My second drama special is “Boy meets girl”. This is not as beautiful and memorable as the “Pianist”, but it is good enough and if you have one hour to spare, it is a nice alternative.
What is this about:
An unemployed man, Hyun Cho, meets the daughter of his wife’s friends, Ji Wan, a very clever student and between them starts a friendship.
My review:
This is an interesting watch. From the title you think that this is going to be a romantic episode about a boy and a girl, but in reality is about a special friendship between a middle aged man and a primary schooler.
Hyun Cho is unemployed and at first he seems irresponsible, his wife supports him and many times he acts immaturely. But he is a sweet guy and a sensitive one. He has a good heart and as the episode progresses his good characteristics unfold.
Ji Wan is a genius girl that has skipped classes, but feels very big pressure to succeed, especially from her mother. She feels that she has to be a prodigy because of all her mother’s hard work. But in reality she doesn’t want it, and the only one to see it is Hyun Cho.
This is an interesting watch, seeing Hyun Cho and Ji Wan dislike each other and slowly becoming friends that understand and help each other grow. This is not a must watch, probably you could live without it, but if you want to see a heartfelt drama, this is a nice choice.
Why you should watch:
Heartfelt drama.
Interesting, flawed characters.
A unique friendship.
Why not to watch:
This is nothing special.
The performances and the directing are nothing to write about.
Final verdict:
6/10. This is a nice little drama that is enjoyable while you watch it, but you are probably going to forget it afterwards. On the plus side, it featured a song near the end which I didn't know, but liked it immediately.
“Temptation of wolves” or “Romance of their own” is a teenage movie that was a huge success when it was first shown and catapulted its stars into stardom, especially Kang Dong Won. It is full of clichés, but I enjoyed immensely.
What is this about:
Directed by Kim Tae-kyun. Star Jo Han-sun, Kang Dong-won, Lee Chung-ah. A young country girl Han Kyung (Lee Chung Ah) comes to Seoul after her father’s death and gets involved in a love triangle with two of the most popular guys. (Source Wikipedia)
My review:
This is a teen movie based on the internet novel written by a teenage girl. If you take that in mind, that this is not going to be an innovative movie, groundbreaking or anything, I think it is enjoyable.
The heroine, Han Kyung (Lee Chung Ah), is very standard female lead. She is plain and naïve, she comes into an unknown place, fish out of the water, she is being bullied by other girls, her so-called best friend dates her high school crush, and, yet, somehow, she gets the attention and interest of the two hottest guys. This is fanfiction, so don’t dwell on that.
Hae Won (Jo Han-sun) is the rich bad boy. These three words describe his character (or lack of) precisely. I honestly do not know what else to say, there isn’t anything, except that the actor is very charming and easy on the eyes.
Tea Sung (Kang Dong-won) is the sweet rebellious guy that tends to be more like a second lead, but not exactly. Again, there isn’t much here, just that the actor is very charming and I can understand how he became a star after this movie. I will not say much about the story because there are twists – you can see them early on – and it is half the fan to see them unfold. The acting is …. Obviously the actors didn’t have much experience back then. Even though it seems that I am bashing it, I really enjoyed this movie. And my enjoying it relies heavily – solely – to the director. The director gave a youthful energy, a feel that these are teenagers with all their overflowing energy, even though their actions are not the ones of teenagers. From the music he chose and carefully put – very characteristic of the early ‘00s – and the grayish tones of the clothes and lightning, it shows that he put effort and paid attention to the details.
Why you should watch:
Youthful, teenage movie.
Nice, effective directing.
Charming leads.
Why not to watch:
Clichés, oh so many clichés.
Acting could have been better, much better.
Paper-thin characters.
The story doesn’t make much sense, especially in the end.
Final verdict:
7/10. Probably would have rated it below 5, if not for the skilled director. This is more of a guilty pleasure, that you know don’t like it, but you enjoy it nevertheless.
KBS2 Drama special is a weekly program showing short drama, usually every episode features different story. These short dramas are not very popular like the regular ones, but I have heard very good reviews for some of them, using their limited time to produce a completed story. And in deed some of these are much better than 16-episode dramas, like this little gem.
What is this about:
Directed Moon Joon Ha. Written by Park Eun Young. Star Choi Min Ho, Han Ji Hye. A 30-year-old piano teacher, In Sa (Han Ji Hye), meets accidently a 19-year-old boy, Je Ro (Choi Min Ho), who tunes pianos as a living and a delicate relationship between them begins.
My review:
I believe the best word to describe this little drama is delicate. There is a very delicate approach to this noona romance and how their relationship evolves, and a raw sensitivity that make it feel more like a movie.
