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PrettyCarEye
After almost a year in dramaland and close to 30 dramas, I've finally, finally found a bonafide favourite. A Korean favourite and an overall favourite. I've watched many dramas that I've liked & enjoyed, but none comes even close to how much I love Lovers!
Lovers is the kind of drama I've been waiting for since Oct 2012 when I first took up residence in dramaland. It was just what I needed to pull me out of a minor slump. I chose it at random because it's a combination of two of my favourite genres, gangster/crime and romance so I said what the heck, just watch one episode and see how it goes. I fully expected to be disappointed. Well, that one episode turned into 20 in less than 48hrs.
And damn … what can I say about Lovers except that this drama is really a wickedly delicious lesson in Sexual Tension.
I'm an avid fan of romance, but lately I’ve become rather disillusioned with Asian romance dramas. It's mostly because of all the recurring cliches: separation because of overseas work or study, random cancer diagnoses, stupid nonsensical love triangles etc but it's also, perhaps mostly, because I hate fake intimacy. A LOT.
I hate the fake kissing, the cheesiness, the characters' lack of sexuality and just the general feeling of watching two grown ass adults act like pre-teens stealing pecks from each other when no one is looking. I can understand that for younger and more conservative viewers this might fly, but at my age I want to see an authentic relationship between an adult man and woman. And let me tell you, this is exactly what I got in Lovers!
Sometimes great sexual tension is better than the actual thing. If most dramas of this genre were half as good at building that tension, as Lovers did, I’d die a happy watcher having never seen two people kiss.
The AMAZING build-up of passionate feeling between Kang Jæ and Mi Joo completely blew me away. Massive props to the director and actors who were able to play up an attraction so palpable that you experienced their every emotion. I loved the banter, alternately playful and frustrated, the subtle flirting, the stolen glances, the longing, the internal struggle, the denial … all of this served to create such mad chemistry you could easily catch your breath and forget to release it.
When they’re finally intimate … it’s like dessert, only more satisfying than the main course. Moreover, if you’re a child of Hollywood like me and you do not want too much left to the imagination, fret not … you can look forward to steamy, lip devouring kisses. Hey, a smoking, HOT red-blooded mob boss like Kang Jæ wouldn’t stand for anything less! Even better? Mi Joo doesn’t want him to! To me Lovers sets the tone of how a romance between adults should play out. The characters act their age in life and love. None of this silly, wide-eyed playground stuff. The typical drama cliches are kept to a minimum or they play out in a way that's logical, rather than frustrating as they tend to be in other dramas.
I’m just decidedly pleased with this drama overall. It’s well written, well executed and well acted.
Given that I like to attack life's struggles with a gangster's swagger, I love that the romance is set against the backdrop of Korean gangland. From the safety of my own living room, it’s a fascinating world to inhabit for 20hrs. Now you may have to suspend belief a little given the absurdity of certain scenes, for eg 2 bands of pipe wielding gangsters invading a hospital en masse and having a go at each other, but no one thinks to summon the police. LOL In spite of this, I love the machismo, the fight scenes, the car chases, the assassinations, the bromances, the loyalty, the code of ethics.
Best of all, the leads are amazing! Kang Jæ is totally badass. Tough as nails on the outside, but melt your heart soft and sweet on the inside. If you have a weakness for bad boys ...
By far one of THE coolest male leads I’ve ever encountered. He lives hard, play hard, fight hard, love hard. And is 100% sex on legs. No wonder Mi Joo calls him her Dimpled Gangster. Male audiences will hate or envy him ;) and female audiences will want … well, HIM! (ha!)
As for Mi Joo, for once I have no complaints about the female lead! I love her, she is awesome! She’s smart, silly and confident all in one nice little package. She’s a breath of fresh air from typical female leads who are annoyingly aloof, stubborn, mercurial and uncommunicative all in an attempt to portray a ‘strong’ woman (I’m looking at you, Joon Young from A World That They Live In, Soo-in from Love Story in Havard).
Her and Kang Jæ’s love is a delicious slow burn. They had no intention of falling in love, but basically grew on each other over time, as fate brings them together time and again, until they realize … wow, this person is really amazing. To me it felt very natural and organic, rather than constructed as say … when one or both characters are made to fall in love at first sight or there's some ridiculous childhood connection.
Story wise I think the show is golden. Badass mobster trying to go legit, but not being able to fully untangle himself from the dark side. Throw in romantic and familial complications and you’ve got yourself one captivating drama. And there are some hilarious, laugh out loud moments too.
There wasn’t any poor performances here either. I was pleased to finally meet the (in)famous mr. Kim Nam Gil, who delivered well as Kang Jæ’s dongsæng and left hand man. Basically every actor did an amazing job with their role. No one stood out as annoying or unconvincing, not even the child actors. Lee Seo-jin, as Kang Jæ, has netted himself another fangirl! To me he played his character just right. With just the right amount of emotion, or lack thereof, befitting a top gangster.
I can not relate to other reviewers who said this drama dragged. I personally never skipped a minute of any scene, a first for me. In fact I rewatched several scenes whilst in the process of watching the drama. The great sexual build-up and the machinations of the mob world kept things fast paced and action packed.
Even the music, which I normally don’t notice, captured my attention. It helped that the lyrics were translated so I knew what was being said, and as a result the score seemed very appropriate in amplifying the overall mood of the drama.
