Master's Sun
Image Source: Google
As a heads up, I decided to make this week as my “Korean Drama Review Madness Week”, so you’ll be bombarded with several Korean drama reviews on my blogs in a couple of days ^_^. The first Korean drama that I’ll covering titled Master’s Sun. This one may not a new drama, it released in 2013. However, due to its popularity, this drama able to seized several prestigious awards both in 2013 and 2014. I just finished watching this drama several months ago. At first, I’m not really interested to watch this drama because I’m not familiar with the female lead actor – such a picky viewer. However, after watching Gong Hyo Jin on the drama titled “It’s Okay, It’s Love”, I just become her hard-core fans and decided to collect all of her drama series.
This drama combines two opposite genres which are horror and comedy-romance (Quite unique huh?) Created by the Hong Sisters – famous Korean screen writers due to their fabulous work on creating a lovely and interesting love story, Master’s Sun offers a thrilling, mysterious, sweet, and hilarious sensations in one drama. Starring several well-known cast such as Gong Hyo Jin, So Ji Sub, Seo In Guk, and Kim Yoo Ri, with total 17 episodes, Master’s Sun successfully attracted the viewers, as evidenced by the acquisition of a very high rating and was also always ranked first and beat other dramas that aired in the same time slot.
Teaser of Master's Sun
Video Source: Youtube
About Master's Sun
What if one day we find ourselves waking up in a hospital and after that you be able to see ghosts?
That's what happened to Tae Gong Shil / Tae Yang - meaning sun (played by Gong Hyo Jin), a 27-year-old woman. When she was 24 years old, she had an accident that made her in a coma for three years and when she woke up she found that she can look through the haunting spirits. Tae Gong Shil personality completely changed after the incident, in which she was first known for her beauty and intelligence. However, after she had the ability to interact with the spirit world, she is regarded as a weirdo even insane. She was fired several times from her job and was added to a psychiatric hospital because of the interference of those invisible creatures. Actually, the spirits intend to ask Gong Shil help regarding their world's affairs which has not been sorted out. And despite the fear and having difficulty sleeping, and she unable to get drunk because her body could be possessed by the spirits, Gong Sil still helps the spirits and getting used to their presence.
Image Source: Google
Then she accidentally met with Joong Joo Won (played by So Ji Sub), a property developer and owner of a big mall named "Kingdom". He was known as a logical person and do not believe in the existence of the ghosts. But strangely, every time Gong Shil touched Joong Won, the ghost disappeared. After realizing that, Gong Sil attempt to always be close to Joong Won, so she applied as cleaning service at the Kingdom Mall.
Image Source: Google
The stories of the spirits often make the innocent Gong Shil felt pity to them, so she is willing to help them with their problems. However, Gong Sil mission to help the problems of the spirits is not a piece of cake matters, sometimes she had to face difficult things even can be life-threatening. After witness what Gong Sil can do with the spirits worlds, Joong Won agreed to help Gong Shil to prevent the ghost, but with one requirement, Gong Shil should help Joong Won find her late ex-girlfriend because he had some unfinished business with her.
Cast of Master's Sun
Image Source: Google
| ❶ | Tae Gong Shil (Gong Hyo Jin), is a woman who has the ability to see ghosts after a mysterious accident. Since the incident, Gong Shil who formerly cheerful turned into a moody, isolated, and often insomnia because of the ghosts always come to her and ask her to grant the request of their past. But all that changed when she met with the president of a shopping mall named Joong Joo Won (So Ji Sub). Surprisingly, all the ghosts always disappeared when he touched Joong Won. Because of that, Gong Shil decided to make Joong Won as her shield. | |
| Joong Joo Won (So Ji Sub) is a selfish, ambitious, and always concern about money. The tragedy of the kidnapping that happened when he was a teenager made him a calculative person and do not trust others. He used Gong Sil’s supernatural abilities to be able to communicate with his girlfriend who died named Cha Hee Joo, who had brought her mother necklace worth for 10 million won as ransom. | ❷ | |
| ❸ | Seo In Guk played as Kang Woo, a third person between Gong Shil and Joo Won. Kang Woo is a former soldier disguised as head of security at Kingdom Mall to spy Joong Won. | |
| Kim Yoo Ri acted as Tae Yi Rung, a model and brand ambassadors of Joong Won’s Mall, Kingdom. She is Gong Shil’s friend since high school and have always tried to attract Joong Won although in the end she just fell in love with Kang Woo. | ❹ | |
Will You Be Happy If I Called Your Name Three Times?
