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Please watch this trailer to get the gist of the drama.
Interesting, right?
N.B.: The usage of the word “bromance” will send your post to the “To be moderated” pile. 😈
Enjoy the show!
29 Comments On “Twinkling Watermelon: Open Thread”
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Thanks @pkml3! LOL the trailer made it look like a comedy. I did not watch it until now. I simply went in to see how it ‘felt’ and decided to give it a go. I can’t say it’s a comedy… more a coming-of-age warm, brotherly/family drama with angst and sweet parts.
The tone may shift when we are in 1995. I’m looking for character development, self-actualisation, and greater mutual understanding when we come back to the present.
I’m interested to see sign language here after watching the jdorama, ‘Silent’. They look more different than similar at the moment.
Aside from recognizing a few names/faces in the cast list, I went into this show blind. The time jump was a fun surprise. I was already interested in the different storylines then the connection between them was revealed and it set the hook in me. I’m eagerly awaiting the next episodes to see how all the pieces moved around to get to present day.
I’m assuming the lady who gave Eun Gyul the guitar is the grown up version of the girl who played the cello in the past. I think she said something about moving to the states after/during high school, so I wonder how that fits into his parents love story. Did she leave before or after his dad became deaf. Did he fall in love with the deaf art student (I’m assuming his mother) before or after she left? before or after he lost his own hearing ability?
Now that he’s in the past, is he there to stay or will he go back and forth between timelines? Will he fall in love with the daughter who saw him cry outside the music store when he was younger and who was practicing/rebelling in the other room while her mother gave him the guitar? Will she look exactly like her mother did in the past? I could check the cast list names and answer a few of those questions but that feels a bit like cheating.
It was nice to see his relationship with his brother was pleasant and not filled with bitterness.
I liked how the instructor explained playing the guitar is speaking to it with your hands, its own sign language.
Bonus points to the actors for taking on the roles and learning to sign along with it. I actually think Ryeoun’s acting has improved since he added signing as a layer. In the one other show I’ve seen him act in, I wasn’t impressed because it seemed the widening of his eyes was the only way he could show any change in emotion.
@birdie,
EPISODES 1 & 2
I often prefer to go in blind. I may check on the cast list and the synopsis, but I do not even bother with trailers. If a show is an adaptation of something that’s written or already made, I do not look for the source material. I like to enjoy (or not) a show on its own merits, without comparing.
As you noted, the family relationships are nice. That’s what lured me in to watch.
I have not paid attention to Ryeoun in other shows, but find him good here. As usual, the child actors really won me over first. I’m not bothering about the characters who’s who yet. I need to rewatch slowly to catch all that. I felt that 1995 and present day persons who are different characters may be acted by the same actors, and I guess it’s going to be CONFUSING!!!
Yes, that’s a good description of guitar playing… another form of sign language but with the musical instrument.
I agree that I marvel at how much preparation the actors go through for any job. In this case, they must have spent weeks intensively learning how to sign and practised for hours a day in order to do it so smoothly and quickly.
I was thinking that Korean sign language has larger movements than what I noticed when watching a Jdorama with charcters who were hearing-impaired, and that they may require more energy to sign. I’m also amazed by how our many words can have a shortcut in sign.
I like that Show decided to add the voices to the signed dialogue from time to time. It helps those who cannot be reading all the subtitles all the time.
Aahhh @Birdie and anyone watching… it’s a relief to find a good, quick recap of these 2 episodes in Dramabeans. Saves the time doing a rewatch and explains the past-present characters and relationships. Thanks to Dramaddictally for a great recap!
https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/09/twinkling-watermelon-episodes-1-2/?_kx=wueU2oBhe2WpR0jpyfnjbbIkY__T0v0agusIwJPh7v99V6UE0HUjZmG43HS-wiy2.MQHthJ
My only complaint so far is that the indie rock band sounds like a generic pop rock band and not very indie…
@Snow Flower, I agree. I’m not sufficiently in the know to tell how one band might be judged against another, or whether they are indie or mainstream in the music they make, but we only got to see the one band and are to be convinced by the actors that it was one that was above the rest.
