Joo Won 주원 [Drama- The Midnight Studio/ 야한(夜限) 사진관]

[kittyna]

3 hours ago, ecs707a said:

I'm pretty sure it's all legal now, regardless, as long as they're not actually closely related.  The stigma or prejudice may still be there, I don't know.  But bearing that in mind, I always thought she would point that out just to politely hint that it wasn't a subject she was interested in talking about.

 

You're right that it is legal now - and has been for some time. I remember Ki Tae Young talking about that on "Return of Superman" - since his original surname was Kim, and Eugene's surname was also Kim, he joked to his daughter that had they lived just a few decades prior, they would have been star-crossed lovers who were forbidden from marriage. But clearly it's fine now.

 

Still, just because it is legal to marry someone with the surname and/or clan as you in Korea doesn't necessarily mean everyone's comfortable with that. Old habits die hard - so even if there's no stigma, I can see that as being something individual Koreans are still uneasy about.

 

3 hours ago, ecs707a said:

Anyway, shipping is weird to me, period.  I wish people would remember that they have no say in the matter, and that we do not actually know these people And even if we did, we would still have no say.

 

To be honest, I see shipping go in so many different directions, simultaneously, about the same celebrities, by their fans...it just gets weird. Personally, I usually just ship characters in the dramas (e.g. "Should the female lead go with the first or second male lead?") - and the only times I take it further than that is if I feel like the actors themselves are giving off that vibe that they might actually have developed feelings for each other.

 

I should probably add that by shipping here, I only mean that IF the two people involved like each other, I HOPE they'll end up together for real. I don't actually invest anything in that aspiration, because, as you put it, I have no real say in the matter - it's not my life and, therefore, not my choice to make.

 

That being said, in JW's case, it has crossed my mind to ship him with UEE or Choi Kang Hee - not because of what was happening in the dramas they co-starred in ("Ojakgyo Brothers" and "Level 7 Civil Servant" respectively), but because I thought JW was being really sweet and caring towards them during things like interviews, variety show appearances (UEE on "Happy Together" and Choi Kang Hee on 1N2D), etc. Also, because just about every other female co-star he's been with has been ruled out for some reason or another (e.g. Moon Chae Won's comment about the shared surname, JW himself saying that Jin Se Yeon was too young during "Gaksital", Kim Tae Hee's already dating Rain during "Yong Pal", etc.).

 

However, given that I was coming at ALL of these possible pairings in hindsight, well after it was clear that things ultimately didn't work out...the reality never bothered me much at all. I would just sometimes wonder whether there were any actual romantic feelings at some point in the past that could have served as a character-building experience for JW, but I wouldn't think, "Oh, I know he's with BoA now, but I think he would have been better with so-and-so instead."

 

3 hours ago, ecs707a said:

I also thought she seemed very protective of him and affectionate in a sisterly way in Good Doctor BTS.  I'm thinking mostly of that one Joo Sang Wook Life Log-like thing on the day they filmed PKW's cameo, I think   MCW kind of herded him off camera with her arm around him and he seemed totally happy to let her do so, haha. 

 

"Good Doctor" just seemed to have some really great cast camaraderie overall. I remember seeing some really cute behind the scenes videos on YouTube, too - a few were subbed into English, but I couldn't find them anymore. Maybe the uploader removed them at some point...?

 

3 hours ago, ecs707a said:

Haha, I like Shin Joo Hwan too, which is a good thing, because he keeps showing up in things I watch.  Monster last year, then Circle earlier this year.

 

And then Min Jin Woong in Father is Strange...I probably would have known something about them anyway, eventually, because they're all in the same agency, but Life Log kind of burned them into my brain, lol.

 

Glad to hear that Shin Ju Hwan and Min Jin Woong are getting their chance to shine now. That was something I thought was...not necessarily odd, but definitely curious about Huayi Brothers (then Sim Entertainment) when I was watching "Life Log": "Why do I never see these other guys in dramas? Given JW's story, I sensed that this agency searched out acting talent and potential over looks, so why's he the only one who seemed to make it big?" Maybe the tide will change now, and I like that idea.

 

The only other one in the group I've watched before is Lim Yoon Ho, in "Level 7 Civil Servant". It was his screen debut, but he did a pretty good job with the part he was given as one of the main antagonists. It's kind of funny seeing him as one of JW's BFFs on "Life Log" after seeing them try to kill each other in the drama. But that's acting for you.

