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16 September 2005

Chingoo aka Friend [Kr]

Written by Funn Lim

"The movie failed to live up to my expectation because I expected so much more but I did end up having a better understanding of the Korean cinema as this movie introduced me to some wonderfully gifted actors and sealed my adulation for Jang Dong Gun whom now I believe to be one of the finest actors I have ever seen."

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!




Title Deciphered
Chingoo or maybe the spelling is Chingu, in Korean means Friend which is also the international title.

Released In
2001

Language
I got the DVD version with one DVD for the movie and the other DVD for the Making of and interviews. The movie is in Korean but in its local dialect I think with English subtitles. How accurate is the English subtitles I do not know but I believe some words may have been inappropriately translated since some sentences do not make sense. However overall the subtitles are of very high quality for the fact that there are no grammatical errors that I have often seen in the Malaysian version of other series and movies. The other DVD did not have any translation so I could only guess what they're were all saying about the movie. It is funny that the DVD has Korean for Korean, Korean for children and Korean for foreigner and yet one standard English for all others.

Directed & Written by
Kwak Kyung-Taek

Cast - Character
Yoo Oh-seong .... Joon-suk
Jang Dong-Gun .... Dong-su
Seo Tae-hwa .... Sang-taek
Jeong Un-taek .... Jeong-ho
Kim Bo-kyeong .... Jin-seok

Summary
Taken from IMDB.com

In 5 days, 1 million people have flocked into theatres all over Korea to watch the blockbusting hit "Friend", making it the fastest movie ever in Korea to hit that mark. The previous record holder, "JSA", took three times as long to attract 1 million audiences into the theatres.

Starring Jang Dong-Gun, the heir-apparent of multi-award-winning actor Han Seok-Gyu, "Friend" is a story about 4 childhood friends, whose friendships turned sour as life forces them to go their own separate ways.

In the story of "Friend," despite their different family backgrounds, four friends grew up together in the wearisome years of the 70s. But as time goes by, each of them takes different life paths. After enrolling in college, Sang-taek and Joong-ho return to visit Dong-su (Jang Dong-gun) and Joon-suk (Yoo Oh-seong), only to find one of them in jail and the other on drugs. Slowly life take difficult turns where friends become rivals in the crime world...

The Story
The summary taken from IMDB.com is a bit misleading. In fact the summary printed at the back of the DVD is also misleading because in essence it is a story about 4 good friends growing up in an crime prone area filled with drugs, gangsters and really morbid looking places. But that's where the accuracy stops. 2 friends became enemies due to opposite allegiance to respective gangs or rather mob bosses whilst 1 escaped the tragedy by being the best student in the school and another a practical joker. Not all became rivals in crime world and even the so called rivals aren't really rivals. Maybe the story must be told from my point of view.

This movie is basically about the 4 phases of these 4 boys' lives, or to be more accurate 3 boys' lives, 13, 18, 21 and 27 years old since the 4th boy is merely the fill in friend to make up the number 4.

4 childhood friends with different personalities grew up during the 70s. The story starts in 1976.

Joon Suk was the son of a local powerful mobster or gangster and was destined for a life of violence as he himself was the best fighter in school. He was seen as the protector or big brother.

Dong Su was the 2nd in command who became Joon Suk's friend after Joon Suk saved him from some bullies. He was the son of a mortician but he was ashamed of his father's occupation and his lack of wealth.

Sang taek was the closest to Joon suk and is essentially a nice boy who studied very hard to ensure a bright future. He would seem out of place being friends with Joon Suk and Dong Su but he was. Quiet in personality and an introvert, he was often protected by the big brother like Joon Suk.

Jeong ho was the funny guy in the group. His mother was always out working and so he often spent time alone in the house. Also the one who was most curious about girls and was the life wire of the group.

Of all 4, Dong Su seems the least closest to everybody.

Skip to a few years later and we see them as rebellious 18 year olds on the merge of being a man with very violent teachers. Anyway Joon suk became the most feared gangster in the school whilst Dong su became his right hand man, the 2nd most feared. Sang taek was well on his way to gaining an entry in university whilst Jeong ho is as playful and as curious about women as ever. But Dong su became very disattisfied with Joon Suk when he found out Joon Suk gave his woman, a young girl who part times as a singer in her group, Rainbow called Jin seok to Sang Taek as a gesture of friendship. Sang taek didn't do much with her since he was very shy but he did kissed her. Dong su began to question Joon Suks friendship with him. Anyhow during one time after being badly beaten by a rather violent teacher for not doing their homework, Joon suk walked out of school together with Dong su. Whilst out watching a movie with Sang taek, Sang taek was ambushed by a bunch of wannabe gangster because he once protected the honour of Jin Seok at some skating ring, and subsequently Joon Suk and Dong su helped beat them off. But at the cinema nobody helped Sang taek, and Dong Su and Joon Suk realised how much they're hated when the entire school ganged up to beat them. Back in school, Dong su became very angry that he went to school destroying the windows and threatening bodily harm to anyone who is going to cross his path again whilst Sang taek feeling guilty that he was the cause of the whole mess offered to Joon Suk to run away to Seoul but Joon Suk talked some sense into him and advised Sang taek to pursue his studies and let Joon suk go his own path which he knew will be a path of crime.

Zoom to several years later and this time they were all 21 years old. Sang taek returns to his hometown as a university student. There he met again Jeong ho who now is still the joker but had distanced himself somewhat from his other two good friends. To Sang taek's disappointment, he found out Joon Suk married Jin Seok, worked for a violent and despicable gangster and became a drug addict whilst Dong Su trying to prove to the gangster world that he can be a gangster was spending his time in jail for an unspecified crime. Joon Suk asked Sang taek to promise him that if he ever fails Sang taek will be there for him and Sang taek promised him. It was due to Sang taek't return that Joon suk decided to break away from the current despicable mobster and went to work for his father's former right hand man.

Dong su by then was out of prison and he met again with Joon suk when Joon suk's father died and Dong Su's father was the one who cleaned his father's body. Joon suk was grateful to Dong su and that was perhaps their last friendly banter where Dong su had some heart to heart talk with Joon suk and that Dong su was going to work for Joon suk's former boss. Joon suk knew they would be rivals one day and Dong su walked away as Joon suk saw the back of his good friend for one last time until several years later when all are in their early 30s from my calculation.

Zoom to present time, all of them have already grown up and all in early 20s. Sang taek returns and is doing his PhD. He meets again with Jeong ho who is getting married and he finds Joon suk now his boss' right hand man and free of drugs. But Dong su's boss is gaining power and Dong su is doing all his dirty work. Dong su now is not the former Dong su; he is scary, menacing and he refuses to see Sang taek. One time he was attacked and Dong Su thought it was on Joon suk's order. So Dong su went all the way out to kill most of the rival members of Jin suk's gang. Jin suk remembering how Dong su was his friend and how his father helped with his father's funeral tried to give Dong su one last chance to leave the country but Dong su flatly and arrogantly refused. When Joon suk left, Dong su began to remember Sang taek and his old childhood friends and so he was on his way out to see Sang taek at the airport when he was brutally stabbed to death on Joon Suk's order. Joon suk fled the country and met up with Jin Seok again.

Then zoom to them all being 27 years old. During those years of exile Joon suk was ridden with guilt over the fact that he killed his good friend despite the fact that Dong su might kill him one day if he didn't act earlier and so Joon suk returned to Korea and was arrested. Dong su's father refused to believe Joon suk had anything to do with Dong su's death whilst Sang taek and Jeong ho, although saddened by Dong su's death tried their best to protect Joon Suk. But Joon suk confessed to his crime and when asked by Sang taek why he confessed, Joon suk's answer was confusing to me because I suspect the translation may not be accurate but anyway he said "Dong su didn't like to be humiliated and I don't like to be humiliated either". Perhaps living in exile is a humiliation but I suspect he confessed because he couldn't live with his decision to kill his good friend.

And then Joon suk walked back to his cell, gloomy as ever and the last scene was the 4 friends when in their childhood talking about useless facts whilst swimming in the sea. The carefree days were gone and is anything but a distant memory.

Comments
I really wanted to watch this critically acclaimed and commercially successful movie after becoming Jang Dong Gun's die hard fan. Any die hard fan of Jang Dong Gun will either have watched this movie or is trying to get hold of the VCD or DVD which is almost impossible unless you order through yesasia.com.

I got it from yesasia.com, the special edition which in an attractive tin box etched with the Korean title and English title and inside it the dvd in yet another nice cover together with a very attractive booklet filled with info all in Korean. Kinda defeat the purpose of an international release when everything is in Korean. Why bother one wonders? But it is nice to look at. The DVD box itself is a revelation and I wonder why our local DVD boxes are not like that. One DVD is not staked on top of the other but staggered stacking which makes it look just great. I love the whole packaging. The cover at the front and back is interesting in that Jang Dong Gun's face is the largest and the one at the front, Yoo Oh seong is the second largest and at the back of Jang Dong Gun (and he is actually the lead), the narrator and the 2nd lead of this story Seo Tae Hwa was at the back in 3rd line and the last was Jeong Un taek. It is interesting because Jang Dong Gun had the 3rd least screen time compared to the other two leads and his total screen time is probably about 30 min or maybe a bit more. And yet his face is everywhere in the cover.

Anyway, attractive interactive menus in English with mostly standard DVD features but the interface looks cool. The 2nd DVD was even more attractive looking but alas, all in Korean. Why bother to translate the menus when the contents are in Korean?

Anyway, for more info on the box and the contents therein, go to dvddebate.com which gave an excellent review on the movie as well as the DVD itself.

The I watched the movie and I thank my lucky stars the custom officers in Malaysia did not open the packaging. The very early scene in this movie had the 4 boys watching porn and discussing about female anatomy. It was not an easy watch for me.

For Jang Dong Gun fans who has yet to watch this movie. Bad news first; Jang Dong Gun dies in this movie, which I am sure everybody knows. Great news is he died in such a dramatic way I am sure it is as memorable it is today as it was when this movie was first released. More on that later. This movie however is not just Jang Dong Gun alone.

Anyway, watched the entire 2 and a half hours long movie and my sentiments towards the end of the movie is not the same as I was purchasing this DVD. You could say I was disappointed with all the hype about how great this movie is and since I can't relate to the Koreans and their old school uniforms and violent teachers as well as local dialects, I couldn't relate much to the characters. But the story itself is universal enough, as 4 childhood friends drifted apart and ended up on opposite ends of the pole. But to me the story itself is the failure of this movie.

A good story can only be a great story when told by a great storyteller who discards away with the unnecessary and leaves us the viewers with only the necessary facts. For a movie of such a length, the story was badly told probably because it was badly written.

For one, we are supposed to connect with the 4 friends so that when Dong su died and everybody did what they did, we are supposed to feel "Aww what a shame this happened!". But that emotional link between the 4 friends are unconvincing and not close enough therefore as a viewer I felt rather unimpressed with their closeness which is not apparent. For one the movie didn't tell us how they met, that they just know each other. Their bonding sessions as a child seems to cover only chasing after a car, swimming and talking nonsense and discussing about female genitilia over a porn movie. I find all these probably what boys will do during bonding sessions and yet I find them all utterly juvenile and just scratching the surface. I can name at least 3 other movies which showed to a very successful level the bonding sessions of childhood friends; Stand By Me, Dreamcatcher and I Not Stupid. Chingoo failed in this aspect and everything else thereafter was unconvincing and therefore not effective. I find the children's segment too short, too simple and too pretentious. I am made to assume they're best of friends and when I was getting used to the idea of the 4 boys, the movie zooms forward to the adult actors who are frankly all too old for their 18 year old roles.

