I go for good guys yet again...
You know, usually I don't have a precise moment when I fall in love with a character - normally I can't pinpoint it to an exact scene. Take Ya Kyung (otherwise known as Lawyer Heroine). I love her quite a lot, but I have no idea when I started loving her, I just do.
But. But. But. I can pinpoint to the millisecond when I fell in love with Han Min Gook. After the first episode and most of the second, I found Min Gook amusing, eccentric, and by no stretch of imagination a bad guy. But I was hardly in love with him (or emotionally attached to him in any way).
And then: BAM!
I love him. Why? This scene made me fall like a ton of bricks. Ya Kyung comes to his office to return money he's left with her as payment (he is trying to hire her as his divorce attorney). She has no appointment, so the secretary gives her the usual b.s. line about Min Gook being out. But before she has a chance to leave, she sees Min Gook's assistant (who, it has been established, has heart problems) collapse. Commotion ensues and Min Gook runs out of his office. And that is when I totally fell - because so far he's been quirky and not very emotional about things and a nice enough guy but you see his total concern and his barely controlled panic, but more importantly, how his care for his assistant basically trumps everything else - the employees tell him they have called for an ambulance so they can wait for it but he won't because it's faster if he takes the assistant outside so they'll be right there when the ambulance arrives. He also won't let anyone else take the guy even though the building is beseiged by reporters avid for the news about his divorce from his actress-wife and he hates the pack of them. It's just...I don't know. I might be fictionally entertained by angsty bad boys or icy yet secretly emo woobies. But nothing, nothing, nothing gets me as much as a genuinely good man.
Funnily? I think audience=Ya Kyung in this case. Because you see that this is exactly how her opinion goes too - she didn't hate him before that or anything, but she was not going to take his case. But her seeing this makes her realize that he is a good person and there she is, Ya Kyung to the rescue!
I don't think Min Gook is gorgeous or anything, but I rather like it - he is good-looking in this average-person-on-the-street-who-is-not-an-actor way (yes, too many dashes). He looks better at some times then others and here, he looks quite good.
The scene with Ya Kyung and Byun, her ex. When she tells him about how she tried to move on, it's the first moving scene in the drama that has been wacky-funny so far. It rings true, somehow. Also, that is why I can't really warm up to Byun - I don't hate him or anything but he is no Prince Charming to say the least. He has dumped a girl and now waltzes back into her life wanting to resume things the way they were but he seems to refuse (or it does not even occur to him) to apologize and beg forgiveness for what he put her through. He seems to want to avert emotional unpleasantness and facing that he was at fault. It's human, but it makes him very very bad boyfriend material and not someone you can rely on.
This scene with Ae Ri (Min Gook's ex wife) and Min Gook's mother is the first time I did not like Ae Ri - huge kudos to the drama for it not having anything to do with shipping or even Min Gook. I just don't like underhanded tricks - when Mom comes in to talk with Ae Ri and is rather pissed-off, Ae Ri, who knows there are reporters outside, messes up her own hair, smears her own lipstick, and takes off one of her earrings, before she comes out, so the reporters would think her former Mother-in-Law roughed her up. That's playing dirty - Ae Ri is clearly hurt by whatever went on in the marriage but resorting to underhanded tricks to get the court of public opinion on your side (and probably help with the insane amount of alimony she is seeking - 100bln won which is roughly $78mln) is not on.
This scene, with Min Gook escaping from reporters and checking into a hotel is pretty funny. The receptionist stammers that they only have the big suite available and Min Gook looks at her as if she is retarded and a 'so what?' kind of look and she has to clarify that this is the room he had for after the wedding (i.e. wedding night) and his reaction is all "we did have our wedding here, didn't we? So, is there any rule I can't be here again? I'll book my second wedding here too. Maybe you'll give me a discount?" He is rather defensive about it - I wonder why he is so forgetful about this random stuff (Ae Ri makes a snarky comment to her lawyer later that unless it has to do with money, he won't remember things for more than a week, but she seems to be somewhat on point despite the bitterness - he forgot he got married here until reminded! He must have been hell during wedding anniversaries).
