Although I Am Not a Hero (2024)

A quirky tale of destiny and self-acceptance

It's too early for me to say 'The Atypical Family' is the drama of the year, but let me just say it's definitely a contender!

Full transparency as someone who watches well over a dozen dramas per month: I thought about possibly holding off on watching this drama until it aired all the episodes. I wasn't really sold on the premise after the second episode and some of the characters kind of annoyed me.

So fast forward to now (writing this review on June 9th finale day) and I'm so glad I didn't listen to that tiny voice in my head telling me to drop it faster than other dramas! So what got me to change my mind so quickly? Well firstly, it's the cinematography that kept me seated. Then came the story. Next was the performances. Last was the music.

What I like to do with reviews is give you a spoiler-lite breakdown of things to look for, standout moments and or performances and just simple reasons to give this drama a chance (or drop it if it doesn't sound worth your time):

Is there romance? Oh yes! It takes a little to while to get things started but once you get to around episode 6ish, you'll likely be all-in for the leads to get together!

Is the story good? Yes. An absolute masterpiece? Maybe for some. For me, it was pretty good. I was kind of impressed that in just 12 episodes there was enough to keep me looking forward to watching week after week. The A plot revolves around time travel and romance. The B plot follows each character as they come to terms with their powers and the wild antics of the con artist family. Both plots seamlessly intertwine from the first episode to the last. As far as pacing is concerned, I'd say things might feel rushed on episode 12. They had to wrap up all the loose threads in the roughly 1 hour episode so it's natural to feel things happened too fast. Thankfully there weren't many loose threads.

How were the performances? In short: flawless. Every actor put on a stellar performance. My personal favorites were Jang Ki Yong as Bok Gwi Ju, Chun Woo-hee as Do Da Hae and Park So Yi as Bok I Na. If you're like me and can't really remember a memorable role of actor Jang Ki Yong, then he'll definitely be memorable in this drama! Man, something about him crying makes you breakdown and cry too. He put so much emotion into the role. Same with the talented Chun Woo-hee. She nails her role as a con artist looking to escape her horrible life. Lastly, 12 year-old Park So Yi will win you over from the very first scene she's in. She's so talented!

Other things to note:

There's a "sudden" shift in personality for the big bad of the story that might confuse you. You can chalk this up to the character not getting enough screen time or rather the writer not delving into the motivations behind the character. If this drama was 16 episodes the characters turn to the side of light might not be so jarring. With that said, them not being fleshed out doesn't take away from their great performance.

There are plenty of "girl power" moments if you love seeing women treating a terrible character like the trash that he is.

The soundtrack grows on you!

Kim Su Hyun in a fat suit was a choice. I wasn't liking it at first but the characters journey to self-acceptance made me forget about it.

If you're patient enough (something I initially lacked in the beginning) to hop on this emotional ride, I promise you won't regret it! Who knows, by the end of it, you might turn into an emotional mess like me!

Leia Mais

Truly a masterpiece✨

I started this drama, without knowing the cast but my friend urged me so I thought I would give this a try? This drama started of great, original plot/storyline of the exception of superpower ofc but the cast was amazing in terms of acting and how the characters have their own little story. From their hear-fluttering love story (ML and FL) and their ever so touching brother-sister relarionship this drama stole my heart. I absolute,y loved the ML just seeing him made me feel butterflies in my stomach, which I haven't felt for long and truly loved this drama and hope more drama like this come an original plot, with a captivating cast. Please do give it a try, even tho the romance mah be slow they did make up for it with some cute scenes and it felt like they were a newly married couple every time they were together?? An absolute MASTERPIECE is what this is I got no words!...
The ML, FL, ML sister and ofc ML's daughter truly stole the show for me??
Will miss the drama ever so much dojwu??
PS:I only rated it 9.5 rewatch value cause it made me cry too much?
The ending was so unexpexted

