Slow and Steady

Spirit Fingers, which was serialized on Naver Webtoon from 2015 to 2019 for about four years, has finally been reborn as a TVING original drama. This work, which built a solid fandom from its serialization days, is still remembered by many readers as a "life-changing webtoon" even after its conclusion. The growth story of an ordinary high school girl finding her own color through an art club resonated deeply with many, offering warm comfort. Thanks to this popularity, the news of its dramatization garnered significant anticipation even before its release. All eyes are on how the drama will capture the emotion of the original work, appealing to both existing fans and new viewers alike.   The popularity of Spirit Fingers was not confined to just Korea. Its potential was so great that various media expansions were attempted even before the drama production. Among fans, a game adaptation was discussed, but unfortunately, it did not lead to final production. Furthermore, thanks to...

Until now, I've held a significant personal distrust of Netflix-exclusive, or "Original," films. Perhaps it's the difference between watching a movie with complete focus in a theater versus watching at home in a somewhat distracting environment. However, even setting aside those environmental factors, the truth is that films produced by Netflix have repeatedly failed to meet expectations, leaving me feeling underwhelmed. As a result, even when new films are released, they tend to get pushed to the back of my watchlist.   The movie 'Good News' was also pushed far down my watchlist for those very reasons. With so many interesting dramas and other content to watch recently, it was deprioritized, and I only just recently pressed play. Now that I've finished the film, I'm struck by two facts, along with the regret of not having watched it sooner. First, that this movie is based on an unbelievable "true story," and second, that this was the most en...

The provocative tagline attached to the movie <First Ride>—"If you laugh watching this movie, you're certified foolish!"—throws down a gauntlet to the audience. If a film presents itself as a comedy, the core measure of its success is whether it makes you laugh. Content is important, but laughter is what validates the reason for watching. In that respect, <First Ride> was a success, as it made me laugh out loud several times throughout the screening.   However, this film doesn't stop at being a simple, one-dimensional comedy aiming only for laughs. As the movie begins, you quickly realize that while it is a delightful comedy, it is also a 'youth film' capturing a clumsy and shining page from one's younger days. The film kicks off with a unique narration where the protagonists refer to themselves as 'fools.' The identity of this narrator is a small mystery at the start. One of the first characters to appear is actress Kim Ha-neul, but th...

 The Story of Manager Kim, a Dae-Gyeob Employee with His Own Home in Seoul, a drama adaptation of the bestselling novel whose title alone stimulates the realities and desires of countless office workers of this era, has finally reached viewers. In recent years, in a market dominated by dramas based on webtoons or web novels, the emergence of a drama based on a hit novel, armed with a solid narrative and relatable realism, has garnered significant anticipation. This work delves into the ecosystem of modern office workers through symbolic keywords that represent the pinnacle of success for some and a goal to be achieved for others: "owning my own home in Seoul" and "a manager at a large corporation (Dae-Gyeob)." The origin story of the original novel is quite unique. The story began when author 'Song Hee-gu' started serializing it on his personal blog during the period when the real estate market in South Korea was at its hottest. This writing, which contained...