 

Plus, Lim Yoon Ho gives JW's fans a good chance to see him being the hyung for once. I believe JW is second-youngest in this group, and Lim Yoon Ho, as a 1989-er, is the maknae? At least that's the sense I got from the group dinner you posted a screenshot from, when JW was laying out the utensils (which is what the maknae does), and the other guys were weirded out because apparently that's not the norm. Lim Yoon Ho and Lee Se Wook hadn't arrived yet, so that makes the other three guys older than JW for sure. I just don't know if JW or Lee Se Wook is older - they're dong-gap (i.e. born in the same year), but I mean in terms of birth month.

[airplanegirl]

7 hours ago, ecs707a said:

I'm pretty sure it's all legal now, regardless, as long as they're not actually closely related.  The stigma or prejudice may still be there, I don't know.  But bearing that in mind, I always thought she would point that out just to politely hint that it wasn't a subject she was interested in talking about.

Yeah, basically that  

 

I also thought she seemed very protective of him and affectionate in a sisterly way in Good Doctor BTS.  I'm thinking mostly of that one Joo Sang Wook Life Log-like thing on the day they filmed PKW's cameo, I think   MCW kind of herded him off camera with her arm around him and he seemed totally happy to let her do so, haha. 

 

Anyway, shipping is weird to me, period.  I wish people would remember that they have no say in the matter, and that we do not actually know these people And even if we did, we would still have no say.

Actually, whilst the Kims, Songs, Kwons and other more common Korean surnames are now legally allowed to be married. The Moons are still not allowed to. Unless, you are able to obtain permission from the Korean government, the Moons are still considered to be closely related, hence not able to get married legally in Korea. 

 

Moon Chae Won and Joo Won seem to have this like @kittyna said a very platonic noona-dongsaeng relationship. It's just all sorts of adorable when you see them all squished together in the Good Doctor BTS. I've said this before, but Joo Won just has this quality that makes you want to protect him and shelter him from all the negativity.

 

I've noticed that with his other co-stars ala Choi Kang Hee, Moon Chae Won and especially Kim Tae Hee, have all said that that Joo Won is  pretty much the only co-star that managed to get close to them. 

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

To be honest, I see shipping go in so many different directions, simultaneously, about the same celebrities, by their fans...it just gets weird. Personally, I usually just ship characters in the dramas (e.g. "Should the female lead go with the first or second male lead?") - and the only times I take it further than that is if I feel like the actors themselves are giving off that vibe that they might actually have developed feelings for each other.

 

I should probably add that by shipping here, I only mean that IF the two people involved like each other, I HOPE they'll end up together for real. I don't actually invest anything in that aspiration, because, as you put it, I have no real say in the matter - it's not my life and, therefore, not my choice to make.

 

That being said, in JW's case, it has crossed my mind to ship him with UEE or Choi Kang Hee - not because of what was happening in the dramas they co-starred in ("Ojakgyo Brothers" and "Level 7 Civil Servant" respectively), but because I thought JW was being really sweet and caring towards them during things like interviews, variety show appearances (UEE on "Happy Together" and Choi Kang Hee on 1N2D), etc. Also, because just about every other female co-star he's been with has been ruled out for some reason or another (e.g. Moon Chae Won's comment about the shared surname, JW himself saying that Jin Se Yeon was too young during "Gaksital", Kim Tae Hee's already dating Rain during "Yong Pal", etc.).

 

However, given that I was coming at ALL of these possible pairings in hindsight, well after it was clear that things ultimately didn't work out...the reality never bothered me much at all. I would just sometimes wonder whether there were any actual romantic feelings at some point in the past that could have served as a character-building experience for JW, but I wouldn't think, "Oh, I know he's with BoA now, but I think he would have been better with so-and-so instead."

Shipping is fun and all, until someone goes overboard and starts spamming the people involved with their delusions. And it's especially cringy and embarrassing when the people involved has to come out and call those shippers out and tell them that the stuff they are doing is just burdensome to the ones involved. 

 

I've seen instances of when the people involved know about the ship, and they start to distance themselves away from each other. And it's sad cause I'm quite sure that some of them used to be very close friends. 

 

4 hours ago, kittyna said:

but I wouldn't think, "Oh, I know he's with BoA now, but I think he would have been better with so-and-so instead."