And even as 18 year olds, we are told that they drifted apart for awhile and then became great friends again. But I am still not convinced because the so called loyal friendship between Sang taek and Joon Suk seemed forced whilst Dong Su and Joon suk seemed more like to reap profits for oneself (especially from the point of view of Dong su) and everybody else with everybody else seems non existent. The good scenes are those of rage and questioning of loyalty, both from Dong su and the scene where Rainbow singing on the stage which is a nice song. The infatuation between Sang taek and the lead singer of Rainbow that is Jin Seok was more like touch and go. I didn't even know the relationship fizzled before it started until zoom again a few years to the future. Another memorable scene was the entire rival school joining hands in beating the crap out of Sang taek and friends. It shows their loyalty, that they fight together but alas, the scene was too shortlived and to me quite sudden. I always question their loyalty to one another when at this point their loyalty and friendship should not be questioned at all; this will of course form the basis of Dong Su and Joon Suk's actions in future that is tragic in Greek proportion. But because of this lack of connection from childhood to the end of their idyllic lives as teenager and they're to embrace adulthood, the missing link is then fast forwarded some more to the future causing more mayhem to the already woobly script.

Then came their early adulthood and we see everything from Sang taek's point of view and yet Sang taek is such a non happening character. He is such a bore to watch and his expressions mostly wooden. Interestingly we see Joon Suk as a drug addict married to Jin Seok. Again we are to assume something horrible happened in between, that Joon Suk whose life was immersed in crime became addicted to drugs and therefore dependant on his cruel mob boss. Dong su we are told is doing time in prison like a passage or a proof of manhood in the gangster hierarchy, something Joon Suk did before, again we are told and not shown. Even until the end I do not know what did Dong su do to earn a place in prison; did he steal? Then he was pretty petty criminal. Did he hurt someone? Then it would form a strong basis to his tendency to violence, the way he embraced it so openly towards the end. Did the translation miss out something? I do not know and I will never know. We see some bonding time between Sang taek and Joon Suk, but I find that lacking in emotion because by this time I do not see the connection between the two. Jin Seok was simply a character that walked in and out of the boys' lives whilst Jeong ho was simply a bystander, the joker that always laughs but knows what is going on but does not participate. The really good scene here is the relationship between Dong su and his father. He loves his father but he hates and feels ashamed of his father's job, which was why he joined Joon Suk's former boss. Another interesting scene was how Joon Suk left his former boss and joined his current boss. That one scene on how he left his former boss was telling enough what sort of boss Dong Su will be working for and how violent he will learn to be whilst Joon Suk followed a more milder version. But the connection between Joon Suk wanting to be better and find a better boss to Sang taek's reappearance is not so clear, when I suspect the writer actually wanted the connection to be ultra clear; that Sang taek was Joon Suk's conscience, his lifeline and his best pal. I can't see all that.

And again zoom past to their mid 20s and they have reached perhaps the pinnacle of their career in crime. I still do not know what Sang taek's job is, I just know he is very studious. Jeong ho remained pretty useless, his character never fully utilised when if it had been utilised fully, he could be the character that knows a lot of stuff but prefers not to meddle in them. By this point the story shifted to the rivalry between Dong su and Joon suk. One very telling scene was when they were teenagers and Dong su did question Joon suk's influence in his life and that he does not want to be second fiddle to him anymore. This can be seen during the time the 4 of them playfully tried to outrun one another and the only two in competition were Dong su and Joon suk and Joon suk didn't want to be in competition. Very early on we see Joon suk as someone placing friendship above all else whilst Dong su is very ambitious and dissatisfied. The rivalry is seen fully almost towards the end of the movie. We see how dangerous Dong su became, how Joon suk is somewhat a better man but how he succumbded to killing his good friend. We are supposed to assume Dong su is more than just good friend since Dong su's father's confrontation with Joon suk in jail later on is telling enough; that they were best of pals. But again that connection was missing.

The most spectacular scene in this movie is perhaps the death of Dong su. You know he's gonna die because the soundtrack's title said so. The director it seems paid special attention, in fact to almost obsessive level on planning and executing Dong su's death, that it became simply and overwhelmingly the best scene in this movie and so far the most memorable death scene in any movie apart from The Godfather when Sonny died. But the motive may be different. We are supposed to feel pain as in how come Dong su died and how can his friend do this to him. But at that point, I really thought if Dong su wasn't killed first, Joon suk will be killed. It's either one of them. The scene did not make me cry because I know so little of Dong su, quite simply it was like watching a stranger die. I do feel pain simply because it was Jang Dong Gun being stabbed there and because the way he died was extremely painful and violent. 30 stab wounds, front back, side, up and down and as he laid dying the young gang member continued to stab and stab and stab until Dong Su about to die uttered probably in my opinion one of the top 5 most memorable movie line ever, "You've done your job...go now" and then he slumped over and died. It's sad because it was extremely violent and I felt painful. But it wasn't because I know this character. It is so unlike the scene in 2009 : Lost Memories when the Japanese counterpart, I think called Saiko died. I cried because I knew him, and the story made me know him. This story I am sorry to say missed that connection from scene 1. Anyway I suspect he must have said "Enough" or "Stop" before he uttered that famous line but that was not translated. This is really my most favourite scene in this movie, apart from the confrontation between Dong Su and Joon Suk in a room, very tense and yet poignant.

And then zoom again a few years later and again Sang taek is the one telling the story and we are told Joon suk has returned. By zooming it so soon, we are deprived of that one great scene that could have given this movie something to talk about apart from the 30 stab wounds on Jang Dong Gun's body; Joon Suk's expression when he found out Dong su died. Did he attend Dong Su's funeral? If yes how did he faced Dong su's father? Where was Sang taek? As Joon suk confessed and I assume because he was ridden with guilt, Sang taek asked him tearfully, "Why did you do it?".

Now when he asked that, I was thinking IT referring to why Joon Suk ordered the death of Dong su. But then he said "Why did you confess?" and I was like shocked at how little concern Sang Taek had for Dong su. Even Jeong ho couldn't care less for Dong su's death. I would love to see a scene where all 3 of them attended Dong su's funeral, some emotion as they recognised that dead man as their childhood friend, no matter how different they were in adulthood. But none of those and I find Sang taek and Jeong ho too cold, too heartless. Surely Dong su merit a mention, a tear, a concern? Wasn't he a friend? A chingoo too?

The ending explanation why Joon suk did what he did I believe was badly translated because I was like HUH? But I do get it. It was guilt. Joon suk succumded to the lure of power, and violence like Dong su was. He had a conscience, which is unfortunate for a gangster actually.

And all these while, as Dong su and Joon suk was killing one another, I was thinking what about their respective bosses? They enter and then mentioned and then gone just like that. Not one mention thereafter. I find the holes in the plot far too many.

It is the lack of connection, the lack of coherent storyline and missing links that made this movie NOT a dud, BUT a movie on the edge of greatness. I would have wished that the writer concentrated on perhaps 3 friends at the most but if he is clever in utilising the time in the story, even 10 friends would create a carefully and intelligently scripted movie. A lot of time is wasted in this movie for reasons I do not know. Perhaps the story should have just centred on Dong su and Sang taek as I find these 2 characters so colourful, so interesting and their in fighting very intriguing. But the writer wanted to create a multi faceted friendship from many perspectives and therefore failed to concentrate on a proper perspective. Rather he did concentrate on one and that was Sang taek but Sang taek was such a bore and badly developed character.

Of all 4 characters and the amount of time took to develop the character, Dong su was perhaps the most intriguing and this is not because of Jang Dong Gun. In part maybe, but any credible actor would have gained fame through this character because he is so interestingly violent and angry that you can't help but notice him. But Jang Dong Gun was an unexpected choice but an ingenious casting simply because if there is one scene that he excels in, it would be those quiet moments of deep contemplation before he was about to do something; either whether he would travel back in time to change history or pursue the woman he loves or in this case, kill off almost everybody in Joon Suk's gang. His eyes, and the depths he shown by simply smoking and thinking was perfect in my opinion. There is no doubt his Dong su is one ugly character. Even his handsome feature is contorted into this "Really? If you dare come kill me" kinda bored but tough looking gangster. The fact that his voice was almost unrecognisable, always a whisper, like he can't shout (he kinda lost his voice and it was deliberate) was very threatening and quite scary. Everytime his character spoke chills went down my spine because you wouldn't know what he'll do and he might just plunge that knife into your face. It was an unexpected casting decision but due to his great acting, he made full use of whatever little screen time he had and made this character truly memorable. And yes, his death scene was spectacularly acted and shot and that line he uttered was simply classic.

The second best character is Joon suk by Yoo Oh seong and it is interesting to note that I have read that this actor was usually in comedies? Hard to believe he could be such a capable dramatic actor whom I read won best actor for this movie. Deservedly so eventhough his character was badly developed. Many things happened to this character in fast forward motion and if it was slowed down a bit, it would have been a goldmine of a character to play. I find this actor very convincing as the gangster whose downfall was his high regard for friendship. Although when Dong su appears and Dong su eats the whole screen, when Joon suk was alone or with Sang taek, this actor's peformance must be seen to be appreciated. This actor is given a character that has many blanks but he managed to give this character a life of its own and I was very impressed. Of course Jang Dong Gun was more impressive and scarier but Yoo Oh seong definitely deserve the award. Eventhough the actor didn't quite look soft like Jang Dong Gun, and yet there is a sense of integrity and honour in his character, in the way he carried himself. It is funny though that Jang Dong Gun, a beautiful and somewhat gentlemanly looking man played the violent one whilst Yoo Oh Seong, who to me looks like a typical gangster played the one who has values although he threw it all away when he ordered for the death of his friend.

A good actor that I must mention is Jeong Un taek who plays Jeong ho. Not much of a character, one dimensional at most but this actor is very funny and very expressive. I love to hear him speak his line as it was so fast and like a total smart aleck. He played his role very well but the problem is actually the lack of characterisation and development. A pity actually. You can say his character is basically the 4th friend, and nothing beyond that.

The worst actor and the most underdeveloped character is Sang taek played by Seo Tae-hwa. He was clearly too old to play the 18 year old Sang taek and throughout his character had the personality of a bland chopped wood. And yet his character is supposed to be the bridge between Dong Su and Joon Suk since he is like the middle man, involved but not so involved. His character is pivotal as his appearance and reappearance often spurred Joon Suk to strive to be a better person, and a better friend. Dong Su was even persuaded to see him off at the airport if not for his death since he was on his way to see Sang taek go to US. But yet his character is like appearing for appearing sake. Sometimes I wonder why his character is given such a pivotal role in this movie as he narrated it and yet he never went beyond just listening to updates as to what happened to his friends, always as told by Jeong Ho, the quittesential newsman of this movie? The actor's performance was something akin to the character. Mostly either bored, blank or bland, the scenes his did well are those towards the end that required him to look more than bored. I had to view this movie a 2nd time to fully appreciate his so not there type of acting but I still believe his character failed him. Generally the actor is quite a capable actor.

