THE SHORT VERDICT:
Old-school, classic kdrama of the romantic, melodramatic variety, circa 2001.
Although not quite as wildly popular as Winter Sonata or Autumn In My Heart, Beautiful Days is actually a pretty good watch when you’re in the mood for retro melo.
Yes, it’s angsty, but it’s not depressingly so.
Plus, our male lead is a very smoldery Lee Byung Hun oozing oodles of machismo. If you like your kdrama heroes of the manly man variety, you might want to check this out.
Beautiful Days OST – 약속 (Promise)
THE LONG VERDICT:
Because Beautiful Days is a 2001 drama, there is a lot about it that fits snugly into that melo mold of yore that we’ve come to recognize. Pretty much any drama trope that you can name, you’ll find within the first 2 episodes.
In the first episode alone, there is murder, childhood crossing of paths, a car accident, a lost sister, a couple of dead parents & a dead grandmother, step-sibling hatred and a good dose of family politics.
Typical stuff of the classic kdrama that we’ve all seen before, right?
Well, yes. But all this makjang intensity is mostly in the set-up, and once we’re in the context of where our story happens (Ok, it takes 3 whole time skips to get there, but at least we get there quick, within the first episode), there is stuff to enjoy.
Mostly, I enjoyed the dynamics between certain characters, the chemistry between our OTP, and Lee Byung Hun’s magnetic turn as Lee Min Chul.
THE CHARACTERS
Lee Byung Hun as Lee Min Chul
I cannot deny that it was Lee Byung Hun that had me glued to my screen the first time I watched Beautiful Days.
Not only did he make Min Chul a believable, faceted character, he made Min Chul knee-wobblingly sexy. I was helpless in the face of his smoldering stares, meaningful gazes and sensuous kisses.
Yep, you read that right. We have actual hot sensuous kissing in a 2001 retro drama.
I present to you Exhibit A: Smoldering Stare:
Exhibit B: Meaningful Gaze:
And Exhibit C: Sensuous Kiss:
Swoon~~~ THUNK.
That’s pretty much how he affected me all series long. Coz there’s lots more smoldering and smooching where that came from.
More swoony stuff to come, I promise, but first, I’d like to credit Lee Byung Hun with a pretty awesome performance as Lee Min Chul.
Min Chul is written as a cold, aloof person in general, who is suspicious of others, due to his twisted childhood. Yon Soo (Choi Ji Woo) becomes the one to whom he turns when he is feeling down. But when he feels like she’s let him down &/or he feels threatened by her closeness to Sun Jae (Ryu Shi Won), he shuts her out.
When Min Chul gets angry, he’s like a caged animal, barely contained.
Lee Byung Hun was completely believable as Min Chul, and made him a faceted character with real pride, palpable inner conflicts, and emotional vulnerability. He made Min Chul feel very real, from every angle, as Min Chul charted a journey of personal growth through the show.
Here are just a few screencaps to showcase a few of the facets that Lee Byung Hun gave Min Chul.
Here’s Min Chul’s usual confident, charismatic persona:
And here’s Min Chul, pensive and broody in private:
And mildly angsty:
Yet sometimes cute & boyish:
At other times, tortured:
And completely devastated:
I enjoyed watching Lee Byung Hun in this character. He gave a wonderfully layered performance and it was quite a pleasure to behold. It made watching the sad parts worthwhile, because his portrayal was complex and moving.
The role gave him the scope to draw on so many different emotions at the same time, affording Lee Byung Hun many opportunities to dig deep and let his acting chops shine.
Also, I feel that Lee Byung Hun as Min Chul is actually quite an accessible lead in this. He’s not super tall like most leads are, and not in super ripped shape, and is a little chunky, even – he’s way more ripped in more recent shows like Iris and GI Joe – so he has enough flaws to be accessible and believable as a regular guy. If a regular guy had that much star charisma.
On a more fangirly note, despite the fact that he’s got awful retro baggy suits and pants on, and despite the fact that he’s obviously not in the best shape for this show, he is One. Hot. Man. I found myself holding my breath many times during the show, whenever he did his intense manly, manly thing onscreen.
Lee Byung Hun really became Min Chul for me, and I re-watched this show just for him.
