A review of Coffee House

Now that I’m one episode away from the big finale, I thought I should post some of my thoughts on this drama (I also need some things to revive the dying blog). I started out loving the series because every moment is unpredictable and fills me with anticipation.. I love the scriptwriters who came up with those nonsensical plots. A large part of my love also comes from my bias with Kang Ji-hwan, who plays the full-of-flaws writer, Lee Jin-soo in Coffee House.

He’s the man, Jin-soo.

Remember the second episode when Seung-yeon fell off the ladder while fixing the signboard at her coffee house and was clutching her dear life? Another, after Jin-soo hired Seung-yeon as his secretary very much to his reluctance, he began using her for his so-called writing research.. Helium gas, luggage fit, hoola-hoop from one point to the other..

The third episode, where Jin-soo got back at his senior, Ji-woo for Eun-young by ferrying him to faraway while he was unconscious. Poor Ji-won, he made Robinson Crusoe seem less pitiful because the latter at least know why and how he got to the island. While the naive Ji-won believed Jin-soo that he may really have been abducted by aliens.

All of these, may make Jin-soo look like some sadistic and heartless man but if you look at the other way, he actually is not. Given his unhappy past, he cuts himself from the outside world (no mobile phones, running away from public appearances), it’s like he wishes to be left alone for his remaining life. Which is pretty true, as revealed later in episode six. After his wife got killed in the car, Jin-soo could not get over with the fact and lived like a tramp. It was Eun-young who pulled him out of the pit by offering him the contract, which gives him a purpose to continue living. As you see from the beginning that Jin-soo only cares about finishing writing his books because of the contract that still bind him to this world.. He doesn’t give a damn to book-signing or interview sessions, which is why he is always on the run and why his friend, Eun-young gets so tired of cleaning up the mess he always creates and threatens to terminate the contract, which she eventually initiated in episode 10. This contract termination is also the turning point that makes Jin-soo realize what is he now without the living purpose.

Whatever Jin-soo did in the series makes Coffee House so much special and different from other series. If the scriptwriters had not included these moments, Coffee House would have set out to fail right from the beginning because..

Triangular relationships are BORING..

It makes her no different from other drama, basically all Korean dramas seem to have this vibe.. which deviates from reality. Well in Coffee House, it’s lot complicated that involves some overlapping.

Eun-young//Jin-soo//Seung-yeon

Jin-soo//Seung-yeon//Dong-wook

Jin-soo//Eun-young//Ji-won

Seriously, I have never considered Eun-young to get back with Ji-won in episode 15. The lad has been a pain in the ass, but somehow over the two years without the Jin-soo’s intervene, his relentless pursuit managed to touch Eun-young. So there you go. The writers need something to build on a reason for Jin-soo becoming the wedding crasher. Who else better fits the role of Eun-young’s fiancee but Ji-won, who had hurt Eun-young before and whom, Jin-soo had little fear for (Man to man, Ji-won is more childish than Jin-soo).

In the beginning, I would have preferred a Jin-soo//Seung-yeon ending because they do really seem compatible. When the two are together, they are always doing silly things that make me laugh. However, in the last few episodes, when Jin-soo was back from overseas, there weren’t any sparks between the two.. It’s only Seung-yeon’s one side love. Hence, she will continue to  look up to Jin-soo as her teacher, the one who groomed her to become a professional. While Seung-yeon has many years before she can gain the same achievements as Jin-soo, no doubt the two’s relationship will only maintain as writer/secretary. Jin-soo, who is Seung-yeon’s most respected and admired person and Seung-yeon, who in Jin-soo’s eyes, has matured and truly become a professional.

Now, I’m going to talk about the pair that eventually ends up together.

Eun-young and Jin-soo have been friends for many years. However, at that time Jin-soo was married. Hence, the couple missed the timing. Even if they love each other then, Jin-soo could not possibly give up his marriage for Eun-young. After his wife passed away, as I mentioned that it was Eun-young who pulled Jin-soo out of hell, which made their friendship even more valuable. I believe in the beginning, Eun-young’s love for Jin-soo was more than the man has for her. It was during the two years while overseas, Jin-soo truly realized who he wants to be with and hence, he came back with a proposal ring. Eun-young is the person he wants to protect.

Saying so much, I’m pretty convinced that the love here is different. It isn’t the kind that shows love on the surface, but rather, everything is expressed within the characters. You don’t hear them saying out “I love you” or those affectionate gestures. Rather, it’s the sacrifices that one would make so the one they love can live a better life. For example, Eun-young letting Jin-soo go on his trip in episode 12 because he needs the time to find back his true meaning of life. The second example is, when Jin-soo decides Eun-young deserves her happiness with Ji-won. Of course, that didn’t happen.. after the wedding crash.

To end, Coffee House may not have been the drama grabbed me my most attention. It is still a good production that is filled with fun and amiable characters.

