[Drama 2019] V.I.P, 브이아이피

[DL Wetherill]

I can’t lie my heart is broken. I really wanted JS and SJ to find away to get back together.......sigh 

[TXviewer]

I have been going into and out of a lot of elevators the last couple of weeks and every time they open I keep hoping to see LSY.....not PSJ.

[KDramaLogic]

Well, my relatives left after a relatively short Christmas Eve lunch...we'll catch up later tomorrow for Christmas dinner...

 

Now, back to ranting more on the VIP finale!!!!! 

 

2 hours ago, 2good2btru said:

I really wish the last four episodes weren't so full of SJ and YR interactions/ scenes. It really didn't develop the storyline other than compound facts of what we already knew,..yes he had an affair. Yes he left his wife and continued the affair with the mistress and continues to be more affectionate and considerate to her than he has been to JS since she found out about the affair.   But one of the biggest problem to that is,  like another viewer mentioned, is just didn't fit his personality. At least not with the material they gave us. 

 

Istead of showing us all those scenes, some could have been cut to show us instead when he was on the precipice. What he was thinking to himself that justified why he kept crossing the line from right to wrong. Did he think of him and SJ relationship as he progressed deeper into the dark side? Yes,  he kept his birth origins from her but was he always planning on living a life of continuous lies to the very end?  Why did he go back to YR? Why did he continue to hurt and humiliate her when he initially didn't want her scarred?   How does he feel about her right now? I felt like even to the end,  the writer/PD never allowed him to be honest with JS. After their 10 years together and all that transpired after her finding out the he had an affair,  there is still not much explanation from SJ and not enough showing of his remorse to her. Like a live comment was made, at one point he should've been on his knees asking for forgiveness instead of his mother.   Again,  even to the end,  all we get are a couple sentences from him that aren't very revealing and a tone that is not as emotionally charged as one would expect given that he is about to permanently separate from a wife that he so loved at one point.  We see more angst on his face and intensity in his eyes with his conversation with YR which is again,  an injustice to JS and the relationship they once shared.

 

Ok, we get it.  It's better for them to separate but couldn't they have allowed him to fully unmask himself to JS at the end.  To give her better closure by seeing the real him,  with wounds, and true regret seeping from his very soul/ being?

 

I'm sure I'll have much more to say after actually watching the final episode but still again,  I'm left wanting.

 

I may be saying it too early since I haven't actually watched the final episode but @MrsSoJiSub @TXviewer @Maureen Mckay @NAB is now the time to bring out the pitchforks and torches? Lol

 

First, apologies for cutting off the first paragraph of your post, @2good2btru .

 

Second...I'm hurt that you didn't include me among the fellow Soompiers in bringing out the pitchforks and torches!!!!!!!!!!!  Nah...just kidding; it's all good. Still, allow me to bring my angry mob to the foray...

 

Spoiler

 

For a pre-produced drama, the screenwriter did a stink job in focusing more on YR's "woe is me" sob scenes, SJ's blank wordless dejection, and meaningless SJ-YR scenes (that add nothing new to what we the viewers already knew since the end of Ep. 8) during the remainder of this drama...while gradually reducing scenes of HA's own personal and professional struggles (Lee Chungah deserves better than having less screentime than YR/Pyo Yejin ).

 

As you mentioned, the writer/director could have shown more scenes of SJ mulling over his personal (SJ's grief over his and JS's stillborn baby, SJ's coming to terms with his wedlock birth, etc.) and professional (i.e., more examples of SJ's coverings for the VP) circumstances, and how those circumstances more-or-less affected his decision to not be truthful to JS and/or continue hanging around with YR and/or the VP despite knowing the consequences of not trying to mend his marriage and trust with JS. We the audience- and JS- could have benefited more from seeing SJ slowly but surely unravel throughout the entire drama so that we all get more closure and less frustration over SJ's "blank", "wordless" indecisiveness.

 

As for YR...I read some comments about how YR still got her karma by losing SJ, being (potentially) outed by the Ha family and other members of the company and/or the affluent community for her low socioeconomic background and her "affair" with SJ. I say different!

