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Balancing angst and comedy
Combining the angsty plot of terminal illness while also trying to maintain loud and slapstick humor is a very difficult feat but Mr. Plankton managed to do it extremely well. The humorous scenes are laugh-out-loud funny, while the sad scenes still hit really hard, and I never felt like I was getting whiplash between them.As much as I love green flag MLs, I do think several kdramas have overcorrected recently; it's actually refreshing to get a drama that gives both its leads stories that have equal weight, and to see an ML that has more purpose than to just be in love with the FL. With that being said, Hae-jo's character is absolutely the best part of this show, and WDH plays him to perfection.
I feel a little more mixed on the other characters, to be honest. While I liked Jae-mi's plot, I wish we focused more on her desire to be a mother and have a family. The flashback we got of her at the orphanage is extremely touching. Instead, it seems like we get a lot of her relationship with Eo Heung and his mother. I don't necessarily dislike this, but it's weird. The drama does a fantastic job of making Heung a sympathetic character. His capacity for love is so great and his relationship with his mother goes through such important development, but I still never quite felt the emotions of it, not when Jae-mi and Hae-jo's dynamic is so strong and heart-wrenching. I also felt liek the love triangle was dragged out just a little too long; we saw clips of Jae-mi/Heung and they're cute but as a viewer I never once believed that they belonged together.
I did, however, still enjoy the humorous scenes with the three of them, and I almost wish we got a longer road trip type plot, with a new character (Gi-ho, Bong-suk) joining them in the car ride to each next sperm donor. It would have made the party scene at the end feel more meaningful, because I actually don't think we saw them spend much time together before then.
Overall, I think the first half worked better for me. Something about the bickering and the chaos was just so fun, whereas the last few episodes seems to have Hae-jo leaving Jae-mi stranded as a plot point multiple times. The ending also needed to be extended a little longer for things to get tied up. The plot is pretty outlandish — sometimes it works because it absolutely leans into it, and sometimes I had to remind myself "this is a DRAMA and that's why Hae-jo is still allowed to drive." Either way, it's fun.
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Emotional tug-of-war
Netflix might have let me down with some of its releases this year, but Mr. Plankton completely turned that around. It proved to be one of those rare dramas that kept me engaged from start to finish,I wasn’t bored for a single second. The story of Hae Jo’s journey felt so genuine, and each moment added depth to his character.The countryside visuals were a huge plus, creating a beautiful, immersive setting that perfectly matched the mood of the story.The acting was fantastic, too. Shin Ha-kyun brought incredible depth to Hae Jo, making his journey feel real and relatable. The cast overall added so much heart to the story.
Still, I have mixed feelings. If it weren’t for the kind of cheating element, I’d be even more invested, though I’m not sure if I’d fully call it cheating—it’s a bit ambiguous.
Another thing I don’t fully get is why dramas feel the need to start with miserable characters only to end on a similarly sad note.
But even with that, the pacing was excellent, making every minute worth watching.
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for mentally ill
this drama is filled with every possible emotion that you can imagine and that's why i like it so much. it's like writer was taking me on a roller coaster ride with two messed up people. also, casting director knew what he was doing while casting these leads. WDH and LYM's chemistry carries this drama.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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An adventure show with great vives
The show mixes a between a lot of genres and often succeeds in most of the parts it is trying to play. It's main issue is that the show is short with a very simple plot that could have been a 2 hour movie.The main 3 characters have decent chemistry between each other, one often carrying the other; however, it is often annoying that all of them feel incomplete and don't talk their mind ever. The male lead is dying but refuses to tell anyone and even in the end he does not feel that sick so that story point seemed moot. The female lead had issues getting pregnant but It did not have any meaningful impact in the story and no one really cared at all about the issue. And other the male character was so incompetent in everything that I always ignored him.
It's a shame that none of the plot points mattered and it is just a simple journey/adventure show, where you get to see new things and places. I enjoyed the first few episodes but later nothing seemed to happen between any characters. I was confident after episode 4 or 5 that the main lead is gonna be fine after the show and it is going to be a simple ass ending and I was right. I am not saying it is a bad thing is that I would have loved to have some changes to happen and something of consequence to occur in each episode. And in my opinion nothing was going on.
