Magic is often portrayed in literature and films as a mysterious and powerful force, capable of conjuring up fantastical spells and enchantments. However, one aspect of magic that is often overlooked is its sound. The sound of magic is a crucial element in creating an immersive experience for the audience or reader, as it adds another layer of depth to the world of magic. In many magical worlds, the sound of magic is often described as ethereal and mystical. It can be a soft whispering, like the rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze, or a booming roar, like thunder echoing through the sky. These sounds evoke a sense of awe and wonder, capturing the imagination of those who witness them.

The soubd of magic

South China Morning Post

Ji Chang-wook as mysterious magician Ri-eul in a still from new K-drama series The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

These sounds evoke a sense of awe and wonder, capturing the imagination of those who witness them. The sound of magic can also be used to convey different types of magic. For example, a spell involving fire may be accompanied by a crackling sound, while a spell involving water may be accompanied by a soothing and flowing sound.

Review | Netflix K-drama The Sound of Magic review: fantasy musical starring Ji Chang-wook and Choi Sung-eun dazzles and frustrates

• Itaewon Class director Kim Sung-yoon’s new series mixes mirth, magic and music in its story of a high-school student who meets a mysterious playful trickster
• There’s a worthwhile story here about the circumstances that society boxes us into, but in the end this is a half-baked fable that could have been so much more

3/5 stars

One of the key elements behind a good magic trick is misdirection – the act of distracting your audience with one hand while the other sets up an illusion, explains Ri-eul, the mysterious protagonist of the Netflix musical fantasy drama The Sound of Magic.

This new show from Itaewon Class director Kim Sung-yoon, based on Ha Il-kwon’s webcomic Annarasumanara, essentially does the same thing. During a charming and occasionally enthralling opening episode it dazzles us with bright visuals, infectious musical numbers and engaging performances. But even the best magic trick can’t stretch to six hour-long episodes.

Choi Sung-eun, who impressed in her drama debut Beyond Evil and the indie pregnancy drama Ten Months last year, takes on her first major leading role as the diffident Yoon Ah-yi, a high-school student working part-time jobs who has been providing for herself and her younger sister ever since her father had to go on the run from creditors.

The one thing that Ah-yi enjoys and excels at is maths. She’s top of the class in the subject, which is a source of frustration for the silver-spooned class whizz Na Il-deung ( True Beauty ’s Hwang In-yeop). True to his name, which literally means first place, Il-deung ranks top in every subject, except maths.

The evening Ah-yi finishes her first shift at a new part-time gig in a convenience store, a stubborn wind keeps blowing her day’s pay, a single 50,000 won (US$40) note, out of her hands. She chases it down the road, eventually reaching an abandoned amusement park, where it drifts into the hands of Ri-eul (The K2’s Ji Chang-wook), a handsome young man dressed in a tattered magician’s outfit.

Ri-eul’s opening words to Ah-yi, as they are to everyone he meets, are “Do you believe in magic?” The earnest question, delivered each time without a shred of irony, really asks us whether we’ve lost our childlike wonder.

As a teenager forced to bear adult responsibilities, with dreams of growing up to be able to put more bread on the table, Ah-yi has no time for childish pursuits like magic, but Ri-eul is a tenacious and winsome figure, and his extraordinary sleight-of-hand tricks, which frequently do beggar belief, slowly win her over.

Whether he possesses truly magical skills, Ri-eul is a perpetually childlike figure who enjoys playing, but whose personality quickly darkens when he is no longer able to distract from reality with his splendid array of tricks.

Choi Sung-eun as high-school student Yoon Ah-yi in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

Reminiscent of the magnetic fabulist Edward Bloom in Tim Burton’s classic Big Fish , or the gregarious wannabe superhero played by Hwang Jung-min in the South Korean film A Man Who Was Superman, Ri-eul is eager to please but inscrutable when it comes to revealing the truth about who he is and where he came from.

This timeless concept, which can be traced all the way back to the charming 1950 James Stewart vehicle Harvey, among others, is introduced with an enchanting mix of mirth and magic. Yet as we soon learn, this set-up is in itself an illusion, since the dramatic and sensory pleasures it teases never fully materialise. The interesting premise fails to grow into a full-throttled story and what you see at first is really all you get.

Hwang In-youp (centre left) as class whizz Na Il-deung and Ji Chang-wook as mysterious magician Ri-eul in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

Despite the rich design and varied tone it opens with, The Sound of Magic has a surprising lack of characters, locations and even extras. Much of the action takes place in the same high school, but besides Ah-yi, Il-deung, bully Baek Ha-na (Ji Hye-won) and her ambivalent minion Kim So-hee (Kim Bo-yoon), there are only a handful of lines spoken by other students.

Furthermore, the school seems to have only one educator, with their homeroom teacher (Lim Ki-hong) seemingly filling in as principal and guidance counsellor as well.