 

Sure, I'm okay with JS deciding not to incinerate YR (or SJ, the VP, Director Bae, etc.) like Oh Sunny did to Lee Hyuk's mother/Empress Dowager and/or the conniving mistress Min Yura in Jang Nara's previous drama Last Empress/Empress' Dignity... but I'm NOT okay with YR not apologizing to JS and the VIP team for her increasingly brash, inconsiderate conduct at work. Apart from the whole VIP team vs "Prestige Team" fiasco, the last we saw of YR interacting with the VIP team was her demanding (like a petulant brat) to JS to divorce SJ, MN and BH begrudgingly addressing the incompetent YR as branch manager, and HA flatly warning YR that she should not expect getting everything she wants, including all of JS's initial hospitality (i.e., JS assisting YR with accessing the computer password and proofreading her draft reports) that are normally not granted to rookies like YR or even SW. Was this writer planning on leaving YR's relationship with JS and the VIP team as inconsequential to her? 

 

 

17 minutes ago, maribella said:

I am back for a bit after watching Ep 16 raw. Dramamilk  recap did not miss anything, except be ready for more YR, little less with SJ.
I am puzzled as to why the writer thinks the mistress is so compelling for us to know her.  Maybe to show us that she is also suffering, only now in designer clothes and upmarket apartment. In fact, I think her character build up is as much if not more than SJ. Finally, she is back from overseas but no one meets her except for the driver. She calls her father to let him know she's back.
 

Rewind : after she broke off with SJ, there was at least 20 seconds of her sobbing away in a taxi. Were we suppose to feel sorry? Wonder why.

 

Anyway, back to the present, we don't get to see her again. SJ was shown sobbing away when he saw the pictures of his early dating and married days. Are we happy to see him regretting for about 20 seconds?

I would have liked the show to end with JS, SW and others at the office. But this writer has a red herring syndrome. She got JS and SJ to meet at a funeral. I am sure we are expected to think that they will reconcile a la Winter Sonata, Phoenix etc. but no it is just for them to say they are both happy and wish each other happiness - I may be wrong with the exact words. My Korean is hit and miss. Be warned if you don't like all the fake clues about the mistress, this is annoying too. 
Au revoir again.

 

As you said @maribella, the writer/director thinks we the audience need to feel sorry for YR's "poor-girl-turned-crazy-rich-asian" problems and therefore not create more scenes of YR facing (outward or inward) condemnation from JS, the VIP team, the Ha family, and the rest of the company or family for her personal and professional misconduct in the finale.

 

Don't worry; I got some scornful memes for YR, courtesy of Google and the late Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka :

 

Spoiler

                                         

 

It goes without saying, but this writer has wasted all those compelling, suspenseful red herrings and side stories on a sluggish, tepid, and unjustified adultery/affair drama that clearly did not live up to the title VIP.  

 

Spoiler

 

Will rant more if I have any more time or willpower to do so. Till then, time for me to send out my virtual Christmas cookies to my fellow Soompiers, including @TXviewer (will accost "that girl" to compensate your loss of your Christmas cookies ingredients), for enduring up to 16 hours of this drudgery. 

 

[realistic2280a]

Merry christmas all and have a happy advanced new year 2020...

 

We hope next year's drama will be better for us all...

 

Phew, im glad i didnt waste hours watching the drama... its too draining with no proper conclusion to the couple.. yes separated but still not happy how they were separated.... if its Extraordinary You, im sure its another book with the same characters, with diff ending maybe, hahahha... who will be the first to be 'self-aware?'??

[TXviewer]

Here is my take VIP:

first, I think that we were misled from the beginning to think that this was to be more than an affair in the workplace (our first red herring). I had really hoped that there would have been corporate corruption. Then our hero could swoop in, gather evidence of said corruption and put the bad guys in jail. All that happened in this area, was to replace the corrupt VP with the corrupt sister CEO. They both wanted someone else to do their dirty work for them.

second, if I judge this on the premise of a story about an affair there was that. Like many of y’all pointed out, there was too much of SJ and “that girl”. Because of that I think the real story got pushed to the side.

third, I think the story that I will take away from this drama is the story of the relationships-both good and bad-of the people in the VIP department. I think that they covered all the bases. The working mom, the single girl, the divorcee, the “happily” married couple, and the endearing young man who wanted to make it on his own. Of course, we can’t overlook the ex-playboy turned charming boyfriend and the working dad....oh wait a minute I almost forgot “that girl”! 
Since the third option is how I plan to judge this 16 hours of viewing, I have to say I am content with the ending. The working mom and dad work out the kinks in their marriage. The single girl and her boyfriend move in together. The endearing young man is no longer low man on the totem pole. The divorcee still has her girlfriends.

The “happily” married couple discover they really didn’t know each other that well and conversations that they should have had did not happen. Because of this, cracks in the marriage appeared and “that girl” was able to take advantage of the situation.