This is hilarious. He is in the suite and is imagining Ae Ri and this dream instead of being wistful or bitter is hilarious as she tries to choke him :)
Ae Ri thinks about her former Mother-in-Law and thinks that she doesn't normally do that sort of thing (fake roughing up) but it's payback for all the things MIL did during the marriage. Hmmm. If MIL was awful to Ae Ri, I can see Ae Ri wanting payback, and she clearly exited the marriage with a lot of bitterness, feeling herself wronged, so I can see how she was so tempted. I still don't like it, but I am willing to wait and see and conditionally be OK with her again (conditional on her continuing to be cool otherwise and maybe indication of why she is so bitter about her former marriage, MIL etc).
Min Gook eating store noodles. Seriously, you can afford take-out :)
Another poignant scene - we are briefly introduced to Ya Kyung's minor crook of a father. He is clearly a burden on Ya Kyung in many ways. And here she is, riding a motorbike with her delivery man friend, to clear her head and get rid of bitterness.
She ends up being taken for joyriding (LOL) and due to a long bunch of events, Min Gook bails her out with help of a tabloid reporter he enlists on the way (this was priceless).
Shellow mancandy pic of the day - Byun in the shower. Now, if only I found the actor more attractive. He's not bad though...Once again, good-looking in that normal way but his character doesn't make me go past the lack of moviestarness.
Now this guy (coffee delivery dude) I would not mind seeing shirtless!
Coffee Guy is wasted on Min Gook!
Min Gook with his assistant:
Ya Kyung finally tracks down Ae Ri and tells her that Ae Ri's ex-husband wants to hire her as his divorce lawyer. Ae Ri (who is clearly just hurt all around from the divorce) lashes out at that, though it's clear Ya Kyung has no intention of taking the case and that Min Gook sought her out on his own. She tells Ya Kyung to go ahead. Poor Ya Kyung is rather hurt by all this.
Min Gook and Mama. They are both sort of odd and I liked their interaction :)
Byun being flirty with Ya Kyung. He honestly doesn't seem to realize that grovelling would get him further (as will acknowledging the wrong he did her) than this refusal to pretend anything is wrong. This was cute though...
I love her!
Ya Kyung comes to return Min Gook's money because she's decided she won't be his lawyer and the scene I've babbled about up top happens (I loved the bit earlier which I did not cap, about Min Gook making his assistant sit in the back while he drives the car himself when assistant wasn't feeling well, but this is where I sort of went insaaaaane).
I love the way Min Gook is babbling to himself that it will be OK as if to keep himself calm (clearly not to keep assistant, who is unconscious, calm). And I love when he snarls from stress a bit at Ya Kyung she snarls back.
And they exit into a pandemonium, and Min Gook is completely at a loss - all he wants is to get the assistant to the medical care but he is being blocked by hordes of reporters. I don't think he'd like it at the best of times (he seems to be socially awkward in a lot of ways) but now he is totally freaking out. Meanwhile reporters are all 'this is a ploy for sympathy' etc etc...
It's a total nightmare and I love how Ya Kyung has really come around during this whole interlude (she realized Min Gook is a good person, but she is also realizing that his off-hand earlier comment to her about reporters making his life hell is not inaccurate. And then there is the fact that she wants to show up her ex she can be a better lawyer, and anger at Ae Ri etc etc).
Assistant has come to! Awwww!
The reporters won't stop, however, and then go "do you know how much Ae Ri is asking for? She is asking for an ownership of [blank] bulding, which is worth 100bln won."
And Ya Kyung's mind is made up. I just love how she jumps up there and says that any statements Min Gook makes will be through his attorney and that she is in charge. Ya Kyung to the rescue! He might be competent in business arena or what not, but here he is so lost and she is totally awesomely cool and in control!