This is something i see very often on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. Mostly from drama stans who feel the need to ship drama couples in real life. 

 

I'd like to think that these so called drama stans are young kids who may not realise that what they are doing is essentially forcing two people who are living very separate lives together. As much as I'd like to think that way, it's not always the case.

 

11 hours ago, kittyna said:

Quote from Joo-won: Growing up and shedding his boyish image on Dramabeans:

 

Just a side comment: some commenters on Dramabeans were freaking out at his comment that "If [his hypothetical little sister] got a boyfriend, [he] would lock her up." It's not meant to be sexist - he's just saying he'd be that super overprotective oppa, which is actually what is expected in a Confucian society like South Korea. I know, because while my family is Chinese, we're also rather traditional and work on the same principle: a man isn't loving if he leaves the women in the family to fend for themselves. (Okay, you might still argue that that's sexist, but I think JW has good intentions.)

I don't think that there's anything wrong with what he said? I mean isn't it the older brother's job to be protective of their younger siblings? I'm Asian myself, so I'm quite comfortable with what he said. 

 

I just think people love to misconstrue what he says and also, part of it is different cultures. But I'd like to add that these people need to stop forcing their culture into the Korean one. Korea in general is a very patriarchal society, so it's no surprise that some quotes may sound sexist to people who didn't grow up in the Asian/Korean culture. 

 

I do remember people taking offence to what he said about how he didn't really like it if his girlfriend right off the bat threw herself at him. I didn't find anything wrong about what he said. 

 

I think that it's pretty obvious to everyone here that Joo Won himself is quite introverted. And so if a girl threw herself at him, he'd probably be "O.o What are you doing?" instead of accepting the actions right away.

 

I myself am quite introverted, so I totally understand where he's coming from. He'd rather get to know the girl emotionally, rather than physically. And whilst some may argue that "he has no problems being all touchy with his hyungs, he shouldn't have any problems being touchy with girls too."

 

I do think he's touchy with females he's close with and regards as close friends. But if you are a female he is getting to know as a potential partner, I think he more or less distances himself a little to observe her habits and behaviours without sending mixed signals that he might either like her platonically or as a potential girlfriend. That's just his personality. 

[kittyna]

4 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

Actually, whilst the Kims, Songs, Kwons and other more common Korean surnames are now legally allowed to be married. The Moons are still not allowed to. Unless, you are able to obtain permission from the Korean government, the Moons are still considered to be closely related, hence not able to get married legally in Korea. 

 

Ah - thanks for clearing that up. I didn't know the details before.

 

lol - If that's so, I just realized that if every Moon in Korea is seen as being part of the same family...that's one influential family!

 

4 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

Moon Chae Won and Joo Won seem to have this like @kittyna said a very platonic noona-dongsaeng relationship. It's just all sorts of adorable when you see them all squished together in the Good Doctor BTS. I've said this before, but Joo Won just has this quality that makes you want to protect him and shelter him from all the negativity.

 

I just thought of these behind the scenes videos all of a sudden. They really are very cute together in a friendly, noona-dongsaeng way

 

I've only found one that's subbed into English, though. At one point, the other one was, too, but I don't know why it's since disappeared.

 

My favourite moment in this first one (back when it did have subtitles), was how JW faked being scared of MCW: pouting and mouthing to the film crew, "She's scary!"

 

 

As a quick side question to this second video: I saw some people say that drinking scenes in Korean dramas are filmed with real alcohol. Is that true? Or do they just open the bottles and then switch out the contents for, say, water (instead of soju)?

 

 

4 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

I've noticed that with his other co-stars ala Choi Kang Hee, Moon Chae Won and especially Kim Tae Hee, have all said that that Joo Won is  pretty much the only co-star that managed to get close to them. 

 

I think that to at least some extent, it has to do with them being noonas. Because JW's maknae status has been really emphasized in the hallyu universe (e.g. being the maknae at home, being the maknae on some drama productions, being the maknae on 1N2D to the point where he was labeled "The Nation's Maknae" at some points, etc), I imagine that he appears more approachable when he's the younger one in the relationship. You see that in his interactions with hyungs as well.

 

That's why I'm sometimes more intrigued when JW himself is the oppa or hyung for once, because that's not a side of him we get to see nearly as often. We are now with his military updates - thanks for all of those! - but previously, it was a bit harder to spot. At least for me.

