(KBS/wiki.d-addicts)
Dal Ja's Spring (aka Spring of Oh Dal Ja) (KR KBS2- 2007) 달자의 봄 is a recent drama I caught that was broadcast during January to March of 2007. It marks the first drama for Chae Rim since her divorce from her husband. I really loved Chae Rim in this drama! It is nice to see her comedic side here as a 33 year old woman who never really had a relationship but she has a great career! She may be fumble and not be perfect, but her colleagues and people around her enjoy her warm earnestness, good heart and ever present smile and good attitude.
This drama spanned 22 episodes and it was a fun journey. I thought the episode titles were cute (see below) and the artwork used was nice. There were some homages to various movies, dramas within the drama that I laughed at such as to "Hwangjini", "Chariots of Fire", "The Bodyguard", and "Rocky" to name a few. Overall I thought the acting was solid, though I did not find Lee Min Ki (as Tae Bong) as believable. He seemed a bit stiff and not as fluid and natural as Chae Rim. Even the older generation---Tae Bong's parents and Dal Ja's grandmother and mom had some side stories which I liked. It was not all concentrated on Dal Ja and her worries.
It was good to see again Lee Hye Young as the alluring TV personality Wee Seon Joo. I remember her in "Cheot Sarang" or First Love and Papa. She has the right mix of coolness that enables her to not get hurt. But does this hide a more vulnerable heart?
I enjoyed that the drama talked about various women and their experiences especially in episode 14---"I am Not Superwoman". It is not easy being a woman whether a mom, mother in law, daughter, girlfriend, friend or work colleague. Women have many troubles and strive to overcome the many stigmas and situations that always come their way whether on the job or in their own personal lives. For Dal Ja it is her age and lack of dating experience and having a boyfriend that befuddles her the most. She wants "real love".
When two men come into her life after her disastrous dating experience with colleague and play boy Shin Sae Do (played by Gong Hyeon Jin), she is thrilled. Initially she thinks Eom Ki Joong is her night in shining armour--he is successful, handsome and knows how to treat a woman. But his past comes to haunt Dal Ja just as she is Ki Joong start dating. Her contract boyfriend Tae Bong comes in handy even though he is six younger than her.
Lately, I have noticed alot of "contract" dating or "Boyfriend for hire" as a topic favored by drama writers in the last few years. If it is not a contract, the couple "fake" their relationship until later they both have feelings with each other such as found in "Wedding", "Kim Sam Soon", "Witch Yoo Hee", "Coffee Prince" and even "Dal Ja's Spring". But I do find that element fun. It is nice to see how the couple like each other.
Dal Ja's Spring was great and I LOVE LOVED the soundtrack. It is rare that I do not enjoy the OST for a drama.
Thanks to the awesome fansubs it made the watching of this drama more enjoyable. (I like it when the song lyrics are translated too as it is not the usual case.)
(wiki.d-addicts)
Chae Rim 채림 (All About Eve) as Oh Dal Ja
Lee Min Ki 이민기 (李民基)as Kang Tae Bong
Lee Hyun Woo 이현우 (actor/singer) (Rooftop Cat/Wedding) as Uhm Gi Joong
Lee Hye Young 이혜영 (First Love/Papa) as Wee Seon Joo
Gong Hyeong Jin 공형진 as Shin Sae Do
Extended Cast
Seo Yeong Hee as Jang Soo Jin
Kil Young Woo as Tae Bong's father
Kwon Ki Sun as Yeong Shim (Tae Bong's mother)
Kim Na Woon as Go Soon Ae (Oh Dal Ja's sunbae)
Jang Young Nam as Uhm Gi Joong's wife
Lee Kyung Jin as Jung Ae (Dal Ja's mother)
Kim Young Ok as Dal Ja's grandmother
Kim Sung Kyum as Tae Bong's grandfather
Oh Kyung Soo as the department director
Kim Jae Wook as Choon Ha (Tae Bong's friend)
Seo Yeong as Hong Ji Hee
Main Characters profile:
Chae Rim 채림 as Oh Dal Ja
33-year-old promising home shopping channel managing director. She owns a house and a car thanks to a career driven life. She’s interested in men but is a disaster on real dates. She’s a professional in work but a novice in love. She begins a dreamy love affair with flirtatious coworker Shin Sedo but is enraged to find out about his infidelity. She hires a boyfriend by contract, Taebong, to seek revenge on Sedo.
