Korean Daily Dramas (Part I)

 

 

I have spent the last few months watching Korean Daily Dramas (in the States we call them “Soap Operas”) and they tend to consume a lot of your time. I have watched eight in total: Suji & Uri; Vengeance of the Bride; The Second Husband; Smile Again; The Brave Yong Su-jeong; Queen’s House; The Third Marriage; and Love Twist. I decided to do a general overview of these series instead of an in-depth review, because it would require a huge epic undertaking – each of these dramas is over 100 episodes long (Queen’s House is the shortest at 100 episodes), which means there a lot of filler episodes where nothing happens. The Second Husband is the biggest offender when it comes to this – there is a love triangle subplot involving three supporting characters that has no relevance to the main storyline; it is there purely for comedy relief and is completely discarded in the shows third act. These three characters disappear from the narrative, and everyone forgets all about them. 
Editor’s note: Even a general overview of these series is much longer than I expected. I was initially hoping to do it all in one post, but that is proving to impractical; I already have written 11 plus pages and I’m not even halfway through the analysis. I plan on breaking up the analysis I three parts. 

The Korean Daily Dramas can be separate into two distinct categories: Revenge Melodramas and Redemption Melodramas. The first one speaks for itself: the main character (usually a working-class female) is wrong by the main antagonist and then vows revenge on that individual. In the Redemption Melodramas – the main character is wronged by the antagonist, and their entire life gets derailed in the process. However, rather seeking revenge, they are determined to get their life back on track and, thanks to sheer willpower and hard work, are able to reclaim their lives. The antagonists often believe that the protagonists are plotting elaborate revenge, but in reality, they are just trying to make a living. Even the antagonists of the series are given a redemption arc – after eating humble pie, they reflect on their lives and are determined to make amends for their wrongdoing. Suji & Uri and Smile Again fall under the Redemption Melodrama category, while the other three are Revenge Melodramas (though, The Brave Yong Su-jeong is a hybrid, because it allows for one the main antagonists to redeem himself in the end). Love Twist follows a similar route – there is a revenge element to the storyline but it only accounts for a few episodes of the drama and most of the antagonists, with the exception of one, are given a redemption arc. It is a show that is less about vengeance and more about forgiveness. Love Twist is also interesting because its two protagonists, Oh So-ri and Park Ha-ru, are largely responsible for the hell they create for themselves. There is more nuance in the characterizations.

All seven melodramas are variations of the same plot – they all offer up similar protagonists, antagonists, tropes, themes and often feature the same actors; Vengeance of the Bride and The Second Husband are so similar to the point they are almost indistinguishable. Smile Again offers an interesting variation on the formula in that the lead protagonist is a male (Dong-hae) instead of the usual female. They are a modern retelling of Cinderella (instead of the heroine being saved by a fairy godmother, they often find a wealthy benefactor who helps them enact their revenge).

This would be the perfect time to explore all the tropes these melodramas have in common:

 

1.     The Wronged Protagonist

The one common trope most melodramas (women’s weepies) have in common is that they really like to pile the misery on the lead protagonist. The lead protagonist in each of these shows often starts off the series living an ideal life – in Suji & Uri, Suji is a well-respected psychiatrist; in The Second Husband, Seon-hwa is in a common-low marriage with Mun Sang-hyeok and has just given birth to the first son; and in Queen’s House, Kang Jae-in is married to Hwang Ki-chan. They have a son, Eun-ho, and are expecting a second child.

When Vengeance of the Bride and The Brave Yong Su-jeong begin, both of their lead females, Su-jeong and Seo-yeon, are children. The opening scene of The Brave Young Su-jeong is of Su-jeong’s mother getting killed in a fire while trying to rescue her daughter while in Vengeance of the Bride, Seo-yeon is the favorite daughter of the prominent Kang family (the father Baek-san is the chairman of a cosmetics company). However, Seo-yeon’s world comes crashing down when it is revealed that she is not their biological daughter (when she was infant, her father was murdered by Baek-san and her birth mother disappeared – simultaneously, Baek-san’s wife, Nam In-soon, gave birth to twin girls, but one of them died. So, her mother-in-law, who just happened to be at the scene of the crime, took the infant Seo-yeon and swapped her with the deceased baby – this all happens while Su-rin was unconscious. For ten years, Baek-san and In-soon raised Seo-yeon as their own daughter (for the first ten years of her life she went by the name Kang Ba-ram), oblivious to the fact that she was the offspring of his former rival. When In-soon finds out that Seo-yeon is not her biological daughter, she gives Seo-yeon the cold treatment and eventually kicks her out of the house – they send the family servant, Choi Yeong-wan, to look after the young girl. Unfortunately, Yeong-wan gets attacked by a bunch of Baek-san’s goons and ends up losing track of the child – Seo-yeon ends up being raised in an orphanage. 
Flash forwards a couple of decades later and Seo-yeon is now a stylist at a salon and is looking to start up her own cosmetic business and ends up running afoul of Baek-san.

The protagonists in each of these series initially possess two distinct qualities: empathy and naiveté. They are all warm individuals (with the exception of Dong-hae) who give everyone the benefit of the doubt, which also makes them an easy target for bad faith actors. In Queen’s House, Kang Jae-in  (Hahm Eun-jung) is a chaebol, who is seemingly in an ideal marriage with Hwang Ki-chan (they have a son named Hwang Eun-ho and another child is on the way) but her entire world comes crashing down when she discovers her husband is having an affair with her best friend, Kang Se-ri (played to perfection by Lee Ga-ryeong). However, it isn’t just her husband and best friend that betrays her, but her extended family as well. When Jae-in and Ki-chan are competing for chairperson of YL Group (her father’s company), her aunt, Kang Mi-ran, and brother Kang Seung-woo side with Ki-chan. Her other best friend, Do Yoo-kyeong also betrays her by signing to the papers to commit her to a mental hospital. Jae-in never harmed any of these people, they simply resent her for social status – Doo Yoo-kyeong has the habit of blaming others for her misfortunes while Se-ri is a sociopath who never shows any remorse for any of her actions. It turns out that her aunt, Mi-ran, is actually Seung-woo’s biological mother (Jae-in’s father took him in at a young age and, to protect his younger sister, lied to his wife that Seung-woo was the product of an affair). Mi-ran can only think of Seung-woo’s inheritance and sides with Ki-chan, because she believes she can work out a deal Ki-chan (he will be the chairman until Seung-woo is ready to take over the company). It backfires big time against Mi-ran – Ki-chan has no intention of stepping and his new wife, Se-ri, is constantly a source of scandal. 

In Suji and Uri, (also starring Hahm Eun-jung), Su-ji is a famous psychiatrist (who has her own talk show) whose life gets upended by multiple scandals. The first one involves her father, Jin Jang-su, who owns a chain of Bibimbap restaurants and wants to expand his business overseas. He uses his daughter’s name (without her knowledge) to persuade investors to put money into his company. However, his partner embezzles the money and flees the country, leaving Jang-su holding the bill. The investors, naturally, want their money back and when Jang-su fails to cough it up, they show up at the hospital Su-ji works at and demand she pay them back. This confrontation ends up on the news and is the first time the public starts to question her character – guilt by association.  Even Jang-su and Su-ji eventually pay back the investors; there are still people who hold this against her.