I kinda love how shocked he is :)
Byun and Ae Ri see this on tv.
My ship, let me show you it.
But. But. But. I can pinpoint to the millisecond when I fell in love with Han Min Gook. After the first episode and most of the second, I found Min Gook amusing, eccentric, and by no stretch of imagination a bad guy. But I was hardly in love with him (or emotionally attached to him in any way).
And then: BAM!
I love him. Why? This scene made me fall like a ton of bricks. Ya Kyung comes to his office to return money he's left with her as payment (he is trying to hire her as his divorce attorney). She has no appointment, so the secretary gives her the usual b.s. line about Min Gook being out. But before she has a chance to leave, she sees Min Gook's assistant (who, it has been established, has heart problems) collapse. Commotion ensues and Min Gook runs out of his office. And that is when I totally fell - because so far he's been quirky and not very emotional about things and a nice enough guy but you see his total concern and his barely controlled panic, but more importantly, how his care for his assistant basically trumps everything else - the employees tell him they have called for an ambulance so they can wait for it but he won't because it's faster if he takes the assistant outside so they'll be right there when the ambulance arrives. He also won't let anyone else take the guy even though the building is beseiged by reporters avid for the news about his divorce from his actress-wife and he hates the pack of them. It's just...I don't know. I might be fictionally entertained by angsty bad boys or icy yet secretly emo woobies. But nothing, nothing, nothing gets me as much as a genuinely good man.
Funnily? I think audience=Ya Kyung in this case. Because you see that this is exactly how her opinion goes too - she didn't hate him before that or anything, but she was not going to take his case. But her seeing this makes her realize that he is a good person and there she is, Ya Kyung to the rescue!
I don't think Min Gook is gorgeous or anything, but I rather like it - he is good-looking in this average-person-on-the-street-who-is-not-an-actor way (yes, too many dashes). He looks better at some times then others and here, he looks quite good.
The scene with Ya Kyung and Byun, her ex. When she tells him about how she tried to move on, it's the first moving scene in the drama that has been wacky-funny so far. It rings true, somehow. Also, that is why I can't really warm up to Byun - I don't hate him or anything but he is no Prince Charming to say the least. He has dumped a girl and now waltzes back into her life wanting to resume things the way they were but he seems to refuse (or it does not even occur to him) to apologize and beg forgiveness for what he put her through. He seems to want to avert emotional unpleasantness and facing that he was at fault. It's human, but it makes him very very bad boyfriend material and not someone you can rely on.
This scene with Ae Ri (Min Gook's ex wife) and Min Gook's mother is the first time I did not like Ae Ri - huge kudos to the drama for it not having anything to do with shipping or even Min Gook. I just don't like underhanded tricks - when Mom comes in to talk with Ae Ri and is rather pissed-off, Ae Ri, who knows there are reporters outside, messes up her own hair, smears her own lipstick, and takes off one of her earrings, before she comes out, so the reporters would think her former Mother-in-Law roughed her up. That's playing dirty - Ae Ri is clearly hurt by whatever went on in the marriage but resorting to underhanded tricks to get the court of public opinion on your side (and probably help with the insane amount of alimony she is seeking - 100bln won which is roughly $78mln) is not on.
This scene, with Min Gook escaping from reporters and checking into a hotel is pretty funny. The receptionist stammers that they only have the big suite available and Min Gook looks at her as if she is retarded and a 'so what?' kind of look and she has to clarify that this is the room he had for after the wedding (i.e. wedding night) and his reaction is all "we did have our wedding here, didn't we? So, is there any rule I can't be here again? I'll book my second wedding here too. Maybe you'll give me a discount?" He is rather defensive about it - I wonder why he is so forgetful about this random stuff (Ae Ri makes a snarky comment to her lawyer later that unless it has to do with money, he won't remember things for more than a week, but she seems to be somewhat on point despite the bitterness - he forgot he got married here until reminded! He must have been hell during wedding anniversaries).
