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Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010)
Mary Stayed Out All Night
매리는 외박중 / Marry Me, Mary!
(Nov – Dec 2010)
who’s in it
Moon Geun Young (Cinderella’s Sister)
Jang Geun Suk (You’re Beautiful)
Kim Jae Wook as (Bad Guy)
Kim Hyo Jin (I Am Happy)
what’s it about
Moon GeunYoung plays Mary, a 24 year old whose life is pretty hard—the usual drill: debt brought on by a troublemaker father and caught in a dead-end situation—but she’s a glass half full kind of gal. Even though she’s forced to take a break from college because she can’t afford tuition and is struggling to find a job, she keeps her spirits up. Cute and bubbly, with thick, flowing hair even a mermaid could envy, she’s a lovely breath of fresh air. She’s the kind of fresh air that makes for an enjoyable main character. Of course it helps that Moon GeunYoung can, well, act.
When she accidentally bumps Jang GeunSuk to the ground with a car fender, there’s a feeling that kindred spirits have been reunited from another lifetime. He’s an unsigned but rather popular
Both characters are breezy and affable, and Jang GeunSuk plays the kind of happy drunk who gives away hugs-for-free as fan service (he should go on the road and do that for charity, he’d make a lot of money). He’s a lover, not a fighter. The two take to one another rather quickly in friendship, in fact. They are opposites in mindset, but similar in cuteness. They seem to attach pretty mutually and perfectly together, like a kitten and puppy who don’t know better yet, but can sense the other’s trustworthiness and become inseparable. Come to think of it, Jang GeunSuk and Moon GeunYoung do spend some quality bonding time barking and meowing at one another, which is probably the most adorable flirting technique ever invented.
You may be wondering why two people who have befriended one another for less than seventy-two hours would undertake a 100 day fake relationship? Obviously, it’s a Dad troublemaker thing. Her debt-ridden father wants his daughter to marry perfect (read: rich) stranger Kim JaeWook, who on his end, is agreeable to his own father’s arranged marriage demands just as long as he gets the investment money for the new kdrama he’s producing—think non-suicidal version of his rich kid Hong TaeSung role from Bad Guy. If you inferred that the comparison is to imply that he’s dreamy, you are correct. Also, fella doesn’t seem like a bad guy. It is interesting to note, actually, his is the blueprint of the more typical kdrama principal. Had the dice rolled differently...had this been another kdrama...if it wasn’t Jang GeunSuk on the other side, it would be too easy to see the story going a different way.
Closing the proper quadrangle, we have a famous actress (the character), Kim HyoJin, who has been cast in the drama Kim JaeWook is throwing together…and this actress also happens to be Jang GeunSuk’s ex-girlfriend, a relationship that both parties are still not completely over…seems she lost him when she was just starting her career climb.
Everyone is interconnected. As I said, a proper kdrama quadrangle!
(what’s it about initially posted Nov 10, 2010)
director
Hong SukGoo
screenwriter(s)
In EunAh (Goong, Hon) – Eps 1-10
Go BongHwang (18 v 20) – Eps 11-16
commitment
16 episodes
network
KBS2
first impressions
Without a doubt, this drama would never have worked without the combined star awesomeness of Moon GeunYoung, Jang GeunSuk, and Kim JaeWook. Another necessary and welcomed ingredient? Their characters were all so interesting, apart and together. It made every minute of the show enjoyable. If the plot seemed rather convenient, you would be right, but in the history of most crazy kdrama plots and the things parental units have done in their efforts to manipulate their children, for me this one doesn’t really rank. Call me crazy, I didn’t find it all that ridiculous. In the minds of these flighty characters who seemed to live in a strange logic-free land, their solutions made perfect sense—for them. Obviously, not for us. On the other hand, who knows? If I had to drop out of school because loan sharks were banging on my door, I suppose I could marry two hot men as a Get Out of Jail card. I would. I really would!
Jang GeunSuk ditches the mean charisma he had in You’re Beautiful and nicely transitions into a happier costume, a John Lennon-Julian-Casablancas-y charm…a little high on life, a little drunk, but a serious musician, serious thinker. I’m speculating on that last part, but there seemed to be some hints that there was depth under all that leather and hair. As for Moon GeunYoung, she was perfect as the Daddy’s Girl who had been forced to put her youth on pause because of her home situation. A carefree person she ain’t, not because she doesn’t want to have fun and be free, but because she can’t. She finds escape through tv. She’s very relatable in that way.
There is an instant believability in her connection with Jang GeunSuk’s character as well as Kim JaeWook’s, the latter being an overly polite but distant sort of fellow, the kind of guy who offhandedly tells an aspiring singer who promises to continue working hard: “Don’t try any more—for people without talent, it doesn’t matter how hard they work.” Worse, he doesn’t see why that would be an inappropriate thing to say to a dreamer. He’s that guy.
My initial thoughts on this drama, very simple: I LOVED IT. Everything about it. It was exactly what I had expected...but way better. In truth, I had a slight fear that it would be awful, there was a fifty-fifty chance that it could be. Sometimes putting so much star power in one basket works against itself, but this one was a pleasant surprise. Everybody’s best charms were put to good use. It’s the kind of drama that understands what it is to be a kdrama…why fans get obsessed...it’s fun, a bit hipster…totally beyond reason…but it has set up a typical (popular) type of kdrama cliché that forces all the lovable leads to be constantly in the other’s breathing space…pushing each other out of comfort zones. And that is the best kind of drama. If the situation does not feel especially natural, that’s ok, I can live with that, because with all this forced time together, the characters can at least progress in their affections naturally.
Besides, I’m confident these actors can deliver silly in a way that will be both salient and palatable.
(first impressions initially posted Nov 10, 2010)
wildcard
Insanely popular trendy stars = double-edged sword.
In other words, the big names in this one were both a benefit and liability for this hair-tastic little drama. With rising young talents like Jang GeunSuk (JGS), Moon GeunYoung (MGY), and Kim JaeWook all gathered on one roster (all golf-clap recipients for their acting and their pretty), Mary had accumulated quite a fortune, but with that wealth also came a downside: the rabid kdrama base anticipated a greatness Mary could never have possibly achieved.
In comparison, fellow 2010 winter offering Secret Garden was a similarly hyped show because of its bucket list of stars, some of the hottest mega-sunbaes (seniors) in the biz. The fact that Ha JiWon, Hyun Bin, and Yoon SangHyun’s wacky drama didn’t completely crash and burn from its top heavy load still impresses me. Lots of big stars in one show can mean high mountains, but also carries a higher risk for bigger missteps and sometimes...an epic fall. Luckily, Mary wasn’t an epic fall, only a partial rolling down the mountain...maybe an ankle sprain, too, but in a kdrama, that’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. Truly.
We can have all the faith in actors we can hold in our devoted hearts…but they are just one component in a complicated endeavor. This drama was the very definition of a double-edged sword. The poor thing did indeed benefit from the glowing dazzle of its stars, but the writers definitely felt the liability of trying to manage them. It became clear that they did not know how to properly spend all the gold they’d collected.