If I have to criticise anything about Lovers it would be the ending. It’s perhaps a tad rushed. If ever there was a drama that needed to be 21 episodes, this is it. That said, it works as it is and I LOVE the show regardless. I recommend it to anyone who’s looking for more than your average run of the mill romance. Something with a more mature spin, and a little danger thrown in for added excitement. As of now Lovers has taken the # 1 spot as my all time favourite Asian drama. It was a bit underrated when it first aired, but then … the best dramas usually are. :)
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This, my friends, stuck out from the crowd. This is the type of movie I like to watch and someday hope to make. This film was absolutely amazing from start to finish! A true art film, slightly similar in tone and mood to one of the best art house films of all time, In The Mood for Love.
I did not know what to expect going in. I was half-terrified that this was going to be some gut - wrenching tragedy that will haunt me for days, but it wasn't. Not in the least. Instead it was one of the most beautiful renditions of love I've ever seen materialize on film in a very long time.
The leads do not speak a word of dialogue, but it was neither missed nor needed. Everything that's important was beautifully communicated with a meaningful glance or a tender act. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable. I never grew tired of being in their world, in fact I wanted to get lost in it.
More than anything, though, I loved the message that I interpreted from it.
A lot can be said about life and how we get through our own personal struggles. The audience might not be entirely sure what is real or imagined, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. What matters is that as human beings we need these moments of reprieve, real or imagined, to get through life. They add meaning to our existence and give us the strength to carry on in the face of adversary. I just love it.
I also loved the ending - bittersweet, but not in a sad, haunting sort of way. In a very positive, hopeful, uplifting sort of way. It's been a couple of days since I saw the film and it still brings a smile to my face just remembering it.
I can't praise it enough. Everything about it was just perfectly rendered: the atmosphere, the setting, the acting, the score! I've been listening to the lovely, evocative music of Natasha Atlas ever since I saw this film. Kim Ki-duk, by this effort alone, has not only cemented himself as a director to watch for me, but also one that is likely to influence my own work as a filmmaker. This was a perfect 10. I'm sure I'll be re-watching for this for years to come.
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The show gives us a peek into the lives of 5 friends, all college students on the cusp of becoming contributing citizens to society. Some have dreams they want to pursue, some have dreams they've had to let go and some are still trying to figure out what next. Their stories are all relatable and poignantly human. Inevitably you'll find yourself reevaluating your own life and wondering if you're on the path you set out for yourself.
Orange Days is also a sweet love story. About a beautiful, talented girl who lost the thing she loved the most, who was without hope and angry at the world because of her misfortune, and the boy who healed her soul with his kindness, his patience, his gentleness, his understanding, and most of all, his unconditional love. Kai, our hero, has got to be one of the most compassionate heroes I've ever come across. Massive kudos to the actor for bringing him so impressively to life!
Kai manages to be both masculine and incredibly sweet and sensitive at the same time and let me tell you it was pretty darn sexy to watch. Sae is one very lucky girl. All the while I kept thinking, where the heck was my Kai when I was in college? LOL I enjoyed every minute of watching these two on their journey to find themselves and each other.
Both leads were standouts, but the supporting cast did a fairly good job too. I was drawn to Shohei who projected an air of infallibility, but was really just a lost kid searching for the love he never got from the most important woman in his life. I really liked him and wished his story had more development. He had a weird sense of fashion, though. I don't think young men wore such ugly-ass clothes, even in 2003/2004. LOL
Orange Days did not avoid the usual Asian drama clichés -- the ever present love triangle, the mandatory separation and what have you, but somehow it wasn't over played to the point where it got annoying (as is the tendency in a lot of other -- for eg Korean -- dramas). Issues were resolved quickly so that the characters' growth as people remained the focus.
All in all, what made this show an absolute joy to watch is that it's a great slice of life drama about overcoming grief and savouring the precious moments we have with the people we love. But it isn't pessimistic in its message. There's an undercurrent of hope that permeates the stories of each character. You get a nice dose of reality but not so much that you're unable or unwilling to escape into their world. It also reaffirms the fact that no matter where we're from, no matter our gender or our ethnicity the only race that really exists on earth is the human race, and we all share the same hopes, dreams and fears about finding our way in this life.
I don’t usually take notice of music, but I remember the music in this drama because it was so simple and yet so effective. Unlike the theme song in Autumn's Concerto (Taiwanese drama) that literally almost drove me mad, the music here served its purpose of evoking all the right emotions at the right time. Even though the same instrumentals were repeated throughout the drama, it didn't feel repetitive because it wasn't overdone to the point where it grated on the nerves.
I think anyone who watches Orange Days will come away with a joyous feeling of having just watched something great. And like me you'll probably be sad that it's over.
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First let me start off by saying Etsushi Toyokawa as the handsome, deaf-mute artist Sakaki Kohji will stir your heart. A wonderfully emotive actor, I just love performers who can express a million feelings with only their eyes and this guy totally nails it. It’s not possible to look at him and not be moved. I thought the female lead went a little overboard with all the ‘aegyo’, but thankfully she toned it down a bit toward the second act. Once things took a more dramatic turn in the latter part of the drama I could see that she had some good acting chops, but unfortunately the material she had to work with was a disservice to her character. Supporting cast were like pestilence, especially Shiori and Ken, but in some scenarios Hikaru too. I was too annoyed by them to care about how they deliver. I just wanted them to go away.
