Winter Sonata Review

Title: Winter Sonata

AKA: Winter Ballad / Winter Love Song / Endless Love 2

Genre: Drama, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2002-Jan to 2002-Mar

Cast: Bae Yong Jun, Choi Ji Woo, Park Yong Ha and Park Sol Mi.

Jung Yoo Jin (Choi Ji Woo) is somewhat a dense yet smart girl. She lives life quite happily by being a member of the school’s radio broadcast as a host, and having a decent reputation in school. Her best friend Kim Sang Hyuk (Park Yong Ha) is also a co-host with her. Her life becomes even better when Kang Jun Sang (Bae Yong Jun) arrives, and she finds herself attracted to him. Jun Sang on the other hand has an interest in Sang Hyuks childhood and father at first, but soon falls for Yoo Jin and the two start dating. Everything changes when one night Jun Sang meets an accident and dies as a follow. This devastates Yoo Jin and makes the once happy girl, lose her smile.

Several years later Yoo Jin is engaged to Sang Hyuk, but is not completely over Jun Sang, even though she won’t say it out loud. On the day of her engagement party, she sees someone looking exactly like Jun Sang and starts running after him, but is unable to catch or find him. This results in her coming to the party too late, and leaves as strain on the relationship between her and Sang Hyuk.

A few days later, she meets the look-a-like whose name is Lee Min Hyung (Bae Yong Jun), and as fate will have it the two are unable to stay from one another…

There are several reasons I started this drama, but the main reason is that it is a classic in that everyone has either watched or heard of. I found out about this long time ago, but even then it was ‘an oldie’, so I never took the liberty to actually watch it. Though I enjoy old classics, I never felt compelled to watch this. So when I did start it was because I really wanted to watch a good ‘oldie’. I think I do understand the hype, 14 years ago: it has what most dramas didn’t have then; a decent storyline. Though amnesia, first love and all the typical clichés are involved, it wasn’t as clichés then – so I didn’t really mind it.

I know Ji Woo from other dramas, but this is my first time seeing ‘the legendary’ Bae Yong Jun. To be fair, he does look like a 90s romantic hero, but I found his acting mediocre – maybe because I am used to a bit more modern acting? I don’t know; only that I wasn’t all impressed.

So is it recommendable? If you are a drama lover like myself, and you like the old and cliché-kind of dramas – this is a most definite pick.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥ ♥ ♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Loving You Review

Title: Loving You

Genre: Drama, Romance

Episodes: 12

Broadcast period: 2002-Jul to 2002-Sep

Cast: Park Yong Ha, Eugene, Lee Yoo Ri and Lee Dong Wook

Lee Hyuk (Park Yong Ha) was once a director with dreams of becoming great - these dreams lead him to be pushing and stubborn. While shooting for a drama on seas on Jeju Island, Hyuk ignores the weather hazards and demands everyone go continue shooting, which eventually ends with Hyuk and one of his close friends falling into the water. This is seen by Jin Da Rae (Eugene) who jumps in and saves Hyuk. Though Hyuk survives, his friend dies, and Hyuk can’t shake off the guilt. At the same time, Da Rae and her mother are called to the hospital - her father had been found dead by drowning.

One year later, Hyuk and Da Rae are both living on Jeju Island, though with different views on life. Hyuk now takes care of the family café, but is rarely there, spending most of his time at the family tangerine plantation, away from everyone. Da Rae has given up on going to college, so she works several jobs, in order to support her mother. The two have several other encounters, but someone always end up squabbling.

When Hyuk’s younger brother Lee Min (Lee Dong Wook) and his film crew arrive to Jeju in order to film for their movie, Hyuk is reluctantly forced to hand over the café to Min and Da Rae is asked to play the female lead. Things get more and more confusing when Dae Rae’s mother finds the diary Da Rae’s father had written, and somehow involves Min and Hyuk’s father..

Seriously, how can they add SO much melo in a 12 episode drama!? Like it really has so many twists and turns, and worst of all it somehow ends up being NEVERENDING. It took me forever to finish this, mainly because one episode didn’t feel like an episode it felt like a day! I think this drama covered every crime except rape, lol, every other was there, correct me if I’m wrong. I love Eugene, but this drama was just not worth it. I really just wanted it to end, and thank god it did.

The drama is not bad, especially for classic Korean drama lovers, but I really just wanted to finish it. So if you are up for it, go ahead.

☆☆☆ / 3 out 5 stars

♥♥ / 2 out of 5 hearts