Unforgettable Moments from Nothing But You
Currently Watching: Do You Like Brahms? (2020)
Previously also known as: Please Love Brahms.
Airing on: Monday & Tuesday | Duration: 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Hello, dear MDL readers!
An entangled, dramatic and secret love story with a perfume that steams from the golden days of the classical music era, between Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann, retold in a modern way, awaits you, this autumn...
Fair Warning: This article contains major spoilers for episodes 1-4!
Note: Visual spoilers are included! Best fitted to read in light mode.
When nothing seems easy anymore, there will always be someone who will offer you a helping hand and show you the right way in life, especially for music students who seem lost as they strive to reach that 1% level of perfection, while gaining experiences after encountering many setbacks and challenges, towards paving their road for a dream of a possible long term musical career. This drama, tells mainly a story of a bittersweet love story, combined with a beautiful, yet strong friendship between three people who are tied together by classical music Park Joon Young, Lee Jung Kyung and Han Hyun Ho. But what will happen if life has other plans in store for the child prodigy, now a full-fledged pianist Park Joon Young when he unexpectedly meets Chae Song Ah, a tender and warm-hearted female violinist who might unknowingly start to mend back together, the broken strings of his heart?
Rain, rain, fall down on me...
Trailer for the first episode is inserted in this photo.
(Photo source: Hancinema) | (Video source: SBS Drama on YouTube)
“I want to be a violinist. Do you even have a knack for the violin?
She’s always in last place. Is anyone who plays a violin a violinist?
That’s why they say rank is important. Second is second after all.
Is that really so bad of me? That’s why you can’t make it.
Although they wanted to climb a little bit higher, they just wanted to receive a little bit more comfort.
Since Chae Song Ah and Park Joon Young are the same age, you two should be friends.
People must enjoy it every time you perform, right? I’m jealous. I’m not confident that I can do well.
Don’t worry. You can do a good job.”
(Translation source: Soompi)
Park Eun Bin as Chae Song Ah
“It’s not like you can choose who and
how much you will love someone from the beginning,”
Chae Song Ah is a very timid and tender person who yearns endlessly to became an acknowledged violinist, but everything seems to be against her, as reality hits her hard, being awfully misunderstood by her teachers, peers and even her own family, just because she wanted to study again in the music department, after failing the entrance exam 4 times in a row. The only person who truly supported her, in her younger days was none other than her friend, Yoo Dong Yoon, who guided her along the way, learning to play the violin from scratch. From that moment on, something changed inside her, slowly falling for him, but having to hide away her growing feelings because of Kang Min Sung, another dear friend of hers who holds a "flame" for the same guy. Fate is ever turning and twisted sometimes, as she later finds out that the two of them are actually involved with each other, after an unexpected drinking incident. Realizing that even unrequited love can have a hurtful end, she feels heartbroken, tending to hideaway even more. Actually, all Song Ah ever wanted was for someone to understand her and to just hear her out. Turns out, that person might just be Joon Young, the talented senior pianist, who will wash away her scars, with the notes that just seem to overflow, when he plays the piano. When she finally divides to work at a renowned music foundation, that's the moment when things start to change around...
Here is what Park Eun Bin herself, said about her character: “Being able to dream is a really important thing, but as you go through life, you encounter things that you have to give up. When you really enjoy something, you want to be able to do it really well, but it doesn’t always go according to plan,” she explained. “With Chae Song Ah, I saw that she was going through something that anyone could experience. My heart went out to her when I saw her struggling with her dreams and talents while also having a one-sided crush.” (Source: Soompi)
(Note: If you wish to know more details on why this actress chose this role and how she prepared for it,
feel free to read here)
Kim Min Jae as Park Joon Young
“Not too much, not going too far. That’s what our love should be,”
One might think that living as a renowned world-class pianist is a dream life, many would only get to imagine this kind of lifestyle. Expect that for Park Joon Young, this aspect is something more burdening and stressful due to some sad circumstances of the past, that even cause him to have depression and insomnia. It's even more unbearable when his soul is weighed down by a heartbreaking unrequited love that he must keep it as a secret because he is torn and unable to make a decision between his friend and love, Joon Young is often described as being very similar to the famous classic composer, Johannes Brahms, because he is a kind and genius pianist who speaks more often with his music, rather than his words.