In conclusion, the show had a bit too small of a plot to not be a movie and be a full fledged series. It is a mini series and it succeeds in doing that. I would have loved the show to have some consequences or some changes in situations between the leads and the people surrounding them as I got super bored after episode 6. But it is a well acted and directed mini show that delivers in what it promises.
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Cliche but good
Sincerely, I started to watch this K-drama because I was bored, thinking it would be another average love story and that I'd ditch it halfway as soon as the "bad boy" wout get his cute girl to fall in love with him. I couldn't have been more wrong, I thought, after laughing for five episodes straight-actually, this is not that bad. Even though it was a totally fictional plot, the connection with the characters amazed me with how real they were. My heart started to feel heavy and squeezed by emotions throughout the whole journey. It was a total rollercoaster of character relationships and emotions-their acts, sometimes selfish, sometimes absurd, sometimes pitiful, made them so human. But everything they did was to seek one thing: love.People are so foolish for searching love where they aren't needed, forgetting to look around and see those who love us no matter what. People who aren't related to us by DNA but who gather with us throughout the journey of life. The main characters did a beautiful job portraying this feeling. Sometimes when I try to explain love to my friends, I imagine this down-to-earth, realistic, but still such a powerful, unimaginable feeling that I cannot explain.
Other than love in its many forms, we felt loss, forgiveness, redemption, letting go, rebirth, and the meaning of self and so much more.
I just want to say thank you and hope others can take a piece of the story with them, just as I did.
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When Love Gets Messy and Real
I started Mr. Plankton out of pure curiosity, drawn by the title and a familiar cast. I was expecting a simple romance, maybe a guy running errands who meets a girl along the way. But I was in for a surprise—the story had far more depth than I imagined. After one episode, I couldn’t stop and ended up watching seven in a row.The story kicks off with an ending scene, leaving us to figure out how it all fits together. Instead of a typical boy-meets-girl scenario, we learn the leads are ex-lovers, both orphans, with an intense past that ended without real closure. Their chemistry caught me off guard. The lead actress usually plays cutesy roles, and the lead actor leans more toward action, yet they bring a fresh, raw connection to the screen. His character is definitely a “red flag” type, but it’s understandable given his tough background, abandoned and left to fend for himself.
Things really heat up when he suddenly returns to her life, just as she’s about to marry someone else, sparking an unexpected love triangle. While his intentions are protective (especially around her secret medical condition), he pulls her along on a road trip to find his birth father without giving her the full story. This journey is full of tension, close calls, and moments where she tries to escape before ultimately deciding to stay by his side.
One of the most touching elements is how the title, Mr. Plankton, ties to his character’s sense of identity. In a quiet but powerful moment, he compares himself to plankton—seemingly insignificant and unnoticed, like mere accessories in the vast sea. But plankton, he explains, actually sustain life in the ocean by producing oxygen, a contribution people overlook as they focus only on their sparkling glow. Through this metaphor, he sees himself as someone who may be overlooked but who still has a role and purpose, even if the world fails to see it. It’s a quietly beautiful symbol that resonates throughout the series, shaping our understanding of him as a character.
Watching their road trip was exciting, though I would have loved to see more of the female lead’s perspective on her choices, especially as she reconnects with her ex. Her impulsive decisions can be frustrating, but her backstory makes it understandable. Her ex-fiancé also surprised me; he respected her decisions and even supported her ex in the end, which added a layer of maturity to the story.
Overall, Mr. Plankton was an engaging watch. I even teared up during the lead’s breakdown about his illness and his struggle with feelings of abandonment and unfairness. The ending is simply a return to the opening scene, but it’s beautifully done but bittersweet, leaving me pensive. This drama isn’t something I’d watch twice, as it really makes you think about love, loss, and purpose. But it’s definitely worth watching once, especially if you’re ready for a fresh, emotional take on love and closure.
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Good watch for those who enjoy tragic love stories....
