SYNOPSIS:
Abandoned
as a child, Yun-jae was later adopted and brought to Canada.
Today, he is a successful lawyer. After finding out that his
trusted colleague and his girlfriend have both betrayed him,
he loses the will to live and jumps off a cruise ship. However,
he is rescued along with Hee-ran, a popular singer from Korea
who jumped off the cruise ship at the same time. They develop
a liking for each other.
San-ho grew up in a family that was so poor that his parents
were forced to abandon his older brother. He becomes Hee-ran's
manager with hopes of becoming successful. He is also in love
with Hee-ran. San-ho looks for his brother Yun-jae in Canada
and brings him back to Korea. After meeting his mother who
has Alzheimer's disease and frivolous and irresponsible brother,
Yun-jae regrets being reunited with his family but decides
to stay in Korea to help his family with their debts.
Yun-jae meets Hee-ran again only to find out that he and his
brother have fallen in love with the same woman...
MOVIE REVIEW:
The story started off like a whirlwind, bringing all the key
players of the drama series to the same place at the same
time.
Apparently,
it all appears to be pretty reasonably well-sequenced till
the landscape is changed back to the homeland, Korea. The
plot began to develop more and delve deeper into each key
character to make each more wholesome. However, it is a pity
that the scriptwriter has let himself so helplessly caught
in the tangles of web spun, that succumbed to the point of
being drowsily draggy.
Of
the typical elements that all Korean drama series should have,
“Stranger Than Paradise” revolves love triangle,
family ties and domestic affairs. The English translation
of the title may signify that sometimes the path taken by
Man in reality has often proven itself to be more unfamiliar
than what Man has often imagined about the heavenly place
of the dead in peace lie.
The
three key lead roles are relatively unknown to the local fans
here. At a quick glimpse, the lead actress resembles a beautiful
Hongkong actress (Wen Bi Xia) of the 90's while the bespectacled
gentleman can be easily mistaken as one of the Taiwanese brother
duo (Xiao Chong Xiao Bai), now successful music producers.
The
lady is indeed a sweetie pie and an eye candy; effortlessly
have the two guys to fall head over heels with her. Out of
the two guys, there is always one who is often outplayed by
Lady Luck, getting into troubles and troubled by financial
straits.
Special
compliments to the veteran actress who portrays an Alzheimer
patient but a pitiful mother, holding on hopes to see her
elder child, whom was given up for overseas adoption since
young. I do not know her name, despite she is a familiar face
often featured as somebody’s mum in Korean drama series.
To
summarize, too many on the plate simply spoils the whole lot.
This unfortunately had occurred to this 16-episodes series.
Good-timed pace and essences of the plot are crucial to deliver
a captivating story. Too much nitty-gritty details defocus
and de-excite the falls and peaks of the plot development.
MOVIE RATING:
Review
by Alicia Tee
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