Drinking Solo (Let's Drink) #review

혼술남녀

Genre -  Romance, Comedy, Food
Writer -  Myung Soo hyun
Network -  tvN
Episodes -  16
Released -  2016,  Sept - Oct

    

CAST

PLOT

At a private institute for people preparing for their civil service exams in Noryangjin, Seoul, South Korea, the teachers, students, and staff like to drink after work, alone or otherwise. Story depicts these people and the romance between Jung suk (Ha Seok jin) and Ha na (Park Ha sun). 

REVIEW

If anyone had bet me I would like this one, I would have laughed and laughed . . . then bet them double I wouldn't.

They would also be in the money right now.

Who in the world could predict that a 16-episode K-Do about alcohol consumption would be this hilarious, this interesting, and this memorable?

From start to finish, Solo had me entertained while laughing my ass off, and I'm still amazed I'm able to admit such a thing.

5-stars because I know for a fact I'll be re-watching this time after time, too.

Key's breakout debut was pure magic.

Key as Kim Ki bum

Dude ran with this one out of the gate and straight to the finish line without a single hitch, so to say he's multi-talented is putting it mildly.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

This is about more than just drinking (or drinking solo).

The story revolves around a few educators and a few of their students at a posh Prep School for people interested in taking the Civil Service entrance exams and their various life-happens along the way.

Jin Jung suk is an elite educator making six figures and calling more shots than the guy who runs the place.

He's self-absorbed, fastidious, and boring while also being handsome in a very Ken doll kind of way and garnering a major portion of the attendance in each of his classes.

Park Ha na is the exact opposite, of course, and comes from humble beginnings, working part-time through a lesser college as a tutor who ends up becoming an educator at this Posh cram school.

So, Polly Pureheart and Mr. Stuffy don't see eye to eye and don't get along at the start, but she's interested and he's fighting it.

Meanwhile, there are three students who hang out together since they've known one another as children: the eldest student keeps failing the exam while the other two slackers continue to goof off, have fun, and dog the third guy about cutting loose from his study habits.

A 4th student is a pretty girl who has a bad attitude (shocker, eh?) who snubs all the guys who keep trying to get her attention.

Dong young lost his girlfriend and is in a slump, Kim bum comes from wealth and can't concentrate long enough to get any studying done while Gong myung is crushing on his teacher, Ha na.

But Gong myung's older brother, Jung suk, also has a thing for Ha na and so there is a love triangle that actually turns into a love rectangle that is brilliantly dissected by Dong young, who films classes as an aleubaiteu.

In a majority of the episodes, we usually start out watching as Jung suk dines alone in some bar or restaurant, and while he's repeating the same lines about why he enjoys drinking solo, we are left to drool over whatever meal it is he's about to feast on -- hence the FOOD aspect of this drama.

Made me very hungry watching this one, so be prepared.

My only complaint is that I didn't quite feel it for the two leads and their resulting relationship.

The Romance story was great, believable, and worth rooting for, but The chemistry wasn't all the way there, I don't think.

She's cute and all, but some of her facial expressions were too weird or embarrassing to ignore.

Not sure I like her.

Han Seok jin is having a banner year, and I'm not done watching Something About 1% yet, but he's doing fantastic in that one, too.

Hope I'm able to watch his 2016 Movie (Like for Likes) as well.

It has to be difficult to play duel roles, but Korean men seem to have a knack for it.

He comes off as a stuffy bitch as easily and with as much believable as he does a sweetheart who is desperate to learn in order to grow.

Key's Ki bum had to do the same thing in his role, but his was more obvious even if he spent a majority of onscreen time snarking at and belittling his secret crush (which, by the way, was a major reason why Drinking Solo was so funny).

SECOND LEAD SYNDROME

No.

But, I have to say that the 5urprise member worked his magic to make me second-guess myself a few times.

Yeah, he's worth it but...

Now, Min Jin woong's character is a different story.

As bumbling an ass as he portrayed, there was just no way I could ignore him or wish he'd stop with the ridiculous impersonations he came up with as a way to entertain his dwindling number of students.

He's just such an adorable guy, what's not to like even if he's being a huge ass?

Min Jin woong

His story was a build-up I could see coming, but when it did arrive, it wasn't difficult to shed tears and pout at the screen.

So, when the inevitable eventually does occur, it was Hurray! time for me.

Damn he's cute and was adorably so in Drinking Solo -- and is a big reason why I won't mind watching this one again.

To recap, this isn't about Solo Drinking or Drinking Solo or students wanting to pass a Civil Service Exam.

This is a story about people intertwined under the same roof who must co-exist, get along, and work things out while enjoying a refreshing cold one every now and then.

Love, Lies, Misconceptions, and Attitude that all need fixing and readjusting in order for things to work out better for them.

BRAVO on a job well done.

(do-do mani-pani cho-co-lah!) can't get the theme song out of me head!