This drama is really good if you enjoy dramas with a beautiful emotional love story. It’s a story of 2 people who did not have a childhood filled with happiness. They found each other and fell in love however unfortunate events kept happening to them.I watched the entire show in a day so it’s definitely possible to binge watch the show. #Woodohwan and #Leeyoumi had insane chemistry and their acting was so good! Haejo’s character was very free spirited and he liked doing things without any plans. Jaemi is very extroverted and has an outgoing personality. Both of them suit each other well cause they relate to similar pain.
Now the story is really very simple, there is no plot twist and nothing really shocking. It’s a very simple deep love story. So for this genre it’s good but personally not my style of show so there were parts where I just skipped…
I enjoyed the relationships shown in the drama especially Haejo and Bongsuk who was basically his guardian since he was young. She cared for him as a mother / sister and was always there for him.
Jaemi had a fiancé who she was going to marry and he was deeply in love with her. Initially I didn’t think he was going to have such a big role in the drama. But he is actually the second male lead. So there are many scenes regarding his family issues as well. He was an understanding SML though always thinking about her happiness so nothing toxic! (just that maybe there was too much screen time regarding his issues)
I’m sure everyone who will watch this knows the ending so…. 🙃 Everything is revealed in episode 1 itself so there isn’t any shocking reveals after that.
For those who really like the emotional tragedy kind of romance then this is for you! There is fluff definitely but it’s all under the shadow of tragedy so… 🥺
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Tragically Beautiful..
Mr. Plankton was a total gem from start to finish.. It truly set a high standard.. Delivered quality in every departments.. From start to finish there were no bad scenes.. No bad characters.. And not a single bad performance from any of the actors.. Each actor brought depth and authenticity to their role.. Made them essential to the story no matter how small their screentime is.. Cinematography was impressive.. The romance was just chaotic.. Messy and yet strangely perfect.. They were a chaotic couple.. And funny even when they shouldnt be.. And come on what more can you expect from a drama that had two marriages in the first episode and The ML kidnapped both the brides.. It was a rollercoaster of chaos and fun..The first scene itself screamed ' No happy ending here '.. And that was actually the way to go.. The entire story leading to that last moment.. ' His Death '.. That was the perfect ending.. No miracle cure.. Nothing magical.. Just a journey filled with Love..
Comedy and Pure Messy Romance..
At one point.. I genuinely feared that WDH wasnt just acting.. Maybe he was actually going through something himself.. He was that good.. He was really living the character..
The scene where Jae Mi kissed Hae Jo at that the bus stop after kidnapping him from the hospital honestly didnt feel like it was scripted.. It felt real.. As real as it can be.. Such a perfect moment..
And the last scene..
" In the end.. You are the final scene of my life.. I guess that means i had a pretty good life.. "
What a powerful way to end the story.. The ending was expected but heartbreaking nonetheless..
Overall.. Another strong contender for drama of the year.. Loved the characters journey and their warm connection and relationship with each other.. WDH certainly deserves an award for his performance here.. And kudos to the writer for that ending.. This drama is going to stay with me for a long time..
They entered our lives so effortlessly.. And in just ten episodes.. They left us shattered and aching..
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"There's no way you can be lost if you don't set a destination"
Mr. Plankton told the story of three wounded people finding love and reconciliation down a messy, uneven path. Woo Do Hwan can make any role compelling and he had some heavy lifting to do in the early episodes of this drama, thankfully he’d been working out.Hae Jo and Gi Ho run a boys for hire service, picking whatever jobs Hae Jo thinks will be fun. Hae Jo was emotionally abandoned as a child due to a mistake at an IVF facility and seems to have no love to give. The entrepreneurs take on a job of “kidnapping” a bride which goes south really quick and ends with Hae Jo discovering he has three months to live. He decides to search for his biological father to try and make some sense of his life and in the process kidnaps another bride for real. Soon he has the first bride’s villainous gangster groom after him as well as the second bride’s loving groom.