Acting aside, this love story just completely captures you away. I enjoyed watching the unique challenges the male lead's deafness introduced to his life and relationships. The Japanese, as per usual, are masters in depicting regular everyday life in all its sweet mundanity. No flash of wealth, no chauffeur driven chæbols. Just an ordinary slice of life about two young people trying to figure stuff out.
Kohji and Hiroko’s chemistry is apparent from the start. They steam up the screen with every glance, every touch, every intimate embrace; and there's just something wistful & nostalgic about the exchange of love letters written by your lover's hand. I enjoyed the music - repetitive though it was, but certainly fitting and beautifully sung.
For a while there I couldn’t believe I was watching a Japanese drama, because for sure the Japanese just don’t do romance this good, do they? And an older one at that. When I found out the same writer who wrote Orange Days wrote Aishiteiru that pretty much explained it. The sweet sentimentalism, the pure headiness of falling in love, the slow build up of passion, it’s all there. Though this time around it’s the guy who has the disability, their love evokes those same warm, wonderful feelings Orange Days did. I was on cloud nine.
Sadly by ep 9 this setup starts to unravel. It’s not possible for Asians to give us a simple love story without all the nonsensical drama … can they? One hopes, but the sick feeling that blossoms in the pit of your stomach tells you something’s up, and sure enough the usual tiresome drama cliches start to rear their ugly heads. By ep 10 an otherwise well developed script takes a most illogical and drastic turn. Things go from bad to WTF in a minute, and by the final episode the show is irrevocably ruined. I was stunned.
It made it really difficult for me to decide on a rating because the first 8 eps and the last 4 eps, esp the final 3, felt like 2 entirely different dramas. And to add insult to injury the terribly ambiguous, unsatisfying ending left me feeling let down and bitter. Mostly, I felt really bad for Kohji. The guy got a raw deal. I wanted something better for him. He didn’t deserve all that crap. If I were to rate this drama based on the first 8 episodes it easily nets a 10. Not because it’s a masterpiece of any kind, but because the emotions resonate so well & so deeply. In the end my 9 rating here is also a reflection of this fact. Eps 9 - 12 get a 1 because ‘pathetic’ is truly an appropriate label for ensuing events that were totally unnecessary and foolish.
So here’s what I recommend, chingus. Go ahead and watch this show in its entirety at your own risk. But if you need to have or prefer to have a happy or relatively satisfying conclusion to a drama you’re about to invest 12 hrs of your life in, stop after the 8th episode. Arassoyo? Save yourself the grief and just create your own ending. I sure wish I had. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
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Films from this region can be so painfully true to life, not prone to sugarcoat or providing even the narrowest of escape from the unpredictability and cruelty of human existence. There's no compromise. I don't know what to make of it. I both love it and hate it.
The Intimate Lover poignantly unveils our contrary nature as human beings. When it comes to matters of the heart, we want security and stability, but also a constant supply of that heady rush of new love, of being in love and seeing the stars in our lover's eyes. But it's impossible to attain both at the same time, with the same partner for the long haul.
So where does that leave us? Pretty much between a rock and hard a place.
To not chase that high is to commit yourself to a life of probable unfulfillment and what ifs, and to chase it would be like chasing a rainbow. You'll be going around in circles. If you leave one partner for another just to experience the high of being in love, eventually you'll end up back where you started with the same irrational need to begin the process all over again.
So really that sweet, intoxicating love we all want to experience can only last for a lifetime in our memories; and what this film imparts on us is that it's better to experience that love and end it while you're still on a high rather than let it wane from the onset of familiarity. It is the memory of this intoxicating love that will cradle us as we're delivered into the bosom of death.
It's a powerful message, if a little depressing.
All in all, though, this was a good exploration of the human condition. I think the actors did a good job, especially the female lead. I was happy to see some good physicality between the characters. None of this brushing of the lips nonsense or people who are supposed to be intimate acting like strangers around each other.
I've seen where this film has been described as "erotic". Perhaps by Asian standards, but this was just an average film to me. Explicit, yes, but erotic, not really. Because of the subject matter the film attempts to analyze they HAD to show that level of intimacy between the characters. To not do so would have been unrealistic. When you meet someone and you fall in love with them, you want to be intimate with them. Film, being a visual medium, has to show that intimacy to strengthen the story being told, otherwise the movie would have defeated its own purpose.
I must admit even though I had an idea where the movie was headed, and was okay with it, I held a small hope for a different ending. What can I say? I am a romantic. I know how life works. I know we're powerless to its whims. But I don't need to be reminded of that constantly in my entertainment. Be that as it may, however, I'm glad no one had a terminal illness. No one got hit by a truck. No one died or was dying. Thank goodness.
The ending was appropriate, poignant, but not gut wrenching. If you're in the mood for a film that will make you think and or spur an intellectual conversation afterwards, this is a good choice.
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Kang Tæ - Joo is a suave, unrepentant lady's man who goes about his romantic liaisons with cool practicality. He's your regular joe with high ambitions. He sees the beautiful rich women who fall over themselves for his manly charms and good looks as his ticket to bigger and better things. He’s a realist, with little patience for idealistic folly.
