Lee Hye’s webtoons are popular for a reason. They feature interesting characters with an intriguing premise and exciting story pacing. So it was no surprise when she announced that two of her romance fantasy webtoons – See You In My 19th Life and A Good Day to be a Dog – would be adapted into TV series. I was one of those fans who was thrilled to hear that news and waited patiently for those two webtoons’ adaptations.
With anticipation comes expectations, some were met but there were also some letdowns. A Good Day to be a Dog had a mix of both. It was delightful to see the cherished webtoon characters come to life and still be as interesting as their original version. There are changes in the premise that I like but some feel like filler scenes to what could have been an intact narrative. The 14-episode series is still a nice watch despite some topsy-turvy narrative decisions. Here are some of those nice elements you can look forward to in A Good Day to be a Dog.
Stayed true to its original material
Unlike See You In My 19th Life, A Good Day to be a Dog has mostly stayed true to its original material. The changes are minimal and are actually necessary for it to become interesting in the new medium used for the story. The start of the series is a perfect mix of comedy, romance, and fantasy. The curse’s backstory has also been improved but some additional scenes at the last arc of the series feel a bit too draggy. Still, fans of the webtoon will be glad the TV version didn’t change a lot from their beloved story.
Hae-na’s Family
One of the changes I love in this adaptation is the focus on Han Hae-na’s (Park Gyu-young) family. They have more screen time than the panels they had in the webtoon. It was entertaining to watch the dynamic between Hae-na and her sister Han Yu-na (Ryu Abel), her loving parents Shin Mi-sun (Jung Young-joo) and Han Pan-dong (Kim Hong-pyo), and even her cursed uncle Shin Dong-cheol (Kim Hae-jun). I was also entertained by Yu-na and their childhood friend Song Woo-taek (Jo Jin-se). They are a perfect support group for Hae-na as well as romantic-comedic relief when the story turns too serious for its genre.
Garam High School
One thing I like the most about the webtoon is how it is set in an ordinary high school with supposed-to-be ordinary teachers with an extraordinary circumstance. I think that’s what makes a fantasy charming. With A Good Day to be a Dog, I was able to see the halls of Garam High School get filled with students’ noise and chatter with fun teacher interaction at the forefront. Choi Yool (Yoon Hyun-soo) and Min Ji-ah (Kim Yi-kyeong) are also characters to watch for in this series.
Han Hae-na, Jin Seo-won, and Lee Bo-gyeom
What makes the webtoon a fun read is because of its main characters, Han Hae-na, Jin Seo-won (Cha Eun-woo), and Lee Bo-gyeom (Lee Hyun-woo). Finding actors who could portray their story is a difficult job. Park Gyu-young, Cha Eun-woo, and Lee Hyun-woo did a decent job portraying these well-loved characters. They aren’t exactly perfect for the role but they did bring in their own charms to make their versions of Hae-na, Seo-won, and Bo-gyeom.
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