In time, he beings to realize his love towards Lee Jung Kyung, is a shallow one, because he gets to observe more closely her cold and very selfish personality. Being disappointed and hurt Joon Young distances himself from her. Only when he gets to meet Song Ah, the kind-hearted newbie music student, he starts to speak what's truly in his mind and soul. Thus, time and time, they meet by chance and slowly starting to heal each other's wounds by becoming friends. But as the two of them slowly open up, will they be able to cross that thin bounders between friendship and love, as time passes by?
Here is what Kim Min Jae himself, said about his character “Being a pianist seemed very appealing to me. I really wanted to try portraying Park Joon Young because he’s someone who tours the world performing in recitals, but he’s not always happy. There are times when he appears impressive, but there are also times when he becomes dark. I was captivated by that side of Park Joon Young.” (Source: Soompi)
(Note: If you wish to know more details on how
this young actor prepared for this role, feel free to continue reading here)
"So I could tell that day... that I would keep falling in love with him... no matter how many times... I get hurt." The power of a comforting hug...
(Photo source: Soompi) | (Video source: KOCOWA TV on YouTube).
Missing the old and classy love letters from the golden days of a true romance?
Here are two of them, written by Johannes Brahms, himself:
In a letter from August of 1855, Brahms writes to his Clara:
Clara, dear Clara… I feel ever more happy and peaceful in my love for you. Every time I miss you more but I long for you almost with joy. That is how it is. And I knew the feeling already but never quite so warm as it is now.
The following May, he amplifies the warmth to a heat:
My Beloved Clara,
I wish I could write to you as tenderly as I love you and tell you all the good things that I wish you. You are so infinitely dear to me, dearer than I can say. I should like to spend the whole day calling you endearing names and paying you compliments without ever being satisfied. (Source: brainpickings.org)
Other cast members with supporting or guest roles are included here: Cast.
This drama has a powerful musical line up, because of Song Dong Woon, the genius producer who was behind the musical doors of blockbusters stories like, Hotel Del Luna (2019), Goblin (2016), Descendants of the Sun (2016) and many more prestigious works, will finally return to the backstage for Do You Like Brahms? (2020) having partnered with high caliber artists, such as Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, EXO’s Chen, 10cm, g.o.d, Heize and Punch. And that's only the first line up, meaning there so much to come... and I am sure many of you will be delighted, just as I am or maybe even more! (Note: Check out this article, if you wish to know more).
Song: Close To Me by Punch (펀치) OST Part 1
(Video source: 1theK 원더케이 on YouTube)
"Stay with me close to me
Stay with me lean on me
The person who was always by my side
The person who comforted me, it was youi can’t believe
i don’t believe
Stay with me forever
Now, without you
I can’t go on for a single day
it’s youStay with me close to me
Stay with me lean on me
I’ll be by your side, I promise you
There’s no reason for me to leave you."(Lyrics found at: Popgasa)
Song: Your Moonlight (너의 달빛 ) by CHEN (첸 ) OST Part 3
(Video source: 1theK 원더케이 on YouTube)
"At the end of the road that I’ve often taken,
you were there so I was happy
I’m still happyOur road which has become familiar
Stay with me so it does not change
By my side oh loveI see your deepened moonlight in my dream
No matter how many times I see your same sky
I’m happy, You’re always a dream for me
You’re already good enoughThe one I’ve always wanted
It was nice to even just look at you
That was enough..."(Lyrics found at: Kgasa)
(Photo source: Hancinema)
Here it is a heartfelt and touching poem about a rare, profound and sad love story, written by Lisel Mueller, a Pulitzer-winning poet:
"ROMANTICS
Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann
The modern biographers worry
“how far it went,” their tender friendship.
