What’s Up, Final Thoughts

By jennyukari

I didn’t screencap this drama only because I watched it through Dramafever instead of downloading it. Out of all the music-themed dramas I’ve seen so far though (Dream High, You’ve Fallen For Me…), “What’s Up” definitely had the best music which is kind of important in a music-themed drama.  Check out the duet between Park Tae Hee (Kim Ji Won) and Kim Byung Gun (Jo Jung Suk) above.  It was goosebumps all over for me. That being said, I have mixed feelings regarding all the other aspects of this show.

I think the problem I have with this show is that it spreads itself too thin. There were too many things going on and in the end, it had a hard time tying all the storylines up.  It’s not the unknown that’s unsettling, it’s that the show ended so abruptly making it feel unfinished.  

There’s Jang Jae Hun (Im Joo Hwan)’s struggle with his conscience over the death of Tae Hee’s father while trying to put his juvenile delinquent days behind him.  There’s the awkward romantic relationship that develops between the two. One feels guilty for his past misdeeds, pushing the other away.  The other feels it’s her fault that no in her life sticks around for too long.  Then there’s Tae Hee’s clash with the cut-throat world of the entertainment industry. It was like watching a baby duck being thrown into a big bad ocean.

There’s Professor Sun Woo (Oh Man Seok), a former musical actor who’s killing himself (for real) with alcohol over the death of his girlfriend… There’s Professor Yang (Kim Mi Kyung) who didn’t have enough talent to make it to the top and thus, has testy relationship with our other Professor.

There’s Oh Doo Ri (Im Joo Eun), who goes to college to escape her overbearing mother who treats her like a porcelain doll when all she wants is to play computer games and rock out on the drums.  She falls for Professor Sun Woo. Complications ensue.  

There’s Ha Do Sung (Kang Dae Sung) who hides behind a mask as “Hades,” a genius musician but also a secret illegitimate child, protecting his mother’s rise in politics. He struggles with wanting to be in the spotlight (because as a musician, that’s who he is) and trying to run from it at the same time.  Then there’s Eun Chae Young (Jang Hee Jin), a B-list actress who uses her skills of manipulation instead of actual talent to keep the spotlight shining on her.

There’s Byung Gun (Jung Suk) a musical buff with a monster of a voice but the worst case of stage fright I’ve ever seen in a character… where he can’t even sing offstage.  Only alone.  By himself.  Then there’s Lee Soo Bin (Lee Soo Hyuk), Byung Gun’s roommate who, actually doesn’t seem to have any problems since he’s a famous genius song composer… except he’s the biggest slob you’ll ever meet.  

Finally, we have a ghost in a red-tracksuit who just shows up on-campus at all the pivotal moments in the show.  He’s kind a like a guardian angel of sorts even if he doesn’t look like one.

Whew!  That was exhausting.  Do you see what I mean?  There’s too much story going on… so despite the spot-on acting, I had trouble developing a consistent connection with any of the characters because I didn’t know where to focus my energies on.  Good acting, too much story.  It’s like a reversal of “You’ve Fallen For Me’s” problems which were bad acting and not enough story.  Most of these storylines were/were potentially heavyweight material.  Like Ha Do Sung’s, for example, which was never fully explored like it should have been, getting swept under the rug instead.  So by trying to cover everything, I feel like this show only showed us the tip of the iceberg.  This is a show that could totally use a second season which, unfortunately isn’t going to happen.  I wouldn’t warn people away from this drama because it has moments of greatness and a wonderful cast of characters.  But the parts are greater than it’s sum.