This is a Sungkyunkwan Scandal Pimp Post: 7 Reasons Why You Should Watch It
Girl cross-dresses to get into an all-boys school and/or join a rock band for the sake of a man. Sound familiar? Sungkyunkwan Scandal has been likened to trendy dramas like Boys Over Flowers (for the boys) and You’re Beautiful (for the cross-dressing). I’d say the premise is typical-think Hana Kimi saeguk-style-but that’s not what SKK is all about.
Although the drama’s ratings aren’t sky high, they’re steadily going up and I’ve got a strong feeling they’ll continue to do so. Why? Because SKK is too good a drama to pass up. It’s not reaching epic proportions for me yet but I’m pretty sure it’s headed there and I’m excited to be there when it happens. If you’re not watching SKK yet, there's no better time! You won't regret it. There are pretty boys, yes, but SKK is more than Song Joongki’s lovely face (and Yooh Ah In’s charisma-he was already awesome before this, but who knew he could do rough and sexy so well?). There’s so much to love about this drama. Let me start you off with seven reasons. You’ll find more as you watch the drama, I swear.
Although Joongki's pretty boy face ain't unwelcome...mhhm.
A few notes before we begin…
The Premise: Kim Yoonhee’s (Park Min Young) brother is ill and so she lives a double life as a maiden and a male scribe to earn a little bit of money. When an unpaid family debt pushes her into an unwanted coupling, Lee Sunjoon (Micky Yoochun), a minister’s son, gives her an unexpected opportunity that allows her to get into the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University-as a boy, of course. Much hilarity, romance, and political games ensue.
The Main Characters:
Micky Yoochun as Lee Sunjoon, the highly principled but stuffy scholar
Park Min Young as Kim Yoonhee, the plucky heroine disguised as a boy
Song Joong Ki as Goo Yongha, the mysterious smiling playboy
Yoo Ah In as Moon Jaeshin, the scruffy but hot man who came out of nowhere
Onto the list. Why should you watch SKK? Let me count the ways...
1. The lead guy is not a jerk.
Morals...he has them. :|
My main problem with a lot of k-dramas (which also usually triggers my second lead syndrome) is that the lead guys are jerks. Meanies. Bullies. Let’s take Goong, for example, where the ice prince doesn’t even do anything for the lead girl until it’s almost the last episode-and she just blindly follows him for the entire series. Prince Yul might have been the bad guy (and, boy, he did some bad things) but he was the girl’s shoulder to cry on and always picked up the pieces. Why can't the nice guy get the girl?
Lee Sunjoon, on the other hand, sticks to his morals so much that he gets ridiculed and bullied-for standing for what he believes in! Does he get back at them? Besides proving their words wrong (with pithy statements of his own) and striving to become even more moral, uh, no. He’s a really idealistic character who believes in fairness and equality, and this shows in how he constantly helps our female protagonist using his principles as a shield for his good deeds (don’t worry, Yoonhee uses this reason right back at him!).
But there’s more! Romantic subplots aside, Lee Sunjoon is just an interesting character in general. I’ll be the first to say I wasn’t impressed with Park Yoochun’s acting in the first episode, but as I started watching more of SKK, I saw some definite signs of improvement. More importantly, I began to understand Lee Sunjoon. Lee Sunjoon is a man of principles, but it’s for the same reason that he appears so innocent. I find his dedication (*cough* stubbornness) when it comes to what he believes in very admirable. At the same time, this makes me want to pat him on the back for ‘not knowing much about the real world, son’. I can almost see Sunjoon shaking his head at me for saying that.
2. The lead girl is not a damsel in distress.
She may not look like it but this gal's got balls.
A female lead that I can admire and root for from the start? That’s Yoonhee for you. She’s smart, she’s resourceful, she’s brave, and she’s family-oriented. Yet she wants to do something for herself too-you see her warring with herself a lot of the time. In a way, she’s just as principled as Sunjoon, just a lot more practical-well, she has experience. This is evident in the way she doesn’t refuse the king’s royal edict. She accepts it as something that has to be done and even uses it as part of her argument with her mother for letting her go to Sungkyunkwan.
