Have been watching korean drama recently..
Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart)秋天的童话
Stairway to Heaven 天堂的阶梯
The 1st Korean drama I watched is Stairway to Heaven
Cast:
Cha Song-ju: Kwon Sang Woo (Delicious Proposal/Into the Sun)
Han Jung-suh: Choi Ji Woo (Winter Ballad/Beautiful Days)
Han Tae-hwa: Shin Hyun Joon (Wedding Dress)
Han Yuri: Kim Tae Hee
Tae Mira (Tae-hwa & Yuri's mom, actress): Lee Hui Hyang (Beautiful Days/Secret)
Han Su-ha (Jung-suh's dad, architect): Ha Jae Young (Glass Slipper/Beautiful Days)
Min Suh-hyun (Song-ju's mom): Kim Ji Sook
Han Pil-su (Tae-hwa & Yuri's dad): Jung Han Yong
Cha Song-ju (as a child): Baek Sung Hyun (Sweet Bear/Damo)
Han Jung-suh (as a child): Park Sin Hye
Han Tae-hwa (as a child): Lee Wan (Snow White)
Han Yuri (as a child): Park Ji Mi (Kuk Hee/Cinderella)
SynopsisSong-ju is the only son of a wealthy family. Jung-suh is Song-ju’s childhood friend, and they were there for each other when one of their respective parents passed away. They spent a lot time together, playing, and sharing their inner most thoughts. When Jung-suh’s father re-married Tae Mira, Mira brought her children Tae-haw and Yuri from her previous marriage. That marked the end of Jung-suh’s happy days. Yuri was jealous of the privileged life that Jung-suh led, and vowed to take everything away from Jung-suh, including Song-ju. When Song-ju left for his studies in the U.S., he gave Jung-suh a necklace as a gift of his love.
On Tae-hwa’s birthday, Jung-suh gave him a birthday present. Tae-hwa mistook Jung-suh’s kindness as love, and he fell head over heels in love with her. Jung-suh never accepted Tae-hwa as her heart is with Song-ju, but Tae-hwa became Jung-suh’s soulmate after Song-ju left as she weathers life under the tyranny of Mira and Yuri.
Song-ju returns 3 years later from his studies and calls Jung-suh to meet him. Yuri runs Jung-suh down with her car in a mad bid to stop Jung-suh from her rendezvous with Song-ju. In her state of panic, Yuri sends a bloodied Jung-suh to her own father’s place. Tae-hwa tracks Jung-suh down and takes care for her. Jung-suh survives the accident but forgets everything about the past. Tae-hwa decides to start life afresh with Jung-suh by giving her a new identity as Kim Ji-suh.
Song-ju thinks Jung-suh has died, and is heartbroken. He returns 5 years later with Yuri from the US. He can’t forget Jung-suh, but feels obligated to Yuri, who’s stayed with him for the past few years. He agrees to his mother's arrangement to marry Yuri.
On their engagement day, Song-ju sees Kim Ji-suh on the carousel and runs madly after her, only to realize that the person with the same face as Jung-suh has no memory or collection of her identity as Han Jung-suh, or of him Cha Song-ju. Kim Ji Suh is a fashion designer and is in a relationship with Tae-hwa.
Song-ju goes on a mission to prove that Kim Ji Suh is Han Jung-suh. Ji Suh is confused by Song-ju’s action, but she is also touched by his actions for Jung-suh.
Jung-suh finally remembers the past and is angry at Tae-hwa for what he did. But she is torn as she is still emotionally attached to Tae-hwa, and is touched by the care and love that he has showered her all that time when Song-ju was not there. Song-ju is also torn as he is to be engaged to Yuri, and his family’s reputation is at stake if he does not follow as planned.
Song-ju decides to give up his family business and goes against his mother’s wishes to be with Jung-suh. But Jung-suh knows that one of Song-ju’s aspirations is to expand and scale his family’s corporation to greater heights. She asks Song-ju to go back, and promises to wait for him.
Unfortunately, Jung-suh finds out that she has cancer of the eye. She decides to leave Song-ju, and she takes refuge with Tae-hwa. Song-ju is tipped off by Tae-hwa, and both men beg Jung-suh to seek treatment and fight to live despite the devastating odds. Jung-suh eventually agrees. She has a successful treatment but she continues to be in danger should the cancer cells move to another major organ.
Song-ju invites all to his wedding, without announcing who the bride will be. Tae-hwa brings a blind Jung-suh to the wedding, much to the surprise of Mira and Yuri. At the same occasion, Tae-hwa breaks the news to all about the accident and both Yuri and Mira are taken away. Jung-suh changes her mind, and says “Yes” at the altar.
Tae-hwa sees Jung-suh happily married, but is sad that she is not able to see the world anymore. He decides to donate his cornea to her but the doctors refuse to perform the operation and tell him that they don’t remove corneas for implants from a living person. Tae-hwa commits suicide in a car accident to leave his cornea for Jung-suh. Jung-suh regains her eye sight and tells Song-ju her desire to live.
Unfortunately Jung-suh’s cancer cells have moved to her brain and she is dying..