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Dr Champ (2010)
Dr Champ
닥터 챔프
(Sept – Nov 2010)
who’s in it
Kim SoYeon (Prosecutor Princess)
Uhm TaeWoong (Queen SeonDuk)
Jung GyuWoon (Loving You a Thousand Times)
Cha YeRyun (Invincible Lee PyungKang)
Jung SukWon (Creating Destiny)
Shindong (Super Junior – member)
what’s it about
He says, “When there are two or more coincidences, it’s destiny.”
She says, “No, it’s still only coincidence.”
The he is played by Jung GyuWoon, a judo athlete aspiring for the international stage—and a medal. He’s made a deathbed promise with his older brother to hold gold and he means to keep it, at any cost. He’s got a cutie pie nephew who is his most devoted pint-sized cheering section (of one), but unfortunately his sister-in-law feels different. She can barely spare a kind thought for him. He’s athletic (martial arts lean) and good-natured (easy to smile, easy to offer aid to strangers), but he’s also pretty seriously focused on this one goal. Although not so completely single-minded as to ignore a pretty girl worth scoping.
That leads to the she in this equation. Kim SoYeon is an aspiring orthopedic surgeon (a promising one) who has been granted a coveted fellowship spot at the prestigious research hospital she’s currently interning. But when her sponsor and mentor does the unthinkable during an operation, the young doc is forced to choose between career and morality. She makes the more human choice and finds herself blacklisted. She’s bright, a bit stuffy, and a total workaholic cursed with the kdrama fate of having to support a troublemaking family while dodging power hungry superiors who want to keep her well positioned below their lowering heels.
Both he and she end up at Taereung National Village, he by design, she as a last resort. Taereung is a massive compound dedicated to the training of Korea’s top athletes. Once there, the oversight of Kim SoYeon’s career and Jung GyuWoon’s fitness is managed by newly appointed medical director played by Uhm TaeWoong. I tell you what, if I thought Lee SunGyun’s cranky chef in Pasta reeked of House-ness (FOX’s long-running hit about an irascible doc), Uhm TaeWoong was an even better twin candidate, right down to the bad leg and cane. His unconventional diagnosing methods only concreted the comparison. Forget Johns Hopkins, this guy must have studied at Princeton Plainsboro under Dr. Gregory House. I joke. Anyhow, Uhm TaeWoong seemed an interesting character despite the all too familiar setup.
Ah, you should know, he’s also a genius, apparently, because in the past he was charged with rehab programs for both of ROK’s premier sports darlings, footie player Park JiSung and baseballer Park ChanHo (which I find very amusing; let’s just pick two of the most famous Korean athletes and affiliate this doc to them, then he’ll have instant cred, or so I’m sure the writers were thinking). Side note: Ji has been in great form this past month. Just saying, as a devoted United fan…makes me as happy as a candy coated in caramel. It’s a bummer he’s leaving the team during a critical time in our title race, but good luck to him in the Asian Cup. Hey, the show brought up Park JiSung first.
Back to Champ:
This drama takes place in a very specific, very self-contained and passionate setting…and this interesting environment could make the characters more exciting than they initially come across with their stuffy career credentials (doctor, doctor, athlete, coach, athlete, etc). Also conspicuous, Champ is taking itself seriously and not making a joke of the story (me = relieved).
(initially posted Dec 22, 2010)
director
Park HyungKi
screenwriter(s)
No JiSeol
commitment
16 episodes
network
SBS
first impressions
So…the thought of dedicating the prime of my life to an insane state of inhuman super fitness gives me the major hives. It is so out of my comfort zone, so completely beyond my comprehension and well, so beyond the concept of what I consider a good time (sitting on my lazy butt and watching tv), that this drama utterly fascinates. Things that I don’t understand are way more interesting than things that I do. These people and the things they strive to accomplish are very interesting. I bring this up in effort to share my mindset going into this one.
Right off, this drama felt familiar. Was this another helping of Prosecutor Princess, Kim SoYeon’s most recent past project. I wondered and even feared, a bit. Being a passing reminder of PP is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not exactly a great thing either. I wanted this show to stand apart. And more, I wanted it to be better. There was a point in the introductory episodes when it poked fun of itself and gave cameo to Prosecutor Ma, Kim’s former character in PP. I groaned out loud. Um, really, not a good time. It’s a little too early to be making those kind of jokes. 1) PP aired only earlier this year, and 2) I don’t think it’s ever a wise gambit to point out the uncanny same-sameness between [any] two dramas. Here, it only served to remind me of my inkling discomfort over the similarities between the character of beleaguered prosecutor and beleaguered doctor when I was just coming around to letting go of the former.
Kim SoYeon’s character bio in Champ was actually completely different than her PP character…but they felt similar. The overall natures of the characters were different, but the premise was still about a woman trying to tread water in a pressure cooker of a career. I couldn’t completely shake that hanging cloud...of her past performance.
Another similarity to PP? This show had the same high gloss coloring—a real slick magazine look about it. It wasn’t bad, but it was unnaturally sharp. I dunno, the lighting was almost too vibrant, dare I say, unrealistic.
But don’t let my whining above mislead you. Those are just some minor complaints about the paint job. As for the interior design, I have better things to say. In fact, I very much liked it. The story gave me some real anxiety moments in the early hours where I truly worried for the characters, which meant I must have cared for them despite the earliness in the game. The hints of trauma between the various relationships had the potential to be absorbing. I especially liked Kim SoYeon’s stoic woman who worked harder than everyone else despite the fact that she was already the smartest in the class. She played the kind of person who may not be the most approachable from a social point of view, but carried the kind of integrity one would want in a real doctor. Bad with peers, great with patients. She’s honorable when it mattered the most—when no one was watching. The kind of heroism that is unadulterated, and not conditional on personal gain. The main couple had that in common.
There was a surprising amount of detail to most everyone introduced, very richly textured, complicated, uneasy people. I was pleasantly won over. While I’m not completely on board with their choices regarding the superficial aspects of the drama, such as the lighting and even the music, to an extent, I do recognize what the production is attempting and understand why they are doing what they are doing. And you know, sports stories are a lot like war stories only without the hail of gunfire, all about the fight for honor, the reach for a conquering spirit, the endurance against pain, and finally, the ultimate victory. It’s arousing stuff, very easy to get caught up in the tears and the bloody drama of it all. As for the writing and the acting, it supports the heartfelt tale it is trying to convey to us, and so remains (most gratefully) outside the reach of my criticism (so far).
(first impressions initially posted Dec 22, 2010)
wildcard
It’s a drama about sports medicine that follows the daily trials of clinicians who treat athletes training for competition on the world’s stage. The actual story will be about as exciting as your own personal interest in, say, the Olympics, or the World Cup, etc, but the strength of this one isn’t in the groundwork, but lies in the goodness of the people, including the artless charm of our male lead, Jung GyuWoon. His goodness is the perfect casting to pull a viewer through 16 episodes of underdog sports tribulations. I mean, it’s one of those things: why do people watch a sport even if they don’t play the game themselves? Because they like to see good people attain their dreams...and it’s totally a vicarious thrill.
