Wherein I ramble about Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang
Just got back from London. Will talk about the day (and post pictures and replies later), but for now, time for something else!
I spent the whole flight back watching Delightful Girl Chun Hyang. I am up through beginning of ep 15 (it's a 17 ep drama) and it's going on the list of my faves. Of course, it's a good thing no one but Mr. Mousie was next to me, because I kept alternatively trying to stifle my giggles and my sobs.
Since I initially posted about it so long ago, a very brief synopsis: DGCH is a modern updating of the classic Korean story of Chun-Hyang, a courtesan who remains true to her husband, upper class scholar Mong-Ryong, in the face of the attacks on her virtue (even threats on her life) by the evil magistrate. There is a class-crossing clandestine affair, there is angst, and triumph of young true love. It's pretty awesome. I read it as a kid. If you want to see a gorgeous traditional version, I reallt recommend the movie Chun-Hyang. DGCH takes the traditional story and gives it a witty, modern spin: it's funny and heart-breaking, and clever, and the pace surprisingly never flags.
But the reason it works? The characters. I have fallen for Chun-Hyung and Mong-Ryong the way I rarely do for fictional characters. In this version they start as high school students, progress through college and end up as adults. They are both remarkably unscrewed up, funny, strong-willed wonderful people. I am in love with Chun-Hyang. She is one of the most feminist drama heroines out there. In contrast to a lot of drama heroines out there, Chun-Hyang is neither soft-spoken nor ditzy. She is the best student in her school (it's through her tutoring Mong-Ryong gets into the prestigious college he gets into). She runs her own business later, and she knows what she wants. She has no problem bossing Mong-Ryong, and in fact CH and MR keep a friendly running bickering dynamic throughout that is just adorable. And even when pushed the wall, she will not weep or beg. She will do what must be done, even if it will break her heart, but she won't surrender.
And oh God, I adore Mong-Ryong (and not because Jae Hee is drop dead gorgeous). He is a rare drama hero who would be awesome to date in RL. In a lot of ways DGCH is a story of MR growing up, becoming a man. MR's Dad hope that if his laid-back, care-for-nothing son hooks up with CH, she will make a man out of him, came beautifully true. I especially love how he is so boyish yet so straightforward and I love his teasing. I also love the way he loves CH is this independent, strong, even bossy woman. You can tell he is so proud of her for being able to make all that $$$, even for ordering him.
And I love the whole friends-lovers thing. MR and CH are actually good friends for a long time before they hook up.
You know, even though this objectively doesn't have too much angst compared to 'serious' drama, I ended up crying my eyes out. Because I loved the characters so much, and I couldn't bear to see them hurt. The one thing that hits my fiction kink almost as much as a guy having to push a girl away to protect her, is the girl having to do it. And seeing CH having to break MR's heart over and over (it was like Hanadan's rain scene only horribly, terribly worse, over and over) made me sob on the plane. The crazy chemistry between the leads didn't help.
I have never hated the 'other person' more than I am currently hating Byun Hak-Do. I have finally understood the point for hatefic, because I was this close to scribbling. I am going to stay away from The Devil for a little while, because the thought of seeing Uhm Tae-Wong in anything is pretty horrific for time being.
You know? I love the way this is shot. So many Korean dramas are shot just like movies, and DGCH is no exception. The image I am especially thinking of is, MR spinning, falling as he is being beaten by Byun's thugs, and transforming into CH spinning, happily, while trying out her traditional bridal outfit.
I love the motif of trust running through the drama. Once they declare their feelings (I love how CH never says it out loud though which of course plays into the angst later, when she claims she doesn't love him), they aren't jealous, they are utterly open. He finds out she went to see Byun and he says he trusts her, and he doesn't even ask her about it. She finds out he went to see his horrid ex, and her reaction? 'I trust him' which is absolutely right, as he told his ex (and has been telling her for a long time) that he loves CH (and CH does show up and tells him 'let's go' and is all possessive and he is so delighted). His laid-backness works really well with her. He is beaming at her and is 'ooooh, you are jealous' and she is 'no, I just don't like Chae-Rin' and he grins that he's happy anyway and puts her head on his shoulder (a mirror to a scene where his head is on her shoulder, and they are holding hands and he mumbling that he isn't letting go, ever). I love how he knows her so well (even at a different point of time, where she refuses to tell him ILY, teasing instead, and saying 'I love ice cream' and he finally grins and says 'I'll just pretend I am ice cream then'). And that is precisely the tragedy when she has to push him away to save him: he cannot comprehend because it goes against everything he feels and knows about her.