Throughout the whole show.. Han Jung-suh (Choi Ji Woo) keep crying.. this show reminds me of mummy.. Mummy also die of cancer..cancer took her away from us..Till now I still keep tear whenever I thinks of her…Like the show I tot that after the operation, mummy will be alright with chemotherapy treating her..but less than a month later mummy gotta go thru another major operation the remove the cancer cells behind her back.. When she told me that chemotherapy failed, I even raised my voice at her without knowing anything and thinking that she is being pessimistic tats why she said all those things. The doctor has asked daddy to stop giving mummy chemotherapy as it doesn’t helps at all..instead the doctor suggested that we should let my mum live better for the rest of her daes…
When she passed away..i wasn’t even there to see her..I miss her so much…
2nd show hat I watched is Endless love, which Jing Ting lent it to me when she heard that I’m watching Stairway to Heaven.. She told me that endless love is similar to stairways to heaven..I guess lotsa ppl watched endless love b4..oh btw the guy Won Bin in the show is soooooooooo handsome!!! Drool..
Endless Love, or Autumn in My Heart is the first soap opera to elicit an emotional response from this reviewer. Soaps are the usual target for mockery due to the presence of bad acting, lame plots and even lamer dialogue. Endless Love, however, managed to overcome these weaknesses. It stands as one of the best soap operas I've ever seen.
It's the story of Joon Suh and Eun Suh, who for 14 years believed themselves to be blood-siblings. They share a close bond as shown in the scenes of their happy and idyllic childhood. Yet an accident when Eun Suh was only 14 revealed that she was actually switched at birth with another baby. Her real family is composed of a single mother and a rascal brother living in the throes of poverty. The daughter (Shinae) who lives with that poor family is Joon Suh's real blood sister. After some dramatic scenes, the two daughters are switched back to their real families. Joon Suh's family leaves for the States as a way to start over while Eun Suh stays behind with her poor mother and starts longing for her "brother." Eight years later, Joon Suh returns to Korea in search for Eun Suh. They meet again via Joon Suh's best friend, Tae Sukh (Andrew), who also happens to be attracted to Eun Suh. The two former siblings are deliriously happy to be reunited, but complications take place as they realize that they are falling for each other. Joon Suh is already engaged to Yumei, while Eun Suh has just "accepted" Tae Sukh's declarations of "love". To make matters worse, their parents cannot accept a romantic relationship between them as they still see Eun Suh and Joon Suh as siblings. These complications drive the plot to an ending that will surely melt even the stoniest of hearts.
Despite its predictable storyline, it still succeeds in conveying sincere emotions, largely due to the chemistry of the two leads, Song Seung Hun and Song Hye Gyo.
Song Seung Hun in particular, was amazing in the role of the strong and honorable Joon-Suh (Johnny). It was a character that barely had any speaking lines, yet Seung Hun hit every emotional note required for the scene. His expressive face (particularly his gorgeous eyes) clearly conveyed all of his character's conflicting emotions: his love for Eun Suh (Jenny), his respect for his parents and his affection for his friends. Everything about his acting was restrained, yet he never came off stiff or wooden. He projected strength and vulnerability without resorting to exaggerated theatrics common amongst young actors. It's definitely an amazing performance which sets him apart from his peers. There is no doubt in my mind that only Seung Hun, with his talent and maturity, could have played this challenging role. The other actors in the movie simply played their characters in a stereotypical manner that didn't stand out, but didn't disappoint either.
The story is also wonderful in that it is different from the usual American love story. It teaches us that lovers do not exist for themselves alone. The characters of Joon-Suh and Eun Suh love each other deeply, yet they also can't bear seeing everyone around them suffer. As such, they sacrifice their own happiness just to keep their families and friends satisfied. With such sacrifice, the audience cannot help but root for the two underdog lovers.
Top it off with beautiful cinematography and sentimental music and the audience is defintely set for an emotional experience with this series.
I was kinda sad that Andrew (Won Bin) is unable get together with Jenny, as he really loves her. If given an option, I would rather see Andrew and Jenny together. Aside from the reason that Won Bin looks better than Song Seung Hon, Song Hye Kyo would be better matched with the former. Andrew's character made me cry every time I saw them together on screen.
MOST LOVED SCENES
1. The scene on the beach when Andrew told Jenny that he would help her with her illness when he knows Jenny has leukemia. Jenny asked Andrew for a reason why she had to come back to him but Andrew did not came up with an answer immediately. He composed himself and gave three very romantic and selfless reasons -- I won't ask you to marry me, I won't give you a hard time, and I won't ask you to love me! If you're the girl, it would simply melt your heart. But this time, I hated Jenny's character as she simply neglected Andrew's feelings. She was so insensitive.
2. Another scene is the part when Andrew gave Jenny five reasons why she had to undergo the treatment/operation. It was just so selfless of him to say the name of Johnny as one of the reasons.
3. The scene when Andrew confessed his feelings to Jenny, that he would do anything for her love.
4. The scene when Andrew told Jenny that he still wanted her to be the mother of his children.
5. Another scene is where Andrew ask Jenny how much her love would cost. That scene really melted my heart.
I think both Song Hye Kyo & Choi Ji Woo is one of the most beautiful Asian actress.
To those who have not watched the series, prepare tons of tissue because of the many crying moments this Korean series could offer.
For the acting…Won Bin definitely stole the show in every scene he was in…if I could only change the script…I would give him the role of Johnny or perhaps I would end the story with him ending up with Jenny because he was simply selfless with the love he was offering to the girl..and he truly changed for the love he had for Jenny..he even gave Jenny a necklace and loads of flowers…He is really very sweet in the show…(he is very handsome too!! =P)
Before I watched endless love, I feel Sang Woo is handsome too cos he is really sweet in the show..the love that both Andrew and Song-ju have for their special someone is irreplaceable...they know wat they wan and clearly who they love and they they are willing to give up anything just for the person they love…sooo sweet…aniwae this is show oni…dun think can find such guys in this world..lol
