k-dramatic
Italy
This review may contain spoilers
The camellia blooms from late December through March
A well written, well executed drama that is both a romantic comedy and a thriller.
The cast is amazing and it's a perfect watch for k-drama neophytes (despite the 20 episodes) and families.
The male protagonist is interpreted by Kang Ha-neul, whom I've met in Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Back then I fell for his coward, mediocre bad prince with outrageous hair, how could I possibly resist the sweet and loyal goofball that is Yong-sik?
I couldn't.
He is so very precious that it is clear he was written by a woman.
Mind you that I also developed a soft spot for Jong-Ryul, but he is a bit problematic so I'll just lust after him without giving him all my heart.
The female lead is played by Gong Hyo-jin, a new entry for me (but I plan on watching Master's Sun soon) and in my opinion a terrific choice. She managed a surprising balance between fragile and strong and, moreover, between pitiful and endearing. There are good dramas where the unlucky backstory of the protagonist is so heavy handed in its tragedy that it feels absurdly comic to me.
Now, Dong-baek is one of those incredibly unlucky characters, yet her lighthearted kindness and her honest smile make her real. She is not bravely enduring her catastrophic fate with the tenacity of a superwoman, but rather she is trying her best while being scared, insecure, regretful and lost.
There are the glorious moments when she stands up for herself and finds her inner strength and there are the moments when she is meek and timid and this duality brings her character to life.
Go Doo-shim and Lee Jung-eun are the epic grandmas we needed. Honorable mention for Jeon Bae-soo, Kim Sun-young, Yeom hye-ran and even Jang Hye-jin (in a cameo). All my favorites in one place!
The plot is engaging and well paced, easy to follow.
Maternal love and life in a small community are the main themes, but the writer (Im Sang-choon) also includes a commentary on social stigmas (Moms can't be single nor open a bar in Korea, apparently), mental health and the hardships of finding one's self-worth and social identity.
Our relationships and the people surrounding us shape our view of the world and can make a heaven out of hell or vice versa. As our experiences mold our identity, we are also capable of making a conscious choice on how to react to uncontrollable events. Hyang-mi and Jessica are a sort of Dong-baek alter ego in that sense. They all cope with their childhood trauma in different ways.
I liked the speech about miracles and the one about happiness.
Everyone gets their closure in the end.
I laughed and also cried a little and it felt good.
It felt organic.
Female Empowerment Score 5/5: from the kickass grandmas, to the feisty neighborhood gang of ajhummas, no female in this drama is on the sideline. Wheter they decide to drag each other down, or build each other up, these women are the main characters in their story.
The cast is amazing and it's a perfect watch for k-drama neophytes (despite the 20 episodes) and families.
The male protagonist is interpreted by Kang Ha-neul, whom I've met in Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Back then I fell for his coward, mediocre bad prince with outrageous hair, how could I possibly resist the sweet and loyal goofball that is Yong-sik?
I couldn't.
He is so very precious that it is clear he was written by a woman.
Mind you that I also developed a soft spot for Jong-Ryul, but he is a bit problematic so I'll just lust after him without giving him all my heart.
The female lead is played by Gong Hyo-jin, a new entry for me (but I plan on watching Master's Sun soon) and in my opinion a terrific choice. She managed a surprising balance between fragile and strong and, moreover, between pitiful and endearing. There are good dramas where the unlucky backstory of the protagonist is so heavy handed in its tragedy that it feels absurdly comic to me.
Now, Dong-baek is one of those incredibly unlucky characters, yet her lighthearted kindness and her honest smile make her real. She is not bravely enduring her catastrophic fate with the tenacity of a superwoman, but rather she is trying her best while being scared, insecure, regretful and lost.
There are the glorious moments when she stands up for herself and finds her inner strength and there are the moments when she is meek and timid and this duality brings her character to life.
Go Doo-shim and Lee Jung-eun are the epic grandmas we needed. Honorable mention for Jeon Bae-soo, Kim Sun-young, Yeom hye-ran and even Jang Hye-jin (in a cameo). All my favorites in one place!
The plot is engaging and well paced, easy to follow.
Maternal love and life in a small community are the main themes, but the writer (Im Sang-choon) also includes a commentary on social stigmas (Moms can't be single nor open a bar in Korea, apparently), mental health and the hardships of finding one's self-worth and social identity.
Our relationships and the people surrounding us shape our view of the world and can make a heaven out of hell or vice versa. As our experiences mold our identity, we are also capable of making a conscious choice on how to react to uncontrollable events. Hyang-mi and Jessica are a sort of Dong-baek alter ego in that sense. They all cope with their childhood trauma in different ways.
I liked the speech about miracles and the one about happiness.
Everyone gets their closure in the end.
I laughed and also cried a little and it felt good.
It felt organic.
Female Empowerment Score 5/5: from the kickass grandmas, to the feisty neighborhood gang of ajhummas, no female in this drama is on the sideline. Wheter they decide to drag each other down, or build each other up, these women are the main characters in their story.
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