Leia Mais

I LOVED THIS

AHHHHHH its 5 am and i just finished the last episode. SOOOO FUCKING GOOOD!!!!!!!! oh my lordy. like UGH. the FOUND FAMILY. how much the main guy loves the main girl. THE SUPERPOWERS. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT???!?!?? WQHTA1!!!?/ oh my god. so much to say about this. ugh. INA AND HER DAD'S REALTIONSHIP-- legit had me sobbing left and right ina deserves the best ughhhh.../ and oml the main guy is my MANNN he is so sexy. ugh. him in his emo era really had me ovulating. ught then also the main girl and how she was a scammer but then not really. AND THEIR BABY AT THE END BRINGING BACK THE DADDDD STOP!!!!!!!! ugh that was such a good ending i didnt even think about that possibility. thought hed just die. i also like how the mom's powers arent everything that it seems. ALSO the sister and the uncle's realtionship is sooo cute stfu. AND INA AND HER BF. STOP . i remmeber watchign that actor playing baby roles... hes so big now wtf. UGHHHHHH how i loveeee this show. when they all came to ina's performance. stfu. also loved how much the main guy LOOOVVVEED the main girl.

some criticism: the music sometimes did NOT match the vibe at all.. like it was a funny lighthearted song for their emo wedding??? idk hard to explain.

BUT UGHHH
im so emo after that... it was so good sthkasjdfhklajsdhfkl i hope there will be a season 2!!!!! how cute are theyyy. their son brought him back i canttttttttt :(

Leia Mais

messed up storyline -contains spoiler

allthough the whole show is binge watch type of show and you do get curious about what going to happen next but they messed up the timeline, making a show with time travel capabilities one is suppose to be very cautious abt it but here alot of time travelling doesn't add up , cuz then it open a new timeline in which the story is continuing. here when he tells Do dadae abt his daughter's location and his sisters location, he wouldn't have known it if not for someone who told him but if they did, someone from other timeline is suppose to inform him. It's just too messed up , the chemestry between his daughter was left hanging. the ending was forced to closed with no closure as such just that he came back.

Leia Mais

It's masterpiece? Or really different show than anyother drama exist

If you love show in slow but steady and really go and add artistry to fantasy story. You should check it out.
Now my thoughts,
I am really confused because show is so good and different still it's not a masterpiece becomes it had some problems with the character execution yet it is really worked will because it's so different from any kdrama ? or kdrama I watched so it can't be compared to that.
It's like mixing fantasy with artistry of melodrama visual and music. It's so wierd and slow but it got that done in perfect manner show successfully completed it greater end.
I would say show is really slow beginning and catch a phase but still go slow ? it never run. For me it's good and i love it. Not everyone will.

Leia Mais

"Atypical Family" captivated me in a way few shows have. Initially dismissing it as another run-of-the-mill superhero series, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a drama that subverts expectations at every turn. The family depicted may appear conventional, but their story is anything but. This show introduces fresh concepts and paradigm shifts that keep the narrative unpredictable and engaging.

The characters are complex and break away from traditional roles. The female lead, far from being a typical damsel, demonstrates strength and resilience, while the male lead's unique powers add an intriguing twist to the story. The show masterfully combines suspense with a therapeutic narrative, ensuring that viewers are kept on edge until the very last moment of the final episode.

What started as a casual viewing experience quickly turned into an immersive journey. The seamless incorporation of time-travel, a notoriously difficult plot device, showcases the brilliance of the writing. The direction complements the script perfectly, with a melancholic yet captivating vibe and an outstanding soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.

Each episode surpasses the last, driven by stellar performances, particularly from the female lead. Her emotional depth and beauty make her scenes particularly impactful. Despite its quality, "Atypical Family" remains underappreciated, possibly due to its appeal to a more mature audience.

In essence, "Atypical Family" is a groundbreaking series that defies stereotypes and sets new standards in storytelling. It is a must-watch for anyone seeking a drama that is refreshingly different and profoundly moving.

