ザラ Notes: 응답하라 1997 (Answer Me 1997)

21 September 2012

응답하라 1997 (Answer Me 1997)

Title: 응답하라 1997 Eungdabhara 1997
English Title:

Answer Me 1997
Reply 1997
Respond 1997

Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Year: 2012
Episode: 16
Cast:

정은지 Jung Eun Ji (은지 Eun Ji)
서인국 Seo In Gook
이호원 Lee Ho Won (호야 Ho Ya)
신소율 Shin So Yul
은지원 Eun Ji Won
이시언 Lee Shi Un
송종호 Song Jong Ho
성동일 Sung Dong Il
이일화 Lee Il Hwa

SYNOPSIS

쿨 Cool - All For You
정은지 Jung Eun Ji, 서인국 Seo In Gook - All For You

Sung Shi Won, Yoon Yoon Jae, Kang Joon Hee, Mo Yoo Jung, Bang Sung Jae and Do Hak Chan are high school friends who all reunite together after several years apart. They look back on their friendships and relationships in high school.

Shi Won is obsessed with the boy band H.O.T. and she will do anything for her favorite band member Tony Ahn. Her father does not approve of her dedication to her favorite boy band because he thinks her obsession distracts her from her studies and is the reason why she's the lowest ranking student in her class.

Yoon Jae is Shi Won's neighbor and childhood friend. They always argue with each other but Yoon Jae is secretly in love with her.

REVIEW
Although Answer Me 1997 is set in the 1990s, the themes discussed in the drama such as the close friendships, the complicated relationships, and the teenage angst are as potent and relevant then as it is now.

The characters in the drama are well-written and most of the actors did their characters justice. In particular, the lead actors are amazing considering that they are newbies in the acting department. I wonder if the new actors did a good job because they are really talented in acting or if their characters are quite similar to their own personalities.

Answer Me 1997 features mysteries such as which individuals will become a couple, which couple will get married, and which couple will be having a baby. Of course, the drama uses a lot of cliches and coincidences to tease and confuse the audience.

Although the coincidences are initially entertaining, the drama got stuck with the formula and still tried to create confusion even though it is already painfully obvious that the main couple are Sung Shi Won and Yoon Yoon Jae. It was a little disappointing because I think it would have been better if the drama stopped being formulaic and predictable when it is ahead instead of getting stuck in a rut.

I don't like how Yoon Jae and his older brother Yoon Tae Woong are rivals for the love of the same girl. The love triangle is made even more complicated by the fact that Tae Woong's first love is Shi Won's older sister Sung Song Joo who died in an accident. I mean, I know the world is small but I don't want it to be that small.

When Tae Woong worked as a high school teacher, he had to guide his students as they make the transition to college. Some of his students had big dreams for the future but they were either not talented or not qualified in their dream jobs.

Yoon Tae Woong: Your future dream is about what you can do for a living. You're about to grow up but if you have empty dreams, who will take care of you?

Yoon Tae Woong: Let's find what you can do, not what you want to do.

Yoon Tae Woong: First, do what you want instead of what you can.

Although I felt bad to some extent that he had to discourage these students from pursuing their dream careers, I think it was more realistic to encourage them to go after dreams that are within their reach.

Bang Sung Jae: There is no better time than now. That next time may never come. To talk about a next time that may never come, when now is right in front of you... Life is too short for that.