Overall Review:
A short, sweet and easy drama that has everything you’ve wanted and needed. Adorable, well-paced and just perfect in length and execution. Great for those who are seeking for a cute and short rom-com, or for those who want to take a break from some heavy long-term commitment dramas 😉
I am certainly not the first nor the last blogger to rave about how good this drama special was. And yes, of course some points that I’ll go over have probably been talked about before, however I personally believe that this drama deserves proper recognition. It is really quite rare currently to see a K-drama as short as this one yet still so solid, enjoyable and not just loose ends left in the wind; the drama definitely took its disadvantage (length of airing) and turned it into an advantage. Those who are seeking a kdrama special that doesn’t require a huge commitment but is still wanting to watching something great, this may be the one for you. Anyway, before I continue rambling further, let’s get on with this review.
Name: Splash Splash LOVE (퐁당퐁당 LOVE)
Broadcast Dates: December 13th to December 20th 2015
Number of Episodes: 2
Note: Watched it at the end of the year a week after its broadcast but with no regrets. Also, since this drama only has 2 episodes, I will not be writing an “initial impressions” section since I may only be commenting on the first 15 minutes lol
Synopsis (borrowed from wiki-addict):
Dan Bi (Kim Seul-Gi) is a senior high school student who has to take the College Scholastic Ability Test. She gave up studying math due the stress. On the day of the test, she falls into time lapse and landed in Joseon era. Lee Do (Yoon Doo-Joon) is an unstoppable king who puts his efforts in everything because he received the throne at a young age.
Positives:
1. A very well written and paced-out story
To be able to create and tell an entire story, with characters that are fleshed-out and developed in an average length drama seems to be a difficult task for most dramas. Yet, this drama was able to bring us a complete story with greatly developed characters that are likeable as well as a well-paced plot, in just a span of 2 episodes. 2 episodes! Still now I can’t even think of another K-drama special that can compare to this in both length and quality. The last that I can remember to be just as good as this is perhaps White Christmas however it had the luxury of 8 episodes rather than the 2 episode norm we know. This drama just has the perfect pacing in accordance to its drama length, which is such a simple yet rarely seen factor in most dramas nowadays. I still can’t get over the fact about how well paced it is…it’s gonna be a while until I can see a replacement for this drama that is just as good in terms of its set out.
Hehe this scene was quite cute >///<
Not one moment is unimportant and not contributing to the main story. Each scene is used perfectly to not only push the plot along, but to also develop the characters further despite their time restraints. Nothing is extremely cliched, and the story overall is very refreshing to watch since do we rarely see a time-travel/sageuk fusion drama have someone from the present jump into the past. Most recent works are all based around having someone of the past arrive in the present, but rarely ever the opposite. The drama was also well-written in terms of the confusion between terms used in the present and the past, and how the Korean language has morphed and shaped so differently, so much so that misunderstandings occur leading to much confusion between characters (misunderstanding a girl to be an eunuch? LOLOLOLOLOLOL) All in all, in just 2 hours I went through moments of laughing out loud, sobbing my heart out and squealing in glee, and by the end of it all, I knew that I was gonna officially be a total sucker for this drama and our two leads. That is how good this drama is.
2. Fantastic chemistry between our two main leads
Need I say more? Our loving leads are just so cute when together on screen. The vibe that they produce is just so free and effortless and is truly a delight to watch. Clearly they are very comfortable with each other, and yet when moments need to be slightly heated and full of sparks, they are able to produce such moments which sometimes left me breathless.
From our cute dorky two…
To scenes such as this with sparks flying. I mean, just look at those gazes~ *swoon*
Seul Gi as Dan Bi was absolutely adorbs in this drama, which is a very refreshing change from the usual characters she would play. Not only is her acting spot-on, but also the character development she embarks on while trying so hard for the man she wants to help and impress is truly touching. We realise that Dan Bi is strong-willed and is only lost about life understandably because too much is expected of her during a time when anyone would be just as unsure about life as she was.
Seul Gi really shaped Dan Bi and made it her own
Doo Joon as the emperor Lee Do is not only good looking, but also sweet, caring and very multifaceted person. Despite the responsibilities he holds as the Emperor of the nation, we are constantly reminded that he is also a sweet, innocent and dorky boy at heart who is willing to throw everything away for the girl he cares for.
Ahh and our handsome yet loving emperor~ Doo Joon did so well in this production
3. [SPOILER, read at your own risk!] That ending doe….
As much as this embarasses me to admit it, I sobbed over that ending even though I was very well aware that Dan Bi will eventually return to the time where she truly belongs. Through that scene you can see all their longing for each other yet them able to accept that this is the right way for them to part. It was indeed a bittersweet ending that continued to saved itself with the reconnection between Dan Bi’s past and present. I probably couldn’t have asked for a better ending really 🙂
This iconic scene though ❤
Negatives:
Honestly, there was truly none. I did mention in my Year In Review post that there was 1-2 moments that seemed slightly rushed but it’s only due to the obvious time restraints the drama has, rather than a failure in the writing of the story. Apart from that, all I can really complain about is…the length? I know that I’ve mentioned this probably thousands of times throughout this review, but the length of this drama was truly a significant factor. If it was of this great quality and then extended to possibly 8 episodes…omg, I can already imagine it becoming my most favourite drama of all time, truly. But then again, this drama is perfect just that way it is~
Final Rating:
This drama is definitely re-watch content-worthy, and is really an easy pick-me-up drama for anyone is looking for a light-hearted rom-com after encountering with some heavy melodramas, or after an intense drama marathon that’s stolen hours of your time. In the end, this drama was just easy; easy on the eyes and easy on the mind and heart. Not much thought needs to be allocated to the drama, as you easily just hop along for the ride. For me, this was just the perfect drama to end the year with, and to also start the new year with. It really gave me great strength to start the new year fresh, and to really look forward to what 2016 will bring in terms of dramas and entertainment.
Borrowing the rating system from the lovely goddesses of Kdrama reviews themselves Javabeans and Girlfriday, I would rate “Splash Splash LOVE” as:
How much I liked it: 9/10
How good was it objectively: 9/10
Thank you all so much for checking out this much belated review. I was gone for the first week of the year for a mini holiday with the family, and work has been slightly demanding so time has been against me lately. I’m also currently job-hunting for a new job so my mind has been all over the place; I do apologise again. I am gradually catching up on the dramas as well as picking up new ones (Bromance right now is my current addiction…why am I so addicted, why???!) but I just don’t have the heart to finish them; I just don’t want them to finish really. But, I will finish them ASAP and hopefully post up another review by the end of the month (which is only another 3 days I know but…might as well give myself a deadline to work towards right?)
Anyway, I hope you all are having a lovely day/night and I’ll be back soon with hopefully another review! Love you all~
❤ Hyunnie ^^~
Asia Reviewer Maniac 