K Drama Recommendation or not: My Princess

Drama Title: My Princess (마이 프린세스)

Genre: Romantic Comedy Drama

Total Episode: 16

Broadcast Station: MBC

Broadcast Period: January 2, 2011 – February 24, 2011

Airing Time: Wednesday - Thursday

Main Casts:

Kim Tae-hee (Iris, Stairway to Heaven) as Lee Seol

Song Seung-hun (East of Eden,  Autumn in My Heart) as Park Hae-young

Park Ye-jin (Queen of Seon Deok, What Happened in Bali) as Oh Yoon-joo

Ryu Soo-young (Bad Couple) as Nam Jung-woo

Why should you watch or not watch My Princess?

Because it is fluffy like cotton candy, it makes me happy ^^

Song Seung-heon fans unite! 

Everyone probably will agree if I say that Song Seung-heon is one of the actors who defines the face of Hallyu Wave. Back when there’s no YouTube and Internet connection is still rare. And swear he’s not change a bit from appearance wise (still as hawt as before) to acting wise (that trademark frowning is just…) J

If you ever read how his Park Hae-young character described: a handsome-diplomat-graduated-from-ivy-league-university chaebol (he even got a teaching certificate, hee…), you may think he’s like another cliché chaebol character who is perfectionist, hard-to-please, cold-outside-kind-inside, haughty and oh well one time to another, you just want to give him some kick at the shin (Yes you are Joo Won, forever tainting my chaebol character vision). But he’s not. He’s just a nice warm guy & yet luckily is a third generation chaebol, too. And I’m glad they don’t bring him that way, because if they do, we won’t get a rom-com drama as fluffy as it is.

I'm handsome just like that, I can not hide it. >.<

And rom-com drama just suits him well. You may hear that what wrong with Song Seung-heon’s acting is that he seem can not let go his “I’m cool” image, no matter how the character is. But that’s what makes him perfect for Hae-young character. Hae Young’s too much “I’m handsome to boot” self awareness is cause me some giggles. 

This scene is so random, I'm ashamed putting "random" word on my blog header.

The obligatory brooding in shower scene

Too bad that’s only in these two scenes, we got the chance to watch Song Seung-heon, half nakkid. Because they are precious, we need to watch in slow motion, on repeat, make it fan-vid, or like me, take screen-cap J Hae Young mostly wears three layer suits and looks like he just walks out from CG magazine photo shoot (and I could not love Song Seung-heon more). Prop to his name, every time towel (수건:sugeon) makes appearance on screen, I can not but have a cheekily smile (seriously Seung-Heon ssi, you should have a towel brand under your name, already).

Err I said Towel not a red underpants

Lee Soul (Kim Tae-hee), The Princess.

A bubbly, silly heroine never be my favorite. But Kim Tae-hee really works Lee Soul character out. So instead of I want to pull my hair when I watch her like when I watch those other bubbly silly heroines, I come to think how can every one (especially Hae-young) not love her. She’s beautiful. She’s funny. Not like the usual me, I even like the crying scene, which in it Lee Soul shares some childish cry. I think it is better than when Kim Tae-hee had dramatically crying scenes in her previous dramas.

Although Song Seung-heon is my favorite between these two main leads, but Kim Tae-hee’s Lee Soul is the one who seals my heart for this drama. I’ve gotta love her when she tries to imitate Mishil from Queen of Seon Deok. Her voice when she says “Ho’ Hoh. Dui modu dwae!” stuck in my head (LOL). Or when she tries to be Dae Jang-geum (Jewel in the Palace) while cooking, she sings “O na ra, o na ra, ha ju ona…” (LMAO).  She is who prevents this drama from turning to too overly romantic comedy drama, to this lovely romantic comedy drama. And she is the one who successfully resists Song Seung-heon eyebrows' attack with jokes (Mr. Hand Towel’s eyebrows, you pawned!). Ha, ha, ha love her.

You go girl!

 Oh Yoo-joo, the bowl cut model.

