Random K Drama Recommendation or Not: Warm and Cozy

Title:맨도롱 또똣
Title (romaji): Maendorong ttottot
Title (English): Warm and Cozy
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: May 13, 2015 - July 2, 2015
Episodes: 16 episodes
Airtime: Wednesday-Thursday at 22.00
Writer: Hong Mi-ran and Hong Jung-eun
Main cast:
Yoo Yeon-seok as Baek Gun--woo
Kang Sora as Lee Jung-joo
Lee Sung-jae as Song Jung-geun
Kim Hee-jung as Kim Hae-sil
Kim Sung-oh as Mayor Hwang Wook
Seo Yi-an as Mok Ji-won

Finally Warm and Cozy wraps itself up. I'm gonna miss you Yoo Yeon-seok! Say whaat... That's the major conclusion of the story! :) I must agree with the majority of the viewers, the story is lack of plot twist and reasonable conflict. For ones who are not a fan of both leads would find the 16 episodes were snooze fest till the end. But there's a strange relationship between me and bad drama, the more absurd the drama, the more fun I feel writing about it.

Many probably started to watch this because knowing the drama was penned by the famous Hong sisters, but I ain't their biggest fan, I started the series with just so-so anticipation. Even the drama description never offered such a grandeur and adventurous story line that when the story ended up like an uneventful, light, and breezy journey, I didn't feel cheated. I didn't find a hard time to finish the 16 episodes or asked my 16 hours of time watching it to be returned back at me either. It would be different if the drama begun with a large blockbuster scale production for a description (see Korean Peninsula) or a bizarre premise like Hyde, Jackyl, and Me and turned out such premise never happen, gave you a THUD. So yes, Warm and Cozy really lived up its name.

Yawn, I told you so, it's too warm and too cozy, to write

The drama begins with introducing our Jeju Island Gatsby (seriously they thought to use that as a title before changing it to Warm and Cozy which from my POV is so lack of reference. Don't they know Great Gatsby is so dramatic and tragic which is the opposite of this drama?) Baek Gun-woo played by Yoo Yeon-seok. He is the last child from a woman with three different husbands and has a child with each one of them. Yes, what a K drama without a family issue for a male lead.

"It is my mom you are talking about!"

 

"Really? Then tell me about what is happening to me after first episode?"

The first meet cute is taking us back to high school era, when Lee Jung-joo (Kang Sora) was in search for revelation related to her birth secret. She went to Jeju with wishful thinking to find if her mother is some kind of chaebol so she doesn't have to work herself off anymore in everything. But only to find her bubble burst by Baek Gun-woo. He is like: It is not you the chaebol in the house but me. When I, you, we think Hong sisters will release another indisputable K drama trope like fauxcest plot...

Because my dad is in the same photograph with her, so she must be my mom!*best fact deduction ever*

Pohonphee: "Pah! I thought Yoo Yeon-seok and Kang Sora can pass as a sibling! What to waste an advantageous coincident!"

Because you have the same level of dazzling beauty, so you must be my long lost twin!

Hong sisters: *tongue wiggles*

Fauxcest issue is settled in first episode. Our OTP may pretty please romancing each other to their heart content. Jung-joo went back to Seoul with Gun-woo as a prince with shining armor and black horse in her dream. But that's not happening.

A girl can dream.

Ten years later, Jung-joo backs to Jeju after she got fired from her job in underwear company and being duped by her cousin into buying a rundown house in Jeju instead of Warm and Cozy apartment she's been dreaming of. Like being fired from work and duped by her own cousin are not enough to buy our heroine some pity from us, she also must face reality that her boyfriend whom she think he will propose her soon, is cheated on her and she has to meet him with his new wife at Jeju on the very same day. Whew, I don't want to be a Candy in K drama, I want to be Annie instead! :P But never mind, she soon will be reunited with her prince with black horse to save her life.

Or a Xena.

