Beethoven Virus: It's Appeal
Note:
This is another entry about Kang Mae, so be warned. A bit spoilery. This should have been posted a few weeks back, LOL.
I first watched BV online in November, while the drama is currently airing its final episodes. I've been meaning to write about this touching drama; I've only managed to write about how I can’t get enough of the phenomenal Kang Mae/Maestro Kang (see earlier post). But I felt that I’ve not written enough, that there is so much more to share about how this drama affected me. So, during the Christmas break, I made it a point to watch Beethoven Virus again. This time, a rewatch of the whole series not just my favorite Kang Mae scenes or Kang-Mi (Kang Mae and Du RuMi) scenes and since I had no work, I was able to pay close attention to some things that I might have missed out.
So, what do I love about BV? Why am I so addicted to it? What was it about the series that I find touching and memorable?
I super love him when he is conducting; such intensity and passion
My answer is: I find Kang Mae and his personal journey, his metamorphosis, appealing (Don’t I just love to write about him, LOL!). Kang Mae is one interesting yet complex character that I’d love to probe into. As described, he is a no nonsense conductor and a perfectionist. He is known in the music community as the conductor who interprets the musical score closely to how it was really intended by the composer, or to put it simply, his renditions are seemingly perfect. There is one major observation though, his music is somewhat suppressed as if the emotions coming from it are stifled. The masterpiece certainly speaks about its creator, as they say. Kang Mae’s music is a reflection of his personality - stern, rigid, upright and incapable of emotions, or at least that's what he thinks so or what he is attempting to do. Having a harsh childhood and having his share of trials and challenges in life, he has learned to erect walls between himself and the world; having only his music and his dog as companions. He thinks that feeling or facing different kinds of emotions makes one weak and vulnerable so he built up these defenses so that nothing can harm him. He dislikes change. And so, when he meets the orchestra members, especially Du Ru Mi, he in plunged into a world that he has avoided for so long. He is made to feel various kinds of emotions, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. It was touching to see Kang Mae struggle in coming to terms to his being emotional; that he is human after all. And no matter how hard he convinces himself - that he is invulnerable; that he doesn’t care at all and that he can totally return to his old self; he is in fact a changed man. This is manifested in a change in his music as well as how he views and deals with his orchestra members.
Kang Mae smiling; flirting a little (?)
In the end, he acknowledges that he is new at this - that he’ll never know when he’ll waver again but he also knows that he cannot run from his feelings anymore; except that he needs time to get accustomed to this new side of him.
A changed Kang Mae
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