TO THE BEAUTIFUL YOU

I couldn’t decide which show I wanted to feature today. There are so many dramas playing right now. I’m watching four, ARANG AND THE MAGISTRATE, FAITH (aka The Great Doctor), NICE GUY(which recently started airing), and my favorite, TO THE BEAUTIFUL YOU.

Why is this series my favorite, you ask?

The comedy.

This series is so funny. I literally watch this show, trying not to laugh too loud. It produces gut clutching, tear running, snort-inducing laughter in me. How can I pass up something that makes me feel so happy?

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Now, don’t get mad at me for my favoritism. The other shows are also amazing, which is why I’m watching them. I don't invest in television shows which I don't find engaging. I usually know by the end of the first episode whether or not I'll continue with a series. And the only series I feature on this blog are ones I feel comfortable recommending because I enjoyed them.

Of course, not every opinion will fall in line with my own. You may hate these shows for the very reasons I like them. We're individuals. We make our own decisions. To quote my 10-year-old son, "How boring would the world be if we all thought the same way?" 

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Okay, back to why I love this series. Out of the three, I find this to be the funniest. I think Faith is the most mesmerizing (I love the costumes, setting, music, Lee Min Ho in armor…whew, I’ll review this series next week, I promise). But, it’s not as funny. And apparently, funny is what I need in my life right now.

I’m craving the sweet innocence of first love as expressed by these teenage characters. The acute contact embarrassment of watching the love interests flounder in the throes of raging horomones and identity crises without graphic sexual innuendo. 

So adorable. It's a series I can watch with my daughter without feeling like I have to yell, "Cover your eyes" every third scene. Totally refreshing.

Uh, what is the story about?
Geesh, I got so excited I forgot to give you a synopsis so you know what I’m gushing about. 

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Goo Jae Hee (Choi Seol Ri, Sulli), a Korean girl who lives in the United States, watches a track and field competition on TV. She is moved by one of the high jump competitors, Kang Tae Joo (Minho). He helps her through emotionally tough times, and she sets him on a pedestal.

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When he is injured, Jae Hee decides she has to help him. So she cuts her hair, forges transcripts, and moves to Korea where she poses as a boy at the all-boys Genie High School, where Kang Tae Joon is enrolled.

So, it's not exactly an unfamiliar plot arc. It’s been done to death in K-dramas like You Are Beautiful and Sungkyunkwan Scandal, but it proves that sometimes originality is based not on the overreaching arc but the small details.

 

LOVE RAIN- Sarangbi

Kiwi and I finished watching “You Are Beautiful.” We totally loved it, especially Jang Keun Suk. So we decided to find another show with him in it. It came down between “Mary Stay Out All Night”, and our choice, “Love Rain” because Kiwi loves Im Yoona from Girls' Generation.

LOVE RAIN (Sarangbi or Love Rides The Rain) is a S. Korean drama which began airing on the Korean network KBS2 on March 26, 2012 to May 29, 2012. The first 8 episodes can be found on HULU. But if you’re in love with this series as much as I am, you’ll want more. Here is where I plug the awesome Viki.com, a ‘fan subbing’ collaboration hub. They take wonderful shows from around the world and add subtitles for us to enjoy in our language of choice.

Viki has episodes 9 and 10!

Did you hear that fans? No need to wait any longer.

Okay, here is a little more about this show.

"Love Rain" begins in the 1970's and follows the ill-fated love of a popular and musically gifted art major, In-ha (Jang Keun Suk) falls in love in 3 seconds when he sees the beautiful, Yoon-Hee (Im Yoona). The first four episodes with these characters are beautiful and poignant. I cried about a gazillion times when they parted ways, for reasons I won’t divulge, but were tragic and heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, Kiwi wasn’t able to hang on through the melodrama of this ill-fated couple’s separation. She wanted the comedy, and right now, boys are kind of stupid in her point-of-view. Yeah, 7^th grade boys—totally understandable.

Despite only being a little kid and not have any memories of the 70’s other than the hideous the bellbottoms my mom made me wear, I grew nostalgic over the fairytale of first love set in this era. Plus, the clothes were cool.


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Flash forward to the present 21st century Korea, Seo In Ha's son, Seo Joon (also played by Jang Keun Suk), an arrogant photographer who’s nickname is “3 Seconds” because that’s all it takes for him to make a woman fall in love with him. Then he meets the daughter of Kim Yoon Hee, Jung Ha Na (Im Yoona), a cheerful and energetic girl who is not charmed by him at all.  Despite their bickering and disagreeing, fate continues to throw them together.

They totally brought in the funny with these last four episodes. I love how the actors portray distinctly different characters in the modern version. They do a wonderful job. I eagerly await the next episodes.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL- Minami Shineyo

My amazing critique partners sent back their edit notes for Quest, and I’ve been busy with revisions. I haven’t had as much time to devote to my K-dramas, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given them up completely. Kiwi and I found a new show to watch together. It’s called YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL (aka YOU ARE HANDSOME).

It’s quite funny and we’re enjoying it.

Here is the synopsis:

When the lead vocal of the pop idol group A.N. JELL, Hwang Tae Kyung (Jang Geun Suk) injures his voice, the management company insists on adding a new singer to the group. Unfortunately, the new member, Mi Nam’s (Park Shin Hye plays both the male and female roles) botched plastic surgery won’t allow him to close his eyes, and he has to go to the States to repair the damage just before signing the contract.

His agent comes up with the idea of having his twin sister, Mi Nyu, pretend to be him since they’re identical in appearance. Mi Nyu, who was planning to go to Rome to be a nun, has to man-up and convince everyone she is worthy of being in a boy band without getting caught and spoiling her brother’s chance of fame.

Other members of A.N. Jell are Jung Yong Hwa as Kang Shin Woo and Lee Hong Ki as Kang On Yu / Jeremy.