“The Atypical Family” Episodes 1 And 2 Review- An Odd Start In Many Ways

After a 3-year absence from TV due to military service, Jang Ki Yong is finally back in the JTBC drama “The Atypical Family” and he’s joined by Chun Woo Hee, let us talk the premiere episodes!

Note: this article is a first-impression review, it doesn’t mean this is the writer’s final thoughts on the drama. This is a spoiler review.

I was very excited about the drama. Besides the obvious interesting casting, the story was very intriguing. A bunch of very special people losing their powers due to various illnesses today’s humans suffer from. This could go so well depending on how the screenwriter handles it.

and is it any good thus far?

I’d say I am intrigued but also slightly confused and concerned…

First things first, I did not expect the female lead to be a swindler and nor do I like that. The woman has swindled many men in the past with the help of her presumed family and close associates. So, the 1^st husband cheated on her with whom I can assume to be either her close friend or sister, and the 2^nd used to be violent when drunk and he happened to be going head-to-head with Do Da-Hae who knew how to deal with his as*.

While I won’t deny the 2 men she married are horrible, she’s also equally horrible for what she’d done to them and the way the group she has went about it.

What the premiere told me is that these people are not beneath doing anything to achieve what they want, which is…. not… exactly… something that makes me excited for the pairing of Do Da-Hae and Bok Gwi-Ju. Because the dude is depressed, but still, very different from whom she’d been swindling. He was nice enough to tell her to get away from him because she’d be wasting her youth.

She’s swindling people who are suffering seriously and do no harm, which makes me really dislike her. So, she’s drugging the grandma, has a man follow a literal child and wants to take advantage of a depressed man… I mean, she’s not exactly normal.

Her actions in the 1^st episodes alone are enough for me to hate her character so I’d assume she either has to suffer greatly for her horrible actions or she’ll have a serious redemption arc. Regardless, it won’t erase how she still went after this family like this. All I am saying is, it’ll take a lot for me to like her character.

I like depressed Jang Ki Yong, missed him so much. The dude likes his fantasy dramas, and I don’t blame him. They’re fun. But I must say, his ‘power’ is kinda useless. Its kinda funny the screenwriter thought of it as a ‘power.’ the dude can change nothing…. I can see some ways you can go around it or maybe use the past footage as leverage for future actions but still, its not exactly as useful as the other’s powers. I am assuming that the female lead will change how he can deal with his powers.

I also feel especially bad for I-Na, the way the family treats her is simply horrible. No wonder she’s so detached.

I also don’t like the grandma’s character either, she’s too much, she’s overbearing, annoying and too trustworthy for her own good.

Which leads me to the big points, “The Atypical Family” has odd writing in several places and we’re only 2 episodes in. The grandma has no brain whatsoever and trusts a woman almost instantly with nothing to back it up. She brings her to their home on the death anniversary of her past daughter-in-law and wants her to marry her son…. I mean, what? how? grandma…. you don’t know her, how did you survive this far with that brain of yours?

Also, that scene with I-Na and the strange man following her that somehow delved into her getting her period…. the structure of that entire scene was simply horrible.

The screenwriter behind this drama is Joo Hwa-Mi who wrote “Meow: The Secret Boy.” yesss… that drama…. oh god, I had high expectations, but I am now having doubts.

The rest of her resume is not exactly ideal either, so this has me severely concerned for the future episodes. So far, I’ll have to trust Ki Yong knew what he was doing. The director behind this drama directed SKY Castle so there is hope there.

In short, despite the very odd writing choices, “The Atypical Family” had an intriguing start. I am equally curious and concerned for future episodes.

Have you guys seen the premiere of “The Atypical Family” yet? thoughts?