What a masterfully written and acted drama. This drama is distinctively different from other Korean dramas. If you don't have patience to sit through and think about the story and characters, and observe the acting, it's probably not for you.
From my paltry background in literature, I spotted hints of themes and characters I studied in The Great Gatsby, an American classic. I'm really, really impressed that a Korean drama is ambitious to go this far in exploring relationships and universal themes that have been a mainstay of other artistic forms. Whether our characters meet the same fate as Gatsby in the book is up to you to find out.
The posters make the affair look like a sizzling romance, but this show is actually light on the physical passion, and heavy on the emotional tension and chemistry. Music is a conduit for the characters to express their passions and emotions, which is much more beautiful and satisfying than physical passion.
The directing is very controlled. There are no sudden movements or harshly lighted scenes, and the earthly tones of the show help contribute to the withheld tone of the show.
The classical music is beautiful in execution, and its use in the show. The background stories of composers is masterfully integrated into the stories of the characters and relationships. I"m really impressed by this aspect. In that sense, the music itself is a character in the show, influencing and speaking into the lives of the characters. This, I think, is the best use of music in a show.
Kim Hee Ae is also extremely controlled in her acting, hence showing her skills as an actress. This control should not be interpreted as stiff; it is actually vital to our understanding of her character. Similarly, Yoo Ah In does a brilliant job of playing a character who is young, rash and passionate, yet a man, mature beyond his years and full of empathy. They have great chemistry too.
I don't usually rewatch dramas, but if I ever do, I can picture myself watching this. This drama is so subtle and controlled in its direction and acting that it'd probably be easy to pick up different messages and emotions from each scene.
Deserves the critical reception it gets.
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