The incident that derails her career is when a video of her slapping her younger sister, Na-young gets leaked online. Na-young desperately wants to host a talk show and asks Su-ji to put in a good for her, but despite Su-ji’s best efforts, the producer rejects the idea – instead he offers Su-ji an insane sum of money to host the show herself, she is appalled and turns it down. Na-young only hears about the first part (that the producer wants Su-ji to host the talk show) and assumes that her older sibling stabbed her in the back. She never allows Su-ji to explain her side of the story. Later, Na-young meets with the producer and pleads her case and, sensing her desperation, he begins to put the moves on her.  Su-ji happens to be in the restaurant at the moment, witnesses what is happening, and immediately puts a stop to it. This enrages Na-young, who is convinced that Su-ji is trying to sabotage her career.  The two of them get into a heated argument and Na-young brings up a sensitive topic (Su-ji’s birth mother abandoning her when she was six) and Su-ji slaps her across the face. Now, it just so happens that slap is recorded by Na-young’s cameraman (she hosts a TV show that highlights lesser-known restaurant in South Korea) and he sends her a copy on his phone. She uploads the video (out of context) and then plays the victim.  This video, coupled with the scandal involving her father, is enough to turn the public against her. Her patients (who used to idolize her) cancel their appointments, and the hospital (which used her fame to bring in business) eventually fires her.  The only people who stand by her side are U-ri (a fellow psychiatrist at the hospitals and his sympathetic makeshift family (none of the people in household are related by blood).  He persuades his adopted mother, Oh Seon-young (who owns a prominent restaurant, Madang House) to allow Su-ji to rent the spare room in their house.  At first, she is a recluse – she spends most of her time locked up in her room and only comes out to eat. U-ri urges his family to be patient with her and not to force things; eventually she opens up and with U-ri’s support she gets back on her feet. Also (and this is not a spoiler), it is revealed that Seon-yoong is actually Su-ji’s biological mother (but I will get to that later).

I have to believe that reason Hahm Eun-jung took the role of Su-ji is the autobiographical elements to the role. Like the character of Su-ji, Eun-jung’s life was upended by a bullying scandal (I already wrote about the T-ARA bullying scandal in my review for White, so I won’t repeat her).  She, and her T-ARA members, had to face the harsh judgement of the public, who made up their minds before the facts had come out. She also went through a bout of desperation – she would spend entire days in her bedroom and often go days with out showering.  She was eventually vindicated and went on to have a successful career as an actress. She also won the Excellence Award – Actress in a Daily Drama-at the KBS Drama Awards for her performance as Su-ji (she also won one for Queeen’s House).  She went from being ostracized by her peers to being celebrated (similar to Su-ji).

The Third Marriage, Jung Da-jung (Oh Seung-ah) is betrayed by her best friend, Kang Se-ran (Oh Se-young).  Da-jung was separated from both of her parents when she was kid – her mother left at young age after having an affair with her father’s best friend, and her father was accused of murdering an employee at his factory and spent years trying to clear his name. While her father was in prison, the bitter wife of the deceased employee, Cheon Ae-ja, sold Da-jung to a diner and she spent the next few years slavishly working for her tyrannical adopted mother. She eventually ran away and wound in an orphanage. She is a self-made woman and eventually lands a job at a food company, Dream Foods. Da-jung eventually marries Baek Sang-cheol, who also works at the same food company, Dream Foods, as Da-jung. It turns out that Da-jung’s best friend Se-ran is also Cheon Ae-ja’s daughter – the two of them knew were playmates when they are little and eventually reconnected in high school (though, Se-ran is not aware of this as Da-jung was the name given to her by her stepmother – her birthname was Shin Go-eun). Bear in mind, everything I just described happens in the very first episode of the series.  As a result, the first episode feels a bit disjointed at times – to the point where it is often difficult to understand what is going on.

It is shortly after her marriage to Sang-cheol that Da-jung is reunited with her biological father, Shin Deok-su. The two of them hit it off and form a close bond, but Se-ran remembers that Shin Deok-su was the man who murdered her father (or that it what her mother told her) and she decides the best way to get back at Deok-su is by ruining his daughter’s life. Her request for revenge is motivated by a misunderstanding, something she only realizes all too late. Se-ran is jealous of Da-jung and tries to steal her life – she steals Da-jung’s husband, birth right, and even Da-jung’s daughter. It turns out that Deok-su is the long-lost son of Yoon Bo-bae, the chairwoman of a popular restaurant and when Se-ran finds out about it, she manipulates the DNA results to make it appear that her father is Bo-bae’s long-lost son. As a result, Bo-bae believes that Se-ran is her granddaughter and impulsively gives her the role of CEO. She also gives Ae-ja a managerial position. When Da-jung realizes she has been betrayed and that Se-ran is responsible for her father’s death, she seeks revenge of her own, but since the law has failed her, she decides to marry the chairman of Dream Foods, Wang Jae-guk, and use his connections get back at Se-ran. She also effectively becomes Se-ran’s stepmom – in a business merger, Se-ran ends up marrying Jae-guk’s son, Wang Ji-hoon.  However, the ultimately proves to be a huge mistake on Da-jung’s part.

In Love Twist, the romance between Oh So-ri (also played by Hahm Eun-jung) and Park Ha-ru gets derailed by a white lie told by their parents. So-ri’s father, Oh Gwangnam, is having an affair with Ha-ru’s estranged mother, Park Hee-ok. To further complicate issues – Park Hee-ok is also best friends with Gwangnam’s wife, Maeng Ok-hee. When So-ri’s biological father, Park Ki-tae, appears out of nowhere and wants to claim Ha-ru as his own, Hee-ok, at Gwangnam’s urging, claims that Gwangnam is Ha-ru’s biological son. She even creates a fake DNA test so that Ki-tae will get off her back. Her intention was to protect her son from Ki-tae, who is a genuinely evil man (he raped Hee-ok when she was a young and Ha-ru was conceived as a result). She puts on an indifferent front when she is around Ha-ru, but despite her cold exterior she does care for her son. However, Ok-hee, while visiting Hee-ok finds the DNA test, believes that it is genuine, refuses to listen Hee-ok’s explanation, and eventually tells Ha-ru about it. As a result, Ha-ru believes So-ri is his biological sister and breaks it off with her. Instead of telling her the truth, he coldly pushes her away and hooks up with So-ri’s one-time best friend, Kang Yoo-nah, who is pregnant after a one-night stand, and Ha-ru tells So-ri the child is his. It turns out that So-ri is pregnant with Ha-ru’s child but believing she has been abandoned decides to marry Kyungjun, who currently works for her father’s company and intends to use So-ri to fulfill his own ambitions. Kyungjun also helped fake the results of the DNA test; he visited Ki-tae, took a sample of his hair, and claimed it belonged to Gwangnam. Both him and Yoo-nah know the truth about So-ri and Ha-ru but choose to remain silent because it gets in the way of their own plans. Hee-ok and Gwangnam also keep silent because they don’t approve of So-ri and Ha-ru being a couple.

Dong-hae (Carl Laker is his American name), in Smiling Again, is the only protagonist who is kind of unlikable when we first meet him. He is an impulsive individual, with anger issues, and often jumps to the wrong conclusions. He is extremely sensitive when it comes to his mother, Anna, who in her youth got into an accident in typhoon, which caused her to be intellectually challenged – she has the mindset of a seven-year-old. He also never knew his father, “James” who abandoned his mother before Dong-hae was born, which means he has spent most of his life raising himself and his mother.  At the beginning of the series, Dong-hae (Ji Chang-wook) is a member of a short distance speed skating team and is currently in South Korea to compete in a competition; he also has come to visit his girlfriend of six years, Yoon Sae-hwa (played by Park Jung-ah, former member of the girl group, Jewelry), whose aspiration is to anchor the nine o clock news, but currently does a five minute segment for the news station. She is giving a chance to prove her chops when she is given the job of hosting a TV show that reunites people with long lost family members.  When Dong-hae and Anna arrive in South Korea, Sae-hwa is supposed to pick Anna up at the airport (Dong-hae has to go to the hotel with his team) but an opportunity arises and she asks her school friend, Lee Bong-yi, to pick up Anna for her.  Dong-hae begins to worry about Anna and goes back to the airport to get her, when he sees getting on the bus with a strange woman. He immediately assumes the worst, waves down the bus, and confronts Bong-yi inside the bus. He never allows her to explain herself and gets violent with her – he pushes her aside and she ends up injuring her arm in the process. When he has finally calmed down, she explains herself and he feels like a horses’ ass. Bong-yi is such a sweet natured girl that we immediately resent Dong-hae for his ill treatment of her – it takes quite some time before he is able to get on our good side (this is after he has been incredibly humbled by circumstances).