Drama ratings. 4/5

A glimpse of new drama ~ Dong Yi

I was supposed to start on Merchant Kim Man-deok after seeing Shim Eun-kyung (I liked her from the time she acted in The Legend) is cast as the young Man Deok. KBS world channel was showing the BTS of her and the other guy, Do Ji-han, whom I believe is relatively new in the industry but have heard others sing praises of him. He is the one who acted as the young chap in Will it snow at Christmas? Anyway… After all those hoo-ha… I went to download Dong Yi seeing that the episodes are already up. What a fool.

Pasta, surprise

Can’t believe it, me either. I watched three out of the four debuts by yesterday (I’m halfway through Jejoongwon), the first episode of Pasta has swept me off my feet, follow by God of Study. Okay I take back my words that I was skeptical of where the drama is heading, cliche storyline? Nothing like it. The plot is well-paced and I was so delighted by Lee Seon-kyu’s acting and his throaty voice. *smitten The scenes where he hollers at his subordinates remind me Gordon Ramsey in Hell’s Kitchen. Outside the kitchen, he is the nice and quiet chap everyone likes but once he puts on the uniform, he transform into a MONSTER everyone hates. Way to go, Lee Seon-kyu! He comes informing Gong Hyo-jin’s character that those goldfish will die soon because they do not fit in his kitchen. Talk about gender discrimination in an implicit manner, you male chauvinist. Brr I think you will change subsequently.

Gong Hyo-jin is the gem in the drama. It’s a complete change watching her here to Thank You, she is bubblier though, little clumsy. Her encounter with Lee Seon-kyu’s character is a strange one, if you ask me. I’m surprised that the fish could still survive after the ordeal, falling onto the ground and deprived of water for a few minutes. Her hands must have some miraculous power, oh and Lee Seon-kyu’s healing water. Her stubborn act makes me like her more. Everyone can snub her, but for the sake to fulfill her dream as culinary chef, she won’t give up. Tell you, I admire her fighting spirit.

So far, I’m engrossed because of the food cinematography and kitchen scenes. Pasta is my favourite food and they show so many times in the drama (obviously they show it, otherwise why name the series Pasta?) I look forward to seeing next week.

Autumn’s Concerto

First Taiwan drama I watch this year — Autumn’s Concerto.

Well, how should I say this? I thought I was greeted by Korean’s Only You when I read the synopsis. The rich son falls in love with a penniless woman but are not fated to be together. Years later, the guy meets the woman one day and finds out she is a single-mom raising a six-seven year old son… except that the guy in Autumn’s Concerto has amnesia and could not recognize the woman he loved so deeply once. You can find similarity from Prince turns to Frog. It seems like they fuse not one but three different dramas into one because the scene where Ren Guangxi defends Liang Muchen at the hearing reminds me of Love Story in Harvard, remember Hyun-woo and Soo-in (my favourite couple)? Ah, I am not complaining because of Mucheng. The writers make her life so ill-fated that I cannot help but feel sorry for her – give up her love so Guangxi can be given a new life… give birth to a child who has chronic diabetes… Hence, when Guangxi finally returns to her life, I rejoice.

2010, what a great start

Should I praise the big three for starting my first week of 2010 awesome-ly? The year kicks off with four new dramas on 4th Jan then another another on 6th Jan. What a coincidence. It’s as though they have prearranged. Nah, it’s just happened that way because of the Gayo festivals held this week. Which should I watch first? All seem so interesting. Oh boy…

(I shall start in abbreviated order of the broadcast station)

KBS’s new drama replacing Invincible Lee Pyung Kang on Monday-Tuesday is God of Study, which stars Kim Soo-Ro, Bae Doona as the teachers and Lee Hyun-woo, Yoo Seung-ho, Lee Chan-ho, Ji Yeon and Go Ah-sun as underperformed students. The drama adapts from Japanese series Dragon Zakura, which I never watch. I cannot compare the two’s storyline. Hopefully God of Study gives the audience a different telling because to be honest, the scope is limited, seen I am Sam? What more can high school students face? Exam stress, peer influence, puppy love, always poor…

Nevertheless, God of Study is still on my radar because of three actors. I’m excited because this is the first drama Kim Soo-ro is taking. Yes, the evil stepmother, who always bully poor Chunderella and the big baby from Family Outing. In the past, he has played the teacher role in the film, Our School ET where he is a wacky teacher. Here, I’m not too certain if he is still the same wacky teacher or a nasty one, but I can be sure that his presence will bring me tears of laughter. Next is Lee Hyun-woo, the last time I saw him is in Queen Seonduk, where he acts the young Kim Yoo-shin. Something just sticks him in my mind, maybe it’s him striking the wooden pole thousand times. He has got the charms and I really want to see more of him. Last up, Yoo Seung-ho, who is playing the rebellious kid. I’m thinking he is going to fight or be some unsung hero in the drama. Who wants to miss a chauvinistic person like him? Not me.