Another reason why I love My Princess is that I never get the chance to really really hate any characters in this drama (yes it is a happy place in My Princess K Drama la, la, la land). Not the thorn in Lee Soul’s side, her sister Lee Han, not the foxy president and politician, not even Oh Yoo-joo who I consider as the source of almost all bad things happen in Lee Soul’s life. I mean how can I hate her after see her with that hideous bowl cut hairstyle, let alone her anti-expression mask (tee hee :P). I want to whack off her hairstylist’ hair. She/he makes Kim Tae-hee wears all those pretty dresses and got her wear this hair cut? Hmmm… I find it is weird to watch her calling Hae Young “oppa” because she looks older than him. Eww…

The Set

The palace set is not convincing. Some dramas are like Secret Garden and Boys Before Flower doing well in building drama set. I can easily feel the grandeur and glamorous aspect, the set is supposed to represent. Like I know that Joo Won is rich chaebol and Oska is “Hallyu Star” just by looking from their houses. I think they try to modernize and westernize the palace, but then it falls sort of cheap.  At first, I thought I would see a Goong-esque kind of palace which I love. In Goong, they tend to modernize the palace, but not westernize. So what we’ve got in Goong is the modern oriental palace with gold, yellow, red, blue, and green blend gorgeously in mix with amber ambience. Not to mention, the palace details (yups Teddy Bears, or Javanese bride and groom statue J ) and all the screen paintings that we used to have in Sageuk drama are there for additions.

The Storyline

And the storyline has no depth. But I love how they keep it simple. In brief, the story is about an ordinary girl who suddenly becomes a princess. How many times have you heard that? Usually this kind of story talks mostly about how this ordinary girl adapt with palace life, how much she has to sacrifice to become a princess, and what a scary place the palace is. Of course My Princess still maintains this pattern, but eh not so much. Happy to say that the plot doesn't go to “OMFG, I’m princess now and I’m miserably happy” way ala Goong. Instead, the problems that our princess has to overcome are around how to make (sense) monarchs reign fit with the current democratic government and to regain her father’s good image. Tell you, I thought the story was over in episode 14 before I realized I still had 2 more episodes to squeal over (Yippi!). And this drama’s cliffhanger is just suck.

The Rating

My Princess started with rather good rating though not until hit the twenty something rating. I think partially it was because Song Seung-heon and Kim Tae-hee star’s effect. But of course star effect alone is not enough (see Athena, Mary Stayed out All Night, Lie to Me).  It was the 1st MBC's drama in two years that reached 20% for rating and  it also meant My Princess had ended the curse of MBC's Wednesday - Thursday timeslot.  The rating was sorta fall back at the mid way, I think when the angst reached its peak and less of cuteness was showed. But at final episode, it regained its good rating. It ended in 13,2% nationwide and 16,7% at Seoul. Never mind about the rating, My Princess goes straight to my re-watchable K drama list ;)

The OST

How could I not love Taru when she sings like this?

타루 (Taru) - Kasio 

[lyric, romanization]

오늘은 어땠죠

Oneureun eottaetjeo

힘들었나요 나에게 기대어 쉬어요

Himdeureonayo na-ege gidae-eo swieoyo

ohohoh~~

참 보고싶군요

Cham bogosipgunyo

언제 시간이나면 내게 연락해줘요

Eonje siganinamyeon naege yeonlakhaejwoyo

언제라도

Eonjerado

서로를 위로하던 진심 어린 말투가

Seororeul wirohadeon jimsim eorin malthuga

영원할것만같은 따뜻한 목소리

Yeongwonhal geotmangatheun ttatteuthan mogsori

그리고 남겨진건

Geurigo nam gyeojingeon

수많은 행복들과 그토록 믿고있는 마음에 안식처

Sumaneun haengbokdeulgwa geuthorok mitgoitneun maeume ansikcheo

사연이 있나요

Sayeoni inayo

나에게 말해봐요

Na-ege malhaebwayo

내가 들어줄게요

Naega deureo julgeyo

ohohoh~~

언제나 내곁에

Eonjena naegyeothe

언제나 내 옆에서 같이 이겨내줄게

Eonjena nae yeopheseo gathi igyeo nae julge

힘내요

Himnaeyo

서로를 위로하던 진심어린 말투가

Seororeul wirohadeon jimsimeorin malthuga

영원할것만같은 따뜻한 목소리

Yeowonhal geotmangatheun ttatteuthan mogsori

그리고 남겨진건

Geurigo nam gyeojingeon

수많은 행복들과 그토록 믿고있는 마음의 안식처

Sumaneun haengbokdulgwa geuthorok mitgoineun maeume ansikcheo

서로를 위로하던 진심어린 말투가

Seororeul wirohadeon jimsimeorin malthuga

영원할것만 같은 따뜻한 목소리

Yeongwonhalgeotman gatheun ttatteuthan mogsori

그리고 남겨진건

Geurigo namgyeojingeon

수많은 행복들과 그토록 믿고있는 마음에 안식처

Sumaneun haengbokdulgwa geuthorok mitgoitneun maeume ansikcheo

(가리워져있던)