In Sa (Han Ji Hye) is piano teacher that hasn’t practiced for a long time and has lost her ability. She used to passionate about the piano but being poor cost her the chance to become something more than a teacher for primary school students. Her boyfriend is a jerk and she breaks up with him for good reason. Her loneliness, even when she was with her boyfriend, is apparent. She has lost her passion for life and just lives day by day.
Je Ro (Choi Min Ho) is a very talented boy who learned himself to play the piano. He is sensitive and romantic and, he too, feels lonely, since he cannot connect with his surroundings. He makes a living by tuning pianos, since he is poor and cannot go to university. There are so many things that I loved in this story. First I found interesting the irony that Je Ro has the talent but In Sa is the one that teaches piano. He has passion for it, while she has lost it years ago. From their first meeting it is evident that they are kindred spirits and their loneliness fit each other like pieces of a puzzle.
She starts by seeing him friendly when it is apparent he likes her romantically. He doesn’t say much, she is the one who does most of the talking, but he looks at her adoringly. This could look weird very easily, but the actor plays it with sincerity and sensitivity, so you cannot help but feel your heart ache for him. She doesn’t stay unmoved by his emotions – who would? – and slowly finds her love for music again. But life is a bitch. The angst is real and not constructed just for the sake of the story. Both Je Ro and In Sa have their own reasons and you can understand them both. Even though the ending is somewhat open – btw I hate open endings – and I could watch these characters all day, I think this is one of the most satisfactory stories I have seen in a ling time.
But the beauty of this drama isn’t limited only to the excellent writing and charismatic performances of the two actors. The directing here is like a movie’s. The color palette, from the lighting, the make-up and the clothes, is very autumnal and sets a nostalgic mood. The soundtrack consists of classical pieces, making it relaxing and emotional, just like Je Ro and In Sa’s relationship. Finally, it has some beautiful shots of Seoul, which is a feat, considering this is just an hour-long drama.
After finishing my master thesis I finally have more time to watch Asian dramas and movies. So, I am watching old classics, dramas and movies, that didn’t have the time to watch before. One of them is “My tutor friend”, a Korean movie from 2003.
What is this about:
Directed by Kim Kyeong-hyeong. Written by Park Yeon-seon. Star Kim Ha-neul, Kwon Sang-woo. A college student, Su Wan, is hired to teach a 21-year-old rich boy, Ji Hoon, to finally finish high school. The problem is that he doesn’t want to study, plus he is the school gangster.
My review:
This was a hit back when was first released on the cinemas and it is easy to see why. Based on internet stories of a college student teaching a high schooler of the same age, this film feels like a live-action anime. It has laugh-out-loud moments and slap stick humor.
Su Wan (Kim Ha-neul) is poor sophomore college student that works as a teacher to help her mother who works selling chicken. While she wants to act tough, she can’t always and ends up being mistreated by others. She is funny and her reactions are priceless. There is no heavy characterization, but her character is cute and the one you root for.
Ji Hoon (Kwon Sang-woo) is a spoiled rich boy, son of a gangster, that doesn’t want to finish high school, he doesn’t like studying in general. Because he is afraid of his father, he accepts to take lessons with Su Wan, making Su Wan’s life miserable in the process. He is a stereotype, but the actor is charismatic enough to make him funny.
The directing is very anime-like, with cuts that feel they came right from a comic book and choreographed fight scenes. The tome of the movie is light, keeping it consistent till the end and avoiding unnecessary melodrama. The actors are very suitable for their roles and play them with enough charisma.
The only drawback is that it tries to put as much content as possible. This is a flaw common in adaptations, where they try to every memorable scene from the source material, but in their efforts, they make the scenes feel rushed and not connected.
Why you should watch:
Funny anime-like movie, with slapstick humor and little romance.
Enjoyable leads.
Nice directing, elevates the fun.
Easy-breezy watch, nothing too serious.
Nicely choreographed fight scenes.
Why not to watch:
If you want more romance this might disappoint you.
It has enough violence – it is about school gangster, after all.
The writing feels rushed and somewhat chopped.
Final review:
7/10. A comedy that brings the laughs with a bit of romance.
Hyun Cho is unemployed and at first he seems irresponsible, his wife supports him and many times he acts immaturely. But he is a sweet guy and a sensitive one. He has a good heart and as the episode progresses his good characteristics unfold.
Ji Wan is a genius girl that has skipped classes, but feels very big pressure to succeed, especially from her mother. She feels that she has to be a prodigy because of all her mother’s hard work. But in reality she doesn’t want it, and the only one to see it is Hyun Cho.
This is an interesting watch, seeing Hyun Cho and Ji Wan dislike each other and slowly becoming friends that understand and help each other grow. This is not a must watch, probably you could live without it, but if you want to see a heartfelt drama, this is a nice choice. 