The rest of the actors are quite ok, although the young ones are horribly annoying to watch whilst the other actors we do not see enough. The actress who plays Jin Seok, Kim Bo-kyeong was stylish in her first appearance as she was miming horribly out of synch to the music (which was not intended since she was supposed to be singing that song herself) and later on her performance was marred by the fact that her character stopped developing after she left the stage. I find her appearance and re appearance of no significance at all and I wonder why bother with her character? Many various characters are definitely under developed due to a majority of screen time given to mainly Joon Suk and Dong Su but yet these 2 characters are also underdeveloped. If you want my honest opinion, I find all characters, major, minor, significant and insignificant to be underdeveloped for reasons I could not explain since there are so few people in this movie and the length is pretty long.

The child actors were horrible though. None of them looked like their adult counterparts and the way they talked irritated me. It was typical child type of acting with not much substance. Again their childhood perspective were not developed fully and I am left with like flashing moments of their childhood and zoom off then to adulthood.

Overall, the entire movie is really not that bad a movie. The cinematography is excellent, and the colours that one sees changing from each phase of these boys' lives make this movie into such a beautifully shot movie. The songs are great and frankly speaking, the performances from those who matters ranges from good to excellent. I find the performances by the main actors to be beyond my expectation whilst the girl..well her character didn't matter anyway. Maybe she did but undervelopment of her character gave me an impression she didn't quite matter. The main problem is definitely the inadequate transition from one phase to the other. And I have this impression that the director placed too much emphasis on Dong Su's death scene, so much so the entire movie is dominated by that one most violent scene in this movie and the most painful for me to watchwhich turned out to be the movie's most memorable scene. Make that any movie's most memorable scene.

Like my review for The Coast Guard, I did not quite like the movie, where for The Coast Guard, I didn't understand it. For Chingoo, it was slightly different. I was carried away by the hype and so I expected more. But throw away your expectation this movie has its major flaws in characterisation and the way the story was told. But looking at the other aspects like the music for each segment, the performances and the cinematography, I would say these factors more than made up for the major flaws. The dialect is also very interesting and I believe the translation was much too polite to translate the swearing because they sounded like swearing.

This movie at the end of the day may not change your life nor does it resemble anything close to a good storytelling, but as far as entertainment goes and the element of one truly memorable character, this movie has its moments and it offers TWO truly memorable characters.

Verdict
The tin box set is a must buy simply because it is very simple and yet beautiful. This movie has to be seen so that you judge it for youself. It's not a bad movie, really. I didn't regret buying the movie because Jang Dong Gun alone is worth the price as he didn't disappoint me. The movie failed to live up to my expectation because I expected so much more but I did end up having a better understanding of the Korean cinema as this movie introduced me to some wonderfully gifted actors and sealed my adulation for Jang Dong Gun whom now I believe to be one of the finest actors I have ever seen. My respect for him is now moving from admiring his looks and his ability to act to perhaps admiring the fact that he can blend into any character and give a performance that is worth mentioning and remembering. However this performance is not his best because I know his best has yet to come.

Interesting Question
One major question though; why are the teachers so violent in South Korea? This teacher in this movie not just slap, he grab you by the cheek, slam his entire palm dead on to your cheeks and you fall back. If he is not happy, he will take a file and start slamming your head with it again and again and again. This is not the first time I have seen such a scene and it is quite shocking.

Interesting Downloads
Check out my downloads page (TV /Movies) for some great downloads taken from this movie.

Some Screencaps
The same ones you will see in the Downloads page where these still images accompanied the themesong in the Music Video you can download. All are clickable thumbnails and feel free to post them at your forums or website.

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Interesting Scans
The following are the scans of the booklet I mentioned above. All are clickable thumbnails and feel free to post them at your forums or website.

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Hard Fate [TVB]

Written by Bridget Au

"Kevin Cheng as Ka Ming - Smoking hot and the best performance I've seen from this actor, which is not saying much considering my opinion of his past performances leaving much to be desired. "

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!



Chinese Title
"Fei Chui Luen Kook" (roughly translates to The Jade Love Song)

# of episodes
30

Cast
Damian Lau Chung Yan as Leung Pak Yin (Yin Gor)
Flora Chan Wai San as Mok Hei Yee (Tiffany)
Kevin Cheng Ka Wing as Leung Ka Ming
Niki Chow Lai Kei as Leung Wing Si (Ceci)
Stephen Au-Yeung as Leung Pak Kit
Maggie Siu Mei Kei as Kwan (Ivy)
Supporting Cast
Mary Hon Ma Lei
Ha Yu
Hawick Lau Hoi Wai
Ha Ping
Lo Hoi Pang
Law Lan

Cameo appearances by Michelle Yip Suen and Michael Tong Man Lung

Plot Summary
Yin Gor is the CEO-owner of Yuk Lung Hin, a successful company specializing in jade. Ivy has stood by his side for many years in the company and secretly loves Yin Gor. But Yin Gor only has eyes for Tiffany, a woman twenty years his junior working at Yuk Lung Hin as a jewelery designer. Younger brother Kit returns to the company after faking remorse, and tarnishes the company name with jealous Ivy's help. He is kicked out although Ivy's role is never discovered.

Although he comes off as a morally upright, dignified and accomplished man, Yin Gor has a deep dark secret. More than twenty years ago he was a drug smuggler and sacrificed good friend Jung (father to Ka Ming) to Mainland Chinese authorities. Out of remorse, Yin Gor sponsored the orphaned Ka Ming, and later on taught him the ins and out of the jade business. Yin Gor and Tiffany enjoyed a wonderful relationship until another one of Yin Gor's dark secrets were exposed. More than two decades ago, his drug smuggler leader forced him to marry his daughter and together they had Ceci and thus Tiffany was a third party in the relationship. Tiffany forgives Yin Gor, and Ceci and Ka Ming eventually start dating. Then in a pivotal plot turn, Ceci's mom returns, and all hell breaks loose.

Ceci's mom had been suffering from mental illness for a few years, and basically goes ballistic when she discovers Yin Gor's infedelity. The estranged couple meet atop a building, and both fall. Ceci's mom dies, while Yin Gor forgets everything that happened. That is... until he remembers. He is temporarily traumatized when he remembers that he purposely let go of Ceci's mom, rendering him a murderer. Predictably, he hides this from the cops and their hypnosis specialists, Ceci, Ka Ming, and most importantly Tiffany. Yin Gor bribes and beats up a witness into fear, while Ceci starts suspecting her father after reading her mother's diary.

After Ceci and Ka Ming track down the witness, Yin Gor is sent to court. He turns the table around on the witness stand, accusing his daughter of perjury and secretly scheming to swallow everything her mother and grandfather left (which was shared between Yin Gor and Ceci). Ceci is heartbroken while Ka Ming is furious, and Yin Gor is found not guilty. And all along this little cat and mouse game, Tiffany (possibly the dumbest character in 2004's TVB) blindly believes her beloved Yin Gor. Until Yuk Lung Hin's reputation is sunk due to Yin Gor's court debacle, and his brother Pak Kit returns to 'help' the business.

In a desperate attempt to save the company, Yin Gor agrees to smuggle drugs with Kit. Of course, things are not so simple. To gain revenge against his traitor brother, Yin Gor cooperates with Shanghai authorities to capture Kit. Death by execution is the punishment for drug smugglers in Mainland China, a fact that is well known to Yin Gor who basically pushed his brother to death. He also doesn't inform Kit that he has a son by Ivy such that he can acquire Kit's estate, a fact discovered by Tiffany when cleaning Yin Gor's desk.

Tiffany then goes into hiding while leaving baby daughter Tung Tung with Ceci, but of course the now deranged Yin Gor tracks them down. Ceci ends up in a coma when trying to chase her dad and getting hit by a car. Yin Gor abducts Tung Tung and hides her from Tiffany, promising her return if Tiffany returns to his side. When he discovers that Tiffany has fallen out of love with him and realizes all his misdeeds and role in Ceci's coma, he commits suicide, leaving Tung Tung with Tiffany. Ka Ming refuses to postpone his wedding to Ceci, and still cleans her room daily hoping she will wake up.

Fast forward 6 years. Tiffany works with her father's jade business, and Ka Ming's jade company has become even more successful than Yuk Lung Hin. Ceci has passed away, and Ka Ming refuses to meet another.

Evaluation of Cast and Characters
Damian Lau as Leung Pak Yin
A predictably great performance as the good-gone-bad man. Though nowhere did he have the presence he had in The Point of No Return, Damian Lau still delivers the best acting of this series. He is convincingly motivated as the morally upright and ambitious Yuk Lung Hin boss and wonderfully believable as the desperate, deranged, almost maniacal Yin Gor. Every facial expression and line delivered flawlessly, Damian Lau is definitely an actor whom you forget is actually acting. Like Chun Pui, Francis Ng, Sheren Tang, Kong Wah, he is an actor who becomes the character he is playing. Many can learn from this veteran. Even his acting within acting (as in the court scene) is brilliant. I also thought he had some creepy romantic chemistry with Flora Chan, which skeeved me out a little. But he looks too old, worn out, and even haggard in this series. [Funn - Leung Pak Yin is supposed to be 50 years old in the series]

So the question about his character, Leung Pak Yin: Good guy or bad guy? I would say neither. I would say selfish guy. Unbelievably selfish to the point of heartlessness. Sacrifices his good friend, leads his own brother to death for money, kidnaps his own daughter, causes the eventual death of his other daughter, never admitting guilt to his wrongdoings, etc. Of course in classic TVB style he is redeemed in the eyes of the audience when he repents and throws himself off a building. Or maybe he is psychotic, someone who can't distinguish right from wrong, at least for part of the series when he believes he is actually protecting Tiffany even if it means murder.

Flora Chan as Tiffany
Playing nearly 15 years younger than her actual age, Flora gives the worst performance of the series. She also needs a haircut and a fashion stylist. Note to Flora: Please stick to the strong career-woman type roles that define you as an actress. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Flora Chan is both unconvincing and boring in any other role. She comes off as both stupid and pathetic in these roles, and that's not just because of her character Tiffany. Flora also starred in some dinky little TVB series called Triumph in the Skies, where she also showed that she just doesn't act well with these characters, they don't fit her. My favourite performance to date from Flora is still her Annie from Healing Hands. She was protrayed as a chic professional and yet compassionate and romantic in her love for Henry, yet still opinionated and superindependent.. That is the Flora I like and also the Flora that is a good actress. She is not meant to be a tearjerker, and especially not the kind in this series where she cries desperately. She is the ugliest crier in TVB, second only to perhaps Gigi Lai. I like the strong Flora, not the wimp waif dumb wife Flora. I will take Flora as the strong career-woman character one million times rather than the 'dumb blonde' character even once. With that said, her acting in this series is really, really bad, superimposed by my overwhelming hatred for her character's stupidity.

Kevin Cheng as Ka Ming
Smoking hot and the best performance I've seen from this actor, which is not saying much considering my opinion of his past performances leaving much to be desired. He was vapid in Burning Flame II, comic but unengaging in Slim Chances, and almost irrelevant in The Point of No Return. Here he takes on the most likeable character of the series, a man with integrity, intelligence, and compassion, yet with a believable temper. Kevin still needs improvement in the dramatic scenes, he needs more, more, more! He needs to pay more attention and really put himself in the shoes of his character during these dramatic scenes. With that said, I felt he did a nice job as Ka Ming in general and made an adorable couple with Niki Chow.

