program and eating plan beacause this show had me feeling got damn HEALTHY !
Moreover there’s chaebol elements ! And I’m a sucker for a chaebol trope.So already 10 out 10 in all facets because this show is undeniably fun. Its actually one of my few binge watches and I don’t binge. So fun is definitely a 10 out of 10 in my book.
So why does the story score a 7 you may ask ? It was ambitious and didn’t follow through. It does look like the writers themselves were trying their hardest to not be cliche and not emphasise the whole losing weight to get back at an ex and that’s fine because this drama was all about self confidence and that being “healthy is sexy”. And they did nail that but in nailing that ,some subsidiary stories were not so fluid . One point gone.In fact they were flat and dragged along a perfectly sound story line and momentum accentuated by the two main leads. It ruined the show in the end because the story got side tracked and then affected the overall ending in my opinion. 2 points now gone.They did so much on the side for the others - that they also added too much salt in the end for the OTP story line. Moreover , continuity factor was not as strong as premised and the editing was a bit suspect especially towards the end specifically after episode 14.To then fully remove 3 points from the 10 out of 10 it had - the plot holes were glaring and plot resolution was curious.One curious example that’s not too much of a spoiler but can illustrate what I mean is when Korean Snake is being pursued by Jan ji In that bordered on harassment and sexual assault but on the juxtaposition , the main character Kang Ju Eun had a stalker issue that was quite serious. I would never have expected more of this show but they offered more and didn’t execute.
But on the flip side - the show touched on some serious important issues like domestic abuse , depression and family. And a big major plus and why it has a solid 7points is because the two romantic leads storyline was absolutely majestic. Such a mature , realistic , communicative and awesome couple. None of that miscommunication and statue kisses polluting KDrama land but super realistic romantic scenes that left me so impressed. The light and fluff of the two was superbly done and their progress was so believable .Plus it’s a very honest relationship , no secrets so no baggage on the viewers on having the onus of knowing a truth and all that dramaland drama.A Seriously perfect OTP of all dramaverse.
As for the acting -SPELL BOUND. Literally - I was bewitched by Shi Min Na and So Ji Sub’s portrayals of their characters . In fact everyone was perfect though they were given inconsistent plot hole glaring storylines. Loved the chemistry between the male friends / housemates and special mention to Jin Kyeong who acted perennially sad , Choi Jin Ho for being the perfect stand in guardian of the chaebol and Jo Eun - Jin for being the best best friend. By the by - where is So Ji Sub nation and where can I apply for citeznship because yesssssss I sooooo get it and I want in. So Ji Sub dramas here we go!!
Music was okay . My favorite song was Tei’s I’ll Be There . I liked the instrumentals too and the Beautiful Lady song was perfectly inserted. I would listen to the songs whilst watching those YouTube fan videos but I genuinely liked like one song.
As for rewatch value - I would probably watch from episodes 6 to 14 on a serious fast forward tip because I would want to see the OTP. I did not particularly care for the last episode to be honest as it was badly edited and just a time filler. Episode 14 felt like a finale in my opinion ...but whatever - the overall overarching storyline is the main focus and that’s what matters. Plus So Ji Sub is the rewatch value ! Swoon.
As for the overall - I give a solid 8. I LOVED watching this show and actually binge watched ( I don’t binge watch by the way) and I think that counts for something in my book. It had one of the best proposal scene I have seen in dramaland and a really moving love declaration scenes. The romantic motifs were soooooo good. And I would really watch any of Shi Min Na and So Ji Sub’s dramas because they were so spectacular in this. I won’t lie that it’s problematic but It’s a great watch and the overarching storyline is really good . Go for it.
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The secondary romance, while it is a slower tone from the rest of the drama, still tells a story that is relevant and a contrast to the main leads. I initially thought the secondary romance was a little draggy, but upon further reflection I see deeper meaning in it and see why it was done the way it was. I'll still fast forward through them for re-watches. (They are the reason I docked it half a point)
And there is a third, much smaller romance that is very cute.
Acting/Cast – The chemistry between the main leads was off the charts. I became a So Ji Sub fan watching this drama. This was also my first time watching Shin Min Ah, and she also did a great job. I loved the bromance with the characters that were played by Henry and Sung Hoon – they added comedy and heart to the drama. The actor that plays Secretary Min is also adorable (the secretaries are always awesome aren’t they??)
Music – I loved the songs Beautiful Lady and Darling U – very fun. There were also some nice softer songs that I couldn’t name, but went well with what was happening on screen.