(Gariwojyeoitdeon)

숨쉬지못하던

Sumswijimothadeon

그마음의 따뜻한 그 믿음과 행복을

Geumaeume ttatteuthan geu miteumgwa haengbokgeul

기쁨과 희열을 사랑과 희망을

Gippeumgwa huiyeoreul sarangwa huimangeul

이제부터라도 돌아와 함께해요

Ijebutheorado dorawa hamkkehaeyo

(언제나)

(Eonjena)

그리고 남겨진건

Geurigo namgyeojingeon

수많은 행복들과

Sumaneun haengbokdeulgwa

그토록 믿고있는

Geuthoreok mitgoitneun

(언제나)

(Eonjena)

마음의 안식처

Maeume ansikcheo

Yiks, my new crush Pia :) And I really.love.this song

옥요한/Ok Yohan (피아/Pia) - U.F.O
[lyric, romanization, translation]


어린시절 놀이터
Eorin sijeol noritheo
Childhood's playground
뛰어놀던 아이들
Ttwi eonoldeon aideul
Children who played & jumped around
어느덧 어른이 되어
Eoneudeot eoreuni doe-eo
Before we know, we become adults
다른 꿈을 꾸고 있지
Dareun kkumeul kkugo itji
Another dream to forget

아무도 묻지않던
Amudo mutjiandeon
No body have ever asked
거짓말은 현실이 되어
Geojitmareun hyeonsiri doe-eo
A lie becomes reality
지친 하늘은 하얀 갈숲 노을 U.F.O들
Jichin haneureun, hayan galsup, no-eul U.F.Odeul
Weary sky, snowy forest, U.F.O's light
[저 언덕 희미한 저 또 다시 잊지못할 그 이야기 듣고 싶어]
[Jeo eondeok huimihan jeo tto dasi itjimothal geu iyagi deutgo sipheo]
[That misty hill, me and you will never forget, the story that we want to hear]

이젠 내게 남은 것은 없어도
Ijen naege nameun geoseun eopseodo
Now, there's nothing left for me
내가 믿고 싶어 했던 모든것
Naega mitgo sipheo haetdeon modeungeot
I have wanted to believe everything
안녕 U.F.O
Anyeong U.F.O
Hello U.F.O
다시 또 한번 만날 순간 까지
Dasi tto hanbeon mannal sungan kkaji
When will I meet you once again?

남아 있는 모든 힘을 다해서 언제까지 다시 돌아올꺼야
Nama ineun modeun himeul dahaeseo eonjekkaji dasi doraolkkeoya
All that remains I'm giving it all, so when will you come back to me?
안녕 U.F.O
Anyeong U.F.O
Hello U.F.O
다시 또 한번 만날 순간 까지
Dasi tto hanbeon mannal sugan kkaji
When will I meet you once again?

아무도 묻지않던
Amudo mutjiandeon
No body have ever asked
거짓말은 현실이 되어
Geojitmareun hyeonsiri doe-eo
A lie becomes reality
지친 하늘은 하얀 갈숲 노을 U.F.O들
Jichin haneureun hayan galsup no-eul U.F.Odeul
Weary sky, snowy forest, U.F.O's light
[저 언덕 희미한 저 또 다시 잊지못할 그 이야기 듣고 싶어]
[Jeo eondeok huimihan jeo tteo dasi itjimothal geu iyagi deutgo sipheo]
[That misty hill, me and you will never forget, the story that we want to hear]

이젠 내게 남은 것은 없어도
Ijen naege nameun geoseun eopseodo
Now, there's nothing left for me
내가 믿고 싶어 했던 모든것
Naega mitgo sipheo haetdeon modeungeon
I have wanted to believe everything
안녕 U.F.O
Anyeong U.F.O
Hello U.F.O
다시 또 한번 만날 순간 까지
Dasi tto hanbeon mannal sugan kkaji
When will I meet you once again?

남아 있는 모든 힘을 다해서 언제까지 다시 돌아올꺼야
Nama itneun modeun himeul dahaeseo eonjekkaji dasi doraolkkeoya
All that remains I'm giving it all, so when will you come back to me?
안녕 U.F.O
Anyeong U.F.O
Hello U.F.O
다시 또 한번 만날 순간 까지
Dasi tto hanbeon mannal sugan kkaji
When will I meet you once again?

And if you are a fan of K indie music, maybe you should check My Princess OST albums cause there are several songs from 에브리 싱글 데이 Every Single Day, 루싸이트 토끼 Lucite Tokki, and 옥상달빛 Dalmoon.