PLAYFUL KISS: Positives, Negatives and the Eye-Raising.
I don’t really have a very friendly relationship with the 2010 drama Playful Kiss. However, it’s not a loathsome one either. Let me tell you why...
What it's about:
Playful Kiss is based on a Japanese manga about a girl (Oh Ha Ni played by Jung So Min), who has a crush on the school’s smartest student (Baek Seung Jo played by Kim Hyun Joong), since the first year of high-school. However, he abhors her. After her house collapses, she and her father move into an old family friend’s house, which just happens to be where the guy lives. And then, the rest is history...
The Positives:
The drama itself is entertaining. Starting off, it had a comedic feel to it that kept me hooked. The characters were very well portrayed. And the chemistry between the hot-headed Baek Seung Jo and the lively Oh Ha Ni, had me wishing them a happy healthy relationship.
Almost all the side characters had something that gave them an identity of their own. The most noticeable one was Seung Jo’s mother. Her character is a very atypical mother-in-law, who is seldom found in the K-drama industry. Her efforts to make the two high-schoolers end up together, though overboard, were hilarious.
The love triangles were well managed. Lee Si Young gave us a good female antagonist in the form of Yoon He Ra, who put up an enjoyable fight with Oh Ha Ni. I’m sorry Lee Tae Sung, but I never actually felt bad for Bong Joon Gu (the second male lead). Okay, maybe just a little, when he changed himself for Ha Ni. But I must say, was one amazing Busanian accent.
The Negatives:
I figured out the entire drama in the first episode. While that did not put it at so much of a disadvantage, the fact that the plot and characters were static, did. Here is what’s in the 16-episode show: A naive girl falls for a 200 IQ guy. Her sole purpose in life is to be with her crush. She has no ambition in life – no dream of her own, but wants to follow the guy everywhere. To paraphrase Oh Ha Ni’s words: If Baek Seung Jo decides to become a doctor, she’ll become a nurse. If he wants to become a pilot, she’ll want to become a stewardess.
Her lack of self-respect made her annoying and somewhat despicable. The support she received from Seung Jo’s mother, though at times adorable, just added fuel to the fire. But what was more bothersome was that her father never had a serious talk with her about her future. His daughter has no personality of her own, but that did not concern him. (I have no idea how because even I was worried). The only person who actually did do something about the matter was Baek Seung Jo, when he didn’t chase her for a few days after she left the house. Her simple-mindedness had me questioning Seung Jo’s choice. I mean, the independent, intelligent and head-strong Yoon He Ra would have been a much better match for him.
Speaking of low self-esteem, usually in a Korean drama, the rude main lead, at some point, softens towards his female counterpart. Especially after he falls love with her. In the case of Baek Seung Jo, however, this did not happen.They took the saying, “Men are mean towards the women they like,” too far. He was as impolite and insulting as he could be towards Oh Ha Ni, but that did not stop her from loving him ever so passionately. I waited episode after episode, but his character, or anybody's character, did not go through a much needed change.
Their relationship in a nutshell.
Furthermore, the guy rarely smiled. Though, when he did, he pretty much compensated for all the times he didn’t. Nevertheless, his pretty smile did not balance out the emotionally abusive relationship he had with Ha Ni. He treated her like a child and had little respect for her even after their marriage.
The eye-raising moments:
Though this drama had a handful of these, I’ll mention the two that caught my attention, but for completely opposite reasons. Let me begin with the annoying one first.
How many of you would hug a guy and tell him you’d wait for him when you’ve never even had a proper conversation with him, let alone confess your feelings to him? This is what happened with a side character. One of Oh Ha Ni’s best friends, Jung Joo Ri, likes a guy who visits the salon she works at every night to get a haircut from her. In the last episode, he tells her he’s been called for his military service. While shaving his head, she gives him a back-hug, assuring him that she’ll wait for him. It was awkward, even though the characters clearly liked each other. But unless the writer wants us to imagine they had a decent interaction…. don’t stop me, I’m judging their sense of romance here.
The second moment is probably my most favourite one. When Oh Ha Ni finally chooses to let Baek Seung Jo go, the latter decides that is not possible. Then with eyes wide open, eyebrows raised, and lips apart so that the teeth are visible, I stared at the screen as Baek Seung Jo throws his umbrella aside, grabs Oh Ha Ni's face while she's throwing a tantrum, kisses her intensely in the rain and says, “Don’t say you like another guy more than you like me.”
Can I get myself a Kim Hyun Joong too?
So, my opinion in conclusion? If you’re up for a good laugh, and a sexist unvarying plot coupled with a lack of character growth, does not affect you, be my guest... As for me, here is what I would rate it:
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