This weekend’s drama to marathon is an absolute gem, it’s sweet, quirky and a lot of fun which makes it the perfect drama to watch as you drag yourself through these long, cold days of winter.
Originally airing on KBS2 from October – December, 2014, Tomorrow’s Cantabile (or Naeil’s Cantabile) is an adaptation of the Japanese manga, Nodame Cantabile which tells the story of Cha Yoo Jin (Joo Won), a musical prodigy who dreams of one day becoming a great orchestra conductor and Seol Nae Il (Shim Eun Kyung), a talented pianist who lives her life the same way she plays her music, simply for its pleasure and joy. As polar opposites, Yoo Jin and Nae Il clash on more than one occasion but as their paths continue to cross, on their unknowing journey towards self-discovery, they find that sometimes the best of friends can be found in the most unlikely places.
Being based on a manga, Tomorrow’s Cantabile is one of those dramas that may catch some people off-guard, simply because the characters are so completely over-the-top. Nae Il is everything you’d ever expect a leading lady in a manga to be, she’s crazy, quirky, completely ridiculous and almost absurdly immature yet she’s so insanely talented and so incredibly sweet that no matter how hard you try, you can’t help but love her. Yoo Jin, being the exact opposite of Nae Il is everything you’d ever want in the lead male of a manga, he’s cold and cruel and selfish yet so ridiculously good-looking that every one on campus either wants to marry him or be him. On top of that, Yoo Jin comes from a wealthy and well-known family and is truly gifted when it comes to music and underneath his cold exterior there lies a wounded soul with a heart of gold which pretty much makes him practically perfect in every way, at least where manga male leads are concerned. As wonderful as the lead characters are, they’re only two in a vast sea of delightfully lovable, quirky characters so wonderful they demand that you either love them or hate them which is probably why this drama is so much fun to watch. You can cheer for the good guys and boo the bad guys and know that you’re never going to have to feel conflicted because those characters are set in their roles until the very end. (Okay, so there may be one character that actually switches sides but he’s an exception to the rule I’m willing to overlook just because I like him so much better when he’s not being a punk.)
For me, there are two things that made this drama absolutely wonderful (aside from Yoo Jin who, I have to admit, I loved a lot… especially his little reluctant half-smile… *swoon!*). First was the irresistibly adorable second lead, Lee Yoon Hoo (Park Bo Gum) who was just enough trouble to make me giddy and just broken enough to make my heart melt; in short, he was just the type of second male lead I inevitably fall for and I adored him for making me love him. Second was the music. Oh my gosh! Being something of a music addict myself (hmmm… Imagine that!) I absolutely adored the music of this drama. The pieces performed by the orchestras stirred my very soul while the pieces played by Nae Il made me wish I’d continued with my piano studies in college and the solos played by the various characters, here and there… Wow. I could easily listen to the classical pieces used in this drama for the rest of forever and be perfectly happy, they were so lovely. (Except for maybe that “Fart Song”…)
Like I said, Tomorrow’s Cantabile is a lot of fun and one I think anyone looking for a bit of light-hearted fun will enjoy, the characters are lovable, the story is intriguing, the romance is sweet and you can’t walk away from this drama without a smile. Personally, I loved this drama which is why I’m recommending it so highly. Of course we’re all entitled to our own opinions which is why I want to know what you thought of this drama. Did you enjoy it as much as me or was it not really your cup of tea? You know how much I love hearing from you so be sure to let me know what you’re thinking by leaving me a comment below!
I loved, loved, loved this drama. Each week I waited for the next episode and started watching it as soon as it was available. The characters are quirky – downright strange at times – yet each shows tremendous growth throughout the drama.
It’s a story about friendship vs competition. Most of the musical geniuses had never developed true friendships, so it was new territory for them to conquer. It’s much more than a love story because the relationships are not just romantic. In fact, some of the most touching are between friends.
The music was also amazing. At times it took my breath away.
Enjoy! This one won’t disappoint you.
@zombiemamma – There are so many good dramas on right now. I hope you’re watching them even if you haven’t had time to write reviews. Happy new year!
You’re so right, there’s so much more to this drama than just the romance. It’s really a drama about personal growth, finding yourself and what it is you really love, it’s about having dreams and making new dreams as well as about friendship and how true friends can help you find a better version of yourself, one that you may not have known existed. It’s really an amazing drama and I loved every minute of it.
As for the dramas, I’ve been woefully behind thanks to the holidays but I’m hoping to get back to all the dramas now that things have settled back into their normal routine. There are a lot of dramas I’m interested in so here’s hoping I can start watching them soon! Are there any you particularly recommend I check out?
Healer is my current favorite. The lead actor is very possibly the cutest thing I’ve seen since Lee Minho. The chemistry between characters is also great. The story is a little confusing at first, but then it really grabs you. I would suggest you start there. (It’s only up to episode 10 so you could marathon watch it.)
Pinocchio is almost done (ends this week), but is also a must see. It has kept me on the edge of my seat. The romance is so sweet, and there are some really evil villains. There are some plot twists, but they are pretty easy to follow. It has everything you want in a good drama.
The ten episode J-drama “The perfect Insider” was really good if you’re looking for something quick. The female lead was in “A Clinic on the Sea”.
“Pride and prejudice” had a good start, but there have been a bunch of plot holes in the later episodes and I’m finding it hard to follow. The chemistry isn’t great between the leads (and for crying out loud – how hard is it to have chemistry with Choi Jin Hyuk!!). I’m going to finish it, but I was a little disappointed. The newcomer Lee Tae Hwan is adorable, though. I hope to see him again. Hard to believe he’s only 19.
Happy viewing!!
I’ve actually been reviewing Pinocchio for KDramaStars and I’m really loving it. I’ll have to check out the others as soon as I get a moment. Thanks for the recommendations!