Trot Lovers (2014)

I really wanted to enjoy Trot Lovers more, but what made this drama so special and different at first - the actors, the focus on the music industry, and the quirky characters - was overshadowed by endless drama cliches and mediocre writing. it had the potential to be so much more than your standard kdrama, and this is where the majority of my disappointment lies.

In the beginning, I liked that they provided a fresh musical spin on the Candy/Jerk pairing trope, and gave their second leads their own distinct personalities. But all of that seemed to break down somewhere around episode 10 or so, when the drama started focusing on one frustrating trope after another, rather than playing to its strengths: the acting, the music, and the lighthearted comedic tone of the show in general. I would have preferred better character development of the second leads, emphasizing more comedy rather than drama, and of course, more music.

I would only recommend watching if you are a fan of any of the main or second leads or interested just in the music, because the actors did an excellent job with the material they were given. Eun Ji was perfect as Chun Hee (and to be honest, should be required to sing in all of her future dramas, because her voice is just amazing), and Ji Hyun Woo did a great job fleshing out his character in a way that felt more three-dimensional, in spite of his actions early in the drama.

I don't have any plans to rewatch this, as it was frustrating enough the first time. Watch at your own risk, but fast forward through the angsty scenes.

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