twinkling watermelon | k-drama book and playlist recommendation

by - February 24, 2024

 


Well damn hello I am alive again! We’re going to ignore the fact that I have been dead for 2 months and that I’m hella behind on my reading goal and instead talk about a drama that I just binged over break! This drama literally broke me; like quite sobs broke me and now I’m never recovering thanks!!! I don’t think I’ve written a k-drama review for at least over a year now (hi editor yienne here. i checked and the one and only kdrama review i wrote was in 2022 so this is actually pretty accurate and depressing but hey at least i’m writing one now!) but I’m coming back stronger than ever with this freaking adorable kdrama that honestly made me feel more single than ever. I am not quite over my post drama depression yet but I figured that since literally 2 months have passed into the year, I should probably alive myself on my blog and write a review. With that being said, grab some boba and let’s pair up the beloved cast of Twinkling Watermelon with some books and a song!

TWINKLING WATERMELON follows a music-loving high school student who is mysteriously transported back to the 1990s . There, he finds himself befriending his future father. They two play in a high school band, but their relationship is complicated when our hero's father starts crushing on a girl that's so not his future mother and he must figure out a way to ensure his future by fixing the past.

ha eun-gyeol:
when we were infinite by kelly loy gilbert 
+
god of music by seventeen 

     Welcome our protagonist Ha Eun-gyeol! A child of deaf parents and the only one who can hear within his family, Eun-gyeol becomes his families bridge to the rest of the world. A model student by day but unable to give up his passion of music, he joins a band at night without telling his parents. Under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself suddenly transported back to 1995 and runs into his father from when he was 18 years old. From there onwards comes a beautiful coming of age story full of tears, laughter, and many beautiful memories. I actually had a hard time pairing him up with a book and song to be honest but I eventually settled with the equally beautifully written novel When We Were Infinite. I think Eun-gyeol will find his desires rather similar to Beth’s as both navigate a difficult time in life caught at crossroads of some sort regarding music. As for God of Music, you know I can never turn down a Seventeen banger so obviously it seemed like the guitar prodigy was fitting for this song. God of Music showcases the unity music can bring to people and I think that’s a beautiful message that Eun-gyeol would definitely agree with. 



ha yi-chan: 
the queens of new york by e.l. shen
+
here's to never growing up by avril lavigne 

     My personal favorite thing about teenage Ha Yi-chan is how accurate the drama was able to portray him and the contrast from what we see of him as an serious adult to a carefree teenager back in his youth. Although perhaps the largest surprise to his son from the future is that his teenage father is crushing on someone who is 100% not his mother. Yi-chan’s portrayal of youth and wanting to “twinkle” in his last years match perfectly with the absolute banger that is Here’s to Never Growing Up by Avril Lavigne. A childhood classic brought back to life by a lively youth who wants nothing more but to stay in this bliss forever. As for The Queens of New York, I honestly think that Yi-chan who I suspect hates reading (except to learn some sign language hehehe) might just find the overall story of Queens of New York warming. The hardships Jia, Everette, and Ariel go through are challenging but they find out that they’re stronger together and I think that’s the message that Yi-chan needs to hear in the end of the drama. Yi-chan’s character growth is no joke people and I absolutely loved watching it. He’d absolutely be cheering to never grow up for as long as he possibly can. 



yoon cheong-ah: 
starfish by akemi dawn bowman
+
enchanted by taylor swift 

     I honestly adored the way Cheong-ah was still so expressive and her ability to convey her feelings through her expressions throughout the drama so now I’m certain that she and Yi-chan have become one of my favorite power couples of all time. Also I will shamelessly admit that I have watched way too many FMV of Cheong-ah and Yi-chan to the point where the ones with Enchanted by Taylor Swift caught my eye. Apparently its decided that this song will be her and Yi-chan’s song which low key makes a lot of sense. Meeting Yi-chan changed Cheong-ah’s life. She tried to get out of the way knowing that he liked someone else but what she didn’t realize is that he had fallen for her instead. Her plead of wishing him not falling in love with anyone worked; Yi-chan is absolutely smitten with her and I am all here for it. Excuse while I go cry in a corner about how single I am!!! I do think Cheong-ah would relate to Kiko’s story and find a bit of strength in knowing she isn’t alone; shitty parents shouldn’t be the thing holding you back and you should never let them define who you are. In the end, I was so proud of Cheong-ah’s character growth and who she grew to become. Needless to say, she really was enchanted to meet Yi-chan. 




choi se-keyong: 
everyone wants to know by kelly loy gilbert
+
stronger (sung by dawon & yeonjun) of WJSN

     Se-kyeong was honestly a very complicated character. Snobby and rude but also caring and kindhearted. I can’t say too much without spoiling but she is definitely a character I grew to love as the drama progressed. I think that the emotional rollercoaster of a book Everyone Wants to Know would resonate with Se-kyeong a lot. Both Honor and Se-keyong have shitty parents who put their children on display as their own trophy but disregarding the whole human whom they’re parading. Se-keyong would definitely connect with Honor as a character and hopefully realize that she has the ability to change her life for the better. As for the depressingly beautiful ballad, I think the overall message of overcoming a difficult time in life would be something that Se-kyeong will find solace in.



And that’s a wrap! I honestly adored every single one of the cast members but the main four are the only ones I’m covering today; partly because I don’t think I read enough for the remaining band members. I grew to fall in love with the drama with every episode I binged. The character growth between the main cast, story dynamic, and overall portrayal of the importance family and identity could not have been done better. Seriously, this romance was so freaking perfect and I think Yi-chan and Cheong-ah have become one of my new favorite power couples. I didn’t particularly love the ending if I’m being honest considering if felt like the ending was cut short and there wasn’t a chance to explore what happened afterwards to some of the characters which was kind of lacking. Nonetheless, I still adored this drama with all my heart and I don’t think I’m recovering from my post drama feels for a long longg time <3

FINAL RATING: 

who's your favorite k-drama power couple?












You May Also Like

0 comments

FOLLOW ME @INSTAGRAM

Created with by BeautyTemplates | Distributed by blogger templates