My biggest criticisms are that Kim Young Ho/ John Kim’s family relations were not explained very well, and it took a while to sort them out and understand some of their interactions and motivations and the slowness of the secondary romance.
Other than that, this is one of my favorite dramas and it has a good re-watch value. Each viewing is just as good as the first.
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The story is less dense .
The action almost missing.
The series is based on little cuteness .
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UN CHUTE DE ENERGÍA POSITIVA!!!
Maravillosa, fabulosa, preciosísima serie!!! Pasa a mi top de series preferidas de todos los tiempos junto a DOTS, CLOY, Goblin, Replysss!!!! Lo tiene todo, una bonita historia de superación con un profundo mensaje, una pareja con una grandísima química y con una de las relaciones más sanas y maduras que he visto en los dramas coreanos, unos secundarios perfectos, momentos dramáticos de llorar a moco tendido y momentos muy cómicos con los que te partes de la risa. Esta historia es perfecta para levantar el ánimo, para animarte a emprender nuevos proyectos, para empezar a cuidarse de uno mismo, de nuestro cuerpo y nuestra mente, tiene mil y una enseñanzas, valores, buaaa, necesitaría muchas líneas para describirla...Qué obra maestra de la comedia romántica!!!! Ahora entiendo la alta valoración en viki, la tiene muuuuy merecida!! En MDL solo un 8,3 pero qué es estooooooo, merece mucho más!!
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This is one you’ll go back and rewatch
At first I avoided this drama. I wasn’t crazy about the idea of a female lead that was chubby, unattractive, and going nowhere in her life. It didn’t seem like it would be a fun watch, especially when the female lead is caught in lots of embarrassing situations. And from the previews it looked like the male lead was super fit, attractive, and full of himself. I just didn’t like the dynamics of the situation. But it got so many glowing reviews that I finally broke down and watched it. And boy am I glad I did! It’s nothing like I expected.Okay yes I felt a lot of second hand embarrassment for the female lead in the beginning. But a lot of it was quite comical and I found myself laughing along. And we needed to see just how low she had gotten to understand how much she truly accomplished. Because her character explodes with growth and you can’t help but root for her. The female lead starts out clumsy and lazy then transforms into this sassy little warrior that gives you all of the feels.
The male lead is super fit and we get to see his shirtless workout routine right away setting the stage for what appears to be a narcissistic hardworking overachiever type of character. But things are not as they appear. He has had a very tough life and was shown no love and little mercy. He has a lot of growth and healing to do too. Seeing him conquer his problems and fight for the life he wants was an absolute pleasure to watch. One thing I liked about him was his concern for the female leads health and safety. He was very much a gentleman. And when he said his ideal woman was a Jiu Jitsu expert because “a woman that can defend herself is sexy,” I had mad respect for him.
The romance was one of the best kdrama romances I’ve seen. Their chemistry just leaped off of the screen. I especially appreciate that the male lead starts falling for the female lead while she’s still chubby. When she lost some weight in her face I loved how obsessed he became with her dimples. When he poked her dimples and asked “what is this?” hovering inches from her face with utter fascination in his voice, you know he’s fallen for her. Then a few days later, her muscles are sore so she decides to go for a massage and he freaks out thinking about some muscular dude massaging her. So he insists she use his massage chair. And of course their first kiss and his bold pursuit of her is while she’s still chubby. The fact that he liked her long before she lost all of her weight made the romance feel less superficial and more genuine to me. Especially when he often emphasized that her health was most important to him, not her weight. I love how they interacted as a couple. His obsession with her dimples is so bad that he calls them his dimples and he melts every time she smiles.
The side characters are all great actors and added so much to the story. I appreciate that they weren’t just used as filler but had interesting stories of their own to tell. They were super funny and tons of fun to watch. I especially loved the relationship the male lead had with his two buddies. This is rare drama that I did not fast forward through any of the side characters storylines.
As with every drama, there were a few things I didn’t like. I really dislike that there was a long period of time where the leads were apart and it’s hard to watch. The reason was understandable and warranted under the circumstances. And the speech the female lead gave giving her undying support to her man was epic. She was trying to fortify him for the difficult road ahead that he chose to traverse alone to spare her and it was so inspiring. Fortunately the separation only lasted one episode and the reunion was most definitely worth waiting for. But I still detest separations and had to deduct half a point for that. I also wasn’t crazy about the final scene in the airport. But it was only one brief little scene so it was okay I guess.
Overall I give this high marks. It has a unique storyline, amazing acting, great chemistry, lots of character growth, it’s fast paced, very funny, and quite touching. This is a true gem I would highly recommend to anyone.
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