Netflix’s new superhero series takes superhero fatigue and throws it out the window, giving viewers a fun and jaunty story featuring unlikely heroes.
The Wonderfools stars Park Eun-bin (Eun Chae-Ni), Cha Eun-woo (Lee Un-jeong), Choi Dae-hoon (Son Gyeong-hun), and Im Seong-jae (Kang Ro-bin) as four unlikely and emotionally unstable individuals who suddenly gain powers. However, strange events occur, bringing together this band of misfits to become the heroes of Haeseong City. That’s the surface-level synopsis to hook you in— if we say anything more, we may spoil the fantastic twists and turns the show has to offer.
We’ll try our best to contain the spoilers, so join us as we list down our High Five reasons to watch The Wonderfools!
Iconic Star-Studded Casting
The cast of The Wonderfools (from left) Choi Dae-hoon, Son Hyun-joo, Park Eun-bin, Cha Eun-woo, Kim Hae-sook, and Im Seong-jae | Photo from Netflix
Stars abound in this series, with Eun-bin (Extraordinary Woo Young Woo) playing the town trainwreck Chae-Ni, while Eun-woo (True Beauty) plays the civil servant Un-jeong. Alongside them are award-winning actor Dae-hoon (When Life Gives You Tangerines) as the jobless father Gyeong-hun, and Seong-jae (Extraordinary Woo Young Woo) as Chae-ni’s best friend, Ro-bin.
The tone of the show makes more sense once you find out that it’s inspired by comic book legend Stan Lee’s unpublished concept, The B-Team. Lee was said to be working on the concept before he passed in 2018, with B-rated heroes as the central protagonists of the series fighting the mad scientist who created them.
Taking its cue from the unfinished concept by Lee, The Wonderfools combines various quirky personalities to create a comedic dynamic that you can’t help but laugh at. Alongside the main cast are veteran actors Kim Hae-sook (Gyeongseong Creature) and Son Hyeon-ju (Doctor Romantic) who play Cha-Ni’s grandmother and a mad scientist, respectively, rounding out the ensemble that makes the world feel full and lived in.
Misfits Can Be Heroes Too
The charm of the series is how it treats its main characters. An emotionally unstable and sickly girl, a self-deprecating man, a liar, and a weirdo become Haeseong City’s designated heroes, and the series does not berate or begrudge them for this. The story mostly follows the foursome as they learn to control their powers while uncovering the secret of the town’s sewage problem, eventually clashing with the big bads of the show—the Wunderkinder.
The series does not make it easy for the protagonists to use their powers, which have inconvenient drawbacks. Chae-Ni can teleport but only when her heart rate increases, Ro-bin is strong but only when angered, Gyeong-hun becomes a human flypaper sticking to everything when he lies down, and Un-jeong has telekinesis that goes haywire when he sleeps and causes undesirable side effects. Each quirk is hard to manage, but as a team, they both prop up the weaknesses of the other members while also regulating each other’s weirdness and unstable tendencies— making them an unstoppable group.
Nostalgic Y2K Aesthetic
(From left) Im Seong-jae, Park Eun-bin, Cha Eun-woo, and Im Seong-jae | Photo from Netflix
The Wonderfools felt like a breath of fresh air, especially after so many films and shows nostalgic about the ’80s, or set in a dystopian future. The series is set in 1999, the peak of Y2K, and the optimism for the new millennium speaks to the characters’ cheery disposition and the story’s positive outlook. It’s a far cry from the serious tone often taken by Western superhero-themed media, and a welcome change of pace.
The costume design and language used by the characters also did well in immersing the audience in the era. Little touches like Chae-Ni’s knitted garments, the characters’ period-accurate haircuts, and the caller response of Chae-ni and her grandmother bring the audience closer to the world of The Wonderfools, making the story more believable.
Scenes were also paired with an emotive soundtrack and musical score that was an excellent callback to the Y2K era and to the wonder of the superhero genre in general. The opening title itself contains futuristic synth sounds alongside hip hop beats that were popular in the ’90s. Another track is “Lovable Fools,” which plays when a funny yet cute scene comes into play like Gyeong-hun’s lying tendencies come into full effect, taking inspiration from Latin sounds and comedic scores from the ’90s.
Makings of a Comedy Classic
Stills from Netflix
The stills above are taken from some of the funniest scenes in the series. We cannot stress enough how absurd and genuinely laughter-inducing these scenes were. The magic on screen multiplied every time the core four protagonists are together. The Wonderfools hit every single one of its comedic beats, whether its utilizing dark comedy, slapstick, or observational humor. Each comedic scene was done with care, never resorting to back-handed jibes at the viewers’ or characters’ expense, making for a genuinely funny and commendable effort. The series definitely has the makings to become a modern comedy classic.
A Taste of A Bigger Story
Still from Netflix
The Wonderfools wrapped up storylines with a nice bow, but there are still strings left to unravel and explored if the story ever continues on. From the mystery sewage situation, to where some relationships end up, everything seems well and fine in the city of Haeseong just as the year 2000 starts. But there is still a lot of room to expand on the world, as the potential of the series and its charming and quirky cast is boundless.
SEA Wave Magazine gives The Wonderfools 4 out of 5 waves.