K Drama Recommendation or not: Queen of Reversals

I’m not going to write a recap because duh lots of people have done that :D you can find it here, here, and here (the last is my friend site, I feel I should promote it somehow, kh, kh, kh, nothing less, nothing more).Ok there’re many more, you can search it yourself and suit it with your language. Nor I want to write a synopsis, because there will be many spoilers, which I don’t mind, but some people just can not stand it. The better the drama, the more I don’t mind with spoiler so spoiler here I come! 

Drama Title: Queen of Reversals

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Episode: 31 episodes

Broadcast Station: MBC

Broadcast Period: October 18, 2010 – February 1, 2011

Main cast:

Kim Nam-joo as Hwang Tae-hee

Jung Joon-ho as Bong Jun-soo

Chae Jung-Ahn as Baek Yeo-jin

Park Shi-hoo as Goo Yong-shik

Why should you watch or not watch:

Because it should have been called King of Reversals?

Park Shi-hoo, King of Reversals.  Every fan of Park Shi-hoo should watch this, beside Prosecutor Princess. And I know why you like him J, and he knows why you like him :P

Abstastic Park Shi-hoo

Park Shi-hoo and the aviator sunglasses are best friend.

B.R.O.M.A.N.C.E  Queen of Reversals has the best boss – secretary relationship in k-drama this far for me with Joo won and his secretary in Secret Garden following close behind. If every thing in this drama fail you, this bromance will keep you entertain. They are so hilarious. Swear if I ever need a secretary someday, not just cell phone or digital camera or TV, I’ll import it from SK (the wave is high nae chingu-ah). 

Three smitten cute guys.  I don’t know if it is one of the ways to emphasize Queen word from the title, since I see it lost along the way the story goes. I notice no queen here, just some clueless ladies around.

Smitten Park Shi-hoo is simply smoldering

Aw why you are so cute? Watching him crying broken hearted makes me want to hug him like a teddy bear. 

Yang Jin-woo as Sun Woo-hyuk, our policeman (If all policemen look like him no woman ever bring their driver licence).
Trivia: Can you guess the reason why he has to speak English in some of scenes? :)

Second lead female syndrome. You hate those second lead females who are just un-relatable evil to boot? Check this one out. I like her Baek Yeo-jin more than Kim Nam-joo’s Tae-hee. She betrays Bong Jun-soo (Jung Joon-hoo), yes she does. But who can deny her sincere love to Bong Jun-soo. And she shows it in a good way, not in selfish way that makes you want to yell “Bia**!” She tries to like and help Tae-hee just because Jun-soo loves Tae Hee. After that point, my heart goes completely for her. And she does scheme, at least she does it with her own effort. For me, it is better than try-to-be-good kind of act that ends up turning female character to be the clinging spineless female.

Supporting casts and characters that really support. I don’t think I will enjoy this drama this much without them.

Im Ji-kyu (Best Love) as Kang Woo (Goo Yong-shik’s secretary). I like Kang Woo character. He is the one behind all the funny moments in this drama. And Im Ji-kyu is rocking his role. Maybe it is just me, but the way Kang Woo talk reminds me Jang Kiha's 'he sings like he talks, he talks like he sings'

Ha Yoon-mi as Han Song-yi.  What can I say? I just have soft spot for career woman character especially who goes straight to full mode. When Tae Hee discloses her bad deed, aiya, aiya, aiya I feel sorry for her L And why k drama seems always associate this full mode career woman character with woman who is selfish and bad until she gives up her carrier for love life or family? Women can be both good in career and taking care family? Even if her choice more inclined to her career than love life or family, it means she is selfish and bad? Some women can not choose both, they choose something that comes up with better and more chance to be succeed. Anyway, Ha Yoon-mi got an award for her role, Golden Acting Award, though it is from MBC Drama Award which you should not take it seriously, since it can be so ridiculous sometime. Oh yeah MBC who’s to be blamed? You made it yourself. 

Kang Rae-yun (Lie to Me) as So Yoo-kyung. Her character is described as the eldest of three sisters who has to work to pay her collage and then she has to do it for her sisters’ school. It is not her only problem, she also has problem speaking in front of people. There’s one scene which she has to speak inside of crowded train to over come that one problem. She starts with almost-cry-trembling voice and gets better with time. Trust me as one who ever experience same condition, hearing her almost-cry-trembling voice makes me want to cry along with her. I sense it. Thumbs up to the actor!  J

Rating. If you are the one who take rating into consideration as one of the reason to watch drama, 10,8 % nationwide, 12,1 % in Seoul  (source TNS Media Korea) for average rating is not bad. In general the rating shows increasing pattern toward the last episode. It is just my personal opinion, I think it correspondents with how the storyline moves. They put an end to divorce case and move forward to budding romance between Goo Yong-shik and Tae-hee. And more Park Shi-hoo’s screen time means better rating, no? :D Yes, one of advantage of live-shoot system in K drama la, la, la land is that producer team can read the viewer reaction and adjust storyline.  But it can also cause a schizophrenic character development. Hwang Tae-hee who at first is so spunky, sassy, and taking her jobs seriously becomes a spineless creature and likes to submit a resignation and withdraw it back in short time, for so many times, like job doesn’t means much for her. Oh yeah people change in real life right? Right? Yong-shik who at his first appearance pictured as a playboy, seems become don’t know anything about woman at later half of drama. Love changes people, love makes people blind and lose their mind, yeah right. Right?

