I have a fun link to share with you today. But first, I'd like to give the link some context.
I've been watching Chinese and Korean dramas with Rebekah for the last few years, and I'm really glad she introduced me to this form of entertainment she's enjoyed for a decade and a half.
We watch one at a time, and it can take us a couple of nights to get through an episode. She's the curator of the selections, although I have suggested two dramas, and only one of my picks was good. So I'm happy to let her decide.
Now Rebekah's going through some challenges right now, so she's veered to the lighthearted. Still, if you've ever watched any of these rom-coms, K-drama-style, you'll know they're not all rom and com.
The subplots also address trauma and other complex issues. I've not seen one yet that's two dimensional, although I'm certain they exist.
Our current drama is called She Was Pretty and the internet said it's based on a true story. What true story, I don't know. I can't find any more information on it.
The setting is a fashion magazine (Most) that might get canceled as staff are planning for its twentieth anniversary special edition and celebration. The staff doesn't know the publication is under the guillotine; only the top editors do, so the staff don't understand why the leaders are short-tempered and pushing them extra hard.
Here's quick synopsis of She Was Pretty so the clip makes sense.
Two lifelong female friends in their thirties live together. They are so close that they have each other in their phones as "the husband" and "wifey."
Both are hardworking. One is pretty, comes from a rich family, and dates a lot of shady men. The other "used to be pretty" and isn't anymore. She has a younger sister in high school who is pretty and is afraid she will not be pretty later in life.
"Used to be pretty" had a male best friend growing up. He was overweight and bullied and had panic attacks on the school bus when it rains because he was with his mother when she was killed in a car crash in the rain.
He likes Renoir and gives "used to be pretty" the missing piece of his favorite puzzle, a reproduction of Dance in the Country and kisses her goodbye when his family moves to the U.S.
Well, now the kid is all grown up and can't forget his first love. He's visiting Korea and wants to reconnect. So when "used to be pretty" arrives at the meeting place, he's gorgeous, doesn't recognize her, and walks right past her.
So "used to be pretty" asks her friend to stand in for her, which she does. The friend makes an excuse while she can't see him again: she's moving abroad. He sad but accepts it.
Except he's staying in Korea as editor-in-chief of Most. Except the friend is a hotelier and he runs into her again. So "pretty" keeps seeing him while pretending be his former love and (I'm sure you know where this is going) winds up falling for him.
In the meantime, "not so pretty" gets a job in support services at Most. She gets transferred to the editing department and her new boss is her old friend. And he can't stand her. So "used to be pretty" spends her time trying to avoid him and being heartbroken at the new them. \
In the meantime, she carries around the puzzle piece and loses it.
Now what's making this drama super fun for me is the magazine's features editor. The actor's name is Choi Si-won, also known as Siwon. He's a model, singer-songwriter, and part of the Korean boy band Super Junior, which Rebekah has loved for years.
In fact the first K-song she ever played for me more than ten years ago was from Super Junior. Siwon is an evangelisic Christian, a regional ambassador of Unicef, and would like to become a mssionary.
Siwon is also recording himself reading the Bible on YouTube, a new iniative that Rebekah showed me last night.
Apparently Siwon typically plays very suave roles when he does act. And the clip I'm sharing today starts with one of those roles - and then does a rewind into his role in She Was Pretty. Siwon's character is off the charts bizarre and makes its mission to annoy "she was pretty" (as in dipping little girls pigtails in inkwells-style of annoy) as often at work as he can.
So why am I sharing this?
Because now that you have the background, the clip is super entertaining. Enjoy!
And for those of us who craft characters, whether visually (on stage or in file) or on the page, I'm in awe of the mastery here. To create somebody who is absolutely not you and make someone else believe that person exists somewhere because that person is SO real is the dream of many who take their crafting seriously.
Furthermore, in this character's case, I'm pretty sure the actor is playing a character who is also acting. That's my theory. But we still have a few more episodes to go.
Either way, I hope this clip makes you laugh. Or, at the every least, smile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq50Vo0rJHI
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