
Short version - still loving it.

It is the second ep that is usually a maker or breaker for me in how much I will like a drama. Sometimes a shaky production finds its legs by then. And sometimes I get swept away by the set-up of the first ep only to realize when the second one comes around and settles into the story, that this isn't going to be my thing after all (see Best Love. I was giddy after the first ep, believing this was going to be the drama to break my Hong Sisters dry spell. But then the second ep came around and I realized that this really wasn't going to be my thing and so it proved, despite repeated tries).



The first word that comes to mind when I think of Heartstrings is 'mellow.' This drama is seeped through with the mellow, off-beat vibe. The colors, the pace, the narrative approach to what is pretty much a textbook shoujo manga story (and how I love it) imbue it with an indie soul. I don't think I will be as rabid for it as I am for City Hunter - this is simply not high stakes or intense enough - but I do think that I am going to adore watching it, feeling happy and immersed two hours a week.
I continue to adore both Gyu Won and Shin. Gyu Won is a little naive and spoiled but a good, strong person.

And Shin might have his issues, but he is a good person too.

Watch him apologize immediately when he learns why Gyu Won was so upset with him at the end of ep 1, and actually even explain.



My sole problem (and it is not a major one) is that while I find all the 'kid' stories interesting, the adult ones haven't grabbed me yet.


I am very bored by Song Chang Eui and his character's thing with his ex.

And I hope to God that he never likes Gyu Won because that would ick me out.

I am borderline icked out by their interactions already (and yet like Shin with teacher. Hypocrisy, thy name is Mousie).
The music continues to be gorgeous...



And we get traditional music as well. I've never heard much before, but the number the girls played was amazing.

On plot front, one note - so Gyu Won's Dad and Shin's Mom were BFFs in college and he knows also Shin's deadbeat dad.

Hmmm.
Have a CN Blue song...
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Date: 2011-07-03 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-03 09:10 pm (UTC)I think I have a thing for drummers - my fav No Min Woo is a drummer too - why are they so sweet and yet one step behind the leading role???
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Date: 2011-07-03 10:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-03 10:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-03 10:56 pm (UTC)Kang Min Hyuk is noona killer material
Older guy/ younger woman works really well in real life ... however on screen irks me out too - I saw today Hair Show with Lee Seung Hyo (my age) romancing a girl 1 year older than the adorable drummer ... indeed the guy looks as he has 23... but no matter the script or his looks I already knew that he is 10 years older (ohh well my parents married at 31/20 I should understand better why but NO) or maybe if it isn't Eric Roberts, Richard Gere, Richard Chamberlain or Alain Delon I can't swoon over it
I like Yong Hwa with a lil more flesh on his cheeks coz he resembled just a tiny bit with Kang Dong Won rather than being Nam Goong Min's twin
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Date: 2011-07-03 11:06 pm (UTC)I loved both windflower's and the stupid's songs, they were really great! Even though I prefer rock music generally, i have a soft spot for world folk music and the windflower's song reminded me of the 12 girls band which does fusion, and also of another folk music group from japan, (their name is escaping me now) or even something off the twelve kingdoms anima OST. Basically it was awesome and more unique sounding to me than the stupid's go. I am so sad her string broke! I really hope Shin and Gyu collaborate on something sometime, fusion music is one of my favorite things.
I really hope the servant storyline does go the way of 100 days with Mr Arrogant or something. I dont need constant humiliation for the heroine. plus I dont want to hate shin.
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Date: 2011-07-03 11:23 pm (UTC)the traditional/modern fusion number that Kyu-won's band performed got excited me too. I have seen a similar excerpt when the SOREA band performed here in London. And the girl in pink, if my eyes dont fail me is one and the same.
see here:http://youtu.be/XwsqJoSsyao
I was pressing my face against the screen but SOREA was not mentioned at all.
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Date: 2011-07-03 11:48 pm (UTC)i was scared they were going to make the music pop. i'm so much more in love because the music is more indie. the music being strikingly similar to CN Blue's indie style just makes seals the deal.
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Date: 2011-07-04 12:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 01:59 am (UTC)I can't wait until - eventually/hopefully - her grandfather finds out she is in love with a rocker. Oh grandpa, you will change so much by the end of the drama.
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:05 am (UTC)This drama has one of the best soundtracks.
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:06 am (UTC)The music is amazing.
So far, Shin doesn't really seem to abuse the servant thing, so that's good.
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:07 am (UTC)Yup, she is totally smitten by the end.
One-sided or not, still creepy!
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:16 am (UTC)I am pretty sure he and ballerina are going to get together and eeek - the poor woman is pretty weepy but even she doesn't deserve that.
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:22 am (UTC)You're awesome Mousie! XD
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:24 am (UTC)The image!!! The image!!!
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Date: 2011-07-04 02:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 02:29 am (UTC)Joking aside, it's the power differential - I don't feel much with Shin and teacher. And when you enter into traditional gender power dynamics, I am always going to be more comfortable with younger man/older woman than vice versa.
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Date: 2011-07-04 03:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 04:22 am (UTC)I learned that that in dramas when they say 'oh, he reminds me of me when I was young' it usually means they are related. Oh, this is gonna be like YB all over again!
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Date: 2011-07-04 08:33 am (UTC)SOREA - that was the name of the trad group I was trying to recall! Yes, other than the actors (PSH and Im Se Mi aka Bo Won), the girls in Windflower are from SOREA.
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Date: 2011-07-04 11:49 am (UTC)So glad I stumbled onto your blog and see a totally different view point. :))
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Date: 2011-07-04 03:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 03:12 pm (UTC)I think it's more 'our parents were friends' thing.
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Date: 2011-07-04 03:13 pm (UTC)SOREA sounds amazing, I am going to seek their stuff out.
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Date: 2011-07-04 05:52 pm (UTC)SOREA is a sort of a revelation. I hope there are CDs.
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Date: 2011-07-04 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 07:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 08:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-04 08:21 pm (UTC)See, I loved all their earlier stuff but post-HGD, they went downhill.
I loved UTW in Resurrection and Mawang but he's one of those actors I only love when I love the role.
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Date: 2011-07-05 07:18 am (UTC)Chun Hyang was ok till about half way through but after that it was just repetitive and I found the constant bickering annoying. IDK but Hong Sisters' dramas tend go downhill in the 2nd half.
UTW is the only actor whom I love despite of whom he plays. I may despise or hate the character but I'm always enthralled by his depiction of them. That said there is one film I really, really hated, it was full of totally disgusting people. I can't believe I actually watched it all the way through. I felt the burning need to scrub my brain after that one. Yuck!