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KDramaGuk’s Biased & Worst of 2010:
The Taste of 2010A Year End Review
Read more »
Fugitive: Plan B (2010)
Fugitive: Plan B
도망자: Plan B / Runaway: Plan B
(Sept – Dec 2010)
who’s in it
Rain (Full House, A Love to Kill)
Lee NaYoung (Ruler of Your Own World)
Lee JungJin (Nine End Two Outs)
Yoon JinSuh (Return of Iljimae)
Daniel Henney (Spring Waltz)
what’s it about
The construct: lawless private investigator Rain, based out of South Korea but globally networked, gets hired to find the location of this noun called Melchidec by Lee NaYoung, a beautiful and mysterious lady with a big fat bullseye on her back. She’s got a curse on her, you see, as some malefactors have killed everyone she has ever loved, excluding one lucky survivor, her rich is he or isn’t he boyfriend played by the sculpted handsomeness called Daniel Henney.
Meanwhile, rebellious police detective slash brooding hottie Lee JungJin will stop at nothing to get a pair of silver bracelets on Rain because the job description called PI is illegal in the ROK and Rain regularly totes around guns and shoots shit and is basically an all around lawless troublemaker, as already mentioned. That’s the official reason but most of Detective Angerball’s hate stems from the fact that he was shot by Rain in the chest at close range 10 years prior. Bang. Nevermind that Rain made sure to ask him about a bullet proof vest before plugging him. Apparently the police officer doesn’t know when to be grateful in his line of work. Memo to Lee JungJin: when a dude confirms that you are wearing a bullet proof vest and then doesn’t shoot you in the head, he’s probably trying to spare a cop his life.
The conceit: the lawless private investigator is a goofy and selfish superhuman prototype that—
1) can safely dodge hot lead fired from a firing squad of machine guns while doing a wheelie on a motorcycle and looking slick in his designer duds,
2) is a walking-talking wikipedia that can deconstruct evidence and situations within minutes,
3) finds the art of dissembling not only a job necessity, but a personality compulsion,
4) reveres both technology and miles of female leg—irresistible hobbies he indulges with wanton gluttony.
The deceit: Rain is a bad guy, Lee NaYoung is an innocent victim, and Daniel Henney is just a doting boyfriend. In a show like this, some or all of the facts presented will probably be proved wrong. Will viewers survive the ludicrous action somersaults to find out?
director
Kang JungHwan (Chuno)
screenwriter(s)
Chun SungIl (Chuno)
commitment
20 episodes
network
KBS2
first impressions
After the early fist of episodes, I was left a little numb. I had no idea what to make of this kdrama, this thing so full of pomp and circumstance—it was pompous and evidence of its quality completely circumstantial. Was it good? Was it bad? Or was it sooo bad it was good? Was it soooo good it felt bad? No, it was probably just plainly bad...but someone help me, totally addictive.
So much about this drama—tone, special effects, multi-language communication, acting, Chuno cameos—offended me on a purely instinctive level. It chafed me in a visceral, gut belching way. I admit, I am not the sort of person programmed to like this type of drama. It was insane, in the literal definition of the word: a derangement of the mind. So much so, it was surreal.
A shoot out in broad daylight in a city intersection and there was deafening silence. Sirens, anyone? How about screams from bystanders? Guns without silencers were fired but they whispered their presence—and guns aren’t even quiet WITH silencers. A guy shot in the chest (bullet proof vest on) three times was able to run a marathon of a chase scene without fainting from pain. This show was like an itch under the skin, the annoying tickle being that it wasn’t satisfied with just bending reality, it wanted to completely redefine it.
You say all action shows are unrealistic? To a point, yes, but the writing still needs to respect gravity! If gravity doesn’t apply, there’s no suspense in jumping off a bridge, you know? Action is built on the idea of actual danger, not just the ‘oh, that looks kinda cool’ factor. Much of the movement in here wasn’t effective because it was not suspenseful, but only theatrical. It didn’t follow…I dunno—physics! Everybody defied the laws of...well, the laws of everything. Which was ironic since this show liked facts, as Rain’s character went out of his way to spout factoids like his mind was constantly in a state of googling (or navering).
I must say, the shenanigans that worked so well in Director Kang’s period piece Chuno did not carry over into contemporary action all that well. The over-the-top action cheese that felt artsy fartsy and well-employed when shot in rice fields and under the rocky crag of mountains felt unsuited for the contemporary locales. Thankfully, the actual quality of the special effects was decent and did not look to be bought at a bargain price. The problem wasn’t technique but the lack of restraint in the utilization. It was like a kid in an action candy store going nuts over the pop rocks.
Here’s my quick list of initial complaints:
1) Super superficially speaking, I dislike gaping v-necks on men (yes, as much as I like your bared chest, Rain, I don’t need to see it revealed in triangulated cleavage for an hour).
2) I admit it, this is a reoccurring pet peeve of mine. The employment of multi-language communication between characters in a Kdrama tends to bug me. Personally, I think it is a false construction to suppose one can fully understand a language that one cannot speak. Only Artoo Detoo and See Threepio got away with it, and that was because they were robots. Besides, it’s just common courtesy to converse in one language, especially with your own boyfriend/girlfriend.
On the one hand, I know it is somewhat unrealistic to expect an actor who is not really fluent in ten languages to be able to perfectly portray a character who is supposed to be, but a main character in a show that is supposed to know the main language should be able to speak it, or that actor shouldn’t have been cast in the first place. I have nothing against the actor, but I think Daniel Henney, for one, can earn his pay and deliver most of his lines in Korean. From what I’ve heard so far, he clearly has a passable grasp of Korean pronunciation and has the chops to do it. It’ll probably make the role more difficult for him, but a sacrifice worth making because it would help give the show some much needed cred. When Henney spoke Korean with Lee NaYoung, I fully invested in his character. When he switched to English, his acting and dialogue immediately felt awkward and clumsy.
3) I am tired of over-the-top-physics-defying-unrealistically-choreographed action scenes that appear to have no purpose other than to be expensive. If you are on a motorcycle and an angry wall of bad guys aim machine guns at your head, accuracy is not really required for you to DIE. Oh, and by the way, all you have is a teeny little Glock to defend yourself…tell me, do you think it’s realistic for you to escape without even a scratch? I think not.
4) Last but most important, let’s talk about Rain. His character was both a clown impersonation and a James Bond caricature. It is the kind of duality that Lee JunKi does exceptionally well, the merging of slapstick and machismo cool in an oddly endearing package. On Rain, I don’t think it worked as well. I can’t quite define why it didn’t work, it just didn’t feel as natural. Instead of complicated character layers, it felt more like a dissociative personality disorder. I wished he would tone down the mania a couple of notches and focus more on the suave, as that suited him best. In the moments where his character’s sobriety was allowed to show, I saw glimpses of a great show and a great Rain. I know he has more to offer than these early episodes indicated. Yet despite my criticisms of this character and the limitations of his portrayal, Rain was still the most (the only?) fascinating thing about this drama.
And that, I suppose, is the magic of Rain. He has a commanding presence on stage and screen. He’s an entertainer all the way and if nothing else, completely bold and confident in everything he attempts. I think this is a brave choice for him as a comeback role into dramaland, as this PI character isn’t always a well-manicured personality, but completely messy, awkwardly angled, and at times, downright unattractive. And it requires some major acting balls. Critics can say what they will about his singing or his acting but they cannot deny that this guy is a star. This may sound like fan bias on my part, but he felt like the duct tape holding a shattering show together.
