Thank You (2007)

Un cœur en larme et une âmebrisée se trouvent, et s'aident, classique, mais parfait !

L'histoire en quelques mots : Min Gi Seo est un médecin et chirurgien réputé (fils d'une présidente d'une grande société immobilière) dont la fiancée meurt sans qu'il puisse l'empêcher. Doté d'un caractère autoritaire, arrogant et passablement sûr de lui il ne supporte pas cet échec , basculant dans une telle culpabilité qu'il renonce à la médecine. Sa mère l'envoie alors comme "homme de main" sur l'île Bleue où elle a entrepris la construction d'un centre de loisirs, avec le directeur du projet Choi Suk Hyun. Là il va rencontrer Lee Young Shin, mère célibataire d'une fillette de 8 ans porteuse du HIV et chargée en plus d'un grand-père sénile. Cette femme est reliée à la fois à Min Gi Seo par sa fiancée décédée et à Choi Suk Hyun qui n'est rien moins que son amour de jeunesse le père(absolument non déclaré) de sa fille.
Tout cela semble augurer du drama classique avec son triangle amoureux de base et dont la question essentielle serait : qui va rester avec Young Shin ?
Eh bien c'est cela et aussi beaucoup plus.
Parce qu’il y a la réaction populaire devant le HIV, et le chemin de rédemption d’un homme à travers la tendresse d’un enfant, et alors chapeau à Jang Hyuk qui est magnifique, tout en retenue, et en intensité, je suis absolument fan de cet acteur !!! Gong Hyo Jin est parfaite, toute en tendresse, en émotion, (sauf que j'aurais aimé qu'elle rentre dans le lard de certaines bonnes femmes, mais, ce n'était pas le personnage !!)La relation de ces trois adultes avec la petite Lee Bom est extraordinaire de simplicité et d'authenticité, et l'enfant qui l'interprète est vraiment remarquable (elle m'a rappelé le petit garçon de "Automne concerto")
Un mot pour les seconds rôles : le grand-père sénile, remarquable, la mère de Suk Hyun , partagée entre sa bonté naturelle et ses préjugés sociaux, le docteur de l'île, l'infirmière qui, à la moindre alerte court partout en criant " que faire ? que faire ?" les habitants, tous sont très bons.
Un autre bémol : le personnage de la fiancée était inutile à mon sens, sauf peut-être pour montrer que Suk Hyun est un arriviste froid.
Un mot sur la musique : tout ce que je peux en dire c'est que les chansons sont rares, ne viennent pas sans cesse polluer l'histoire, pour le reste comme elle est discrète (et que je ne la remarque jamais) je dirai que c'est très bien !!
La réalisation est soignée, il y a peu de flash-back, et sont très bien utilisés, ils expliquent principalement les scènes qui se sont passées pendant celles que nous avons vues, ainsi d'ailleurs que les débuts d'épisodes, qui reprennent la fin du précédent, mais vu par quelqu'un d'autre et sous un autre point de vue.

Il y a aussi un zest de surnaturel, très peu, très léger, mais qui marque bien l'atmosphère un peu hors du temps de l'île !
Enfin, j'ai adoré ce drama, qui m'a touchée, émue, (sans pathos) et maintenant je regrette bien qu'il soit fini !!! et donc c'est un plaisir que de passer une heure à le présenter !!

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THE BEST KDRAMA I EVER SEEN !!!

I had this (old) drama on my list for a long time, but I was afraid it would be bad! I was so so wrong...

Of course, there are difficult, painful moments, but above all there is a strong message, laughter, courage.

The story focuses on the struggles of a single mother, who lives on a remote island, with her senile grandfather and her HIV-positive daughter. The neighbors are very human: they have their temper, their faults, their anger, and are mostly uneducated. A totally depressed doctor arrives because he has just lost his girlfriend (a female doctor who had transmitted HIV to the child during an emergency transfusion).

The actors, all of them, but particularly the 2 leads (Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin) and the actress who plays the child, use their infinite talent, their sensitivity, to convey intense emotions. Censorship was still very present in 2007 and this drama is very humble, but these two great actors make us live this situation in looks, in sensitivity, in micro-expressions,... They are absolutely brilliant!

The screenwriter (for once) is correct in terms of psychological analysis:
- Relationships on an island are well developed. Proximity, gossip, life in a closed place, the brutal changes of the weather,...
- The strength, the fears, the will to keep a low profile of this mother who (rightly) gives absolute priority to her daughter.
- the depression and then the slow healing of the doctor
- parents' anxieties about HIV

This drama is a bit vintage (hairstyle, costumes, sets, long frozen scenes when the director wants to emphasize emotions, OST) but the characters are so strong that it's impossible to leave them.