Choi Ji Woo as Kim Yon Soo
At first glance, Choi Ji Woo seems to be playing every other melo heroine that’s she’s ever played. You know the type: hardworking, kind-hearted, poor, generous, long-suffering.
While all that is true, I did feel that Choi Ji Woo did well in the role. Nobody does pious rose-bud lips like her.
Plus, let the record show that she acted in Beautiful Days before she did Winter Sonata and Stairway to Heaven, so this character isn’t as done to death as you might think.
While Yon Soo’s character is written pretty close to the perfect long-suffering doormat, I liked that the writers gave her character more dimension at times, and her character shows flashes of strength, stubbornness and selfishness.
I especially enjoyed Yon Soo’s chemistry with Min Chul, and their relationship dynamics (more on that later).
Ryu Shi Won as Lee Sun Jae
Ryu Shi Won’s Lee Sun Jae was not a particularly memorable character for me. Ryu Shi Won did a decent job of the role, but was otherwise forgettable, I thought.
To me, he was made of typical second lead stuff: super patient and nice, always a step too late, makes tons of sacrifices for the heroine who doesn’t love him back.
On the upside(?), there were times that Sun Jae was unintentionally hilarious, because some of his scenes were the cheesiest.
[MINOR SPOILER ALERT]
There’s a scene in episode 11 where Sun Jae, in all seriousness, takes out a styrofoam keyboard – yes, styrofoam! – and fake-plays it while singing to Yon Soo.
To make it even more cheesy, cringe-worthy yet hilarious, Yon Soo responds in complete seriousness as well, while the background music fills in the music void with real keyboard sounds.
OMG I laughed so hard at this Super Serious Scene! >.<
[END MINOR SPOILER]
I also had serious issues with his middle parted hair, which didn’t endear him to me in the least. Thankfully, they changed it up about halfway through the series, and he ended up looking much better.
Trivia Alert!
On a slight tangent, I was fascinated to learn that Ryu Shi Won was originally intended to be the male lead, but that audience reactions favored then-lesser-known Lee Byung Hun, so the writers changed things up so that Lee Byung Hun could get the girl.
Woah. An early example of Second Lead swooping in to get the girl! Interestingly, it happened too in Hotelier – with Bae Yong Jun swooping in from Second Lead Land to get the girl – which aired at the same time as Beautiful Days, both shows competing for ratings in the exact same hour.
That’s some fascinating context, isn’t it?
Anyhow. This would explain various Sun Jae-Yon Soo scenes, which I will get into later.
Lee Jung Hyun as Kim Se Na
There was a LOT of over-acting where Se Na was concerned.
Se Na is one of the shoutiest characters in the show, and Lee Jung Hyun didn’t hold back at all. She was screechy so much of the time that I rather disliked her character.
BUT. There were times in the show where Se Na was more quiet and pensive, and those were the moments that I really preferred. These were the times when Se Na felt less like a caricature and more like a real person, and I’m happy to report that these moments surfaced with more regularity as the show progressed.
Shin Min Ah as Lee Min Ji
Beautiful Days was Shin Min Ah’s drama debut. Considering what a big star she is now, it’s rather fascinating to watch her in her early acting days.
You can definitely tell that her acting is a little rough around the edges, but Shin Min Ah still managed to come across as fairly natural and believable as the spoilt little rich girl with emotional scars.
I rather enjoyed Min Ji’s growth as a character through the series, and Shin Min Ah made her likable even though sometimes Min Ji really acted like a spoilt selfish brat.
Lee Yoo Jin as Kang Na Rae
I seriously love Na Rae’s character, and I freaking love Lee Yoo Jin in this role.
Na Rae’s the protective Amazon / Xena, who fiercely protects those whom she loves, namely Yon Soo and later on, Se Na. She’s always the voice of reason, and she’s intensely loyal.
I love that she has a cheery, sunny nature which is hard to get down. I love, too, that she’s bold and outspoken and unafraid to appear unladylike. Nothing like most typical kdrama heroines.
Despite her tomboyish ways, Na Rae is absolutely gorgeous, as you can see from this screencap of the girls having a whirl at a bridal boutique trying on gowns for fun:
Aw. She’s beautiful.
And Lee Yoo Jin makes her believable and likable with her natural and uninhibited delivery.
Which is why I’d like to know why she’s been stuck playing supporting roles? She played an almost identical character, just 3 years later, in Phoenix (2004).