 

This brings me another trope of these Soap Operas……

2.     The Two-Timing Spouse/Lover

In Smiling Again, Sae-hwa breaks up with Dong-hae to chase after Kim Do-jin. She initially isn’t interested in Do-jin until she learns his father is Kim Joon, the newly appointed executive director of the TV station she works at. His mother is Hong Hye-sook, the CEO of the Camelia hotel. Sae-hwa see this as an opportunity to advance her career – if she marries Sae-hwa and gets on Kim Joon’s good side, it is a given that she will get that anchor job on the nine of clock news. She coldly breaks it off with Dong-hae and then tries to pressure him to leave South Korea, out of fear that he will reveal their relationship. Their relationship was already strained after Sae-hwa asked Dong-hae to appear on her show and talk about his long-lost father, but he flat out refuses. However, Dong-hae’s mother, Anna, is desperate to find her former lover, James, and asks Sae-hwa if she can appear on her shoe. Sae-hwa knows that Dong-hae will not like this, but she decides to go through with it any ways – she wants to impress her bosses and will gladly use Anna to achieve this goal. Dong-hae learns about this, rushes to the television studio, and tells Sae-hwa that he will appear in Anna’s place.  He then makes a huge scene and tells Sae-hwa (and her audience) that he has no interested in finding his father – he then grabs his mother and storms out of this studio. Dong-hae’s live outburst gets Sae-hwa in trouble and she is demoted back to the five-minute news segment. Dong-hae does apologize for his behavior, but Sae-hwa uses it as an excuse to distance herself from him, so she can pursue Do-jin. This moment also demonstrates the differences in culture – in the United States, there is no way Sae-hwa would lose her job for a guest’s outburst, in fact, she would rewarded because this kind of outburst would have boosted ratings numbers and gone viral on the internet. Dong-hae’s outburst is pretty minor when you compare it to the things that are allowed on American television.

Dong-hae’s dreams of being short distance speed racer are dashed when he sacrifices himself to save Sae-hwa from an oncoming truck (this is another trope that pops up in these dramas – females walking into oncoming traffic only to push out of the way at the last second by the male protagonist. This is even more comical because often the female in question has more than enough time to get out of the way but chooses to stand still like a deer caught in headlights). Dong-hae is hospitalized and told by the doctor that he will never be able to ice skate again. At first, Sae-hwa is remorseful and gives him money to return to the states with, but when Dong-hae gets a job at the Camelia Hotel, as a chef, Sae-hwa’s paranoid gets the better of her and she keeps pressuring him to leave South Korea. She is responsible for her own undoing, because she constantly harasses Dong-hae that people, most notably Kim Joon, noticed the two of them together and begins to wonder what their relationship is.

The biggest lie that Sae-hwa told Do-jin is that he is her first romantic partner. She paints herself her as a virgin – this is after Do-jin tells her that he could never stand the thought of her being in a previous relationship with another man. However, it proves difficult to cover up the six years she shared with Dong-hae and eventually the truth comes out. Again, this is brought on by her constantly badgering Dong-hae in public places. Revenge was never part of Dong-hae’s plan – he just wanted to get back on his feet and working in the kitchen of the Carmelia offered up such an opportunity. He is even on good terms with Hye-sook – he saved her from a disgruntled ex-employee who confronted her in the elevator. She is also impressed by his devotion to his mother and strong work ethic. Their relationship becomes strained later on, but I will get to that later.

Since Smiling Again is not a revenge melodrama this allows for Sae-hwa a chance at redemption. She does a lot of despicable things throughout the series but eventually all her lies catch up with her, and she is left with nothing. It is a humbling experience and gives her a moment of self-reflection – she has no one to blame but herself. She does atone for her sins and even helps Dong-hae win control of the Carmelia (she has a lot of dirt on Do-jin). It is a nice variation on this character – it also fits well within the theme of the show that everyone is deserving of forgiveness (all they had to do is seek it).

In The Third Marriage, Baek Sang-cheol is a total flake – it doesn’t take much for Se-ran to seduce him. He also can’t make up his mind who is he is in love with, when he is with Se-ran expresses his love for her and tells her he will divorce Da-jung, but he loses his nerve when he is with Da-jung. It’s only after Se-ran is given the CEO title that Sang-cheol is determined to divorce Da-jung. However, the only reason Se-ran is interested in Sang-cheol is because he is Da-jung’s husband, once he finalizes his divorce from Da-jung, she loses all interest in him and moves on to Ji-hoon. She also frames Sang-cheol for assault and he spends the next few years in prison. Like most of the two-timing husbands, Sang-cheol is truly a pathetic figure. When he finds that Da-jung is the true heiress to Bo-bae’s fortune, he tries to get back on her good side. 

In The Second Husband, Seon-hwa’s partner, Moon Sang-hyeok has an affair with Yoon Jae-kyeong, his boss (and whose father is the chairman of confectionary company) and sees this as golden opportunity to further his career.  He abandons Seon-hwa, and their son, and begins a torrid romance with Jae-kyeong (played by Oh Seung-ah, my favorite actress in this genre but more on that later). The interesting thing about The Second Husband is that Seon-hwa and Jae-kyeong initially hit it off with each other – Jae-kyeong is oblivious to the fact that Sang-hyeok is in a relationship with Seon-hwa (and vice versa). The two of them meet up and often talk about their significant other (unaware they are talking about the same guy) but once Jae-kyeong finds out that Sang-hyeok is Seon-hwa’s significant other (and has a son to boot), she doubles down on her affair and rationalizes Sang-hyeok’s infidelity. She now views Seon-hwa as an enemy she must destroy. 

The running gag throughout the series is the physical abuse Sang-hyeok endures at the hands of others – he constantly gets either slapped or punched in the face. He wants to win the approval of Jae-kyeong’s wealthy parents, but they always view him with suspicion. Even though he betrayed Seon-hwa, he still has feelings for her and when she drops hints that she would like to get back together with him (as part of her revenge plot) he is very receptive to the idea. He is constantly weighing his options: Sang-hyeok can give him anything he wants but he was significantly happier when he was with Seon-hwa and she is better “wife material.”  When he sees Seon-hwa with his brother-in-law, Jae-min, he gets insanely jealous. It is actually an entertaining performance from Han Ki-woong, who constantly does his best Rodney Dangerfield “I get no respect” impersonation. Sang-hyeok is so pathetic that he becomes somewhat endearing. He acts like he is in control of the situation, but you can see the constant panic in his eyes.

Queen’s House is interesting because, like Smiling Again, there is an attempt at giving the cheating spouse Ki-chan, an actual character arc. There is a tragic element about his character – the one person who genuinely cared about him, his ex-wife Jae-in, is the same one he pushed away. He comes to this realization fairly late in the series – Ki-chan gets diagnosed with cancer and only has a short time to live. He tells Jae-in about this and, rather than being elated by the news, she tells him he must live because he needs to atone for his sins. Later, he walks in his mother and Se-ri arguing over who will get his life insurance. Neither of them shed a tear over the fact that he has cancer and will die in a few months, they can only think of the money they will inherit.