The Storyline, The flipside. I never find Queen of Reversals’ storyline really engaging me. I think the divorce case as the basic plot is not strong enough. One of the synopses says one of the things that the story describes is how Tae-hee overcomes the many obstacles in marriage life. Really? The reason why Tae-hee and Jun-soo divorce is not convincing to me. They divorce because Tae-hee finds out that Jun-soo lie about the reason why he enters Queen (the company where the story evolves) and  doesn’t tell her the truth about Baek Yeo-jin was his ex-girlfriend. So then she suspects him that he has an affair with Yeo jin when she sees them going out from the same hotel or staying late in office together or can helping a friend in her parent funeral be called an affair? I mean she never actually see him having affair with Yeo-jin by herself, with her own eyes.  Yes Jun-soo and Yeo-jin is kissing but that only one time and it is her intention not him. NNno, she doesn’t see or know that.  I can say it is not the reason why she initiates the divorce.  The BIG main reason, from what I watch, is that one he doesn’t tell her about Yeo-jin was his ex and that makes her doesn’t trust on anything that he does or says after. He asks for apologize. He treats her well. He tries to stay away from Yeo-jin because he knows his wife doesn’t like her. He works hard to meet her expectation. He gets work promotion. He worries about her. They have a KID. They have a KID. They have a KID. All that is not enough for her to make her stay married to him. Not even worth enough for marriage counseling for her. Sigh. What kind of a mother you are?  

In real life I will never question the reason of a couple taking divorce as a choice because every couple has its own problem which can only be understood by them, ones who truly involve in the relationship. But it is a drama, director, writer, whoever have the responsibility, should make us understand the reason or feel how hard and frustrating to stay in marriage. This drama fails to makes me understand or feel anything worth for a divorce. Ok it annoys me watching Tae-hee abases her husband instead of encouraging, not support him, not trust him, and acts nonchalant when all he got is his sincerity and all she got is her stubborn and suspicious mind (Dude, perhaps a psychiatric will help). Maybe others feel it too, reason why the rating lower in first half of drama. So drop it once for all already.

And the OST. These two are my favorite. Dunno, it is because I like them or because they are played on repeat. There’re only two choices you go hate and or go crazy about them. 

별 (Byul) - 행복하자 (Haengbokhaja) Let's Be Happy

[lyric, romanization, and translation]

우연히 너의 소식을 들었어

Uyeoni neo-e susigeul deureoseo

By chance, I heard something about you

새로운 사랑을 시작했다고

Saeroun sarangeul sijakhaetdago

You have started new love

많이 좋아한다고 행복해 보인다고

Mani joahandago haengbokhae boindago

You are really like it and look happy

정말 다행이구나 생각했어

Jeongmal dahaengi guna saenggakhaeseo

I'm so relieved, thinking about it

뒤돌아 집에 걸어오는 길에

Duidora jipe georeo-oneun gire

Look back on my way back home

나 자꾸만 아까 그 말이 떠올라

Na jakkuman akka geu mari tteoulla

Always the first thing that came across my mind was an end

내 맘이 좀 이상해 분명 괜찮았었는데

Nae mami jom isangae bunmyeong gwaenchanaseoneunde

It is really strange, my heart was certainly fine

조금은 슬픈 것 같아 내 마음이

Jogeumeun seulpheun geot gatha nae maeumi

I guess it is just a bit sad, my heart

* 나는 여기에서 너는 그 자리에서

Naneun yeogieso neoneun geu jarieso

I go this way, you go that way

행복하자 우리 더 행복해지자

Haengbokhaja uri deo haengbokhaejija

Us, let's be happy and happier

너무나 사랑한 너무나도 사랑한 우리

Neomuna sarangan neomunado sarangan uri

Us, really loved each other, really really loved each other

지난 추억들만 기억하자

Jinan chueokdeulman kiokhaja

Let's remember it, our only last memory

가끔은 나도 널 그리워했어

Gakkeumeun nado neol geuriwohaesseo

Sometimes I missed you

어떤 날은 눈물 날 때도 있었어

Eotteon nareun nunmulal ttaedo isseosseo

There's day when I was cried

헤어지던 그날에 네 마지막 뒷모습이

Heojideon geunare ne majimak duitmoseubi

There's the seperation, the last thing I think of

한동안 생각이 나서 힘들었어

Handeongan saenggagi naseo himdeureoseo

I feel tired while thinking about it

* Repeat

평생을 함께하자던 행복하게 살자던

Phyeongsaengeul hamkkehajadeon haengbokhage saljadeon

Let's be together for the rest of our life, Let's live happily

서로가 못 지킨 약속

Seoroga mot jikhin yaksuk

A promise to each other that I can't keep

슬프지만 나는 괜찮아 네가 행복하니까

Seulpheunjiman naneun gwaenchana nega haengbokhanikka

Though sad, I'm fine. Will I be happy?