Some people have described him as a jerk, but to me he isn't. He never misleads the women in his life about his intentions nor does he try to hide the fact that he's essentially a gold digger. He's certainly a lady killer, a breaker of hearts, but not a mean spirited one. Women can't help but fall for him, but to Tæ-Joo that's neither his fault nor his business.
I don't always agree with his methods of achieving his goals, but I respect him. I admire his ambition and drive to make something of his life. It’s far better than the laziness, inertia and complacency that grip today's youth. So what happens when a brutal realist and a starry eyed idealist meet and fall in love? Well, chemical waves short circuit and the whole goddamn house burns down.
The show features an intense love quadruple which serves as the main driver of sending your emotions into a tailspin. Normally I hate these type of romance dramas, but this wasn’t bad at all. It kept me anxious but not angry. And as other reviewers have pointed out QSS isn’t your run of the mill kdrama with chaste kisses and secret glances. It’s wild and it's hot and it’s passionate. Sex is not taboo. The characters are age appropriate in their behaviours, if not always in their deeds. I loved it!
What I enjoyed even more, though, were the extremely valuable life lessons imparted:
- Life is a gamble, you can win a fortune or lose everything.
- Opportunities come only once, don’t pass them up.
- By the same token, know that whatever path you choose in life comes with consequences you have to live with.
- Most of the time money doesn't make you happy.
- Love, though fragile and fleeting, is the most important experience of human existence.
- We want what we can’t have, but don’t appreciate what we do have until it’s gone.
It was just amazing. I felt like by the end of the show I learned and grew right along with the characters. This is why I gave the drama an 8, instead of a 7.
The only downside, and why this drama didn’t net a 9, was that I wanted more ‘happy and in love’ screen time with our leads. There was an overabundance of negative angst. Not the exciting, sexually charged type of angst you’ll experience in say … Lovers. I’m fine with negative angst as long as equal amounts of positive angst balance things out.
Characters, on the other hand, were very three dimensional and human, all having their negative and positive attributes. I have to continuously commend the Koreans for writing such layered characters who I didn't see regularly before my foray into Asian entertainment.
Of the four main ones I felt like the female lead Eun Soo was the weakest link, mainly due to how she was acted by Jung Yu Mi. First of all, the actress looked like an underaged teenager and was much too childlike in her portrayal. As the drama progressed she matured a little and you realize she isn’t completely a pushover, but that she’s written as the stereotypical ‘strong’ Korean female lead afflicted with misplaced pride, noble stupidity; defiant, stubborn, obtuse … for totally idiotic, nonsensical reasons to the very end. Don’t get me wrong she remained a sympathetic figure throughout the show, but there were moments when certain behaviours of hers raised my ire.
Eric Mun as Kang Tæ-Joo was absolutely divine. Eye candy and talent, for a voracious cinephile like me it doesn’t get any better. And you could tell he’s Korean - American too because the guy has mad swag. I was swooning! This is the first time I’m seeing Mun in anything and I can understand why everyone says this is his best role. I can not imagine who else could play this character better than him.
But while Eric swept me off my feet and impressed me, the true stand out was actually Lee Kyu Han who I had recently seen in Smile, You and did not like! I thought his character was useless and a pest, but here wow … he played the ruthless, lonely, misunderstood, vulnerable businessman to a T. I sympathized a great deal with him even when I was supposed to hate him, especially toward the end. Finally, Yoon Ji Hye did great as the desperate, insecure rich girl.
Everyone pretty much threw themselves into their roles to create a truly engaging watch.I wanted a bit more from the ending, but was still satisfied with what we got. This was gooddrama, folks. Romance done right. It’s crazy and a little far-fetched as only Korean dramas can be, but totally worth it. If you don’t already have Que Sera Sera on your list, add it now.
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The story has been dramatized many times on film. Besides this version, released in 2000 by director Im Kwon-taek, there was also a retelling of the story in the 2008 film, The Servant. Another version from 1968 exists. It stars one of South Korea's most well-known veteran actors, Shin Seong-il.
In the Story of Chunhyang as depicted by this film, the young nobleman, a scholar, takes an interest in the beautiful daughter of a courtesan at first sight. As custom dictates that a courtesan's daughter is also a courtesan the young master orders his servant to fetch the girl, thinking she'll be an easy lay. To his amazement she rebuffs his advances & reveals she’s no light skirt, but a scholar herself, gifted in art and poetry. This makes him fall for her even more and so begins their story.
And a beautiful, simple, upbeat story of love it was. I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters featured in this film are younger than those featured in The Servant (2008) & Chunhyang (1968). And ahh, the wonders of young love, new love. I never get tired of it. Never.
The film turned out to be so unlike what I expected. I had no prior knowledge of the folk tale so I thought this was going to be tragic & indeed there is this Romeo & Juliet feel to it, but that’s about where the comparison ends.
The acting was reasonably well done considering this was the acting debut of both leads, and the chemistry between these two love birds was sizzling. They made a very cute couple. I could watch them frolic & dilly-dally around all day. Female viewers can look forward to serious eye candy in the form of Cho Seung Woo. Though he's really young in this movie (around 19 I think) the guy is a distraction, perhaps THE most photogenic South Korean actor I've ever come across. You know who's gonna be stalking him from now on... LOL
Strong themes of duty, everlasting love and loyalty make up The Story of Chunhyang, as well as class differences and the role of women in pre-modern Korean society. It was all quite fascinating to watch. I felt like I gained a deeper insight of Korean culture & history.