Don't miss this masterpiece! You will laugh, cry, be outraged, ... and like me, want to watch this drama again.

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Seven years and a 100, or so, dramas later, 'Thank You' remains, for me, the best of them all. My favorite of Gong Hyo Jin's always top-notch performances, and the most memorable, and remarkable, work of wunderkind Seo Shin Ae. The two leads and every other member of this cast, the soundtrack, story, directing, and scenery are completely captivating, but the most stellar performances here are given by veteran Shin Goo as 'Mr. Lee' and Seo Shin Ae as little 'Lee Bom'. That kid made me smile, laugh, and cry so many times, and has done so for each of the four times that I've watched this beautifully touching little tale of unconditional love and redemption of spirit. I will venture back again, and again, to visit these people on the Blue Island. I so, I'm quite certain, will you...

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It is shows like Thank You that affirms my love for Korean dramas. I don’t deny that I do get caught up in the webs of cinderella love stories and dreamy leading men but funny enough it is ones such as this that gives me a lasting impression.

Thank You does not have the glitz of the popular kdramas but it is a wonderfully well scripted, and well acted production. This is also one of my few favourite kdramas where the female leads are the stars of the show. I fell in love with eight year old Bom and her mother Young Shin. I watched in awe at the incredible acting skills of both.

Yes, it is a tear jerker but it is exceptionally well done, not overly melodramatic and it has its share of tragedies versus realistic outcomes; a perfect balance between sadness and happiness.

It has many of the staples of a kdrama; triangle love story, birth secrets, and serious illnesses but all woven beautifully together. It is a drama about family, love, conviction, and perseverance. It is a gem and is well deserving of my 10 rating.

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A lot of people probably never heard of this. This was my first exposure to Jang Hyuk! The fact that the subject matter covered (HIV) also contributed to this being an amazing story! I fell in love with the young child actor,Seo Shin-Ae who played the young daughter, Lee Bom, was simply amazing! I am truly going to watch her career! The story covered every aspect of a person with HIV living in Korea; the fear of being found out; the attitudes of people when they do; the suffering a patient, especially a young child. Couple this with a seriously tortured soul (Jang Hyuk’s character Min Gi-Seo) added to the phenomenal acting displayed. I cannot forget Kong Hyo-Jin who plays the mother, Lee Young-Shin. Whose story consisted no only of single parenthood but raining a child with an illness! Amazing story and amazing acting! Made me a lifetime fan of Jang Hyuk!

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So I passed on this drama many times due to the topic being covered. Being about Aids and all i thought it was going to be this sad melodrama and i dont like those. Then I discovered Jang Hyuk and decided to watch his past dramas so I gave this one a chance...

Story- Really well written. I like how it seeks to inform the audience in a way that takes the subject seriously but also is lighthearted as to not alienate the audience. The romance in this was small but still meaningful. The ending was happy=)

Acting/Cast- Solid acting by the main leads. Their chemistry was so strong that i really wanted them to be together. The acting by the little child actress was really good. The pairing of her and GHJ was perfect cause they really made a believable mother/daughter. The acting by the supporting cast was really good but i didn't like a lot of the characters.

Music- Fit the scenes well.

Rewatch- I'd definitely rewatch this again in a few years.

Overall this drama is different but i definitely recommend you trying it out.

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I just finished the finale and thought I'd share my thoughts about this blissful drama.
First, the thing that attracted me to this drama (other than GHJ being the lead) was simply the story.
It is kind of rare in Asian media to deal with HIV and AIDS as a plot line, especially like in this drama were the one affected is a little child.
This drama, above anything is a family drama, about the bonds that people build, about trust, about love, about devotion, about sacrifice, about the will to survive...and ultimately about the most important human virtue, which is being thankful and honestly expressing it. Saying ”thank you" for each and every blessing you receive, is the door to find goodness in this world.