The second half of the show is when we see a gradual shift in the character – his attitude towards Jae-in begins to slowly change. Ki-chan does a lot of terrible things – he murders an employee (Kim Do-hee) to cover up his corruption and then lets Jae-in’s mother, Choi Ja-young, take the blame; he also is responsible for the death of Jae-in’s father, Kang Kyu-cheol; and commits Jae-in to a mental hospital after gaslighting her into believing she is insane.  He resorts to the dirtiest tricks to cover up the many scandals that involve him and Se-ri. Redeeming a character like this is a tall order, but damn, the series somehow pulls it off (this is largely due to the sincerity of Park Yoon-jae’s performance). Ki-chan realizes that Jae-in will never be able to forgive him for his terrible deeds but he is determined to make amends.  He fadlls back in love with Jae-in after she suffers from amnesia in a car accident (arranged by Se-ri) and lost her memory of the last eight years. She still thinks she is married to Ki-chan and also believes that she has miscarried their son, Eun-ho. Ki-chan decides to take her back into his house (much to the displeasure of Se-ri) and soon finds himself falling back in love with her. He realizes how badly he messed things up – he had the ideal wife and replaced her with a sociopath, who is constantly getting in trouble.  It is revealed  that Jae-in faked her memory in order to get close to Ki-chan to find evidence that will bring him down, and get back at the people who wronged her (most notably her awful mother-in-law).  Hahm Eun-jung’s acting is especially enjoyable in this section of the series – when Jae-in is around Ki-chan she puts on a “helpless babe in the woods” act, but when he is alone with her mother-in-law, she reveals her more ruthless side. It is quite the contrast. 

3.     The Wicked Step-sister

Since most of these series are essentially a retelling of Cinderella, there are often characters who function in the roles of the wicked Step-mother and Step-sisters. They can be literal step-sisters (like Jin Na-young in Suji & Uri) or symbolic (like Yoon Jae-kyeong in The Second Husband and Kang Ba-da in Vengeance of the Bride – both played by Oh Seung-ah). The all share a same common trait – they all are deeply insecure; suffer from a victim mindset; blame the lead character for all of their misfortunes; are habitual liars; rarely show remorse for the actions; and will resort to all sorts of dirty tricks to bring down the protagonist. 

In Suji & Uri, Na-young is Su-ji’s younger step-sister who resents her older sibling. She hosts the Korean version of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives – where she eats at the more out the way restaurants. While this program pays the bills, her real ambition is to be the MC of a talk show. She lives in the shadow of her more famous sibling and resents Su-ji’s success. Though, despite talking behind her older sibling’s back, Na-young’s face lights up when she finds out that Su-ji knows the producer of the talk show she is auditioning for and pleads with her sister to put in a good word for her. Su-ji actually does this, but the producer is not interested in Na-young, instead he wants Su-ji to host the show. Su-ji declines the offer.  However, when Na-young finds out about this, she believes Su-ji has stabbed her in the back.
The two of them get into a heated argument outside, which ends with Su-ji slapping Na-young (after Na-young makes a comment about Su-ji being abandoned by her birth mother). It turns out that Na-young’s cameraman on the Food show witnessed this exchanged and recorded it on his cellphone. He shows Na-young this footage and she leaks it online, which results in a backlash towards Su-ji. This, coupled with the fact that Su-ji’s father was accused of fraud by angry investors (the way he got them to invest in his product was by dropping his famous daughter’s name -without Su-ji’s permission), tarnishes her image and the public turns against her. She was once the face of the hospital and now, after the scandal, they try to distance themselves from her. Na-young believes this newfound sympathy from the public will translate into a successful career but the opposite proves to be true – the TV stations further distances themselves from her because she was involved in the scandal. She eventually hooks up with Su-ji’s well-meaning but dense ex-boyfriend, Han Hyeong-seong, gets pregnant, and uses the baby as leverage to move in with Hyeong-seong’s wealthy family – his mother is a chaebol and his father is a prominent surgeon at the hospital Su-ji and U-ri work at. If there is a flaw with the series is that this character is so loathsome in the early going that it’s hard to sympathize with her later on, especially when she tries to atone for all her mistakes – she is given an ambiguous ending.

In The Second Husband and Vengeance of the Bride the wicked stepsister is played by Oh Seung-ah, who is easily the best part of both of these dramas. In fact, her performance in both of these dramas is hard to top – to the point than when I watched other Soap Operas, I kept thinking to myself, “This would be so much more entertaining if Oh Seung-ah played the villain.” There a few similarities between her and Hahm Eun-jung: they were both idols (Eun-jung was a member of the girl group, T-ARA, while Oh Seung-ah was part of RAINBOW, and the sub-units Rainbow Blaxx and Rainbow Pixie); both of their groups debuted in 2009; both of them were born in 1988; and they both went on to have successful acting careers. I’m surprised the two of them haven’t acted in a drama together – this needs to happen. My ideal scenario - they play squabbling sisters who form an uneasy alliance when the family company is under attack from a sinister third party. The first half would feature lots of hair pulling, face slapping, backstabbing, and a random scene where the two of them have a karaoke face off.   The main difference is that Eun-jung is usually cast in the role of the protagonist while Seung-ah is cast as the antagonist (the sole exception is The Third Marriage, where she is cast against type as the heroine of series).  I should also point another actress who pops up in Smile Again, Lee Joo-yeon was also a member of a group, AFTER SCHOOL, that debuted in 2009 (however she was born in 1987), but more on that later (I’m a big AFTER SCHOOL fan – their Japanese release, “Ssh” is one of the greatest, and most criminally underrated, K-pop tracks ever released).

The best word to describe Oh Seung-ah’s acting in both of these series is frantic – with her quivering voice and bug-eyed expressions, she always looks like she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Her characters wear a mask of confidence but the fear in their eyes always gives them away. She dominates the proceedings that the lead actresses in both series, Park Ha-na, in Vengeance of the Bride, and Uhm Hyun-kyung, in The Second Husband, often come across as background extras in her presence. Neither actress is bad, but they don’t have the screen presence that Oh Seung-ah brings to her roles (I suspect this is a result of her idol training, which requires its stars to have great stage presence).

In Vengeance of the Bride, she plays Kang Ba-da, who grew up believing that the heroine, Eun Seo-yeon (when Seo-yeon was a child she went by the name Kang Ba-ram), was her biological twin sister. She resented Seo-yeon growing up because her parents favored Seo-yeon (her father, Kang Baek-san viewed Seo-yeon as his potential replacement and her mother, Nam In-soon, smothered Seo-yeon while often ignoring Ba-da). When it is revealed that Seo-yeon isn’t their biological daughter – In-soon kicks her out of the house and it seems that everything has worked out for Ba-da. With her number one rival out of the way, she is given the education and cushy job that would have originally gone to Seo-yeon.  Her father is the chairman of cosmetics company, LeBlanc (it is later revealed th0at he stole it from Seo-yeon’s true biological father), and Ba-da is put in charge of developing new products.  Seo-yeon works at beauty shop and just so happens to run into her former mom, Nam In-soon, who doesn’t recognize her. Also, since Ba-ram changed her name to Eun Seo-yeon (after the parents who adopted her from the orphanage), there is no reason for her to suspect that Seo-yeon is the little girl she raised for ten years as her own. Seo-yeon doesn’t bear any ill will towards In-soon and the two of them actually hit it off.  This is the main difference between Ba-da and Seo-yeon – despite the many hardships she faced, Seo-yeon refused to play the victim and kept a positive attitude towards life while Ba-da is a perpetual victim. In fact, if Hollywood remade this melodrama, the Ba-da character would probably be the protagonist, given how Hollywood aggressively pushes the victim mindset.  One the side, Seo-yeon is trying to start up her own cosmetics business and gives her new face mask to In-soon. Ba-da gets hold of the face mask and attempts to claim it as her own. It’s also this incident that puts Seo-yeon on Kang Baek-san’s radar. Ba-da’s attempt to steal the facemask gets thwarted by the older brother, and his best friend/Seo-yeon’s love interest, San-Deul (who knows Seo-yoen’s true identity).  When Baek-san’s attempts at intimidating Seo-yeon fail, he goes with the “if you can’t beat them join them approach) and offers her a job at LeBlanc. This further annoys Ba-da, who once again is forced to play second fiddle to Ba-ram. Ba-da is also in love with San-Deul but has been in love with Seo-yeon/Ba-ram since childhood and rejects Ba-da’s advances.  San-Deul is also played by a familiar face, Park Yoon-jae, who played the two-timing husband, Ki-chan, in Queen’s House.

