Doona!
2023 South Korean Netflix series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doo-na! (Korean: 이두나!) is a 2023 South Korean romance television series starring Bae Suzy and Yang Se-jong, based on the Naver webtoon The Girl Downstairs by Min Song-ah. It was released on Netflix on October 20, 2023.[2][6][7]
| Doona! | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 이두나! |
| Literal meaning | Lee Doo-na! |
| Revised Romanization | I Duna! |
| McCune–Reischauer | I Tuna! |
| Genre | Romance[1] |
| Created by | Song Kyung-hwa |
| Based on | The Girl Downstairs by Min Song-ah |
| Developed by | Studio Dragon |
| Written by | Jang Yoo-ha[2] |
| Directed by | Lee Jeong-hyo[2] |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Nam Hye-seung[3] |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Editor | Lee Hyeon-mi |
| Running time | 40–50 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | October 20, 2023 |
Synopsis
A college student, Won-jun, becomes roommates with Doo-na, a retired K-pop idol who leaves behind her glamorous days.[8][9]
Cast
Main
- The main vocalist and center of the girl group Dream Sweet (Korean: 드림스윗; RR: Deurim Seuwit), who announces her sudden retirement and stays in a share house in a college town.
- Yang Se-jong as Lee Won-jun[10]
- A college student and math genius who desires to live a normal life
Supporting
- Won-jun's high school crush.
- Kim Do-wan as Goo Jeong-hoon[12]
- Won-jun's housemate.
- Park Se-wan as Choi I-ra[13]
- Won jun's childhood friend.
- Kim Min-ho as Seo Yun-taek:[14] Won-jun's housemate
- Kim Sun-young as Doo-na's mother[15]
- Kim Yoo-mi as the representative of Doo-na's agency[15]
- Baek Ji-hye as Eun-joo[16]
Special appearances
- Lee Jin-wook as Park In-wook,[5] a person from Doo-na's past
- Kwon Han-sol as Song Tae-rim[17]
- Go Ah-sung as Im Ha-yeon, a member of Dream Sweet[18][19]
- Simeez and Rian of Lachica as members of Dream Sweet[18]
- Kim Hyun-mok as stalker (ep.3)
Production
Filming started around July 2022[20][21] and was completed on February 20, 2023.[22]
Reception
Summarize
Perspective
Lee Min-ji of Newsen felt that "what stands out the most in this drama is the complexity of Lee Doo-na's character", describing her as "eccentric and outspoken, but also with a dark side", and appreciated Suzy's acting, who "played her complex sides with stability".[23] Jang Soo-jung expressed a similar opinion on Dailian, writing that "Suzy, who plays the cheerful Lee Doo-na, is perfect, as if the character was made especially for her. [...] She brings Lee Doo-na to life so convincingly that you can't help but wonder, Who else could have played Lee Doo-na if not Suzy?"; conversely, she found Won-jun to be "rather flat" in comparison, but well played by Yang Se-jong. On the plot, she wrote that the drama "shows the standard development of an idol romance drama. [...] However, by actively using clichés, it has the charm of a romantic series, entertaining yet predictable".[24] Jeong Seung-min of MHN Sports appreciated how Suzy expressed the change that occurred in Doo-na after opening her heart to Won-jun and the chemistry between the lead actors, but also wrote that the series "can be childish" and "feels like a typical youth drama or a web drama depicting campus life".[25] Choi Ha-na of TVDaily criticized the drama, stating that it has a predictable plot as it only focuses on the romance between Doo-na and Won-jun (while in the webtoon he is torn between her, I-ra, and Jin-joo) and the supporting characters have no function other than that of "bridesmaids" to the leads. However, she praised Suzy's acting, who "played every moment of Doo-na with just the right amount of intensity, never overdoing it or disappointing", considering it a good enough reason to watch the series.[26] Journalist Kim Jun-mo of OhmyNews called it "boring" as "other than Suzy, the show lacks any memorable parts".[27]
Joel Keller of Decider wrote that "Doona! is a pretty standard romantic K-drama in a lot of ways, but the added dynamic of a regular guy and a depressed K-pop star falling for each other makes things just a little more interesting".[28] Joanne Soh gave the show 3 out of 5 stars in her review for The Straits Times , identifying Doo-na and Won-jun's chemistry, the cinematography, and the show's treatment of the protagonist's mental health issues as the show's strengths, but found it to be "oddly slow-moving" compared to the webtoon.[29] For Geoffrey Bunting of Rolling Stone, Doona! "[weaves] a complicated yet relatable narrative about loss and love. On the surface, it feels at home with contemporary clichéd dramas yet represents a startling departure." He appreciated how it "builds a community around Lee Doo-na to pull her out of isolation and help her rediscover herself", and called it "a show that's really about letting go — shedding old lives, past loves, and former selves" that "deftly navigates the complexities of grief and, though wrapped in K-drama clichés, is surprisingly human".[30]
The series hit the No. 1 spot on Netflix's top 10 TV programs in Singapore.[29]
References
External links
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