The drama is so captivating, the combination of genre and unusual storyline is the key strength of this drama. The drama really demonstrates the skill of Hong Sister as the screenwriter. Each episode will make us curious about the continuation of the story. The main plot gradually revealed along with the completion of various cases of the ghost which assisted by Gong Shil. It’s like watching Ghost Whisperer TV Series, but in classic Korean drama packaging.
Image Source: Google
Another thing that characterizes the work of the Hong Sister is the dialogues of each character. Their personality and the reason for the formation of the characters of the drama depicted indirectly through the dialogues between players. The dialogue in this drama plays an important role, because of all the emotions and situations clearly illustrated through existing dialogues.
This drama may mixed horror, comedy and romance, however it still can make you moved by the story of the characters either main or supporting casts. In each episode, there is also always a profound message that when Gong Shil successfully meet the demand of each ghost that came to her.
“Romance flavor” is common in every Korean drama. Korean dramas are usually well known by the story that melancholy, however it is not highlighted in this drama. The storyline and the character become something more highlighted in here. Yes, you will find several sweet and cute moments in here, but it won’t make you feel “cheesy”. Instead, you will find it’s cute, funny, corny, childish, but romantic – you really need to watch it to be able tasted those feelings at one time. In a simple term, the drama will be successful makes you commented "awww ~~~" because some scenes are actually corny but sweet.
Image Source: Youtube
Stunning acting from the casts. This drama starring actors and actresses who are experienced like Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub because the quality of their acting is unquestionable. Gong Hyo Jin was already known as "the queen of Korean comedy drama", however So Ji Sub acting as Joong Won managed to steal my attention. His ability to portrays Jo Joong Won who is an arrogant, yet vulnerable person, he had so much fun playing this character. This role is also different from the usual melancholy role he played. Seo In Guk as Kang Woo also can compensated the other cast whose are already a well-known actress, although he not that long been in the acting world.
The soundtrack also is one that further strengthen the position of this drama as favorite drama. With dialogue that has been built with a good foundation, backed by a soundtrack that supports even easier for the audience to feel the emotions and situations described in this drama. Beautiful OST sung by Yoon Mi Rae titled Touch Love, just like a love story between Joong Won and Gong Shil. This OST even gets a prestigious award as Best OST at the Melon Music Award in 2013 and the Mnet Asian Music Awards 2013. You do not need to understand the Korean language to be able to feel their "love story".
Master's Sun's OST - Touch Love by Yoon Mi Rae
Video Source: Youtube
The chemistry between So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin actually felt real in this drama. Relationship between Joong Won and Gong Shil which unique and hilarious is also a major attraction of Master's Sun. The dynamics of those two who never dull will make you always wait for the next episode. Also, there are many romantic scenes (intentionally or unintentionally) between the main characters that even could turn you into a die-hard shipper of So-Gong couple.
Image Source: Google
Minor weakness for me is the same pattern in common Korean dramas – a rich and handsome lead-male character, but he has a problem, then he met with lead-female character, who is not rich, and he is falling in love with her because she has extraordinary personalities. Another minor weakness for me is the appearance of the ghosts in this story. Early in the episode, the ghostly figure shown is creepy, but over time they actually appear hilarious. Perhaps because the author was worried if the audience frightened and tensed during watching this drama.
Overall, this drama is enticing, because at one time seemed so romantic then the next moment like “WTF ridiculous” and suddenly ugly ghost appears and makes you surprised. If anyone has any spare time and want to watch a romantic Korean drama but with a different "taste" then you should try Master's Sun. I guarantee you hooked until the last scene. A 9.7 out of 10 - blame the hilarious ghost for that 0.3. ^ _ ^