The now divorced couple meet again much later and are able to say good bye and have a good life. It’s the only way that relationship and this story could end.

”That girl” is sent off by a family that doesn’t want her around and she will probably never be accepted into their social circles. My only regret is that SHE broke up with him. I really wish HE had broken up with her.

Do I think that I wasted 16 hours? No, not really. I eagerly awaited each episode and sometimes I was about ready to come unglued, but I met some marvelous “soompiers” who helped me thru the traumatic times and made me laugh at other times. I have enjoyed the ride.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

 

[KY L]

Watched the ending, and thought it wrapped up all the loose ends nicely, a little too perfectly. I agree that it is a little lackluster, but honestly, there just isn't that much to tell after most of the drama/mystery was revealed. The drama did dragged, but at least the side stories kept our attention through the most of it. I also think this has something to do with JS's resignation, that she's just tired of fighting, and a part of her broke along with letting SJ go. 

 

As for all of that loving flashbacks in the end, I'm not really buying it. I know it's meant to tug at our hearts, but frankly, I'm too exhausted by his indifference for the last 15 episodes to really care. I think it's a lesson for the writer of pushing the bad guy angle so far that the audience becomes apathetic to the character. Hatred is the opposite side of love on the same coin. The worst thing a writer can do is muddle the character so we neither love or hate them.

 

As for Yuri's ending, I think it would have been more satisfying if she learned her lesson. That she shouldn't have coveted what isn't hers, and how chasing after the material things she wanted didn't make her any happier than when she was a nobody. I guess she's one step closer in realizing that SJ pitied her, to him, she's a constant reminder of himself in the past and all of his wrong-doings. Her going to study abroad wasn't a just end for her considering what she's done to JS. But it is an ending that doubles aa commentary on society. Rich people can and will always solve their problems with money. 

[sksen]

I started this show liking it but ended with disappointment. Hopefully JN will pick a lighter genre next time.

[Yippeun_eonnie]

6 hours ago, diane90 said:

@Yippeun_eonnie I'm sorry, a real artist must or should play different characters !

I see iy's difficult to play the bad parson than the good one !

Do you see Lee Byung Hun, Jung woo Sung, Kim Hye Soo even Song Kang Ho who plays the vilain in Parasite ???

Jun Ji Hun played the bad girl in The thieves !!

So for me if there are many people who hate Pyo ye-Jin it means she did a good job i  this drama !

Bravo

I hope Jang Na ra tries playing another character than a victime or innoccent girl !

 

Hi 

 

Why you're so worked up??? 

I don't think i was bashing her or something like that. Like what moderator say hate the character not the person. 

I even said she successfully portray that character best and if she made viewers hate her charaster then its her good act. I'm not even said anythinh badwords to her. It won't be good also if she ever choose this kind of character again for the third time. I hope she is picking something else. And I agree that actress or actors must choose variable roles and I never judge her for bad choosing or anything. 

And why you just bringing such emotions. 

 

I think you never read everything for both side of the arguments. You just picking people and judge based on your short minded 

[LSYfan]

 

“VIP” Ends Run With Highest Viewership Ratings Yet

Dec 25, 2019

by R. Jun

SBS’s “VIP” has closed out its run with a new high in viewership ratings!

According to Nielsen Korea, the drama’s final episodes, which aired December 24, recorded averages of 12 and 15.9 percent viewership nationwide, its highest ever. In its most-watched minute, the drama reached ratings as high as 20.7 percent viewership. 
Congratulations VIP team

 

(don’t miss Lee Sang Yun tvN hit dramas ‘twenty again’ , ‘About Time’ & ‘liar game’ okay, Merry Christmas)

 

If you love romantic drama...try KBS ‘on the way to the airport’ & I love it

 

[Takingthehighroad]

I can't believe I watched this drama, suffering through all these baking disasters, sky-rocketing BP, reincarnations, angry outbursts (I really need anger management classes), hate-filled thoughts....I am not happy with the "reasonable, the way-it-should-be" ending. I feel like a deflated balloon; better yet, like one of my cakes - flat. I wanted more "omph," like how you feel when you get off a roller-coaster- unsteady on your feet, confused but wanting more. 

 

I didn't see enough regret from SJ. Even that one break-down as he sat on his bed crying wasn't enough for me. The writer did a great job until about episode 12 or so. Then...I can't believe I watched a drama about an affair...As I said before, I'm now a V.P.O. sucker.