The takeaway for me from the first two episodes is the discrimination that the disabled suffer, the over-reliance and undue pressure on the hearing child and the blessing of having a good mentor.
@GB, years ago I had a hearing student whose parents were Deaf. When I first met the mom, my first reaction was to ask the student to interpret for me. The mom tactfully asked me (in a handwritten note) not to use her child as an interpreter. I apologized (also in a note), and from then on communicated with the mom using email or writing notes.
I don’t have sufficient knowledge of Deaf culture and people, but I think if Dad lost his hearing as a young adult, he could still speak and be able to write notes.
@Snow Flower, I only got exposed to the hearing impaired in dramas through the jdorama ‘Silent’ and to a very small extent in ‘First Love’. In Silent, the protagonist could have spoken if he wanted to, but chose not to because he found it upsetting to not be able to hear himself speak. He only spoke a little to family and to one friend, but not even to the girl he cared for.
In this show, we are assuming that Dad Yi Chan is on the same timeline as teenager Yi Chan, so he should have been able to speak. We are therefore heading for a lot of angst when he starts to lose his hearing. 🫣 😣
Kalimera Everyone!
I am up to date with the show. I really like it.
I read that some people were confused because from one point onwwards, we were watching the present and the past at the same time.
Hi @Cleo, I’m doing a surface watch, meaning that I may not do any rewatch or take much notes if at all. I did find a bit off-putting, the interspersing of past and present scenes without enough differentiation that we were watching a different time but the same set of people.
The Dramabeans recap sorted that out so I didn’t have to rewatch.
I hope to just watch it without stress as it goes on. These episodes were more serious as set up for the rest of the series, but the trailer made it look comedic, therefore I’m waiting to see the funny parts.
Read you again!
Hello Unnie!
The reason I didn’t confused was because of the colours palette. The present 2023 had more vivid colours, while in the past, in the year 1995 the colours are lighter.
I feel that they are using that colour palette in 1995 for the innocence. Those days faded for the older generation and it is memory like.
I also knew that Choi Hyun Wook will play the younger version of Ha Yi Chan, aka Ha Eun Gyeol’s dad, so I wasn’t confused when I saw how he met Choi Se Kyeong in that gelato shop. I felt like we were watching a glorious moment in the past, that might have become a (sweet) memory for someone.
I hope to read you again too!
Kalimera Everyone,
As it seems in Episode 5 we have a newcomer!
Seol In-A plays a dual role. She plays Choi Se-Kyung in 1995 and her daughter in 2023 that goes back in the past like Ha Eun-Gyeol. We still don’t know her name.
So far, I am not impressed by the daughter. I will wait for tonight’s episode to say more about her.
@Cleo,
It is very likely that the shorthaired Se Kyung is her time traveling daughter. She does not seem nice yet, but she is probably dealing with family problems.
Kalimera @SnowFlower,
I think she definitely is the daughter and not her Eomma / Ahjumma. Her personality is completele different. I understand that she is dealing with family problems as well. But she came with a vengeance and doesn’t care for the consequences of her actions as well. That’s my problem in this one.
I will write some more on another comment for Episode 6, so I don’t talk about the same things twice.
Well, Episode 6.
As I was writing above to @SnowFlower Se Kyeong with the short hair is not Ahjumma herself, but her daughter On Eun Yu impersonating her- thank you MDL for the update!
Master who sent Ha Eun Gyeol back in time, told him, that If he will return in his time right now, then some things will definitely be altered because of his actions.
Well, Master is at fault in the first place, by blaming Eun Gyeol is creating a paradox. The same applies to Se Keyong / Eun Yu, but in this aspect, I feel that she is not listening to him at all. Making her THE variable that changes everything.
So, Eun Gyeol went to that event, because Master told him that he gave him all the hints and came across his mother’s evil step brother. As it seems, Yoon Cheong Ah father sent away her mother kinda like “King The Land” and she is nowhere to be found.
I mean the new wife was her new education teacher? This is a joke of course…
A Teacher who doesn’t know that a deaf person may not speak at all? Especially when Cheong Ah doesn’t listen at all? How is she suppose to mimick “pa” when she doesn’t even hear?
This woman is a bigote and Cheong Ah’s father is not a good person, IF he lets his own biological daughter to be dealt like that.
