Diva à Deriva

I just finished watching Castaway Diva and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was especially moved by the performances of Park Eun Bin, Cha Hak Yeon, Chae Jong Hyeop and especially Moon Woo Jin as young Jung Ki Ho. Though the show had some dark moments with vivid portrayals of child abuse, the overall theme was of resilience and hope. The actors were first rate and I was awed again by the talent of Park Eun Bin. She also has a wonderful singing voice. I would like to see her and Cha Hak Yeon in more roles as I think they are very talented actors who become immersed in their parts. I think Kdramas are getting better all the time with quality acting and wonderful and imaginative stories.

It's worth the time. A memorable production is the work of the actors, guided by the director and enhanced by the cameramen, sound engineers and editors, both they and the story. And here, that's what we have. The first episode is a kind of bibimbap, a mixture of fragments, which put me to sleep. Apparently, episode 2 is just as bland... until PARK EUN BIN starts singing. To be honest, I had already given up after the first episode and a half, the time of transmission in Europe contributing to that. After the music appeared on YT, I resumed watching and discovered that what seemed boring at the beginning begins to connect starting with episode 3, scene by scene. In short, the scenario is risky as a format but brilliant in how the crescendo format attracts your interest. After only 6 episodes, although transmitted gradually, 2 episodes per week, it is already in the top 10 worldwide on Netflix, competing with fully released productions. Without being anything ultra-original, it's a good work, for which everyone deserves thanks.

This Korean drama is a story of resilience, hopes, and dreams. It highlights the enduring spirit of a woman who continues to reach for the stars despite the odds. Mixed in are celebrity drama, family conflict, mystery, and doses of rom-com.

The series is the third collaboration of writer Park Hyeryeon and director Oh Choonghwan, after Start-Up and While You Were Sleeping. They masterfully interweave humor with depth of emotion. The female lead, Park Eunbin, of Extraordinary Attorney Woo fame, brings quirkiness and charm, not to mention some impressive singing. The plotline is at times whimsical and imaginative. The visuals, sound, and design are polished, as to be expected from Studio Dragon.

Pacing is dynamic. Each episode generally contains some balance of serious problems and inspiring moments. The writer excels at portraying heartwarming friendships and is known to keep you guessing about who will end up in a relationship with whom. There are mystery elements here, and you're drawn in rooting for their dreams to come true. There is some rewatch value as you can notice the crumbs and intentional miscues throughout the story.

Parts of the first episode could be difficult to watch due to scenes of physical abuse. But I recommend you stick to it to watch a beautiful and inspiring story showcasing the struggle and merits of chasing your dreams and the value of loving family bonds.

This drama was a very interesting experience for me.

Was inspiring, emotional, impactful...

It will move your soul and will make you cry and smile. It will show you the darkest sides of human nature but will be hopeful and will show you the brightest ones as well.

The plots weren't all that, and were a bit lacking somehow but the drama shines through an extraordinary and uplifting script and amazing original soundtrack ( take a moment and read each of the lyrics as well).

The acting of the cast was magnificent, generally the chemistry was great, except for the main couple unfortunately, which I thought they acted more like friends than lovers.

I loved the first few episodes with the emotional and gripping backstory and the two young main leads ( it's shocking how Moon Woo Jin is growing up so much already)

Park Eun Bin owns this unique character showing the wide range of her abilities as an actress playing it and how impressive it is that she is the one actually singing all the songs in the series, what a voice, what a performance.

The acting of Chae Jong Hyeop was great and loved him in a more dramatic role for a change as well, he has the capability of acting by being quiet and just gesturing and gazing, he is such an expressive actor, can't wait what comes next.

If im not giving a higher score is because I believe the series has added too many subplots and elements to the mix that has made it a bit chaotic and didn't leave enough room for some of the main stories to be properly developed. There's a lot of potential in a few storylines that were left almost untouched and that was very frustrating.

Overall it is still a very enjoyable series to watch, with very different genres, no predictable plots or cliches, a lot of good music and a satisfying ending. So watch it, you won't regret it.

This series dropped at the time when I started working for my dream really hard and it is made by my favorite korean director. Is this a coincidence?

Like other series directed by Oh Chung Hwan, 'Castaway Diva' is more than what you see, because it has so much meaning attached to it, and that's why I like him (and the writers he collaborates with) so much.

'Castaway Diva' is not just about a singer chasing her dream, it's a dose of motivation for everyone who dreams of achieving something. Every episode is a lesson, whether it's about career, family or life in general.

Honestly, this drama opened my eyes to many things and made me continue working on my dream with even more passion and dedication.

I think 'Castaway Diva' will remain in my heart along with 'Hotel del Luna' for a very long time, that's why they're the only 10/10 series for me.

Hope everyone reading this review keep working on their dream! I'm sure it will come true one day... in an unexpected way :)