 

4 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

I just think people love to misconstrue what he says and also, part of it is different cultures. But I'd like to add that these people need to stop forcing their culture into the Korean one. Korea in general is a very patriarchal society, so it's no surprise that some quotes may sound sexist to people who didn't grow up in the Asian/Korean culture. 

 

That's how I see it, too - but I do have to concede that not everyone does.  Some people, especially here in North America, like to assume that there's an absolute standard for things like equality and politics (e.g. the same form of gender equality for everyone, democracy everywhere, etc.) - but the reality is that there is no "one size fits all" way of doing things, and every society needs to find what works best for itself. Does that mean Korea isn't flawed in terms of its patriarchy? No; I think there's lots of room for improvement. But I wouldn't push for reform to the point of negating its Confucian cultural roots.

 

4 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

I do remember people taking offence to what he said about how he didn't really like it if his girlfriend right off the bat threw herself at him. I didn't find anything wrong about what he said. 

 

I think that it's pretty obvious to everyone here that Joo Won himself is quite introverted. And so if a girl threw herself at him, he'd probably be "O.o What are you doing?" instead of accepting the actions right away.

 

I myself am quite introverted, so I totally understand where he's coming from. He'd rather get to know the girl emotionally, rather than physically. And whilst some may argue that "he has no problems being all touchy with his hyungs, he shouldn't have any problems being touchy with girls too."

 

I do think he's touchy with females he's close with and regards as close friends. But if you are a female he is getting to know as a potential partner, I think he more or less distances himself a little to observe her habits and behaviours without sending mixed signals that he might either like her platonically or as a potential girlfriend. That's just his personality. 

 

Part of it is definitely JW's personality. For instance, I remember that he shared a story once on "Win Win" where he was put off by a girl who'd asked for his number after meeting him for the first time (he'd been meeting up with a friend, and she was his friend's friend). He said in the interview that he wondered whether she had taken him as the cool, silent, tsundere (gruff on the outside, but a teddy bear on the inside) type of person, but then he was like, "It wasn't like that; I was just shy!". I do sense that JW is the sort of person who needs to warm up to people when he first meets them - but once he does, he REALLY warms up, sometimes even a bit too much (e.g. switching to banmal before his elders have given him permission).

 

As for the whole "He gets touchy with hyungs, so why not with girls?" debate, that's a cultural thing, too. Again, I see this more from Western fans - or at least what I imagine are Western fans because the comments are given in English. The thing about Korean culture, as well as many others in the world (e.g. Islamic cultures) is that they are homosocial - in other words, men mostly socialize with men, and women mostly socialize with women. What this means is that I find that the most emphasized non-familial relationship in these cases is same-sex friendship. (Not homosexuality, by the way - many of these cultures are also VERY conservative on that front!). So skinship, to use the hallyu term, between people of the same sex isn't romanticized or sexualized; rather, they are interpreted as friendly, comrade-like gestures. That's why a lot of Korean guys, for example, can hug or even jokingly kiss each other, yet still identify as straight and hold conservative views towards homosexuality; because to them, when it's between two guys, these are friendly gestures, not romantic or sexual ones. However, in contrast, skinship between people of the opposite sex is highly romanticized or sexualized - because there's simply fewer opportunities for that to occur, any small contact becomes very important. That's why, in Korea, small forms of skinship between guys and girls (e.g. holding hands, the piggyback) are given more romantic significance than, say, hugs between guys: different scales for different situations.

 

Add that to Korea's strong Confucian roots, which still inform a lot of the present-day culture, and you have a situation like what you've just described with JW. To be honest, in my own family, I've been taught that it should always be the man who initiates a romantic relationship - so I'm not surprised if JW holds similar views as well, and is therefore scared off when a girl makes the first move.

[Ma OO]

 

How I summarized Bridal Mask. Everyone has watched it right? If not, you have too. 

[airplanegirl]

Joo Won was featured in a Korean newspaper

 

Source: Joo Won DC.

[airplanegirl]

Some older Joo Won variety show appearances, pre-2D1N.

 

Kim Tak Gu, King of Baking Cast on Happy Together [2010].

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ojakgyo Brothers Cast on Happy Together [2012]

 

 

 

 

 

Ojakgyo Brothers cast on Life Theatre [2011] 

 

 

Another must watch for all Joo Wonie fans is 'Joo Won's Life Log!' It's shows such an intimate peek at his life and it shows us that stress clearly took a toll on him during that period. 

