Dating Now

Cast:

Chae Rim
So ji Sub
Kwon Sang Woo
Lee Ui Jeong

Despite its antiquated packaging and the characters infantile pose, I had still managed to take sometime out and check the drama that I bought ages ago. The title is very plain, that is why it took me centuries before having the drive to watch it. Dating Now, not another dating movie, not another cheesy/sugary flick that can coax the onslaught of ants elsewhere and you know, wheedle my usually un-romantic self. I guess I have mistakenly underestimated the drama for after watching it 2 days straight with the company of my Mom (who absolutely enjoyed it), I must certainly commend its extraordinary approach on teenage-then-formal dating. It’s quite funny because hanging out with my Mom roused the pressure that I, myself should engage in a serious relationship…soon!

Friends

Anyway, the focal point of Dating Now is the common trial and error phase of young adults when it comes to looking for the right person around. Although quite traditional when it comes to the mix and match process, the guy should provide for the girl, the guy should be stronger than the girl, the girl should look for a richer guy, I admire the stronghold on friendship in relationship. The circle of friends depicted in the drama shows that friendship is very much important in a relationship: Yoon Ho Jae and Kang Soo Ji (Kwon Sang Woo and Lee Ui Jeong), Choi Kyo In and Kang Cha Hee (So Ji Sub and Choi Yoon Yeong) and Choi Kyo In and Yoon Ho Jung (So Ji Sub and Chae Rim). Friends can be lovers and lovers can be friends, although the latter is very crucial.

Boys Next Door

The dating men in the drama were not given that much justice. Kyo In’s character is very unlikable. Until the end, he did not have the balls to stand up for what he feels. He is a disciplined person yet he does not know the discipline of love. The drama went in circles just because Kyo In gave Ho Jung a hard time before he confessed what he truly feels. He is the complete opposite of Ho Jae, who is more impulsive and gives a nonchalant take on having a dentist-girlfriend, whose family was initially against him. Kyo In is the symbolism of Man’s Pride, which the character of Ho Jae lacks.

Body Builders: Kwon Sang Woo and So Ji Sub

The only loophole I can find in the character of men in the drama is the transition, especially with Ho Jae’s stance. What is the turning point that made him decide he is no longer a womanizer?

A Day In A Girl’s So Called Life

The women in the drama are all conventional ones: Chae Rim’s character is very far from other Korean women in Korean dramas. The only thing I liked in her is how the drama characterized her growth during her learning period in dating. The drama showcased her trail of having boyfriends and failed relationships. From her first love until loving a long time friend, Ho Jung gained a lot. It is just strange when it comes to the first love of Koreans. They really are an overly dramatic race. How can one remember a childhood sweetheart? I don’t even know my then classmates well. Anyways, Chae Rim’s juvenile and innocent bearing in the drama is reliable and credible. The role of Ho Jung is perfectly fit for her, I can’t think of anyone else.


Chae Rim and So Ji Sub

The ‘Rents

The odd thing about Dating Now is the authoritative mothers in the family. It is very peculiar to have a dominant woman in a Korean family. Korea is founded on filial relationships inclined to the men in the society. The comic relief in the drama is owed from the feud of the mothers of 2 families: Yeol Sun (Kim Young Ae), the despicable mother of Ho Jae and Ho Jung who works as a taxi driver and is always attracted to anyone’s material wealth and Tae Hee (Sun Eun Suk), the mother of Soo Ji who is a doctor and is concerned with the maintenance of their family’s social standing.

Actors and Actresses


The eccentric Kwon Sang Woo as Yoon Ho Jae and Lee Ui Jeong as Kang Soo Ji

Each character fits on his or her own: So Ji Sub’s trademark smile while doing a dialogue (also evident in Sorry, I Love You), Kwon Sang Woo’s naughty but in the end, good-natured appearance, Chae Rim’s always smiling bearing and Lee Ui Jeong’s reality-inspired geek guise.

Commendations

The drama is definitely a must for confused people when it comes to dating. Although Chae Rim is the lead/narrative in the drama and dating is mostly taken from a woman’s point of view, there are numerous takes for the benefit of the opposite sex as well. This drama is also good for the improvement of parent-child relationship. I was very observant of my Mom while watching the drama; seeing her nods and other signs of approval, I can sense her open-mindedness when it comes to the freethinking stance of women of today.

for more info about the drama click here

Too Beautiful To Lie

Cast:
Kim Ha Neul as Joo Young Ju
Kang Dong Won as Choi Hee Chul


A woman on parole is set to visit her marrying sister when she met a man who is about to propose to his city chick girlfriend. Both of them are on the train. The woman was sleeping when the man’s engagement ring (inherited from his late mother) accidentally fell under the woman’s legs. The woman mistaken the man as a pervert so the latter started explaining to her what happened and he inevitably told stories to prove that he is not that kind of person. The woman eventually saw a pickpocket steal the man’s ring so she, as an expert in fraud took back the ring from the thief. Being too busy and pleased with her act, she left her bag in the train. She is now on her way to YongKang (the man’s hometown), to return the ring and retrieve her bag (which has her present for her sister’s wedding). Upon her arrival, she met a series of fortunate events that helped her on her way to the man’s home and eventually to the man’s heart.





