After watching this series a second time, I am upgrading the rating to 9 stars.
Situated in 2015 Seoul, a 35 year old submissive woman meets younger guy, is wooed and falls in love. The relationship between Jin-A and Jun-Hui, 10 years her junior, is both touching and annoying. The miscommunication, indirectness, missed opportunities, etc., make for some interesting plot arcs. It is enjoyable to watch Jin-A progress from a woman who cannot believe she possesses a guy who is totally consumed by her into someone who, in one sense, doesn't need him anymore but, in another sense, knows he is the only man who will ever truly love her and thus won't settle for anything less.
At the lowest level, this series is a Romeo and Juliet type of love story, but it has a number of other more interesting plot issues that make it one of the better k- dramas that is definitely worth the viewer's time. The most important one is the heroine's development into a self confident woman who maintains her compassionate dignity. Next is the sexual harassment plot arc that must be fully played out and ultimately affects the romance. The ultra-traditional mother, who demands Jin-a marries a wealthy husband to the point of, absurdity, takes on a comedic role at times. American viewers who know nothing about Korean culture, like me, may be struck by the constraints placed on Korean women: family duty, the favoring of the son, male chauvinism and laws that seem to treat women as 2nd class citizens. This realistic glimpse into Korean life may be the series best aspect and sets it apart from many other Korean shows.
Son Ye-jin, whose wholesome beauty and effortless acting in the role of Jin-A, has a good screen presence and stands out by virtue of the seemingly mild mannered self-deprecating character she develops into mature self-confident woman who decides to live life on her own terms. Supported by a very capable cast, Son is able to juxtapose her character against a panoply of relatives, friends and colleagues who, due to their bondage to Korean traditions, have some significant issues that test Jin-a's determination and humanity.
All told, this would make a very good first Korean drama series for you to watch
Situated in 2015 Seoul, a 35 year old submissive woman meets younger guy, is wooed and falls in love. The relationship between Jin-A and Jun-Hui, 10 years her junior, is both touching and annoying. The miscommunication, indirectness, missed opportunities, etc., make for some interesting plot arcs. It is enjoyable to watch Jin-A progress from a woman who cannot believe she possesses a guy who is totally consumed by her into someone who, in one sense, doesn't need him anymore but, in another sense, knows he is the only man who will ever truly love her and thus won't settle for anything less.
At the lowest level, this series is a Romeo and Juliet type of love story, but it has a number of other more interesting plot issues that make it one of the better k- dramas that is definitely worth the viewer's time. The most important one is the heroine's development into a self confident woman who maintains her compassionate dignity. Next is the sexual harassment plot arc that must be fully played out and ultimately affects the romance. The ultra-traditional mother, who demands Jin-a marries a wealthy husband to the point of, absurdity, takes on a comedic role at times. American viewers who know nothing about Korean culture, like me, may be struck by the constraints placed on Korean women: family duty, the favoring of the son, male chauvinism and laws that seem to treat women as 2nd class citizens. This realistic glimpse into Korean life may be the series best aspect and sets it apart from many other Korean shows.
Son Ye-jin, whose wholesome beauty and effortless acting in the role of Jin-A, has a good screen presence and stands out by virtue of the seemingly mild mannered self-deprecating character she develops into mature self-confident woman who decides to live life on her own terms. Supported by a very capable cast, Son is able to juxtapose her character against a panoply of relatives, friends and colleagues who, due to their bondage to Korean traditions, have some significant issues that test Jin-a's determination and humanity.
All told, this would make a very good first Korean drama series for you to watch