Oh My Lady episodes 3-4: cooky fun with a side of possibility of something more...

[dangermousie]

I spent the evening catching up on Oh My Lady by watching episodes 3 and 4.



This drama is very much like the cap above: funny and goofy with that extra delicious hint of sexiness.

The story of a spoiled and talentless young superstar who discovers he has an out-of-wedlock 5-yr-old and the older, divorced heroine who ends up taking care of the kid has been solidly entertaining for the first 3 eps (I laughed out loud repeatedly) but it was ep 4 that pushed me from amusement to genuine liking because that is where some seriousness came in - hints of promise and genuine feeling.

It's not a secret I am a major Angst Junkie and while I don't expect (nor want) a fluffy wacky romcom to give me Chuno levels of angst, I do want some emotional stakes in my story and protagonists I can love as well as be amused by.

That is why ep 4 is so promising - I have adored Chae Rim's plucky heroine from the first episode. But Choi Siwon's hero? Not so much. He amused me immensely but as a person he was not particularly likeable or even tolerable - a bit dim, rather immature, and very selfish. Not exactly a Prince Charming, those amazing abs notwithstanding. About the best I can say for him is that he wasn't anywhere near as bad as the heroes of Pick the Stars or Brilliant Legacy were at the start (his is a passive selfishness, not an in-your-face jerk behavior). But by ep 4, while I am not in love with him yet, I definitely see possibilities - the glimpses of genuine emotion and remorse and vulnerability are wonderful.

I am amused/interested/properly irritated by secondary characters and I enjoy the writing and the gratuitous display of abs.

The biggest problem? So far Siwon and Chae Rim have ZERO chemistry, IMO. I can't even imagine them as a couple right now - the vibe and the attitude is of a slightly exasperated bossy sister to her trouble-making, bratty younger brother. They both were capable of chemistry in other things I've seen them in so I am not sure what is going on. Romcoms NEED chemistry to be believable and I seriously can't see them this way at this moment. It's not a big issue right now because their relationship isn't at the romantic stage yet so hopefully it will kick in when necessary. It's a fluffy silly romcom so I am not demanding scorching passion a la IRIS, Robbers or Worlds Within (where I sometimes felt as if I were intruding) but some passion there needs to be. One of the reasons Last Scandal was so brilliant was the incredible chemistry between its leads. I hope the newest entrant in the 'star/average woman subgenre' will be able to pick up at least bit of that from its superb predecessor.

Comments

[prismatic-star.livejournal.com]

I think Oh my Lady is a diluted version of SFFTS.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

SFFTS? Sorry am dense and not following the acronym :)

It makes me think of Full House/Last Scandal. Not as good but entertaining.

[prismatic-star.livejournal.com]

Stars Falling From The Sky... I think it's also known as Wish Upon a Star. Gah, I have no idea what's the official name for the drama.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, makes sense. I find the interactions/characters pretty different, except for both having kids. I hope I'll end up liking OML as much as I did the stars drama. Kang Ha/Pal Kang/the kids FTW

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

Lol, fancy finding you here. :D

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure we're supposed to slowly warm up to Siwon's character - and I keep getting flashes of Speed Scandal while watching...

In other news, there's a huge debate going on in the Chinese forums about the veracity of Dong-yi. I don't know whether to laugh or join in.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure we're supposed to slowly warm up to Siwon's character

That makes sense. I don't particularly want to brickbat him (the way I wanted to strangle Hwan for the first 5-6 eps of the drama - I'd rant at my screen, literally). He isn't a horrible person (he may have been tempted to leave the kid but got worried when he couldn't see her in reality) but he is nothing to write home about either - he's just very self-absorbed and doesn't think much at all.

Actually, this may be the first kdrama I've ever seen where the hero is genuinely not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Re: DY. What are the inaccuracies?

This comment is unforgivably long

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

Heh, he's just not used to thinking, at the moment. I do like that he's starting to see his manager's an ass who's out to use his image - and possibly responsible for his inertia as an actor - so he's clearly due for a step out of the comfort zone.

I don't remember who said this, but Siwon's character is basically a child himself, so what we're really seeing is his growth into adult responsibilities. Helped, of course, by a plucky adjumma who is prettier than the average Korean housewife by a freaking mile.

Oh Hwannie, he was such an ass! I honestly wanted the 2nd male lead to win so bad, grr.

DY inaccuracies are due mainly to the fact that she was so insignificant: not much remains known besides her clan name and the fact that she was a slave-servant in the palace (seriously, mention slave in front of her son the king and you're screwed), so almost everything in the drama that's about Dong-yi herself is made up - Jang Heebin is the more interesting character, by far, but they wanted a villain, so...

