쾌걸 춘향 Sassy Girl Chun Hyang

Title: 쾌걸 춘향 Kwae Geol Chun Hyang
English Title:

• Sassy Girl Chun Hyang
• Delightful Girl Chun Hyang

Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Year: 2005
Episode: 17
Cast:

• 한채영 Han Chae Young
• 재희 Jae Hee
• 엄태웅 Uhm Tae Woong
•  박시은 Park Shi Eun
• 이인혜 Lee In Hye
• 문지윤 Moon Ji Yoon

SYNOPSIS

바나나 걸 Banana Girl - 엉덩이 Ung Dung Ee (Derriere)

Sung Chun Hyang is a smart high school senior in Namwon, a province in South Korea. She intends to study in one of the prestigious universities in the country so she works in several part-time jobs in order to save up for her college tuition. Her mother is a flighty individual who works as a cabaret singer.

Chun Hyang gets into an altercation with Lee Mong Ryong, who just relocated to Namwon from Seoul. Mong Ryong's bratty and irresponsible ways have led his father, a chief police officer, to distrust him.

One day, Chun Hyang gets sick because of Mong Ryong's pranks. Feeling sorry for Chun Hyang, he encourages Chun Hyang's friends Han Dan Hee and Park Ji Hyuk to visit her together. Mong Ryong drinks some medicinal wine at Chun Hyang's house and he gets drunk. Chun Hyang's friends leave due to some misunderstanding  so Chun Hyang and Mong Ryong end up spending the night together.

When their parents find out that the two spent the night together, Chun Hyang and Mong Ryong are forced to marry each other to avoid a scandal. 

REVIEW
Sassy Girl Chun Hyang is a modern interpretation of a Korean folktale. Lee Mong Ryong and Sung Chun Hyang are ill-fated lovers who go through lots of trials and tribulations before ending up happily together.

Although I knew that the drama is based on a Korean folktale, I did not really know the details of the story. Perhaps if I did, I would have a better appreciation of the story and I would be more lenient with the character development of the key characters.

I did not like how the two main characters ended up getting married in high school but had to separate afterward although they already have feelings for each other. The two meet again after several years but they still had to be apart due to some circumstances. It seemed like the same thing happens over and over again, and that was frustrating for me to watch.

In addition, the second lead Byun Hak Do's transformation from a decent charming guy at the start of the drama to an obsessed guy who is possessive of Chun Hyang at the end of the drama did not make sense to me.

Anyway, it seems that the issues I had with the drama has more to do with how the actual folktale goes. I think if I knew that when I watched the drama, I would have less issues with it in terms of flow of the story and character development.

Actually, I find the drama entertaining but nothing special. But I think my perception is affected by the fact that I watched the drama right after watching several Korean dramas with similar concepts such as contract marriages and sacrificing-for-the-person-you-love themes.

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쾌걸 춘향 Sassy Girl Chun Hyang