K-Drama Review: 1 % Of Anything

1% Of Anything, One Percent of Anything Also known as: Something About 1%

On the one hand- we have a mostly predictable plot using most of the hackneyed tropes of K-dramas.  These include the couple who hate each other but sign a contract to date and then bicker their hearts away into undying forever love, the rich third generation chaebol son, the parents on both sides opposed to the marriage for whatever reason, the different branches of the same family vying for primacy in inheritance issues, the poor but cheerful hardworking girl, Freakishly selfish would-be mothers-in-law; and my favorite- and I mean that in the completely opposite sense of the word- the girlfriend or wanna-be girlfriend who has clearly escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.

We also have some irreconcilable discrepancies when it comes to characters and their ages (don’t both trying to figure out the age difference between Jae-In and his little sister and making that match with the scene you’re shown of the two of them when small, and then match that with the fact that their dad died when he was only 9.  It just doesn’t work).  It started a bit slowly, and the very pretty boy actors do a lot more smiling and looking pretty than they do acting, at least at first.  They either got better, or I just got used to them.

But on the other hand….  there are also two unusually sweet mothers-in-law, a warm, closeknit family who took in an abused child years ago and love her like their own even though their relationship cannot be made official, devotedly warm sibling bonds,  loving parents, and some fresher conflicts that aren’t so hackneyed.  We have parents and grandad discussing how we raise our kids and how we let them go a little. We have discussions about what really matters in life, success in business, or raising kind, hard working, filial children. We have siblings working hard to love and care for each other.  We have a selfish rich man learning to be a loving and protective man, and we have the girl who guards her heart and trusts nobody learning to trust.  We have a lot of other wonderfully mushy stuff.

The actors are all believable, and I found myself loving their characters more and more each week.  The main family is just wonderful- warm, loving, generous, kind.  They make mistakes sometimes, they aren’t always right, nor are they always perfect, but they are always there for each other when it counts.  I also love that this show did not end with the weddings, but continues afterwards and shows us some of the conflicts that might come up when a well-to-do workaholic marries a girl who can’t cook.;-D

I liked this.  However, the two biggest flaws are:

It’s 26 episodes long.

The girlfriend wannabe who is clearly unhinged and in real life would be locked away.  These flaws have something to do with each other, and I could cheerfully have dispensed with this thread of the drama, although it was used to show us some real character growth in a different character.

Generally very family friendly.  There is an out of wedlock pregnancy, but it was done so discreetly that I wasn’t even sure any behavior of that sort had occurred until later when the girl learns she’s going to have a baby.  That issue was handled very sweetly, as well.  There is one very funny scene where a girl overhears a conversation about her describing her as basically dowdy and countrified, so she shows up at the next meeting in scarlet dress with whisps of fabric for sleeves. The young man in question immediately removes his suit jacket and makes her wear it. It was funny  because at that point, he didn’t even think he liked her, but his friend points out, “You’re a man. Why be so annoyed if you don’t like her? I like sexy women, but I wouldn’t want to see your sister dressed like that.”  “Like that,” fortunately or otherwise, was really not that shocking. Although our family doesn’t dress that way, I’ve seen similar dresses in church on many a summer Sunday.

There is some honeymoon banter and waggling of the eyebrows, but it was really cute and understated.

I don’t think this is a good K-drama to begin with because it starts so slow and it’s 26 shows long.  But if you already know you like them and want more romantic comedy K-drama style in your life, it’s a sweet one.

Watch it at Dramafever or Gooddrama, but Gooddrama has the better subs.  I think the subs at Drama Fever were first done from Korean to Chinese and then from Chinese to English, and they are often very confusing, as well as missing chunks of dialogue.

Cast:

Kim Jung Hwa as Kim Da Hyun (26)
Kang Dong Won as Lee Jae In (32)
Han Hye Jin as Jung Hyun Jin (26)
Lee Byung Wook as Min Tae Ha (32)
Kim Ji Woo as Lee Jae Yeong (25)
Kim Seung Min as Kim Hyeong Jun (32)

Da Hyun’s family

Kim Young Ran as Jung Mi Jung (mother)
Choi Sang Hoon (최상훈) as Kim Jin Man (father)
Kyung Joon as Kim Seo Hyeon (older brother)
Huh Jung Min as Kim Jun Hyeon (younger brother)

Jae In’s family

Byun Hee Bong as Lee Kyu Chul (grandfather)
Lee Hee Do as Kim Dong Suk (secretary)
Oh Mi Yeon as Yum Sun Hee (mother)
Kim Chung as Lee Soo Young (aunt, Tae Ha’s mother)
Jun In Taek as Min Hyuk Joo (uncle, Tae Ha’s father)

Just a note- Kang Dong Won plays his character as a little bit stiff and awkward with others as well as with himself. His character is not entirely comfortable in his own skin especially at the beginning of his journey in this movie. That came across at first as the acting itself being stiff and awkward. However, if you watch this and have any doubts about Kang Dong Won’s acting ability you should look at some of his other work. Haunters, which I don’t exactly recommend because while it’s allegedly about super powers, I would place it in the horror category, was absolutely amazing in terms of his on screen charisma and ability to believably, and most chillingly, portray a totally different sort of person- a psychopath with supernatural powers. If you’re okay with horror, watch him in this trailer.

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