Fantasy Couple, ep. 15-16

[oyceter]

Wah, finished! Maybe I will watch Dal Ja's Spring now. Or I will start watching the old cdramas my mom sent me, some of which I watched as a kid!

I blame this on being hormonal, but I sobbed through both of these. It's just... Anna trying to convince herself that she's not Na Sang Shil any more and Jang Chul Soo not going back for her. Wah! I kept wanting to shake him (in a good way, not in a real frustration way) and tell him that he had promised Anna that he would find her no matter how far away she went. I sort of wish that happened instead of the coincidental snow meeting, but honestly, coincidental snow meeting was so awesome and sweet and cute that I don't mind much at all.

But... oh, Anna! meganbmoore was right; this is so Anna's story. We do get to see some of Jang Chul Soo's angst and woe, but most of the focus is on Anna and how she navigates being both Jo Anna and Na Sang Shil, how she's changed and how she's trying to change back. I love love love how they handled most of it; it wasn't too anvilly, and the scene of her playing cards and drinking rice wine with the resort employees was great.

I feel much less sorry for Billy than the show does, though I very much like that the show acknowledges that even though Anna treated him poorly in the past, he also didn't go after her. I also loved Yu Kyeong's comment that Anna was so honest, Yu Kyeong had nothing left to say.

And awww, Kang Ja! Kang Ja got her snow, yay!

But mostly... oh, Anna! I love you so much! I love her struggling with her new vulnerabilities, her fear, all her insecurities. I love that she held her own course and stuck with it even though it hurt, I love that she knew to apologize to Billy, but also that she couldn't stay with him.

Entire series: This started out a little slowly, but I ended up really loving it, largely because of Anna.

Well, I also love Jang Chul Soo because he is very cute and has an adorable smile and is not all alpha male.

But mostly, Anna!

The side characters aren't as good as the ones in Kim Sam Soon and Coffee Prince; I wish there were more female friendships, though Anna definitely does have female friends. There's not the same sense of community and connectedness that there is in the first two shows. Then again, much of this series is about Anna's isolation.

I really loved watching Anna change throughout the show, and it's so nice to have a drama that focuses on the heroine's change instead of the hero's change from gruff alpha male to suitable romantic partner. Also, I will never get tired of watching Anna's reactions to things like blanket warmers and instant ramen.

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Aah...Kang Ja and her snow...with Anna on Kang Ja's side, that poor man will never escape.

I think Chul Soo was alpha male...but in a sweet way that was alpha because he was used to taking care of everything, not in a "me man, you woman, you obey" way, and he did always try to understand.

[oyceter]

Hrm, he didn't quite strike me as alpha male in the same way that most of them do, largely because it was so jokingly done! Well, except the first two episodes or so. It reminds me a lot of Han Kyul in CP. Like, the thing that made him not alpha male for me was that he did listen and that he basically had no problems acknowledging his feelings, as opposed to the usual "I will not admit that I like someone no matter what and will be even meaner to them instead!"

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

Dal Ja's Spring is starting to annoy me with all the gender issues, so I'm not sure I can wholeheartedly recommend it right now. I'll let you know how things pan out when I've finished the series.

PS. I've got to tell someone about this even though I'll posting on it shortly: http://www.ljanesmith.net/

- tantalising hints of finally ending the Bight World series!
- inexplicable unicorn pictures!
- best of all, short stories!!!

It's kind of embarrassing that after eight years I can be drawn back in so easily.

[oyceter]

Hrm, ok. It looked promising, but I haven't talked to anyone who's seen the entire series yet.

Re: LJ Smith: SHORT STORIES!!!!!!! Vampire Diaries 5! News about Strange Fate! /fangirl