캐치! 티니핑 S1

(I'm still in the midst of watching this, so my opinions may change)

Harmony Town, Earth. Undercover princess 로미 is on a mission to catch 티니핑, plushie-like fairies that have escaped from the Emotion Kingdom. In addition to her magical girl duties, she also goes to school and works in a bakery, where she has lots of friends.

This is a curious series, because at first glance it seems like an ad masquerading as a children's show aimed at girls aged 6-10: the character designs are exceptionally cute and brightly coloured, the 티니팡 look just like toys, and there are lots of magical girl accessories featured that look like products you could buy.

Each episode has a simple format of a 티니핑 appearing and messing with people's emotions, 로미's magical girl transformation to catch them, a short chase or battle, and the 티니핑 finally being caught (although they often run away or fight, they don't seem to mind 로미 catching them, and behave themselves once caught). There's often a simple story running alongside this featuring one of 로미's friends, such as them having a problem that is solved by the episode's featured 티니핑.

This, along with the simple, everyday language used, makes it a great resource for learners. The vocabulary and grammar are very easy, suitable for those just starting to consume native Korean media. A small note concerning 티니핑's speech: they often use a specific noise to sound more cute, for example the first 티니핑 we meet, 하츄핑, uses "츄" at the end of each sentence.

However, something that has made the series a surprise hit with teens and adults are the handsome 오빠s that work in the bakery. Their presence - and character designs - make the show seem as though it is aimed at an older audience, since it hints at there being future romantic plotlines. This is a little jarring, since the rest of the show is very squarely aimed at pre-teens.

Another minor issue I have is that sometimes it feels too obvious that the purpose of the series is to sell toys and accessories. The simplicity and repetitive nature of the stories, the lack of character personality and depth, and simple relationships between characters only serve to highlight the attention given to the products being advertised.

If you're looking for something simple you can enjoy as a beginner, you like magical girls and all things cute, and aren't too fussed about flat characters and lack of overarching storylines, this is a fun and visually appealing show that you might enjoy. The episodes are only 10 minutes long, so it's easy to consume, too.