Twinkling Watermelon | From a K- Drama Lover’s Perspective

Hello @thekoreanhanami Readers!

Still struggling to overcome the denial phase of BTS Military Enlistment? Well, No worries because South Korea is all set to fill up the void with some intriguing K-Drama pieces.

This year the Hallyu Industry took the challenge to blend Rom Coms with Time Travel and needless to say that the whole Entertainment Industry did gifted us with some memorable classics.

Amongst ‘A Time Called You’, ‘See You In My 19th Life’ and not to forget the evergreen critical German masterpiece ‘Dark’, one time travel drama that tugged the strings of my heart is ‘Twinkling Watermelon’.

If you are into coming of age rom-com series that must have a strong storyline revolving around family and friends, then look no further because ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ is the K-drama that is destined to become your new favorite.

Recently aired on tvN. It has received IMDB 9.2 rating packed with a budding fan base and skilled K-artists.

Growing up, we all wanted to shine brightly, follow our hearts and do the things we love to do without worrying. Some of us have already passed that time and as per my notion, few might regret not being brave enough to take the desirable step.

But, we can’t fix the decisions we made by regretting now, we can’t go back in time and change it completely. Can we? Yet we are living, trying to build new dreams while struggling to meet the dead ends. Some of us have figured out finally and some are still caught up in the chase. Some are waiting for their turn that will make their life golden, while some are happy with the little surprises that life gifted to them.

As long as we live, the one of a kind wishes and demands of ours will never cease but Hallyu Industry knows how to take cues and create pieces that can make their audiences’ hearts flutter while drawing smiles on every face.

Twinkling Watermelon, a K-drama focusing on the problems of youth, young dreams and the struggles you deal in real life. Centered on the family of Ha Eun Gyeol (Ryeoun), an 18 years old school student. He played the role of a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), the only member of the family who could enjoy sound.

The story unfolds by portraying his family who makes their living by working in a restaurant while facing a lot of unwelcoming circumstances in their daily life. The protagonist Ha Eun Gyeol was a responsible boy, a model student and a low-key music enthusiast.

Due to an unfamiliar encounter in 2023 he landed in the year 1995, when his dad was 18 years old. There, he learnt that in the past his dad could hear and wanted to make a band and do music as living. So, Ha Eun Gyeol decided and took the responsibility to stop his dad from getting into any accidents as a prevention to escape his current deaf condition.

He befriends his dad and stays glued to him. At first, he helped his dad to form a school boy band and then fixed the absurd band name to ‘Watermelon Sugar.’ 

‘Not going to provide spoilers! Watch the series to learn their hilarious former band’s name.’

In the meantime, Ha Eun also meets with his mom and slowly keeps learning about her dark past which she had never shared with anyone. He wanted to help his mom and rescue her from the gloominess that her dark past bestowed upon her and being an idol son, he did succeed in putting a smile on his pretty mother’s lips. 

The series also portrays the life of another time traveler On Eun Yu (Seol In Ah) from 2023, who plays the role of a disguised person trying to find her mother’s first love. Ha Eun and Eun Yu paths crossed and they found their hearts tied up with each other, thinking that they have fallen in love with an Ajumma and an Ajussi respectively (difficult to accept right!).

Their budding love complicates things between the whole group which intentionally and unintentionally changes the past altering the current reality. After spending two months in the year 1995, when the two time travelers returned back to 2023 they were shocked to learn about the present scene.

A lot of bad old memories got replaced by new happy ones. The present life seems more content and joyful even if the changes they made were subtle and can be termed as unseen.

The most baffling thing which kept me up all night was Eun Gyeol and Eun Yu had 18 years memories of people, places, conversations and moments before they went to 1995 from 2023 yet when they returned from 1995 to 2023 everything transformed. 

In my opinion, all the things that changed it does not imply that their old memories (their pain, grief, happiness, people, dialogues, feelings etc. ) of 18 years, which they lived, have been erased. 

Moreover, new memories have been made (while they were changing the past, at the same time new present moments also get created), that only these two individuals couldn’t witness.

It is a bit difficult to comprehend and to think it in a realistic way that how someone can be in the present while he was actually in the past! Nevermind, it was a fantasy drama. A drama worth watching. So don’t overthink!

Talking about my personal views on this drama, it gave me more reasons to love our dear ones and hold them closer to our heart.

Everybody has a past from which they want to run away or find ways to overcome it completely and I just want to remind you all to never lose hope. There are always ways that will be unlocked if you keep faith. 

Overall for me as an avid K-drama lover, The K drama series ‘Twinkling Watermelon’ casted warmth over the wintry winds, showcasing soft character sketches, enticing dialogues, soulful OSTs and heart melting scenes and with that being said ‘Let the spring of your youth be more sparkling and colorful. Live it to the fullest.’

Bye!

Check Out : Evergreen K- Dramas that will make your 2023 Memorable