Yeah, that.
I HATE BYUN HAK-DO. HATE HIM HATE HIM.
MR and CH decide to get married again (this time fancy and proper) and I love the scene where they try out their wedding outfits. I love the shining looks on their faces, the way he looks at her when he sees her in her wedding dress, and his teasing wrds that she doesn't look too bad, as his eyes are just glued to her, and they grin like idiots. But then the picture shatters and it's an omen, of course.
Because BHD decides if he can't have her heart he will at least have her body. And he gets MR framed as an attempted rapist (long and complicated story, but it's thorough) and of course, that's the thing that makes me hate BHD especially: it's not a level playing field. MR is a boy and BHD is older, unscrupulous, and...ARGH.
I hate him. Leaving everything else aside, the age difference is creepy. MR and CH are in their early twenties (btw, MR is younger than CH heeee). They are both kids. BHD has got to be at least in mid-30s: what the HELL is he doing stalking a school-girl, one who has expressly, repeatedly and explicitly made clear she doesn't love him, she loves her husband.
That's the ultimate difference between Mong-Ryong and Byun Hak Do. For MR, it's all about Chun-Hyung: what makes her happy, what she wants, how he loves her and she loves him. For Byun Hak Do, it's all about him. It's about what he wants, what he needs. He doesn't care if he ruins her life, if she hates him, as long as he physically has possession of her (it's not even lust, it's obsession and posession in equal measure).
I keep thinking of how CH went to see MR in jail and how MR rather desperately asks her if she believes in him, and she says yes and she runs out on pretext of getting him water and is sobbing outside, and he finally breaks down, and is crying.
And then she goes to BHD and makes a devil's bargain, because Byun says he will never stop, he will ruin MR (even if he gets acquitted, his name is forever ruined) unless she breaks up with MR and go with him, BHD.
And she has no choice but to agree.
And OH WOW.
WOW.
HELL.
Anyway, when we return, there will be more talk about the totally amazing angsty scenes, and the previous sweet and fun scenes and a lot about supporting characters and families and all that good stuff. Stay tuned :D
Check out the awesome MV behind cut as a yummy trailer:
And I am glad to see someone on youtube is as into Jae Hee as I am as this is a DGCH vid that is basically all about MR. Now I simply must see that new 'Witch Yoo Hee' drama btw because he stars in it.
I spent the whole flight back watching Delightful Girl Chun Hyang. I am up through beginning of ep 15 (it's a 17 ep drama) and it's going on the list of my faves. Of course, it's a good thing no one but Mr. Mousie was next to me, because I kept alternatively trying to stifle my giggles and my sobs.
Since I initially posted about it so long ago, a very brief synopsis: DGCH is a modern updating of the classic Korean story of Chun-Hyang, a courtesan who remains true to her husband, upper class scholar Mong-Ryong, in the face of the attacks on her virtue (even threats on her life) by the evil magistrate. There is a class-crossing clandestine affair, there is angst, and triumph of young true love. It's pretty awesome. I read it as a kid. If you want to see a gorgeous traditional version, I reallt recommend the movie Chun-Hyang. DGCH takes the traditional story and gives it a witty, modern spin: it's funny and heart-breaking, and clever, and the pace surprisingly never flags.
But the reason it works? The characters. I have fallen for Chun-Hyung and Mong-Ryong the way I rarely do for fictional characters. In this version they start as high school students, progress through college and end up as adults. They are both remarkably unscrewed up, funny, strong-willed wonderful people. I am in love with Chun-Hyang. She is one of the most feminist drama heroines out there. In contrast to a lot of drama heroines out there, Chun-Hyang is neither soft-spoken nor ditzy. She is the best student in her school (it's through her tutoring Mong-Ryong gets into the prestigious college he gets into). She runs her own business later, and she knows what she wants. She has no problem bossing Mong-Ryong, and in fact CH and MR keep a friendly running bickering dynamic throughout that is just adorable. And even when pushed the wall, she will not weep or beg. She will do what must be done, even if it will break her heart, but she won't surrender.
And oh God, I adore Mong-Ryong (and not because Jae Hee is drop dead gorgeous). He is a rare drama hero who would be awesome to date in RL. In a lot of ways DGCH is a story of MR growing up, becoming a man. MR's Dad hope that if his laid-back, care-for-nothing son hooks up with CH, she will make a man out of him, came beautifully true. I especially love how he is so boyish yet so straightforward and I love his teasing. I also love the way he loves CH is this independent, strong, even bossy woman. You can tell he is so proud of her for being able to make all that $$$, even for ordering him.