Niki Chow as Ceci
I like her. She is vibrant but not overbearing, chipper but not annoyingly so, and cute without trying to be, even huggably cute despite her model-ish height. The only other time I've seen Niki is the TV version of Feel 100% where she played Cherry, where she was funny but not memorable. However, her Ceci is very cute, very fresh with lots of energy. I love her Ceci. And despite the fact that she is a spoiled brat at heart, Niki Chow made her a likeable character, second only to Ka Ming. She would do very well in romantic comedy roles, the expressions on her face whenever Ka Ming did something nice for her were absolutely hilarious yet very very real. However, she really needs to work on the dramatic scenes - I see her potential but like Kevin Cheng she needs to put herself in the shoes of her character. But she and Kevin Cheng are just too gosh-darn-cute in this series, I love them to bits as a couple.

Other Performances
Mary Hon was terrific as the mentally deranged wife to Yin Gor. Very scary, very intimidating, and the look in her eyes almost breathed creepiness. Great performance. Stephen Au-Yeung overdid the evil part a bit but in general was ok. Maggie Siu was also ok but I find her boring in here, and Lo Hoi Pang delivered charismatically in his minor role as Ka Ming's future mentor. Michael Tong was predictably dull, while Michelle Yip gave what I felt was her best performance to date, which says much because I've never thought Michelle could act, despite watching basically every series she's been in.

Other Comments
The theme song is catchy but I wish they took out the lyrics, it ruined the mood. The drawings of the jade jewelery were beautiful. Why did the writers kill off Ceci?! She and Ka Ming made such a wonderful couple to watch. I would rather have the writers kill off Tung Tung instead with Yin Gor, at least to render some kind of poetic justice for Tiffany's stupidity.

Rating

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Stairway to Heaven [SBS] [Korea]

Written by Rinoa

"Overall, I wouldn't say this was a really good series. It's like Endless Love 1 and Endless Love 2 (Winter Love Song) thrown together. You have the poor poor girl, the rich guy she loves, and you have amnesia, the love-until-you-die concept. There was nothing special about the plot, and if it wasn't for Tae-Hwa, I probably wouldn't have had the patience to sit through all 20 episodes of it."


SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!





Produced By
SBS

No. of Episodes
20

Year of Production
2004

Character-Cast
Cha Song-ju: Kwon Sang Woo
Han Jung-suh: Choi Ji Woo
Han Tae-hwa: Shin Hyun Joon
Han Yuri: Kim Tae Hee
Tae Mira (Tae-hwa & Yuri's mom): Lee Hui Hyang
Han Su-ha (Jung-suh's dad): Ha Jae Young
Han Pil-su (Tae-hwa & Yuri's dad): Jung Han Yong
Cha Song-ju (as a child): Baek Sung Hyun
Han Jung-suh (as a child): Park Sin Hye
Han Tae-hwa (as a child): Lee Wan
Han Yuri (as a child): Park Ji Mi

Synopsis
Teen-aged Song-Ju and Jung-Suh are best friends and love each other. Both are born into rich families and have led happy, worry-free lives. Jung-Suh is (like every other predictable female lead) innocently sweet and trusting and kind-hearted. Her life changes dramatically when her father remarries. Her stepmother Tae Mira pretends to be an angel in front of Jung-Suh's father but mistreats Jung-Suh when her father isn't around. Worse, she brings along her children from her previous marriage. Yuri, the daugher, is jealous of Jung-Suh's happy life and wants to steal everything from her. Tae-Hwa, the son, is a moody but talented artist/painter.

Tae Mira helps Yuri step all over Jung-Suh and try to steal Song-Ju from Jung-Suh. When Song-Ju leaves to study in America, he gives Jung-Suh a necklace and promises to come back. In the next 3 years Jung-Suh continues to live under the tyranny of Tae Mira and Yuri. Meanwhile, when Jung-Suh cooked him food and knitted him a scarf for his birthday, Tae-Hwa mistook her affections for love and fell in love with her.

Song-Ju comes back after 3 years and Jung-Suh goes to meet him. In a desperate attempt to stop their reunion, Yuri runs over Jung-Suh with her car. She hides her, bloody and unconscious, with her biological father. Tae-Hwa found Jung-Suh and when she woke up, she had lost her memory. So Tae-Hwa kept her identity a secret, and gave her a new one as "Kim Ji-Suh".

Song-Ju thought Jung-Suh was dead and was heartbroken. He left again for America for 5 years. When he came back, he still hadn't forgotten Jung-Suh, though felt responsible to marry Yuri, who'd been with him all this time. Meanwhile, Tae-Hwa has been living blissfully with "Ji-Suh", who is now a successful fashion designer.

Song-Ju sees "Ji-Suh" and mistakes her for "Jung-Suh". Then he gets to know her and falls in love with her, which makes both Tae-Hwa and Yuri furious and jealous and guilty. "Ji-Suh" wonders if she is Jung-Suh and wants to get her memory back and slowly develops feelings for Song-Ju. She regains her memory in an accident at the same Tae-Hwa decides to tell her the truth about herself.

Jung-Suh is furious at Tae-Hwa and tries to tell Song-Ju she is Jung-Suh, but he doesn't believe her at first. When he finally does, there's a lot of going around in circles where Jung-Suh and Song-Ju love each other and decide to be friends only and decide again they want to be lovers. This agony (for the viewers) stops when Jung-Suh finds out she has eye cancer, which she inherited from her mother. Her case is worsened by her car accident 5 years ago, and she slowly goes blind. She leaves Song-Ju, sentences herself to death, and wishes to see Song-Ju again before she dies. When Tae-Hwa finds out, he brings Song-Ju to her, and Song-Ju marries her, blind and all.

Tae-Hwa wants Jung-Suh to have a cornea transplant, but the hospital won't take corneas from living donors, so Tae-Hwa commits suicide and Jung-Suh undergoes the transplant and regains her eyesight. But after only a short time, she discovers that the cancer cells have moved to her brains and have spread. Jung-Suh lives out the remainder of her life with Song-Ju, and finally dies in his arms.

Comments
I had sort of high expectations for this drama. That's what I get for reading reviews and spoilers. In short I already knew the basic story and ending before I watched it, it was the main reason I did, because it sounded interesting. And I had a long stretch of vacation in front of me, and it's been a while since I last watched a series.

I did not care very much for the love story of Song Ju and Jung-Suh, because (1) it was boring and predictable and (2) I did not have any partiality for the male lead. :P It's usually a big factor for me. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.

No offense against Kwon Sang-Woo fans, but I did not find him physically appealing in any way. Not that he was ugly, just that he didn't do fantastic things to my blood pressure. :P I suppose he's a good enough actor, he delivered his crying scenes well enough, and was quite convincing as the rich and elegant Song-Ju. Sure, it was nice and touching the way he always loved and never gave up on Jung-Suh, even during the 5 years when he thought she was dead.

But I didn't like the way he was stringing Yuri along. The love vs. responsibility, the 2nd most hated plot in romances (the most hated is the "amnesia" thingie). I do not believe in making a girl wait just because you aren't sure which of them you love, or because you think you should marry her because she's waited years for you. He should have told Yuri he wanted Jung-Suh. Okay, he did tell her, but he should have told her again, and again, and again, until she got the point. He should have ignored her and stepped all over her and beat it into her head, until she accepted it as fact.

I didn't like it when Jung-Suh had regained her memory and taken back her identity, when Song-Ju, Jung-Suh, and Yuri were together, and Song-Ju would act as Yuri's fiance, but behind her back he would be trying to hold Jung-Suh's hand, etc. It was so... low. It was two-timing, and anyone who knows me knows that I hate two-timing. It's either you want one or the other, you can't have both.

The female lead, Jung-Suh, is played by Choi Ji-Woo, who also starred in Winter Love Song. It seems most of her roles are the timid, crybaby type, though here in Stairway to Heaven, the new Jung-Suh, after she regained her memory, has become a stronger, braver person. The old Jung-Suh was a doormat, continually suffering under the abuse of her stepmother and waiting for her lost love to return. The new Jung-Suh wouldn't take such crap and raged and cried about the injustices done to her.

I liked the way Jung-Suh wouldn't let herself be bullied again by Tae Mira and Yuri, after she'd regained her memory. I liked the way she wouldn't entertain Song-Ju, when he was engaged to Yuri. Most of all, I liked the way she loved Tae-Hwa, as a brother. She knew he loved her and she could forgive him for hiding her after the car accident. She looked after him and took care of him. But most of all, I liked it when in the end, when they found out her cancer had spread to her brain and Song-Ju wanted her to have treatment and Jung-Suh was refusing, Song-Ju had to tell her about Tae-Hwa's sacrifice. Jung-Suh wouldn't believe it, she ran and tried to find Tae-Hwa, crying and screaming, "Brother!" And finally, "Why? Why did you do it?"

Quite interestingly, the character whom I found endearing was Tae-Hwa. From childhood, his mother hated him, and he hated her back. He was a moody loner, finding happiness only in his paintings. Then Jung-Suh cooked for him on his birthday and gave him a present, and it was the first kindness he'd ever received. He fell in love with her, and 5 years later after Yuri ran her down and Jung-Suh lost her memory, instead of bringing her back to her family and Song-Ju, he chose to hide her and give her a false identity, so that he could live with her and have her love.

When Jung-Suh regained her memory and was raging furiously at Tae-Hwa, asking why he hid her past from her, Tae-Hwa was crying when he said, "Because I love you. Because I love you so much that I would risk going to hell if it meant I could have you." And then he let her go back to Song-Ju. He told his sister Yuri to give back everything she stole from Jung-Suh (Song-Ju included) or else he would tell the truth about Yuri hitting Jung-Suh with her car. When Jung-Suh was going blind and he found out that the car accident caused it/made it worse, he almost killed Yuri in his anger and grief. He took care of the blind Jung-Suh and finally gave her away to marry Song-Ju. When he decided to commit suicide so that he could donate his cornea to her, he went to see his mother one last time, who was now locked in the asylum after the truth about her abuse of Jung-Suh was discovered. His mother, who hated him and whom he hated back, but there were tears in his eyes when he looked at her. He took a photo of himself with a random blond model and sent it to Jung-Suh with a letter saying she was his new girlfriend and they had eloped. See, he didn't want Jung-Suh to worry or look for him when he's gone. Then he wrote a letter to Song-Ju telling him to take care of Jung-Suh and not to tell her the truth, then he got in his car and wrapped the scarf Jung-Suh had given him so many years ago around his neck, enjoying its feeling. Then he started the motor and ran his car into ... something. ^^;; The camera didn't show it. He covered his eyes with his hands before he crashed, so that he could leave them safe for Jung Suh. But in the end Jung-Suh died anyway. So what was Tae-Hwa's sacrifice for?

It's curious that I would like the male antagonist. Because technically, Tae-Hwa was the bad guy who kept the girl from her true love. But Tae-Hwa's suffering was heart-felt, his desire for Jung-Suh was agonizing and sad, because as viewers we all know that she would go to Song-Ju in the end, no matter what Tae-Hwa did. Like any man who truly loved a woman, he wanted her to be happy and safe, but he also wanted her to be *his*. He loved her so much he did many wrong things in order to have her, but in the end he tried in his way to give her back everything she had lost, and even gave up his life so that she could live.