In The Second Husband, Seung-ah plays Yoon Jae-kyeong, who not only steals Seon-hwa’s husband, but (accidentally) kills Seon-hwa’s grandmother and then, finally, frames Seon-hwa for murder.  Seon-hwa spends four years in prison, patiently plotting her revenge. Like Ba-da, Jae-kyeong is incapable of admitting any wrongdoing and her non-stop lies eventually catch up with her. Seon-hwa’s revenge is a bit on the ridiculous side, but I will get into that later, because it is so absurd that it needs its own paragraph. It was Seung-ah’s performance as the conniving Jae-kyeong that gave her recognition as an actor. She would usually be cast in villainous roles – though, in The Third Marriage, she was cast against type as the heroine, Jung Da-jung. It’s interesting to contrast this performance with her villain roles, because it requires her to dial down her performance.  She is not bad but, in my opinion, the Seung-ah who chews the scenery in The Second Husband and Vengeance of the Bride is more entertaining than the restrained Seung-ah in The Third Marriage.

 

And this allows me a smooth transition to talk about the evil step-sister in The Third Marriage, Kang Se-ran, who is a complete psychopath (played to perfection by Oh Se-young, who gives Oh Seung-ah a run for her money for the most entertaining villain in a Korean Soap Opera). Se-ran is the type of femme fatale that popped up in a lot of Cecil B. DeMille’s silent melodramas (Oh Se-young would make an excellent silent film actress); she is the ultimate sinner (she breaks all of the ten commandments). She steals Da-jung’s husband, steals Da-jung’s inheritance, kills Da-jung’s father, kidnaps her daughter, and even attempts to murder Da-jung. She fakes being pregnant to prevent her husband Wang Ji-hoon (Wang Jae-guk’s only son) from divorcing her. She burns all bridges with her best friend due to a misunderstanding – she believes that Da-jung’s father murdered her father. The irony is she spends most of the series sucking up to the actual culprit (Jae-guk). She is so blinded by vengeance that she never bothers to ask if it is worth it. She is enabled by her greedy mother, Cheon Ae-ja (played by Choi Ji-yeon).

(The end of Part One. INTERMISSION!!! Be sure to pick up some snacks at the Concession Stands. Today we have a two-dollar special on small popcorn and small drinks are dollar. WHAT A DEAL!!!  Part Two will be posted sometime in the next two years.) 

Backstreet Rookie (2020)

Hollywood, before it became obsessed with pushing ideology and rebooting every IP on the planet, used to make movies that catered to the middle class – in the 1980s there was a whole genre of “slobs vs. snobs” comedies that resonated with middle America. Now that activists have taken over the industry, they have abandoned making these types of movies and have figured their best path to success is to alienate this audience and try to win over a non-existent modern audience.  They are no longer in the business of entertainment but lecturing their audience in a desperate attempt to win them over to their cause. 

Therefore, it is interesting to see the “slobs vs. snobs” get adopted by South Korean television.
In the past two weeks, I watched two Korean TV shows, My Roommate is a Gumiho and Backstreet Rookie, and while these two shows are thematically very different, they do feature a female protagonist who is part of the working class. In My Roommate is a Gumiho the protagonist is a college student, Lee Dam, who (like most college students) on the weekends goes out to the bars with her two best friends– her two biggest vices are fried chicken and beer.  She also takes a part time job at Subway to supplement her income – this is something that many college students can relate to.  In fact, it is interesting that, despite the language barrier and cultural differences I find Lee Dam more relatable than most of the characters that populate American television/cinema.  My Roommate is a Gumiho is a highly entertaining show, but for the sake of brevity, this review is going to focus on Backstreet Rookie because it is an interesting (and often funny show) that is filled with all twists and turns. It is impossible to write about Backstreet Rookie without breaking down the main characters.  They are a fascinating bunch and are each worthy of analysis:

Jung Saet-byul (Kim Yoo-jung)

Our first introduction to Jung Saet-byul is her beating the crap of bullies. One could easily mistake her for the boring Girl Bosses that have dominated American culture for the last few years. Yet, as the series progresses, we realize that Saet-byul is more complicated than we initially believe.  She didn’t just magically learn how to fight – she was taught Tai Chi by her father, who owned a dojo. After her father was killed in a car accident this left Saet-byul and her younger sister, Eun-byul, parentless (their mother passed away when they were kids).  Saet-byul is a member of the Have Nots – she has spent most of her adult life having to work menial jobs (delivery girl, handing out fliers, part time convenience store employee) just so she can support Eun-byul and herself. 
While Saet-byul is presented as a badass, she never starts fights – she only uses her fighting skills on bullies. She also harbored a crush on Cho Dae-hyun ever since she was twelve years-old – after he pulled her out of the way to save her from being crushed by a falling punching bag. She later runs into him seven years later while she is smoking with her friends outdoors.  Dae-hyun is distraught after his girlfriend has broken up with him, and throws a teddy bear he bought her into a dumpster. The three girls witness this and then ask Dae-hyun if he can buy them cigarettes.  However, instead he buys them candy and scolds them about how cigarettes are bad for them.  Dae-hyun appreciates his concern and gives him a kiss on the lips.  Three years later – Dae-hyun is the owner of a convenience store and is looking to hire a part timer.  Saet-byul sees the “Help Wanted” sign and applies.

Choi Dae-hyun (Ji Chang-wook)

When we first meet Choi Dae-hyun, he is  a bit off putting (he constantly in the habit of scolding people) but as the show progresses, we realize that he is a good-natured guy. In fact, he may be a bit too good-natured as people constantly take advantage of his kindness.  He is initially suspicious of Saet-byul; he mistakenly characterizes her as a juvenile delinquent and even suspects her of taking money from the register.  However, once he gets to know her better, he realizes that she is a victim of circumstance and is genuinely kind person.  Dae-hyun is the kind of man who is willing to admit he was wrong and tries to atone for his mistake – once he realizes Dae-hyun’s plight, he genuinely wants to help her – not for an ulterior motive but because he legitimately cares about her.  He is also dating the older, and extremely wealthy, Yoo Yeon-joo, and their relationship is less than ideal – she constantly suspects that he is fooling around behind her back.   Dae-hyun does have a habit of being caught in compromising positions – at one-point Yeon-joo catches him getting drunk with Saet-byul and her friends outside the convenience store.  He initially was going to scold Saet-byul for getting drunk on the job, but Geum Bi and Eun Joo, sensing that he is a pushover, play the sympathy card and next thing you know is drinking with them. There is also another scene, after Saet-byul has been awarded “employee of the month,” she persuades Dae-hyun into giving her a piggyback ride, and who should walk in at that very moment but Yeon-joo.  He is also constantly apologizing, even when he hasn’t done anything wrong. 

