Noona-love story that actual noonas may want to sit out.

As a European, single, career woman in my 30's I have come to expect certain things from my life and people around me.

1. Respect from colleagues for all the hard work I put in
2. Understanding that the hard work has left little room for dating
3. Evenings spent watching dramas because of the aforementioned hard work and singlehood

I started watching "The woman who still wants to marry" because I heard it was going to feature single career women in their 30's and noona-love...
Finally!, I thought. Women I can relate to.
And who doesn't like the added bonus of bit of escapism, in the form of gorgeous young men falling for older women? Yum!

Boy, was I in for a rude awakening.

I'm not oblivious to the fact that, in Korea and Japan, unmarried women over the age of 25 are considered "Christmas Cake". Something that goes bad after the 25th. (Horrible expression btw. Just horrible!)

The previous noona-love dramas I've seen have mostly focused on the woman's inner struggle. Angst and denial of her unsuitable feelings, and so on.
She may have gotten sideways glances while flaunting her young lover publically. But that's about it.
Never mind that this would never happen in real life. Drama magic and suspension of disbelief achieved. Squeee!

In "The woman who still wants to marry", however, our two noonas are bombarded by hair-raising amounts of malicious gossip, disapproving parents and disrespectful colleagues.

The amount of shit that these poor women have to put up with is really disheartening.
If this piece of drama fiction is any reflection on how smart and driven women are treated in Korea... then I have found a whole new level of understanding for all those older and successful über-bitches we tend to see as villains in dramas. No wonder they'd eventually become cold as ice - if this is how they've been treated since their 30's.

While the romance is a big part of this drama. (Two lovely noona-love stories, no less.) The adversities these women face, simply because of their age and ambition, leave such a bitter after taste that it many times overshadows the sweetness of the romance.

I would ask someone who is considering watching this these 3 questions:
1. Are you under 30?
2. Is seeing Kim Bum fall in love pretty much your sole motivation for watching?
3. Do you normally not have problems suspending disbelief when it comes to ill treatment of women?

If your answer to the above questions is a resounding "Yes", then you'll probably enjoy this drama.
If your answer is "No", then you may want to look elsewhere for your escapist drama fix... or at least watch with an awareness of these issues.

I don't regret watching this drama. If for nothing else; Kim Bum pulls off one of the best "grand gesture"-scenes in recent memory. I finally get why women swoon over him now. I do.

It does make me sad though - to think that there are places in the world where it doesn't matter how hard you work to prove yourself. If you are a woman and over 30; you are supposed... no, demanded!... to give up your job and become a stay at home mom. Whether that life appeals, fulfills or excites you in the slightest. That's your duty.

Even if you marry Kim Bum - it would be nice to know you have a choice. Right?

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As one of Korea's most loved dramas - I'm aware that I'm risking an angry mob of villagers coming after me with torches and pitchforks if I would ever DARE to give this drama anything but full marks...
But, MDLers, I implore you: Hear me out!

I can see why people love this.
It's a powerful tale about a woman using her brain and talent to overcome great adversity (among other things; gender- and class discrimination) on her way to becoming a trail blazing legend and feminist role model.
This is a great premise! It's handsomely filmed, has a catchy soundtrack and is, for the most part, well acted out.

Too bad then that the overwhelming majority of the show consists of people in hanbok sitting around in cramped palace rooms, plotting and scheming their way to power.
And when they don't do that; they cook.

Now... as a foodie with a special love for Korean food - I didn't mind the amount of time that was spent on cooking. For around 20 episodes, in fact, that kept my spirits up. (While I was being forced to sit through more drab palace committee meetings than the queen of England.)
Somewhere around episode 20 though, was when I started fast forwarding.

By my own standards, that barely qualifies me to write a review for the whole drama. I speed-watched through most of episode 20 through to 45. That was when things started to pick up and get exciting again.

But I'm gonna. (Write a review anyway.)
Why? Because MDL needs a bad(ish) review to balance out the raves it's been getting so far.

In addition to all the mind-numbingly tedious conspiratorial meetings; one of the reasons I lost hope with this drama was the incessant look of surprise or despair on Jang Geums face. Both marked by a doe-eyed stare, while she wordlessly opens and shuts her mouth. It became increasingly difficult to root for what seemed like a cardboard place holder for a larger than life personality, rather than someone who had the actual range to express this.

I could also knit-pick over a number of annoyances with the script. Repetitive and weak plot devices, designed to needlessly heighten the feeling of life and death peril. However, these points are counterweighted by some truly wonderful portrayals of bonds of friendship and adopted family. So I'll let them slide.

Lastly, I see a lot of people praise the romance...
Lovers of romance; be warned! Out of 54 episodes (around 1h each) the sum total of the time that was spent on the romance in this whole series was around a couple of minutes.
Those few precious moments, often sprinkled half a dozen episodes apart, WERE sweet and memorable. Quantity doesn't always spell quality, after all...
I did expect more though. And so would probably you after reading other reviews.

In conclusion, I must say this:
I was moved to tears while watching this drama.
It was, however, mostly because I was bored to tears by all the politics.

THE GOOD
+ Feminist role model
+ Foodporn
+ Pretty cinematography
+ Lovely side characters
+ Utterly charming soundtrack

THE BAD
- Limited range of the main actress
- Very little time spent on the romance
- Endless meetings filled with scheming and palace intrigue
- No really... there's precious little else going on

THE SKINNY
You should watch this if politics and endless struggle for power gets your blood pumping.
You should avoid this at all cost if those exact things make you lose your will to live.

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After having watched the Japanese version and loved it so much that I sought out the Korean version - this was the third adaptation of the Hana Yori Dango manga for me.

The most addictive qualities of this series are very much present in this version as well. The things that Dao Ming Si say, and his endless longing glances at Shan Cai, are enough to make anyone weak at the knees.

However, at the same time it's his love for her that give birth to a couple of truly disturbing scenes.
Violence and possessiveness is a part of Si's nature in a shocking way. This wasn't there in the Korean or Japanese versions. It made Meteor Garden hard to watch.

Hadn't it been for those scenes I would have had no qualms giving the drama a 9 or 10. Simply for how kick-ass Shan Cai is and the way Si makes my knees wobble.

As I see it, HYD is a mash-up of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and her other books. The arrogant Dao Ming Si and the introverted Hua Ze Lei represent the dual aspects of Mr Darcy's personality. Si's domineering mother is Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Don't let the fact that this is from 2001 scare you off. It's a timeless story. Even crazy hair, bad outfits and old cell phones can't distract you from the heart at its core.
(Plus, he loses the headband and pineapple-hairdo a couple of episodes in. :) )

My advice is:
Watch! But be prepared for a flawed hero that wouldn't work outside of the realm of pure fantasy.

The pluses:
+ Shan Cai's reactions feel more convincing than in any other version of the series, and are full of girl-power
+ The way that the character are explained and the story plays out makes more sense than in any other version
+ The music is less imposing and annoying than in the J&K-versions

The minuses:
- Si's violent and possessive tendencies are on occasion creepy and downright shocking
- The sound and other production values leave something to be desired

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