A huge waste of talent, in my opinion. Tsk.
THE RELATIONSHIPS
The story itself is classic retro melo, which honestly isn’t my favorite genre, so I wasn’t exactly in this for the story.
It was the relationships and accompanying dynamics between characters that I found most interesting in this drama. Let’s take a lookie at the main ones.
Min Chul and Yon Soo
The chemistry between Lee Byung Hun and Choi Ji Woo was very good throughout the show.
In the early stages of attraction, Min Chul’s and Yon Soo’s scenes together were peppered with tension-laced interactions. I loved these and found them delicious to watch.
Once their relationship got going, their smooches sent the temperatures through the roof. Again, swoon-inducing, if you ever wanted to be kissed thoroughly and deeply by a manly man.
Later in the show, when their relationship became more established, their chemistry in their interactions was also completely believable as well.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Early-Stage Attraction
One of the now-famous scenes that showcases this smoldering tension is the scene below, where Yon Soo can’t hold back her tears at work and Min Chul sees her crying through the glass door of the record store.
He stares at her for a long moment, then wipes her tears through the glass.
Completely cheesy, but so very swoony, right?
Early-Relationship Heady Smooches
In the early stages of their relationship, after they’ve started dating, the heady, intense excitement of their courtship is also palpable in their interactions.
In the scene below – which, come to think of it, is also pretty well-known – Min Chul steals a quick peck on Yon Soo’s forehead in a quiet moment at work and then walks away with a bit of a cheeky look. As Yon Soo processes the moment that just passed, Min Chul swoops back in, taking her by surprise, this time for some serious smooching.
Squee! I replayed the scene several times, grinning like a loon and swooning into a puddle every time.
So. Delicious.
Established Relationship
What struck me the most after their relationship became established, is how believable their skinship was. It was natural and believable; nothing awkward about it at all.
It was the little things, like how Min Chul touched Yon Soo, that communicated familiarity and intimacy in a way that screamed “REAL RELATIONSHIP!!!”
I really liked that about their interactions. Most of the credit goes to Lee Byung Hun, who used his more uninhibited character to great effect, like touching Yon Soo on the knee & absent-mindedly playing with her hair while looking completely at ease doing it.
[END SPOILER]
Alright, besides the relatively frivolous (but oh-so-important!) chemistry stuff, I also appreciated how their characters were written to spark off and grow from drawing on each other.
I particularly liked that Yon Soo is the one who teaches the worldly-wise Min Chul how to express himself.
[SPOILER ALERT]
When Min Chul gives Yon Soo the contract for Se Na, he says it’s because he wouldn’t get to see her smile otherwise, and because she looks a lot like his mother when she smiled, it was a good investment.
Smiling, Yon Soo says, “Must you put it that way? Just say you’re worried about me. Can’t you just say you’re worried about me, and so you’re doing this for Se Na? I still don’t know you completely; if you don’t put it simply, I might misunderstand you. Tell me if you’re happy, or sad, or mad. Promise me you’ll reveal how you really feel.”
I loved that she taught him overtly, actually telling him how to express himself.
I found this a bold statement for a drama of that vintage, and doubly so, for a character who is as reserved as Yon Soo.
[END SPOILER]
While Min Chul is the one who pushes Yon Soo around a lot, Yon Soo isn’t quite the complete doormat that she appears to be.
I really liked the moments in the drama where we were shown Yon Soo’s sense of self.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Somewhere in the middle stretch of the show, Min Chul’s father discovers their relationship, and tells Yon Soo to leave the house. Yon Soo leaves without a word to Min Chul, and when Min Chul confronts her about it, he asks her why she should leave just because of what his father said.
I loved Yon Soo’s response. She tells Min Chul, “I left because I was angry, not because of your father.” She tells Min Chul that she left because she feels insecure and small with him. NOT because he has more things than her or is better than her, but because her love for him clearly transcends his love for her, and she doesn’t want to be humiliated because of her love for him.
I love that she’s clear-minded and strong in her quietness and gentleness. Very nice.
[END SPOILER]
Sun Jae and Yon Soo
Like I mentioned earlier in this review, Sun Jae was originally supposed to get the girl, which explains a LOT in terms of why the relationship between Sun Jae and Yon Soo was written the way it was, in the beginning of the show.
