Hey Guys!!!
Here is my first drama review on the very first Korean Drama I ever watched.
Heartstrings
** If you haven't watched it yet, be ready for many spoilers**
Main Leads- Jung Yong-hwa- Lee Shin
Park Shin-hye- Lee Gyu-won.
Other Main Characters-
Song Chang-eui as Kim Suk-hyun
So Yi-hyun as Jung Yoon-soo
Kang Min-hyuk as Yeo Joon-hee
Kim Yoon-hye (Woori) as Han Hee-joo
Lee Hyun-jin as Hyun Ki-young
Im Se-mi as Cha Bo-woon
Episodes: 15
STORY- Lee Shin, (Jung Yong Hwa) is a university student majoring in Western Music. He is also the vocalist and guitarist of a band "The Stupid." Shin is known for his good looks, cocky personality, and strong passion for music. Everyone sees him as a cold hearted and distant person, but he has a soft side inside him hidden away. He lacks interest in anything unrelated to music and has neither dreams nor plans for the future. He initially likes Jung Yoon Soo, a dance professor at the university, but this changes when he meets Lee Gyu-won (Park Shin Hye).
Lee Gyu-won is a jolly, bright and an outgoing student who was born into a prestigious family and is majoring in Traditional Korean Music. She plays the gayageum. Gyu Won's grandfather, Lee Dong Gun, is one of the top 3 traditional musicians of his age and his biggest wish is to see his granddaughter become a traditional music prodigy. Trying to live up to her grandfather's expectations, Gyu-won immerses herself in practice and becomes a university student who knows nothing much outside of her studies. As her friends are fans of "The Stupid", she was forced to go to the band's concert with them. There she saw Lee Shin performing live and is immediately captivated by his presence.
Yeo Joon Hee (Kang Min Hyuk) is a bubbly, shy, and an always hungry boy who doesn't act his age. He has a complete childlike personality,a shaggy idiot by day and Stupid's lead drummer by night. During one of his shaggy phases during the day, he comes across the University Princess and chairman's daughter, Han Hee Joo (Woori), who he immediately falls head over heels for, calling her his "Natasha." However, there are dark sides to Hee Joo's personality than his naïvety knows, and in the series, he fights between his ever-growing feelings for Hee Joo and helping his friends as she threatens their university lives.
The time when Lee Gyu Won decided to join the performance for the festival, every one sees her potential talent and this triggers Han Hee Joo's mother who plans together with Tae Joon, one of the school's administrators, to destroy Lee Gyu Won's and the Director's image for her to quit the upcoming festival in her fear that Lee Gyu Won might outshine her daughter Han Hee Joo.
_________________________________________________________________________________
My Thoughts
I have always been into anime and manga, but for some reason I was always so reluctant to watch any dramas, weather K-Dramas, J-Dramas or T-Dramas. But I am really glad I did. Heartstrings is the very first drama I ever watched and so it kind of holds a special place in my heart. Because it is the reason I watched other dramas.
As you can see the story is very typical and a total cliche! I mean in most of the K-Drama romances, the plot line (in terms of romance) follows this kind of pattern. Park's character is into Korean classical music, where as Jung's character is into Western music. Both their personalities clash way too much. The girl is bright and cheerful but the boy is cold hearted, cocky and full-of-himself. They both hate each other and never want to work together, rather, they don't want anything to do with each other. But due to unexpected circumstances Park's character has to be Jung's character's slave. In this process she ends up falling head over heels for Lee Shin (Jung's character) as she gets to know the softer, less cold and sweeter side of him. But clearly finding love is not that easy! Because life doesn't work that way. And here comes the love triangle (more like square) - Gyu-won (Park) in love with Shin, him in love with the dance instructor Yoon Soo, but again, love ain't that damn easy. Yoon Soo is in love with her ex- Suk-hyun, who after many years has returned to Korea! (OMG, too much heartbreak!) Either ways, soon Shin realizes his damn feelings towards Gyu-won and they become a couple. Yoon Soo and Suk-hyun reconcile. There is one more couple, the beta couple, who personally I really like. This couple is between Min-hyuk and Woori's characters. It's a sweet and refreshing couple.
