‘The Sound Of Magic’: Ji Chang-wook Hopes the K-Drama Is Remembered as a ‘Fairytale’ About ‘Innocence’
Netflix’s The Sound of Magic K-drama has resonated with fans more than they ever expected. The K-drama tells the story of a young girl forced to grow up to provide for her sister and lose her childlike spark. She meets an adult magician who hides from a harsh reality and wishes to go back to being a child. The Sound of Magic is a reality check of how society sees innocence as actor Ji Chang-wook says the drama is a reminder about ones lost dreams.
[Warning: This article contains mild spoilers for The Sound of Magic.]
Ah-yi wants to put her youth behind her to become an adult in the K-drama
The leading female character, Ah-yi, lives a different life compared to her classmates. Her mother left her and her father also does after accumulating debt. Ah-yi becomes her younger sister’s guardian but has a hard time making money and providing for her.
Still being a teenager, she does odd jobs. She is unable to afford something as simple as new stockings. Her predicament has Ah-yi look down on herself, try and smuggle food from the school cafeteria, and pretend not to see money on the floor.
Despite her better judgment in The Sound of Magic, she helps Il-deung get good grades in exchange for money. When she meets Ri-eul, she is adamant about telling him she no longer believes in magic and no longer dreams. All she wishes is to forget her youth and become an adult to find a job.
Ri-eul has his own mystery as to why he wants to go back to being a child. He helps Ah-yi regain her spark for life and her childlike wonder about the world. Ah-yi starts to find happiness in magic. At the same time, Ri-eul gives Il-deung a wake-up call. The cold path he is on will worsen, and it is not what he truly desires.
Ji Chang-wook says ‘The Sound of Magic’ is a reminder of what adults have lost
The moral of The Sound of Magic is to show audiences how society forces young teens to grow up and become adults before they are ready. The idea that their innocence and wonder about the unbelievable is meaningless in a cold and driven society. In a behind-the-scenes video with the cast of The Sound of Magic, Ji explains the K-drama serves as a reminder.
“I think this show can be a medium to remind viewers of their dreams and innocence that are lost. I hope this show can be remembered as a fairytale that reminds us of our innocence,” said Ji.
The K-drama’s director explains that it gives audiences a message about being an adult. “Can we be happy without having dreams now? It has a convincing message that we don’t need to live a life to be something,” explained the director.
In a video special with Youtube channel odg for The Sound of Magic, Ji explained, “It’s easy being an adult, but what’s harder is finding that childlike innocence again when you become an adult.” The K-drama adapted the original webtoon’s sentiment about society’s hindrance on imagination and not conforming.
Fans felt the emotional portrayal of Ji Chang-wook’s character and the cast in ‘The Sound of Magic’
It is safe to say that fans of The Sound of Magic cried a few times while watching and understanding Ji’s sentiment about the storyline. The K-drama has many resonating lines like Ah-yi’s monologue explaining, “Since when did this world become a place where even dreams have to meet a standard?”
A fan on Reddit explains how they found relatability in Ah-yi learning to accept magic again. Ah-yi opens her heart to believe in the unbelievable and find happiness in doing magic, even for a small moment.
“This made me connect alot to how I immerse myself in my hobbies even when I’m going through rough patches, the harsh reality is waiting for me but for a short while I’m able to focus on something that makes me happy and gives me comfort. It was good to see Ah-yi learn it’s okay to do the things she wants with the same effort as the things she doesn’t want to. Life will always be unpredictable so might you as well seek some refuge from time to time,” said the fan.
The Sound of Magic tells a whimsical story using magic, illusions, music, and more and is worth revisiting when things get difficult.
