Hello Everyone!
I think it’s the right time to review the Romance-Comedy drama Lucky Romance. The drama is halfway through now and I am dying to watch the rest. As a matter of fact, the male lead is usually the attraction for me, not only because I am a girl, but also because of the way male leads are written and portrayed; and Lucky Romance is no exception.
First, The Story:
It’s about a superstitious, unlucky lady called Shim Bo Nui, who is convinced by her dreadful history and a fortune teller that she was born with very bad luck, which could potentially harm people around her. Having a history of being an outcast in school, an accident that left her sister hospital bound and the death of her parents; she believes the fortune teller wholeheartedly and starts following his instructions in every aspect of her life. This affects her life, career, relations and most importantly, her self esteem. Things become serious when her path crosses the genius Je Su Hoo and international Canadian- Korean Tennis player Gary Choi. Together, they end up in a huge mess while she tries to fulfill an absurd advice from her fortune teller to save her sister.
Characters:
Female Lead Shim Bo Nui portrayed by Hwang Jung Eum:
It’s my first time watching a drama with Hwang Jung Eum in it. I've seen some snippets of her relentless screaming in Kill Me Heal Me and it put me off but then I saw her scar in Secret and got excited a bit. From this drama I can tell what a brilliant actress she is as her character is unique. She dresses in a bizarre way and strangely enough people around her don't point it out. Despite the misfortune that surrounds her life and the huge guilt she feels, Bo Nui is actually a fun, bright character, who is very kind and hardworking. Her poor status is due to her superstitions and not because of a lack of strong skills or competence. She is persistent in her beliefs, relentless in her pursuit of goals, extremely loyal and responsible. Her character shines when she interacts with the genius Je Su Ho.
Male Lead Je Su Hoo portrayed by Ryu Joon Yeol
Wow, what an actor! I fell in love with him from the first episode, and have become a dedicated fan. His character is a genius and a perfectionist, which is hard to pull off because you can easily fall into the “cold, aloof” stereotype. Yet, his portrayal is quite dynamic with a uniqueness in his body language, presence and manner of speech that develops in accordance with his feelings. Su Ho is the director and founder of “ZeZe Factory”, one of the leading game developing companies. He is about to release his biggest project, but a betrayal creates a huge mess that threatens his name, reputation and challenges the competency of his business.
Su Ho is charming because he is innocent, nice and strangely likable. His scenes with Bo Nui will make you fall in love. He also has scars from his past and regrets which draws him closer to the leading lady. But believe it or not, he is the funniest character..
Gary Choi and Amy
Gary Choi played by Lee Soo Hyuk is Bo Nui's previous neighbor who left to Canada and became a Tennis star. He comes back to search for his father, and his path crosses that of Bo Nui's again. All that snowballs and he ends up encountering the genius, Je Su Hoo. They both dislike each other. He also gets involved in Bo Nui’s shenanigans. Amy played by Lee Chung Ah is Gary’s manager and an old friend of Su Hoo. They were in a strong relationship in America, but the end was bitter and Su Hoo was left brokenhearted 10 years ago. She grabs this chance and tries to amend things with her old friend.
Supporting Cast, Zeze Factory Family.
Nothing much to say here except that the main 2 supporting characters in Su Hoo’s world are his assistant Dal Nim played by Lee Cho Hee, who happens to be Bo Nui’s best friend and the reason she later joins Zeze factory. She loves her boss and is very loyal to him and just like her boss, she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. We also have the major shareholder and Su Ho’s only friend Han Ryang Ha played by Jung Sang Hoon. He is a coffee shop owner who knows everything about the factory, has a nosy personality and flirts with beautiful ladies whenever he gets the chance.
The other Zeze factory developers are fun, nice people. No one is mean or selfish. Even though they bad mouth their boss and complain about the pressure he puts on them, deep inside they like him very much.
Why I fell in love with the show, and why you should watch it!
- The lead actor - he is a fresh face and not the usual handsome Korean actor who dresses nicely and acts charmingly. Instead, he is more like an ordinary person which gives him an irresistible attractiveness, and has outstanding acting skills.
- The interaction between the characters is very dynamic as they make an effort to understand each other and explain themselves instead of the usual (suffer alone in silence) style.
- Interesting side stories with good potential (Su Hoo’s mother and chicken shop owner; Su Hoo and his parents; Gary and his father). It keeps you invested and entertained without diverting from the main story.
- Every single scene is in place. The episodes are so entertaining that it feels 30 minutes long instead of an hour! You cry, laugh, get excited and replay many scenes because Su Hoo's face and manner of speech is fascinating to observe.
Fresh, lighthearted story with a gentle fun soundtrack; amazing leads with a strong supporting cast and spot on styling and visuals are some factors which make Lucky Romance one of 2016's best releases so far. It is a very entertaining heartwarming drama that will keep you smiling all week long and when it finishes, you will miss it so so badly.