Childhood tales abound with Demons, fairies, kings, queens, princess & mermaids. Like the fairy, the beautiful maiden with wings, the lady with no feet instead a tail fin has been often fantasised. They being lucky or witches or able to cast a spell are all tales from childhood. The little Mermaid by Anderson was one of the first to write about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in sea to gain a human soul.
Films like “Aquamarine” further make us believe in the concept. The mermaid is mystic, exotic, shrouded in mystery remains elusive. The greed to either kill or sell it forms the main theme. In the Korean drama, ‘Legend of the blue sea’ the mermaid is beautiful. Another of Lee Min Ho’s show that showcases his ease in dealing with a absurd situation. It has its moments…endearing, teary & downright dirty. The greed to capture & use to gain benefits is too gastly.
I have been having this suggestion for months but something new came up. But in the first episode & I knew I am going to like this. It stars Lee min ho & Jun Ji-hyun both have done a very good job, if I can call it that! It moves back & forth, from Joseon period to the present. It traces the meetings of the mermaid with Min ho who is her love from ages (literally!) From Spain to Seoul she finds him without a map, without money & she has erased his memory. so he doesn’t know why this nameless girl is following him. It leads to hilarious instances & sequences that are absolutely delightful.
He gives her the room on the top which can be reached by a ladder. It has only a window like opening through which she enters. Now she wants to look at him. She peeks through this window with her hair hanging out. It scares him. But actually she wants to have a peek without him noticing her! Such instances make it so sweet.
She meets a girl on the street(She is the same one who acted as Uee’s daughter in ‘The Marriage contract’) who advises her to work hard like her mother to earn money. The girl is on her way to the Maths Academy to improve her maths. (how familiar!) The same girl is in the Joseon period who hears what the mermaid is saying. When Jun ji hyun falls & needs help the girl instinctively knows. Her mother doesn’t believe her.
Jun ji entire team of her show,’My love from the star’ appears here. Her mother is his mother in the show. Her friend who had a eatery in ‘Star’ is with her when she needs clothes, she also guides her to earn money. The inquiring officer with specs is her manager in the ‘star’ along with a lady assistant & the pair also appears in Min ho’s show, “Love at first line”.
Will they meet on the first day of the snowfall, remains to be seen. The seoul tower here has a dejau effect for us. But Min ho in BOF is chilled to the bones when waiting for Jan di! What I liked about it is ,Jun ji is always fully clad. Her mermaid stage is also properly handled. She remains a beauty in her baggy clothes or in her tatters.He takes her to the snow & ice skate there where artificial snow falls. He realises he loves her.
There is this jade bracelet which links them together. Either he has it on his wrist or she has it. In his latest, ‘King: the eternal monarch’ he has her hairband on his wrist when she leaves his kingdom. There is a mark as it is slightly tight. such little things have a way of making it memorable. Unknowingly we keep obser & wait for it’s relevance in the future.
The swindling part, the mother-son separation, the second marriage of the father, a murder thrown in for effect all have been well written & executed. The same people appear again in the present!
To the dreams about little mermaids & the sea! Happy dreaming!
Asian Entertainment 