But more than anything else I'm giving this movie high scores of 10 because this is what I consider a filmmaker's film – where a good balance of both creative & technical excellence was achieved to create something artistic & unique. I don't know if I'd go as far as to say it's a masterpiece, but there's a strong sense of the director's voice here. And I liked that voice. It was captivating. It pulled me in, made me smile, made me wonder what would happen next. The story is told with traditional linear narrative, but with an unconventional twist. I suspect audiences who are not appreciative of movies as an art might find this a bit off-putting simply because it is different & not what they might be used to.
Personally, I think director Im Kwon-taek deserves props for this unexpected, but refreshingly original unveiling of the story. I won't reveal exactly how or what was done, except to say you've probably never seen a movie narrated quite like this in a long time, if ever at all.
The OST is a wonderful mash-up of old Korea sounds that were always beautifully matched with interesting, pleasing to the eye pictures.
I thought it was pretty well done.
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Three genres are featured prominently in this drama: action, drama, romance. None were explored to their full potential. Plus, where the cliches of one genre were challenged, they ran amok in others.
The action scenes were well choreographed and exciting to watch, but were often pulled up short and were too far in between to have full effect. Just when my adrenaline started to flow and I'm about ready to forgive less involving aspects of the show, they were over.
Which brings me to the weakest, but most prominent, link ... the drama. I spent a good portion of this show, from ca ep 6 to at least the 3rd quarter of ep 14, being bored. These episodes were mostly dedicated to the back story of the parents, for which I never developed an interest. I never became invested in any of these characters enough to care about their story. I cared about the characters in the present and wanted more of the focus on their individual & common journeys, independent of what happened to their parents in the past. There's a reason why they urge you to keep flashbacks as a driver of story to a bare minimum in screenwriting 101. Flashbacks are intrusive and passive, and should only be used as a function of character (for eg, recalling a memory), not story. An entire story hinged on flashback yanks us out of the present action and keeps the plot from moving forward, which is exactly what happened in Healer (and many other K-dramas. Why some Korean writers can't seem to grasp this very basic rule of screenwriting, I don't know.).
What's more, characters were inexplicably killed off or shipped off when they no longer suited the writer's purpose. This was glaringly obvious. There was no cohesion in how one plot line flowed into the other. Just '(s)he is getting in the way of where I want to take this story so bang! you're dead!' When the sex scandal case concluded, I was like 'Wait, what just happened? That's it?!!' And have you ever noticed how women in K-dramas are *never* killed off? No matter who they are or what situation they find themselves in. Oh, the men are fair game, but the women always manage to escape with their lives. ::eyeroll:: ... because this is such a cliche of the genre.
Finally the romance, it was nice. I agree with other viewers who commended the absence of the usual unpalatable cliches as well as the relatively good characterisations. I really applaud this evolution the romance genre seems to be having in recent K-dramas. They're finally starting to acknowledge their characters as sexual beings, rather than strip them bare of human desire. My only complaint? People will make bold statements ... about kissing, holding one another, making love and what have you, but words aren't followed up enough with actions. It's all just big talk. There's still that air of fakeness and lack of emotional depth in romantic relations. That lack of natural, comfortable, spontaneous intimacy (one drama which came close to what I'm looking for is It's Okay, That's Love). Oh there were some fine moments, by all means, but they often felt ... stilted. Staged. Contrived. Awkward. And even if this were only a minor complaint (it's not, not for me), the romance itself took off too late, almost in the last quarter of the drama, and stayed around for exactly two episodes and change, before focus was returned to less involving narrative arcs. Romance has always been a 'back-up' genre for me. When all else fails, it tends to keep me going, until hopefully things pick up again in other departments. That didn't happen here. Basically, every aspect of the drama that could've and should've kept my interest, short-circuited. There's no doubt the romance was cute, there's no doubt the characters had chemistry, but it wasn't executed to satisfaction.
A more worthy drama to me is Nine, in which the same combination of genres were better executed. I can't remember being bored watching Nine. I was on full alert, wondering what would happen next, how will the characters react? The plot wasn't without its holes, but the pacing maintained its momentum almost from beginning to end. The romance was evenly spread, so that when it wasn't being featured I didn't miss it, but just when you started to crave it, it appeared. I was able to enjoy Nine in spite of its faults whilst Healer became untenable because of them.
In closing, I would be remiss not to mention the 'villains' (with the exception of Secretary Oh). I've never seen a more pathetic lot. All these imbeciles knew to do was snare. Imagine a whole barrage of goons not able to break down a door being blocked by one man ... and other absurdities. In terms of moronic villains, Healer could be Cruel City's cousin, the drama in which a pair of slight 100 lbs women in 6 inch heels, who couldn't fight, outran & outfought seasoned criminals. To say these bumbling idiots were cartoonish would be an understatement. And as per usual dramas give the South Korean police a very bad name. If I were a police officer watching this show I would be offended. Neither one nor the other presented any real threat or challenge to the good guys, which only served to discredit whatever battles they won against the Farmer and his farmhands. It's really hard to suspend belief when they make it sooo easy for the good guys to win.
