This review may contain spoilers
2011/SBS
I initially choose to watch other drama's before I started on this one, as the plot descriptions I read didn't really warm me up too much. For anyone with similar doubts though, I can safely recommend this drama to you. Scent of a Woman is a good example of how older dramas used to be made and therefor many viewers will discover recognizable (if not predictable) plot devices, story lines and actors/actresses. The successful recipe that these types of dramas are made from is executed well enough to make this worth your time.
I have some good things to say about cast, but I don't believe its perfect or near perfect. This drama could have been better if the casting was done more carefully (or different anyway). First of all, Kim Sun Ah (as Lee Yeon-Jae). How she manages to look so much younger than she did in 2005's My Lovely Sam Soon, I am not sure, but does she look stunning! As one could expect in advance, she doesn't even need to rely on her appearance, because those familiar with her works know she will deliver an excellent performance. Roles like these are made for her, and she plays them like no other. Secondly, there is male lead Lee Dong-Wook. Seeing as I have yet to see the drama My Girl, Scent of a Woman is the first time I see him perform. A new face almost always takes getting used to and this is no exception. There's very little I really have to say about his performance, seeing as I was not very impressed nor disappointed. It was passable overall, but not convincing enough in my opinion. His character's action stretch the limits a little at times and too little is done to support his character's sudden interest in Lee Yeon-Jae. He's no Hyun Bin just yet.
Spoilers Removed!
http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/mk34n/scent_of_a_woman???_??_2011sbs_classic_korean/
Spoilers Removed!
Secondary female lead Seo Hyo-Rim was miscast in my opinion. She is, or comes across as, too young to be taken seriously compared to the rest of the lead cast. One who could also come across as a 16 year old school girl simply does not perform convincingly as a director of a large company.
The supporting cast is almost entirely flawless. Kim Hye-Ok as the essential KDrama mother does precisely what is expected of her and comes to life especially in the later episodes. Sa Hyeon-Jin as Lee Yeon-Jae's girlfriend is unfortunately not given too much screen time. My guess is her character had to give away a lot of room to doctor Eun-Suk. She did the best she could with the limited resources she's been given, but overall fails to stand out. Of the company's staff, two particularly stand out. Eternal comic relief Kim Kwang-Kyu has a very nice two-faced personality in Scent of a Woman, which is an improvement over his earlier one dimensional characters as in Oh! My Lady and The Accidental Couple. His tango scenes with Chae Ji-Yeon (Veronica) are energizing and enjoyable. Secondly, there's Son Seong-Yun (as employee Nam Na-Ri). After seeing her in My Princess in a supporting role as well, it's time she gets cast in a bigger role for a change. She'll need more than her pretty and cute appearance, but she deserves a chance. I wasn't too impressed with Lee Jeong-Kil's performance as the Chairman/Dong-Wook's father though, he should pay some more attention to Park Yeong-Gyu, who does a better 'company chairman' in Protect The Boss. The other supporting characters do well although it is a little unfortunate that Jeong Dong-Hwan (as Yeon-Jae's mother's love interest, Teacher K) arrives late into the drama. His entry would have been welcomed at the start.
From the cast, to the script. Scent of a Woman is mostly a classic in this sense, and little of surprise is introduced as we see another drama unfold where a rich chaebol's son falls for the 'poor' hard working 30+ woman.
Spoilers Removed!
http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/mk34n/scent_of_a_woman???_??_2011sbs_classic_korean/
Spoilers Removed!
On a completely different and lighter note, the tango scenes. I read raving reviews about this and while I personally didn't think the popular scene in question (Episode 8) was the best thing ever to happen on Korean television, but it was well done. This goes for the performance with Doctor Eun-Suk later on as well, but even more for the early scene on the beach with the older foreigner and the dance with Veronica and Bong-Kil as the tango teachers. A great way to liven up this drama, which despite focusing on Yeon-Jae's attempts to make her last months the best of her life, still is overall quite a sad story.
This is a drama that is very much story and character driven, so I'll not give as much attention to the production value of Scent of a Woman. I have no particular complaints, although I do get annoyed a little when another drama production team is unable to make a car go fast without speeding up footage or stage an accident in a convincing fashion. It doesn't matter though, the production is adequate and doesn't distract the viewer in any way. Compliments on the scenes shot in Australia, they are great!
The soundtrack is a disappointment. The only music that stayed with me longer than a few moments is the ring tone that Yeon-Jae's phone plays (mostly in the first half). Other than that, nothing really stands out (including the karaoke sessions and the fan meeting) and that's a shame when I recall the soundtracks from dramas that I've seen recently (IRIS, Protect The Boss, Secret Garden). This didn't distract me either, don't get me wrong, but it is a missed opportunity nonetheless.
Overall, this is definitely a drama I would recommend to anyone who likes the average Korean drama. The classic set up works well with superstar female lead Kim Sun Ah and the rest of the actors and the script support her into making this drama a success. The few issues I have with the plot and some of the performers are minor, so go watch this if you haven't already!
7/10
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