Was this review helpful to you?
When it comes to TV ratings, there are a few different explanations for why a show can have high or low ratings. High ratings or low ratings do not necessarily correlate 1 to 1 with the quality of a show, but there are some connections that can be made. I like to place the most obvious options in these categories;
High Ratings
- Good show! (1) The high ratings are due to excellent and innovative script writing, good acting, quality production/soundtrack, not necessarily shying away from taboos, proper advertising in advance, etc. (Examples; My Name Is Kim Sam-soon, The Wire, Fawlty Towers)
- Bad show! (2)The ratings are high due to excellent advertising, the use of teen idols, (ab)using taboos and sexuality, innovative production and/or script, etc. (Examples; Full House, Big Brother, Beverly Hills 90210)
Low Ratings
- Bad show! (3) The low ratings are due to the lack of quality with regards to just about all the aforementioned variables. As a deserved result, the ratings for these shows will be very low. (There are countless of examples for this, most of them you will never have heard about, and most likely never will)
- Good show! (4) The low ratings for these shows are not due to the lack of quality, but have another issue. Usually this is either inferior advertising, crossing genres or addressing taboos, but there can be other culture related issues. These shows are rare but do exist. (Examples; Firefly)
If you imagine many shades and bridges of gradations between these categories, you can pretty much fit in any TV show. This MBC drama is notable for its mediocre/bad ratings, possibly the worst ratings of any Korean drama I have seen so far. Unfortunately for Heartstrings, it does not fit into category 4. It's neither innovative, nor taboo breaking. In just about every respect, this drama is mediocre at best.
The script is mostly just what you'd expect. No twist really comes as a surprise, and for the instances that it was not expected, it's inexplicable and illogical. I will give the writers credit for the fusion music element though, that's quite daring. Unfortunately the transition from the script to the screen doesn't really work out so well. The separate musical performances are alright (CNBLUE is certainly not without talent) and the main track You've Fallen For Me is quite catchy even. However, the actual fusion music is uninspiring and not very well composed. When you're picking up an alternative element for the main plot (fusion music/musicals), I personally believe you're obliged as the production team to put more than enough effort into the compositions. Failing this is critical in my opinion. The rest of the story and plots on the side are not very original either, nothing that we haven't already seen 20 times before (and done a lot better).
The cast of Heartstrings is limited in its size, but also in its abilities. CNBLUE's Jung Yong-Hwa is spectacularly lacking as male lead Lee Shin except when he is lip syncing a prerecorded version of one of the drama's tracks. More acting experience is needed before anything positive can be written about his abilities on screen. I'll not go into his or CNBLUE's music, that's best left in /r/kpop. Park Shin-Hye as female lead is alright. Both played together in You're Beautiful but Shin-Hye's performance is not enough to make me want to see more than the 1 & 1/2 episode that it took me to give up on that show. She has her cute moments, but it's not really noteworthy when there are so many other shows with better actresses. I'm usually more generous about the performances of actors and actresses above the age of 25-30, which is why the secondary leads So E-Hyun and Song Chang-Ui work better for me than the rest of the cast. Their relationship develops at a much more tranquil pace and they manage to come across as warm, reflective of their roles as teachers (director Kim Suk-Hyun also acts a bit as a teacher). Particularly So E-Hyun's character Professor Jung Yun-Soo is a relief to watch compared to the rest of the cast, because she's not so easily deceived and has the common sense that every single other character in Korean drama land seems to miss. I would like to have seen some more of her ballet dancing but unfortunately that got phased out after the first few episodes.
The third couple consisting of President's daughter Hee-Joo (Woo Ri) and drummer Joon-Hee (CNBLUE's drummer Kang Min-Hyuk progresses with unnatural and implausible developments. Neither is able enough to portray their character without becoming too extreme. Kang Min-Hyuk is also responsible for providing most of the comedy in this drama, but his trick wears of after the first few episodes and ceases being interesting for the following 12 episodes. The rest of the supporting cast is not special (Shin Goo as Kyu-Won's father, Im Se-Mi as Kyu-Won's best friend) or just bad (Lee Jeong-Heon as antogonist and Department Head Im Tae-Joon and the three girls that don't like Kyu-Won).
Heartstrings is exemplary of a drama where a lot of focus is set on teen idols and not so much effort is put into the rest of the drama. As a result, it's simply a mediocre drama that I wouldn't recommend spending your time on. There are plenty of other dramas out there that deserve your attention more than this does. If you like any particular member of the cast, then you should still see this. It's not all bad, but don't expect a quality drama.
5/10
http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/n8vbr/heartstringsyouve_fallen_for_me?_??_???_2011mbc/
Was this review helpful to you?
