Title:
- フレンズ Furenzu (Friends)
- 프렌즈 Peulenjeu
Country:
- Japan
- South Korea
- Japanese
- Korean
Episode: 04
Cast:
- 원빈 Won Bin
- 深田恭子 Fukada Kyoko
- 이동건 Lee Dong Gun
- 한혜진 Han Hye Jin
SYNOPSIS
Alone on a trip in Hong Kong, a young Japanese woman named Asai Tomoko enjoys sightseeing when her purse was snatched by someone. She seeks the police's assistance and the police arrests the man she pointed out but it turns out to be the wrong person.
Kim Ji Hoon, a young Korean man, was mistakenly arrested in Hong Kong. Although humiliated, he offers to take Tomoko out to dinner because she has no money. Ji Hoon and Tomoko then go around Hong Kong together for two days.
The two return to their respective countries and back to their normal lives. But Ji Hoon and Tomoko emailed each other shortly and they rekindle their relationship.
REVIEW
I like watching dramas that explores cultural differences. Friends realistically portrays the difficulties of having a relationship with someone from a different culture. The various reactions of the family and friends of the lead characters, whether they are in support of the relationship or against the relationship, and the reasoning behind these reactions are also presented realistically.
Because of the lead couple's growing affection for each other, Kim Ji Hoon studies Japanese and Asai Tomoko studies Korean. I really like how both characters had the initiative to learn the other person's native language in order to better communicate with the other person.
However, the execution of the lines in the actor's foreign language leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps both Won Bin and Fukada Kyoko were really busy at the time of filming so they didn't really have a lot of time to memorize the lines with the right pronunciation.
Actually, more than the stilted dialogue, I had more problems with the flat delivery of the lines in the actor's foreign language. The actor's unemotional delivery of lines in their foreign language is even more obvious when they follow-up with lines in their own language full of emotion.
I wonder if the actors knew the meaning of what they are saying in their foreign language, whether they were provided with translations or the scenario was thoroughly explained to them. Perhaps if they knew, they will manage a more emotional delivery of their lines in their foreign language.
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フレンズ Friends
프렌즈 Friends
