Backstreet Rookie Korean Drama

Network: SBS

Episode: 16

Genres: Romance, Comedy, Action, Drama, Life

Airing Date: June 19 – August 8, 2020

Airing Day: Friday & Saturday

Grade: A++

Backstreet Rookie is a story of a man who is a store manager and a girl who is madly in love with him for the past ten years.

Choi Dae-hyun (Ji Chang-wook) was dressed up in a suit and going to meet his girlfriend. But he got late because he was trying to save a cat and then that broke up with him. Later he met a group of female high school students, which includes Jung Saet-byul (Kim Yoo-Jung), Hwang Geum-bi (Seo Ye-Hwa), and Cha Eun-jo (Yoon Soo). Saet-byul asks Dae-Hyun to buy them cigarettes from a convenience store, but he buys them candy instead and gives Saet-byul his number. She never calls him.

Main Characters:

Ji Chang-wook as Choi Dae-hyun

Dae-Hyun is a 29-year-old convenience store manager. He is a little bit clumsy, kind, and sympathizes with others, and gets too immersed in someone else’s situation.

Kim Yoo-jung as Jung Saet-byul

Jung Saet-byul is a 22-year-old young woman who fights well and loves flowers. She works as a promotion queen before working as a part-timer at the convenience store.

Highlights of Backstreet Rookie Korean Drama

Three Years Later:

Dae-Hyun is the manager of the convenience store after resigning from the headquarters of the convenience store. He was working hard to manage his relationship as well as work, he didn’t even get time to sleep so he decided to hire a part-timer who can do the night shifts then Saet-byul applied for the same and started working there.

Yoo Yeon-Joo (Han Sun-Hwa), who was Dae-Hyun’s girlfriend and convenience store headquarter Public Relations, team leader. Dae-Hyun was trying really hard to manage his relationship, but Yeon-Joo get angry over small things and make a fuss over them. She even forced him to fire his part-timer.

The Trio:

Jung Saet-byul, Hwang Geum-bi, and Cha Eun-jo are close friends from high school. Saet-byul left school in high school because his father died in a car accident so she has to support herself and her sister plus she is a good fighter and hates asking favors. Geum-bi, is a child born with a golden spoon she drops out of high school with Saet-byul and now completing her high school education with Saet-byul’s sister. Cha Eun-jo comes from a middle-class family, unlike others she completed her education on time.

Sisters Love (Wild Rose):

Jung Eun-byul (Ahn Sol-bin) and Saet-byul are sisters after their father’s death Saet-byul live the school to support her sister’s studies and earn their livelihood. But Eun-byul wasn’t interested in studying instead she wants to become an artist and hang out with bullies so she can look tough but she never bullies anyone. She is a real troublemaker.

One Sided Love:

Kang Ji-Wook (Kim Min-kyu) is an actor, rising star, Saet-byul’s elementary school friend, and has a secret crush on her.

Mother’s Love:

Saet-byul does not have parents, but she got mother’s love from Dae-hyun’s mother. She cares for her, gives her advice’s and also scolds her. I remember one incident when Saet-byul was conned by someone and lost her house, her sister took all her money to fulfill her own dream than Dae-hyun’s mother took Saet-byul her home and comfort her as if she was her own child.

Break Up:

Yeon-Joo’s mother shows the power of money to Dae-Hyun’s family. She orders things from their convenience store and gives tips to Dae-Hyun, she hires his father as her driver and she purchased an insurance policy from his mother (Dae-Hyun’s mother sells insurance policies). When Yeon-Joo asked her mother why she is doing all this her mother replied that you were the only one who is not sure about Dae-Hyun’s that’s why you haven’t introduced him to me as your boyfriend. Lately, when Yeon-Joo got promoted she decided to break up with him.

Chemistry:

I love the chemistry between Han Dal-Shik (Eum Moon-suk) (who is a webtoon artist) and Hwang Geum-bi (who is the biggest fan of his work and always being first to comment on his post) but in reality, they hate each other. What will happen when they each other in person???

Tried For Getting Together:

When Yeon-Joo came to know the real reason behind the resignation of Dae-Hyun from the post manager three years back, she feels bad because he left the job because of her. She tried to give him his job back at head office and also tried to make up with him and his family. Under the pressure of his family, he took the job at head office and make clear to her and his family that he won’t get back to in a relationship with her.

Expressing Feelings:

Dae-Hyun expresses his feelings to Saet-byul by giving her Tulip flowers, but she said she will give him an answer after seeing the result of her GED result. Later she ran away from Dae-Hyun’s house and started working at the farm of flowers. She didn’t respond to his calls and messages. Dae-Hyun resigned from head office and again started working as a store manager. Later he found Saet-byul and they get back together as they used to be.

Overall Thoughts on Backstreet Rookie:

Backstreet Rookie is based on the 2016–2017 webtoon Convenience Store Saet-byul. I was eagerly waiting for Backstreet Rookie because Ji Chang-Wook is working on this drama as the main lead plus I really want to watch a rom-com Korean drama. Because in the first half of 2020 I have seen enough suspense, thriller, investigation, and fantasy Korean dramas. If you think alike and looking for a ROM-COM Korean drama in 2020 then go for it.

Backstreet rookie is Ji Chang-Wook’s second Rom-Com drama in a row after completing his military services. I personally feel about this drama that there should be more romance between the main leads. Dae-Hyun proposed Saet-byul in the last episode and I wish it would have happened a little earlier. I enjoyed, cried, and get annoyed with the character. This drama has everything romance, comedy, life lessons, love, and action. You can also watch this Korean drama on kissasian.

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