By the time Healer drew to a close I didn't even care that the ending was rushed, because the show had already gone downhill for me long before that.
There were things I DID like: the score and the soundtrack. The characters and the acting. Yoo Ji Tæ can do no wrong for me, an incredibly charismatic actor. I didn't think Park Min Young was that bad. Ji Chang Wook is one to watch. And I liked the mild-mannered, unassuming, but creepy Secretary Oh. That little smirk of his, with his hand raised to his mouth. It was a nice flair. I appreciate these little quirks and habits that make a character stand out. And it was rather effective too. I wouldn't want to be trapped alone in a room with that guy. So kudos to the actor.
While I liked these things, if sloppy storytelling keeps pulling me out of the narrative and have me asking too many questions, instead of sucking me in with the action and the drama and the romance, then something is wrong. Healer, in some ways, is quite different from the average K-drama, but in other ways it's all pretty much the same.
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Where the original Story of Chunhyang (and earlier film adaptations of the folk tale) tells the story of the beautiful courtesan's daughter and the handsome nobleman who falls for her, in this retelling this classic love story takes on a new dimension.
Bang-ja has worked in servitude to Mongryong for many years. He's satisfied with his existence until one day he encounters a woman who changes his life forever. Both master and servant fall for the beautiful Chunhyang at first sight. However, due to his lack of status, Bang-ja is convinced he doesn't stand a chance against the aristocrat, Mongryong.
I have to say this retelling of the original folk tale was quite moving to watch.
Where Chunhyang (2000) is an upbeat, pure love story with likable characters all around, The Servant is a poignant story of long-suffering and sacrifice. It puts a more mature spin on the original story, and solicits a deeper emotional investment from the viewer.
Both films are great for different reasons. In Chunhyang I loved the feel good story of young lovers discovering each other for the first time as well as the skillful direction of the film by Im Kwon-Taek. In The Servant the hero's strait journey to be with the love of his life is what touched my heart.
He was a very sympathetic, worthy, if tragic, hero, portrayed superbly by actor Kim Ju Hyuk. Though powerless & trapped by his low class Bang-ja revealed himself to be the true noble, a man of honour, wisdom & sound character who, for the sake of love, suffered through much humiliation and hardship. A number of the supporting cast put in notable performances as well, in particular Oh Dal Su's In No, Bang-ja's compatriot & mentor. The Servant was also surprisingly modern in tone and mood. It took on a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach towards its handling of sexuality. It may seem a bit contradictory to the period in which the film is set, but it worked somehow with the overall arc of the story.
In closing, I'd say both films are well worth a watch, though it's not mandatory to see one in order to understand the other. I'm giving The Servant a 10 (as I did Chunhyang) for its story & Kim Ju Hyuk's performance. The ending was beautiful and bittersweet. Just an overall enjoyable watch that I'd recommend to everyone.
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The World That They Live In
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This was a pretty good series. As good as any South Korean drama is gonna get, I think. I’ll explain below what particularly worked for me and, of course, what didn’t. This review contains one minor spoiler, but it won’t spoil your enjoyment of the show. This is also going to be one of my longer reviews (I hope you'll read it, anyway :)WHAT WORKED:
THE STORY - There are two sides to the plot. First, there’s the behind the scenes look at drama production in Korea & secondly the complicated love lives of the people who work in this industry. I was very pleased with the former, but not so much the latter.
I loved getting a glimpse into how productions go down in Korea. Even though I work in film production rather than TV production, I recognized well every challenge the young directors face because I face them in my own career too. The huge pressure of wanting to stay true to your artistic values while trying to satisfy overbearing executives who control your career, difficult actors, bad working conditions, productions going over budget & over schedule. Yup, been there, done that. There were also significant differences that really shocked me. I won’t get into details, but let’s just say Korean production crews deserve every respect for their dedication to their jobs. They work under some very extreme conditions that would have unions shutting us down here in the West.
THE MATURE TONE & MOOD OF THE DRAMA - I loved that in this drama sex isn’t the usual pink elephant in the room that’s never acknowledged. The drama is written by adults for adults, and that mature tone and mood permeates the show. The chemistry is just popping. If only more Korean dramas are like this. Unlike so many other Asian dramas - I actually BELIEVED the couple are indeed a couple.
THE ACTING - Overall the acting isn’t bad. Most of the supporting cast are great & like other reviewers said I too really enjoyed the storyline of Hæ Jin and Gyo Ho. I never thought their relationship would play out the way it did. I had a bad first impression of Gyo Ho, but he completely redeems himself by the end.
As for the leads, since coming to dramaland some 7-8 mths ago I’ve heard an earful about Hyun Bin. This was my first opportunity to see him in action & I must say I get the hype. He is gorgeous! There were times when I really envied Song Hye Kyo, that she should be so lucky to play house with such an amazingly handsome guy.
But anyway … now that that’s out of the way, I think, acting wise, what Hyun Bin has going for him is that he’s got some of the most expressive eyes I’ve ever seen on a male Korean actor. The eyes are one of an actor’s most powerful tools. Look at the most successful, well-regarded actors and they all have these amazingly expressive eyes that can convey any variety of emotions: love, anger, sadness, indifference … I believe this is true for Hyun Bin. All he has to do is just look at his co-star and you can feel his emotions through his eyes without him having to open his mouth.