[kittyna]

lol - @airplanegirl, are you getting into the Throwback game as well? I really love both of these "Happy Together" appearances, and often go back and watch them every now and then. It's interesting to see that JW had a bit of a more impish, mischievous side when he was younger (e.g. choosing a "favourite line" from "Kim Tak Gu" that let him cuss on camera, or spitting out the water G4 had sprayed him with). It's cute and endearing in a "If this is what you mean by being bad, then you must be a really good kid" kind of way, but...yeah, a bit more devilish than the aegyo cute that we usually see in him from 1N2D onward.

 

I also love "Life Log" as well. Personally, I think it's a good look at what really goes on behind the scenes - not just for JW, but for Korean actors in general. You see what goes into the photo shoots we all love to share, or what happens backstage during a musical production...it's quite an eye-opener. But, yes, you can also see just how hectic and stressful such a life could be.

 

Speaking of "Life Log", busy schedules and the ilk, here is this week's Throwback Thursday bit:

 

Photos from an advertising campaign JW did for Morning Calm Village back in 2011.

 

There are a TON of these pictures on this site here: Morning Calm Village 2011 | Joowonnie's Pyong I'm just picking some of my favourites for the forum or Soompi will get mad at the pic spam.

 

 

 

 

(Love the "Kim Tak Gu" poster in the background in this next one, by the way.)

 

 

 

 

A couple of interesting points about these photos:

 

1. Note that these are from 2011, so the only big-name production JW would have been in at this point would be "King of Baking, Kim Tak Gu" for sure, and "Special Investigations Unit", "Don't Click", and "Ojakgyo Brothers" depending on when exactly during the year they were taken. In other words, he hadn't yet catapulted to fame the way he did upon completing "Ojakgyo" or doing shows like "Gaksital". Yet, already, he was chosen to be the poster child by his agency for the resort that they owned. lol - I don't know; I just thought that was an interesting parallel to what's going on with him now in the military (i.e. being chosen as the face of the institution not too long after he'd just joined)

 

2. If you were to go to the official website for Morning Calm Village (click here to access it), and explore around a bit...they're STILL using these photos, some six years later. What you do is go to the top bar, find "Selection", select "A to E Rooms", and then just click around at each room and its own picture gallery. I swear, you will see at least some of these photos of JW pop up - and that's not even counting the video that's embedded on the home page from the same ad campaign.

 

(I figured out that last point because of "Life Log", actually. After watching the show, I got curious about the place they were staying in during the sports day outing, so I searched it up and started clicking around the site at random. I don't know why I thought it was so funny that pictures of JW in the rooms popping up unannounced everywhere...it just was.)

[kittyna]

Just thought I'd share this as well, since my previous post was about JW and Morning Calm Village.

 

This was done by Céci Magazine in the fall of 2012, and appears to have been filmed at Morning Calm Village. It also happens to be one of my favourite of JW's "photo shoot videos" ever.

 

 

[airplanegirl]

I guess their army festival started today? 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Source:se_h2e, iamhyesu.go

 

 

[kittyna]

Perhaps it's because of where I am in Canada, but I've been seeing a lot of TV advertisements for the upcoming American adaptation of "Good Doctor". And that's inspired me to, again, do some blogging - and since it is JW-related (just a little bit), I thought I'd share it with you all:

 

Faith Like Children: Inspirational Innocents in Korean Dramas

 

I say "just a little bit", because I don't just talk about "Good Doctor" or Park Si On. I also address a few of my other favourite dramas and characters as well.

 

Thinking back on "Good Doctor" and reminiscing about my experience watching it was a lot of fun, though. I can't help but recall that just prior to his enlistment, JW picked Park Si On as being the character who was the most like his real-life personality. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who hopes that he didn't just mean the aegyo, but the heart as well

 

By the way, of the screenshots for "Good Doctor" that I compiled for this blog post, this particular one is my favourite.

 

 

Not only does it showcase Park Si On's character really well, but it's just a gorgeous shot (composition, lighting, etc.), period.

 

EDIT - Just stumbled across this "Good Doctor" fanart on my Pinterest feed, and am sharing it in the spirit of things.

 

 

 

[flutterby06]

On 9/21/2017 at 3:43 PM, airplanegirl said:

Ojakgyo Brothers cast on Life Theatre [2011]

 

I saw this video before but didn't understand some parts.. @airplanegirl, Could you kindly translate what

the actress who played Grandma said about JW here?