But this is only the romance plot. The actual story plot, in spite of being crazily cliche, is amazing. We have another character played by Lee Hyun-jin who has bad stage fright, Gyu-won and him are pursuing their dreams to become performers. That dream is granted by the help of Suk-hyun who is the director of the university's musical play. But there is an obstacle- Woori's character; as Gyu-won is a threat to her career, she must go to extremes to get her way, but she eventually changes because of Min-hyuk's character. Here is one more problem, even though Woori want's to change, her evil, bitchy mother won't let her. Her mother always gets in the way of things with the help of an insider at the university (who hates Suk-hyun). Suk-hyun also ask's 'The Stupid' to play for they play (LOL). By the time our main couple is to gether another misfortune happens and Shin can't play the guitar anymore. Mean while Gyu-won gets to sign a contract and go to U.S.A to get trained and be a celebrity. She is unwilling at first because of Shin, but he soon dumps her (for her own good) and she leaves the country heartbroken. During the time Gyu-won is training, Shin gets surgery for his hand, but now he is not a prodigy anymore. During his recovery he works really hard to get back on his feet.
Now I'm not going to say anymore about what happens, because I already gave away too much and there is a lot more going on.
ACTORS/ACTING:
As we all already know Park Shin-hye is an amazing actress, really pretty and she can sing well too. Everyone has already seen her skill and I don't have much to say about it. I also really like her role in this drama. It's a lot less depressing than the role she played in 'You're Beautiful'. If I had to rate her acting and the fact that she played the classical music instrument so beautifully, I give her a 4/5. Shin-hye unni FIGHTING!
Jung Yong-hwa is not only an amazing singer, but also an amazing actor. When acting in 'You're Beautiful' his character was caring, helping, considerate and sweet, here he is playing a polar opposite character and I must say he did a great job with it. I was really impressed by this acting in the drama. I wasn't expecting the acting skill to grow so much since 'You're Beautiful'. He also looked really handsome. I hive him a 4/5 in acting as well.
This is the only drama I have ever watched with Song Chang-eui. So I can't compare his other roles, but I really did like him in the drama. His character was really well portrayed by him and I cannot imagine anyone else in his place.
So Yi-Hyun did a really good job in this drama as well. I wasn't that fond of her character in the beginning, but I came to like her later on. Her dancing skills are pretty good for a non-dancer. I am really looking forward to seeing her in 'Who Are You?' when I watch it.
Kang Min-hyuk. He was the cutest thing ever!!!! I love his character and I am totally in love with this guy!! Not only can he look so cute, sing well and play the drums amazingly, but he can act well too. He was my favourite person in the drama. I love the way his character always said 'Hyung' and 'Noona'. I really don't know how he was in 'The Heirs' but I loved him in this one.
I have never seen any other dramas of Woori's, but I liked her in this role of an evil, selfish brat to a hardworking and nice girl. She definitely fit the role perfectly! She's really cute and pretty and has a lot of charms. Originally I didn't think she was going to be a good actress, but I must say I was impressed with her in the drama.
Now for a guy who can perform so well, Lee Hyun-jin was a great choice for this role. He totally fit the role and did a great job executing his character. He took vocal lessons which really paid off well. I really liked his character and that's all I have to say.
Im Se-mi was a really great supporting character as Gyu-won's best friend. I don't remember much about how she acted, but from what I remember, she wasn't one of those irritating girls who is always jealous of her friend.
CHEMISTRY (b/w actors) :
The chemistry between the cast was amazing as a group. Everyone really suited their role and I couldn't have asked for a better cast.
Yong-hwa and Shin-hye
Their chemistry as a couple was great. We already saw them together in 'You're Beautiful' (starring: Jang Keun-suk, Park Shin-hye, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Hongki and Uee) in a love triangle with JKS. But this time the main focus was them and they were great together. I must say they are a really good match. The balance between good looks and talent. The totally in love and really great main couple!
Min-hyuk and Woori
They two were just adorable <3 I really likes their chemistry and pairing. 'My Natasha' was a really cute touch to begin the relationship. I love the fact that he was the only person she was so open with and I could tell the two really liked each other. I was a really fun, refreshing couple to watch. They gave a good light hearted-ness to the drama which made is not so boring to watch. They were a great beta couple!
Chang-eui and Yi-hyun
The couple with a 'past'. They were a good couple. Honestly I didn't enjoy then much until about when they got back together. So, not my favourite couple but not the worst. Chemistry was great between them though. I will say that the paring was done very well for them! The Older couple.
OST
The OST was not as amazing as I would like it to be. But I did really like the tracks sung by Yong-hwa and Shin-hye. I was really happy to see FT Island contribute in the OST as I really love them! Other than that, a lot of the songs were repeating, just with different versions. If I had to rate the OST, I'll give it a 3.5/5.
Overall I really did enjoy watching this show, but the fact that I quit watching it around the 12th episode was a little disappointing. Although, in the end I did finish it; I think they rushed the ending a bit, but I am really glad that I watched Heartstrings.
_________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you all liked the long review about Heartstrings, I will see you all soon.