Leia Mais

GIVE ME MORE!!!

I started Atypical Family on a whim because it had been a while since I watched (enjoyed) Kiyeong's project and omg! The drama made me cry, it made me laugh, and it gave me found family and father-daughter healed relation what more to ask for other than why the heck would you make this only 12 episodes long??? give me ATLEAST 16 episodes like?? It's not like they lacked any material to make it a 16 episodes drama, if I remember correctly the same thing happened with Kiyeong's previous project too "Kill It" where the story had potential but was wrapped up in 12 episodes! ALSO CHUN WOOHEE YOURE SO LOVED<3

Leia Mais

Inizialmente l'ho guardato perchè mi teneva tanta compagnia e perchè alcuni personaggi all'interno della storia mi parevano interessanti. Alla fine salvo solo Bok Ina e la sorella di ML: entrambe hanno dei traumi e delle paure da affrontare che vengono ben approfondite e ho apprezzato come sono state portate alla conclusione. Gli altri personaggi sono molto dimenticabili. Il padre di ML non ha nemmeno un vero spazio poichè la sua funzione gira sempre intorno alla moglie e madre di ML. Lei poteva essere bella ma viene incasellata nel ruolo di suocera fastidiosa e altezzosa. FL inizialmente mi aveva convinta ma con l'andare avanti mi sono resa conto che gli unici momenti che rendeva rilevanti erano quelli che passava con la figlia di ML. Per quanto riguarda lei, la sua storia mi è piaciuta, il suo trauma che non le permette di guardare con sincerità gli altri.. Boccio però la sua storia d'amore perchè davvero troppo abbozzata: si poteva fare di più. ML penso sia il peggiore di tutti. Va bene il trauma, la depressione, l'alcolismo.. Ma non puoi rimanere uguale per tutta la storia! Oke, sorride, ma non vedo un vero cambiamento in lui. Non mi ha convinta.
La storia parte come sempre bene per poi avere alti e bassi ma nulla di tutto ciò mi ha fatta innamorare. Carino ma nulla più. Stendiamo un velo pietoso sull'ultimo episodio e soprattutto sulla chiusura del drama. Tutto potevano fare, tutto. Ma così tagliato proprio no.

Leia Mais

my opinion (contains spoilers)

im writing this review so you can judge if it is worth watching (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
in the beggining this drama was really cute, as it was focused in the family relationships and the romance between gwiju and dahae, and ina and junwoo. it was also quite comedic, especially the donghee scenes. but i think in the 7th episode, things started getting serious with manheum's dreams with fire and gwiju dying. from then on, it was very focused on the accident until it happened. but what gets me really mad is that it makes it explicit that gwju dies, AND THATS OK PROTAGONISTS DIE THINGS HAPPEN. but then, jumpskip to 5 years later, everyone kinda "got over it" and is living their best life, grace and donghee are friends, grace is trying to get hyungtae and donghee together, ina is in high school (although i got really mad because they dont even show her face), dahae got over her fear of fire and now has a 5 year old son (WHO IS THIS KIDS FATHER). final scene, dahae discovers her son has the power to bring stuff back from the past, so he asks "do want something back", and she goes "i lost someone 5 years... actually, 18 years ago", then she gets a picture she took with gwiju and the son goes "daddy", and she says "you think you can get him back?" and he gets quiet, so she gets up to do her stuff but when she looks back WOW, HER SON IS MAGICALLY HOLDING GWIJUS HAND, so she JUST goes "welcome back" while tearing up?? what kind of reaction is that? youre seeing the love of your life after 5 years of him being apparently back and doesnt question yourself how?? he EXPLODED IN THE FIRE.
now to my thoughts, it is a very chill drama in the beggining but then in the end is very emotonial and cried a lot, but i hate inconclusive endings, so i got very confused. i recomend it but,its not one of te best drama ive seen.

Leia Mais