Lee NaYoung and Daniel Henney did not impress. In fact, I preferred Yoon JinSuh’s brand of quirky female strength over Lee’s and desperately wished she’d been cast in the lead role instead of the higher billed star. As for the rest of the expanded cast, there were too many cameos and character acting popping up all over the place. All of that served less entertaining and more of a distraction to the story than aid. But that was Plan B’s problem. There was so much noisy pomp and circumstance all over the place and unfortunately, all of that peripheral stuff masked what actually appeared to be a story in there somewhere.
Now, I love action...but only when done proper. In fact, it is actually my favorite genre, just not in a kdrama. Maybe that’s where the problem lies when I’m faced with an action drama, I’m overly critical. And like many other kdrama thrill ride forays, this one was awfully flawed, but despite its many issues, I could not hate it. It’s really quite weird. I am looking forward to the next episode, and more, looking forward to seeing Rain grow into a better character. The good news to take away from all of its many early blunders was the definite feeling that Plan B had greater things in store for the viewership. It feels like there was more a promise of improvement than failure.
Let’s hope I’m right.
(On a totally irrelevant note, in the poster art above, doesn’t Daniel Henney look like he’s doing the “Sorry, Sorry” Super Junior dance? Actually, they all kind of look like they’re k-popping.)
(first impressions initially posted Oct 18, 2010)
wildcard
Fugitive: Plan Bi, not B.
This drama was a sort of epileptic exploration into the many alter egos and facial contortions of Hallyu supah-stah Rain, who plays here the Korean lovechild of Austin Powers and James Bond (not Daniel Craig’s most recent Bond interpretation, but Pierce Brosnon’s failed one). In other words, there’s a lot of zany in this drama and most all of it is Rain worship...and yes, it does feel like hot pokers being repeatedly stabbed in the eyeballs.
Not only were there some serious nuclear flaws in the cohesiveness of the writing and story, but the vulgar execution of the action scenes did nothing to help the show’s cause. I am assuming, of course, that the goal (of every kdrama) is to create some form of cogent, credible product.
On the other hand, maybe credibility was never the point here…maybe it wanted to be the television equivalent of a wet T-shirt contest: gratuitous and juvenile. The sad part? Gratuitous and juvenile were the only salvageable parts, everything else felt like a hamster running in circles. Apt that the title song was called Running & Running.
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Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010)
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
성균관 스캔들
(Aug – Oct 2010)
who’s in it
Micky Yoochun (music group JYJ)
Park MinYoung (OBGYN Doctors)
Song JoongKi (Unstoppable High Kick)
Yoo AhIn (Strongest ChilWoo, Antique Bakery – film)
SeoHyoRim (Good Days When the Wind Blows)
Jun TaeSoo
what’s it about
Let’s travel back to the Chosun (Joseon) Dynasty where we will visit the bedrock of what is now one of South Korea’s longest standing institutes of higher education: Sungkyunkwan. This voguish saeguk spin reinvents the rough and unjust days of yore into a more vibrant, young and happening place to visit, although still full of injustice. It would be like cleaning off the unsanitary grime of medieval England and refashioning historic Oxford University as a hip place of modern fraternity-like collegiate land, imagining its scholars young, gorgeous, and free-spirited, but dressed in traditional 13th century garb. Basically, we have a context ripe for some good old fashioned fun in anachronism.
The story follows four, well actually, five Sungkyunkwan students—three nice ones, one angsty, and the last only pretending to be a boy—aiming for greater knowledge in the way of Confucianism, but mostly studying to learn the ways of politics to serve as a government official.
Park MinYoung plays the squeaky clean 19 year old [wo]man (refined in both face and moral fortitude) who has been forced to shelf her womanhood in order to work at a bookstore/book lending shop as a male scribe. This particular tome house also happens to be an underground cheat factory that sells services to Sunkyunkwan students trying to pass the entrance exams, among other things. She’s got photographic memory, beautiful calligraphy and is blessed with a mind racing with sharp wit and adaptability. When financial debt comes due (what else?) and the care taking of a sick younger brother threatens to undo her family, she grudgingly agrees to pimp out her mad scholarly skills to be a test-taker for rich kids who don’t cut mustard but still want to attend the venerated school. Park MinYoung is an “educated girl” during a time period when such a phrase would be considered an oxymoron. As her mother reminds her, being literate can prove to be poison for a girl in Chosun.
When fellow Sungkyunkwan hopeful who also happens to be the only son of a high ranking politician, played competently by veteran idol Micky Yoochun, realizes what kind of genius-level smarts this fellow scholar Park MinYoung has in his/her head, the young lord does everything in his own righteous power to get him (who he doesn’t realize is a her) into Sungkyunkwan. A little about Micky’s character: he’s a guy who’s moral compass is made of mettle insusceptible to corruption.
In a way, both Park MinYoung and Micky Yoochun are similar people, you see, as they both carry dear their narrow ideas of right and wrong, but for the moment, only one has the luxury to move chess pieces. And if life were truly a game of chess, Park MinYoung is the rook that Micky Yoochun uses all his cleverness and pull to move forward. He makes happen what he thinks should unfold regardless of her wishes. This is how our heroine ends up joining the all-male fraternity of scholarship…and begins to wonder if this might be her one chance to try an existence that resembles that of a real life, instead of just getting by as a doormat for the privileged.
Coincidentally, these are Micky Yoochun’s thoughts as well. What is most intriguing about his character is this staunch belief that being born “noble” does not automatically translate to being a “nobleman” nor a good human being worthy of esteem—he believes this despite having a silver spoon already firmly situated in his own mouth. He values intelligence, honor and strength of character. Basically, he’s nothing like his peers. He’s Chosun’s version of a lefty-leaning bleeding heart liberal...in a room full of conservative rightwings.
Things get stickier when she becomes dorm buds with this very idealistic, if a bit chilly, young nobleman. Certainly the fact that he’s also handsome will eventually pose a problem as well.
I must take time to introduce the rest of the Sungkyunkwan boys, as neglecting to do so would be completely unforgivable:
Song JoongKi:
Loved him! This flirty and affected gently bred man thinks life is a grand spectacle. He’s a wolfish peacock who plays at being insouciant very well, but beneath the veneer of easy smiles and cavalier malice is a man of careful attention and supernatural perception. He is first to suspect that Park MinYoung may not be so much a feminine boy, as just female. He likes games, takes pleasure in toying with the less intelligent around him...but more than that, there is a definite sense that when the game eventually stops, there will be a man beneath who does care about the world, perhaps even very much so. Ah, and Song JoongKi is almost as pretty as Park MinYoung...which never hurts.
Jun TaeSoo:
The entitled war minister’s son, Jun TaeSoo, is the student body prez of Sungkyunkwan and a man who likes the status quo. For him, campus is not a place to learn enlightenment, but the practice ground for proper management of the lower class. To him, Sungkyunkwan is where the powerful gain the know-how and the way-to of keeping the weak and disenfranchised in their proper place. With an uncanny twin-like similarity to his famous sister Ha JiWon, this young man’s glower was intense. Acting chops must also run in the family as he was a convincing moral derelict.
