Driving through ground zero

The central moments of this story takes place in Hiroshima: and it is symbolic of the devastation that rips through the thin veneer of coping that the main character has plastered over his wounds.
Throuh the repeated readings of of dialogue of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, the themes of infidelity, wasted lives and lost opportunity is explored. I love the way in which the play-within-a-play accents the sensitivities and the unspoken anguish of the main character.
One young girl keeps on driving .. which is an important aspect of living with grief: to go on, to do the work, and she grounds the film, hugging a dog, showing Hiroshima restored, driving west until her car packs up..
I The Chechov lines chrechendo's on a landslide scar, the resolution to the grief comes in a spetacular culmination at the end of the Uncle Vanya performance, and when you think it is over, the film (and life) goes on.

It is a masterpiece, and if you can watch sixteen hours of Kdrama, you owe it to yourself to spend the time on this.

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When your enemy is an obnoxious maverick

I found this drama while looking for more work by the screenwriter, Seo Sook Hyang, who wrote two of my favourite dramas, Pasta, and Jealousy incarnate. It did not disappoint. I loved this drama for the wonderful characterisation of the male lead, the sassy female lead, and a great supporting cast. Lee Song Jae makes a credible and charismatic male lead,. So often, the comedic storyline in romances is overplayed, so that it degenerates into soap opera.This is somehow neatly sidestepped, without losing colour. Sung Dong Il is a chauffeur/confidant/comic relief/commentator, and executes his role brilliantly.
This is an old drama, defineitely worth rewatching .

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