Other than teaching about such virtues, this drama shed light on a very important issue, which is of course HIV. It is a relatively new drama so one would expect that most people in the community have enough information regarding HIV and it's nature, and transmission. But, the drama's story revolves in a rural town on an island, were people are so simple and to an extent uncultured. One then would mistakenly think that the misunderstanding the villagers had concerning the disease was the main reason behind the suffering and hardship that our brave single mother faced, and that if she had lived in a big town with more cultured persons she wouldn't have suffered as much. But on second thought, you find yourself realizing that the issue is not merely about "knowing" or "not knowing" and that even people who have acquired enough knowledge about such ailments, can still be unable to act normally around people infected with it., especially if we're dealing with sending our children around another infected child. So although while watching this drama, I was infuriated at how everyone was mistreating them, later on after giving it some thought, you find you can not 100% blame them.

The Story:
A very good one, with depth in each and every character. Loved how each characters background and history was revealed naturally without too many flash backs and monologues and reminiscence scenes like many KDramas tend to do. Rather, we were given the most necessary points regarding each and every main character, just at the right time, just in the right proportion. Also each and every character development, came with a logical progression, not all of a sudden, so you feel you can totally understand how they feel or must be feeling.
On a side note, this might be my first KDrama to take place entirely in rural Korean village. The landscapes were always so genuine and real, they showed us what an island village looked like, felt like, even smelled like. You feel as if you have been there living among them and experiencing it. This could be considered a proof of good direction.

Acting:
As usual I loved Gong Hyo Jin to pieces in this one too. She's simply awesome, never overdoing it and just delivering the right amount of expressions, whether facial or vocal.
As for Jang Hyuk, I was expecting to feel awkward at his usual over-the-top expression acting, but he was surprisingly so good in this one. He delivered Ahjusshi just the way he should be *thumbs up*
All the other actors delivered very convincing acting, and above all I would like to salute the actor who played Haraboji (grand pa a.k.a Mr. Lee) on an awesome performance!!!

Music: Don't know if it's because it's a 2007 drama, but the background music was mostly not my taste. the main ballad song was nice and the lyrics was perfect for the premises of the drama. But I'm afraid I have to admit I didn't particularly prefer the instrumental tracks in this one. Still it doesn't prevent you from enjoying the drama.

Rewatch value: This is a drama I profoundly enjoyed, and though it was bit slow paced at certain parts, over all it was a really nice watch I think I might be re-watching it sometime later when I feel like watching a slice of life drama.

This is a worthy watch, I recommend.

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I think this deserves a lot more than the score here. It tells the truth about people and their ignorance to the HIV. This is a very moving drama with a wonderful end. I cried, laughed and yes, cursed throughout some scenes but it was worth it.

The feeling of a child being labeled at school and in the community by adults got me really upset. I wished I could drag them out of the script. But then, I reminded myself it was a drama and would end soon. I'm glad I watched to the end throughout the tears and cursing.
Wonderful story, great acting by the cast, especially the little girl (sorry I don't remember her name).
Very moving scenes, throughout, plus she's a good crier,really believable.
A must watch with a happy end.

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Wow! I've got to say I was impressed! This is a memorable drama that will always have place in my heart.

I hesitated first when I read the story because I felt it was a bit weird for me to watch a drama about HIV/AIDS. However I still gave it a chance and boy it was GOOD. The writer proved me wrong which I'm very happy about. It's a great and very touching story and well written. Congratulation not only to the writer but to the all people who were involved in this drama!

The acting was superb especially by Jang Hyuk(As always) and Seo Shin ae. But the whole cast did an amaizing job to last the drama forward. That just says it all.

If you haven't watched it, do it. You'll be touched by a great story and acting that you'll never forget. The lessons are there for us to learn! I highly recommend it. Totally enjoyed it!

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'Thank you' is one of romance/sad type of drama that manage to gain my attention. The drama is full of heartwarming story. I love how the main character(Jang Hyuk) changed from a cold-blooded person into a warm heart person throughout the drama.

The drama also filmed in an island, which is breathtaking to see a wonderful scenery, instead of the hectic Seoul in most drama. The drama also filmed in a real house, they didn't filmed it in studio, like other drama did. So, it feel more natural and real.

Before this drama, i never like Gong Hyo Jin as an actress. However, this drama changed it, she managed to prove to me that she is a good actress.

The music also fit into the story. I like the main song titled 'Thank You'. It really describes the emotion of the drama.



I recommend this drama if you are a fan of Jang Hyuk or Gong Hyo Jin.

Also if you are a fan of heartwarming drama, this drama will definitely touched your heart.



What I like from this drama?

-the development of main character, jang Hyuk from a cold-blooded person to a warm hearted person.

-the scenery

-the story of the HIV kid

-the OST

-the love story of the two main characters

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