The WONDERfools Review
Director: Yoo In-shik
Date Created: 2026-05-15 20:26
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The WONDERfools Review: Directed by Yoo In-shik, Netflix’s Korean superhero mystery series 원더풀스 stars Park Eun-bin as Eun Chae-ni, alongside Cha Eun-woo as Lee Un-jeong, Choi Dae-hoon as Gyeong-hun, Im Seong-jae AS Ro-bin, Kim Hae-sook as Kim Jeon-bok, Son Hyun-joo as Ha Won-do, alongside Bae Na-ra, Jeong E-suh, Choi Yun-ji and others. The drama has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of 70 to 80 minutes.
The WONDERfools Review
Taking place in the year 1999, when everyone feared the advent of Y2K, Netflix’s The WONDERfools revolves around a number of misfits who suddenly possess paranormal powers due to an unusual incident resulting from toxic waste that was illegally dumped and a secretive laboratory. Central to this movie is the character of Chae-ni, a headstrong girl who believes that she can die anytime due to a cardiac disease.
She is tired of being so cautious about her life that she decides to take along two other misfortunes in life, namely Gyeong-hun and Ro-bin, and indulge in a bizarre fake kidnap operation. This leads to a series of events where supernatural elements merge with cult religions and experiments by some powerful people.
First and foremost, Netflix Korean series The WONDERfools is weirdly strange in its presentation. Unlike the usual clean-cut superhero dramas that have attractive and confident characters saving the world in cool slow-motion, here, we have flawed heroes who make the worst decisions possible at any given time. The use of their powers usually creates more chaos than actually solving anything, but this is why people find it enjoyable to watch. Seeing Chae-ni using her teleportation powers to cause chaos, or Gyeong-hun and Ro-bin losing control of their powers all the time, is simply too exciting.
On the other hand, this show proves to be far more emotional than I anticipated. Despite the comedic elements and outrageous scenes, the underlying message revolves around how lonely people try to find their purpose in life. Chae-ni, in particular, serves as the emotional backbone of the show. Having spent her entire existence waiting for her demise, she lives her life with an adventurous spirit, which not only renders her character amusing but also deeply moving. While there may be instances when her boldness might appear too intense, Park Eun-bin pulls off the character flawlessly.
It is Park Eun-bin who truly makes this drama happen. Since having seen her in calmer and more emotional roles, the transition from that to playing an out-of-control and lively character felt like a breath of fresh air. Park is willing to fully commit to any comedy scene, but she also knows when to tone down everything for some drama. The quieter moments where Chae-ni feels fear and vulnerability become some of the best parts of the drama. Even though the storyline can get complicated or messy at times, Park makes everything interesting.
The primary source of comedy is provided by Choi Dae-hoon and Im Seong-jae. Although initially considered somewhat irritating, they eventually become very likeable characters. It was fascinating to observe how their fears and vulnerabilities were gradually uncovered, and they were not portrayed simply as stereotypes. Ultimately, their relationship with Chae-ni became one of the best parts of the show.
On the one hand, the trio provide utter idiocy and chaos on screen in the most amazing way possible, but on the other hand, Cha Eun-woo provides calmness amidst all that craziness. In contrast to the first two, his presence does not come in merely for looks; rather, he actually gives a very good performance as Lee Un-jeong. His character is very emotionally charged and enigmatic, and Eun-woo performs the role excellently. There is always a sense of realism in his portrayal despite the complete madness associated with teleporting, conspiracy theories, and fight scenes. This makes his role all the more believable amid chaos, for Un-jeong is truly the only one who knows how lethal this situation can be.
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Bae Na-ra deserves special mention for the part of Kim Pal-ho as well, for he was truly scary as a character. He really seems to shine whenever he plays an antagonist at this stage in his career. After Weak Hero Class 2, he does it once again in the Korean drama The WONDERfools and shows just how good he is at being a frightening character. There is something about his eyes that just gives off an aura of fear, which fits the character of Pal-ho perfectly. While the show has a good main antagonist narrative, the presence of Pal-ho creates its own suspense every time the character appears.
Another enjoyable surprise regarding villains in the show was their plot line. Son Hyun-joo acts as Ha Won-do, a character who is chilling and frightening due to his cool-headedness. Won-do is not one of those villains who scream all day long and make a scene. Rather, he takes advantage of scared and religiously-minded individuals, manipulating them, which is actually scary because there’s nothing more terrifying than playing on people’s fears.
Another significant advantage of the Netflix series The WONDERfools comes in the form of the setting. While the late 90s setting gives the show a distinct character, it also makes sure that the drama does not appear like any modern superheroic story. With fashion, technology, and fear for the millennium playing central roles, the series is thoroughly imbued with the chaos of the times. The grittiness and lack of glamour in the setting also lend credibility to the fantastic elements of the story.
However, it is important to note that The WONDERfools series is far from being flawless. The biggest problem is that of pace. Episodes lasting more than an hour seem to have some unnecessary stretches in them since some of the storylines are developed for too long. Sometimes the plot becomes somewhat unfocused due to the number of subplots that are covered at once. Finally, there is a great deal of repetition in the emotional parts.
Netflix The WONDERfools Review: Summing Up
Despite all the problems mentioned above, I still found kdrama The WONDERfools a pleasure to watch. This show is weird, funny, moving, and unexpectedly sincere. Because of the total acceptance of the chaos inherent in the show, it becomes refreshing against other, darker and more cynical superhero dramas out there. The excellent acting skills of Park Eun-bin and Cha Eun-woo help even the less effective episodes shine, and the retro atmosphere and endearing characters make the story unique.
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