[raziela]

Seems like K-netz and international netz are in agreement about the way this drama turned out and the acting from Lee Sang Yoon ( •᷄_•᷅ ) (it's cracking me up there is basically an emoji for his acting in this drama now) and Pyo Ye Jin.  At least the praise for Jang Nara's excellent acting is pretty much unanimous. 

 

https://koreanewstranslated.com/2019/12/25/drama-2-and-5-naver-news-vip-final-ep-16-netizens-reactions/

[Drama/#2 and 5 Naver News] VIP Final Ep 16 Netizens’ Reactions

 

‘VIP’ Jang Nara X Lee Sang Yoon Divorce “I don’t regret the time we spent together”… Going on individual paths

Original Post: 2019.12.24 11:08 PM

Translation: 2019.12.25 00:57 AM

 

 

[+5166, -115] To all those reading this, press thumbs up if you want your family to be healthy but if you ignore or thumbs down this, a family member will suffer from a big disease this year 2020.

[2337, -37] Why is the ending like this. It is going to end with no revenge and Jang Nara becoming a Buddha.

[2164, -78] To all those reading this, press thumbs up if you want your family to be healthy but if you ignore or thumbs down this, a family member will suffer from a big disease this year 2020.

[+1011, -152] Jang Nara did all the acting in this drama. It was a performance worthy of daesang. However, Lee Sang Yoon’s acting is so-so. I like his upright image but he is really bad at acting. How did he express so many emotions with just one s**t ( •᷄_•᷅ ) expression. Please practise your acting.

[+641, -22] This is the ending of those who cheat… Let’s not hurt those you love.. Na Jeong Seon’s acting was good till the end!

 

‘VIP’ Jang Nara, gives up on revenge… Lee Sang Yoon ♥ Pyo Ye Jin’s affair revealed 

Original Post: 2019.12.24 11:08 PM

Translation: 2019.12.25 01:25 AM

 

 

[+1119, -27] The possibility of this ending in an unsatisfying and lukewarm manner is high. One thing the drama has left to us is that Jang Nara is an awesome actress who can make her roles fit her like they are made for her!

[+943, -19] The relationship between Park Sung Joon and Ohn Yuri is not of love, but one of mutual sympathy. Even so, from Jeong Seon’s perspective, it is an act of betrayal. Such a frustrating drama. In the end there cannot be a happy ending for marriage affairs.

[+562, -128] Dear all, how is my expression?  ( •᷄_•᷅ ) Love ( •᷄_•᷅ ) Anger ( •᷄_•᷅ ) Sympathy ( •᷄_•᷅ ) Greed ( •᷄_•᷅ ) Ambition…

[+562, -128] There is no answer to Pyo Ye Jin’s acting problem ㅡㅡ

[+386, -72] Jang Nara’s acting is good. She seems like she is holding her breath while talking. Watching her makes me hold my breath too.

---

[Naver TV]

Original Post: 2019.12.24 (T/N: Clip with most comments)

Translation: 2019.12.25 01:41 AM

 

 

 

 

 

[+903, -9] D*** it, this is not why I rush to watch episode 16 for this kind of ending. D*** it.

[+690, -5] The unending love for this drama is the writer’s love for Ohn Yuri.

[+500, -7] If you are going to end it like this, then you should not have made Na Jeong Seon cry so much.. To the actors, you have all suffered.

[+397, -5] The content is not wrapped up well today, is this real? It does not seem like makjang but turns out to be makjang. The ends are not tied and there seems to be a twist, but turns out there is none. I am deceived again and I feel empty… But the actors have good relationships with each other seeing how they gather together. Looks like their final appearance together will be with acting daesang award ceremony. I cannot stand other actor beside Jang Nara because Jang Nara is the MC, I hope to meet other actor in her next work because there is a possibility an actor will work with the same co-actor in another acting project.

[+365, -2] An ending that is realistic but frustrating because it was too moderate.

[Pam_Van Fossen]

6 hours ago, Elmaas said:

I agree with most of what you said but I think having their last meeting at a funeral was a good choice. It symbolises them laying their marriage to rest and moving on. They’ve both found peace with where they’re and now they can fully let go of each other. It’s quite melodramatic but it’s fitting for

I liked that they met at a funeral too, seeing them staring at each other across the room and then walking outside together.  I could still feel their emotions, especially JS.  She seemed to be almost ready to cry when she was saying goodbye to him.  Her feelings are still a little raw.  SJ seemed to be ok, but he was always like that, hard to read.  I know I am probably in the minority, but I was so hoping SJ would have called out her name while she was walking away from him.  He stood and watched her for a little while then turned and left.  I also feel sad and disappointed that they did not manage to work things out.  I will just have to think in my mind that they met later and both had not married because they still have feelings for each other.  That's the only ending I want to see.

