Gu Family Book (2013)

Please forgive me if this review's going to be a little unconventional, I'm in no mood for serious considerations on a drama that doesn't take itself too seriously. The followings are random conversations between me and my watching partner, aka my husband (H). Try to imagine us as the two old men at the end of The Muppet Show.





H: Why the heck is he (Seung Gi) pining for that almost sister of his when he can have the prettier and much nicer one (Suzy)?

Me: He thinks she's a boy.

H: Rrrrrright. And the winner of Genius of the Year is…

[Kang Chi finds out Yeo Wol's a girl in a slightly unorthodox way]

H: Ok, I take back everything I've said before: the guy IS a genius!!!!



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[scene: Kang Chi and Yeo Wol are staring into each other's eyes]

H: Whoa, he's finally going to kiss the girl

Me: Hmm, I wouldn't be that optimistic.

H: Trust me, he has that glint in his eyes. He's going to kiss her, I tell you!

Music: "Saranghaee, saranghaeeeeeeeeee, SARANGHAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…"

[more staring followed by sudden wrist grabbing]

H: Finally…

[off they go eating]

*collective and colourful grunts from the audience*

Me: He clearly hasn't taken after his father

H: Yeah, daddy knew his business. Save the girl, hide the girl, kiss the girl, ta-da… a BABY!



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[the monk urges Kang Chi to flee for the nth time]

Me: Is that monk ever going to give a valuable advice? Nobody listens to him anyway.

H: Ikr? That monk is as useful as a concrete parachute (he used a different simile, but it can't be repeated here)



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H: His eyes turned green! What do you think, is he going to morph into Perry Parky now?

Me: Sure, Perry Park would bomb them all, but if you want him to kiss the girl, Shin Se Gi's definitely the one to morph into.

H: Shin Se Gi had red eyes and eyeliner.

Me: True. Like daddy gumiho, now that I think of it.

H: Daddy again. Are we sure Kang Chi's not the monk's child?

(references to Kill Me, Heal Me are sort of involuntary. I hereby decline every responsibility)



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Me: What do you think is that Gu Book about?

H: A kissing manual?

Me: A recipe for Kimchi, more likely.

"Saranghaee, saranghaeeeeeeeeee, SARANGHAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…"



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[Kang Chi, his face half covered with a scarf, is surrounded by his comrades, all demanding to know who he is]

Me: Are we the only ones who would recognize him from a 10-km distance? I mean, the clothes, the hairdo, the bracelet…

H: I know. Perhaps they think it's the head Gisaeng incognito. After all, they share 1 neuron among the 20 of them.



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Me: LOL, now that thug thinks his dongsaeng Kang Chi's gay. A gay gumiho is an interesting take of the trope

H: So he too thinks Yeo Wol is a boy? This drama should be called "The Goofy Family Book"



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H: Ha, now he's really going to kiss the girl!

Me: You may be right this time. The moment is perfect and the song is clearly suggesting romance.

[7 and a half minutes later, the scene is still frozen like it was 7 and a half minutes before]

Me [making coffee]: Are their heads a little closer now?

H: Hmmm, I'm not sure. 2 cm closer, maybe?

Me: All right, I'm making sandwiches. And please mute that misleading Saranghae song before I explode.



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To give this review some semblance of usefulness, let me conclude by saying this is a highly entertaining drama, with a good, rounded-up plot, lots of fun – although laughter is often involuntarily induced - a Seung Gi who never fails to put me in a good mood by simply existing, a lovable Suzy, a despicable villain with a certain, almost compelling elegance, good romance and a fairy-tale feel that won't let you down. Recommended to everyone looking for a light watch with glints of unexpected depth and an awesome finale . If you have a watching partner to frolic with, so much the better.



P.S. Allow me a tiny spoiler: the kiss does come, after all, much to the joy of the two Muppet Old Men.

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