And I love the whole friends-lovers thing. MR and CH are actually good friends for a long time before they hook up.
You know, even though this objectively doesn't have too much angst compared to 'serious' drama, I ended up crying my eyes out. Because I loved the characters so much, and I couldn't bear to see them hurt. The one thing that hits my fiction kink almost as much as a guy having to push a girl away to protect her, is the girl having to do it. And seeing CH having to break MR's heart over and over (it was like Hanadan's rain scene only horribly, terribly worse, over and over) made me sob on the plane. The crazy chemistry between the leads didn't help.
I have never hated the 'other person' more than I am currently hating Byun Hak-Do. I have finally understood the point for hatefic, because I was this close to scribbling. I am going to stay away from The Devil for a little while, because the thought of seeing Uhm Tae-Wong in anything is pretty horrific for time being.
You know? I love the way this is shot. So many Korean dramas are shot just like movies, and DGCH is no exception. The image I am especially thinking of is, MR spinning, falling as he is being beaten by Byun's thugs, and transforming into CH spinning, happily, while trying out her traditional bridal outfit.
I love the motif of trust running through the drama. Once they declare their feelings (I love how CH never says it out loud though which of course plays into the angst later, when she claims she doesn't love him), they aren't jealous, they are utterly open. He finds out she went to see Byun and he says he trusts her, and he doesn't even ask her about it. She finds out he went to see his horrid ex, and her reaction? 'I trust him' which is absolutely right, as he told his ex (and has been telling her for a long time) that he loves CH (and CH does show up and tells him 'let's go' and is all possessive and he is so delighted). His laid-backness works really well with her. He is beaming at her and is 'ooooh, you are jealous' and she is 'no, I just don't like Chae-Rin' and he grins that he's happy anyway and puts her head on his shoulder (a mirror to a scene where his head is on her shoulder, and they are holding hands and he mumbling that he isn't letting go, ever). I love how he knows her so well (even at a different point of time, where she refuses to tell him ILY, teasing instead, and saying 'I love ice cream' and he finally grins and says 'I'll just pretend I am ice cream then'). And that is precisely the tragedy when she has to push him away to save him: he cannot comprehend because it goes against everything he feels and knows about her.
Yeah, that.
I HATE BYUN HAK-DO. HATE HIM HATE HIM.
MR and CH decide to get married again (this time fancy and proper) and I love the scene where they try out their wedding outfits. I love the shining looks on their faces, the way he looks at her when he sees her in her wedding dress, and his teasing wrds that she doesn't look too bad, as his eyes are just glued to her, and they grin like idiots. But then the picture shatters and it's an omen, of course.
Because BHD decides if he can't have her heart he will at least have her body. And he gets MR framed as an attempted rapist (long and complicated story, but it's thorough) and of course, that's the thing that makes me hate BHD especially: it's not a level playing field. MR is a boy and BHD is older, unscrupulous, and...ARGH.
I hate him. Leaving everything else aside, the age difference is creepy. MR and CH are in their early twenties (btw, MR is younger than CH heeee). They are both kids. BHD has got to be at least in mid-30s: what the HELL is he doing stalking a school-girl, one who has expressly, repeatedly and explicitly made clear she doesn't love him, she loves her husband.
That's the ultimate difference between Mong-Ryong and Byun Hak Do. For MR, it's all about Chun-Hyung: what makes her happy, what she wants, how he loves her and she loves him. For Byun Hak Do, it's all about him. It's about what he wants, what he needs. He doesn't care if he ruins her life, if she hates him, as long as he physically has possession of her (it's not even lust, it's obsession and posession in equal measure).
I keep thinking of how CH went to see MR in jail and how MR rather desperately asks her if she believes in him, and she says yes and she runs out on pretext of getting him water and is sobbing outside, and he finally breaks down, and is crying.
And then she goes to BHD and makes a devil's bargain, because Byun says he will never stop, he will ruin MR (even if he gets acquitted, his name is forever ruined) unless she breaks up with MR and go with him, BHD.
And she has no choice but to agree.
And OH WOW.
WOW.
HELL.
Anyway, when we return, there will be more talk about the totally amazing angsty scenes, and the previous sweet and fun scenes and a lot about supporting characters and families and all that good stuff. Stay tuned :D
Check out the awesome MV behind cut as a yummy trailer:
And I am glad to see someone on youtube is as into Jae Hee as I am as this is a DGCH vid that is basically all about MR. Now I simply must see that new 'Witch Yoo Hee' drama btw because he stars in it.