Deaf persons have as their language the sign language. It is a shame that Cheong Ah is being abused for so many years and noone really cares because they are rich!
I was so disappointed last night, not because these things don’t happen, because some people are really so rotten.
What a show! The most interesting and refreshing drama we are watching this year!
I love their interactions so very much!
Episode 13 made me smile and feel warm inside!
Yes, this show is so beautiful written and portrayed! <3
Am waiting to watch last two episodes and, of course, wondering what ultimately might have changed in 2023 because of the time travel.
Just a few comments for now…I love the youthful exuberance, and emotional honesty of teen age Yi Chan. CHW does great job with this part, and I love his grandmother who provided a sense of family for him. Also appreciate the importance of good parents and family demonstrated in this drama. More than ever, emphasis on their importance needed now for goodness to overcome evil in today’s messed up world.
Waiting patiently for the last episode to air…
*sighs*
Hello Everyone!
Although, I was not that much active on this thread, I enjoyed “Twinkling Watermelon” so very much. It was a coming of age, time travel show that had everything.
The fact that it was talking about a CODA and the relationship that boy had with his parents was so beautiful written and portrayed.
All the cast did an amazing job bringing those characters to life!
I think I feel in love with:
Choi Hyun-Wook and how he portrayed Ha Yi Chan. His loud demeanor was so beautiful written. He was loyal, a good friend with a heart full of gold! (Yes we know him from 25-21, but in this one he truly shined!)
The star of the show: Shin Eun-Soo who played Yoon Chung-A. She was my favorite person from the start. The way she incorportated silence in her acting, it was so beautiful and captivating to see!
Ryeo Un who played Ha Eun-Gyeol. It is hard to be a CODA. Although, it was hard for him. He shined so brightly and loved so intensively his parents and protected them at all costs.
As for Seol In-A, what can we say? She made us get angry with first, and then love her for all that she had to understand and live a shining life too!
I don’t want to forget the “Watermelon Sugar” Gang, nor Yi Chan’s Halmoeni, along with Hyung Lee Suk-Hyeong.
These people found each other in their youth, shined brightly and chose to love, comfort and protect each other!
That is all I have to say for now…
I won’t say goodbye to this show. I think I will return from time to time, to see them again with sparkling eyes!
VIVA LA VIDA!
Here is the OST of the show!
I am so happy that they encorporated the songs within the story!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj-t1LKPAm0
Enjoy!
Viva la Vida indeed, @ Cleopatra! This was a youth drama that managed to stick the landing. It is my favorite drama of 2023 so far.
I have just finished this show. It was so moving!
Beautifully acted and crafted. A drama treat.
Great story telling from start to finish.
The story accentuated rich themes about relationships and aspirations and empowerment, redemption of lives and hope.
It was also very funny at times. It was well paced. Always entertaining, it avoided predictability.
I loved the live music – especially when Ha Eun-Gyeol was discovering and expressing his talent and the 1995 band.
@Cleopatra – I can see why this show has not let you leave it behind yet!
This is really strange. I posted a comment which appeared in this thread and has now disappeared. I’ll see if it reappears before re-drafting anything.
Just to say @Cleo – that I loved this show. I’ll add more later. Very moving final episode.
Oh and now my other comment has re-appeared! The whims of WordPress.
@Cleo, @Kate, @Snowflower, Agreed, this drama was way more than I expected. Many positive things that have already been said here about the actors and the characters they played, the narrative, the music I heartily concur with. Even the balance of romance with life events is just right! One of my favorite characters was Yi Chan’s grandmother who provided the love denied to him by his parents. Scenes containing her were usually very positive and heartwarming, two of the qualities pervading the entire drama. Qualities and behaviors necessary to live a good and meaningful life are what this show is all about.
TW was able to capture the essence of youth and draw me in emotionally. Definitely one of the best K drama endings.
@Lootie Lynn – so agree re the ending! Not a dull moment – and so many realizations for our characters even in that final segment!
Unavoidably moving!
@SnowFlower,
I agree with you! It is on my Top 3 list. It had so many beautiful messages to convey!
@Kate,
I really like it and it kept us company making us remember our youth too!