Navillera Kdrama, review

¡Gracias por compartir! / Thanks for sharing!

I cried on every episode, every single one. However, please do not let that discourage you to watch it, because it has many positive messages and matters to consider, about one’s life and the people we love”.

Navillera Kdrama reviewPara leer este post en español, presiona aquí.

First things first

The following review has no spoilers.

I will try to write this review without crying, even though let me tell you, it will be complicated, because I have not gotten over Navillera.

I watched this drama by myself, I didn’t ask my husband to watch it with me because I knew it was going to affect him; him and me were very close, he to his grandad and me to my grandma, so it is a very sensitive subject for us both.

I cried on every episode, every single one. However, please do not let that discourage you to watch it, because it has many positive messages and matters to consider, about one’s life and the people we love.

Navillera is a Korean series of 12 episodes, released on March 22-2021 by Netflix and its genre is drama. It is based on a webtoon under the same name, created by HUN and Ji-min.

Synopsis

Duk-chool is a 70-year-old man, and retired mail carrier, who decides to follow his dream since childhood and learn to dance ballet secretly, without telling his family. At the ballet studio, he meets a young man named Lee Chae-rok, a 23-year-old dancer, who got interested in ballet after practicing other sports. Chae-rok has to deal with many problems, and Duk-chool’s presence is very annoying for him; but little by little, that friendship will change both their lives in many ways.

In general terms

Navillera is a drama, but it is also a motivating story for all audiences, that is why I highly recommend it. Yes, it is very emotional and you will cry, no matter how strong you are, because the issues this drama touches are real, they could happen to you; they could happen to me, if one of them has not already happened to us.

From the start, you will love Duk-chool, he is a precious representation of a lovely Grandpa; through him you will feel the fears and feelings of a person that age. We will all get there, but only a few understand the emotions of a senior.

Navillera Kdrama review

Why do I recommend Navillera?

The plot

This story, a part from beautiful, reminds me of an English movie from year 2000 called Billy Elliot. That movie is excellent; if you have not seen it, it is about a kid from a working class’ small town in the 80s, who dreams to become a ballet dancer. Obviously, his father and older brother did not approve at all, since they consider ballet a girls-only activity. However, Billy loves ballet, he feels happy and free when he dances and cannot hide his impulse. I cried like a baby during the last scene of the movie, it is a very emotional film for me.

The story of Navillera is quite different from Billy Elliot. But I can’t stop thinking that, if Billy wouldn’t had accomplished his dream, his story would had been a bit like Duk-chool’s.

There is something in common between those two productions: Swan Lake, by Tchaikovsky. If you see both, you’ll see what I’m talking about, and I’d love to read your comments about it.

The relationship between Duk-chool and Chae-rok

This drama does not show a romantic love story between a man and a woman.

Navillera Kdrama review

It is a Grandpa-grandson love story, not blood-related; each one arrived into the other’s life when needed the most, forming such a beautiful relationship, that it changed their lives for the better. Believe me when I say that you must watch this.

The characters

All the characters in this drama are very authentic, average people who fight their own demons and try to make it through.

Navillera Kdrama review

Obviously, the most important character is Duk-chool. It broke my heart to see such a wise and good man, feeling incomplete at his age, and tormented by mistakes he made in his youth. Mistakes that one of his sons still talks about, which is hard to watch. We all make mistakes in life, some are big, we learn from them and it’s hard to remember them, let alone listen to your family still talking about them many years later, it’s painful. Duk-chool is a character that won my heart and he is the reason why I cried during the entire drama.

Navillera Kdrama review

Chae-rok on the other hand, is a very good kid, but lives tormented by the death of his mom, and the mistakes his father made. All he tries to do now is fulfill his dream of becoming a great ballet dancer, at all costs, and keep away from the rest of the people.

Other characters I really liked were the ballet professors and ex married couple Ki Seung-joo and Eun So-ri.

All characters were very real; their fears, problems and frustrations were not far from reality at all.

The OST

I love classic music, so it made me very happy when I heard every single piece played. The soundtrack is very good as well, my favorite song is Heal You, by Ha Hyunang and you can listen to it on this YouTube link.

A little ending note

Usually, what I choose to watch are thrillers, serial killers, action, fantasy, those kind of genres. But, every once in a while, a story like this one shows up. When I watched the poster on Netflix I thought: “I have to see this story”.

Navillera is a drama worth watching, so I highly recommend it, and if you’ve seen it already, I’d love to read your opinion.

Xoxo,

MJ

*All pics taken by Pinterest.

Other reviews on my Blog:

Mr. Queen

Start-Up

Record of Youth

The Good Detective

Flower of Evil

Memories of the Alhambra

Crash Landing on You

¡Gracias por compartir! / Thanks for sharing!

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