Ten years for Baek Gun-woo means a long time waiting for his feeling to be reproached by his high school crush the calculated Mok Ji-won. He sets up a restaurant named Warm and Cozy in Jeju only to impress her. Mok Ji-won is the trope of cardboard female lead in K drama verse. She is just there to complete the love triangle. She's just a tool, coming out and off the scenes just because. She suddenly lurks in the corner to eavesdrop, drops by unceremoniously, standing in the room like piece of art that too plain so it blends with its surrounding. Many may end up angry and frustrated by her, but she is just so bland, she pulls no emotion from me. This really what makes Hong Sisters writing seemed so lazy in Warm and Cozy.

At first I thought Ji-won has an eye for Gun-woo hyung, Jung-geun since she thought he would be more profitable if she marries him instead of the grasshopper Gun-woo. The drama keeps giving me hints about this story arc but it never happens. But least they do it for the sake of bigger conflict or they thought it is bigger.

Hyung! You cannot marry her, Hae-sil.

So they set up another romantic line in the drama, Gun-woo older brother, Song Jung-geun with a woman named Kim Hae-shil. She is a lady diver of Jeju island (Haenyo) who lives with collecting abalone, sea urchin, and sea weed. She is the Main reason why Gun-woo can't get closer to Jung-joo. Let me break it for you early in the beginning than you know it at the end only makes you want to pull your hair.

Gun-woo: "She is The reason why we cannot be together." 

Welcome the biggest world problem in Warm and Cozy universe: There's a conception that Hae-sil late husband had died in a hit and run accident caused by Gun-woo's father. Remember that Gun-woo's father is different with Jung-geun, so with Hae-shil's husband was killed by Gun-woo's father, Hea-sil is okay to marry Jung-geun because he is not blood related to the killer right? But it is not okay for Gun-woo to stay in Jeju and romancing Jung-joo because he is blood related with the killer so he might interfere Jung-geun and Hae-shil relationship. *Hmmmmm*

Dad:"Oh no Why do you think she s the reason, Son??"

Then the truth revealed, it was not Gun-woo's father who caused the accident but Gun-woo's mother instead, but Gun-woo's father chose to take the responsibility with going to jail in place of her. So now, she is married with the person who has a blood relation with the killer of her husband instead of just have a connection with the killer (Gun-woo). But hey, it is okay, you know. Viewers here take home message: Life too short, she can forgive, move on, and grab the happiness that has been dangling in front of her before it is too late. Yes, that what scream inside of my head: So what's all about the tears, heartbreak, pain, separation, screaming and fighting between Gun-woo and Jung-joo?!? *Silent*

Dad:"Because it is not me the reason either. Because there's NO reason at all."

I don't know any more, if in this universe if x = 1, y = 1, so x = y, in that universe where Gun-woo and Jung-joo live if x=1, y=1, only God knows if x can eventually means y. Sighs. What a drama does to your head.

Anyway, setting up a restaurant at the part of Jeju that isn't tourist destination is a bad decision all in all. The business is slow and the main reason why Gun-woo opening the restaurant, Ji-won, seems to not impressed at all or even not care at a least bit. Seeing his plan to woo his long time crush doesn't work, he may just abandon the restaurant all together, just like the way he is. He may just go back to Seoul and find another way to impress her. Doesn't he care about the money that he borrowed to set up the restaurant until the person who lend it ask Gun-woo to pay him back ASAP for his daughter's marriage. Have been cut off from his money resource by his hyung because Gun-woo takes for granted all the money hyung has given him, Gun-woo must to think hard how to get money to pay his loan. It's not like any other day in Gun-woo's world.

Gun-woo: "How the nice and kind of person like me not pitied her?"