Yoo AhIn:
If I loved Song JoongKi’s playboy infidel, let it be known that I worshipped Yoo AhIn’s rebellious drunkard. Holy hot banditry—overload on the awesome factor. It is probably not too big a spoiler to reveal that Park MinYoung also inherits this bad boy as her second roommate, a somewhat hooligan-ish cynic played by Yoo AhIn, another unique-minded student who bends against the wind. He is described in delight by his Sungkyunkwan peer Song JoongKi as a “crazy horse,” and judging by the fact that he already has a nickname, he appears to be an upperclassman. These types of ultra-cool mysterious characters are always scene stealers despite the small doses in appearance, but more than that, Yoo AhIn simply reeks of charisma. He is First Guy material but somehow only ends up in supporting roles. Either way, he owns this role, as he always seems to give a proper delivery of all his characters, silly or serious.
A couple more screen shots of Yoo AhIn because he is all that and a bag of rice:
director
Kim WonSuk, Hwang InHyuk
screenwriter(s)
Kim TaeHee
commitment
20 episodes
network
KBS2
first impressions
When done right, fusions are great fun. If done right. Most are not. Here’s the good news: there’s precious little to hate about this drama! It’s a flirty class act. And trust me, I’m as surprised as anyone else to be writing that sentence. We’ll see as the show goes on, but so far, it appears this drama isn’t interested in making a mockery of an esteemed institution, on the contrary, there is great deference afforded for Sungkyunkwan. Instead, Scandal is using the cast of fresh young faces to create the mass appeal but keeps the story set for a more serious direction. Yes, it does take liberties and it is a brightly colored comedic take on history, but it also has a great deal of honor, like the characters in the show.
Park MinYoung plays a girl already a master at her masquerade so we don’t waste time waiting for her to get acclimated to her role as a boy, which is key to getting the viewer on the right foot with this drama. It makes it easier to accept her entry into Sungkyunkwan. She’s a pro at pretending manhood, she’s had long practice at hiding her true identity. Her family situation is a typical sob story, but manages to be touching anyway, mostly in part due to the actors. Park MinYoung takes her job as a boy with dire gravity, because it is a dire lie. The character never forgets that it is a matter of mortal consequence for her, so we do not forget either. It is a comedy we are watching, but we believe that for the character, life is no joke.
All the characters, lead by Micky Yoonchun, are struggling with a philosophical question that has no answer: can honor and power co-exist? The answer is grey and I like that Scandal has decided to use that as the focal point of the story, not depending only on romantic chemistry to carry it through. There appears to be an actual story here. Hurray! And enjoyably, some witty dialogue that befits a tale about scholars. In addition to the strength of all the youthful main characters, the supporting roles filled by senior actors also lend great credit to the show. There is actually quite a bit of plot going on behind the scenes and that makes this drama not just fun, but engaging.
As with every drama post-Boys Over Flowers that features a quad of handsome boys and one lucky girl who gets to be loved by them, this faced comparisons to BOF pre-airing, but this show is nothing like the 2009 Hana Yori Dango Korean adaptation. That’s all that really needs to said about that topic, I believe.
I was very hesitant about this one initially, but after its debut, I felt an instant affinity for all the characters, and you know, carry a big torch lit with complete and utter devotion to Yoo AhIn, so I can see myself getting very obsessed with Scandal if it keeps up the good work...hopefully its ratings will also look upward.
And last but not least, the cinematography in Scandal is so very rich and pretty. There is a nice tone and ambiance about the whole drama. For example, see below. How gorgeous:
(first impressions initially posted Sept 3, 2010)
wildcard
Yoo AhIn (henceforth Yooey for this review) and Song JoongKi (JoongKi).
I don’t think all that many of you would come to fisticuffs with me over the assertion that I’m about to make: Song JoongKi and Yoo AhIn were the hooks that held the choice bits of meat in this drama. I know, that’s kind of a gross association, but they did hook viewers in and they are hunks of Grade A. Heh. Without the two, I doubt Scandal would have been as successful in its delivery. They came aboard with more acting experience than Micky Yoochun and Park MinYoung (the main couple) and both actors became integral to providing the heart and acting credibility that kept this show from veering off too far into freshman fluff. Shows like this are meant to be fun, but only advance to being good when the acting is able to hold it all together. As likable as Yoochun and Park were as characters, I did not think either actor to be strong enough to have carried this show. The solid performances by the supporting leads, their “seniors” in the drama, both in character and in terms of acting experience, were greatly to their benefit.
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Bad Guy (2010)
Bad Guy
나쁜 남자
(May – Aug 2010)
who’s in it
Kim JaeWook (Coffee Prince)
Kim NamGil (Queen SeonDuk)
Han GaIn (Witch Amusement)
Oh YunSoo (Jumong)
Jung SoMin (Playful Kiss)
Kim HyeOk (Sons of Sol Pharmacy)
what’s it about
Hell if I know.
I lie, I do know:
Kim NamGil is our Bad Guy, and I’m not killing the suspense by adding that the title is meant to be somewhat ironical. Obviously, our hero is not really evil since we drama viewers will need to find a reason to like him for 17 hours. I apologize, I’m already editorializing.
Back to the plot: as a child, Kim NamGil suffered a grave scar (literally and figuratively) at the hands of a rich and powerful family. This heartless family maneuvered the fates of people they considered below their social class and pretty much screwed everybody over. If you guessed “birth switching” story, congrats! Imagine confetti and balloons showering down around you in jubilee.
Kim NamGil grows up to become a stoic, brooding, and somewhat badass stuntman, one with a vendetta against the whole of the aforementioned rich and powerful Hong family. Like most pseudo-sociopaths, he’s nurtured this obsession to the point of actually believing that he wants it, when in actuality, he’s just crying on the inside. His hate runs fairly equal for the entire family, but for the sake of keeping it within 17 episodes, he gives special focus to the offspring: the tormented youngest bro Kim JaeWook (his doppelganger, although it could be argued Kim NamGil is actually Kim JaeWook’s doppelganger), older and uptight sis Oh YunSoo, and the youngest sis, tart Jung SoMin, who is the only one who seems relatively happy in the show (initially).
In Kim NamGil’s defense, this family does make revenge really easy for him. Lambs to the slaughter.
director
Lee HyunMin (Sorry, I Love You, Winter Sonata)
You can see where this is gonna go...can’t you?
screenwriter(s)
Kim JaeEun (IRIS)
commitment
17 episodes
network
SBS
first impressions
Very stylized…cryptic. Cinematic, even. Any show that starts with a roof and a blood splat on the pavement below sets a tone, I do believe, and it’s not a cheerful one. For some reason, Old Boy popped into my head almost immediately, and that made me exceedingly anxious, as years later, I am still woefully traumatized by Park ChanWook’s psycho-claustrophobia-inducing revenge film. I hated that film. I really, really did. That movie had a lot of themes I loathe. It was an excellent film, to be sure, but I still hated it. What can I say? I’m a sensitive soul. Moving on.
The hero you’re supposed to root for:
Kim NamGil
He seemed like he was capable of carrying this thing…there was definitely some good eye-charisma being utilized at appropriate intervals.