Yuri, as bad girls go, was selfish and jealous and determined to steal everything from Jung-Suh. But she was also human in the way that she was terrified one day her secret would be revealed, that she tried to kill Jung-Suh. She was also genuinely in love with Song-Ju, and was both furious and jealous that he wanted no one but Jung-Suh. Her ending? Jailed for her crimes against Jung-Suh. The actress was convincing as Yuri; her eyes would fill with hate when she looked at Jung-Suh, or become wide with fear when Tae-Hwa would threaten to expose her secret.

The person perhaps more "evil" than Yuri was her mother, Tae Mira. She hated Jung-Suh for being better and smarter than her own daughter. She saw her own daughter as a tool to get more power and money, that's why she helped Yuri steal Song-Ju. But in her own way, I believe she did love Yuri, as a mother loves her children. But she had no love for Tae-Hwa, she was happier to pretend he didn't exist. When Tae-Hwa got into the way of her plans for Yuri and Song-Ju, she even plotted to get him thrown into jail (for some counterfeit paintings that he'd done) so that she could get rid of him.

She acted like a poor, weak little woman in front of her husband and other people, which was sickening to watch. I found the ending extremely satisfying, when Song-Ju organized a party with everyone present and they found out it was actually a wedding, he was marrying Jung-Suh, Tae Mira's sanity snapped at that moment and she accused everyone (except Yuri) of conspiring against her. Then her ex-husband walked in, and exposed her and Yuri's crimes. Then she had to watch as the police dragged Yuri away to jail. The way she screamed and fought and clawed at the people around her, the way she looked because her world was falling apart, and finally going insane and being locked-up in the nuthouse... ah... justice.

As for Jung-Suh's father, he was a stupid man who was blinded by his wife's charms. So blind, that when Tae-Hwa came back and told them all about how Tae Mira had treated him and Jung-Suh since they were children, Jung-Suh's father refused to believe him. He only accepted it as truth during the wedding, when Tae Mira finally shed her "weak woman" act and raged like a lunatic. One thing you cannot deny, that he really loved Jung-Suh and had room in his heart to love his adopted children as well. It's just that he was too gullible and willing to believe that his wife was an angel.

Overall, I wouldn't say this was a really good series. It's like Endless Love 1 and Endless Love 2 (Winter Love Song) thrown together. You have the poor poor girl, the rich guy she loves, and you have amnesia, the love-until-you-die concept. There was nothing special about the plot, and if it wasn't for Tae-Hwa, I probably wouldn't have had the patience to sit through all 20 episodes of it.

Other people - those who like slow-moving, draggy serials, or those new to the concept of sad, tragic Korean dramas - might like it. For me, it was only slightly better than Endless Love 1, and it was entirely because of Tae-Hwa.


Favorite character
Tae-Hwa, and you already know why.


Favorite scene(s)
I found the young Tae-Hwa really amusing. After he fell in love with Jung-Suh, he would follow her around like a lovesick puppy, passing her notes and holding up a sign outside her classroom, which said, "Do you like me?" He even wrote it on his cast when he'd broken his leg.

The adult Tae-Hwa also had his moments. Perhaps the most touching part was when he was committing suicide, and the next scene the hospital called Jung-Suh to say they had found a donor. And then Song-Ju got the letter from Tae-Hwa, and there was Tae-Hwa's voice telling him he'd dared to love the woman he (Song-Ju) loved, because she (Jung-Suh) was the only person who'd ever shown him any kindness.


Least favorite character
Tae Mira. She looked more and more like an evil witch toward the end of the series.

I didn't hate Yuri at all, in fact I found her a sort of pitiful character.


Happiest scenes
For Tae-Hwa, when he was still living with "Ji-Su". He loved her and she loved him back, and they were going to get married. What else could he want? :)

For Song-Ju and Jung-Suh, I think it was the moment Song-Ju realized and accepted that "Ji-Su" was Jung-Suh.


Saddest scenes
Definitely when Tae-Hwa died. But the part where Tae-Hwa was crying after Jung-Suh regained her memories was very sad, too.


Recommendations
Watch it if you liked Endless Love, or other similarly long, exhausting, tragic romances.


Rating


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Winter Sonata [KBS] [Korea]

Written by Rinoa

"I did not like Winter Love Song the first time I saw it...I had to watch Winter Love Song a second time to fully appreciate it."

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!



Also Known As
Winter Love Song or Endless Love 2

Produced By
KBS

Year of Production
2002

Language
Dual language, Korean/Mandarin, some with Chinese/English/Malay subtitles.

Chartacter - Cast
Kang Joon-sang/Lee Min-hyung : Bae Yong Jun
Jung Yujin : Choi Ji Woo
Kim Sang-hyuk : Park Yong Ha
Oh Chelin : Park Sol Mi
Kong Jin-suk : Lee Hye Eun
Kwon Yong-kuk : Ryu Seung Soo

Synopsis
18-year old Yujin is a lively, happy girl, good student, though always late for class. She is Sang-Hyuk's best friend, but she doesn't know that Sang-Hyuk is in love with her. One day when she falls asleep (again) on the bus, she meets Joon-Sang, a transfer student. Joon-Sang is mysterious, silent, and unapproachable, and immediately catches the fancy of the female population, especially Chelin, who declares him off-limits. But Joon-Sang is only interested in Yujin. During their many encounters, usually when both are late for class, Joon-Sang and Yujin get to know each other. They cut class together, Joon-Sang rescued Yoojin when she got lost in the forest, they played in the snow together. And Joon-Sang and Yoojin fell in love.

Joon-Sang is actually the illegitimate child of a famous pianist. He hated his mother and was obsessed with finding out the identity of his father, so he had transferred to the little village which was his mother's hometown, thinking that the man who is Sang-Hyuk's father, whose picture was taken with Joon-Sang's mother, was his (Joon-Sang) biological father. But he eventually discovers that his mother, Sang-Hyuk's father, and Yujin's father were childhood friends, and that his mother had been in love with Yujin's father. He concludes that Yujin's father might be his biological father, which makes him and Yujin half-siblings. He agrees to leave with his mother to the US, but on his way to say goodbye to Yujin, he got into a car accident, and "died".

The class is devastated by Joon-Sang's "death", but no one more so than Yujin. 10 years pass, and the adult Yujin is in a relationship with Sang-Hyuk, who's loved her all this time. But Yujin is still haunted by the memory of her first love. On the night of her engagement, she sees a man who looks exactly like Joon-Sang. She chases him along the streets in vain, and thus misses her engagement party.

Their friends Jin-Suk and Yong-kuk organize a little party for Yujin and Sang-Hyuk. Chelin also shows up, back from France with her new boyfriend - Lee Min-Hyung, the man Yujin saw on the street. Everyone is shaken by Min-Hyung's resemblance to Joon-Sang. What's more, Min-Hyung owns the architectural firm who has a contract with Yujin, who is an interior designer.

Yujin immediately intrigues Min-Hyung, but Chelin tells him lies about how Yujin stole her boyfriends in high school. Though still confused, because Chelin's stories doesn't match his impression of Yujin, Min-Hyung thinks Yujin is making a play for him when she got drunk and mistook him for Joon-Sang, and treated her unkindly. He eventually found out about Joon-Sang, and he apologized to Yujin and was angry at Chelin for telling him lies.

Yujin and Min-Hyuk continue to work together, and Min-Hyuk falls in love with her, which makes Sang-Hyuk furious and jealous. Min-Hyuk breaks up with Chelin and helps Yujin get over Joon-Sang's death, and Yujin falls in love with him. She breaks up with Sang-Hyuk, but her relationship with Min-Hyung is short-lived, as Sang-Hyuk falls into depression and almost dies. Yujin guiltily goes back to Sang-Hyuk, though her heart is still with Min-Hyung.

Intrigued by his resemblance to Joon-Sang and the depth of Yujin's love for him, Min-Hyung visits Joon-Sang's hometown and finds his (Min-Hyung's) mother in Joon-Sang's home. His mother admits that Min-Hyung *IS* Joon-Sang. 10 years ago, Joon-Sang lost his memory in the car accident, and his mother asked the doctors to let him undergo hypnotism to give him new memories, and transformed him to Min-Hyung.

Joon-Sang is angry and hurt, but also shocked to discover he is Yujin's unforgettable first love. He tries to tell Yujin but she doesn't believe him at first. Meanwhile, Sang-Hyuk has put two-and-two together and believes Min-Hyung is Joon-Sang, and asks Joon-Sang to leave Yujin alone. Sang-Hyuk and Yujin are (again) planning to marry. Joon-Sang decides to leave, and on the day of his departure Yujin finally receives proof that he is Joon-Sang and chases him to the airport. Joon-Sang tries to leave anyway, because although he is Joon-Sang, he has no memories of his time with Yujin. Yujin chases after him, is almost hit by a truck but Joon-Sang pushed her away and was hit instead. When he woke up in the hospital, he found he had regained parts (like snapshots) of his memories with Yujin.

Sang-Hyuk finally gives up on Yujin, and Yujin happily reunites with Joon-Sang. However when both asked for their respective parents' blessings, both mothers opposed their marriage. Yujin found out from her mother that Joon-Sang's mother used to be engaged to her (Yujin's) father, but her father left her after he met Yujin's mother, and Joon-Sang's mother had tried to commit suicide. Yujin's mother felt guilty towards Joon-Sang's mother and it was her reason for opposing Yujin's relationship with Joon-Sang.

Joon-Sang eventually reaches the same conclusion he did 10 years ago, that he and Yujin were siblings. Heartbroken, they are forced to break up. But Sang-Hyuk's father, who'd been in love with Joon-Sang's mother, suspected differently, and confirmed with a DNA test that Joon-Sang was *HIS* son. Sang-Hyuk was furious to discover his rival in love was actually his brother, and told Joon-Sang to return Yujin to him. At the same time Joon-Sang found out that after 2 car accidents, he had a blood clot in his brain which means he could go blind, or die, or both. He decides to leave for the US, and at the last moment Sang-Hyuk gives up on Yujin and tells her she and Joon-Sang are not siblings and that Joon-Sang is dying. Both chase to the airport, but Joon-Sang had already left.

Sang-Hyuk persuades Yujin to go after Joon-Sang, but Yujin goes to Paris instead, to study. 3 years later, she came back, and saw in a magazine a villa which was her own design. She went to the house and saw Joon-Sang, who was now blind. They reunite and kiss in the sunset.


Comments
I watched this drama entirely because of Bae Yong Jun. I had first seen him in "Hotelier" and fell head over heels in love, but I watched this drama (Winter Love Song) a bit apprehensively. Because I had seen Endless Love and did NOT like it, and was afraid Winter Love Song would be the same - long, boring, irritating, and tragic.

I wasn't wrong. Because the same director did Winter Love Song, it was as draggy and heavy as its predecessor. Everyone had crying scenes, most of which were too drawn out and overdone. Especially Choi Ji-Woo, the lead actress, who seemed to do nothing else but cry. Though, admittedly, every one here was good at crying scenes.

Now, on to the story. The concept of "First love never dies", which was the real essence of Winter Love Song, was a nice one. It's not only pertaining Yujin and Joon-Sang, but also Sang-Hyuk, whose first love is Yujin, and Chelin, whose first love is Joon-Sang. Even Jin-Suk and Yong-Kuk, who eventually ended up married. Though the "amnesia" concept is overused in dramas, it was the only way to tie up Min-Hyung and Joon-Sang as the same character.

