VOD (click on the left 'drama' column, Memory #7)
It's in Korean, but you can download all 56 episodes! (No registration needed!)***1
Producer: Jeon San
Writer: Cho Sohye
Cast: Chayi (Ha Heera), Inbom (Lee Jongwon), Suknam (Park SangAh), Sukjoo (Bae Yongjun), Jongyi (Jeon Doyeon), etc. ***2
OST: A SUNNY PLACE OF THE YOUNG

Introduction

A LONG time ago, I remember watching the first episodes of this soap opera. Ha Heera was the main reason I started, but by the end of the first episode my eyes caught sight of the most interesting couple. The girl was driving a luxurious car, her pretty and proud countenance is enhanced by the neat ponytail as well as simple but expensive looking earrings. He was on the passenger's seat, his clean features complementing her beauty. My sister said something about his name, and that he was a new star... "Isn't he good looking?" Actually, he didn't struck me as the typical handsome, but there is something fresh about him that attracted me.
They are fraternal twins and not a couple. Their father owned the largest cosmetic industry in the nation. What makes things more interesting is their contrasting personalities. The girl acted as the rich and spoil person. Her brother on the other hand was aloof, having nothing pretentious in him, so detached from his surroundings that is was hard to link him with Shinmy Cosmetics.
"Cheer up bro. If anyone sees you, they'll think you've failed your entrance exam." The girl was talking as she drives.
"Why do I wish I have failed?"
"Come on, if you really wished to fail, you could easily have flunked it. But you know that wouldn't change father's mind. So accept the facts as they are."
As the only son of his father, he is forced to study business so that he could take over his father's company later on, but that meant that he had to give up his own aspirations. Since the time he could remember, he had only one dream and one passion: he love movies and he has always dream of directing his own one day.
"Isn't there any other way?" He asked his sister without looking at her.
"No, you know it's too late now."
She is right. Now that he had been accepted into business school, his future is sealed. He felt like a cow being taken to be slaughtered. Sad, really sad...

This was my first acquaintance ever of BYJ. Already was I drawn by him (or his character), so much that I still remember that "first impression." However, the drama was a complex web of too many different characters and plots, all of which were taking too long to develop. One word stood out in my mind: SLOW!!! Thus, I stopped watching.
I went back only recently, after becoming his die-hard fan. The following is a summary of the entire plot.

SPOILER*** SPOILER*** SPOILER***

Main Plot: THE LOVE TRIANGLE

SABOOK is a town of miners. People who lived there knew the earth and sweat of the day. Strong and rudimentary people who dug daily at the mine-field. 10 years ago, there was a bad accident and many workers died on that day. One of them was Park Inbom's father. Inbom was just a little over 10 years of age. His mother opened a cabaret style cafe and his younger brother grew up to be a bum and a troublemaker. But Inbom is a positive guy. He believed that he could go far if he just worked hard. Actually, there is someone who inspired him to be like that, who makes him happy and gives him the desire to study: his sweetheart Chayi, his beautiful angel.
It was 1988, and he has finally passed the entrance exam at the Seoul National University. But the celebration turned into mourning as his brother Inho got into trouble again, swallowing up the tuition money they had saved. It is here that his little angel comes to the rescue by providing for the tuition... Chayi's family was not well off, so he had no idea where she got the money from. He couldn't suspect that this nice girl had just stolen from her little brother's life-savings in order to send him off to college. "You can pay me back later!", she insisted.
In Seoul, Inbom finds out that Sukjoo, a regular looking kid of his class, is the actual heir of Shinmy Cosmetics. That is how Inbom starts a series of many lies. After having done some research, he told Sukjoo that he too was a movie fanatic. The naive Sukjoo fell for it, and they became best of friends. Then, he lied about his background, his family... and about his sweetheart. When Sukjoo asked him who was the girl who wrote him daily, he told him she is his cousin.
Suknan didn't trust Inbom at first. She could smell something fishy in the way her brother and him became best friend so suddenly... but eventually, she too falls under Inbom's spell. Then, Chayi comes to Seoul and spends her first night with him before learning that Inbom had found someone else. That's when she decides to leave, without telling him. It is only years later that she returned from her hiding... with a son. By then, Park Inbom was engaged to Ha Suknan.

