Backstreet Rookie – Full Review
Welcome to Backstreet Rookie – Full Review. A young man who is working himself to death as a convenience store manager finally decides to hire a part-timer to help him out. When a tough, determined young woman applies for the job, he can’t tell if it’s a blessing or a curse. If you haven’t watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
Backstreet Rookie
♥ Aired: June 19 – August 8, 2020
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: iQIYI
♥Genre: Romantic Comedy
♥Starring: Ji Chang Wook and Kim Yoo Jung
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The Story
Welcome to my Backstreet Rookie – Unspoiled Review. A young man who left behind the grind of salary life is living his dream as a manager of his own convenience story. When a beautiful younger woman applies to work part-time in his store he is sure that she is trouble, but he can’t seem to get rid of her, no matter how hard he tries. Now the 2 of them will work together to try to make their struggling neighborhood store a thriving business.
The Leads
Ji Chang Wook as Choi Dae Hyun
Choi Dae Hyun is the manager of his own convenience store. With the help of his family, they run the store entirely on their own, but the task is wearing on him and his aging parents. As a last resort, he finally decides to hire a part-timer to help them out. Unfortunately, the only person to apply seems like she could be more trouble than help. And Dae Hyun is too nice of a guy to tell her no. Meanwhile, his long-term girlfriend keeps putting off introducing him to her parents, and he is beginning to think she is ashamed of him.
This was a nice, light role for Ji Chang Wook. I enjoyed seeing him as a relaxed guy working his way through life and doing what he loves. Dae Hyun is dependable and realistic. Unguarded and trusting, he makes it easy for people to hurt him, but he loves the people in his life sincerely. This drama is a great reminder that we don’t all have to have high-powered, greedy careers to be successful. Doing what you love should bring you joy, regardless of what others may think of it.
Kim Joo Jung as Jung Saet Byul
Jung Saet Byul dropped out of school to raise her younger sister. Taking work wherever she can find it, she lives day by day with a sheer determination to make sure her sister can graduate from high school. Saet Byul and her sister have been looked down on by people around her for living without parents and struggling to survive. 3 years ago, while she was still a student, she met Dae Hyun by chance and fell in love at first sight. So, when she sees the sign that he is hiring at his store, she immediately applies and pushes her way in when he is hesitant. Now she is giving everything she has to help Dae Hyun make the store a success and prove to him that she is a good and responsible person. And if he falls in love with her in the process, all the better.
Saet Byul is a complicated character. She has spent her life fighting for everything she has, which has made her tough, but inside she is vulnerable and insecure about her own worth. Cheerful and hardworking, she never gives up, even when things are difficult. I loved how, despite her insecurities, she comes across as confident and able to take care of herself. And it’s that hard-won confidence that makes her endearing. Kim Joo Jung brings that duality to life in a sweet and charming portrayal that was a pleasure to watch.
Supporting Characters
Kim Min Kyu as Kang Ji Wook
Kang Ji Wook has known Saet Byul since they were kids and studied martial arts with her father. Now he is a famous celebrity, but he still has a crush on Saet Byul. Even though having a relationship is detrimental to his career, he still comes to see her whenever he can, much to the dismay of his manager.
Sol Bin as Jung Eun Byul
Jung Eun Byul is Saet Byul’s little sister. Even though Saet Byul has given everything to make it possible for her to get a high school diploma, Eun Byul’s dream is to debut as an idol. When she finally passes an audition to be part of a group that is ready to debut, she is thrilled, but she isn’t sure how to tell Saet Byul he true dream.
Han Sun Hwa as Yoo Yeon Joo
Yoo Yeon Joo is Dae Hyun’s girlfriend. Even though they have been dating for a couple years, she has hid the fact that she is actually from a rich family that owns the convenience store he manages, along with many others. When Dae Hyun finds out, he breaks up with her. At first, she accepts it easily, but then she decides she wants him back, even if he isn’t from a wealthy background like her mother wants. Infortunately for her, Dae Hyun has already moved on.
