The Wonderfools review: Park Eun-bin powers through an uneven but charming superhero comedy

There is something instantly appealing about The Wonderfools. Maybe it is the idea of ordinary people suddenly developing wildly inconvenient superpowers, or maybe it is simply the chaos that follows whenever these characters try — and mostly fail — to behave like actual superheroes.

Either way, Netflix’s latest Korean action-comedy starts with enough charm to keep you invested, even when the storytelling occasionally struggles to keep up with its own ambition.

Created by Kang Eun-kyung and directed by Yoo In-sik, The Wonderfools leans heavily into the “misfits with powers” formula. The show follows a group of flawed superhumans who accidentally gain strange abilities after exposure to toxic chemicals. The catch? None of them can properly control what they can do, which leads to both emotional moments and some genuinely silly comedy.

At the centre of it all is Park Eun-bin as Eun Chae-ni, and honestly, she is the glue holding this series together. Chae-ni is chaotic, impulsive, dramatic and oddly lovable all at once. A woman with a terminal heart condition who accidentally gains teleportation abilities whenever her heart rate spikes sounds like a premise that could easily become too melodramatic, but Park Eun-bin plays her with so much energy and sincerity that the character never feels exhausting.

In fact, there are moments where it genuinely feels like she is carrying the entire show on her shoulders.

Not to discredit the rest of the cast, because there are enjoyable performances across the board, but Park Eun-bin clearly understands the tone of this series better than anyone else. Whether the show shifts into emotional family drama, awkward romance or complete slapstick madness, she somehow adapts effortlessly.

And The Wonderfools shifts genres a lot.

Sometimes too much.

One episode may spend a long stretch focusing on emotional trauma and family wounds, only for the next scene to involve absurd superhero training antics. The pacing often jumps from slow to fast, making the series feel uneven. There are stretches where it seems unsure whether it wants to be a heartfelt coming-of-age drama, a romance or a full-blown superhero spoof.

Still, even when the tone wobbles, the effort behind the series is visible. The action scenes are energetic, the friendship dynamics feel warm, and the family moments surprisingly land emotionally. There is sincerity here, and that helps smooth over many of the rough edges.

Cha Eun-woo also settles comfortably into his role as Lee Un-jeong, a quiet civil servant with telekinetic abilities. While his performance is slightly restrained during the heavier emotional scenes, he shines in the action and comedy moments.

One particular scene involving Chae-ni desperately trying to get his attention during a powers training session — which ends with her throwing a massive onion directly at his face — is ridiculous in the best possible way. His reaction alone makes the entire sequence worth watching.

The chemistry between Chae-ni, Ro-bin and Gyeong-hun ends up becoming one of the strongest parts of the show. Their friendship feels natural, messy and believable. Im Seong-jae brings a sweet awkwardness to Ro-bin, whose super strength only activates when someone insults him, while Choi Dae-hoon adds humour as Gyeong-hun, whose adhesive-producing powers trigger whenever he lies.

Meanwhile, the trio of Pal-ho, Ho-ran and Ju-ran add emotional depth to the story. Their tragic history involving manipulation and cruel experimentation by someone they trusted gives the show some of its darker and more sympathetic moments.

Story-wise, however, The Wonderfools does not always feel particularly original. It is difficult not to think of the 2025 Korean superhero film Hi Five, which also centred on a group of unlikely individuals suddenly gaining powers and navigating chaotic new lives. While The Wonderfools approaches the concept with more emotional drama and sitcom-style humour, the similarities are hard to ignore.

Even so, the series remains watchable because of its heart and performances. It may not fully master its pacing or tonal balance, but it knows how to create characters you want to spend time with.

The Wonderfools is messy, uneven and occasionally overstuffed, but it is also funny, warm and strangely endearing — much like its heroes themselves.