This drama has given me hope that there is life after “My Girl” =) Thank goodness for that!

It’s the usual story of an arrogant, rich guy meeting a pretty, intelligent poor girl. They meet –> hate each other –> forced to stay together –> fall in love –> face obstacles –> live happily ever after. What makes it interesting was how the story was told.

Mong-ryong and Chun-hyang met and got married when they were high schoolers. Mong-ryong is a problem child of a police chief who always gets in trouble, while Chun-hyang is a studious and responsible girl of a cabaret singer. Due to some unexpected happenings, they had to get married to avoid a scandal but agreed to only stay married until end of high school then decide to go on their separate ways. Their life together were full of bickerings but through it all, they’ve grown to regard each other as friends. While together, Chun-hyang did her best to be a good influence to Mong-ryong, even helping him get accepted to a very prestigious school. The pair got accepted to the same college but Chun-hyang, being strapped for cash was unable to go. Since she didn’t want Mong-ryong and his family to feel obligated to fund her studies, she pretended wanting a break-up, then promptly disappeared.

Those scenes where she’s trying to say goodbye to Mong-ryong and his family was so heart-breaking =( Watching her pretend to be happy while giving up on her dream of going to college, leaving the comfort of her new family, and Mong-ryong whom she’s grown to love is so sad. I wanted to yell out, “just tell them already!” but then, the story would have ended at episode 4. =)

College time is where we see Mong-ryong actually grow up. Not exactly mature, but he figured out what (or who) he wants. And once he figured it out, he pursues with such persistence, you can’t help but root for him. No matter how underhanded and childishly he does it. Mong-ryong, swallowing his arrogance, all for his love for Chun-hyang is also very endearing. It’s probably the girl in me, but how can you not love a man who’s willing to do anything for the girl he loves? **sigh**

But like in any korean drama, there is always the element of the love square in the form of Mong-ryong’s childhood love (Chae-rin) and Chun-hyang’s admirer (Hak-do). These two kept on throwing obstacles between the two that it took them almost 10 years before they finally had their HEA. Imagine, the story span is more or less 10 years, but I never got bored. The transitions where done beautifully, I never felt the jump in years to be unrealistic.

The wedding scene in the finale is so beautifully done. They’ve intertwined the wedding vows being exchanged by the old era and present Mong-ryong and Chun-hyang. They have made a promise of being together forever, until the next life. While watching it, it makes you feel that the vows made by the present “them” is a fulfillment their promise and fate has brought them together again. It’s sweet, and makes you feel that on another lifetime, it’ll be them again.

I think I’ve gushed enough, I’ll just put the rest in bullet-points:

• Stand-out cry-out-loud scenes for me is where Mong-ryong got so drunk and passed out, and Chun-hyang crying beside him.
• Mong-ryong on recognizing his one true love. After they got divorced, he was never interested in falling in love again.
• I was so proud to see Mong-ryong succeed in life as a prosecutor. And even as a prosecutor, he never lost his arrogance. It made more appealing, with the bad boy/no-fear aura ;p
• At the end of the drama, I was thinking back on where the story started and what happened in between and it made me feel nostalgic. To think that I finished the story in four days, but I felt that I went through their roller-coaster ride with them. I think that reflects on how good the story-telling was.
• The old era spoofs are an icebreaker to all the drama.
• They made a spoof on other dramas! That was funny =) It would have been funnier for me if I’m familiar with the dramas that were spoofed. I only recognized Full House, I think.
• The action sequences are very well executed. I’m a chick flick girl but I especially liked the action here. Dunno why.
• Mong-ryong’s dad here is the sleazy looking uncle in My Girl. It’s such a big contrast for me because I hated him in My Girl, but I adore him here. He’s so self-righteous but endearing at the same time. And no matter how hard he is on Mong-ryong, you would understand that it is all because he loves his son very much.
• Seeing a happy ending for Dan-hee and Ji-Hyuk is quite satisfying. Though I don’t care much for Dan-hee, I’m happy to see Ji-Hyuk happy and successful in the end.

All-in-all, a very nice drama to watch. Now I feel guilty that I’ve done such a detailed review here and I didn’t do it for my all time favorite. I now have an excuse to watch “My Girl” again and do a full recap =D