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Thank You does not have the glitz of the popular kdramas but it is a wonderfully well scripted, and well acted production. This is also one of my few favourite kdramas where the female leads are the stars of the show. I fell in love with eight year old Bom and her mother Young Shin. I watched in awe at the incredible acting skills of both.
Yes, it is a tear jerker but it is exceptionally well done, not overly melodramatic and it has its share of tragedies versus realistic outcomes; a perfect balance between sadness and happiness.
It has many of the staples of a kdrama; triangle love story, birth secrets, and serious illnesses but all woven beautifully together. It is a drama about family, love, conviction, and perseverance. It is a gem and is well deserving of my 10 rating.
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Story- Really well written. I like how it seeks to inform the audience in a way that takes the subject seriously but also is lighthearted as to not alienate the audience. The romance in this was small but still meaningful. The ending was happy=)
Acting/Cast- Solid acting by the main leads. Their chemistry was so strong that i really wanted them to be together. The acting by the little child actress was really good. The pairing of her and GHJ was perfect cause they really made a believable mother/daughter. The acting by the supporting cast was really good but i didn't like a lot of the characters.
Music- Fit the scenes well.
Rewatch- I'd definitely rewatch this again in a few years.
Overall this drama is different but i definitely recommend you trying it out.
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First, the thing that attracted me to this drama (other than GHJ being the lead) was simply the story.
It is kind of rare in Asian media to deal with HIV and AIDS as a plot line, especially like in this drama were the one affected is a little child.
This drama, above anything is a family drama, about the bonds that people build, about trust, about love, about devotion, about sacrifice, about the will to survive...and ultimately about the most important human virtue, which is being thankful and honestly expressing it. Saying ”thank you" for each and every blessing you receive, is the door to find goodness in this world.
Other than teaching about such virtues, this drama shed light on a very important issue, which is of course HIV. It is a relatively new drama so one would expect that most people in the community have enough information regarding HIV and it's nature, and transmission. But, the drama's story revolves in a rural town on an island, were people are so simple and to an extent uncultured. One then would mistakenly think that the misunderstanding the villagers had concerning the disease was the main reason behind the suffering and hardship that our brave single mother faced, and that if she had lived in a big town with more cultured persons she wouldn't have suffered as much. But on second thought, you find yourself realizing that the issue is not merely about "knowing" or "not knowing" and that even people who have acquired enough knowledge about such ailments, can still be unable to act normally around people infected with it., especially if we're dealing with sending our children around another infected child. So although while watching this drama, I was infuriated at how everyone was mistreating them, later on after giving it some thought, you find you can not 100% blame them.
The Story:
A very good one, with depth in each and every character. Loved how each characters background and history was revealed naturally without too many flash backs and monologues and reminiscence scenes like many KDramas tend to do. Rather, we were given the most necessary points regarding each and every main character, just at the right time, just in the right proportion. Also each and every character development, came with a logical progression, not all of a sudden, so you feel you can totally understand how they feel or must be feeling.
On a side note, this might be my first KDrama to take place entirely in rural Korean village. The landscapes were always so genuine and real, they showed us what an island village looked like, felt like, even smelled like. You feel as if you have been there living among them and experiencing it. This could be considered a proof of good direction.
Acting:
As usual I loved Gong Hyo Jin to pieces in this one too. She's simply awesome, never overdoing it and just delivering the right amount of expressions, whether facial or vocal.
As for Jang Hyuk, I was expecting to feel awkward at his usual over-the-top expression acting, but he was surprisingly so good in this one. He delivered Ahjusshi just the way he should be *thumbs up*
All the other actors delivered very convincing acting, and above all I would like to salute the actor who played Haraboji (grand pa a.k.a Mr. Lee) on an awesome performance!!!
Music: Don't know if it's because it's a 2007 drama, but the background music was mostly not my taste. the main ballad song was nice and the lyrics was perfect for the premises of the drama. But I'm afraid I have to admit I didn't particularly prefer the instrumental tracks in this one. Still it doesn't prevent you from enjoying the drama.