The first few episodes were difficult for me because I had real concerns about the lack of consent on Jae Mi’s part when Hae Jo kidnapped her. Despite having a past, it came across as problematic. Of course, eventually their shared loved and Woo Do Hwan’s gorgeous face and body convinced her to help him on his parental quest, but that doesn’t negate the kidnapping. Jae Mi’s fiancé, Heung, became hopelessly entangled in their lives. I actually liked Heung. While he had mommy issues due to an overbearing mother, he was a good man who genuinely loved Jae Mi and didn’t deserve to have a front row seat to Hae Jo and Jae Mi’s burgeoning love story. Gi Ho, who became embroiled with the gangsters searching for Hae Jo suffered greatly for his loyalty and friendship which went all but unacknowledged.
Now that I’ve stated the things that didn’t work for me, here’s what did. I’m a sucker for reconciliation stories and found families. Once everyone was mutually onboard the crazy train without a destination, the story worked better. Hae Jo discovered that his family was not the only one with problems. Heung began to develop enough confidence to defy his overbearing mother. Jae Mi came to understand that she had worth. And all three would have their eyes opened to the love all around them.
Woo Do Hwan’s performance was mesmerizing even when Hae Jo behaved liked a self-centered jerk. He has a way of making any character sympathetic and did the same here which was a momentous task as Hae Jo spent much of his time hurting others. Oh Jung Se had the difficult job of making a middle-aged man who could not stand up to his mother likeable. Heung was such a compassionate character that he could set aside his own feelings and respect Jae Mi’s choices. The character that downgraded this drama for me was Jae Mi. I found the writing for her and the acting grating. Jae Mi spent much of her time yelling or acting childlike which caused me to hit the mute button numerous times per episode. All three characters were complicated and flawed, having been wounded by their parents. All three were on a journey towards love, growth, and forgiveness. Though much of the growth was understandable, there was some that felt unearned.
Mr. Plankton was an uneven drama with moments of humor, sorrow, and love driven by Woo Do Hwan’s compelling performance. The specter of Death lingered in the shadows from beginning to end. Hae Jo’s vision of what was important cleared as his final days approached. Family isn’t always what we’re born into, sometimes it’s what we make it.
“Never set a destination. Just let your instincts take the lead for you. That way you’ll never lose your path.”
11 November 2024
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This show was just meh for me. Yes the acting was great and Woo Do Hwan's emotional journey was something to behold. However, it was just another, childhood trauma series that really wasn't resolved. That's fine but then don't take us on that roller coaster ride. Jae Mi's screeching also got on my nerves.
The pluses of the series are Oh Jung Se. He has always been one of my favorite K actors and he was great here as the sort of jilted fiance. I did like that he was able to let Jae Mi go but he still was grieving that. A more realistic approach to a hard break up.
Lee El. OMG! I love this woman. Absolutely fantastic as Bon Suk, friend and mother figure to Hae Jo. Those scenes in the hospital should get all the supporting actress awards.
Kim Min Seok as Ho Ji was such great comic relief but I also really liked the character.
11/24/24
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messy and noisy plot
I was excited when I learned that Woo Do Hwan and Lee Yu Mi were the main leads. I enjoyed their acting in previous projects, and I thought they matched well—Woo Do Hwan has a sharp, intense look, while Lee Yu Mi gives off a bubbly vibe.However, the plot just didn’t work for me. I found it messy. The story tried to pack in too much information, but I didn’t care for the side plots—for instance, the whole bloodline thing and the gang’s revenge. I was more interested in the main leads’ relationship and the male lead’s journey to find his biological father, especially since we knew he was sick. All of the side plots made the series feel too noisy, in my opinion. About halfway through, I also started getting annoyed with Lee Yu Mi’s character because she screamed a lot, which kinda ruined the mood.
I wanted to like this series. In fact, I had high expectations since I like both main leads, and the premise had so much potentials. But sadly, this one is not for me.
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I don't know how I feel about this drama
It was an ok drama with a weird set up...I LOVED the editing and cinematography of this drama. Every shot and scene was something worth studying. My favorite scene from this drama was how Hae Jo met his lil sister, who was looking for her brother. I didn't expect that and it was such a bittersweet surprise that the drama threw. I wish there was a scene where they met later...
Everything else was meh... It felt like at times the drama was going to hit the high that it was seeking and just shine brilliantly but then it just flares off and then just meh... I don't know how else to put it... I felt like this drama was unfinished.
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