First a little explanation: this drama is a two-part series, consisting of 13 episodes. The first part is called Tsuma wa, Kunoichi, and the second is Tsuma wa, Kunoichi Saishusho.
This drama is set during the Edo period (1824-5), decades before Commodore Matthew Perry helped open Japan to the Western world with the Convention of Kanagawa. This historical event has some significance in the story of Tsuma wa, Kunoichi because the male lead is involved in a plot to build a ship that can sail farther than Japanese ships had sailed before, which was a huge deal for a country determined to remain isolated from the West.
It has been so long since I've written up a drama review. (Okay, so I've been pretty bad about writing anything lately.) And really, that's why I started this blog in the first place, to review dramas and share with others my love and hate for certain dramas (mostly love, though). I also want this blog to be a resource for people searching for a new drama to watch, and so I'll return to the beginning and start some more reviews.
Apparently, I'm in a Yoo Ah In mood today. Maybe I'll go three for three and write up a review on Sungkyunkwan Scandal next.
Anyway, on to The Man Who Can't Get Married. This is a drama that I really enjoyed watching. It's funny, cute, and has some great acting. I already loved Uhm Jung Hwa and Yoo Ah In from other dramas, and in this drama I discovered how amazing Ji Jin Hee is. Really, truly amazing. Also, while I generally dislike small dogs (especially chihuahuas, with their beady eyes) I absolutely fell in love with Sanggu. He's adorable.
I'll make this simple. Don't watch it. Even if you love Yoo Ah In or Lee Je Hoon, or even Shin Se Kyung. Don't watch this drama. Seriously.
Wow. What a long title. It's true, though. I watched this drama early on in my life as a kdrama addict. At that point I didn't really analyze much about the dramas I watched, but just let myself get caught up in the Need to Know that happens with dramas. Looking back, I'm not sure I would even finish this drama now. Except I probably would. Because it's drama crack.
This was my first exposure to kdrama, the first delicious sip that led to my current and abiding kdrama addiction. I had recently been interested in trying to find out more about international tv, since I love international cinema and love to be exposed to other cultures. It was late one night, and I was flipping through the cable channels—you know the ones past 100 on basic cable that almost nobody watches? It was then that I saw this
So. Much. Pretty.
I know it's kdrama blasphemy, but I hated You're Beautiful. This isn't an unusual response from me with things other girls typically love. For instance, I also hate Jane Eyre and Little Women with a passion, something my usually like-minded friends just can't grasp. When I first started watching kdramas, I found it intriguing that heroines weren't always smart/pretty (see Mischievous Kiss), but I found Go Mi Nyeo to be absolutely mind-boggling, and I swear my IQ dropped just watching her. The only things she had going for her were her ability to sing and her crush on Hwang Tae Kyung. My feminism hurts just thinking that loving a guy is the main thing that defines this woman.
This drama is packed with great stuff—romance, political intrigue, comedy, action, and frankly some of the best non-asian actors I've seen in a kdrama. (Most of them aren't actually good actors, but most "foreign" actors I've seen in kdramas have been terrible, and these actors are somewhat decent. . . mostly.)
One of my favorite aspects of this drama is Ha Ji Won's character Kim Hang Ah. She's a tough-as-nails North Korean drill sergeant who has to deal with South Korea's crown prince/Peter Pan/playboy Lee Jae Ha (in a world where South Korea has a nominal monarchy). Are we surprised that Ha Ji Won is playing a tough chick? Not in the least, because she's awesome at it, but this girl has a squishy center.
To be honest, I'm not always a fan of the Hong Sisters' dramas. This drama had been on the back burner for me for a long time—I had some desire to watch it, but needed a little push to start it. That push came (happily) from a combination of my current frenzy over Big and a newfound love for Lee Seung Ki after watching King 2 Hearts. And I'm glad I finally got that push.
It's not a perfect drama, but despite that, I really enjoyed it. How can you not swoon over Lee Seung Ki's adorable dimples? How could I resist the delightful twist on a Korean fable/fairy tale? (I'm a total sucker for good fairy tale adaptations, even if I'm not very well versed on the story.) And the Hong Sisters are generally quite good at writing comedy. I also loved the mystery interwoven throughout the story, which added a nice tension and some conflict to the plot.