Rewatch value: This is a drama I profoundly enjoyed, and though it was bit slow paced at certain parts, over all it was a really nice watch I think I might be re-watching it sometime later when I feel like watching a slice of life drama.
This is a worthy watch, I recommend.
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The feeling of a child being labeled at school and in the community by adults got me really upset. I wished I could drag them out of the script. But then, I reminded myself it was a drama and would end soon. I'm glad I watched to the end throughout the tears and cursing.
Wonderful story, great acting by the cast, especially the little girl (sorry I don't remember her name).
Very moving scenes, throughout, plus she's a good crier,really believable.
A must watch with a happy end.
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I hesitated first when I read the story because I felt it was a bit weird for me to watch a drama about HIV/AIDS. However I still gave it a chance and boy it was GOOD. The writer proved me wrong which I'm very happy about. It's a great and very touching story and well written. Congratulation not only to the writer but to the all people who were involved in this drama!
The acting was superb especially by Jang Hyuk(As always) and Seo Shin ae. But the whole cast did an amaizing job to last the drama forward. That just says it all.
If you haven't watched it, do it. You'll be touched by a great story and acting that you'll never forget. The lessons are there for us to learn! I highly recommend it. Totally enjoyed it!
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The drama also filmed in an island, which is breathtaking to see a wonderful scenery, instead of the hectic Seoul in most drama. The drama also filmed in a real house, they didn't filmed it in studio, like other drama did. So, it feel more natural and real.
Before this drama, i never like Gong Hyo Jin as an actress. However, this drama changed it, she managed to prove to me that she is a good actress.
The music also fit into the story. I like the main song titled 'Thank You'. It really describes the emotion of the drama.
I recommend this drama if you are a fan of Jang Hyuk or Gong Hyo Jin.
Also if you are a fan of heartwarming drama, this drama will definitely touched your heart.
What I like from this drama?
-the development of main character, jang Hyuk from a cold-blooded person to a warm hearted person.
-the scenery
-the story of the HIV kid
-the OST
-the love story of the two main characters
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This drama is about love lost, love found, and regret over missed love. Behind all the pain there is a wonderful mother daughter relationship that warms your heart.
Please don't let subject matter of AIDS make you miss out on this gem of a drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
An old school drama that dealt with AIDS, dementia, redemption, and single parenthood in a thoughtful and compelling manner.I loved how this drama did not back away from confronting the stigma HIV/AIDS patients face, especially nearly two decades ago. Once the little girl's situation was brought out into the open, the drama used each episode as a teachable moment not just for the characters, but the audience as well. The scope of her disease was narrowed down for drama purposes but I'm glad they showed how people afflicted with AIDS need support and not ostracization.
Seo Shin Ae, as little Bom, won my heart with her performance. She moved from tears, to laughter, to precocious behavior seamlessly. She was a joy to watch.
Jang Hyuk gave a stellar performance as the closed off doctor who found redemption and peace on a small island. A family of misfits washed him as clean as the shore after the waves recede-a single mother, a daughter with AIDS, and a father with dementia in a remote community was not where this ill tempered doctor ever thought he would wind up. Throughout the drama Jang Hyuk allowed us to feel Min Ki Seo's contempt, his sorrow, his compassion, and his reluctant love developing.
The drawback for me was Gong Hyo Jin's performance. Most of the characters grew and changed, all except her Lee Young Shin. Hyo Jin excels at playing self-sacrificing doormats, but aside from a few smiles with Bom, her performance was rather one note. The writers were at fault as well, they never fully developed this matriarch of misfits. Up until the very end of this drama, I never understood her, never saw a glimmer of affection for the man they told us she was falling in love with. Her mumbling, stumbling, head down performance and frozen expression took away from the emotional depth of this drama. It was hard to hope for a relationship to develop between Min Ki Seo and this woman who could not crack her heart open long enough to share a part of herself with him.
I enjoyed this drama overall and would have loved it more if the writers and actress had let us watch Lee Young Shin grow and blossom, learn to stand up for herself and her daughter, and bask in the love of the imperfect but dedicated man who fought to stand beside her. As it was, I found Min's and Bom's First Guardian Angel and Angel friendship much more heartwarming and engaging.
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