Heartstings is really good but some parts are boring but not bad^^ i love how Yonghwa and Shinhye played together^^ just like in You're Beautiful :)
Was this review helpful to you?
Heartstrings (You’ve Fallen For Me) was a surprise. I don’t have any expectations before watching this. All I know is that the leads were in He’s Beautiful and I was curious how Park Shin Hye would look as a normal heroine. I thought this was just one of those series I’ll end up skipping half of it but to my amazement I didn’t even miss a single episode of this drama. And I even spent 17 hours watching this series straight.
The plot was pretty normal. It’s not over the top and can even be considered plausible. There’s nothing exceptional with the story but the directing, soundtrack and the cast’s performances made this drama revitalizing and a whole lot of fun.
What I appreciate most in this drama are the character development, back story and the story flow. It wasn’t dragging since the biggest conflict in the story was immediately presented and resolved in the first 6 episodes. It also had strong back stories for the characters not only for the hero and heroine but for the secondary characters as well. It’s nice getting to know the people in the story bit by bit.
Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye have a very refreshing chemistry. It’s one of the things you’ll initially notice in the first few episodes of the drama. The setting is a plus too. It was very nice that this was filmed in spring which made the scenes pleasant to watch. And it added up with the drama’s romance.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story/Plot: -8.5- The drama started off really well. The production had a strong lead and it seemed like they knew where they were heading and how the story was going to flow. The idea was cliché in a way however, main couples started off hating each other and then they find their way to being a couple. Even so, Heartstrings was a bit different than the other dramas with the combination of music being their "inspiration"; I am into music from both traditional and modern styles, so being able to hear songs that includes both styles and how they compliment each other was a major bonus for me. THE ENDING THOUGH! I hate how they tried to fit so much information in less than 30 minutes. So much was happening from scene to scene and some of them just doesn't go well with one another. Other than that, storyline was cute, simple, and easy to watch!
Acting/Cast: -10- Perfect cast for this movie. No complaints. Acting was flawless! Everyone was so much into character and it ties the whole drama together. Well done!
Music: -10- I love the music in this drama! Again, no complaints.
Rewatch Value: -8- I would watch it again, but it wouldn't capture my eye like it would the first time I watched it.
Overall: -9- Love the movie, the cast, the acting, the music. Everything except the ending. For anyone who likes music related drama, cute moments, or simple dramas, HEARTSTRINGS is the one for YOU!
Thanks for reading!
Chào For Now!
Lily L.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story was a decent one. Not a jewel that you'd preserve or a 'out of box' memory. Also, at times it got a little slow. But the humour is satisfying. I liked Gyu Won's grandfather as well. :P
Music is the amazing part of the drama. Modern or traditional, I liked both genre OST. Look out for some really quirky tracks that you'd like.
Scenes such as competitions in the university are actually quite good. In the middle of the series, I started feeling as if Park Shin Hye was a gayageum artist rather than an actress. Also I liked her neutral, light wardrobe.
Re watch for me is 5 because I have mixed feeling for this drama. Whoever liked it would wanna watch it continuously. Overall, for me its a one time serve on the plate that made me full.
Was this review helpful to you?
And that's basically it; this drama is mellow and for the ones that are content at heart! The acting is great, the characters are very adorable and mild in temper (Hee Joo was technically capable of more damage), and the story line is very stress-free and happy! And, of course, the music is awesome (as expected, with the cast being, well, the cast!)~
I recommend giving this drama a watch for several main personal reasons: it's short, it's mellow, and it'll leave you smiling at the end! :)
Was this review helpful to you?
As I got into it though, it seemed to just continuously draaaag, from start to finish. It's not hard to lose your interest, and the beginning of it, to me, seemed like they could of left out the first couple episodes excluding the first episode.
However, the one thing I did love about this drama was the music, I thought it was wonderful, and the acting was very good as well, but I could definitely say I will never re watch this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
I guess I went in knowing, in a way, what to expect from this drama. But it is still disappointing that it is such a 'forgettable' show.
The characters seem to taken from an oft-used cookie cutter mould in Korean dramas - aloof boy, earnest girl, second lead with a dark past/scars from past relationships, absent fathers/mothers etc. You get the drift.
Verdict: mehhhh.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
To be honest, I think the main thing that was lacking in this drama was chemistry. I know a lot of people liked Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa together, but I just didn't feel it.
The plot was pretty good, though. I liked how the story progressed and Park Shin Hye's dilemma over classical versus contemporary music was interesting to watch.
Overall, this drama was a bit of a letdown compared to all the hype I saw on the internet. It was definitely cute, but not life-changing.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
