Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

Simple, Cute, and Easygoing.

While it's not perfect, this drama is definitely amongst my favourites, and I love it so much that I have re-watched it 6 times, and I will most likely re-watch it even more in the future. Although I probably view this show through rose tinted glasses, I will try my best to be as objective as I can be.

STORY:
Nothing overly dramatic or crazy happens, it is simply slice of life. The drama is more focused on the characters and their relationships, rather than having an extremely complex story. I've always been someone who cared more about characters than story, so for me this wasn't a problem. However, if you prefer gripping and complicated plots, you may not appreciate this show so much. It does have its interesting plot points here and there, but nothing too intense or unexpected.
'Weightlifting Fairy' also has its own share of clichés like every other drama out there. However, none of them made me gag or feel too annoyed. It definitely felt more self-aware than plenty of other dramas, and even makes fun of some clichés. As for the pacing, I felt that they did a good job, however the pacing did feel a bit rushed towards the final episodes.

CHARACTERS:
The characters are possibly the show's strongest point. 'Weightlifting Fairy' features a fun, humorous cast, with plenty of interesting characters. I especially admired this drama for writing in an unconventional and unique female lead. Bokjoo is a weight lifter who is strong, honest, and is able to stand up for herself. She is also shown to have both a more masculine and a feminine side, which I felt made her more three-dimensional. She has her flaws here and there, but is overall a great and likeable character. Meanwhile, Joonhyung isn't your typical cold and detached male lead. Instead he is playful and charistmatic. He also has his own set of flaws, but I do feel that his character was a bit too perfect at times (he has the looks, personality, popularity, and talent). Despite this, he does not feel flat, and he has plenty of moments that make him more humane and realistic (when he giggles over Bokjoo's texts, and when he cries about his mother).
While the most developed characters are obviously the leads, the side characters are also shown to have distinctive personalities. Most of the cast is likeable, or develop to later become more so. Even the evil 2nd lead had her chance to develop as a character and redeem herself. Overall, I think that they did a great job with the characters in this drama.

RELATIONSHIPS/ROMANCE:
The friendships and romantic relationships are quite sweet, especially Bokjoo's relationships, which were genuine, accepting, and heartwarming. One of the things I liked about Joonhyung and Bokjoos's relationship is that they didn't fall in love with each other at first sight. Instead, they fell for each other as they got to know each other as friends, which I felt was more true to reality. Their chemistry was through the roof, and they showed even their most vulnerable sides to each other (Bokjoo's slump, Joonhyung crying, etc), which again made their relationship 100x sweeter and more genuine. One thing that did irk me, however, was the jealousy in the last few episodes, as I felt that they were made to handle it extremely out of character. (eg. when Bokjoo made Joonhyung have to walk on eggshells around Shiho). I'd have expected this kind of petty drama more in a high-school romance k-drama than in a drama set in university such as this.
However, where the show really does fall flat is the side romances, as most were highly underdeveloped. Obviously they would not be developed as much as the main couple, but most of the side romances just felt unnecessary and rushed. One relationship is even randomly added in near the end and is left without a proper conclusion, which made me wonder what was even the point of adding it in.

ACTING:
Although I'm no professional when it comes to acting, I didn't feel as if anyone's acting was out of place. The cast had good chemistry, and I felt that their acting was believable to the the point that I often forgot that I was watching a show. While I do agree that Sungkyung, who is very thin and pretty, being casted for a character meant to be an "average looking" weightlifter did make Bokjoo less believable, I think that she otherwise portrayed her character perfectly. (The same thing could also be said for Sunok.)

PROGRESSIVE?:
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that this show has some ground-breaking and incredibly deep message, it is simply a cute romantic comedy. However, a few things stood out to me as I watched it. An example is how Joonhyung goes to a therapist through the show. Despite having issues, he gets professional help instead of letting it turn him into the typical "cold male lead with a troubled past." There is also the underlying message of accepting yourself, in how Bokjoo finds love, despite originally viewing her career and masculine tendencies as setbacks to romance. Having rarely seen these in other romcoms, I enjoyed seeing these in this drama.

In conclusion, the show does extremely well with its likeable and interesting cast of characters, and features good chemistry between them. It does fall a bit with the pacing at times and the side romances leave more to be desired. However, I still feel that the pros heavily outweigh the cons. 'Weightlifting Fairy' is nothing revolutionary, however I feel that it is a treat for those who love romcoms. Overall, it's simple, sweet, and perfect for people looking to fall for a great cast of characters and escape from the dullness and drama of everyday life.

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