Though I felt everyone had run around in circles too much - Yujin being too indecisive about Sang-Hyuk, Sang-Hyuk's irritating attempt to hold on to a girl who had never loved him, but most of all, the truth about Joon-Sang's identity (whose child is he really? COME ON!!!) is never revealed until the end. Of course as viewers anyone with half a brain would figure out that Joon-Sang isn't really Yujin's father's love child. See, every time Joon-Sang asked his mother, she would never confirm or deny it, she just looked away and said "Sorry". Selfish woman, with twisted logic to make it worse. More on that later.

BYJ is to be commended for portraying a dynamic character like Joon-Sang/Min-Hyung. Though he looked a little too old to be playing an 18-year old, it didn't look TOO uncomfortable. Teenaged Joon-Sang was a loner, angry at the world and at his mother. Min-Hyung was cheerful, urbane, handsome, eligible, and romantic. And the Joon-Sang who rediscovered himself was at first pained and torn with indecision. And the blind Joon-Sang in the ending was relaxed and at peace with himself.

I liked his Min-Hyung very much. He knew what he wanted and he knew how to get it. He broke up with Chelin and refused to encourage her the moment he realized he had feelings for Yujin. THAT is a real man. He knew it would only be worse for Chelin if he dragged her along knowing that his heart was with another woman. He felt Yujin's sadness and pain, when she would look at him with tears in her eyes, because he knew she wasn't seeing him (Min-Hyung), only Joon-Sang. I liked his decisiveness the way he confessed his feelings for Yujin right away. Only one time was he perhaps confused, and that was when he asked Yujin if she loved him as himself (Min-Hyung), or as Joon-Sang's replica. I also liked his physique and his sense of style and his charming smile and his unique hairstyle (only BYJ can carry it off with such style) but that's just the fangirl in me salivating. :P

The thing I cannot comprehend is how Joon-Sang could forgive an evil creature like his mother. :P He found out that not only did she replace his memories, she also deluded herself and him into thinking that his father was her long-ago fiance. She caused all the misery in his life, all for her own benefit, but he could forgive her for all that, and still acknowledge her as his mother.

Yujin was such a sad, pitiful character. I didn't like her at all, at first. I thought she was too depressing. But later, I liked her a little more, and I do have to commend CJW for her acting, the tears were very convincing. And though I didn't think Yujin was pretty at first, her beauty is the kind that slowly grows on you, not the kind that strikes you down like lightning. She is pretty, with her snow-white complexion and expressive eyes and quiet poise.

3 things I did not like about Yujin: First, when she refused to believe Min-Hyung was Joon-Sang. I could understand why, she was afraid to hope and she thought Min-Hyung was only trying to hold on to her, but she hurt him so, because he really WAS Joon-Sang. Poor baby. :P

Second was when she was sort of forcing Joon-Sang to remember their time together. It wasn't HIS fault he couldn't remember anything, and couldn't she see she was hurting him because he knew she remembered everything and he couldn't?

Third and most of all, her indecisiveness. She could have spared Sang-Hyuk all the agony, if only she'd come to terms with herself sooner and realized she did not love him the way he loved her. She was too afraid to hurt him and too grateful for his company and kindness that in the end, she hurt him more.

Not that I liked Sang-Hyuk, because I didn't. I could not comprehend how he tried desperately to hang on to Yujin, even though he knew she did not love him. He would have forced her to stay with him and marry him, even knowing that she loved Joon-Sang/Min-Hyung. I found it extremely hypocritical the way he told Joon-Sang to stop making Yujin suffer, when Yujin's biggest suffering was being forced to stay with a man who she didn't love. He fought everyone, his mother, his friends, and Yujin herself, in his mad bid to win her love.

Chelin was not a very big character, her only purpose was to occupy Min-Hyung until Yujin came along. She was a bit spiteful and jealous, but also insecure, which was her main reason for lying about Yujin to Min-Hyung. In so doing she only increased Min-Hyung's curiosity about Yujin, because Chelin's descriptions contrasted so much with the Yujin Min-Hyung came to know.

I liked Chelin most in one scene, where she was crying and saying why everyone was only concerned about Joon-Sang, what about Min-Hyung? She was right, and all the others were so obsessed with Joon-Sang that they had forgotten Min-Hyung. Because Min-Hyung was also a person, special in his own way, but his existence and personality somehow was made less important next to his real identity as Joon-Sang.

The parents of the lead characters - in truth, none of them were good parents, except maybe Sang-Hyuk's father. He was a good husband and father, intrigued only a little by the teenaged Joon-Sang. Min-Hyung intrigued him more, because of his resemblance to Joon-Sang. His world was shaken only when he discovered who was Min-Hyung's mother, and he was the first (and only) one to suspect that Joon-Sang may be his son. When the DNA test confirmed it, he was very sad and felt guilty for his part in Joon-Sang's hardships in life, and wanted to return Yujin to him, because Joon-Sang had already lost so much, but was unable to do so because of Sang-Hyuk's anger at discovering Joon-Sang was his half-brother, and his insane desire to hold on to Yujin.

Sang-Hyuk's mother. She was stubbornly opposed to Yujin as her daughter-in-law from the very start. It must be her motherly instincts, telling her that Yujin did not love Sang-Hyuk the way she should. I do not harbor any ill feelings towards her, since she turned out to be right in her estimation of Yujin. But standing in Sang-Hyuk's shoes, she was cruel in the way she refused to give in to her son's happiness.

Yujin's mother. She was a loving and kind-hearted mother most of the time, except when it came to the subject of Yujin's love life. I did not like her because she knew Yujin does not love Sang-Hyuk, but she wanted Yujin to marry him anyway. I did not like her for telling Yujin "love is not everything", that there were other more important things than love. I mean, sure, that's right, but her reasons for wanting Yujin to marry Sang-Hyuk were flimsy and selfish. She wanted it because she felt guilty to Sang-Hyuk's parents, because of the way Yujin never showed up for their engagement party and embarassed Sang-Hyuk's parents to everyone. She opposed Yujin and Joon-Sang's relationship for the simple reason that Joon-Sang's mother was madly in love with her dead husband and had tried to kill herself and for that reason she (Yujin's mother) felt embarassed and guilty towards her. As a mother, her first priority should have been Yujin's happiness, instead of being selfishly concerned about pride and her own peace of mind.

Joon-Sang's mother. She should go down in history as the most twisted and deluded crazy woman. First she refused to tell the teenaged Joon-Sang who his real father was, leaving him to jump to all the wrong conclusions. She could have spared herself Joon-Sang's hatred and Joon-Sang all his suffering if she'd told him from the start. Then she replaced Joon-Sang's memories, just because Joon-Sang hated her, and she wanted a son who would love her. Duh!!! Like she deserves any love after everything she's done.

I could perhaps understand her desperate love for Yujin's father and the way it drove her to commit suicide when he ditched her. What I couldn't understand is what insanity drove her to pretend that Joon-Sang was her love child with Yujin's father. She said pretending to do so made it easier to bear, made her able to love Joon-Sang. Okay, fine, I could probably accept that too. But what made her truly selfish and unacceptable was the way she kept up her insane charade even when Joon-Sang had fallen in love with Yujin. Her twisted logic which kept her sanity was more important than her son's well-being. She only acknowledged the truth after the DNA test confirmed Joon-Sang's identity, in short, when it was hopeless to keep the charade up. She and Yujin's mother deserve each other. In fact, none of the mothers here REALLY cared about their children's happiness. It's curious because this drama not only showcased everlasting love, but also the lengths one would go because of selfish and cruel love.

I also didn't understand the ending. Why didn't Yujin follow Joon-Sang? Just because he told her that their last memories should be happy ones, she didn't even try to follow him when she found out he was dying. Joon-Sang had done so much for her, but she couldn't even do that for him. I think the director just wanted to have the ending he had in mind, that ending 3 years after, so he had to create that 3-year gap. But the reason was flimsy at best.

Favorite character
Who else? Joon-Sang/Min-Hyung.

Least favorite character
Joon-Sang's mother. She should be stoned. I would have loved to see her dragged onto the floor, beaten, and strung upside down by her ankles, but sadly there was no such scene.

Favorite scenes
(1) When teenaged Joon-Sang and Yujin were playing in the snow, building snowmen, and that oh-so-tender first kiss.

(2) Joon-Sang staying for dinner at Yujin's house, Yujin's little sister gawked at him, open-mouthed, then grabbed his leg and declared, "I'm going to marry him! He's so handsome!" See? Even the kid knows a heartthrob when she sees one.

(3) The first time Yujin worked with Min-Hyung. She stared at him and started to cry, and totally flustered Min-Hyung.

(4) When Yujin was telling Min-Hyung he didn't know how to truly love someone, that the memories didn't die even after the one you love is gone.

(5) When Min-Hyung found out from Jin-Suk about his resemblance to Joon-Sang and Yujin's relationship with him.

(6) Joon-Sang and Yujin's reunion and Yujin found out Joon-Sang had no memories. She told him, "I haven't forgotten anything. I remember everything."

(7) Adult Joon-Sang and Yujin playing in the snow.

(8) The ending. Blind Joon-Sang, but he looks so happy and peaceful.


Happiest scenes
Joon-Sang and Yujin playing in the snow, and the ending.


Saddest scenes
(1) When Min-Hyung found out he was Joon-Sang and Yujin refused to believe him.

(2) When Joon-Sang and Yujin are forced to break up, and Yujin was telling Joon-Sang she refused to believe that their love was "wrong".

Conclusion
I did not like WLS the first time I saw it. I was still suffering from the effects of Endless Love 1 and most of it was carried onto WLS. I thought it (WLS) was too slow and depressing, despite its happy ending. I much preferred the happier "Hotelier", with the clean-cut BYJ and the freshness and humor of his heroine, Zhen-Yin (Song Yun-Ah).

I had to watch WLS a second time to fully appreciate it. Yujin and Joon-Sang's heart-rending love, everlasting and overcoming all odds. The beautiful scenery and lovely music. Yujin's (CJW's) fine face and expressive eyes, BYJ's unique style. And the crying scenes, how they irritated me the first time with the way they were drawn-out and done in slow-motion. But during the second time I could appreciate the actors' efforts to make us feel their pain and love, in short to make the characters come alive on screen. And sadness and tears makes a person as much alive as happiness and laughter do.

Winter Love Song was the second Korean drama to be aired in the Philippines (the first was Endless Love). Although many people loved it, I had to endure endless comparisons between BYJ and Won Bin, how Won Bin was better-looking and how his character was better than Joon-Sang. And oh, the dubbing was awful. But one thing good came of it, and that was Filipinos came to know and fell under the charm of BYJ.

Verdict
Watch it. Watch it for Bae Yong Jun's good looks and breathtaking scenery, and if it's your first Korean drama, have your tissues ready. Though most curiously, I did not cry at all. Maybe because during the first time, I was too busy rolling my eyes and cursing the slow-paced action.

Rating


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All About Eve [MBC] [Korea][Episodic Summaries]

The following excellent synopsis and episode summaries were taken from yesasia.com I am sure it was taken from the DVD. I feel compelled to post it here for those who could not stand my long review or wanted to know the story itself. Not entirely accurate but close enough. Be forewarned; spoilers galore . For my review, please click here. REMEMBER to scroll to the COMMENTS section at the bottom for some updates on where to purchase this series, amongst others.


