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