Tree of Heaven: Tears, heartbreak, yakuza, doom, incestuous siblings. All in a day's work for Korea.

[darkeyedwolf]

Tree of Heaven

Comments

[ren_squared]

Awww damn I may have to watch this one. When did pretty boys start replacing plot in my tastes?

[darkeyedwolf]

When you got into Asian entertainment? *g*

[ren_squared]

.......true fact. I tried to resist in the beginning but alas I failed horribly

[darkeyedwolf]

Don't blame yourself. They seduce us with shiny costumes and hip rolls, and then there's no chance of resistance.

[ojuzu]

At first I misread that as 'Whatshername the female lead cuts her hair and joins the Yakuza', because I fail at remembering names. I doubt I will ever watch this, but if my misreading had been correct I would be doing so RIGHT NOW. Just to see our angsty Hana chop her hair off and act like Hojo's assistant from Sanctuary.

[darkeyedwolf]

a;sdfkljfsdf that would've AWESOME. I think it needs its own drama. "Leave me for Tokyo? I'll join the motherfucking mob."

[ojuzu]

"And if you need me, I'll be helping this guy take over Japan. With his sexy awesomeness. - Oh, and if you touch me again, Mr Tokai, I'll castrate you instead of just kicking you." And of course Mr Tokai would be going "Yaaay! She's a lot like my dead wife. Now I can live Yakuza-ly ever after with her and Hojo. Who I love to bits."

The above may or may not make sense if you have not read Sanctuary. Which you should go do. Like, now. (Good luck finding it.)

[darkeyedwolf]

*flails* What is with people reccing me things that are impossible to find? This is punishment for all the drama pushing, isn't it? This teasing.

[dangermousie]

Oh God. I am pretty sure this is in my Top 5 Korean dramas. I ship the two of them so fucking hard it makes no sense, even if they aren't really healthy together. But he gets stabbed for her! And they huddle in the blankets and kiss through glass.

I watched this puppy in one day, while ill, and with Engrish subtitles and still loved it.

Evil cousin spends most of her time throwing herself at Yoon Suh, who manfully resists her advances because his virtue is pure like snow and belongs to no one but his sister.

ROFL.

Also, I am thinking. Have you ever watched A Love to Kill? It just might be up your alley. Rain is a bum/boxer/bodyguard who becomes a bodyguard to this actress in order to ruin her and avenge his brother but falls for her instead. The amount of dysfunction on both their parts is frightening and frighteningly addictive. How shall I put it? At one point they decide not to kill themselves because it's an easy way out! Heh.

[dangermousie]

[vierran45]

*butting in* Try A Love to Kill. It's awesome!

[darkeyedwolf]

So much drama, so little time!!

[guiltyschu]

OH MY GOD, I WATCHED THIS RECENTLY OVER HERE WITH A FRIEND. IT WAS DELICIOUS.

That scene at the end, where Hana is all (spoiler) "Oh this new heart is great, it feels just like my own!" my friend actually stood up, screamed at the screen, then rolled around on the ground crying for ages (I took photos). The makers of this show couldn't have asked for a better reaction.

How great were his house-cleaning, match-making yakuza buddies though? LOL.

[darkeyedwolf]

THAT SHOULDN'T BE HILARIOUS. IT REALLY SHOULDN'T. But I am laughing so hard. I felt their pain.

You know my favorite scene?

ICESKATING.

[bitterbee]

Wow, what a mess! But the inexplicable yakuza incarnation is pretty damned hot. And I like the rival woman's red dress.

I wonder, would the drama have the same angst without the Christian themes? Cuz there's nothing like Christianity for a nice helping of guilt (preferably Catholicism, but other varieties work too).

*despairs at ever catching up*

[darkeyedwolf]

*considers* Incest, violence, revenge. Tree of Heaven... might just be the live-action Bible.

[bitterbee]

Oh boy -- your comment reminds me of a novel in which a protective mother writes out the Bible by hand so she can expurgate the naughty bits and make it suitable for her woefully naive daughter to read. That's dedication.

Meanwhile, is he really mute? (I had forgotten that was a characteristic in your pithy plot summary) Can one successfully perform yakuza shakedowns without being able to issue verbal threats? Or does he just do beatdowns after someone else threatens?

[darkeyedwolf]

He's selectively mute in the beginning, but Hana's pure and tear-stricken love ~opens his heart~. And his mouth. (It's not really a major plot point, I just had to mention it because YS in the first half is such a weirdo, like, that was an even bigger draw for me than the incest, I wanted to know how such a messed-up kid could ever have a functioning relationship. Of course, then the drama timeskipped. That was convenient.)