Buy this series [Written by Funn Lim]
Depending on where you're from, the following are my recommendations with special emphasis on where to buy for those staying in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Customers from SEA
- This is the link to the DVD and the VCD version which is available for purchase in Malaysia. Coolwin-video.com is reliable, fast, efficient, professional and replies to your email promptly. I shopped for this series there and I was quite happy with the experience.

- You can find the VCD version from Jusco stores (try Mega Mall) and Tower Records (try KLCC). The VCD is in Korean/Mandarin with Chinese/Malay subtitles. Try not to vomit blood over the Malay subtitles which is slightly better than the English one.

- You can't find the DVD version at the stores. So you have to buy online. I bought it for RM138-20 I think (inclusive of Pos Laju charges) and got my DVD tightly and securedly wrapped in like 4 days. Anyway, the DVD itself comes in a smaller box than the VCD version but just as ugly. Distributed by MPEG, it seems perhaps profit is more important than making the product look good. The DVD itself has selectable subtitles, English, Malay, Chinese. The Chinese I do not know, the Malay is quite ok but require some part of patience is rearranging the words but the English, whilst I could understand it is nonetheless amateur and really makes this series look bad and amateur. You can select between episodes (2 episodes per DVD) but not between scenes. The scenes are the same as per the VCD of any version. Comes in dual language (Mandarin/Korean). But the picture quality is good and the sound is good also. Clearer than the VCD format but not as clear as those shown on TV. Unfortunately no Making Of segments bundled into that DVD.

Customers from Central and South American countries (lucky you!)- This one comes with the most comprehensive type of box set with synopsis and all and the most attractive box set so far. It's DVD by the way and comes with English subtitles. But I cried when I realised it can only be shipped to Central and South American countries so basically those in Asia can't buy this as yesasia.com won't ship it to us unless you have some relative in the US. My heart sank literally. Anyway, apparently the English subtitles is excellent but I read the characters became Kenneth and whatever their name is which is quite shocking. But still, good picture quality and more importantly great English subtitles certainly has an advantage over changes names in the subtitles. I still wanna cry. So if you stay around this region, BUY this one. Lucky you!! I am so jealous! Ok, the price is expensive but why pay less and get crap when you pay a bit more and get gold?

Buy the soundtrack
With special emphasis on where to buy for those staying in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

You can buy the soundtrack from Jusco (Maluri) or Tower Records (KLCC) but very few left. Price is RM30-00 plus if I remember correctly. You can purchase the MTV from Jusco (Maluri) by purchasing the 2002 K-Drama MTV which is only RM9-90.

Or if you have a fast internet connection, you can download some of the tracks from my Downloads > Movies/TV Series media files OR download the whole album at aaeclub.com at here and here OR at soompi.com for free.

For the MTV, you can download them at my Downloads > Movies/TV Series media files, also for free subject to bandwidth availability

or

at aaeclub.com (for IE users, right click this link and choose Save Target As and for Firefox users, left click it and choose to Save it into your computer).

General Synopsis
Two girls, one with a wholesome heart, Jin Sun-Mi (Chae Rim), and one with a beautiful face, Huh Young-Mi (Kim So-Yeon), are the main characters in this tale of competition to be the best female news anchor. The two remain rivals as they face the challenges of life, love, and becoming adults. Their love and dreams intertwine as the years pass.

Enter Kim Woo-Jin (Han Jae-Suk), Sun-Mi's childhood best friend, and Yoon Hyung- Chul (Jang Dong-Gun -- main star of Tae Kuk Gi), a rich and handsome young man. With the two girls, ties are formed, broken, and reformed again. They too come to understand the lessons of life and love.

A charming tale of the love and labors that one sometimes goes through to find the perfect romance is the central themes in this classic Korean drama. The characters are vibrant and have deep, multi-faceted personalities, while the drama investigates their love and destinies as they learn the precious values and lessons of life.

All About Eve also shows an exciting behind-the-scenes look at life on a TV news set. See the news anchors respond to all sorts of challenging situations.

EPISODE SUMMARIES
Episode 1Upon hearing of his mother"s death, Yoon Hyung-Chul returns to Seoul from studying overseas in England. He has a bitter reunion with his father - the man who abandoned his mother and caused her grief and pain. While working for a construction company, Huh Young-Mi"s father is in a fatal accident. Because of this, Young-Mi, having wanted to escape the poverty she lives in for her whole life, follows the man who claims responsibility over the accident, Jin Sun-Mi"s father, Jin Kwi-Sung. Kwi-Sung brings Young-Mi to stay in the photography workshop of Song Jung-Sook"s son, Kim Woo-Jin.

However, to keep Sun-Mi and Ms. Song from worrying, Kwi-Sung does not tell them about Young-Mi. Being treated so warmly by Woo-Jin and Ahn Jun-Mo and seeing Sun-Mi and Woo-Jin"s families makes Young-Mi extremely jealous. Ignorant of Young-Mi"s predicament, Sun-Mi is just a cute and good college freshman. On the first day of college, Sun-Mi and Young-Mi meet for the first time, and the two become friends. Both have the dream to be part of a TV broadcasting station some day.


Episode 2Not knowing Young-Mi"s situation, Ms. Song accidentally sees Kwi-Sung and Young -Mi alone in one room when she goes to visit Woo-Jin"s workshop. Ms. Song is fuming now that she knows of Young-Mi"s living situation and Sun-Mi is confused to see Young-Mi being so arrogant. Also, seeing Woo-Jin give a much-coveted part- time job position at a broadcasting station to Young-Mi, Sun-Mi begins to worry about him. Soon, Sun-Mi gets a part-time job at the station as well.

The top announcer for MBS, Yoo Joo-Hee goes on Kim Sun-Dal"s recommendation to London as a special news correspondent. There, she meets up with the person she loves, Hyung-Chul. However, Hyung-Chul has already closed his heart to any woman. Meanwhile, as Sun-Mi"s suspicions and inhibitions against Young-Mi grow, she is saved with Young-Mi"s help and Sun-Mi gets stuck in a position where she can"t hate Young-Mi. That day, Young-Mi, who had risked her life to save Sun-Mi, begins to seduce Woo-Jin. Sun-Mi pretends that she is unaffected and decides to study abroad to spend time away from Young-Mi and Woo-Jin.


Episode 3
After Sun-Mi arrives in London, the thought of Young-Mi and Woo-Jin is fresh on her mind. Sun-Mi gets into a minor car accident with Hyung-Chul. After meeting Hyung -Chul like this for the first time, Sun-Mi is even more home-sick and calls home. However, she is unable to get in contact with her father or Woo-Jin for several days. On the day Sun-Mi is in an accident, Young-Mi is able to obtain an apartment next to Woo-Jin"s workshop.

Several days pass and Sun-Mi receives a letter from Woo-Jin and Young-Mi. However the pictures of Woo-Jin and Young-Mi make Sun-Mi"s heart ache even more. Hyung-Chul comforts her and through each other, the two of them are able to mend the problems they have. Hyung-Chul takes Sun-Mi around a tour of London. Young-Mi discovers that she still doesn"t have enough money and turns to Woo-Jin for a part-time job. However, Young-Mi"s boyfriend from the past, Bae In-Soo, finds out where Young-Mi lives and threatens to reveal her past if she does not take up a part time job at an escort bar.


Episode 4
One day, at the escort bar, a second-time customer causes a large commotion. After the incident, Young-Mi realizes that she can no longer keep her lifestyle a secret from Woo-Jin, but when she goes to see Woo-Jin, before she can confess, Ms. Song discovers her secret.

Back in London, Sun-Mi prepares to return to Seoul. After returning, when she sees the pictures of Young-Mi and Woo-Jin together, she begins to be worried about how close the two have become. Sun-Mi visits Woo-Jin for the first time in a while and in his room, sees the same pictures of him and Young-Mi together. Sun-Mi confirms that Woo-Jin only regards her like a younger sister and holds Young-Mi as his love. She decides to put aside her feelings for Woo-Jin. The school campus is buzzing with anticipation about preparing for the broadcasting exams. The position for the main MC of the school radio is up for auditioning. Sun-Mi and Young-Mi both apply to be the MC and for the first time, both claim they won"t submit to the other.


Episode 5Young-Mi and Sun-Mi enter into the competition to be the school"s new radio MC. After passing preliminary tests, they are assigned to make a presentation on any topic but they are only given one hour to research the topic. Sun-Mi wins by choosing a topic more college students can relate to than the topic chosen by Young-Mi. Sun-Mi and Young-Mi get into an argument afterwards because Young-Mi claims Sun-Mi only won because she has luck. Sun-Mi tells Young-Mi that the only reason Woo-Jin loves her is because he pities her.

Young-Mi tries to get revenge on Sun-Mi by putting acetone into her cosmetics. However, Sun-Mi"s friend uses the cosmetics and her face gets a severe rash. A few days later, Sun-Mi gets a position as an MC for an entertainment show held at the school but because Young-Mi lies that Sun-Mi"s father was in a car accident, Young-Mi takes the position. Young-Mi is then offered the scholarship that should have been given to Sun-Mi. Young-Mi gives the scholarship to Sun-Mi because Woo-Jin will raise the tuition money for her


Episode 6
Young-Mi and Woo-Jin spend the night together at a motel. Sun-Mi and Ms. Song are worried sick that Woo-Jin hasn't come home even at a late hour. Young-Mi hears Woo-Jin"s promise that he"ll love her to the end and the next day, she and Woo-Jin go to Ms. Song to ask for forgiveness. However, Ms. Song goes mad with rage and screams at both Woo-Jin and Young-Mi. Sun-Mi personally goes to Young -Mi later and asks her not to toy with Woo-Jin or break his heart.

Hyung-Chul returns from London to visit his sick dad and he finds out from Sun-Dal that his step-mother"s brother is making moves to take over his father"s broadcasting company. So for the sake of his deceased mother, Hyung-Chul decides to work in the company. Sun-Mi and Hyung-Chul meet up again in Seoul. Meanwhile, Young-Mi pretends to accidentally show the label of medicine prescribed by her gynecologist to Woo-Jin, and he mistakes it for abortion medication.


Episode 7
Young-Mi and Sun-Mi both get internship positions at a broadcasting station. Sun- Dal and Joo-Hee are assigned to train the new interns. Young-Mi, who doesn"t want to be embarrassed at work, tells Woo-Jin to pretend they do not know each other at work. Sun-Mi is unaware that Hyung-Chul is the station"s new executive director, but Hyung-Chul watches her progress very closely. Joo-Hee who has a crush on Hyung-Chul is still upset that he won"t return her affections. Sun-Mi tries her hardest but is sabotaged by Young-Mi and Sun-Mi"s supervisors are disappointed in her. Despite this, Young-Mi isn"t satisfied. Upon coming to the station, Young-Mi dreams of becoming the best anchorwoman, and doesn"t like being with Woo-Jin, a mere cameraman.

For a 3 minute speech evaluation, Young-Mi tears up Sun-Mi"s script so Sun-Mi fails the exam miserably. Young-Mi on the other hand, makes a good impression. In her depression, Hyung-Chul consoles Sun-Mi, and at the same time, Joo-Hee drinks away her own depression. Young-Mi decides to get closer to Joo-Hee.