Yoo Yeon-joo (Han Sunhwa)

When the series begins, Yeon-joo is Dae-hyun’s girlfriend – they have been dating for two years. She works at the corporate headquarters as the Public Relations team leader. She also comes from a wealthy family (her father owns the second most stocks in the company) and is two years older than Dae-hyun (ironically, in real life Han Sunhwa is three years younger than Ji Chang-wook). However, she begins to have second thoughts about her relationship with Dae-hyun; him hiring Saet-byul as a part timer certainly doesn’t help matters. The biggest problem is that they inhabit two different worlds– Yeon-joo belongs in the world of corporate board meetings, fancy restaurants, and other high society functions, but she is at a loss when it comes to the common folk and their hang outs.  It is interesting to note that Dae-hyun inhabited both worlds – he used to work at the corporate headquarters but resigned and opted to open a convenience store.  Yeon-joo is so embarrassed by the last part that she has never introduced Dae-hyun to her parents – because she knows they would disapprove of her dating a convenience store owner. 
It is to the credit of the writers (and actress) that Yeon-joo is not a one-dimensional bitch – in most American sitcoms, such a character would be utterly irredeemable. She makes questionable decisions, but a lot of that can be chalked up to her upbringing. She is the type of girls who has never heard the word “no.”  When she pressures Dae-hyun to fire Saet-byul, he is initially receptive to the idea but has a change of heart when he learns about Saet-byul’s situation. This upsets Yeon-joo and she concludes that the two of them are fooling around behind her back. In fact, Dae-hyun has rejected Saet-byul’s advances because he is committed to his relationship with Yeon-joo. He desperately wants to make it work, but Yeon-joo is too consumed with self-doubt to notice.  The irony is that while Dae-hyun has resisted Saet-byul’s many comes on, it is Yeon-joo who fools around behind Dae-hyun’s back – she has a brief fling with the company boss, and her childhood friend, Seung-joon.  He catches her in an extremely vulnerable moment and makes his move on her. Not to mention, her domineering mother keeps pressuring her to dump Dae-hyun and hook up with Seung-joon.  To her credit, she regrets the affair and wants to make amends to Dae-hyun, but she just can’t trust him being alone with Saet-byul.  She eventually breaks up with Dae-hyun, because she can’t overcome her suspicions.  After seeing his blossoming romance with Saet-byul, she realizes made a huge mistake and is determined to win him back. However, her idea of winning back Dae-hyun’s love is by bribing him with a cushy executive job and pushing Saet-byul out of the picture. 

Han Dal Sik (Eun Moon-suk)/ Hwang Geum Bi (Seo Ye-hwa)

These two characters are each other’s counterparts – Dal Sik is Dae-hyun’s best friend while Geum Bi is Saet-byul’s best friend. Dal Sik is the author of an erotic webtoon – though, he only views it as a job, he would rather write romance stories.  He is Bob Marley fan and has co-opted the whole Rastafarian look – he has dreadlocks, wears Hawaiian t-shirt, and has a bad tan. He uses a pseudonym “Reggae Boy” while writing his webtoon.  It turns out that Geum Bi is the biggest fan of his webtoon and often leaves an encouraging comment. In the real world, they are oblivious to each other’s online personalities and can’t stand one another – every time they run into each other, usually at the convenience store, it often turns violent – Geum Bi gets offended by a comment he makes and slaps him.  Geum Bi is kind of the inverse of Yeon-joo – she also comes from wealth, but she is far more comfortable hanging out with Saet-byul and frequenting all sorts of dive bars.  When Dal Sik and Geum Bi finally figure out each other’s identities, they are, at first, appalled but, as they spend more time together, they begin to realize they have a lot in common and eventually fall in love.

Gong Boo-hee (Kim Sun-young)

Boo-hee is Dae-hyun’s mother, who sells insurance for a living. She is also a character of contradictions – a woman who is often angry (and abusive towards her husband), yet who is also capable of showing great warmth and compassion to people who need it.  When she finds out that Saet-byul has been evicted from her apartment and forced to live in a sauna, Boo-hee takes Saet-byul under her wing and allows her to live with the family.  Boo-hee becomes a surrogate mother to the parentless Saet-byul.
Boo-hee’s violent streaks stem from resentment at the way her life turned out – she had great aspirations in her youth but was forced to settle selling insurance while struggling to raise her family. It doesn’t help that her husband, Yong-pil, has been unemployed for a long time, making her the only breadwinner in the family. She views herself as a total failure.  She simultaneously resents the upper class while desperately wanting to become a member of it.  When Yeon-joo tries to get back together with Dae-hyun, she tries to get to Dae-hyun through his mother – the two of the meets up, enjoy a few drinks together, and then Yeon-joo drops the bomb she wants to back together with Dae-hyun. Boo-hee is elated and then proceeds to pressure Dae-hyun into taking back Yeon-joo, while Saet-byul is standing in the same room. She views this as a shot at upward mobility, if Dae-hyun marries into wealth it would solve all their problems. 

Choi Yong-pil (Lee Byung-joon)

Yong-pil is Dae-hyun’s father who has spent most of his adult life as a stay-at-home. He does help Dae-hyun run the convenience store – often working shifts when his son is unavailable. He is also reckless when it comes to money – he buys a message chair behind his wife’s back. He is also a man who is stuck in past – he, along with his three best friends (and former bandmates), plans on taking a trip to China to visit their one-time lead singer/Yong-pil’s first love, Jang-mi (who was also Doo-hee’s best friend before they had a falling out).  His heart is often in the right place, but he is extremely clumsy. 
His luck seems to take a turn for the better when he gets a chauffeur job. He is hired to drive around Yeon-joo and her mother. However, it is revealed that the only reason Yeon-joo’s mother hired Yong-pil was to spite Dae-hyun. It’s her way of dangling carrot in front of Yong-pil – give him a taste of the finer things in life before taking them away – she plans on firing him for the most trivial thing. However, Yong-pil doesn’t give her that satisfaction; when he learns he is a pawn in her game, he quits the job. He may be absent minded, but he still has his pride.

Jung Eun-byul (Ahn Sol-bin)

Eun-byul is Saet-byul’s younger sister. She is seventeen years old and attends high school. She also hangs out with bullies, who take compromising pictures of her on their phones, so they can control her.  Eun-byul’s true ambition is to be a K-pop idol. She passes the audition process and becomes a trainee. She must resort to dubious methods to achieve her dream – she steals all her sister’s money and hires an actress to pose as her mother.  Unfortunately, her a past comes back to bite her in the ass, when the bullies, feeling that she has shunned them, leak the compromising photos of Eun-byul online. Overnight, Eun-byul is labelled a bully (one of the photos is staged photo of Eun-byul stepping on her friend’s knee).  As we have learned from the T-ara scandal, South Koreans take their bullying allegations seriously.

However, it isn’t just Eun-byul’s reputation that is sullied, but Saet-byul’s and Kang Ji-uk’s (a childhood friend), as well.  A video surfaces of Saet-byul beating up bullies – but it is taken out of context, and everyone assumes Saet-byul is the bully.  A tabloid journalist takes a picture of Kang Ji-uk comforting Eun-byul, and everyone assumes the two of them are in a romantic relationship. Kang Ji-uk is a famous actor, with a huge fan following, but when his fanbase sees him supposedly romancing an alleged bully, they quickly turn on him.  Eventually, all three of them are vindicated, thanks to Saet-byul contacting the tabloid journalist and presenting her with evidence that contradicts all these claims, and Eun-byul can resume her K-pop career.

Kang Ji-uk (Kim Min-kyu)

As mentioned above, Kang Ji-uk is a famous actor, who is also a childhood friend of Saet-byul and Eun-byul – he was a student at their father’s dojo. He also has a massive crush on Saet-byul and is, naturally, jealous that she reserves all her affection for Dae-hyun. This irritates him in the early going, when Dae-hyun seems oblivious to Saet-byul’s feelings.  He does call out Dae-hyun on his cavalier attitude and Dae-hyun, to his credit, listens to Ji-uk’s criticisms.  He doesn’t mind Saet-byul choosing another man, if that man treats her right.
I initially believed he would end up with Eun-byul, the show seems to be setting up this fact, especially after he promises Saet-byul that he will look after her younger sister.  Instead, he ends landing an acting gig in the United States and promptly exits the series.