The story proceeds with few major cliffhangers and revelations and even the musical numbers, which stand out at first, become increasingly sparse and unmemorable as the show wears on. The show doesn’t commit to being a musical, nor does it fully enter fantasy territory.

Ji Chang-wook (left) and Choi Sung-eun in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

It keeps pushing us to second-guess whether the magic is real or not, but unlike Big Fish, where the answer to that question provided the cathartic conclusion of the story’s father-son relationship, it remains vague here as it refuses to commit one way or another. Instead, the story casually winds down to a foregone conclusion before drifting away altogether.

This all makes The Sound of Magic an especially frustrating experience, as the parts that work, especially early on, are very compelling. We want to continue to be transported into Ri-eul’s world, whether real or imagined, but instead we are kept at arm’s length as the show cuts corners and prevaricates instead of committing to its premise.

There’s a worthwhile story here about the circumstances that society boxes us into, the mental complexes we develop as a result of these pressures and the desire to find someone that understands us for who we are. But in the end this is a half-baked fable that could have been so much more. It’s the sound of magic without the feeling of it.

The Sound of Magic is streaming on Netflix.

The Dark Storyline Of ‘Sound Of Magic’ Compels Viewers To Believe

A mysterious magician seeks to help a desperate teen.

Do you believe in magic? If your life is as grim as Yoon Ah-yi’s in the Korean drama Sound of Magic, you may need to believe in magic to survive. Reality has not treated her kindly. Ah-yi, played convincingly by Choi Sung-un, is in a terrible situation. Abandoned by her father, the high school student is desperately trying to survive and provide for her younger sister.

Working part time after school does not earn her enough to pay the rent on the home she and her sister live in. A plea for help only lands her in a dangerous situation. She’s so desperate for help that she meets a strange man, who claims he is a magician, at a deserted amusement park. It’s a crazy move, but Ah-yi has run out of options. Luckily, the strange man might actually be a real magician, although possibly an insane one, and an adult who seems determined to protect her. Will there ultimately be a price to pay? It’s hard to tell and Ah-yi has rightly learned not to trust anyone.

Ah-yi does need a champion. She is pestered at school and harassed by the debt collectors her father ran away from. The only person who looks out for her is her equally smart classmate Na Il-deung, played by Hwang In-hyeop. They both start out being cynical about magic. Ah-yi comes to believe in magic first and that might be because she needs it more.

Sound of Magic is a weirdly wonderful drama in which magic seems both hopeful and menacing. Characters seem kind and then are cruel. Ji Chang-wook makes a shadowy magician, a rumpled seedy Peter Pan, who could just be delusional. He could turn out to be a hero or a villain. Or unable to really help her. Ah-yi has no choice but to find out.

That’s the position viewers might find themselves in too. Where is this quirky musical drama going to take me and do I believe in magic enough to go there? Viewers will likely take a chance on this original drama, if only to see what kind of tricks Ji’s complicated magician character manages to pull out of his hat. The music is a melodious mixed bag, with a frothy high school dance number, sweet duets and moving commentary on the educational rat race. Both the addition of musical numbers and the dark storyline make this drama compelling.

The Sound of Magic

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K-drama celebrates wonder, has violent themes, smoking.

These distinct sounds help to differentiate between different types of magic, adding to the richness and diversity of the magical world. Furthermore, the sound of magic can also reveal the intentions and emotions of the spellcaster. A spell cast with malicious intent may have a sharp and sinister sound, while a spell cast with benevolence may have a gentle and comforting sound. These sounds provide insight into the character of the spellcaster and create a sense of tension and anticipation. Additionally, the sound of magic can be used to enhance the visual effects of a magical spell. For example, a bolt of lightning may sizzle and crackle as it strikes its target, or a levitation spell may be accompanied by a humming sound as the object is lifted into the air. These sound effects help to bring the magic to life and make it more believable and immersive. In conclusion, the sound of magic is an important and often overlooked aspect of creating a magical world. It adds depth, emotion, and visual enhancement to the spells and enchantments, creating a more immersive and captivating experience for the audience or reader. So, the next time you encounter magic in a book or film, remember to listen closely for the sound of magic..

Reviews for "Sonic Sorcery: The Manipulation of Sound in Dark Magic"

1. John123 - 1/5

I found "The Sound of Magic" to be incredibly dull and uninteresting. The plot was convoluted and difficult to follow, and the characters were flat and unengaging. I couldn't bring myself to care about anything that was happening in the story. Additionally, the writing style was not to my liking. The author seemed to rely heavily on cliches and tired tropes, which made the whole reading experience even more tedious. I regret wasting my time on this book and would not recommend it to anyone who prefers well-developed plots and compelling characters.

2. SarahDoe - 2/5

While I can appreciate the effort put into "The Sound of Magic," I ultimately found it disappointing. The world-building felt underdeveloped, and I struggled to connect with the magical elements of the story. The pacing was also uneven, with long stretches of i

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