The Vineyard Man (2006)

The Quickie: There are dramas that make you want to eat ramen or drink beer. This drama made me crave grapes and watermelon. It's the warm and fuzzy type. No complicated storyline. No craziness. Some would say boring but I liked the characters enough to go all the way. If I were to describe this drama in one word it would be this: cozy.

Everyone and their dog knows who the actress Yoon Eun Hye is. Usually, I love her. She has a vulnerability and depth that most actresses have trouble showing on screen. In this drama she plays a (spoiled) city girl Lee Ji Hyun whom I did NOT like. Lee Ji Hyun ends up loosing everything in one day. Once a clothing designer, now an unwilling farm worker. Her last few days in Seoul are the beginning of her turbulent relationship with Jang Taek Gi (played by lesser known actor Oh Man Suk). Because of her accusations Jang Taek Gi lands in jail for the night. The two reunite on the vineyard Lee Ji Hyun has to spend the year working. Guess who her teacher is?

The two characters are typical. Lee Ji Hyun is the city girl who doesn't know the first thing about working the land or the rewards of a simpler life. She just wants some coffee and sleep. Beneath all that laziness is a compassionate person. Or so we are told.

Jang Taek Gi is the hardworking, quietly affectionate rural man with a surprising layer underneath all the dirt. He creeps into your heart slowly. Their love is a slow burn. Something that builds slowly and steadily throughout the grape harvest. Too bad she's dating the second male lead (Kim Gyung Min played by Kim Gyung Min).

The story is Lee Ji Hyun's. We watch as she struggles to make her family happy, keep her dreams alive, and find love. Is love with the doctor and a secure future or with the infuriating but sweet friend working the vineyard with her? I liked that before they were lovers, they were friends. Awkward friends, but friends nonetheless.

This drama was free of drama, instead trucking along like life does. The acting is excellent. The supporting cast just as important as the main characters. The village's dynamic is like a family. They did a wonderful job of making life at the vineyard come alive on the screen. It's a character driven performance that is best viewed when you feel like falling in love slowly with lots of laughs along the way.

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