Binge-worthy: Bae Suzy and Yang Se-jong make K-drama Doona! a very pretty romance

Doona! (PG13)

Netflix

3 stars

K-drama Doona! has hit the No. 1 spot on Netflix’s top 10 TV programmes in Singapore, and it is easy to see why.

The coming-of-age romance series, starring Bae Suzy and Yang Se-jong, is a breezy watch with pretty cinematography and even prettier stars.

The story revolves around Lee Doona (Suzy), the linchpin of K-pop girl group Dream Sweet. At the peak of her career, she decides to quit the industry and becomes a recluse in a shared townhouse.

There, the troubled star meets Lee Won-jun (Yang), a big-hearted university student who rents a room above her.

Doona! is based on Min Song-a’s popular webtoon, which ran for more than 150 episodes, though the nine-episode series is oddly slow-moving.

But K-drama veteran director Lee Jung-hyo, famous for hit romance series such as Crash Landing On You (2019 to 2020) and Romance Is A Bonus Book (2019), knows how to reel you in.

Here are three reasons to watch Doona!. 

1. Sizzling chemistry

The role of Doona seems tailor-made for Suzy, a former K-pop idol from Chinese-South Korean girl group Miss A.

The singer-actress aces the portrayal of the brooding titular character, who initially comes across as a selfish and rude chain-smoker.

Yang, though handsome and youthful-looking at 30 years old, does not look like a second-year engineering student. The actor is also a year older than Suzy.

But together, they are on fire.

From the first episode where they butt heads to Doona desperately seeking Won-jun’s attention, the vibe is sweet and fun as they figure out their relationship, while battling jealousy and anger and figuring out their life goals.

Won-jun acknowledges that they both come from different worlds. His dream is to be an ordinary person, do well in his studies, and find a job to support his mother and younger sister. Hers was to be an idol loved by the masses.

Noting that Doona and Won-jun are “young” and experiencing their first taste of love, the series boasts several steamy kisses – from passionate canoodling under a bridge to a sizzling make-out scene that pushes the PG13 rating.

2. Picture-perfect

The moment Won-jun sees Doona basking in the warm glow of the morning sun, you know he is a lost cause.

And director Lee’s use of soft focus makes Suzy even dreamier and more irresistible.

The supporting actors rank high in the looks department, too.

Oh Ha-young, who plays Won-jun’s high-school crush Kim Jin-ju, is very pretty. No wonder Won-jun was infatuated with her for years.

The same can be said for Won-jun’s childhood friend, the charismatic Choi I-ra, played by Park Se-wan.

Surrounded by a trio of beauties, Won-jun is knee-deep in girl trouble.

Actors aside, the production sets are picture-perfect too. The students’ shared house can exist only in K-drama land. Even the old hanok, a traditional Korean house, where Doona lived with her grandmother while growing up in the countryside, looks like a charming Airbnb listing.

3. Reality check

A large part of the plot is driven by Doona’s mental health issues.

The character’s recurring vision of herself “drowning” reflects her struggles with depression, anxiety and loneliness. This is perhaps a reflection of what K-pop artistes have to grapple with in real life.

The drama handles these sensitive issues well. Neither preachy nor pretentious, Doona’s road to healing is helped by an understanding boyfriend and support from her new-found friends.

Thanks to them, she learns to fight for her own happiness.