Hyun Bin certainly has the skills, the charisma and the charm to be a really powerful actor. However, he was still a relatively young man in this drama, 25-26 yrs at the time of filming. So he didn’t have much life experience that would've added an extra layer of nuance to his performance. For this reason sometimes his acting did come across a bit immature. Had nothing to do with the character he played (an immature guy in his own right, sure), but just the fact that life experience adds another dimension to how you process the world around you & thus how you interpret a role.
Lead actress Song Hye Kyo is not able to emote on the same level as Hyun Bin. The one emotion she's good at in this drama was ire. That is not to say she’s a bad actress because she isn’t, per se. One of the characters, an actress playing an actress, made an interesting observation: she said many young actors don’t know how to apply acting techniques. They try to portray emotion in a very literal, mechanical fashion, for eg if they’re supposed to be angry they scream, if they’re supposed to be sad, they weep etc … it’s an interesting observation because I think this describes both Hyun Bin & Song Hye Kyo’s performances well, but more so hers than his. This is true of Hyun Bin only when he expresses anger (his rantings & ravings were hilarious and cute, though lol), but with Song I felt like this mechanical interpretation of her character’s emotions is her default approach. I didn’t like it, but okay.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK SO WELL:
JI-OH & JOON YOUNG'S RELATIONSHIP - Their relationship is annoying & immature, probably because both characters are really just big babies that throw temper tantrums when they don't get their way or say dumb sh-- because they don’t know how to express their emotions in an adult fashion. Ji-oh and Joon Young fight over the dumbest things. The childishness grated on my nerves, and as the drama ended I didn’t feel confident that they’ll last any amount of time with this type of dynamic between them. They were together before, broke up then got back together, but neither one of them seem to have grown from this experience. This feeling took away from my enjoyment of the show because for me what makes a great romance drama is the feeling I’m left with at the end, that even though no relationship is perfect they’ll be able to overcome the trials life throws at them & live together happily.
THE SHOW'S ATTEMPT TO BE PHILOSOPHICAL - the show’s attempt to philosophize about how life imitates art fell flat for me. All the introspective commentary just felt like they were trying too hard to be 'different', for the lack of a better term. Contrived.
THE FEMALE LEADS - But by far what provoked me the most about this show ... some of the female characters, in particular two of the 3 female leads. The main female character Joo Joon Young, played by Song Hye Kyo is, when all is said and done, not a very likable person.
Joon Young is a driven, ambitious, career-minded young woman. She works in a male dominated environment where she deals with a lot of sexism & has to hold her own. I loved all this about her because when it comes to work, I related to her character so well. She lives my life & with great panache (as I would like to think I approach my work as well).
On a personal level though Joon Young is rude, selfish, spiteful and cruel, sometimes for no good reason whatsoever. I think the deficiency in the characters is both as a result of how she’s written and how she’s played by Song Hye Kyo. There’s not one perfect character in this drama, but it’s one thing to have a character who is human and isn’t always cookie cutter perfect & another to have complete jerks & bitches with NO redeeming qualities.
Take for example Ji - Oh, played by Hyun Bin. He verbally and physically abuses his staff on set, and loses his temper left, right and centre. But once the production is wrapped & the stress of the situation tones down he’ll humbly apologize and take everyone out for soju. In his love relationship he has a mean streak that rears its ugly head when he feels cornered by emotions he can’t process, but again once he comes to his senses he’ll humbly apologize and ask for forgiveness. So just when you’re convinced he’s a jerk, he turns around and convinces you otherwise. This made him very human & very sympathetic because even though he makes mistakes that sometimes hurt people, he accepts responsibility & expresses remorse.
Joon Young, on the other hand, never takes responsibility for anything even when she’s blatantly in the wrong. Here’s one example (out of many) of what I mean:
There’s a particular scene in which she agrees to meet another character at a restaurant. She sent a text saying that she is going to be late. She doesn’t say how late, but naturally the other person is not expecting her to turn up 2.5 hrs late. But that's exactly what she does. And when the character expresses annoyance, instead of apologizing, she gets all huffy and argues that she did send a text and blah blah. As if she’s so great that anyone should wait around 2.5 hrs for her. That type of arrogance. That type of rudeness. Ugh. This is just 1 of MANY such scenarios. She’s missing a real sensitivity chip and that made it difficult to like her.
I initially rated this drama a 7, but decided to raise it to an 8 because in the end it became somewhat of a masterclass for me. It made me think about how I develop my own work, esp female characters that I may write in the future. TWTTLI also has other good things going for it, so I’d still highly recommend it to anyone who likes a nice, adult drama. Moreover this was the best introduction ever to the lovely mr. Hyun Bin. Not sure if I’m a fan yet, but yeah he’s got me all hot n bothered alright! Haha! :-)
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I often have a sneaking suspicion of Korean romantic dramas because I'm always expecting someone to die. As a result I didn't think I'd like this movie, but I did. We have all experienced the story before: boy meets girl, they fall in love ... maybe one more so than the other. Nothing special. What made it good was Yoo Ji Tae. He did a really good job of making me empathize with his character. I felt his struggle, so much so that I wanted to reach into the movie and give him a hug. Haha.
The supporting cast, esp the hero's family, were pretty good too. Grandma gave one of the best piece of advice about women I've heard in a long time.