THE OUTCAST
Park Inho ran away to Seoul soon after his brother entered college. There, he met a homeless kid who followed the lead of an expert pickpocket. After playing much hide-and-seek, he found the leader, and they became partners in stealing from people's purses in the streets of Seoul. For a long time, he believed the leader, who dressed up like a man, is of his same gender. Surprisingly, this quiet and elusive person is a woman by the name of Jo Yunji.
Very often, she would disappear without notice, and then reappear all of a sudden. Inho found out later that her mother was in the hospital. What he didn't know was that this dying woman had once been the mistress of the President of Shinmy Corporation, and that Yunji was the product of such an affair. He didn't know that the daughter was brewing revenge... against a father who wouldn't acknowledge them, even when her mother died.
As the story develops, she goes back to the Mafia Boss from whom she had previously ran away... in order to gain the power needed to destroy Shinmy Cosmetics. In the process though, she falls in love with Inho, who has risked so much for her sake. This love eventually brought them both to a tragic end.

THE FRIENDS
Yoonbae had lost his father on the same day Inbom lost his. Since then, both kids grew up like brothers. Yoonbae loved everything about his friend, including his friend's girl. She was actually his sister Yoonjah's best friend so Chayi was like a real sister to him. But his love for Chayi went deeper than that...
Yoonjah was an ordinary looking girl with a big dream: she wanted to become an actress. Going against his brother's wishes, she audaciously pursues her goal. Yoonbae was a natural fighter who eventually becomes a boxing champion. As he becomes nationally known, his sister becomes famous also. This is the story of two siblings who were orphaned since childhood but succeeded in life against all odds.
Yet the story does not end there. When Yoonbae finds out that Chayi is a single mom, he wants to protect her. Knowing Chayi well, he was positive the child was Inbom's. In spite of that, he looks after them. The boy Bomsoo starts wishing that mommy would marry the "ajussi" so that he would become his dad. Yoonbae dares not to dream that, knowing that Chayi would never consent to it.
Yoonjah gets upset at Chayi for standing in her brother's future, afraid she might ruin his life. Chayi is upset at herself for allowing Yoonbae to be so nice to her. "Please, Oppa," she begs one day, "get married and stop bothering me!"
Miss Lee was woman who loved him unconditionally for many years. To her, Yoonbae proposes, just like that... in order to please Chayi. Then, in a sudden outburst, he tells Chayi, "How I wish I could marry you! I want to be Bomsoo's father and take care of both of you!" But as expected, her answer was a definite "no". Did he know how hard it was for her to say that? Did Chayi understand her own emotions? Why did it hurt so much?