I’d watched the show already knowing that Lee Byung Hun’s character was the lead, so it had struck me as odd how Sun Jae and Yon Soo were given moments of intimacy in the early episodes. I found it especially odd for a drama of this vintage.
Here are just 2 examples of what I’m talking about.
Close proximity, tension-charged moments and a cute date.
While at first I was left scratching my head, it all makes sense now. No wonder the dynamic shifted noticeably once the writers changed their minds and started shifting Lee Byung Hun into lead position.
[SPOILER ALERT]
What this leaves Sun Jae with is to some measure, the classic One Sided Love That Cannot Be. At the same time, the show does give him a growth arc, and he does seem to sincerely settle into a platonic friendship with Yon Soo, so it’s all good in the end.
[END SPOILER]
Sun Jae and Se Na
From their accidental first meeting to the extended one-sided crush that Se Na nurses through most of the show, and then finally to their eventual friendship, Sun Jae’s relationship with Se Na goes through one of the largest growth arcs in the show.
For that reason alone, I find their relationship worth a mention.
I admit that I was really annoyed with Se Na’s dogged crush on Sun Jae through most of the show.
But by the end of the series, I rather liked the dynamic between them. They finally settled into their friendship, and they finally became fully transparent and sincere with each other.
I thought that this felt more genuine and more precious than if they’d tried dating, and I was happy with where the series left them.
Na Rae and Yon Soo + Na Rae and Se Na
I loved Na Rae’s friendships with Yon Soo and Se Na.
She’s so full of love, compassion and empathy for her friends, and she’s so fiercely loyal, that she would sacrifice her own interests for their sakes.
[MINOR SPOILER ALERT]
Na Rae’s dream is to be an artist manager, but when her chance comes and she’s assigned the nasty girl instead of Se Na, she says without hesitation that she’d rather not be a manager than to do it without Se Na.
She swiftly turns down the offer and laughs it off, before taking a moment in private to tear a little at the loss. Aww.
[END MINOR SPOILER]
Gotta love Na Rae.
She’s all about loyalty. When Sena or Yon Soo are upset, Narae literally comes running. She’ll scold, but ultimately, she’s always on their side. Best friend, evar.
I loved, too, Na Rae’s protective ways, particularly around Se Na.
Just check out how she pulls Se Na to her like a protective mother hen, not just when Se Na’s being threatened, but also in casual affection.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: gotta love Na Rae.
Have I mentioned that Na Rae looks like Cameron Diaz when she smiles? She does!
Yon Soo and Min Ji
I also really liked Yon Soo’s arc with Min Ji.
Min Ji starts out the show hating everything and everyone except her oppa Min Chul, and it’s sweet to witness how she slowly opens up to Yon Soo and eventually comes to love her.
Not only does Yon Soo help Min Ji to open up, she helps Min Ji to find her dream and pursue it.
I found the interactions between Yon Soo and Min Ji increasingly sweet as Min Ji started to care about Yon Soo, and their relationship growth was rather moving to witness.
BONUS: CAMEOS!
One of the nice bonuses of watching retro dramas is the unexpected cameos that tend to pop up.
Uhm Jung Hwa makes a cameo appearance as herself in episode 1 and there’s a scene with hoards of fans screaming her name: UhmJungHwa!UhmJungHwa!UhmJungHwa!
She then shows up again in episode 2 to receive a singing award.
Fun!
Also, Psy makes a quick-as-a-flash cameo appearance in a later episode (I think it’s episode 18).
WRAP-UP THOUGHTS
Ok, despite the goodies in this show, there’s a lot of retro to grapple with while watching it, I have to admit.
Everyone’s hair is bleached to within an inch of its life. The fashion is atrocious and flamboyant. And they are rather heavy-handed with the OST; often the music is overly dramatic, though there are some poppy, happy, retro English songs thanks to the record store setting.
Plus, Beautiful Days dances on the edge of being strongly melodramatic, with lots of classic melo tropes used quite liberally.
Often, though, the show pulls a surprise by having a character respond differently than what we might expect in a strong melo.
[MINOR SPOILER ALERT]
One example is a scene where Min Chul is throwing his temper around brusquely with Yon Soo. Then when he tells her that they’re having dinner with Min Ji and she declines, I half expect him to explode at her, but instead, he softens.