Lee Min Ki 이민기 (李民基)as Kang Tae Bong
27-year-old freelancer for a proxy dating agency. He begins to pretend as Dalja’s boyfriend. It takes people time to discover his warm heart due to his outspoken character. He develops feelings for Dalja.
Lee Hyun Woo 이현우 as Uhm Gi Joong
36-year-old prospering businessman who heads an importing firm of foreign brand goods. He is polite and humble with reputable character. But he’s very possessive and hates to lose. He asks Dalja to start a relationship with him as he thought she would be comfortable and not have high expectations on love. He is aghast at her elementary dating experience but grows attracted to her more and more.
Lee Hye Young 이혜영 as Wee Seon Joo
33-year-old home shopping network show host. A former hot model, she disappeared from the public eye when she married at 29. She returns three years later as a divorcee. The talented show host, who can be fussy and particular, gets on Dalja’s nerves. She is a dating genius who knows all dating rules there are and what not. Her skills shine in making Shin Sedo as her man.
Synopsis (wikipedia)
Oh Dal Ja is a manager at a home shopping center. She is already 33 years old and is still single. And still waiting for her 'prince' to come. She has everything... money, power and success. The only thing she dreams about is marriage. Then she meets flirty guy, Shin Se Do, who seemed very nice to her. After seeing how he flirts with Wee Seon Joo (and later dumped Dal Ja for her), the beautiful host of the home shopping tv show, she seeks revenge. Kang Tae Bong , a guy 6 years younger than her and has a mysterious past, pretends to be her boyfiend and signs a dating contract with her. But then again, who is this Eom Ki Jeong that seemed to be the perfect gentleman? He's an enterprise representative who's just so perfect.. rich, good-looking, intelligent and courteous but recently separated from his wife.
Three men, one woman.. who will win Oh Dal Ja's charm? Who will end up as her 'knight in shining armor?'
Drama targeted many stereotypes in Korean society. Including older women dating or marrying younger men or single women over 30s dealing with everyday social pressures as well as working mothers juggling their work and family life.
Episode and Episode Titles (wikipedia)
Ep. 1 Things That Drive Her Crazy
Ep. 2 Can Love be Hired?
Ep. 3 A Romantic Inquiry Through a Powerful, Fated Encounter
Ep. 4 There was a Prince, indeed, However..
Ep. 5 Her Stance on Handling an Unsuitable Relationship
Ep. 6 Show Must Go On!
Ep. 7 We Need 2% Moisture In Our Hearts
Ep. 8 Lack of Love's Adverse Effect on an Old Maid
Ep. 9 The Weight Of One Brick...
Ep. 10 Sometimes...Remember That We Are Right Next to You!
Ep. 11 The Rules for Action and Reaction in Dating
Ep. 12 The Reason Why Our Romance Is Beautiful
Ep. 13 Happy Valentine's Day To You!
Ep. 14 It's O.K. Even If You're Not Superwoman!
Ep. 15 Love Saturates My Heart Like A Spring Shower!
Ep. 16 There Needs To Be Loyalty in Love!
Ep. 17 The Earnest Things That Need To Be Thrown Away While In Love Part 1
Ep. 18 The Earnest Things That Need To Be Thrown Away While In Love Part 2
Ep. 19 Living As A Man.. That's The Way It Is
Ep. 20 Living As A Woman.. That's The Way It Is
Ep. 21 People That Are Hopeless With Love
Ep. 22 Spring Comes (Around) Again, Flowers Bloom Again
Source: TNS Media Korea
í== OST == 달자의 봄 OST [2007.01.25]
01. Gi Juk Gat Eun Sarang - Lee Kyung Hwa
02. Sweet Lover - Park Hye Kyung
03. To You Mine - Pearl's Day
04. Choo Uk Eul Yul Da - So Yun
05. Nae Son Eul Jab Ah Jwuh - K-Jun
06. Na Bbeun Sarang - M.R.J (Kang Jae Hyuk)
07. Shim Jang - Eun Young
08 Impression
09 Ya-Ya-Ya
10. Choo Uk Eul Yul Da (Inst.)
11 Lively Breeze12 Surprise13 To You Mine (Funky Ver.)
14. Gi Juk Gat Eun Sarang (Orchestra Ver.)
15. Nuh Eh Gi Uk
16. Gi Juk Gat Eun Sarang (Original Ver.)
Staff
Screenwriter: Kang Eun Kyung
P.D.: Lee Jae Sang
Music: Ji Pyung Kwon
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