THE IM FAMILY
Chayi has always been the sweet and caring oldest daughter. Her life revolved around her family (and her boyfriend), especially around her little brother Soochul. When he was a baby, she had dropped him by accident, and as a result he was mentally handicapped. She could never forgive herself for that. Her brother became her responsibility and darling.
Her sister is different. Jongyi didn't smile much, nor socialized with the people of the town. Books are her best friends. She reads all day long. She loves studying and she is determined to enter college and get away from her miserable life. She is confident she could do that.
Many things about her present life irritated her. She hated when people played with her brother treating him as a pet. Every time she saw that, she got upset at Chayi, "where was she?!" She also hated when people let Soochul get away without studying. Mentally disabled or not, he should learn to do things by himself. But Chayi spoiled him too much. Why couldn't people have more sense?
When Inbom entered college, Chayi told her parents she wanted to study. Jongyi didn't understand that. Since when was unni interested in studying? "Unni, I understand that you want to follow Inbom oppa, but I believe people who likes studying should go to college... unless you have money to spare!"
Jongyi is like that, straightforward and cold. She is especially harsh with her sister whom she thought is a softy, even though she loves her more than she knows herself. When this soft-hearted sister left a note saying that she was "going to pursue after her own dreams," and disappeared, her entire family was shocked, but Jongyi wished her sister the best.
Her father grew sick after that and Jongyi took over her family's responsibility. She taught Soochul some manual skills, finished college and became a writer. That's when she found out her sister is living by herself... with a child. Then, Chayi lies to her saying that the boy's father had passed away. Jongyi feels betrayed, "Is this the dream you are going after? Did you abandon us to live like this? All these years, I tried to understand you, saying that you deserved to seek your own life... but not like this!!" Thus saying, she disowned her.
A few days later, their father died, unawares that his oldest daughter was near. As the family mourned, Jongyi forbade Chayi to come to the funeral. Soochul still thought of his sweet sister from time to time, dreaming that she was coming back... In a rage, Jongyi told him that Chayi is dead, just like father was dead. "Don't ever mention her name again! Do you understand?"
A few years later, she learnt that Bomsoo was Inbom's son and that Chayi had known of Inbom's involvement with Ha Suknan before she vanished. Feeling sorry for her sister, ashamed at her own behavior, she ran to embrace Chayi, asking for forgiveness... telling her that she was going to quit being a novelist, since it had never occurred to her before what it was so obvious now: that her sister had not really abandoned her family out of selfish motives but she has just foolishly loved too much. Hugging her nephew for the first time, she realized how much the boy resembled Inbom... this man who was engaged to someone else. Jongyi was thinking what to do next...

THE DIRECTOR AND THE NOVELIST
Ha Sukjoo's mother was a famous actress who retired after she got married but she never lost her passion for movies. Whenever she had a chance, she attended the premiers and she kept in touch with her circle of friends. Her daughter wasn't interested, but her son loved to go with her. He shared the same passion for movies... so much that they built a "mini theater" inside their house. Thus, he grew up to be an introverted guy who just loved to immerse himself into the movies, dreaming that one day, he could make his own.
When his father realized his son's obsession, he forbade his wife to take him out and the conflict began. It is a silent battle of the wills in which the father, who is used to winning, seemed to have the advantage. After a full year of rebellious wanderings, the son gave in to his father's desire and entered business school. His sister is right, he couldn't fight against father and win... not him.
Then, he met Inbom, who shared the love for movies, but who seemed to be passionate about everything else too. So he found him a position at father's company. Inbom is a great businessman, sharp and aggressive. Sukjoo's mother liked him from the beginning, his father got impressed only after seeing him at work... even his sceptic sister fell for him. As he witnessed a love blossoming between his smart friend and his sister, Sukjoo started to dream... again.
After graduating from college he was going to study abroad, and he brought his friend along. Inbom could surely benefit from the extra education if he were to become the next CEO of the company. As for himself, he had different plans. Four years later, the Headlines announced, "The heir of Shinmy Corporation has won a Movie Director's AWARD in New York.
Reporters invaded the airport in order to intercept the returning Ha Sukjoo. He was unkempt and unshaven, so he easily slipped away from the paparazzi and jumped inside his sister's car, just in time he was being recognized. He couldn't understand what the fuzz was all about. Since when was the media so interested in a movie director with no name? His sister explained, "They're not interested in the movie director. They're more interested in the heir of Shinmy Corporation. The reporters are having a field day writing dramatic stories about father and you. Suddenly, I find my name in between the stories!"
His father found this out after the News broke, and at once, he disinherited his son, commanding all family members to break all contacts with him. From that day on, he has no son. Mother did ask her son to reconsider and apologize to father, but she knew he wouldn't... it was too late for that. And she understands her son, as she always does.
The apartment his sister provided for him was suddenly bombarded with phone calls and strangers knocking at the door. One time, Suknan answered the phone and a female voice asked for Mr. Ha Sukjoo. Suknan was so irritated she responded, "Ha Sukjoo is dead," and she hung up, unplugging the phone cord.
On the other line, a dumbfounded Im Jongyi smiled in disbelief. She had made countless phone calls since the time her editorial asked her to interview this man. Finally someone picked up... to tell her the man was dead. She sighed. Maybe it was better this way. She knew who Mr. Ha was and she preferred not to have anything to do with his sister's ex, especially now that he was engaged. Did Inbom oppa ever forgive Chayi for vanishing so suddenly? So she tells her supervisor she didn't want to interview a "dead person".
Not too long after this, an aloof looking man came to the editorial asking for Im Jongyi. He was wearing a worn out dark brown sweater and he looked as if he hadn't shaved for many days. The supervisor looked at him suspiciously and informed him that she was not available. The man requested to have her contact number but the supervisor told him it was against their policy. The man understood, left his business card, and walked away.
The secretary thought the man looked familiar. She examined the business card and raised her voice in surprise: the man was none other than Ha Sukjoo. She ran after him, but it was too late. The man they had tried to interview for such a long time was gone.
After missing each other out several times, Sukjoo and Jongyi finally meets, at a park near her house. There, he showed her a book he brought, which happened to be the same one she carried. It was a novel entitled "The miner's daughter," written by Im Jongyi.