In order to really understand how cool Yoonhee is, you just have to think about it: pretending to be a boy and entering university in the Joseon era is a serious crime. This isn’t the modern times where the worst that can happen is she gets expelled and the lead guy doesn’t want to see her ever again. She can die.
But, anyway, what I really find awesome about her is that she doesn’t allow herself to get stepped on. She’s learning, and a lot of the time she ends up confused (just like Sunjoon!), but that’s what makes her progress so much more fun to watch.
3. Great casting. The side characters all shine in their roles!
I cry under my skin too, Kang Sung Pil. :'D
Even Yoonhee’s family makes me want to root for them. Cho Sun who’s so awesome you can’t help but love her. And all of Ha In Soo’s lackeys are so goddamn funny (Kang Sung Pil of Queen Seon Deok is just hilarious!). Even the bit characters have a lot to play with and the tiny glimpses you get of their characters makes you want to see more of them. Did I mention Sunjoon’s dad (played by Kim Gab Soo from Cinderella’s Sister) is one of my favorite older Korean actors?
4. I cu second lead syndrome.
It's raining Joongki! Where? Where?
Can we just take a moment to praise Song Joongki for his awesome portrayal of Yongha who’s pretty much the ultimate flower boy. He’s so goddamn mysterious, though, that you can’t help reading into everything he says. Behind those smiles is a hidden agenda and possibly a troubled past. I have a feeling he’ll make my heart break in more ways than one.
Um. Unf.
Also. Yooh Ah In. I can’t believe my Antique Bakery boy has turned into this hot gruff man. I didn’t know he had it in him! My spazzing aside, Jaeshin is the character everyone’s secretly (or not so secretly) rooting for. Although no one really hates Sunjoon, Jaeshin’s “I’m rough but I’m inwardly a softie, please don’t break my heart” persona is a pretty tough act to follow. You can tell he breathed life into the first episode as soon as he appeared. Charisma. Boy knows how to work it. Coupled with an awesome background song (Kim Junsu’s Too Love; so deceptively happy in beat but the words are so heartbreaking) and general badassery, Jaeshin’s out to take everyone’s hearts. I’m just waiting for the inevitable tears when, wonder of wonders, duh, the second lead doesn’t get the girl.
Note to self: Make Yongha and Jaeshin picspams in the future.
5. I can get behind the OTP. Yes, I can!
"Thanks for saving my life. Not. Where's my money, you jerk!"
Although my second lead syndrome certainly feels for Jaeshin, SKK’s OTP is so believable I find myself wanting to get behind them too. Usually, drama OTPs make me puke and sadface because I don't understand how the most incompatible people in the world get paired up together...especially when the girl deserves so much better. Anyway, I love Sunjoon and Yoonhee’s dynamic. Their banter is precious and neither of them ever gives in-except they secretly do! They help each other and complement each other’s faults. Plus, they’re also quite similar although they'll never admit it, I bet. I don’t know, there’s just something about their combined industriousness and determination that tickles my fancy. As a couple, they stabilize each other.
6. There’s a plot! They have awesome lines!
This isn’t your typical romantic comedy! It’s about women empowerment, morals, and family values. There’s also a larger political plot to worry about. I love how the story just keeps building and building up. It’s only a matter of time before the shit hits the fan-and we’re all going to be glued to our screens watching every moment.
7. Killer soundtrack.
Click to viewI could say a lot more about about the drama but the OST...it just works, man. I love OSTs so much and SKK’s didn’t disappoint me. Even the instrumentals are beautiful. They make me giddy or sad at the appropriate moments. It’s gotten to that point where I actually considered buying the OST. But that’s just me. I am obviously obsessed. ): I'll discuss SKK's low points when I'm done fangirling about it.
Screencaps from Dramabeans.com. Others are official SKK photos.
I apologize for my extremely long sentences. I am giddy, it's late, and I have work tomorrow. Just pretend you get the gist and watch Sungkyunkwan Scandal if you haven't already! That's the reason I made this giant post anyway.