Those surprises are nice and rather refreshing.
[END MINOR SPOILER]
The middle stretch gets a little draggy, but I found this an engaging and absorbing watch overall.
In the end, Beautiful Days is about making your days beautiful; about second chances, reconciled siblings, friendship and love.
Plus, it has a happy ending. Which is a pretty rare thing in old-school dramas.
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Nice for when you’re in the mood for retro. Or for some sensuous smooches from a manly man hero 😉
FINAL GRADE: A-
ASIDE:
Somewhere in the last stretch of the show, Yon Soo says she’s unable to give blood, because hers is bad blood. I had to laugh. Coz I’d just finished watching Vampire Prosecutor 2, and in VP2, they keep referring to the Big Bad as Bad Blood. Heh. Inappropriate reference, I know. But too funny! XD
MV:
Here’s a nice little MV featuring our OTP. Great for reminiscing if you’ve seen the show, and not overly spoilery if you haven’t. Enjoy:
This is unpopular perspective. i dont think that it is sexy how the male lead was expressing his affection to FL; I think it is sexual harassment not romantic; when a lady said no it should be.no. The FL was ambivalent; she was saying no but her action said otherwise. I stopped at some point. I think I have different taste than others.
Does someone know if it had a good rating in Korea or not?
Hi, sorry, I wasn’t able to find that information, unfortunately! 😅
Hi kfungirl,
I’m watching Beautiful Days now… and OMG Min Chul is so smexy swoony!! I can completely understand the Korean viewers 😆🙈
I also love Na Rae and how best girl-friend she is! And I found out that I quite enjoyed the actress in fairly recent daily Gangnam Scandal where she was playing a bit bad character… with a great gusto 😁😁
Anyway, thanks for the review and uff, I’m so glad to hear that this has a happy ending! (Otherwise I might drop it).
Hi there Dorotka! How fun, that you’re discovering this classic drama! And yes, the Min Chul hotness is undeniable. Smokin’ hot, with that smoldery gaze! And I loved Na Rae too!! Such a great bestie character, I enjoyed her a great deal. <3
Yes, this one has a happy ending, unlike something like Stairway to Heaven. It leans a little muted, if memory serves me right, but for a classic melo where things tended to end tragically, I count this as a significant win, anyway! 😅
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Did you watch Beautiful Days online or on DVD? I have loved this drama for years, but I only own a DVD set of it from Hong Kong that has pretty bad subtitles. My computer is soooo slow that if I want to rewatch any drama I love, I have to track down the DVD set. I saw a used set of the official big fancy DVD release of The Memory of Beautiful Days put out by e-motion in 2005 or 2006 in a store near me, but even used it is still pretty pricey. And I saw a few very mixed reviews about the quality of the subs. No one is talking about it anymore since it is an old drama and the DVD set is out of print, so I was just wondering if you knew anything about it?
Oh, DVD box sets can run very pricey indeed! I only own very few box sets, and those I bought very early in my kdrama journey, mostly because that was the main way to get one’s kdrama fix, at the time. To answer your question, I downloaded the files for Beautiful Days, instead of streaming the show. It’s been quite a while since I downloaded the files, and I think the website I got it from has since disappeared. :/ If you don’t mind streaming it, it’s available on gooddrama 🙂 Otherwise, medium quality files are available on AsiaTorrents, if you are a member.
Thanks for the leads for Beautiful Days 🙂 I really miss YA Entertainment for boxed sets, because although their sets were pricey, the subtitles were always good. Some of the official Korean boxed sets released by the networks that made the dramas have horrible subtitles and are still priced well over $100!!
Oh, boo. That’s just wrong, to have drama box sets that are not only expensive, but have bad subs! Good subs are so important, especially for viewers who don’t understand Korean very well. I hope you manage to get a copy of Beautiful Days sometime – and with good subs too! 🙂
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Just finished the drama and finished reading your review. Your review is spot on! 🙂 I could not stop from swooning. Min Chul is so swoon worthy. It is an old drama but I just imagined that the past week was not 2013. I liked this for the swoon worthy scenes and there were alot, but also for the story. I was a little worried that the drama would get too heavy but it never did. I admit I sobbed when she was going into the operating room but I also laughed and cheered with the characters at other times. I fell in love with Na Rea and wish she would have been shown with the rest of the cast at the end of the drama. I hate that they left her out, she added so much to the drama. She helped to tie everyone together and provided so much good advice. But I have to agree that Lee Byung Hun is who really made this drama. My goodness the looks he could get in his eyes, swoon and those kisses YUMMY! And the story was not bad, I liked that everyone got over themselves and no one had to die to accomplish it.
