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The Atypical Family EP 1-2 Review: Chun Woo Hee manipulates Jang Ki Yong's family in mystery-packed fantasy romance
The Atypical Family starring Chun Woo Hee and Jang Ki Yong premiered on May 4 and received warm viewership ratings. The first two episodes build up the mystery surrounding the characters.
The Atypical Family is a fantasy romance featuring Chun Woo Hee and Jang Ki Yong. The first episode aired on May 4 and built up the foundation of the story that is to come. The psychological drama tells the story of a supernatural family who lose their powers due to modern-day lifestyle diseases. Here is an in-depth review of the premiere episodes.
The Atypical Family review
Name: The Atypical Family
Release date: May 4
When: The show airs every Saturday and Sunday
Cast: Chun Woo Hee, Jang Ki Yong, Claudia Kim, Go Doo Shim, Kim Su Hyun
Director: Jo Hyun Taek
Writer: Joo Hwa Mi
Where to watch: Netflix
Plot
The drama tells the story of a mysterious family, with its members having different supernatural abilities. Bok Gwi Joo can travel back in time and relive his happy times. He is only able to travel back and not change the course of time. He becomes affected by depression. This causes him to lose his abilities. Other family members also slowly lose their abilities due to modern-day mental health issues. Do Da Hee learns their secret and comes to live with them for her own reasons. With her entry into their home, things slowly start to change. 
Bok Gwi Joo is diagnosed with depression after his wife passes away in a car accident and he blames himself for it. Though he is aware of his issues, he refuses to change and turns to alcohol. His daughter, Bok In A is a screen addict and is always on her phone. She is an introverted kid who doesn't have a social life. She also doesn't show any signs of superpower which is a cause of concern for her grandmother.
Gwi Joo's mother is the head of the family and has the ability to see the future but she is unable to do so as she is insomniac. His sister used to fly but has lost her ability because of obesity.
Do Da Hae and her family get to know about the rich family and decide to scam them to get money. They involve themselves with the members and try to win their favor. Do Da Hae soon hears about their supernatural abilities though she doesn't believe these rumors. Gwi Joo's mother is trying to get him and Da Hae married which is ultimately what Da Hae also wants so that she can rip them off. Out of Gwi Joo and his sister, whoever marries first will inherit the family business.
Do Da Hee also harbors a secret; she is afraid of fire. Her secrets will be unravelled in future episodes.
Positives
The Atypical Family is a fantasy romance which talks about heavy topics like mental health issues. While the series talks about series health problems, it never comes off as heavy or sad, or at least that is the case until now. The drama seems to focus on the positives and hope rather than seeming to lull upon the hard part.
It is likely that the upcoming episodes will delve into the traumas of the characters and why they are a certain way. The Atypical Family does not shy away from boldly speaking about mental health issues and rather talks about it freely.
The mystery has just started picking up, raising anticipation for the upcoming episodes.
Negatives
While the drama does not back away from showing mental illness, it does not do the best job of depicting it either. Most of the portrayal of the drama seems to be on a very surface level. When compared to series like Daily Dose of Sunshine, the portrayal is quite lacking.
The mystery has been laid down as a foundation but there are a lot of plot points which have already been revealed too soon. Bok Gwi Joo's past, Do Da Hae's intentions and much more. While the plot moves forward at a good pace, the script might seem lacking sometimes. Hopefully, much more interesting twists and turns are to come in future episodes.
Performance
Chun Woo Hee and Jang Ki Yong are phenomenal actors who play their roles well. Chun Woo Hee is a versatile actress and blends into any role like a chameleon. Her performance is subtle and believable. Jang Ki Yong made an appearance on the screen in almost two years and has played the role of Bok Gwi Joo well.
All the actors play their roles well. While some characters like Gwi Ju's sister played by Claudia Kim and Da Hae's sister played by Kim Su Hyun are exaggerated, other characters are subtle.
On another note, the prosthetics used on Claudia Kim to make her look fat just enough to bring the viewer out of the story. The actress has also appeared in Hollywood hits like Fantastic Beasts, Marvel series, Marco Polo and more. It is a crime against the actress as her expressions are barely visible.
Final Review
The Atypical Family is an overall exciting project. It does not waste a lot of time in bubbling the mystery though there are still a few plotlines left to be uncovered. It would be interesting to see whether the story will focus more on romance, fantasy or mental health.
The drama does not waste time with unnecessary scenes like many of its contemporaries. It keeps the viewers hooked till the end and builds up anticipation for the upcoming episodes.
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