Netflix ‘Wonderfools’ Is One of My Favorite New Limited Series K-Drama Shows

If you are looking for a new K-drama to watch, look no further than ‘Wonderfools’ on Netflix. This was a show that I wish I could watch for the first time all over again after I finished it. Very few shows have made me feel this way, but ‘Wonderfools’ was one of them.  I’m still trying to process why that is.

I’m going to give K-drama fans a spoiler-free review.

Casting is excellent

Let’s talk about the casting on ‘Wonderfools’.  As soon as I saw it starred Park Eun-bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) and Cha Eun-woo (True Beauty), I was interested.

I loved Park Eun-bin as Attorney Woo (and I still would love to see a second season).  She was the main reason I started to watch.

The show also stars Choi Dae-hoon (Beyond Evil), Im Seong-jae (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Kim Hae-sook (the grandma in tons of shows like My Royal Nemesis), and more.

Story overview

Three friends gain powers after exposure to a mysterious substance. They meet up with Cha Eun-woo’s character, who begrudgingly helps them as he too has powers. The newly powered must learn to utilize and control their powers while fighting against an evil cult used to extort money.

The official synopsis reads, 

“When news of the apocalypse spreads in Haeseong City, a cash-strapped and terminally ill young woman devises a kidnapping plot with two clumsy sidekicks.”

It is a comedy, action, and adventure show that isn’t too long at only eight episodes.

While on the topic of action, I really love how they shot some of the fight sequences. Especially one in Episode 7. It was creative and clever.

Positive aspects of the show

As I mentioned, this show had me wishing I could watch it for the first time again. I’m not really sure why, but it has stuck with me, even though I sometimes found the main character (Park Eun-bin) annoying, and some character dynamics that boomeranged somewhat.

Characters were interesting, with diverse backstories and motivations.

Some of the powers in side characters were very unusual, but interesting.

Two things that I really liked were the opening and the theme song. 

The theme music was perfectly done and created a bit of an eerie, off-putting feeling, while being engaging and catchy.

The title/intro sequence was very creative and hid a lot of clues about the show throughout.  I very much enjoyed the work that went into it.

Not-so-good aspects of the show

While I did enjoy the show, sometimes Park Eun-bin’s character could become annoying or grating, but I think that was supposed to convey her immaturity and overprotected nature.

The villains’ motivation seemed somewhat shallow and nonsensical given their past experiences.

Kim Hae-sook’s character didn’t seem to have faced proper repercussions for her past behavior, while other characters had. That didn’t make sense to me.

In the ending, when Park Eun-bin’s character took on a big obstacle, she hesitated to a place that felt like her mission should have failed. I get they were going for stakes, but it didn’t make sense that she would hesitate so much.

Overall, I found ‘Wonderfools’ to be different and fun. Logically, I can see why the reviews on IMDb have it at a 7.7, which isn’t great nor terrible. Yet I find myself thinking about it days afterward–wishing I could watch it for the first time all over again.

If you are looking for a short K-drama, this one may be the fun distraction you were looking for.