You are now on my blog list and I am so glad I found you!
Aw, yay that you enjoyed the drama!! 😀 LBH as Min Chul is sooo smoldery & sexy, isn’t he?? The first time I watched this show, I was completely helpless against his smoldery presence on my screen! XD And yes, I LOVED Na Rae.. I wished we could have had seen more of her. And definitely, having her with the others at the end would have been the right thing to do. Also, the fact that no one died in the end, and this drama had a happy ending – VERY rare for a melo of this vintage! I find Beautiful Days quite underrated among its peers, tbh. I think it’s a better watch than some of the more famous retro melos like Stairway to Heaven, which was a complete sob-fest & utterly depressing 😛
Thanks for adding me to your blog list, Ophie! I’m looking forward to exchanging lots more drama thoughts with ya! <3
I have only read part of your review, because I didn’t want to know how this drama ends. I took your advice and am now watching this drama. Swoon…I am on episode 4 and am so hooked. by the story and by Lee Byung Hun. Talk about HOT! Wow! Can’t wait to see how this ends. Then I will be back to finish your review. Thanks!
Glad you’re enjoying the show, Ophie!! 😀 Yes, LBH basically burns up the screen in this show.. It’s hard not to swoon in the face of all that smolder 😉 I’m looking forward to hear your thoughts after you’re done with the show! ^^
Read just a little of your review and stopped…because I now really want to watch this drama. Do you know where I can watch it on the internet>
Hee. Was it the Lee Byung Hun smolder that convinced you? Coz that was *my* hook 😉 You can check it out here: http://www.gooddrama.net/korean-drama/beautiful-days#videos
You had me at hello…I’ve never heard of this drama before, but it’s now on the top of my to-watch list. I love those oldschool melos =X
Yeah, it’s definitely not as well-known as the Seasons dramas or Stairway to Heaven, but if you dig old-school melo, this’ll be right up your alley! 😉 I like this one for being a little atypical in some ways, not least the smoldery hotness of Lee Byung Hun & his unabashed kissing ^^
Great job, Kfangirl! I bought this for my newly converted Mom. It’s her second drama, and she is obsessed with it. She’s watched it 3 times already. If I can get it away from her, I plan on rewatching it, too.
Thanks for the trivia about the switching of the male leads. By the end of the drama, I was so happy Sun Jae did NOT get the girl – he drove me crazy! But it does explain a few things, as you mentioned.
Thanks lafer! 😀 & congrats on converting your mum – now you can have lots & lots of drama conversations! I have to giggle at how your mum’s obsessed with the show – that initial infatuation with our early shows is hard to beat! My mum watched Winter Sonata & Coffee Prince 4 times! & I watched Goong at least 5 times XD
Yes, Sun Jae did drive me kinda crazy by the later stretch of the show.. Even on the rewatch, I wanted to knock some sense into him! Or throttle him. Either one would have made me happy 😉 Lee Byung Hun on the other hand.. Hawtness. ~swoon~
oh my gollies, what a wonderful trip down memory lane! i TOTES cannot agree more on the lee byung-hun hotness factor in this drama… and, quite honestly, in pretty much everything he’s done lol. love love loved the review!! 😀
Aw, THANKS pinkblossom, I’m really glad you enjoyed the review!! ^^ Indeed, Lee Byung Hun’s hotness is not to be trifled with! Even on my re-watch, I was helpless against his smoldery, manly hawtness..! XD
Ah, retro stuff. It’s fun to watch something a bit different every once in a while. Not that I’ve seen Beautful Days but there have been others. I’ve become somewhat allergic to melos so I have a feeling I wouldn’t be able to sit through one of these anymore. On the other hand, the oldies seemed to be more…. romantic somehow so perhaps that acts as a some sort of balance.