Things I Liked
♥ Casual Every Day Feel
Sometimes it’s just nice to have a drama that feels like real life, and this one did that for me. Without the flash of heroic rescues and elobrate fight scenes, Ji Chang Wook was able to show off his acting skills with a role where the character is the whole focus. Both leads have a charm that comes through the screen and invites fans to share the warmth. The story was driven more by every day life than some extreme situation that only happens in dramas.
♥ Strong Female Lead
Although some fans were put off by Saet Byul’s violent nature, I loved the fact that she was a strong female who knew how to take care of herself. She was tough and unafraid to fight when the need arose, but she was also caring and hardworking. Her street-wise personality made her a great match for Dae Hyun’s overly trusting nature. And she did mature enough to realize that fighting wasn’t always the best answer, but she also was never going to let people take advantage of her.
♥ Secret Language
Dae Hyun and Saet Byul’s own secret sign language scenes made me laugh every time. It was silly and fun but it also highlighted the fact that they have a deep connection. And it was even funnier when the other characters would watch them and not have any idea what they were doing. These leads have a great chemisty and watching them interact was also enjoyable.
Things I Didn’t Like
Too Much Yoo Yeon Joo
I think we spent way too much time focused on Yoo Yeon Joo, who was a highly unlikeable second lead. Yes, it was important for us to understand what their break-up did to Dae Hyun and why they shouldn’t get back together But I think they could have accomplished that in the first couple episodes and then moved on. Multiple scenes between her and her mom seemed pointless and I just didn’t care that much. I felt like we spent more time learning about her and her backstory than the actually female lead.
No Final Kiss
So, the drama ended on a cute note and the playful camera covering was funny, but I still think it would have been nice to have at least 1 small kiss between the lead couple. I understand that when there is a large age gap with younger stars they often choose to minimize any physical affection. Combine that with the huge outcry that went out after the kiss in episode #1, even though that kiss was supposedly 3 years ago, and the problem was more that she was supposed to still be a high school student. In my opinion, it would have been nice if we could have seen one sweet kiss to end things.
Han Dal Shik
Let me just say it. This character didn’t work for me at all. The cultural generalizations were insulting, his work scenes were akward and his love story was just kind of weird. It would have been great if Dae Hyun would have had a great friend to play off of, but this character wasn’t written well and there was absolutely no depth to his personality.
The Ending
There isn’t a lot to say about this ending. Han Dal Shik and Saet Byul’s friend, Geum Bi, end up as a couple, working together to write adult webstories. Eun Byul is thriving as an idol trainee. Saet Byul runs away to do work on a flower farm and Da Hyun realizes how much he misses her. Saet Byul gets the news that she passed the GED and finally goes back home. Saet Byul runs to Dae Hyun at the convenience store and they share an “almost-kiss”, and from there we should assume they live happily ever after. Not a lot of surprises. “Backstreet Rookie” ends exactly as you would expect it to. It’s a cute happy ending for all, or mostly all!
Should I Watch
Backstreet Rookie is a hard drama for me to rate. It feels like the tale of 2 dramas. I loved the leads and enjoyed their story a lot, but the minor characters just didn’t do it for me. Besides the obvious racial stereotypes that had many fans up in arms, their stories just weren’t especially engaging. So if you like a cute love story and can overlook some obvious flaws, you will probably enjoy this one. Ji Chang Wook is charming in this pared down role that focuses on the character of a regular guy instead of some hero. And, despite their age difference, he and Kim Joo Jung have a natural chemisty which is fun to watch. But there are plenty of moments that have a potential to offend; from the adult webtoon scenes to the violent female lead who goes around beating people up in the name of justice. And then there is the objectivication of high school girls. Many felt that these issues were inapporopriate for a “family drama”. For me, I wasn’t particularly offended. I just didn’t find it very funny or interesting. I give Backstreet Rookie a 7 out of 10 ramen.
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