Lots of love
-Sam
Here is my first drama review on the very first Korean Drama I ever watched.
Heartstrings
** If you haven't watched it yet, be ready for many spoilers**
Main Leads- Jung Yong-hwa- Lee Shin
Park Shin-hye- Lee Gyu-won.
Other Main Characters-
Song Chang-eui as Kim Suk-hyun
So Yi-hyun as Jung Yoon-soo
Kang Min-hyuk as Yeo Joon-hee
Kim Yoon-hye (Woori) as Han Hee-joo
Lee Hyun-jin as Hyun Ki-young
Im Se-mi as Cha Bo-woon
Episodes: 15
STORY- Lee Shin, (Jung Yong Hwa) is a university student majoring in Western Music. He is also the vocalist and guitarist of a band "The Stupid." Shin is known for his good looks, cocky personality, and strong passion for music. Everyone sees him as a cold hearted and distant person, but he has a soft side inside him hidden away. He lacks interest in anything unrelated to music and has neither dreams nor plans for the future. He initially likes Jung Yoon Soo, a dance professor at the university, but this changes when he meets Lee Gyu-won (Park Shin Hye).
Lee Gyu-won is a jolly, bright and an outgoing student who was born into a prestigious family and is majoring in Traditional Korean Music. She plays the gayageum. Gyu Won's grandfather, Lee Dong Gun, is one of the top 3 traditional musicians of his age and his biggest wish is to see his granddaughter become a traditional music prodigy. Trying to live up to her grandfather's expectations, Gyu-won immerses herself in practice and becomes a university student who knows nothing much outside of her studies. As her friends are fans of "The Stupid", she was forced to go to the band's concert with them. There she saw Lee Shin performing live and is immediately captivated by his presence.
Yeo Joon Hee (Kang Min Hyuk) is a bubbly, shy, and an always hungry boy who doesn't act his age. He has a complete childlike personality,a shaggy idiot by day and Stupid's lead drummer by night. During one of his shaggy phases during the day, he comes across the University Princess and chairman's daughter, Han Hee Joo (Woori), who he immediately falls head over heels for, calling her his "Natasha." However, there are dark sides to Hee Joo's personality than his naïvety knows, and in the series, he fights between his ever-growing feelings for Hee Joo and helping his friends as she threatens their university lives.
The time when Lee Gyu Won decided to join the performance for the festival, every one sees her potential talent and this triggers Han Hee Joo's mother who plans together with Tae Joon, one of the school's administrators, to destroy Lee Gyu Won's and the Director's image for her to quit the upcoming festival in her fear that Lee Gyu Won might outshine her daughter Han Hee Joo.
_________________________________________________________________________________
My Thoughts
I have always been into anime and manga, but for some reason I was always so reluctant to watch any dramas, weather K-Dramas, J-Dramas or T-Dramas. But I am really glad I did. Heartstrings is the very first drama I ever watched and so it kind of holds a special place in my heart. Because it is the reason I watched other dramas.
As you can see the story is very typical and a total cliche! I mean in most of the K-Drama romances, the plot line (in terms of romance) follows this kind of pattern. Park's character is into Korean classical music, where as Jung's character is into Western music. Both their personalities clash way too much. The girl is bright and cheerful but the boy is cold hearted, cocky and full-of-himself. They both hate each other and never want to work together, rather, they don't want anything to do with each other. But due to unexpected circumstances Park's character has to be Jung's character's slave. In this process she ends up falling head over heels for Lee Shin (Jung's character) as she gets to know the softer, less cold and sweeter side of him. But clearly finding love is not that easy! Because life doesn't work that way. And here comes the love triangle (more like square) - Gyu-won (Park) in love with Shin, him in love with the dance instructor Yoon Soo, but again, love ain't that damn easy. Yoon Soo is in love with her ex- Suk-hyun, who after many years has returned to Korea! (OMG, too much heartbreak!) Either ways, soon Shin realizes his damn feelings towards Gyu-won and they become a couple. Yoon Soo and Suk-hyun reconcile. There is one more couple, the beta couple, who personally I really like. This couple is between Min-hyuk and Woori's characters. It's a sweet and refreshing couple.