Episode 8
Hyung-Chul, Sun-Dal, and Woo-Jin all sit down for lunch together. Hyung-Chul feels jealous about Woo-Jin for having Sun-Mi"s affections. Young-Mi is going crazy trying to prepare her report for the morning program. Young-Mi interviews an elite scientist while Sun-Mi investigates the lifestyles and situations of the common people. Unlike Young-Mi, Sun-Mi has a hard time. Hyung-Chul orders lunch to be sent to Sun-Mi"s office for her and her co-workers and all the co-workers are jealous of her. Later, Sun-Mi, not knowing that Hyung-Chul is the executive director of the company, calls the director an arrogant man for not having worked his way up the ladder to get his job.

After her reporting is complete, Sun-Mi gets the job as announcer for the morning program. That day, Hyung-Chul drives Sun-Mi home, and Young-Mi recognizes him as the director of the station. She ridicules Sun-Mi and claims that the only reason she got the morning program job was because she seduced the executive director.


Episode 9
Upon hearing that she only got the job because Hyung-Chul helped her to, Sun-Mi tells the announcer team 1 and Hyung-Chul that she refuses to take it. Hyung-Chul confesses to Sun-Mi that he truly loves her and tries to persuade her. Rumors spread about Director Yoon and Sun-Mi, and Joo-Hee is shocked that the rival who was burning her heart was Sun-Mi.

Joo-Hee gets promoted to the 9 o"clock news, Young-Mi takes her spot on the 7 o"clock news and Sun-Mi is made responsible for the morning program. However, the members of announcer team 1 are not satisfied with Sun-Mi"s arrangement. Young -Mi takes advantage of this opportunity and tells Hyung-Chul at once to gain his trust. Young-Mi is happy to see that things are going according to her plans. Sun-Mi meets Woo-Jin and tells him that Hyung-Chul confessed his love to her. Woo-Jin tells Sun-Mi that Hyung-Chul is a good man and as the two walk home, they see Hyung-Chul and Young-Mi together.


Episode 10
After driving Hyung-Chul and herself to work, Young-Mi pretends something got into her eye and asks Hyung-Chul to blow it out for her. Woo-Jin sees the two very close to each other. Hyung-Chul thinks only of Sun-Mi and holds no feelings for Young-Mi. In-Soo appears at Young-Mi"s apartment and tells her to come back to him. He also shows pictures of the two of them together being intimate. After he leaves, Woo-Jin comes and sees the pictures. Woo-Jin requests Young-Mi to marry him quickly but Young-Mi refuses and throws a fit. Young-Mi continues to track down Hyung-Chul.

Meanwhile, one of the station"s programs suffers from continual low ratings. Hyung -Chul decides to hire a freelance MC and fires several announcers. Sun-Mi goes to Hyung-Chul and insists that he can"t fire a valuable employee just like that. But Hyung-Chul replies, "That"s why you can"t be a pro," and blows off Sun-Mi"s pleas. Sun-Mi refuses to listen to Hyung-Chul.

Episode 11
After the change in announcers, the station"s ratings go up and Hyung-Chul"s reputation increases. Meanwhile, Woo-Jin confirms that Young-Mi sent In-Soo to prison and asks her again but she still denies it. Woo-Jin visits In-Soo in prison and sees the same tattoo of a black rose on his chest that is also on Young-Mi"s ankle.

At the news center, Young-Mi gets severe cramping and ends up in the hospital right after announcing the evening news. She undergoes surgery to remove her appendix and is unable to work for the next week. Young-Mi adamantly refuses to allow Sun-Mi to take her spot as a newscaster and pleads with Joo-Hee to assign someone else. However, Sun-Mi gets the spot and to everyone's surprise, over the week, the viewer ratings increase for the week.


Episode 12Young-Mi gets out of the hospital and tries to regain her position as the evening newscaster but is unable to since Sun-Mi had higher ratings. Because of this, Young-Mi, secretly steals Sun-Mi"s cellphone and places it under the news center desk. During Sun-Mi"s live newscast, she calls the cellphone and ruins the evening news. Young-Mi finally regains her position on the 7 o"clock news. Back from a Japan business trip, Hyung-Chul listens to Sun-Mi"s voicemail and rushes to comfort her immediately. As a result, the two become good friends again.

After Hyung-Chul comes up with a new program called "Eve"s Morning", it gains good ratings and all announcers celebrate the success. Later on, Hyung-Chul surprises Sun-Mi by giving her a specially edited VHS tape.


Episode 13
Young-Mi tells Woo-Jin they should break up. Young-Mi tells Woo-Jin that she doesn"t love him and that she has feelings for Hyung-Chul. Woo-Jin gets very angry and slaps her. Also, Young-Mi confesses that she lied about having an abortion. Hearing this, Woo-Jin is in shock.

Meanwhile, the company begins to struggle with the ratings of the freelance announcer Hyung-Chul hired. Hyung-Chul misses the time he spent with Sun-Mi in London. On Sun-Mi"s birthday, Hyung-Chul gives her a pearl anklet as a gift. Sun-Mi is very moved. Later, Sun-Mi and Woo-Jin go down to Ul-San on a reporting job. Young-Mi has dinner with Hyung-Chul to discuss the job and at the same time calls Sun-Mi. However, Woo-Jin is the one who answers the phone.


Episode 14"Eve"s Morning" drops in the viewer ratings. Hyung-Chul struggles as things aren"t working out with Sun-Mi or his work. Woo-Jin is so depressed that it begins to affect his work. Sun-Mi and Young-Mi argue over Woo-Jin. Hyung-Chul sends Woo- Jin and Young-Mi to London and the trip further separates the two. Young-Mi is back from London but Woo-Jin is missing. Young-Mi gets punished by Ms. Song but she does not mind at all.

The episode of "Eve"s Morning" with all announcers" efforts returns the viewer ratings to normal. Because of this, Hyung-Chul gets a new start and things are once again looking bright. Young-Mi works hard at her 7 o"clock news anchor position. She tells Hyung-Chul that the reason she broke up with Woo-Jin is because she truly loves Hyung-Chul.


Episode 15Sun-Dal sees Young-Mi in front of Hyung-Chul"s hotel room and tells Joo-Hee and the others. Young-Mi begins to ask questions about Hyung-Chul"s mother and Joo- Hee becomes suspicious.

On the morning of the weekend Sun-Mi promised to meet Hyung-Chul, Ms. Song suggests that she, Woo-Jin, Sun-Mi, and Kwi-Sung eat lunch together. Sun-Mi ends up calling Hyung-Chul and saying that since her father isn"t feeling well, she can"t see him. However, upon returning from lunch, she sees Hyung-Chul"s car parked in front of her house and she feels guilty. Joo-Hee becomes more and more disappointed with Young-Mi"s lack of sympathy, and instead becomes more and more impressed by Sun-Mi"s caring and empathy. Young-Mi grows jealous of Sun-Mi again. After Sun-Mi is informed by Joo-Hee that Hyung-Chul intends to visit his mother"s grave together with her, she plans to rush to his side. However, she suddenly receives a call from Ms. Song...


Episode 16
Woo-Jin gets into a fight while he"s drunk and comes home bruised very badly. Seeing this, Ms. Song tells Sun-Mi that she"s the only one who can help Woo-Jin now and begs her to help him. Sun-Mi tells this to Hyung-Chul. Upon hearing Sun-Mi say that she"ll even marry Woo-Jin if she has to, Hyung-Chul tells her that he will wait for her to the end.

Young-Mi realizes that if Joo-Hee is gone, the most likely candidate for the 9 o"clock news is herself. She decides to sabotage Joo-Hee and heads to the parking lot. Director Kim requests that Young-Mi be the MC for a new program but she refuses in order to win Hyung-Chul"s trust. During all of this, Joo-Hee is in a car accident, seemingly because she did not change her brake oil. Young-Mi is offered the 9 o"clock news job but Joo-Hee manages to come back in time. Woo-Jin comes back from a business trip and hears of the accident and immediately suspects Young-Mi. He obtains a tape of the parking lot security camera and sees Young-Mi mess with the brakes in Joo-Hee"s car.


Episode 17
Woo-Jin rejects Young-Mi"s advances after realizing that she caused Joo-Hee"s accident. He weighs his love for her and the cruelty of her personal ambition. Young-Mi makes a final effort to get the tape from him by saying that she wants to start over with him.

Meanwhile, Sun-Mi faints in the middle of a broadcast because of a high fever and she is taken to the hospital by Hyung-Chul. Director Kim offers Sun-Mi a job as the main MC for a new program called "Art Club". Young-Mi concludes that Hyung-Chul and Sun-Mi must be having problems with their relationship. Young-Mi visits Woo-Jin and while he"s taking a shower, frantically searches for the tape of her crime. Woo -Jin pities her.


Episode 18Sun-Mi is still upset at Hyung-Chul and agrees to take the job as the MC for "Art Club". After coming home, Sun-Mi already regrets her decision and her father tells her that when she was in the hospital, Hyung-Chul stayed by her side all night. Woo-Jin meets Hyung-Chul for a drink and tells him that he and Young-Mi are together again.

Meanwhile, In-Soo is released from prison and he begins to stalk Young-Mi again. In-Soo threatens Young-Mi that no one will come to save her and that he"ll hold onto her until she agrees to marry him. Woo-Jin is assigned to be the cameraman on one of Young-Mi"s reports, but before the footage is made, he pushes her out of the way of a large truck and is hit instead.


Episode 19
In the hospital, Woo-Jin passes away and Young-Mi"s heart drops. But before Young-Mi can do anything, Ms. Song runs in. She hugs her son while sobbing, and Young-Mi is too ashamed to talk to Ms. Song. Young-Mi doesn"t go to Woo-Jin"s funeral, but instead just drinks and sends off Woo-Jin in her heart.

When rumors spread that Sun-Mi is going to be promoted to the 9 o"clock news, somebody tips off the newspapers to a scandal between Sun-Mi and Hyung-Chul. Young-Mi packs Woo-Jin"s belongings and finds a tape he left to her. The tape told Young-Mi that Woo-Jin has forgiven her already. Later, Young-Mi collapses in front of Woo-Jin"s grave. Young-Mi goes to find Ms. Song to say sorry and ask for forgiveness and Ms. Song gives her a tight hug. Within her embrace, Young-Mi begins to sob freely. Hyung-Chul comforts Sun-Mi as she grieves Woo-Jin"s death.


Episode 20
Young-Mi disappears. Joo-Hee, Sun-Dal, and Hyung-Chul read a letter left by Young-Mi admitting that she caused Joo-Hee"s accident, but they do not report it. Sun-Dal proposes to Joo-Hee. Because of this, Joo-Hee gives up a special news correspondent position overseas and offers it to Sun-Mi instead. Sun-Mi hesitates because she doesn"t want to leave her father, Ms. Song, and of course, Hyung- Chul.

Sun-Mi catches the bouquet at Sun-Dal and Joo-Hee"s wedding ceremony and, she tells Hyung-Chul about the special news correspondent offer. He congratulates her and urges her to go. But Sun-Mi is disappointed that he doesn"t propose to her. Later, she finds Young-Mi who lost all of her memories past 6 years old. She now lives and volunteers at a religious orphanage. Sun-Mi meets Hyung-Chul for the last time but before she can go back into her house, he runs up to her and proposes to her in the middle of the street. The two embrace and kiss in the middle of oncoming traffic (sounds dangerous but be rest assured, they didn't get hit by the oncoming traffic! - Funn Lim)

Missing scenes & TMO
There are some missing scenes which are curiously not in the official release. You can download them and read the translation at aaeclub.com. Also you can find The Making Of clip at the same website.

Other Downloads
Check out from time to time for some scenes for you to download in my Downloads page.



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