It was nice to see them sharing coffee..

 

On 9/24/2017 at 7:43 PM, kittyna said:

Not only does it showcase Park Si On's character really well, but it's just a gorgeous shot (composition, lighting, etc.), period.

 

EDIT - Just stumbled across this "Good Doctor" fanart on my Pinterest feed, and am sharing it in the spirit of things

 

True..The shot is gorgeous..saved it to use it as cover photo. 

And I wanted to share this fan art too..Such a nice art. 

[kittyna]

39 minutes ago, flutterby06 said:

And I wanted to share this fan art too..Such a nice art. 

I think the picture didn't make it into your post for some reason. Maybe the Soompi forum is being glitchy again. Could you try sharing it again, please?

 

I just wanted to pop by and say that I did watch the first episode of the American version of "Good Doctor" last night (it was broadcast simultaneously in the US and Canada). I have to run now, but I'm come back with my thoughts. For now, I'll just say that I liked 80% and disliked 20% - but the question as to whether I'll keep watching depends on if that 20% will matter more than the 80%.

[flutterby06]

A part of The 2nd wall painting by zuwon_supporters.. It's so pretty. JW chibies are so cute. 

It might have been posted before...But again Gaksital and Yong Pal chibies are 

 

 @kittyna, Oh..Sorry if it wasn't clear. I was talking about this art.. 

(waiting for your thoughts on US Good Doctor..I only saw bits so I don't think sharing my view will be good. But as You and @airplanegirl have seen the full episode, you can share your thoughts for us )

[kittyna]

Aw...it's chibi JW - and lots of the little guys, too! Thanks for sharing @flutterby06.

 

In terms of the American version of "Good Doctor"...I think it works as proof that I have really been away from North American dramas for a long time. The first episode follows almost exactly the first episode in the Korean version, but I can already see how it was changed to fit an American context.

 

Things I Liked:

1. Shaun Murphy (a.k.a. Park Si On) is quite believable for me as an autistic savant. The actor does it differently from JW, but I like that he's put his own spin on it. I do think that JW's performance was more immersive and full-body, but this new version works for me because he reminded me of a friend of mine growing up who was also very subtly and mildly autistic.

 

2. The hospital director is awesome. Because the story's been moved from Korea to the US, the writers can really play with the question of diversity in hiring. In this case, the director argues for hiring Shaun Murphy the same way that people beforw him had fought to allow Black and female doctors to be hired. I can also see the same kind and nurturing side of him that I saw in the original Korean version.

 

3. This show did ultimately credit the Korean version as inspiration - that wasn't mentioned in the advertisements, so I'm glad they did it here.

 

Things I Didn't Like

1. Claire Brown's  (a.k.a. Cha Yoon Seo) introduction. To be honest, I really liked her except for this point: when we first see her, she's hiding in the residents' dorm room while she's still on call...because she was having sex with one of the other doctors. Nothing too graphic is shown, just both of them in bed in their underwear, but...really??? I do like that she's a good and honest doctor otherwise and is also firm but kind to Shaun Murphy from the get-go, but...maybe I'm just really conservative, but that was not a good first impression for me. Besides, how is she supposed to guide Shaun Murphy in following the rules at the hospital when she doesn't do that herself?

 

2. Because a 1-hour show (Korean version) had to be condensed to 45 minutes to make room for commercial breaks, a lot of the slower character-building moments were cut short. For instance, Shaun Murphy's childhood flashbacks. It makes his father's abuse feel really random, and I slso wanted them to flesh out his relationship with the hospital director a bit more (they show the part with the dead bunny, but not the rest of their growing friendship).

 

I still have other, more minor thoughts, but those will have to wait since I have to run. But as of right now, I'm undecided as to whether I want to continue with this show.

[airplanegirl]

6 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

 

I saw this video before but didn't understand some parts.. @airplanegirl, Could you kindly translate what

the actress who played Grandma said about JW here?

It was nice to see them sharing coffee..