The heroine you want to like but kinda maybe sorta don’t:
Han GaIn
As our main female protagonist, I found her a tad disappointing. As usual, her perfume was far too fragile to play any kind of a strong female role, but on the hopeful side, she did share with us some surprisingly intriguing emoting in the early scenes. She was reaching deep to find her inner “spurned woman looking to climb ambition’s ladder” character. This could be the role that will make me believe in the Han GaIn I want to like, but have not found yet in her previous works.
The tormented second female lead:
Oh YunSoo
Personally, I find her to be one of the most beautiful Korean actresses around and she is quite capable of doing heavy, so I knew she was going to be splendid here. No doubts in this corner.
The one that may steal the show:
Jo SungMin
This was an interesting new face, youthful and carefree, yet a hint of malice there as well. The perfect casting to play a young rich girl looking to rebel with the wrong guy. Even after only a couple hours time with Jo, I hoped her role would be encompassing enough for us to really sink our angst. She was quite a compelling character. Naïve yet callously cold.
The real reason why you’ll watch this drama:
Kim JaeWook
Okay, he totally blew my socks off (and I wasn’t even wearing socks at the time, now that’s talent). Who was this guy? Surely not that waffle dude from 1st Shop of Coffee Prince! Not that pretty boy from Antique Bakery! Oh, but it was! Who knew he could act—so feckin’ completely? When he broke down (which was often), I totally believed this guy was about to lose his mind, lunch, and all his internal organs. All that was missing from his acting was the “I’m about to go batshit” involuntary eye-twitching, which as you know, is physically impossible to manufacture on cue, even for veteran actors.
The whole setup for this drama was convoluted and filmed with such creative production that it felt like something special...
Besides, I needed to find out out why everyone was so damn upset.
wildcard
Kim JaeWook v. The Entire Show
Kim JaeWook was awesome and there were some other great performances scattered in there as well, but the show itself was a histrionic mess. Not only was it the kind of show that required constant rewinding—“WTF just happened?”—and constant leaning forward—“WTF did he say?”—but worse of all, many a times it simply MADE NO SENSE.
Start this one if you are ok with being unsatisfied by the end. If you’ve ever dated, you know the feeling I’m talking about. Think about it for a sec. Yep, that’s the one.
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Smile You (2009/2010)
Smile You
그대, 웃어요
(Sept 2009 – Mar 2010)
who’s in it
Lee MinJung (Boys Over Flowers)
Jung KyungHo (Time Between Wolf and Dog)
Choi JungYoon (Bad Couple, Attic Cat)
Lee ChunHee (Family Outing S.1 – member)
Lee KyuHan (My Lovely SamSoon, Que Sera Sera)
what’s it about
When new bride Lee MinJung’s family goes unexpectedly bankrupt, she literally gets ditched on the side of the road in her wedding dress by her rich husband Lee KyuHan. Needless to say, the soon-to-be-annulled couple never make it to their honeymoon. Her useless and now impoverished family find themselves moving into their longtime chauffeur’s home, a strict patriarch who is determined to make good people out of the spoiled family of four. Well, actually, they are a family of five as Lee MinJung calls Choi JungYoon her older sister, a beautiful doctor who is everything opposite in regards to her family members. For one, she is responsible and steadily employed. Lee MinJung, however, thinks her big sis is a major stuck-up brat, but the rest of the world thinks the female doctor is the epitome of conservative class.
Speaking of beautiful big sis Choi JungYoon, there is this super nice and awesome guy who has been madly in love with her since his college days. Mechanical engineer Jung KyungHo comes back from his studies abroad to find the entirety of Lee MinJung’s family cramped into his grandfather’s house…one of these new tenants being his loooongtime crush Choi JungYoon! He can’t believe his good fortune! But instead of quality time with his dream girl, he finds himself distracted, occupied and all around annoyed by the troublesome and meddlesome Lee MinJung.
At a hefty 45 episodes, there is a lot of plot movement, including issues within the family. Notable mention, Lee ChunHee and Jun Hye Jin have a charming side story.
director
Lee TaeGon
screenwriter(s)
Moon HeeJung
commitment
45 episodes
network
SBS
first impressions
I don’t have very much to say as far as initial thoughts go…except that I LOVE IT! There is nothing earth shattering about this cute family drama, and I can already tell I’ll be woefully tired of some of the characters in this extended cast, but TRULY the cutest couple award goes to Lee MinJung and Jung KyungHo. I would be hard pressed to name [off the top of my head] actors that are as lovable as these two, as individuals or as a matching set. This one is going to charm the hell out of me, I just know it. It is just one of those rare dramas that gets a body smiling right out of the gate.
(first impressions originally posted Jan 15, 2010)
wildcard
1) The astounding natural beauty and pluck of Lee MinJung
2) The “will you marry me, oppa!” appeal of Jung KyungHo
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Haru: An Unforgettable Day in Korea (2010)
Haru: An Unforgettable Day in Korea
하루/ One Day in Korea
September 24, 2010
who’s in it
Yunho (Heading to the Ground)
Lee DaHae (My Girl, Chuno)
Kim Bum (Woman Who Still Wants to Marry)
Big Bang (Seungri, TOP, G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung)
Park ShiHoo (Prosecutor Princess)
Han ChaeYoung (Delightful Girl Choon Hyang)
director
Park MyungChun
screenwriter
Lee JeongAh
commitment
30 minutes
network
www.haru2010.com
review
Not exactly a kdrama…but kinda, I mean, it is Korean and sort of a drama.
Haru: An Unforgettable Day in Korea is a little mini-dramatization (30 minutes) made with the sole purpose of showing the world the magical possibilities of one day in Korea. To really sell the point, four actors, a Yunho, and ze Big Bang were recruited for the gig.
They had me at Big Bang.
The story follows a writer, Lee DaHae, who is taking the train through Korea’s picturesque countryside on her way to meet up with her secret boyfriend Yunho, an actor filming action scenes on location. While in transit, she works on a screenplay that mirrors some of the issues in her real life relationship—about a couple with a secret between them: Han ChaeYoung and Park ShiHoo play the fantastic power couple in that fictional story scenario. They are normal business entrepreneurs by day but covert assassins by night (think Mr. & Mrs. Smith). While on this long commute over the rails, however, Lee DaHae gets swept off her feet by a charming stranger, photographer Kim Bum, who wants to play hooky from life for just one train stop.
Interspersed within the main story, we have random scenes from a remote village where an elementary school has permanently closed its doors. The students have sent a video letter asking kpop superstars Big Bang to come out to their school and create some lasting memories with them as their last wish before bidding their school farewell. Big Bang, the big softies that they are, trek themselves out, only to arrive a day too late. Seungri, TOP, Daesung, Taeyang, and Jiyong are discouraged, but not quitters. Feeling regretful over disappointing the young ones, they decide to rent some wicked cool ATVs and roam the small town in search of the displaced kids. The Big Bang subplot has seemingly nothing to do with nothing in regards to the main story, but who cares, we get to see Big Bang together and they are adorable with the children.
