[Korean Drama Review] Prime Minister and I

This is probably my first ever full review on Korean drama ever since I started watching them, probably 200 dramas ago. Yeah, I'm a drama maniac. And my favourite one of all time is Korean drama (read: Korean drama with original Korean language audio, not the dubbed one showed on TV sometimes). 

I remember that my first Korean drama was Full House, and since that I've became so hooked. If I were to list down all the dramas I've watched, I don't think I'll finish this post in one day. I can't even do rough estimation. I've watched too many drama, I have more than 100++ dramas in my external hard disk (which mainly are from year 2012 and 2013), and a few other VCD and DVD boxes of older dramas.


I just finished watching Prime Minister and I drama yesterday. The final episode aired on 4th of February in Korea, so I didn't waste anytime and finished it all just in time after the English subbed final episode were uploaded online.

You see, I have this particular rule when it came to watching a series. Let it be Korean drama, Japanese drama, Taiwanese drama or even anime, I will always wait for it to be completed before I started watching.

Because, you can say that I have zero tolerance in waiting for next episode to be aired. Thus, I usually start watching my drama on the day the final episode air. By then, I'll have enough time to watch the earlier episodes while waiting for the final subbed episode.


 Now let's move on.

 
 cr: dokmis

A little info on this drama
(cr: Asianwiki)

Title:  Prime Minister and I / 총리와 나(Chongriwa Na)
Aired: 9 December 2013 - 4 February 2014
Network: KBS2
Total Episodes: 17

Leading Casts: Im Yoona (SNSD), Lee Beom Soo, Yoon Si Yoon, Ryu Jin, Chae Jung An

Asianwiki Synopis:

Prime Minister Kwon Yool (Lee Beom-Soo) works well at his office, but he struggles to raise his three children alone. Nam Nam Da-Jung (Yoona) is a reporter full of enthusiasm at work, but she always ends up missing big scoops. Nam Da-Jung comes to Kwon Yool and his three kids like a Christmas present. 

*There will be some major spoilers after this*

 First Impression:

In my years of watching Korean drama, first impression does play a very big role in making me either be completely drown into the story or just put it off in my 'To Watch Later When Bored' lists.

My first impression and reaction on first episode will always be either;

1) 'the first episode is too awesome time flies by so fast' or 

2) 'not a bad start but too many boring scenes , but i should give it a chance' or 

3) 'it's just been ten minutes but i'm already sleepy'

 cr: phantom-mr

And for Prime Minister and I, it was the first reaction. The first episode was funny, and very entertaining. Watching the whole *more or less one hour long* first episode felt like minutes. And as I started watching, I ended up watching seven episodes straight that night and slept just after breakfast. 

*Thank God it's holiday*

Casts and Characters Development:

In overall, Prime Minister and I (which I'll just refer as PMI after this) have very good casts! The actor for Prime Minister Kwon Yul, Lee Beom Soo is definitely not a stranger for a K-drama mania like me. He is a very good actor, charismatic and such a heart throb (regardless of his age). The way he acted to show the serious, stoic, mature and intelligent Kwon Yul is just amazing. Yoona also did well in this drama. I can see a huge development in her acting skill since her last drama Love Rain with Jan Geun Suk. Yoon Si Yoon, who acted as the 'love rival' of Kwon Yul really was amazing! He managed to 'lay down' his presence and not over shine the main lead although he himself had been acting as main lead so many times by now.

cr: kdramap

I like how Da Jung (Yoona) character develop her relationship with Kwon Yul and his children. It's also amazing how the child actors themselves managed to act so well especially the youngest one who acted as Kwon ManSae. (Oh btw, the writer did a good job in naming the children! Kwon Woori, Kwon Nara and Kwon Mansae, 'Woori Nara Mansae' which actually translated to 'Long Live our Country' LOL Funny right?)

cr: ryeoyeon92

The chemistry between Yoona and Lee Beom Soo is just so amazing. My favourite scene of their interaction is when Da Jung (Yoona) read the 1001 Nights Tale to Kwon Yul (Lee Beom Soo) every night to help him with his insomnia. It's just so sweet! Especially the scene when Yoona accidentally saying that 'Scheherazade is confessing her love to Sultan'  when the scene doesn't actually exist in the book, and it was actually Da Jung's subconsciously hinting her own feelings for Kwon Yul. *So funny*

There actually not much skinship between the two of them through out the episodes, but for this drama it actually makes sense to me. The difference between their age, and considering Kwon Yul's serious and very mature and proper personality has made the writer of this drama to make their interaction to be more of a mature love story, than the usual 'cutesy-passionate' love story most Korean dramas have.

The Ending:

 cr: petitetgamine

The main problem with most Korean dramas I've watched is that the ending for each of them are always rushed and made the fans feeling dissapointed. And for PMI, most of the feedbacks are showing that the viewers are actually not very satisfied with the ending.

Lack of skinship (and even final kiss), and also the plain ending (handshake between Da Jung and Kwon Yul, after their reunion) really tick off some people. The ending was dubbed as 'not appropriate' for such an amazing drama like PMI. 

To be honest, a part of me does feel a little empty watching the ending. Instead of a handshake to symbolizes a start of a new story for Da Jung and Kwon Yul, the writer should make a more solid ending.  (Probably a real proposal from Kwon Yul, or an engagement, or even better, a wedding)

But on one side, I don't feel that sense of big disappointment everyone else is still having right now (it's been just 2 days since the final episode aired). I just don't know why. Usually I would be hating this kind of open-ending situation, but for  PMI, somehow the plain-ness of the ending actually made sense to me.

I mean, I really can't imagine a guy like Kwon Yul (being Prime Minister,who in the end is going for Presidency*if i'm not mistaken*) could actually act so brokenhearted after Da Jung left. I mean, he already married once and had 3 children. It doesn't make sense for him to act hopeless or devastated.

Instead, I really like the way they portrayed the love relationship between Da Jung and Kwon Yul. Even after separation (probably more than a year, hinted by Minister Joong Ki's newborn baby), they both stayed loyal and in love with each other. And Da Jung did say that if they are meant to be, if they meet again, she will never let go of him anymore. And in the end, Da Jung did came back to him. And Kwon Yul did wait for her.

So, it was enough for me. A more solid ending would be awesome, but this is fine too. 

 So overall, this is such an awesome drama! I'll probably download it when the completed episodes got compiled in one torrent. That means, the probability for countless re-watch is very high!

The OST:

cr: dokmis

For PMI, the OSTs are rather plain and just 'okay'. Nothing that made me hooked to listen all over again. And to be honest, I can only remember one song from it. And by the way, the background music in this drama, really reminds me of Princess Hour drama at times.

In conclusion I would recommend you to watch this drama if you're looking for a funny, and lighthearted drama. The storyline is good, and the casts are amazing. 

Not a bad way to start my 2014!