This is hilarious. He is in the suite and is imagining Ae Ri and this dream instead of being wistful or bitter is hilarious as she tries to choke him :)
Ae Ri thinks about her former Mother-in-Law and thinks that she doesn't normally do that sort of thing (fake roughing up) but it's payback for all the things MIL did during the marriage. Hmmm. If MIL was awful to Ae Ri, I can see Ae Ri wanting payback, and she clearly exited the marriage with a lot of bitterness, feeling herself wronged, so I can see how she was so tempted. I still don't like it, but I am willing to wait and see and conditionally be OK with her again (conditional on her continuing to be cool otherwise and maybe indication of why she is so bitter about her former marriage, MIL etc).
Min Gook eating store noodles. Seriously, you can afford take-out :)
Another poignant scene - we are briefly introduced to Ya Kyung's minor crook of a father. He is clearly a burden on Ya Kyung in many ways. And here she is, riding a motorbike with her delivery man friend, to clear her head and get rid of bitterness.
She ends up being taken for joyriding (LOL) and due to a long bunch of events, Min Gook bails her out with help of a tabloid reporter he enlists on the way (this was priceless).
Shellow mancandy pic of the day - Byun in the shower. Now, if only I found the actor more attractive. He's not bad though...Once again, good-looking in that normal way but his character doesn't make me go past the lack of moviestarness.
Now this guy (coffee delivery dude) I would not mind seeing shirtless!
Coffee Guy is wasted on Min Gook!
Min Gook with his assistant:
Ya Kyung finally tracks down Ae Ri and tells her that Ae Ri's ex-husband wants to hire her as his divorce lawyer. Ae Ri (who is clearly just hurt all around from the divorce) lashes out at that, though it's clear Ya Kyung has no intention of taking the case and that Min Gook sought her out on his own. She tells Ya Kyung to go ahead. Poor Ya Kyung is rather hurt by all this.
Min Gook and Mama. They are both sort of odd and I liked their interaction :)
Byun being flirty with Ya Kyung. He honestly doesn't seem to realize that grovelling would get him further (as will acknowledging the wrong he did her) than this refusal to pretend anything is wrong. This was cute though...
I love her!
Ya Kyung comes to return Min Gook's money because she's decided she won't be his lawyer and the scene I've babbled about up top happens (I loved the bit earlier which I did not cap, about Min Gook making his assistant sit in the back while he drives the car himself when assistant wasn't feeling well, but this is where I sort of went insaaaaane).
I love the way Min Gook is babbling to himself that it will be OK as if to keep himself calm (clearly not to keep assistant, who is unconscious, calm). And I love when he snarls from stress a bit at Ya Kyung she snarls back.
And they exit into a pandemonium, and Min Gook is completely at a loss - all he wants is to get the assistant to the medical care but he is being blocked by hordes of reporters. I don't think he'd like it at the best of times (he seems to be socially awkward in a lot of ways) but now he is totally freaking out. Meanwhile reporters are all 'this is a ploy for sympathy' etc etc...
It's a total nightmare and I love how Ya Kyung has really come around during this whole interlude (she realized Min Gook is a good person, but she is also realizing that his off-hand earlier comment to her about reporters making his life hell is not inaccurate. And then there is the fact that she wants to show up her ex she can be a better lawyer, and anger at Ae Ri etc etc).
Assistant has come to! Awwww!
The reporters won't stop, however, and then go "do you know how much Ae Ri is asking for? She is asking for an ownership of [blank] bulding, which is worth 100bln won."
And Ya Kyung's mind is made up. I just love how she jumps up there and says that any statements Min Gook makes will be through his attorney and that she is in charge. Ya Kyung to the rescue! He might be competent in business arena or what not, but here he is so lost and she is totally awesomely cool and in control!
I kinda love how shocked he is :)
Byun and Ae Ri see this on tv.
My ship, let me show you it.