너무나 그리워 너무나도 그리워

Neomuna geuriwo neomunado geuriwo

Really miss you, really really miss you

사랑했어 정말 그땐 행복했어

Saranghaesseo jeongmal geuttaen haengbokhaesseo

I love you, so please be happy

사는 게 힘들어 지쳐 울고 싶어질때면

Saneun ge himdeureo jichyeo ulgo sipheojil ttaemyeon

It's like to live tiredly, so exhausted everytime, I want to cry

한번쯤 우리 떠올리자

Hanbeonjjeum uri tteo-ollija

Us, let's recall it at least once in awhile

이젠 더 행복하자

Ijen deo haengbokhaja

Now, Let's be happier

Tim (팀) - 이별을 배우다 (Ibyeoreul baeuda) Learn to say goodbye

[lyric, romanization, and translation]

이별이란 게 모두 다 그런 걸까

Ibyeoriran ge modu da geureon geolkka

To say goodbye is all that we can do?

다 알 것 같던 네 맘도 여기엔 없고

Da algeot gatdeon ne mamdo yeogien eopgo

It seems all I know here is not my heart is

읽지 못했던 너의 그 편지 마저

Ilji mothaetdeon neo-e geu phyeonji  majeo

I couldn't even read your letter

다 지워야 할 기억과 마찬가진 걸

Da jiwoya hal kieokgwa machangajin geol

All things are clear, as memories are

하루하루 힘이 들어도 미친 듯이 네가 미워도

Haru haru himi deureodo michin deusi nega miwodo

Every day are toilsome and like going crazy, I hate it

아무 말도 할 수 없는 내 맘은 어쩌죠

Amu maldo hal su eopneun nae mameun eojjeojyo

I can't say anything, what should my heart do?

하염없이 눈물이 나도 미친 듯이 보고 싶어도

Hayeomeopsi nunmuri nado michin deusi bogo sipheodo

I keep crying and missing you like crazy

아무 것도 할 수 없잖아 정말

Amu geotdo hal su eopjana jeongmal

Really, I can't do anything

사랑이라면 조금은 다르겠죠

Sarangiranmyeon jogeumeun dareu getjyo

Is it love? or is it something else?

다 떠나버린 그 시간 여기에 남아

Da tteonabeorin geu sigan yeogie nama

Take all the remaining time here

별수 없었던 나의 그 하루 마저

Byeolsu eopseotdeon na-e geu haru majeo

It is not strange, even my day is

다 퍼져 버린 내 맘의 흉터 같아서

Da pheojyeo beorin nae mame hyungtheo gathaseo

Everything left scattered, so like my scarred heart

하루하루 힘이 들어도 미친 듯이 네가 미워도

Haru haru himi deureodo michin deusi nega miwodo

Everyday are toilsome and like going crazy, I hate it

아무 말도 할 수 없는 내 맘은 어쩌죠

Amu maldo hal su eopneun nae mameun eojjeojyo

I can't say anything, what should my heart do?

하염없이 눈물이 나도 미친 듯이 보고 싶어도

Hamyeomeopsi nunmuri nado michin deusi bogo sipheodo

I keep crying and missing you like crazy

아무 것도 할 수 없잖아 정말

Amu geotdo hal su eopjana jeongmal

Really, I can't do anything

약속해줘요 그 곳에 서라도 만날 수 있게

Yaksukhaejwoyo geu gose sorado mannal su itge

Promise me, perhaps there's somewhere we can meet

조금만 기다려줘요

Jogeuman gidaryeojwoyo

Wait for me a little bit

나도 이젠 준비가 됐나 봐

Nado ijen junbi ga dwaetnabwa

Now, I am preparing to look for you

하염없이 눈물이 나서 미친 듯이 보고 싶어서

Hayeomeopsi nunmuri naseo michin deusi bogo sipheoseo

I keep crying cause I miss you like crazy

이젠 정말 너에게로 갈 거야

Ijen jeongmal neoegero gal geoya

Now, I'm really going to meet you

Omo that's a lot, I thought I'll make it fast and simple (sigh) K - Drama, where the madness begins

Thanks to:
wiki.d-addicts.com for the info
gasazip.com for the original lyrics
try2watchandlisten and roller0820 for the video