Some More Netflixing

Junoon is an Urdu word meaning madly passionate. But I think obsession would be better. Does the word aptly describe my fascination  for K dramas? I am watching them to the exclusion of other serials and movies. To be honest I must be getting something out of them which propels me to see more. What is it?

Entertainment ? Lessons ? Emotional satisfaction? All three of them. Lately, I have watched a few which have a common premise –  hard to please employer or boss falling in love with industrious and diligent employee. None of the dramas focus on the difference in social or organisational status as a hurdle to a happy ending. Does it not exist?

The success of these series lie in the sizzling chemistry of the lead pair. How do they manage it?

In each of these romcoms love transforms the characters evolving them into better human beings which is a heartening  hope raiser. Watching the characters grow makes one conscious of higher sensibilities, the transformative power of human emotions and  an alternate perspective far away from materiality.

I will touch upon the narratives very briefly:

Business Proposal  (2022 – 12 Episodes)

The sole heir of a chaebol, not interested in  relationship, is set  up on a  blind date by his determined grandfather. His date (heiress of a rich family) being equally disinterested cajoles her reluctant bestie to swap identity and be the date. The poor girl is thrown off guard when she finds her date is the CEO of the organisation  she works for.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018 – 16 Episodes)

Having served a narcissistic boss twenty four seven for nine long years, the super efficient Secretary Kim decides to quit to settle down in life not knowing that her flustered  boss is hatching plots to not let her leave him ever.

Coffee Prince (2007 – 16 Episodes)

A playboy scion of a business tycoon is compelled to revive a coffee shop running at a loss. He hires four men to assist him not knowing one of them is a girl. He comes to doubt his own sexuality as he gets irresistibly drawn towards her.

Pasta (2010 – 20 Episodes)

An ambitious and hardworking kitchen assistant graduates to being a pasta cook after three long years. But to retain her new found position she has to contend with an arrogant, foul mouthed, perfectionist  super chef heading the kitchen  who is a woman hater as well and hell bent on giving her a very tough time. Will she be able to survive ?

Inbetween I did watch a few Hindi and English movies here and there. However, they failed to make an impact on me.

Savi (2024)

Just a housewife, Savitri Sachdeva, is desperate to save her husband (wrongly accused of murder) from life imprisonment by hook or by crook which even includes conniving with a prison breaker on the run.

At first it seemed like an Anil Kapoor movie but it is not. Despite the plot, the movie is not much of an adrenaline rusher.

Maharaj (2024)

Based on the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862 , the movie is about social reformer and progressive thinker Karsan’s fight against the powerful Maharaj who is habitual of taking sexual favours from young girls in the name of the ritual of  ‘charan sewa’.

It could have been a reverting court room drama had it not been preachy and didactic. I sat through this one only because of Jaideep Ahlawat. Who could have convincingly portrayed the larger than life persona of the Maharaj but for him?

Lapataa Ladies (2023)

Two girls from two remote villages wherein marrying off the girls early is the prime concern of families, get to fight for their dreams in very different ways.

It’s a much touted Kiran Rao film  showcasing how the women survive amidst still existent socio-economic backwardness and predominance of patriarchy in rural India.

Hitman (2023)

A New Orleans professor moonlighting as a hitman to save women in need falls in love with a victim who later kills her husband in fear that he may kill her if she does not.

I failed to be entertained by this romantic comedy (supposed to be based on true story) because of  the incongruences in the premise.

Trivia

Business Proposal is my first Ahn Hyo-seop  drama. He is also a very popular singer with a sweet and soothing voice. The female lead (Kim Sejeong) of the series is also a singer.

I loved the lead pair of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (Park Seo-joon – male lead and Park Min-young – female lead) who were purportedly in a relationship during the shooting of the series which decodes their onscreen chemistry.

Coffee Prince is my first Gong Yoo series. The outstanding actor has mega screen presence. The female lead (Yoon Eun-hye) was rumoured to be involved in several controversies relating to plagiarism which, however, has not been proven so far in the Court of Law. The series also has the brilliant actor, Lee Sun-kyun in a significant and sensitive role which catapulted him to fame and popularity and brought him accolades.

In Pasta, Lee (paired with Gong Heo-jin as the simple and painfully honest Seo Yoo-kyung) is in the role of a well trained (in Italian cuisine) but loud and aggressive chef from Italy heading the kitchen. He is the roguish boss who would not stop at anything to make his domineering presence felt in his domain (read kitchen). This stupendous actor is the recipient of the prestigious Screen Actors Guild and other  Awards for his role in the Oscar winning movie Parasite.

Unfortunately, Lee was accused of taking illegal drugs in the house of a hostess of a high end bar, which according to the actor, was part of a well thought out  blackmail plan.

In Korea, people expect very high moral standards in public figures. Public hatred for infidelity,  consumption of illicit drugs and drug crimes is huge. The tarnished image of the actor followed by a mishandled police investigation into the case led a distraught Lee to commit suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in December, 2023. He was forty eight years old. The case was closed following his death. The police tendered an apology to his family for the mismanaged investigation whereby information was leaked to the reporters before closure of the case  Whereas nothing was proved against Lee during the course of investigation public hatred towards the actor ignited by media reports  damaged his reputation as a family man. The actor was also agonized by the fact that the police paid heed to the blackmailers more than relying on his statement. His death is still being investigated.

Lee was a stupendous performer having won  a number of awards in Korea and outside in his short span of career. I have great respect for his art and  intend to watch more of his work It’s a pity we lost him so early cutting short his journey as an artist with tremendous potentials.  Imagine how much more he could have contributed had he lived longer!!