Forget the premise, forget the acting, forget everything. This is 30 minutes of amusing fun. We don’t get to see enough of Korea considering this is a tourism-bent venture, but hell, those big stars are enough to convince me to buy a ticket and haul ass over there. If there is the smallest chance of bumping into Kim Bum or his lookalike on a train, I’m there. If there is even just a pea-sized hope of catching Big Bang on ATVs while visiting some rural village in Korea, I’m there. If the food tastes half as delish as it looked in this drama, I wouldn’t care if the restaurant was owned by assassins, I’m there.
total enjoyment factor
10/10
verdict
Silly. Whimsical. Fun. A half hour of happiness.
Adorable.
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (2010)
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox
내 여자친구는 구미호 / My Girlfriend is a Gumiho
(Aug – Sept 2010)
who’s in it
Lee Seunggi (Shining Inheritance)
Shin MinAh (A Love to Kill)
No MinWoo (Pasta)
Park SooJin (Boys Over Flowers)
what’s it about
If a siren is that of the sea, a gumiho, or nine-tailed fox, is a siren of the mountain, a fabled creature that can manifest as a beautiful woman in order to seduce men. What is her purpose in life? To eat their hearts, or livers…or all parts, depending on which time period you’re looking at during the evolution of the K-myth. But what if it’s all a misunderstanding? A warping of the truth when the tale was passed down through the ages? What if a gumiho is merely a victim of slander and defamation by jealous village women back in the day? Anyhow, Lee Seunggi, a college student who aspires to be a motion picture action star, is about to find out just how much of the gumiho legend is fact…and fiction. When he foolishly releases Shin MinAh from her papyrus prison at a Buddhist temple, he finds his life at the mercy of her whims. With no other choice but to keep her by his side, Lee Seunggi is in a fight to keep his liver...and perhaps, his heart?
Also, No MinWoo is a young mysterious man lurking around…and on a hunt, or so it appears.
director
Boo SungChul
screenwriter(s)
Hong MiRan, Hong JungEun
commitment
16 episodes
network
SBS
first impressions
To begin, let me just say, I had really really been looking forward to this one ever since it was announced. These are my reasons: ONE, I think Lee Seunggi is just all kinds of adorable. TWO, I’ve enjoyed almost all of the dramas written by Hong MiRan and Hong JungEun, writers who have a clever way of wiggling and twirling a seemingly simple story into something completely unexpected and untrodden. They truly have a gift of nurturing a seed of an idea into something truly wonderful. In fact, You’re Beautiful and Couple or Trouble are two of my all time favorites. Last, but not least, THREE, the idea of using a fantastical mythological creature who wants to eat her boyfriend’s liver as the central romantic conflict is…simply too horror film carnivorously strange to ignore! How could you not be curious? With these three solid reasons, I had very little doubt this one would end up being a must-watch for me.
After the first couple of episodes…
ONE, I still think Lee Seunggi is all kinds of ten thousand ways adorable. His hyper-narcissistic-but-good-guy character suited him perfectly, for we all know that a large part of Lee Seunggi’s innate charm is the fact that he comes across as an average nice-guy-who-happens-to-be-hot, and so he complements Shin MinAh’s scary slash innocent charm very well.
TWO, as with previous dramas by Hong and Hong, the intricacies within Nine-Tailed aren’t exactly what I’d expected when I’d first heard the premise, but a corkscrew take on an old convention. The worlds they build are often based in reality but over that basic setting, a transparent film of unique details are placed to create a completely new feel. This one, for example, feels like some weird mock-horror-romantic-fantasy genre—and I love it! Credit to the art director for making this work and not feel too comic-booky. Also, the H & H dramas often spend a great deal of time picking and prodding at the knot between the main characters, which I soooo appreciate in a kdrama. My favorite parts of dramas are always the details within characters so I love the ones that spend more time with the people than plot tricks. Sure, we have some distractions here too, a fancy little set-up about a boy and a supernatural ‘monster’ of sorts, which will be delightful because it is so different, yes, but when we get down to business, this one feels like it’s a winner not only because of all that packaging but because it’s clear the story is really about both characters and their respective journeys to become “human,” and not only in the literal sense.
And THREE, I very much like this particular knot holding Lee Seunggi and Shin MinAh to one another, the “knot” being the main misunderstanding set up between the two leads…I can see the inherent symbolism in it (again, layer upon layer of meaning for every thing set and said), and oddly enough, the use of imminent death as a bargaining chip between the two leads…is kind of sweetly romantic, in a really morbid kind of way! She literally holds his fate in her hands, or more accurately, in her almost-kisses! Well, I guess love is a matter of life and death...for some. Besides, love is inexplicable, and these days, it seems the inexplicable supernatural love is the raging trend. If a bat can find love, why not a fox?
So excited about this one. There have been some great dramas so far this year but I wonder if this is the one that could end up at the top of the class when the year comes to a close...omg! When 2010 ends in only four months from now! Where has the year gone?
(first impressions originally posted August 19, 2010)
wildcard
Shin MinAh is so perfectly cast as this contradiction of fox and innocence that it’s surprising to learn she was not the first choice. Shin SeKyung was originally set to star...and personally speaking, I do not approve of that particular almost-casting. This drama would not have been the same with the younger actress. Shin MinAh brings pure joy to this role. You know a character really belongs to an actress when it is impossible to imagine anyone else playing the part.
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Playful Kiss (2010)
Playful Kiss
장난스런 키스 / Mischievous Kiss
(Sept – Nov 2010)
who’s in it
Kim HyunJoong (Boys Over Flowers, SS501 - member)
Jung SoMin (Bad Guy)
Lee TaeSung (The Woman Next Door)
Lee SiYoung (Birth of a Rich Man)
what’s it about
Isn’t it every girl’s dream to find herself conveniently installed in her dream guy’s home? During long hours of cohabitation, the girl would exhibit so much charm and verve that Mr. Perfect will eventually come to realize that she’s the real deal and fall for her—they would break fast together...walk to school as a couple...share the same warm toilet seat, that sort of thing? Well, this drama is that fantasy come true. Jung SoMin has been majorly crushing on the smartest [and hottest] boy in school Kim HyunJoong for the better part of her academic career. But now with graduation just around the corner, she realizes time is running out and she may have to part ways with him without ever having confessed her love.
Jung SoMin is a quirky girl who lives life in an alternate universe of daydreams and spends more time creating sci-fi in her head than studying for her college entrance exams. Most of these fantasies center around Kim HyunJoong. Unfortunately for her, Kim HyunJoong is a self-declared hater of dumb girls—she being the prime example of the kind of girl that turns him off.
When a mini-earthquake decimates Jung SoMin’s new but poorly constructed home, her father’s best friend from childhood adopts them into their house. The twist? That friend happens to be Kim HyunJoong’s father! Whether this aloof dream guy wants to or not, the two seniors are now forced to spend plenty of quality bonding time together...
director
Hwang InRoe (of Goong films fame)
KimDoHyung
screenwriter
Go EunNim
commitment
16 episodes (about 10 episodes too long)
network
MBC
first impressions
A few things to get out of the way:
1) I felt like I was watching a poor Princess Hours sequel...really, teddy bears again?
2) The writing feels immature and only halfway developed...what’s with all the boring fantasy sequences that seem to go on forever?
3) Last but not least, the drama was actually worse than expected.