Coffee Part: "I am someone who enjoys drinking coffee, and coincidentally Joo Won is also someone who really loves to drink coffee. Here! Look at this!  Look at this cup! For me, I usually drink it in small portions, but he drinks his coffee in large portions. And since I know that he also loves coffee, I usually go to him if I want a refill. The mix and blend is perfect! *pats his cheek* " 

 

Interview part: "When I play (act) in a piece, you don't see Kim Yong Rim but see the Ojakgyo's grandmother instead. Just as we don't see Joo Won, but instead we see Tae Hee instead. That's why I can't help but to keep treating him as my grandson, that sort of feeling comes out. So even when I meet Joo Wonie outside, I wanted to hear it *once." 

 

Joo Won: After the slap scene, she kept fawning over me and kept checking if my cheeks were okay. 

 

*once = She wanted to hear him call her grandmother outside of the show. Meaning that she already mentally adopted Joo Won as her grandson.

[kittyna]

Coming back with my take on the first episode of the American version of "Good Doctor"

 

These are things that I didn't necessarily strongly like or dislike, but that I thought were interesting and/or left me curious as to where the show would go with them:

 

1. Shaun Murphy has a similar speech tic as Park Si On, where he would repeat certain words or phrases when he's agitated. The actor, Freddie Highmore, does so in a calmer, slower voice than JW does (who gets really panicky in his urgency, as you'd all know), but I thought that little bit of continuity between the two versions of the character was cute. FYI: the phrase in the American version, at least for now, is "There is a medical emergency!" - doesn't quite have the same ring as JW's "Bbali! Bbali!", but it works as a sort of parroting of hospital terminology, which is another trait I remember Park Si On had.

 

2. The whole sunbae-hoobae relationship that we see so often in Korean dramas...really doesn't translate over well into a North American context. This is something I should have probably figured out sooner, but I thought it was odd that this was an element that the producers tried to transfer over anyway. So, for example, in the American version, Dr. Mendelez (a.k.a. Professor Kim Do Han) is very much, "I'm in charge, so I'm right!" in the way he treats his hoobaes, like Claire Brown (a.k.a. Cha Yoon Seo). And...I don't know. Maybe it's because that sort of hierarchy is a given in South Korea, so they never actually have to just flat-out say it (i.e. "I'm your superior, so I'm right, and you're wrong, even when you can back your points up with evidence"). But in an American drama...to create that dynamic, Dr. Mendelez DID have to say it - and it just felt so weird. It made him seem a far bigger jerk than Kim Do Han ever was, in my opinion - and he was already a tough person to begin with.

 

3. The department that the characters belong to in this case seems to be a general surgical department rather than pediatric surgery specifically. So it appears, at least right now, that many of the patients will be adults, with stories to match. I expect that this means that after this first episode, the American version of "Good Doctor" will develop its own narrative that is different from the Korean version. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but I felt a bit sad that the theme of childhood and innocence would probably not be as prominent here than in the original - I was actually looking forward to that

 

4. Shaun Murphy's brother is an entirely different character from Park Si On's brother in the original version. First of all, he's the younger brother instead of the hyung. But also, he seems to have a bit of a more rebellious streak, deciding after the bunny's death that he and his older brother should run away from home - and they do, taking shelter inside an abandoned bus. The bus did feature in the original version as the place where Park Si On's hyung gave him the toy doctor kit, and the same holds true here, but I wasn't a fan of that side of the American brother's character. Also, it appears for the time being that Shaun Murphy's brother's death will be handled differently than Park Si On's hyung's death - they're not in danger because of a dare, they're just playing with the other kids, and the brother is killed because he climbed on top of an old train car in the warehouse and fell off. I also haven't seen any reference to the doctor trying to rescue them, so I don't know how the whole concept of survivor's guilt will be handled when the time comes.

 

lol - I know that I've probably been more critical here than people were expecting. But I think, really, watching this reminded me that I stopped watching North American dramas and switched to Korean ones for a reason, and so I'm not 100% on board with the "Americanization" of this story. I'm trying to keep them separate in my head as two separate dramas, with two different stories and two different sets of characters, but as you can see, I can't help comparing - and when I do, the original Korean version is still winning out for me.

[flutterby06]

@airplanegirl, Thanks for the translation..It really feels great when older actor/actress praises/adores Joo Won.

 

@kittyna, I appreciate the fact that ABC remaking GD because it gives Good Doctor a different kind of acknowledgement. But I also know someone who loves GD can't properly enjoy The Good Doctor without comparing the two. Park Shi On took the drama Good Doctor in a level that can't be compared to anything.