Meanwhile just across the street, Jung-joo has resolved to stay at Jeju and to start again everything from the stretch. She with her limited saving will build a cafe from the rundown house. Watching the struggling and hardworking Jung-joo from across the street actually twitches some pity muscles in Gun-woo's body, but there's some character down there for not to be ignore. Because of pity Gun-woo comes to comfort Jung-joo yet still figure out the easiest way to solve his urgent problem of paying his loan. So the idea comes to his mind to rent his restaurant to Jung-joo with all Jung-joo's saving as down payment. Seeming it is not advantageous deal for Gun-woo because the contract's limit time is as long as Jung-joo's life. Who is in the right mind doing that? In Gun-woo's defense, he thinks Jung-joo got a cancer and doesn't have that much time to live on (Hur! You tease me one with cliché K drama trope shame on me, you tease me twice shame on you) and also it is the short and easiest way to solve the problem for Gun-woo who never learn the value of money in life.

Gun-woo:"Here I give you the key to my heart house."

The problem is solved, until... At last minute Ji-won chooses to stay at Jeju after Gun-woo's hyung offered her to manage his resort's PR team. That pushes Gun-woo to stay back at Jeju, but how? He has already lent his restaurant to Jung-joo. Contract has been signed on, and he is a man of his word (ahem -_-). But it is Ji-won! He must stay. Mark the beginning Gun-woo & Jung-joo's co-habitation in Warm and Cozy. Well that's a bait for you if you like co-habitation drama, though I hope you are not get tempted :P

Oh you two! Just say what you want to say...

Co-habitation doesn't make their romance smooth sailing, there's always something coming in their way, from their stupidity, his childishness, her sudden naivety, an abandoning mother (who finally looking for her child only to ask money to pay her debt but you, viewers, can't be angry at her because the money are used for her other child's cancer treatment (and she only appears in one episode, don't waste your emotion and brain), to a city mayor that turns to be a suitor a.k.a second male lead. They go back and fort about how he and she (yes, both of them) doesn't think all the nice thing that he has done for ber is all because he likes her, he just thinks it is all because he's just that kind of person he is, kind and comforting. See they have the same kind of idea about how their relationship is but I'm kind of amazed they never reach the middle point and spend 16 episodes just to make it clear. Here my INTJ self gives both of you a peep talk: go straight forward. I think I like you, it's comfortable being around you, let's try this and be happy together. The End.

Because I have your sister to take care of, I can't stay for another episode.

Along with Mok Ji-won, the cardboard second female lead, there's, of course, a second male lead who like also pop-up everywhere and anywhere to save the heroine from anything but turning into damsel in distress to keep the story running. But gee… there's no chemistry and lack of tension from the heroine and the second male lead that can make us, viewers, to believe the hero being threaten to be worried about. And you, Red Clay Man, why do you propose a woman to marry you when there's not a single hint that she even likes you romantically at the very least? That's just against the law of the universe.

"But without me, there's not even a drama to begin with."

Gun-woo: "Red Clay Man, How dare you!"

But, I've changed, I'm a city mayor!

Pohonphee: "But that's why...Because you've changed, Abs FTW!"

Besides the one simple conflict that prolong to forever and ever, the cinematography is not good enough to create beautiful scene from the beautiful Jeju island (such a waste). Maybe there's a message from Korean tourism board (ha, ha, ha conspiracy theory's attack) to promote Jeju to increase visitation because they add some kind of promotional narration at the first episode. I just wish they had made it more subtle. Subtle is better in my opinion for advertisement. See One Sunny Day to see how to promote Jeju tourism via drama, they makes every scene looks like a drop from photography book. The story is also non existed, but I enjoy watching just to look out scene every scene rolls out.

The proof of conspiracy :P

And I do think they try to adopt Let's Eat concept with keeping the conflict minimum and focus in anything else like food or the beautiful scene or Kang Sora or Yoo Yeon-seok :P They failed miserably in cinematography but who know they are also bad in capturing the food delicacy. How they add cooking session at the end of few first episodes is laughable to me. I think they realize it and cut it off at near the end of drama.