Honestly, it does make one realize that it’s no easy thing to make a decent drama. The cosmos needs to tilt, the stars need to align... it’s a magical dessert that can’t be made simply by following the obvious recipe:
Delicious Fun Well-Made Kdrama Cake
Ingredients
1 - idol
1 - perky female lead
1 tbsp - chirpy music
2 - overexaggerated second leads
1 cup - fantasy sequences
1 egg
1 scoop - silly parents
Directions
Beat together in a mixing bowl. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Let cool and serve.
But, as we all know, there is no such thing as sure hit.
In tv show building, like baking, there needs to be some sort of yeast to make the dough rise...in this case, the yeast missing would be the omission of a cleverly writ script. There also needs to be some measure of intuition from the directing to make it all blend well. Otherwise, you could end up with a lumpy cake, or a lumpy drama.
Everything about this show was too perfectly choreographed, as if following some preset formula, from the dialogue to the situational comedy. It was so forced that many of the scenes felt awkward and misdelivered. Some early lowlights (instead of highlights) include a painfully gross and silly scene with a pervert flasher out to wow some young girls, a particularly awful Matrix spoof, a boring ballet sketch...oh, who am I kidding? Practically all the fantasy sequences were too long and total duds.
The only truly well-written character appeared to be Kim HyunJoong’s mother, who was both delightful and heart-warming as a woman who was lonely after having two overly capable and distant sons. She has always wanted a daughter, which she has found in Jung SoMin’s cheerful character. It was somewhat refreshing to have nice parents pop up in a kdrama for once, and as far as matchmakers go, this power blogging mom was adorable to watch.
I don’t have much else to say lest I risk being murdered by SS501 fans, but despite all my misgivings, I see myself finishing this one. I am, however, praying every night that the writing improves. Hopefully there will be more to the story than just the advancement of a crush. There’s still hope...
To sum, Jung SoMin seemed cute and Kim HyunJoong was his usual attractive self, and his acting was passable. So basically, the actors seemed okay and fitted for their parts, it was everything else that felt unstable. I must be a real sucker because even though I disliked 90% of this drama after the first couple of episodes, I couldn’t help but want to keep watching that remaining 10% that spoke to the little girl in me who has always loved the stories about awkward girls who win the noble prince’s heart by sheer determination and character. Ya know? As a commenter so perfectly put it, this drama was both torture and guilty indulgence in one ridiculous package.
Really, when I saw this drop dead gorgeous smile play across Kim HyunJoong’s face after two hours of his scowls...damnit, I knew I was a goner.
Bad or plain stinking horrible, I don’t think I cared, I wasn’t going to be able to resist watching this drama.
(first impressions originally posted Sept 5, 2010)
wildcard
Will Kim HyunJoong’s hot idol popularity save this drama from the depths of its writing black hole? Will his adorably lopsided smiles soothe away the ills of a plot-lite tale? For some, yes. For others, specifically non-Kim HyunJoong fans, get ready to lose some IQ.
Read more »
Baker King, Kim TakGu (2010)
Baker King, Kim TakGu
제빵왕 김탁구 / Bread, Love and Dreams
(Jun – Sept 2010)
who’s in it
Yoon SiYoon (High Kick Through the Roof)
Eugene (Really, Really Like You)
JooWon
Choi JaHye (Lobbyist)
Lee YoungAh (Iljimae, Empress Chun Chu)
what’s it about
The drama revolves around the politics within the founding family of a large bread manufacturing company, the patriarch and president played by Jun KwangRyul; this one’s a multi-tiered yarn following the intrigue that can twist between people when motivated by jealousy and greed (yes, I know, it all sounds oh-so-familiar). While the older generation continuously strive for the worst and play evil puppeteers, the story finds its warmth and strength in the younger cast of characters, all of whom struggle through their luggage-sized family issues...to repeat the sins of their parents? Or undo them? That is the question this drama poses.
Kim TakGu, played charmingly by Yoon SiYoon, is the illegitimate but beloved son of Jun KwangRyul—the beloved part has put him at the top of his step-family’s enemies list, including one seething, emoting and intensely insecure half-bro named Goo MaJun, played by JooWon, the not-so-heir-apparent to the bread kingdom.
When tragedy strikes, however, Kim TakGu steps off the path of bread crumbs planned for him and chooses a darker, more solitary road…but this is a kdrama and fate is not so easily dodged.
director
Lee JungSub
screenwriter(s)
Kang Eunkyung
commitment
30 episodes
network
KBS2
first impressions
At first, I was just mildly curious about the steaming pile of melodrama between the adults, amused by the usual kdrama fare of backstabbing and manipulating by rich people. As the story progressed, I realized this drama had snuck in and grabbed hold of me real good. I couldn’t tear my eyes away! I wasn’t just curious, I was completely invested in these nutty people. For a show that carried some heavy themes, such as murder and child abuse, I found it to be surprisingly light-hearted with ample doses of humor. It was the perfect balance of storm and sunshine.
The story starts at the very beginning with the children, and damn, the young actors do a tremendous job in really fleshing out all the main characters. By the time their older counterparts are introduced, they are all fully realized individuals. Similar to previous dramas that featured food as the central obstacle/reward, such as The Grand Chef or Pasta, there are worshipful references to the communing with food (in this case dough), and not just as an act of preparing edible goods, but as a philosophy of life. In general, I cannot deny that I seem to gravitate toward these kind of dramas that apply affairs of the heart to a passionate life calling. And naturally, food especially resonates with me, as I love food! Heh. This one feels far more serious than either of the other two [awesome] food dramas mentioned above, but I find I have a similar feeling of excitement and adventure when sitting down to watch every new episode. I know the hero will prevail, of course, but it is still a joy to navigate. How should I put this...I guess you could say, the hour may be predictable, but the minutes aren’t. Furthermore, there is a maturity in the acting despite the show’s tendency for “melodramatic fireworks.”
On a more fangirlish note (as I am nothing if not always a fangirl), Yoon SiYoon is just darling in this earnest good guy role (with a pinch of flour), and so is pixie-like Lee YoungAh, whose bossy cheerfulness is the perfect complement to Yoon SiYoon’s bumbling goofiness. She’s an actress I’ve thought adorable ever since her appearance in Iljimae (Lee JunKi’s version). I have a girl-crush on her! And yes, Eugene does a fair job as well, as I find she is always a solid lead, if not a “wow” type of female heroine.
I have a really good feeling about this one. Truly, I do.
wildcard
Yoon SiYoon and Joo Won—aka Dong Top. Many fans thought the angst-ridden moper (the character) looked like a best of features compilation between the faces of super hottie Kang DongWon and super major hottie Big Bang’s TOP. I see the Kang Dong Won, for sure, not so much the TOP, but perhaps that’s only because I’m biased and I think TOP is peerless. Ha.
These two pretty fellows carried most of the drama (Yoon SiYoon constantly picking himself up after Joo Won brosmacks him back down) and their acting was fair, but to be completely frank, not exceptional. They were enjoyable to watch, gifted with that je ne sais quoi that makes actors special and irresistible, but these were very heavy, Atlas-With-the-Weight-of-the-World type of roles and their greenery could not be completely ignored.
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