Why You Need To Watch "W" Right Now

You’ve probably at least heard some of the buzz surrounding MBC’s current hit drama “W,” starring Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo. It’s currently the #1 Wednesday-Thursday drama, and its ratings only continue to rise; viewers even got upset when last week’s episodes were postponed because of the Olympics.

If you haven’t already started watching this drama, you might be wondering: What’s the big deal? Read on, dear Soompier, and let me try to explain why “W” is a most excellent candidate for your weekly K-drama fix:

*SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW*

I figured I might as well start with the obvious: The amazing cast is a big reason why “W” is so enjoyable to watch.

Lee Jong Suk never fails to slay onscreen. He always brings so much nuance and emotion to his characters, and he certainly doesn’t disappoint playing the complicated role of the webtoon hero Kang Chul. He’s simply a pleasure to watch (and not just as eye candy!) because he really brings his character to life.

But also, eye candy…

Han Hyo Joo, making her small-screen comeback after six years, is a perfect match for Lee Jong Suk in her role of Oh Yeon Joo. I really like Yeon Joo because she is a well-balanced character: She’s very sweet and innocent, but smart and strong enough to search for solutions instead of waiting for others to save her; she earnestly wears her heart on her sleeve, but can keep her cool in a tough situation. Han Hyo Joo really makes everything click into place.

Because the drama is set in two parallel worlds, each with its own series of events and set of characters, it’s kind of like watching two dramas at once — very meta. And of course, it makes for all sorts of squee-inducing plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Not only does the collision of the real world and webtoon world make for a juicy plot, it also gives the drama a visually stunning appeal. The seamless blur from live-action drama to vivid webtoon animation never fails to make a striking impact in any scene.

Confession: I still have a bit of lingering grief over the end of “Descendants of the Sun,” and I didn’t know if I would ever watch another drama that was, on a purely visual/aesthetic level, so well-made and pleasing to the eye. The style is different, of course, so I don’t mean to directly compare DotS with “W.” But the creative twist of part webtoon, part reality gives viewers a whole new kind of eye candy that is unique and just plain awesome.

In the drama, “W” is the hottest manhwa in Korea, with thousands of fans eagerly awaiting every episode, speculating about the plot, and venting their post-episode feelings on social media. Sound familiar, my fellow K-drama addicts?

I feel you, bro.

Speaking of all dem feelings, because of the whole story-within-a-story thing, we get to see the “real world” characters’ emotional investment in the characters and events of the “webtoon world” — and vice-versa when the two worlds collide. By my very advanced mathematical logic, that means at least twice the feels for us as drama viewers, which translates into at least twice the likelihood that you’ll fall in love with this drama.

Same, girl. Same.

Still not convinced? Watch episode 1 here and see for yourself what all the hype is about!

[viki]https://www.viki.com/videos/1105299v-w-episode-1?utm_source=soompi&utm_medium=soompi_news&utm_campaign=soompi_link&utm_content=need-watch-w-right-now&utm_content_id=886793wpp[/viki]

Soompiers, have you been watching “W”? What do you love most about this drama?

minjiya can usually be found writing in a cafe, blasting K-pop dance tunes to motivate herself through long runs outside, or plotting her escape from the midwest. Say hello/send her a gif on Twitter @yaminjiya.