Kim Hye-ja -Yoo Yeon-joo’s Mother (Gyeon Mi-ri)

Kim Hye-ja is the main antagonist of the series – she is also Yoo Yeon-joo’s domineering mother. She is an extremely cold-hearted woman who views people as commodities. When Yeon-joo breaks up with Dae-hyun that isn’t enough for Hye-ja, she decides to rub salt in the wound by dragging Dae-hyun’s into the mix.  This appalls even Yeon-joo, who scolds her mother for going too far. Yet, for all Hye-ja’s wealth, she is a lonely woman; her distant personality only succeeds at driving Yeon-joo.

Jo Seung-joon (Do Sang-woo)

Seung-joon is the secondary antagonist of the series – he is the convenience store’s head office director, a role given to him by his father – who is the owner of the company. He has known Yeon-joo his entire life and has romantic designs on her – he tries to lure her away from Dae-hyun multiple times.  He was also responsible for Dae-hyun resigning from the head office – he persuaded Dae-hyun to take the fall for Yeon-joo. Interestingly, there isn’t any real animosity between Dae-hyun and him; there is no scene where they engage in a shouting match nor fisticuffs.  He doesn’t dislike Dae-hyun, he just doesn’t think Yeon-joo and Dae-hyun are a good match (to his credit, he is correct).

Now that I got the characters summaries out of the way, I would like to explore the themes that an inherent throughout Backstreet Rookie. Despite its sitcom structure, there is a lot of emotional depth in Backstreet Rookie. There are four principal themes that I would like to explore:

Jumping to the Wrong Conclusions
A common theme that occurs throughout Backstreet Rookie is characters often jumping to the wrong conclusion often due to a misunderstanding.  When Saet-byul starts working at the convenience store, Dae-hyun is initially suspicious of her; he still thinks of her as that delinquent girl who asked him to buy her a pack of cigarettes. When money goes missing from the cash register, Dae-hyun assumes Saet-byul is the culprit – he saw her leaving the convenience store with bills sticking out of her back pocket. However, it turns out that Bong-hee took the bills; she borrowed the money to pay for the bills and then paid it back. He becomes more suspicious of Saet-byul when Dal Sik records a video of her beating up shoplifters in a back alley. Dae-hyun is not giving the proper context of this event, he just assumes she picked a fight with random strangers.

When three bullies accost Yeon-joo in the woman’s restroom, Saet-byul arrives on the scene and teaches them a lesson. However, Yeon-joo is so frightened by the incident, and spent the entirety of the fight hidden in the stall, that when Saet-byul opens the door to assure her everything is okay, Yeon-joo assumes she is one of the bullies.  Saet-byul also desperately needs to use the toilet and because Yeon-joo is too busy freaking out, Saet-byul tries to pull her out of the stall. It is at this exact moment that Dae-hyun arrives on the scene; he is wondering what is taking Yeon-joo so long and goes to investigate. Right when he is outside of the restroom door, one of the bullies’ crashes through the door. This arouses his curiosity and walks into to find Saet-byul, apparently, assaulting his hysterical girlfriend.

Based off these two incidents, and at the urging of Yeon-joo, Dae-hyun decides he is going to fire Saet-byul. It looks like he is going to go through with the plan when Saet-byul’s two friends, Geum Bi and Yoon So, approach Dae-hyun and set the record straight. Once Dae-hyun learns about Saet-byul and her current situation, he is determined to help her.  Dae-hyun may be a square but he is a good-hearted square. 

When Yeon-joo learns that Dae-hyun resigned from the head office to take the fall for her, she is determined to make amends by getting him an executive job (to represent all the convenience store owners).  However, she has an ulterior motive for this - she is hoping this gesture will win him back. She also persuades Dae-hyun and his family to sign over the ownership of the convenience store to the head office; this allows Yeon-joo to pick her own store manager (corporate lackey, Bae) and she specifically instructs him to treat Saet-byul badly, so that she will quit. Yet, despite all her efforts, Dae-hyun has no interest getting back together with Yeon-joo. He doesn’t hold a grudge against her, he has just moved on with his life and has found Saet-byul, who is a better match for him. No amount of money or power can get Dae-hyun to change his mind and Yeon-joo, grudgingly, accepts this fact. 

When the bullies leak the compromising photos of Eun-byul, the entire public jumps to the wrong conclusion and believes she is a bully. Overnight, her entire world comes crashing down. When the video leaks of Saet-byul beating up bullies, the convenience store takes a huge hit; customers can’t believe Dae-hyun would hire such a terrible person.  Yet, Dae-hyun refuses to budge and stands by Dae-hyun. Eventually the truth comes out and the two sisters can resume their normal lives. 

Finally, Saet-byul mistakenly believes that she has been a burden to Dae-hyun and his family and packs up her belongings to work at a farm.  This comes after Bong-hee urges Dae-hyun to back together with Yeon-joo and after Yeon-joo has laid a massive guilt trip on Saet-byul (“Think of what’s best for Dae-hyun.”)  Of course, we, the audience, know better and, more importantly, so does Dae-hyun – she has not been a hindrance on his life, she has massively improved it.  He finds Dae-hyun – it is revealed that Dal Sik’s father owns the farm she works on – and he pours his soul out to her.  He even quits his comfy job at the head office and regains ownership of the store, just so he can be with Saet-byul.  Yeon-joo, realizing she has lost, gets a job in the United States. 

Class

This is one of the more obvious themes that pops up through the series, but it is interesting how the series is approaches it. All three classes are depicted in this series: the upper class (Yeon-joo and her mother), the middle class (Dae-hyun and family), and the lower class (Saet-byul and her sister). The upper class looks down on both the middle class and lower class; in their mind there is no real distinction. When Yeon-joo is dating Dae-hyun, they are often the subject of gossip; her co-workers at the head office can’t believe she would date a convenience store owner.  Even though Yeon-joo has dated Dae-hyun for two years, she has hidden him from her parents, because she knows they would disapprove.  Her mother desperately wants her to get together with Seung-joon, because he belongs to the same class as her.  When they are shooting a promo video at Dae-hyun’s convenience store (starring Ji-uk), Yeon-joo comments that she can’t wait until it’s over, because she “hates places like this.”  Dong-hee overhears this and gives her a scolding. This is an interesting exchange because Yeon-joo wasn’t trying to be disparaging, she just isn’t comfortable in that type of setting, but Dong-hee interprets it as her denigrating the working class.  Later, after the shoot is finished, Yeon-joo is talking on her cell phone and walks past Dong-hee, who thinks that Yeon-joo is ignoring her. She then calls out Yeon-joo and makes a scene out of it, much to the confusion of Yeon-joo. 

As I mentioned in Bong-hee’s description, she simultaneously resents the upper class but also wants to be a member. She completely changes her tune when Yeon-joo tries to get back together with Dae-hyun.  In Bong-hee’s mind, even though her family has been disrespected by Yeon-joo’s mother, she would rather be that dreadful woman’s in-law than wallow in middle class mediocrity.
This brings up the other half of this theme: the middle class often looks up to the rich while resenting the poor. Dae-hyun initially assumes the worst about Saet-byul, solely due to her poor upbringing – she has no parents, dropped out of high school, and has gotten into many street fights, so his is naturally suspicious of her.  It is a bias he initially struggles to get past, because, from his point of view, she seems to have a knack for getting into trouble.  Ironically, it turns out that his older sister is the one who has been stealing from the store and register. 

