Review: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

"The stars shall fade away, the sun himself grow dim with age and nature sink in years. But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, unhurt amidst the wars of elements, the wrecks of matter, the crush of worlds." - Joseph Addison

Loosely based from the life of Olympic medalist and weightlifter Jang Mi Ran, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo follows the life of youthful athletes Kim Bok Joo and Jung Joon Hyung and their journey towards love, healing, and self-discovery.

Image via MBC.

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo was one drama that came as a wonderful surprise for me. I initially watched this show with little to no intention of following through. I am not a fan of sports, and I don’t even know Lee Sung Kyung. She didn’t look pretty enough in the teasers either for me to get drawn to the drama straight from the get-go. But Nam Joo Hyuk… he was a part of this, so I had to watch. I had to see if he was doing well. I had to see if he was happy. I had to see him be free of the hurt and the heartbreak that was Scarlet Heart Ryeo, so I watched. I watched… and the rest is history.

❀ RAVES ❀ »•» 

1) Nam Joo Hyuk. Jung Joon Hyung, being the epitome of an ideal boyfriend, is one of the greatest strengths of this show for me. Kudos to Nam Joo Hyuk for bringing to life such an adorable character with his acting. Sure I’ve liked him since Scarlet Heart, but Weightlifting Fairy was a whole new world to showcase his talent and I liked him in that even better. He nailed a sweet, charming, happy and in love role better than he did angsty, which is pretty much evident in his portrayal of Joon Hyung. From the melty gazes down to the abundance of skinship, he embodied Joon Hyung as someone layered and deep; yet at the same time, earnest and with so much heart to boot. He was so full of life and so fun to watch I truly absolutely love him to bits. 

I love Nam Joo Hyuk and his eyes — his expressive eyes that acted along with him, expressive eyes that say a lot even when there’s literally no talking happening. I love his eyes that cried buckets of tears for years of bottled up anger and frustration over a mom who left and came back only to leave him again; that same eyes that held tons of love and unadulterated affection you just can’t help but melt into a big puddle of goo. 

2) Lee Sung Kyung. A snark contrast to her usually pretty self, Lee Sung Kyung as Kim Bok Joo was a breather and a winner in so many aspects. I always say that I absolutely admire actresses who are ready to drop whatever image they have in order for a show to work, because yeah, not everyone is that much keen in deglamourizing themselves. Who would want to look ugly anyway? But Lee Sung Kyung… this girl slayed! I love her for totally owning Kim Bok Joo. She was so immersed into the role I only ever see Bok Joo in her, Bok Joo who was so earnest and swag you just can’t help but root for her. 

Lee Sung Kyung sure is knocking it out as Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. Yet much as I love her doing all those crazy antics and facial expressions, her performance for Episodes 10 and 11 is what I love the most throughout the show. It was heartbreaking to see Bok Joo cry like a mess for having been seen by Jae Yi in her most unwomanly glory. It was all the more heartbreaking when she started to question what weightlifting means to her, believing that she can’t follow her dream of being a weightlifter and be a beautiful woman all at the same time. Despite her physical strength, Bok Joo was so fragile and vulnerable it makes me want to go past the screen and hug her and tell her it’s all going to be okay. Shoutout to Lee Sung Kyung for delivering such scenes poignantly well.

3) The Chemistry. Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung as sole entities is already a winner in so many aspects. Put them both together? Ha. What we get is a shoot-to-the-sky chemistry I am left speechless, totally lost for words. Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung complement each other so well I absolutely think Weightlifting Fairy never would have worked had it been anybody else. Like seriously. They look so effortlessly natural and comfortable together this OTP is to die for! I never really expected their chemistry to shoot up as high as this, but it did… and now I find myself among the puddle of fangirls who wish they would end up dating for real. I don’t know, but there’s just something magical about Weightlifting Fairy and their roles that make them so adorable to watch. In fact, I can go on and watch Bok Joo and Joon Hyung bicker and be in love the whole day and not get the least bored. Teehee.

4) Bok Joo and Joon Hyung’s Relationship. I love the connection there is between Bok Joo and Joon Hyung. From frenemies to real bffs down to being a ball of sunshine lovers, they had this special bond between them that just cannot be easily broken off. Bok Joo and Joon Hyung is the embodiment of relationship goals. They understand each other so well, they respect each other’s differences and they encourage one another when encouragement is needed the most. I love the affection there is in the way they interact, something evident even if no words were actually said between the two of them. I love that the appreciation they have for each other was so deep it doesn’t matter if they were in a relationship or not, because you know they’ll be there for each other no matter what. But of course I love that they ended up together. And I love that what they have and what they share stemmed from them being the best of friends, because that makes the romance all the more work.

There was a time when Bok Joo got mad at Joon Hyung for being too friendly with his ex and calling her a pig. She was so adamant on not speaking with Joon Hyung, but even if that was the case, Joon Hyung’s first concern was still to take care of her. So when the weightlifting team insisted on staging an outdoor hunger strike in the middle of winter, there he was, bringing her heat patches and warm clothes. Even if Bok Joo was mad and things weren’t really going well between them, Bok Joo was still his first priority. He loves her and shows that even if she was pushing him away, and I just melt.

5) Realistic Plot. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is one ordinary show that is rooted from relatable characters and true to life events. It may not have a contrived plot, makjang of all sorts or conflicts that get milked dry for all its worth, yet it works. Despite all of its ordinariness, it just works. Weightlifting Fairy really made me think fondly of all those youthful days and hopes for the future, and the only drama that had ever made me feel such was Reply 1997. Everything about this show has been so genuine and moving it never failed to get me and warm my heart.

6) Attention to Detail. I am so, so glad that quality never got sacrificed for Weightlifting Fairy despite the low ratings and lukewarm response of people because of Legend of the Blue Sea. What started strong ended just as strong, and I love that up until the end, Bok Joo never became a lesser version of herself. I’ve seen a lot of dramas where the female lead starts off spunky and strong only to lose much of who she is either from love, pain or other life experiences (hello, Arang); and it was gratifying to see Bok Joo line up among the very few exceptions. I love how the ending mirrored what has been initially marketed in the promotional teasers, and seeing characters actually pay for their bills and get their things when they storm off of restaurants is a breath of fresh air I’d never, ever get tired off. Kudos, team!

❀ RANTS ❀ »•» 

1) Jae Yi. I find Jae Yi sort of annoying. I know he isn’t a bad guy, but more often than not he is someone excessively nice for his own good. Yes he is kind and sweet, but his consideration is sort of insensitive at times it does more harm than good. I know he might just be after what he thinks is the best for the other person, but he fails to perceive that too much consideration despite good intentions can distance people than bring them closer; and I hate him for that.  

❀ RULING ❀ »•» 

All in all, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is one of those rare dramas that have a sparkle that just never fades. It is one of those shows that would leave your heart full from start to finish, a feel good journey that will always remind you of the marvels of youth—a time, that as Bok Joo puts, is all the more beautiful because it’s awkward and clumsy. It is a time that sparkles brightly, a time when you’re not afraid of anything because you have nothing to lose, and you’re excited because you can have anything and everything. And though you’re still uneasy and nervous, it is a time when you are perfect, without needing anything else.

TAGS: K-Drama, K-Drama Reviews, Lee Sung Kyung, Nam Joo Hyuk, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo   Edit