I choose Yoo Yeon-seok over cooking any day :D

You may guess why I insist to finish Warm and Cozy which is The beauty of Yoo Yeon-seok and Kang Sora. Too blind to see, though many say Gun-woo character is frustrating, I'm kind of liking Gun-woo, the carefree Gun-woo, the free spirited Gun-woo, the childlike Gun-woo, the one who-gives-his-back-to-lean-on Gun-woo, the one-who-makes-you-frustrated-and-also-the-one-who-gives-you-pat-on-the-back Gun-woo, the one-who-acts-like-asses-yet-smiling-like-innocent-child Gun-woo, the one-who-cooks-you-late-night-snack-like-it's-nothing Gun-woo. Even if I want to hate him after his assy, non sense talk, I can't bring my self to hate him.

At the end, you are the reason why, *Pun intended*

I think K Drama in general has ruined my dating probability, because I character like Gun-woo (the nice and gentle, not the cute and assy chaebol) make my standard goes higher, no man IRL will ever reach, and I won't accept less :P

At least, we have a clear ending and a restaurant.

Yeah, they only gave us a green umbrella and a brain damage.

I don't know if I can forgive you and watch your drama again. I still have your green umbrella inside my brain.

Happy watching….

효린 – 맨도롱 또똣 (Hyeorin - Come a little closer)
Release Date: 2015.05.21
Album:  OST 맨도롱 또똣 – Part.3

길을 잃은 또 한 사람이
Gireul ireun ttohan sarami
That heart flutter
건네 준 따스했던 그 설레임
Geone jun ttaseuhaetdeon geu seolleim
That person who got lost gave me
기억이나 자꾸 생각나
Gieokina jakku saenggakna
I remember it, I think about it again
늘 기다린 내 사랑이란 걸
Neul gidarin nae sarangirangeol
I know that it;s the love I've been waiting
왜 난 왜 난 몰라
Wae nan wae nan molla
Why I don't know, What I don't

난 조금만 더 더 가까이 가요
Nan jogeuman deo deo gakkai gayo
I come a little closer to you
단 한번만 더 내게 가까이 와요
Dan hanbeonman deo naege gakkai wayo
Please come a little closer to me just once
사랑이라는 말 난 몰랐었던 말
Sarangiranneun mal nan mollaseotdeon mal
I don't know the word love
내게 가르쳐준 널 사랑해
Naege gareuchyeojun neol saranghae
I love you for teaching me

기다리면 올 거라 했던
Gidarimyeon ol geora haetdeon
That told me you'll be back if we wait 
흔했던 한마디의 그 위로가
Heunhaetdeon hanmadie geu wiroga
The common word of comfort
또 생각이나 사실은 말야
Tto saenggakna sasieun marya
To tell the truth, I think about it again
난 그 위로가 전부였단 걸
Nan geu wiroga jeon buyeotdeon geol
That comfort was everything
그대가 내 전부였단 걸
Geudaega nae jeonbuyeotdeon geol
That you're my everything

난 조금만 더 더 가까이 가요
Nan jogeumman deo deo gakkai gayo
I come a little closer to you
단 한번만 더 내게 가까이 와요
Dan hanbeonman deo naege gakkai wayo
Please come a little closer to me just once
사랑이라는 말 난 몰랐었던 말
Sarangiraneun mal nan mollaseotdeon mal
I don't know the word love
내게 가르쳐준 널 사랑해
Naege gareuchyeojun neol saranghae
I love you for teaching me

커져가는 내 맘 점점
Kheojyeoganeun nae mam jeomjeom
My heart is getting bigger and bigger
이젠 떠나지 마라 이젠 행복하자
Ijen tteonaji mara ijen hangbokhaji
Don't go away now let's be happy
우린 영원할 수 있다는 걸
Urin yeongwonhal itdaneun geol
We can be together forever

난 조금만 더 더 가까이 가요
Nan jogeuman deo deo gakkai gayo
I come a little closer to you
단 한번만 더 내게 가까이 와요
Dan hanbeonman deo naega gakkai wayo
Please come a little closer to me, just once
사랑이라는 말 난 몰랐었던 말
Sarangianneun mal nan mollaseotdeon mal
I don't know the word love
내게 가르쳐준 널 사랑해
Naege gareuchyeojun neol saranghae
I love you for teaching me

Thanks to WonderK for the video and the lyric