However, there are characters who really don’t belong in any class – they just go where they please. Both Geum Bi and Dal Sik come from wealth yet choose to hang out in dive bars with the Saet-byul and Yoon So.  It is implied that Dae-hyun could easily join the elite crowd, but he gives up that opportunity so he can be with Saet-byul. Hell, even Yeon-joo, for all her faults, would rather be with Dae-hyun than Seung-joon, but she is just not good at expressing her true feelings – rather than scheming to get Saet-byul out of the picture and buttering up his mother, she should have just directly told him how she feels. At the end, despite her efforts, Yeon-joo can’t overcome the class barrier. 

Destiny

Destiny is a theme that often pops up in K-dramas; in shows like My Roommate is a Gumiho and May I Help You, it is explicit. In the former show, there is a Mountain Spirit who oversees people’s destinies.  In Backstreet Rookie, it is implied that destiny is at work.  The first time Saet-byul meets Dae-hyun she is a preteen practicing at her father’s dojo, and Dae-hyun happens to walk in at just the right time to save her from a falling punching bag.  Years later, the two of them meet again – after Dae-hyun has been dumped by his then girlfriend. He is distraught and aimlessly wanders the streets when he stumbles upon Saet-byul and her friends. This is an amazing coincidence, or is it?  Saet-byul has harbored a crush on Dae-hyun ever since that eventful day at her father’s dojo and immediately recognizes him.  Three years later, when Dae-hyun is looking for part time help at his convenience store, Saet-byul sees the “HELP WANTED” sign and takes advantage of this opportunity.  She certainly doesn’t see it as coincidence but rather as destiny working in her favor.

The same applies to Dal Sik and Geum Bi; they are destined to be a couple. The two of them are a huge presence in each other’s lives without realizing it – they both play the same dance game at the arcade and often beat each other’s scores.  They are always annoyed that someone has bested their score and immediately work to regain the top score.  Later, they work together as a team and are in perfect sync with each other.  More importantly, Geum Bi just happens to be a huge fan of Dal Sik’s webtoon. After she finds out his true identity, she even helps him come up with a resolution for his webtoon.  They are the perfect team, yet had they not been at the right place at the right time, they would still be lonely. 

Destiny in Backstreet Rookie is more of a guiding force - it can only take you so far, but it’s up to you what to do with it. Saet-byul recognizes destiny is at work and immediately seizes upon it to make her dreams come true.  Destiny seemed to be working in Yeon-joo’s favor, but she shrugs it off and breaks up with Dae-hyun (a man who was truly devoted to her).  When she recognizes her mistake, it is too little too late.   

Family

The most important, and obvious, theme of Backstreet Rookie is family.  Dae-hyun’s family may be a dysfunctional bunch, but they are always there for each other – they question Dae-hyun running a convenience store, but they are willing to help him. The same applies to Dal Sik – he is often working shifts to cover for Dae-hyun.  Dae-hyun’s mother comes across as strict and confrontational, but she is willing to take Saet-byul, and later Eun-byul, when they desperately need a place to stay.  While Dae-hyun is often annoyed by his family, Saet-byul is charmed by them and reminds him how lucky he truly is. 

Saet-byul has a turbulent relationship with Eun-byul, they are constantly butting heads.  Eun-byul tries to keep her K-pop trainee status a secret from her older sister, and when Saet-byul finds out she initially disapproves. However, she changes her mind when she sees a viral video of Eun-byul at her first showcase; while performing a song and dance number with her girl group, Eun-byul slips and falls, bloodying her nose in the process. However, she gets right back up and finishes the number, bloody nose and all. This turns her into a huge internet sensation but, more importantly, earns the respect of her older sister.  How can Saet-byul ruin the dreams of someone who is that dedicated?  When the bullies nearly derail Eun-byul’s K-pop career, Saet-byul is by her side to offer her moral support.

The Saet-byul/ Dae-hyun relationship is an interesting one. Saet-byul has proven she can fight her own battles, so she doesn’t need Dae-hyun to stand up for her.  What attracts Saet-byul to Dae-hyun is that he is often pushing her to better herself.  When he finds out that she dropped out of high school, he encourages her to continue her education by taking a G.E.D.  He also encourages her to go to a university and offers to pay for her education himself.  He often scolds Saet-byul, not because he hates her, but because he has high expectations for her. He knows she can do better.  He is probably the first person since her late father, who openly expresses his belief in her.

It is not a one-sided relationship:  Dae-hyun helps Saet-byul with her education and she helps boost the business at his convenience store. It is her agreeable personality that helps create a loyal customer base – she always has a smile on her face and is willing to help when asked.  The two of them take turns looking after one another – when Saet-byul is hospitalized for appendicitis, Dae-hyun pays her hospital and even doubles her work pay, so she will be able to cover her bills.  Later, when Dae-hyun is hospitalized for exhaustion, Saet-byul is sitting by his side making sure he recovers. 

The most tragic character in Backstreet Rookie is Yeon-joo; she may come from a wealthy background and have a good paying job, but she has no real family.  Her father is rarely around, and her mother is a cold woman, who views her daughter more as a commodity rather than a person. Yeon-joo’s “friends” are also the type of people who would have no qualms throwing her under the bus if it benefitted them to do so. She is truly a lonely soul….and yet, she could have found happiness had she been more trusting of Dae-hyun.  She briefly experiences “family life” when Bong-hee invites her over to the house for dinner, but by then Dae-hyun has moved onto Saet-byul. 

Backstreet Rookie wasn't without its controversies; many keyboard warriors were offended by the character of Dal Sik and his appropriation of Jamaican culture. They kind of miss the point of the character - Dal Sik loves the IDEA of Jamaican culture rather than the actual culture itself, to the point where he adopts the more superficial aspects of it (dreadlocks) without ever bothering to learn their true meaning. It's fitting that once he reveals his true self to Geum Bi, he is finally able to find love. 

The other controversy was the age gap between the lead actors - in real life Ji Chang-wook is twelve years older than his co-star, Kim Yoo-jung. This an instance where the public confuses the characters for the actors that portray them- in the context of the TV show, there is a seven-year gap between Dae-hyun and Saet-byul; he is 29 years old while she is 22. It also interesting to note than in The K2, another drama starring Ji Chang-wook, the leading actress in that series, Song Yoon-ah, was his senior by fourteen years, and yet the two of them were praised for their remarkable chemistry. Granted, she was the villain of the piece, but there is still a lot of sexual tension between their two characters. 

There was also controversy over the fact that Saet-byul kisses Dae-hyun in the very first episode. The formula for most K-dramas is that two romantic leads usually don't share a kiss until midway through the series- it's a moment that the show builds to and the characters have to earn it.  Yet, Saet-byul just casually kisses Dae-hyun like it is nothing. I bring this up to emphasize the cultural differences between the United States and South Korea; in the United States very few people would think twice about this scene. They would watch it and then move onto the next scene. In South Korea, this moment was a bit too much for the viewers. How can she be kissing a man she hardly knows? This is not meant to be ridiculing Korean culture; indeed, I think one of the many flaws of American culture is that we have thrown all the standards out the window.  

Cast: Ji Chang-wook (Choi Dae-hyun), Kim Yoo-jung (Jung Saet-byul), Han Sunhwa (Yoo Yeon-joo), Kim Sun-young (Gong Bon-hee), Lee Byung-joon (Choi Yong-pil), Seo Ye-hwa (Hwang Geum Bi), Eum Moon-suk (Han Dal Sik), Ahn Sol-bin (Jung Eun-byul), Kim Min-kyu (Jang Ji-wook), Do Sang-woo (Jo Seung-joon), Yoon So (Cha Eun-joo), Kim Ji-hyun (Choi Dae-soon), Gyeon Mi-ri (Kim Hye-ja – Yeon-joo’s mother), Heo Jae-ho (Department Head Bae), Park Jin-joo (Bully group leader).

Director: Lee Myoungwoo
Writer: Son Geun-joo. Based off the webtoon by Active Volcano
16 episodes ~ 60 minutes.