Backstreet Rookie (2020)
Review of Backstreet Rookie / 편의점 샛별이 (2020)
This was my first K-drama in about a month. I really needed a break y’all, I could feel my mind rotting with each new television show that I was watching.
And then I was really bored and missing Korea, which led me to binge-watching yet another drama. I chose this one specifically because of the theme of convenience stores, which is basically what I lived off of in Korea. Korean convenience stores are a divine being sent from above.
I went to Ewha Womans University and every single day I went into the convenience store there and bought cream bread with red bean to eat for lunch. For one thousand two-hundred fifty won, I could have lunch. And when thirsty, I could buy an eight-hundred won small can of Mountain Dew or coffee.
At the end of program, I ended up living off of the canned coffee they sold along with pastries. This was also the first place I tried kimbap, which I unfortunately did not like.
Anyways, I was also intrigued by the fact that Ji Chang-wook was in it. I originally got my start with his work in the action realm, such as The K2 and the movie Fabricated City. It was a shock for me to see him in, well, a normal drama for the first time when he starred in Suspicious Partner.
Then I saw him recently in Lovestruck in the City, saw he was in this, and was like well I feel like I have to now. I was looking for something lighthearted and got it.
Content
Our female lead in this drama is Saet-byeol, an orphan who quit school to provide for her younger sister, who secretly wants to be an artist. I can vibe with that. Saet-byeol has a pretty face, but don’t be fooled by it—highly athletic and trained in martial arts, she can beat the crap out of anyone who thinks they can take her.
Saet-byeol became obsessed with our male lead, Dae-hyun, because he saved her from a falling sandbag. Which is kind of weird and out there, but it works I guess? Our male lead owns a convenience store in Sinseong-dong, where, years later, Saet-byeol discovers is his and decides to apply for an overnight shift as a part-timer. This is when their worlds begin to collide.
First of all, Dae-hyun’s relationship with the girl at the corporate office of the convenience store chain is so one-sided and it’s actually kind of painful to watch on-screen. He literally doesn’t make a lot of money like she does, doesn’t seem to come from a wealthy family, and then spends a fortune trying to get her Phantom of the Opera play tickets.
Which is so sad because then she just ditches him for work, and then when he does finally get to take her, she ditches him again after spotting her boss that she previously made out with in a previous episode. Literally Dae-hyun follows her around like a puppy but then she just kind of uses it for her advantage?
That’s a red flag my dear. Dae-hyun also goes at great lengths to prove that he’s not in a relationship with Saet-byeol to her, but then she gets jealous when she’s also cheating on him emotionally and physically? Girl, not cool at all.
It’s a pretty funny series outside of the romance, except some questionable things. Like a high school girl have years-long crush on a guy approximately a decade older than her. And the fact that the best friend of Dae-hyun is straight up appropriating Black culture.
He can be seen throughout the show in dreadlocks that lookly poorly maintained and fake, while wearing clothes that straight up have the Jamaican flag on them.
I don’t think that’s a good image to be putting onto another’s culture, especially when it’s depicted on a character that is comedically dirty-looking and considered to have an unorthodox job (he is a webtoon creator) by Korean society. It might just make some stereotypes that are historically backed, you know?
All in all, I care way more about the female lead’s story arc than the male lead’s. She takes care of her sister who wants to be an idol, works multiple jobs, and then is put down constantly by this guy who owns a convenience store of all things. I think part of the point here is examining your privilege, because the second female lead doesn’t seem to understand that she’s hella privileged.
The male lead doesn’t seem very mature and just comes across as a lovestruck puppy, which doesn’t appeal to me as a viewer at the end of the day. Also his family has a nice house for living in Seoul, which makes you also think about his privilege even though he’s owning a failing convenience store.
Overall Thoughts
I think I would’ve enjoyed this drama more if it focused completely on Saet-byeol’s life and her journey to getting where she’s at.
Without the romance elements, it would’ve been a wonderful story if she found solace in this found family at the convenience store, and she grows up and learns that she shouldn’t be dating someone that became smitten with as a high-schooler just because he saved her from a falling object.
I wasn’t really a fan of the show, but I didn’t drop it, so that says something about managing to keep my attention going at the end of the day. The chemistry is good between the two leads, but a platonic relationship would’ve been awesome as well to keep them realizing that they can move on despite the romance and hardships of life.