Kim Ha Neul played the role of Joo Young Ju, the aforementioned woman whose parole was immediately approved after her moving story in front of the authority. In this particular movie, she is as likable as her previous roles in movies such as My Tutor Friend and Almost Love (both with actor, Kwon Sang Woo). She is a very simple but quite talented actress. Although her roles may seem to be a bit plain for her to be renowned in the acting race, she makes sure that her acting is perfectly fit for her role, the movie and its audience. Kang Dong Won who played the role of Choi Hee Chul, the man who lost his ring for his girlfriend provided most of the humor evident in the film. He is just adorable on screen that first time viewers of his acting will easily fall for his charisma and realistic gestures.



I like the different take on lying in this drama. Although not really highlighted, some lies stem from the truth. Human beings plunge into lying because of being too truthful. The role of Joo Young Ju proved that she has no intentions of lying but because of her true intentions about the people around her, the truth was exaggerated into the boundary of lies. Even when she was interrogated and evaluated for her plead to be on parole, she used all the truth that she can think of at the time when she needed to lie. She mentioned her sister, the woodwork that she has been doing for her sister and even the cruel life set for her. The only loophole that I have noticed upon the interweaving of events in the drama is the failure in characterization. The audience will know that Young Ju was put into jail because of fraud. Nonetheless, it is very important to take note of the consistency in her character. Was the fraud because she was set up? Was she really guilty? Did she live a good life prior to her imprisonment? On the other, Kang Dong Won’s character failed to be given strength. If he is a good student, won’t he at least do a thorough investigation of Young Ju before deciding to be with her in the end? Why is he very afraid of his father? It seems that he is close to his family but they never really knew his whereabouts. How come they believed Young Ju instead of him? Is it even realistic to marry someone who had been in jail in our society?

These are array of questions the movie failed to answer, at least from my point of view. Yet, I will still give commendations when it comes to the movie’s attempt for a simple screenplay that can fork into significant ones. I also admire the plot likened to a jigsaw puzzle that settles everything into its place. So I must say this movie is too beautiful to be rejected, too beautiful to lie that I didn’t like it.

Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy

Cast:
Gong Hyo Jin
Gong Yoo
Kim Da Hyeon
Choi Yeo Jin
Jang Hee Jin

No matter how my sister often argues with me about Gong Hyo Jin being an impressive and talented actress, I could not help being resolute about it because she is, indeed, a great actress. From her tranquil performance in Guns and Talk, to her rowdy demeanor in Conduct Zero; from her combative undertaking in Volcano High to her wailing days in Sang Doo Let’s Go To School, it seems that she is progressing in every role that is set for her. In this particular drama, she plays the role of Na Bo Ri (funny because Bo Ri is the name of her niece in Sang Doo). Bo Ri was once kicked out of school because of behavioral misunderstanding. Ever since, she worked as hard as she can to be able to go through college. She is an aspiring teacher because she wanted to erase the memory of her cruel past when she was alleged of a misdemeanor, and she wanted to meet the man of her dreams for the past 6 years, her Art teacher, Ji Hyun Woo.




The men in this drama should not be taken as the usual men that most Korean dramas have. In fact, the love triangle is not as simple and done to death as the typical ones that we had. Ji Hyun Woo, played by the singer Kim Da Hyun is Na Bo Ri’s Art teacher and long time crush. He also, without the knowledge of Na Bo Ri, has a long time attraction to her. When Bo Ri was assigned to be the special teacher of Park Tae In (Gong Yoo), the latter fell in love with her. But Bo Ri, at first, does not want Tae In (he is her student for education’s sake!). Tae In’s classmate, played by the actress Choi Yeo Jin, is the one who is deeply in love with him. Bo Ri and Hyun Woo’s love relationship, on the other, will be spoiled once Jang Hee Jin (Hyun Woo’s supposed fiancée) comes back from France.