Given the fact that she did not follow Queen Inhyeon after her exile, it's surmised that her position was lowly enough to not matter (all the important maids followed, whether they wanted or not), and she was only promoted to Sookbin after the birth of a royal son, so her survival in the palace may well be due to a combination of discretion and low enough status not to disturb any great movers or shakers in the noble factions. All this indication of Dong-yi being a vivacious darling, bla bla, is just to make the character interesting, and also, um, Sukjong was apparently very into skirt chasing.

DY's son, Yeongjo, was raised mostly by Sukjong's third queen, not his own mother, and he saw Queen Inwon as his own mother - went out of his way to be the perfect Confucian son (to be fair, she also favoured him over the crown prince, who was Jang Heebin's son).

I'm not knocking the drama - I actually like this tough and smart female protagonist trend, but it's a valid note, I think, to remember that historical dramas, while rooted in history, are still fictional.

Re: This comment is unforgivably long

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I ended up really liking Hwan by the end (I think BL, while not a brilliant drama, had really solid writing) but the first few eps - I haven't felt such fury at a male lead since when I first came across Hana Yori Dango :P

The Dong Yi information is really itersting, thank you. I guess that's the advantage of picking a really minor historical personage - you are free to make up whatever you want, within limits.

Siwon's character is basically a child himself, so what we're really seeing is his growth into adult responsibilities

Oh, yes, that makes sense. He never really had to grow up before so he hadn't. Does remind me of Last Scandal that way, a bit - shallow star, plucky ahjumma with a daughter, loser of an ex-husband. Let's hope I'll end up liking Siwon's character as much as I did JJH's.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I have to agree about the chemistry - there really is none. At least in terms of romance. It makes me wonder if they are going down the true romantic path or if it will be more downplayed and open-ended in terms of a relationship between the two. Because, in Korean rom-coms, even when the couple can't stand each other - they have romantic chemistry. Here, I'm just getting a sibling 'vibe.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It was billed as a romcom so you have to have romance :)

I am not feeling it now but the same was true with Pick the Stars at the start as well, so hopefully it will go down that road.

Because for now, I just want them to hook up only because she needs a rich guy and she can irritate her ex that way, which really isn't a reason to ship :)

oh my lady

[(Anonymous)]

aren't we all curious...how cr-csw will fall in love....

Re: oh my lady

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup, can't wait!

[(Anonymous)]

He's going so much on the "ahjumah, ahjumah" that he cannot see her as a woman and she certainly do not see him as "potential something" (though she cannot stand to see him shirtless! LOL)

I loved the moment he realize (!) even he's manager does not beleive in his talent. Saying basically "You're a body and I own you, so obey and don't try to be a REAL actor!" That was hard!

Emma

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

though she cannot stand to see him shirtless! LOL

I crack up at all those scenes - both at the way he's so matter-of-fact about flaunting it and at the fact that she can't look (lady, you were married, I am pretty sure you saw more of a man than some abs).

Saying basically "You're a body and I own you, so obey and don't try to be a REAL actor!" That was hard!


I really liked that scene because it was the first time (except for that brief bit in ep 2 where he realized what his manager was really about) that I actually genuinely felt something for him. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate him or anything, but I wasn't emotionally involved before.

[cranberrysheep.livejournal.com]

That's my main issue at this point to, but I'm trying to remain optimistic. Because, if it's one thing that Siwon's character needs it is someone to set him on the right path and look out for his best interests. And maybe at this point that is an older-sister-like character. I'm just hoping it'll be a smooth transition into something more, if not that'll be disappointing.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oddly, I am finding that with this drama I don't (so far) care if it ever turns romantic or not - I am entertained by their sibling relationship (the bit where she kicked him in the shin when he opined they should leave the little girl on the streets? LOL. Especially his yowl of 'do you know how much this body is worth?!?!')

But yes, I can't really see it shifting into a romance. I was this way at the beginning of Last Scandal too though, and ended up shipping like mad so hoping this works out.

[cranberrysheep.livejournal.com]

Oddly, I am finding that with this drama I don't (so far) care if it ever turns romantic or not

That's true for me as well, but it is probably helped by the fact there really isn't any physical chemistry between our leads. Plus, Siwon's character is such a child in many respects (as another commenter mentioned) - he is still mooning over the popular girl from school after all. He isn't ready for an adult relationship anyway.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, there isn't chemistry between them. I don't know if it's something that can be turned on later (I thought in Pick the Stars the leads had no chemistry in the beginning but plenty later) but I hope so.

I agree, right now he is so very immature. He's supposed to be 28 (which is only 2 yrs younger than Mr. Mousie!) but there is no way he acts that way - he is clearly not grown-up enough to have a hamster, let alone a child.