I also loved the scenery in this movie. Due to the nature of our hero's job Korea's natural beauty was very much emphasized here. The more I watch K-movies the more fascinated I become with its culture, its food and its people. My mind's now made up: the next vacation will be to South Korea.
Finally, the ending of One Fine Spring Day was very appropriate. Life is rife with tough decisions, but we gotta make 'em and rock on.
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Some stories were better than others in both content and acting ability. The first two were quite enjoyable and philosophical. They asked deep, thought-provoking questions that I pondered appreciatively.
My favourite of all 5 was the 2nd story. Very poignant, but also a very sweet manifestation of (erotic) love.
The 3rd and 4th stories were a bit bizarre. Think murderous wives, blood sucking vampires and lesbian loving. I liked the 3rd story the least. Though darkly comedic in parts, I found it boring and uninspired in others. The theme of Eros was not very well conveyed, in my opinion, and the acting was off.
The 5th and final story about partner swapping could have been interesting, but the narrative was somewhat nonlinear, making it difficult to keep track of who was really boyfriend/girlfriend with who.
If I had to rate each story individually:
Story 1: 9
Story 2: 10
Story 3: 3
Story 4: 5
Story 5: 6
The average comes out to about 7 so that's my overall score for this anthology. I enjoyed it while it lasted. This movie is suitable for mature audiences, but nothing about it felt gratuitous. In fact a lot of the sexual encounters were pretty PG. I'd say it's a good date movie to watch with your long term partner, if you have one.
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The movie is appropriately titled because living the life of a gangster is indeed dirty business, and the film neither sugarcoats nor glamorizes this lifestyle (as other, especially Western, gangster flicks are wont to do). Once you become entrapped there are few, if any, routes of escape.
It's a cautionary tale about an underbelly of society that's dog eat dog, where karma is a real bitch. Trust and betrayal thread a very thin line and losing your humanity becomes the only modus operandi to ensuring your survival.
From where I sat the film was brilliantly executed both in terms of story and plot. The pacing was taut, there was never a dull moment that I can remember. You're kept fully engrossed by a stellar cast who made their characters seem real and very convincing.
Jo In Sung, in the role of charismatic, but conflicted Byung-doo, puts on a memorable performance. Byung-doo is a young man whose life has become twisted by fate. A filial son, and still possessing a shred of conscience despite the violence that surrounds him, I was able to sympathize with the character even while I was appalled by the brutality and ruthlessness fueling his actions.
Considering previous events, the big boss singing a cappella in one of the final scenes really struck chord in me. That's pretty much all I remember about the music, but it was effective enough in that moment to warrant a 7.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I wouldn't have minded if certain things went down differently, but I appreciate the film for its realistic portrayal of what I imagine that world and the people who live in it to be. I doubt fans of the mob genre will be disappointed.
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A romantic drama that doesn't have the usual cliches of the genre. You know, the theatrics, the philandering spouses and what have you. Wanee & Junah deviates from this formula, and I think this is the film’s #1 strength.
There’s nothing imaginative or noteworthy about the plot, per se. You might even say the movie takes its time getting to the point, but it's nevertheless a worthwhile watch because it dares to breath fresh air into a genre that generally has its cliches on repeat (watch as much romantic drama as I do & you can pretty much guess, frame by frame, how the story's gonna play out).
I get really tired of all the negative, explosive drama you find in most Asian movies about love and relationships. If someone isn't cheating on their spouse, then they’re plotting their spouse’s death. It makes you wonder … aren't there any satisfied Asian couples just living & loving without all the contention?
Yes, there are. In Wanee & Junah.
It’s the love story of two young people who live together in peaceful countryside. Their union is unconventional given the fact that they’re not married, but their relationship is characterised by love and support. The conflict is external to the relationship rather than internal so they don’t bicker over foolishness. They don’t spite and backbite each other. In general they're just a happy couple who are devoted to each other.
When conflict is introduced to stir the pot, Wanee & Junah maintains its quiet introspection of the things that shape us into the people we are rather than veer into exaggerated melodrama. And while they grapple with this new challenge to their relationship, there’s never any deep antagonism between the characters. Just a deep understanding and acceptance of each other's limitations.
What I noticed in Wanee & Junah is what I notice in every relationship ... those of my friends & my own. Sometimes our partner has to deal with stuff you don’t know how to help them with. You have the deepest wish … but there’s nothing you can do. You just have to step back and let the person figure things out on their own.
This is what I loved about Wanee & Junah.
The relationship is mature, it feels real, the ending puts a smile on your face. The male lead is total eye candy. I’d recommend it.
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The ever popular Choi Min-sik, of Oldboy & I Saw the Devil fame, delivers a solid performance as the scorned, emasculated house husband. The juxtaposition of gender specific traits in his character, nurturing femininity vs aggressive masculinity, was particularly well played in my opinion. It shows how, in the heat of passion, one can really act against type.
The reversal of stereotypical gender roles, especially in a strongly patriarchal society like South Korea, is always interesting to watch. I did enjoy the film, but can not score it higher than 7 because with the exception of the cheater being female, the storylines are essentially the same for pretty much every film I have seen in this genre. The movie is definitely worth a watch for Choi Min sik and reversing the role of who cheats, but don't go in expecting any clever twists. There are none.
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