They wonder just what it means
when he writes he thinks of her constantly,
his guardian angel, beloved friend.
The modern biographers ask
the rude, irrelevant question
of our age, as if the event
of two bodies meshing together
establishes the degree of love,
forgetting how softly Eros walked
in the nineteenth-century, how a hand
held overlong or a gaze anchored
in someone’s eyes could unseat a heart,
and nuances of address not known
in our egalitarian language
could make the redolent air
tremble and shimmer with the heat
of possibility. Each time I hear
the Intermezzi, sad
and lavish in their tenderness,
I imagine the two of them
sitting in a garden
among late-blooming roses
and dark cascades of leaves,
letting the landscape speak for them,
leaving us nothing to overhear."(Source: brainpickings.org)
The final touches are two self-selected tunes, that blend so well with this musical theme:
1) Song: Never Enough by Loren Allred from the movie The Greatest Showman (2017).
(Video and audio source: Atlantic Records on YouTube) | (Animation image source: here)
This particular melody will move me to tears, forever...
"You set off a dream in me
Gettin' louder now
Can you hear it echoing?
Take my hand
Will you share this with me?
'Cause darling without you..."(Lyrics: found at AZLyrics)
2) Song: Go by Seung Kwan (SEVENTEEN)
Reshuffled OST from Record of Youth (2020)
(Official video source: MUSIC&NEW 뮤직앤뉴 on YouTube) | (Photo source: Hancinema)
"I found a dream the homely way
All night I pray
I walk for a long timeThat’s how much closer I get
We say that it’ll change some day
May come back to me and challenge me again
My way my way my wayWhatever you feel It’s gonna be okay
Any place is meant to be a stage for you
Whatever you feel It’ll be more radiant
I remember you who waited for today..."(Lyrics found at: Kgasa)
[Loosely inspired by my own previous article and my very first
Currently Watching article co-written together with HideYourHeart.]
Recommendation corner:
1) The most comical and romantic Chinese remake of this year is here:
Midsummer Is Full of Love (2020) | "If it is you at the end, it's worth waiting for."
(Poster source: Twitter)
Where is now available with English subtitles:
Viki and at Tencent Video on YouTube.
2) A sweet romantic story that will surely turn your luck around:
Count Your Lucky Stars (2020)
Where is now available with English subtitles:
Viki and at YoYo English Channel on YouTube.
3) An entertaining historical detective romance ensues in: Maiden Holmes (2020)
Where is now available with English subtitles:
Viki and at Tencent Video on YouTube.
4) A new culinary adventure with a spicy romance and a big spoonful of comedy is on the way, starting from this 15th September: Dating in the Kitchen (2020)
Where it will be available in time, with English subtitles:
Viki and at Tencent Video on YouTube.
#StayAtHome and stay safe.
"Since being with you makes me smile and feel happy.
I guess it was because I missed you,"
(Video source: SBS Drama on YouTube) (Photo source: Soompi)
"You can call me when you’re having a rough day.
I’d rather call you on a good day.
That’s even better. Make sure to call. Promise."
(Video source in the first GIF: KOCOWA TV on YouTube) | (GIF image credit goes to: junghaesin on Tumblr)
Goodbye for now and thank you for reading until the end! ^^
Sources: DramaWiki, KOCOWA TV, Google, Viki, brainpickings.org, YouTube, Wikipedia (here and here), dw.com, biography.com, SBS, Soompi, together with this article, this one and this article and here, along with this one, and MyDramaList. GIF images are from Tumblr. Wallpaper and animation images were found here. here, here and here. Other photos used are from Twitter, Hancinema and here. Lyrics were found at AZLyrics, Popgasa, Kgasa and here. All the banners were edited by Cryssy Anne with an online tool called Pixlr X. The inspiration came from my previous article and my very first Currently Watching article co-written together with HideYourHeart, both of them having a very different feeling to it. The last four news articles used are from here, along with the first episode preview article from here, here and here.