[KY L]

22 minutes ago, raziela said:

Seems like K-netz and international netz are in agreement about the way this drama turned out and the acting from Lee Sang Yoon ( •᷄_•᷅ ) (it's cracking me up there is basically an emoji for his acting in this drama now)

 

I feel bad for laughing along, but that emoji is such a succinct description of his acting in this role! He had a couple of emotional crying scenes at the end, but it was a little to late. Jang Nara should definitely be winning an award or two with her performance. She's world class.

[Ameera Ali]

 

welcome to the club LBH ( we all asked who it’s make sense) 

.

 # I’m shock, disgusted with the cheating darling, I will never do something like that 

 

one thing your wrong MSW
 

 

Their are some who can keep secret 

 

 

[foreverempress]

If they decide to do a season two or three then this is not a bad ending because there's a lot they can still build on, but if this is the end, then2019 has truly been the year of fizzle... I will take a low picture quality 2005 drama any day of the week!

[raziela]

16 hours ago, Elmaas said:

 

I agree with most of what you said but I think having their last meeting at a funeral was a good choice. It symbolises them laying their marriage to rest and moving on. They’ve both found peace with where they’re and now they can fully let go of each other. It’s quite melodramatic but it’s fitting for the drama. 

Agreed. It signified the complete end of whatever they once had.

 

Another comment I saw also pointed out after the funeral in Episode 1 (back when JS thought she knew the man she married) they were walking together under the same umbrella heading in the same direction.  Now in the final episode (and SJ's lies have been exposed) they are heading away from each other in completely different directions under separate umbrellas.  It's over.

 

10 hours ago, KY L said:

 

I feel bad for laughing along, but that emoji is such a succinct description of his acting in this role! He had a couple of emotional crying scenes at the end, but it was a little to late. Jang Nara should definitely be winning an award or two with her performance. She's world class.

I so agree! I still laugh at the K-netizen comment about how in the scene in episode 13 when Jung Sun fought with Yu Ri Sung Jun was just standing there and looking on like it was "other people's business"  Like, dude, this is YOUR fault and you are still ( •᷄_•᷅ ) like a mildly concerned bystander!

 

Jang Nara was phenomenal.  Very impressed with pretty much all of the actors especially the other VIP ladies Lee Chung Ha and Kwak Sun Young.

 

By the end, I thought the big twist might be he was actually diagnosed with some kind of personality disorder or something because his blank faced reactions and callous behaviour especially towards his own wife of 10 years throughout the majority of the drama was just incomprehensible to me.  Still don't know if it was just questionable acting by LSY or a directorial decision by the production team and LSY to make his character a blank-faced automaton on top of all his other negative character traits.

 

[lingx2]

VIP Episode 31-32(EP16) Rating

[DL Wetherill]

I think JS looked ok but I don’t think SJ looked like he was ok. When she asked how he was he didn’t answer but asked about her instead. My guess his heartbreak will never go away, because regardless of what he brought on himself he loved JS and probably always will. Sad I was really looking for some redemption and a happy ending for SJ and JS.

Im still a big fan of Lee Sang Yoon and I think his acting was to leave us hanging as to how he was really feeling. I’ve seen him in other dramas and it was clear what he was feeling. The flat affect in this role was clearly what the director wanted.

 

Merry Christmas to you all and thank goodness for Crash landing on you ...it’s helping to heal my heart. Hugs to you all from Philadelphia The City of Brotherly Love. “God Bless Us Everyone”

[SyH]

Fans Disappointed With “VIP” Bittersweet Ending, Was It Underwhelming Or Just Right?

 

https://www.jazminemedia.com/2019/12/fans-disappointed-with-vip-bittersweet-ending-was-it-underwhelming-or-just-right/

[Halo21]

https://www.dispatch.co.kr/2057353?fbclid=IwAR2HIroPSFaGlx2uqmTqZtkqDzhzh63hpJoDIuCpKBzE2ZoDsofKj2bgH9s

 

Hope it doesnt lead to suicides, which are common nowadays when actors/actresses/singers get bashed, slammed viciously.  They are paid to perform not to be criticised & get hated by viewers. Very childish, guess it's natural to love the "good" and hate the "bad". Some are getting too personal to take it to reality when rotten eggs are thrown at them in public. Peace be with you & dont instill hatred but harmony.