Talking about oldies, have you seen Feelings? Now, that’s seriously oldskool. 😉
I know what you mean! After years of serious melo being the kdrama staple, it’s hard to get into something like that again now.. I think you’d need to be in a very particular mood to enjoy retro melo ^^
I haven’t watched Feelings, though I’ve heard so much about it! That’s 90s vintage, right? I’m curious to check it out – someday, when I’m in that retro mood, and when I can get my hands on a decent copy with subs. If subs aren’t available, that somedays’ gonna have to be pushed back to the day I can watch kdrama comfortably without subs..! 😉
You have me LOL-ing with the ‘dead fish lips’ description but..as usual, you are spot on with that comparison!! I cannot imagine going all dead fish lipped with any of these guys!! I was trying to recall if GY and Sung Yu Ri shared a kiss in One Fine Day and I do not think they did..AT ALL! I kind of wish they had just to see how she would have responded…if at all! And, to see if GY could have covered for any lack of response and make it look good, much like your Lee Byung Hun. He’s pretty good, so I am thinking he may have been able to pull it off successfully! Let’s face it, GY is a gifted kisser and yes, he has had cooperative partners in both YEH and KSA, definitely. Frankly, I would comfortably pair YEH with anyone after watching her in both Coffee Prince and Lie to Me. Of course, it’s not a bad gig having to get your smooch on with Gong Yoo or Kang Ji Hwan! Just sayin’!! I will put Beautiful Days on my list! 🙂
Ah.. Is that why I have no recollection of how the kissing went down in One Fine Day, coz there just wasn’t any?? O.o! I have to agree that YEH is gung-ho about her kissing scenes and doesn’t do the pious dead fish lip thing – which I hate, can you tell?! I was SOO disappointed with Ha Ji Won’s fish lips in Secret Garden! – so it’s great that she got to work with GY and Kang Ji Hwan, both of whom come across as very natural, objectively speaking.
I think it’s quite an art, for an actor to be able to work with dead fish lips and yet make the kiss look swoony & sexy. So far, Lee Byung Hun’s one of the best at this that I’ve seen, so you have to watch him in action to see for yourself what I mean! 😉
Another fantastic review and LOVE the screen cap quads. The headers are also fab. Not only is your blog replete with content, it looks great! Sensuous smooching is ALWAYS a bonus! In fact, based on your review, I may have to watch this one. Dare I ask…..do you think Lee Byung Hun can out-smooch Gong Yoo? I think a lot depends on the recipient, too. Feign to deny that YEH and GY had explosive sensuous kisses in Coffee Prince. But when the pairing is not right….Sung Yu Ri/Hyun Bin, there will be nothing sensuous about it even when the HE part of the equation is a KNOWN sensuous kisser!! We both know Bin’s smoochability quotient is quite high!
Aw, thanks Michele!! 😀 The quads and headers are baby steps – I hope to make better-looking headers soon! ^^
Now, about the all-important question of smooches.. I have to give props to Lee Byung Hun, coz as gorgeously, toe-curlingly sensuous as those kisses look, he was working with Choi Ji Woo’s dead fish lips. She really didn’t quite respond much, and kept her mouth closed pretty much all the time. But somehow, Lee Byung Hun made it work, and he even made it look hot and heavy and totally sexy. Mad props to him. In this respect, I can safely say that he out-kissed Hyun Bin, coz I remember all of Hyun Bin’s efforts didn’t yield the same result with Ha Ji Won’s dead fish lips in Secret Garden. About Gong Yoo.. I don’t know, really, how he fares in this aspect.. as far as I can recall, his leading ladies have been more cooperative and participative, like YEH in Coffee Prince and Kim Sun Ah in S Diary. I don’t remember how it went with Sung Yu Ri in One Fine Day.. Do you?
Y’know, I think even if it’s only to see Lee Byung Hun’s amazing kissing in action, you probably need to check out Beautiful Days, heh 😉
I like watching retro dramas as they tend to be different in the mood and air compared to the present ones 🙂
thanks for the review…..will add this to my list… 😉
Also, the smooches are seriously pretty sensuous….and in 2001!!! When even now, so many shows take the simple, cold way in such scenes 😛
I know, right?! I was blown away by the sensuous smooches too!! I think a lot of it has to do with Lee Byung Hun.. He’s just hawt ^^ And a killer kisser! Beats out a lot of more recent onscreen smooches, hands down! XD
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