Six Steps Towards Separation

Actually, this wasn't their first acquaintance. A little before he went to study abroad, she had come to the college campus looking for Inbom. Sukjoo was too busy admiring her he didn't notice the uncomfortable exchanges between his friend and the woman. Jongyi had come to ask for her sister's whereabouts although she knew Inbom wouldn't know. Sukjoo's curiosity for her increased when he saw her picture in the Newspaper: Im Jongyi had won a writing contest. He then called her to congratulate her before he flew to America.
In New York, Sukjoo read her novel and he became her fan. He wanted to make a movie out of it, and he was seeking her approaval. Furthermore, he wanted her to re-write the script for him. He needed money too, since the little fortune he had earned and saved on his own (knowing he would be penniless soon) was not enough. But fortunately someone had offered to sponsor him... a business woman by the name of Jo Yunji. And now, with Im Jongyi's help, he was sure they could conquer the world.
At first, Jongyi had agreed to help him with the script. But then she found out the truth about her sister's child, and she felt it wouldn't be appropriate. Yet Sukjoo convinced her otherwise... He would wait. Later on, she tells him that it wasn't at his college campus that they've met for the first time. When she was a High School student, Sukjoo had come down to the miner's town of Sabook to pay a surprise visit to Inbom. "Don't you remember asking a girl for directions? That was me..." Back then, her heart had jumped when she saw him coming out of his car... That first impression had remained in her memory all these years. And now, they both smiled timidly.
At the end of the drama, Ha Sukjoo was surrounded by many cameras and flash lights, in a crowded and noisy place, on the making of his movie. He is really active, shouting instructions and showing by his own example the different facial expressions and movements to be made. The script writer Im Jongyi has changed the title of her novel. The new title - "A SUNNY PLACE OF THE YOUNG."

PERSONAL REVIEW: * * * 1/4
This drama might be attractive to some older and more sophisticated crowd... I remember it being VERY popular back when it first came out. As for me, I struggled all the way till the end... it was a tough and looong journey =) Someone please, help me breathe!!! Like I said before, it's too slow for me, too complex, with too many unnecessary sub-plots (more than what I described).

BYJ's acting was pretty raw, but you can see how he improved from one episode to the next. And he did shine in here... more than the main characters! He came out on an average of 5 minutes per/episode, so I abused the FF button. Thus, I cannot say that I really watched this. But don't worry, I didn't do much guessing. Besides, some of you might like it better, since this drama offers little of everything for all kinds of tastes and colors.

AFTER THOUGHTS:
It took them more than half a year to wrap this up. There was a bittersweet feeling in the air. Lee Moonsae, a very popular singer and TV-Host, invited the entire production team and cast to his show. It was going to be a great "END OF DRAMA CELEBRATION."

***1 Special Thanks to Liz (met at hotelier2002) for introducing me to JUNIPER SITE!!!
***2 More information about the CAST
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