And one more thing that the viewers will take note of is the inevitable and crucial tendency of one to have a hard time choosing between the two men vying to be the apple of Bo Ri’s eyes. Unlike in other Korean dramas, men are meant to be competing with each other but never to be on the same footing. To give concrete examples:

1. Lee Young Jae vs. Yoo Min Hyuk (Full House)

Some people would want Young Jae because of his playfulness, but some will choose Min Hyuk because of how he treats the lead female, Han Ji Eun. To do reverse, people will hate Young Jae because he is very childish and prideful. On the other, some will hate Min Hyuk because he has the predisposition of a womanizer.

2. Cha Sang Doo vs. Kang Min Suk (Sang Doo, Let’s Go To School)

Even if Sang Doo is the main lead and despite the fact that Rain plays the main role, he is still a gigolo with a sick daughter to raise. Some might dislike the doctor Kang Min Suk because the lead, Chae Eun Hwan, is just using him to forget her love in the past.

3. Cha Song Ju vs. Han Tae Hwa (Stairway to Heaven)

Han Tae Hwa is very pitiful. But without him, things would have been easier for Song Ju and Jung Suh. On the other, some will hate Song Ju for being blind to what is happening around him. And how come he agrees to be engaged with the evil Yu Ri?


4. Prince Shin vs. Prince Yul (Princess Hours)

Both are lovable. Prince Shin in his majestic looks, Prince Yul with his appeal. Some might hate Shin because of his two-timer/I-want-it-all attitude when it comes to his girlfriend and Chae Kyoung. Some might hate Yul because he is plotting something against the Royal family.


Now, if we will compare Park Tae In against his uncle, Jin Hyun Woo, both will be likable and err, indispensable for a woman. Although Tae In is just a high school student, one can see the potential in him to be very successful because of his hard work and determination. He is the typical problem child who gets into numerous and random fights because he is rebelling against his father, who he thought, never loved his late mom. He always insinuates that he never cried after his mom committed suicide. But after meeting his Biscuit Teacher, Bo Ri, he completely became a changed person. He experienced love for the first time because for him, only his mother gave and showed him that love. Although his love may be rooted as lack of filial love, the viewer can still sense that innocence and purity that he shows to Bo Ri. In fact, there were some scenes in the drama wherein his love can be regarded as unconditional (though he at times, go to the church and prays for Bo Ri to love him) when he prepared the engagement party in his class for Bo Ri and his uncle and when he called his uncle every time Bo Ri will run to him for help.




Likewise, let us take a look at Ji Hyun Woo, who is Bo Ri’s Art teacher and Tae In’s uncle. He is the man of every woman’s dreams. He is very handsome, comes from a good family, has a very bright future, loves to paint and is very sensible. Bo Ri had a long time crush on him since her high school days in school. Although he is very dream-like, he changed this dream misconception into reality when he confessed to Bo Ri that he had liked her since their teacher-student relationship days. Imagine, your teacher waiting for you to graduate so that both of you can be mature enough to be in a romantic relationship! I was suddenly reminded of my professors and teachers whom I admired years ago! So Bo Ri did not do anything when they met again to make her teacher fall in love with her. It was a long time attraction.

Whew! So if you are or I am Na Bo Ri, who will you or I choose? Someone who waited for me and I waited for in the past 6 years, or someone who I feel comfortable with and someone whom I starting to love?

To go off on a tangent, let’s move on to the substantial value and point this drama has made in our society because that’s what dramas and other media production should do, right? Anyhow, the setting revolves around the school vicinity. The characters fill up the roles of teachers and students. Love intercedes with a very critical and sensitive relationship of teachers and students. A student falling in love with a teacher and vice-versa can be one of the factors to subvert the traditional system of education in our society. This drama also contests the status quo of the educators in different schools and institutions. Most of the teachers portrayed in the drama are the strict and terror ones who always resort to punishment and humiliation once the students are alleged to perpetrate or do an act of offense. This so-called subversion is very much evident in the role of Gong Hyo Jin as a teacher. Na Bo Ri’s character is very much likened to that of the teacher in the Japanese manga, Gokusen, and Takuya Kimura’s helpful character in another Japanese drama, Engine. She makes sure that every action of a student in school is rooted from family and personal matters. Students rebel with a reason. Students fail with a reason. For her, there is no such thing as a permanent nuisance.

In one of the episodes, a very calm teacher/adviser mentioned to the principal, “Students should always be kept in school. Expulsion would do them no good. Students come to school to study. If they are expelled, where else can they properly learn from?” So it is foreseeable that this drama will be a good commendation for the role of guidance counselors and homeroom advisers. Aspiring teachers like myself (although I am currently teaching already) will learn a lot from this drama. Education and the educator should always complement the ones to be educated. This is a call for student-centeredness in schools, colleges and universities. Although we still have a majority of traditional schools, this drama gives confidence to break free from tradition and initiate, invigorate and ignite pure and free spirits to do something essential and fundamental to make not only the students, but also ourselves, learn.