Recently someone who saw JW's acting for the first time in Good Doctor( the drama caught her attention because the news of US Remake) commented that from JW's acting there's no way you would feel that he isn't autistic and by seeing the US trailer she is disappointed. While Good Doctor was one of those dramas that got me to like KDrama so I kind of thought I'm a bit biased when I praise JW's awesome acting for GD. But when I see random person who still don't know JW yet comments like that makes me happy and proud. 

 

Good Doctor touched two sensitive issues- 1. Autism & 2. Pediatrics

I think the drama raised awareness and touched peoples heart more because of these reasons. It lead people to hope that a person with autism might be able to do bigger things when given proper environment. And it also was a reminder for Korea how it is necessary for hospital to have separate and accessible pediatric department( and shouldn't have profiteering motive) to ensure proper child care.

 

I like medical dramas for the stories are usually captivating. But because of above reasons Good Doctor is very precious. To me no drama can be compared to this one. It has an heart warming story which become so much more moving because of Joo Won's portrayal of Park Shi On.

[airplanegirl]

 

Translation: "the kind of aegyo I would show to her? But... I'm already cute enough without it! The kind of aegyo I show to her is usually quite exaggerated, I will ask her 'have you eaten? I already ate.' " 

[kittyna]

5 hours ago, flutterby06 said:

I appreciate the fact that ABC remaking GD because it gives Good Doctor a different kind of acknowledgement. But I also know someone who loves GD can't properly enjoy The Good Doctor without comparing the two. Park Shi On took the drama Good Doctor in a level that can't be compared to anything.

 

I think that what's going on for me is like you said: I love the original version of "Good Doctor" as it is. Is it a perfect drama? No - as of right now, I don't think such a thing exists. But does it do what it had set out to do? Yes, I think so.

 

So far, I think my thoughts about this adaptation would be like this: when it stays faithful to the original, it does a really good job at it, but when it decides to deviate from the original and add new material...the writing seems a lot poorer to me. Yes, it is funny to see some dialogue delivered almost verbatim going between the Korean and American versions, but I don't mind that. What I didn't like is the way that American dramas often try to spice up a story in what, in my opinion, are completely redundant ways - things like the obligatory sex scene (I say obligatory, because it doesn't advance the plot or anything - it's just there), making characters more rebellious to "give them depth" (when, again, the original characters already had a lot of depth to them without that), etc.

 

I dunno...I suppose that while I do appreciate ABC's efforts to adapt "Good Doctor" to an American audience, and especially commend them for being able to address discrimination against those with autism by doing so...the show, its story and its characters seem to fit the Korean context better.

 

And, as you said, I loved how the original drama took place specifically in pediatrics. Not just due to its pointing out an important social issue, but because it's really important for plot and character development. Park Si On's childlike personality is emphasized by putting him among kids, and the hearts of everyone in the medical team are touched by the desire to help these kids - that's what gave them the motivation to fight against the privatization of the hospital in the first place. While removing the pediatrics aspect in this adaptation might make for, say, a broader variety of medical cases, it's still a missed opportunity, in my opinion.

 

3 hours ago, airplanegirl said:

Translation: "the kind of aegyo I would show to her? But... I'm already cute enough without it! The kind of aegyo I show to her is usually quite exaggerated, I will ask her 'have you eaten? I already ate.' " 

 

Thanks for sharing this moment! I love JW's aegyo, because I love how spontaneous and natural it is. Sometimes, aegyo can feel sort of put-on, like clothes that are too big on a person, and end up feeling like an act. And, I suppose, for a lot of people, it is - not everyone has a personality that lends itself well to aegyo, after all. The weird thing, though, is that the Korean entertainment industry and its fans now almost demand aegyo from celebrities, and you can see how some of them are actually really awkward and uncomfortable about it. You can also see what happens when someone tries too hard and it ends up getting really exaggerated and over the top to the point of becoming annoying (I know this is a drama example, but Seol Nae Il from "Nae Il's Cantabile" comes to my mind as one of these cases).

 

But for JW...it's natural. It's how he actually is. And the funny thing is that it's for the most part, unconscious - he's not trying to do aegyo, it's just coming out. So when he's asked to actually DO some sort of gesture in, say, an interview, he gets a bit stuck and goes, "But I'm not good at aegyo~" - without even realizing that he's just done it with his voice or his sheepish expression.

 

Like in this video here:

 

 

[Ma OO]

@kittyna

 

How did they credit the Original K drama?