But this is only the romance plot. The actual story plot, in spite of being crazily cliche, is amazing. We have another character played by Lee Hyun-jin who has bad stage fright, Gyu-won and him are pursuing their dreams to become performers. That dream is granted by the help of Suk-hyun who is the director of the university's musical play. But there is an obstacle- Woori's character; as Gyu-won is a threat to her career, she must go to extremes to get her way, but she eventually changes because of Min-hyuk's character. Here is one more problem, even though Woori want's to change, her evil, bitchy mother won't let her. Her mother always gets in the way of things with the help of an insider at the university (who hates Suk-hyun). Suk-hyun also ask's 'The Stupid' to play for they play (LOL). By the time our main couple is to gether another misfortune happens and Shin can't play the guitar anymore. Mean while Gyu-won gets to sign a contract and go to U.S.A to get trained and be a celebrity. She is unwilling at first because of Shin, but he soon dumps her (for her own good) and she leaves the country heartbroken. During the time Gyu-won is training, Shin gets surgery for his hand, but now he is not a prodigy anymore. During his recovery he works really hard to get back on his feet.
Now I'm not going to say anymore about what happens, because I already gave away too much and there is a lot more going on.
ACTORS/ACTING:
As we all already know Park Shin-hye is an amazing actress, really pretty and she can sing well too. Everyone has already seen her skill and I don't have much to say about it. I also really like her role in this drama. It's a lot less depressing than the role she played in 'You're Beautiful'. If I had to rate her acting and the fact that she played the classical music instrument so beautifully, I give her a 4/5. Shin-hye unni FIGHTING!
Jung Yong-hwa is not only an amazing singer, but also an amazing actor. When acting in 'You're Beautiful' his character was caring, helping, considerate and sweet, here he is playing a polar opposite character and I must say he did a great job with it. I was really impressed by this acting in the drama. I wasn't expecting the acting skill to grow so much since 'You're Beautiful'. He also looked really handsome. I hive him a 4/5 in acting as well.
This is the only drama I have ever watched with Song Chang-eui. So I can't compare his other roles, but I really did like him in the drama. His character was really well portrayed by him and I cannot imagine anyone else in his place.
So Yi-Hyun did a really good job in this drama as well. I wasn't that fond of her character in the beginning, but I came to like her later on. Her dancing skills are pretty good for a non-dancer. I am really looking forward to seeing her in 'Who Are You?' when I watch it.
Kang Min-hyuk. He was the cutest thing ever!!!! I love his character and I am totally in love with this guy!! Not only can he look so cute, sing well and play the drums amazingly, but he can act well too. He was my favourite person in the drama. I love the way his character always said 'Hyung' and 'Noona'. I really don't know how he was in 'The Heirs' but I loved him in this one.
I have never seen any other dramas of Woori's, but I liked her in this role of an evil, selfish brat to a hardworking and nice girl. She definitely fit the role perfectly! She's really cute and pretty and has a lot of charms. Originally I didn't think she was going to be a good actress, but I must say I was impressed with her in the drama.
Now for a guy who can perform so well, Lee Hyun-jin was a great choice for this role. He totally fit the role and did a great job executing his character. He took vocal lessons which really paid off well. I really liked his character and that's all I have to say.
Im Se-mi was a really great supporting character as Gyu-won's best friend. I don't remember much about how she acted, but from what I remember, she wasn't one of those irritating girls who is always jealous of her friend.
CHEMISTRY (b/w actors) :
The chemistry between the cast was amazing as a group. Everyone really suited their role and I couldn't have asked for a better cast.
Yong-hwa and Shin-hye
Their chemistry as a couple was great. We already saw them together in 'You're Beautiful' (starring: Jang Keun-suk, Park Shin-hye, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Hongki and Uee) in a love triangle with JKS. But this time the main focus was them and they were great together. I must say they are a really good match. The balance between good looks and talent. The totally in love and really great main couple!
Min-hyuk and Woori
They two were just adorable <3 I really likes their chemistry and pairing. 'My Natasha' was a really cute touch to begin the relationship. I love the fact that he was the only person she was so open with and I could tell the two really liked each other. I was a really fun, refreshing couple to watch. They gave a good light hearted-ness to the drama which made is not so boring to watch. They were a great beta couple!
Chang-eui and Yi-hyun
The couple with a 'past'. They were a good couple. Honestly I didn't enjoy then much until about when they got back together. So, not my favourite couple but not the worst. Chemistry was great between them though. I will say that the paring was done very well for them! The Older couple.
OST
The OST was not as amazing as I would like it to be. But I did really like the tracks sung by Yong-hwa and Shin-hye. I was really happy to see FT Island contribute in the OST as I really love them! Other than that, a lot of the songs were repeating, just with different versions. If I had to rate the OST, I'll give it a 3.5/5.
Overall I really did enjoy watching this show, but the fact that I quit watching it around the 12th episode was a little disappointing. Although, in the end I did finish it; I think they rushed the ending a bit, but I am really glad that I watched Heartstrings.
_________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you all liked the long review about Heartstrings, I will see you all soon.
Lots of love
-Sam
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