You are the Best, Lee Soon Shin

I have written about my love-hate relationship with Korean dramas https://aserendipitiouslife.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/fantasy-couple/.  I have watched almost all the popular ones, right from Autumm of the Heart days, and  I have only completed three? four? series.In other words, despite the many, many random episodes of the many, many korean dramas I have been forced to watch (my mother refuses to change channels), the number I actually enjoyed can be counted with the fingers on one hand. Other previous K-drama posts: my lovely kim sam soon and hana yori dango

My latest favourite: You are the Best, Lee Soon Shin. I have watched 14 episodes  (think there are  50 in all), and I love, love, love it!

I am not going into details about the plot  but for basic information, just wiki. Dramabeans does great episode recaps, but there are spoilers so if you are concerned, watch the episode first :).

Why I am loving this series

1) Lee Yoo Shin (Yoo In Na) and Park Chan Woo (Go Joo Won)- they are the supporting couple- Yoo Shin is the older sister of lead character Soon Shin (IU) and Chan Woo is their neighbour/object of Soon Shin’s (predictably initial) affections.

Go Joo Won is gorgeous- 1.83m tall and strapping (check out his muscled topless body when he took care of a drunk Yoo Shin), with a very handsome mug. Chan Woo is a skillful doctor (in real life Go Joo Won apparently is a mass com graduate and plays musical instruments) who is kind, gentlemanly and considerate. Seriously, I think Chan Woo is perfect. Even when he wears a stunned expression (see below), he’s hot!!

Dreamboat:p

Yoo Shin and him make a beautiful couple (Kudos to the pretty Yoo In-Na for  making her stubborn, rather foul-tempered character likeable and vulnerable) and the chemistry is sizzling. This pair is funny, adorable, sweet, and actually has sexual tension, rare in k-pairings.

From Episode 7: first kiss planted by a drunken Yoo Shin on a stunned Chan Woo who has always nursed a crush on his childhood playmate (Credits: Koreandrama.com)

From episode 12: Chan Woo swoops down for a sudden kiss, and adds: “If you hate me, you can stop me. I will not do it” AWWW (Credits: Facebook)

Every episode has cute moments between the pair (two kisses in 14 eps!). There are also the “love rivals” (the many women who swoon over Chan Woo and the many men who want to date Yoo Shin) and they add to the joy of watching them.

I look forward to seeing how Chan Woo penetrates through Yoo Shin’s nonchalance/fear of a relationship (she keeps repeating how she wants to assume the role of a son after her father’s death), and how Yoo Shin will realise she cannot resist Chan Woo no matter how hard she tries.

2) IU who plays the hapless, oft-overshadowed-by-her-sisters plain Jane Lee Soon Shin. IU is a surprise- i am unfamiliar with her, and I only know she is a very young pop singer. But this girl can act very well. She is not stunning, but she is really cute. She can be funny, and when she cries, she melts my heart. Such a pleasure to have a pop idol who can act and emote beautifully headlining a family drama.

3) The three Lee sisters and their strong chemistry with their leading men

The three Lee sisters (from left: Yoo In Na as Yoo Shin, IU as Soon Shin and Son Tae Young as eldest sister Hye Shin)

Hye Shin is exquisite and elegant (Kwong Sang Woo’s real life wife!)- her relationship with this baker/ex-convict has not been really developed but the man who plays the baker, Jung Woo as Seo Jin Wook, is hilarious. Not the most handsome man out there, but certainly tanned, fit and masculine. Anticipating more from this pair!

IU also has great chemistry with Shin Joon Ho (played by Jo Jung Suk whom I really liked in the yawn fest King2Hearts). Shin Joon Ho with his whole i-m-the-best-but-deep-down-i-have-been-hurt character couldn’t be more different from the quiet, loyal body guard Jo Jung Suk played in King2Hearts, and he nails his new role. Despite the fact that IU is probably a good 10 years younger than Jo Jung Suk, the pair has a fun, effortless vibe about them. The whole grooming-IU-int0-star concept (Shin Jun Ho is the CEO of a mega talent company) is watchable too:).

4) The overall cast

The supporting cast (the parents/grandmother of the Lee sisters, parents of Shin Jun Ho, Chan Woo’s family, and the random people who pop up regularly) are anchors of the film. They all portrayed their roles convincingly and make each character very realistic.

Special mention goes to Lee Mi Sook as superstar Song Mi Ryung and her protege Yeon-A played by Kim Yoon Seo.

Lovely and so trim at age 53

Kim Yoon Seo playing a succcessful actress who has acknowledged Mi Ryung as her godmother/the first love of Jun Ho

The weakest link is Jun Ho’s very pampered and irritating younger sister Yi Jung (Bae Geu Rin). Her character is irritating, and Bae Geu Rin’s over-exaggerated acting makes it even worse. But oh well, she adds to the Yoo Shin-Chan W00 pairing (she has a huge crush on Chan Woo and awakened Yoo Shin’s jealousy).

And last but not least, the pacing is perfect. All the goodness of a family drama, without the melodrama. There is extensive character development, as well as a refreshing and entertaining plot. Plenty of things happen in each episode and there is never (so far) a boring moment. You will find yourself enthralled, moved and amused by this this drama.

Ending off with a nice group photo of this must-watch! 🙂 For more info/updates/pix, there are FB pages- here and here.

Happy Watching!!! 🙂