[PREVIEW] KBS' "Drama Special - Red Candy"

Published on 2010/05/17 | Source

Director Hong Seok-goo, scenarist Noh Hee-kyeong, actress Park Si-yeon and actor Lee Jae-ryong of KBS' "Drama Special - Red Candy" [photographed by Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

"I honestly like that girl. The girl with the red candy, I really like her". The drama begins with the shabby-looking Jae-bak (played by Lee Jae-ryong) stumbling down the center of downtown. Jae-bak, in his 40s, is living a boring and stifling life as a salesman of a small publishing company, father to two children of which one is a son in high school and daughter which came much later along, and frequently mentions divorce to his wife. His only pleasure in life is gazing at Yoo-hee, (played by Park Si-yeon) an employee of an associated company, who rides the same subway as him every day and night. And then one day, his world changes when what seemed to be an illusion becomes a reality when Yoo-hee enters his everyday life. Jae-bak spends every moment raptured in bliss eating out, buying groceries and traveling to the ocean with Yoo-hee but starts feeling the burden on his shoulder for the responsibility he feels towards his family and the rumors surrounding Yoo-hee. Will the 'love' that he found later in his life be happy until the end?

Anticipation Quotient (1-10 points)

If you want to see a foundation for Korean dramas established - 10 points
If there is no way a young lady can ever like an older man - 8 points

Screen shot of KBS' "Drama Special - Red Candy" [KBS]

KBS' Drama Special, back for the first time in two years, returns with its first episode "Drama Special - Red Candy" about the love between a married man and single woman. "Love is just love but the judgements that come after it define what it is whether it is a crime. What is so wrong about a 40-year-old shabby-looking man finding love like the welcoming rain", is what scenarist Noh Hee-kyeong thought of while writing "Drama Special - Red Candy" which focuses on the love between people who comfort one another just like in her previous works "Lie" and "La Lecon d'amour". Even before going on air, it is criticized for 'beautifying adultery' yet is worth respecting because it raises the issue of how "others can severely lash out towards one woman, other people's love and issues that don't involve myself and my own relationship".

"The show is more significant in that it's the first episode for the 'Drama Special - Red Candy', rather than for it being our production", said director Hong Seok-goo, about the fresh and interesting production of a one-act play. As the love that seemed like a fantasy between Jae-bak and Yoo-hee slowly falls apart, the story is created based on the emotions that are exposed. It is sad however that the show was not given a longer time slot because of the sudden ending and fast changing emotions within the 70-minute time frame.