Kdrama Review: Stairway to Heaven
Note : This was from a LJ post back on Mar 24 2005
Stairway to Heaven (Cheonkukui Gyedan)
Number of Episodes: 20 episodes
Rating: 9 out of 10
Watched on: Episodes 11-12( feb.21,2005) ,13-14(feb.22,2005),15-16(Feb 23,2005),17-18(Feb 24,2005),19-20(Feb.25,2005)
Watched on: Episodes 11-12( feb.21,2005) ,13-14(feb.22,2005),15-16(Feb 23,2005),17-18(Feb 24,2005),19-20(Feb.25,2005)
The Characters
Cha Song-ju: Kwon Sang Woo (Delicious Proposal/Into the Sun/Sad Sonata)
Han Jung-suh: Choi Ji Woo (Winter Ballad/Beautiful Days)
Han Tae-hwa: Shin Hyun Joon (Wedding Dress)
Han Yuri: Kim Tae Hee (Love Story in Harvard)
Tae Mira (Tae-hwa & Yuri's mom, actress): Lee Hui Hyang (Beautiful Days/Secret)
Han Su-ha (Jung-suh's dad, architect): Ha Jae Young (Glass Slipper/Beautiful Days)
Min Suh-hyun (Song-ju's mom): Kim Ji Sook
Han Pil-su (Tae-hwa & Yuri's dad): Jung Han Yong
Cha Song-ju (as a child): Baek Sung Hyun (Sweet Bear/Damo)
Han Jung-suh (as a child): Park Shin Hye (Doctors / Memories of Alhambra)
Han Tae-hwa (as a child): Lee Wan (Snow White)
Synopsis
This series tells a poignant tale about two childhood friends, Han Jung suh and Cha Soong Ju. While growing up, the two developed a friendship like no other. Things turned to awry when Jung Suh’s father remarries... Mira brings along her two children, Han Yu ri and Han Tae Hwa to Jung Suh’s life. Jung Suh welcomed the new additions in her family with open arms. All is in well until Mira finally settled in. She mistreats Jung Suh, depriving her of the motherly love Jung Suh yearns. Han Tae Hwa and Han Yuri made Jung Suh’s life a living hell. Han Yuri is envious of the life Jung Suh is having and vows to take everything away from Jung Suh. Han Tae Hwa suddenly begins to see a new light after an altercation with his mother. Jung Suh has showered him with the much needed affection. Jung Suh was Tae Hwa’s first love. Years have passed and the news of Song Ju’s arrival reached Jung Suh. On her way to meet Tae Hwa, she met an accident which had changed her life dramatically. Song Ju was devastated of the loss. With no recollection of her past, she is taken in by Han Chul Su (who really is Han Tae Hwa) and his father. 5 years had passed; Jung Suh and Song Ju are reunited again, but this time…
Comments
One of the most tragic series I've seen (first being Autumn Story).Coincidentally, this is the fourth series that I’ve seen Choi Ji Woo in it (The first being Winter Sonata, then Beautiful Days, and then Jin Shil [though wasn’t able to finish this series].). The whole thing was really dragging, though there are some moments wherein you’re really into the pacing of the story (I didn’t dare to fast forward it! What a miracle...) Other than that, if you’re looking for a tearjerker series, then this is the series for you. Warning: Bring a lot of tissue. (Although, in my case, I wasn’t really drawn to crying... is not the crying type of person). I can’t picture a single episode that hasn’t any crying on it (down to the final episode)
.
What I don't like about this series
Song Ju and his thugs... aww...come on man, you don't need those thugs to follow the whole time, you know. You’re a big man and you can take care of yourself (but the again, he looks kind of cool whenever he walks alongside his "henchmen"
Dragging moments... almost all the time there were dragging moments... (Well, I might say that this is not as dragging as WINTER sonata, the fact, that I fast forwarded the series most of the time)
Beautiful Days syndrome (It’s good though because Beautiful Days has a happy ending). The house, the dad, the stepmom! Really, they could have cast different characters, though I have to say that I’m hands down to the gal whose portraying Mira (she can be bitchy at the same time be sweet…Such a versatile actor! Although she’s kind of old)
The father (why do you put up with such a pathetic character?) He’s really clueless about the things that are happening to his own daughter. He pretty much listens to what his mistress is saying to him rather than believing his own daughter. What kind of a father has he been to Jung Suh...? Really, I don’t see him support his own daughter... not once in the series.
Jung Suh: For not getting her own place. How dumb is she to still put up with her step mom, who has done nothing but make her life miserable.
Overacting... You don't have to cry like that! I know that your character is in deep pain... but you don't have to cry as if everything bad seems to befall on you... (Come on… her crying was really annoyingly... with the sounds...)
The doctors: Be realistic. A real doctor will still give hope to its patients (even at the final stages of the disease).
Storyline: Aww come on. Another series that has amnesia, cancer, evil stepmother and stepsister on it. I have seen this kind of stories more than once already (let’s see there’s Autumn in My Heart, Beautiful Days,.. not to mention some of American Movies that I have seen).Wish they could modify this.. Add a little twist.
What I like about this series
Song ju (Kwon Sang Woo) (definitely!) Enough said. Well, this man can act (or so I thought). I deeply empathized with his character.. All the sacrifices he has to make for the woman he loves (like he’s willing to give up everything he had owned just for the woman he loves)
The soundtrack: Added feature to the series. The music blends well with the series.
Storyline: Although the story is quite similar to the other Korean drama. I still I like how the story unfolds. This series has been beautifully executed.
The script: I like the dialogue between the characters (The subtitlers really have done a good job in providing subtitles... I mean the dialogue was beautifully written)
Han Tae Hwa... how he would risked everything for the woman he loves. Was really touched when Tae Hwa was writing a letter to Jung Suh on how he’s happy in France (he’s looking out for her, so that she won’t worry) where in fact, twas the opposite.(he was really preparing for his suicide, just so he can donate her corneas to the girl) I wish I had as a friend, a husband or a brother. Too bad he has to live such a tragic life.
Cha Song-ju: Kwon Sang Woo (Delicious Proposal/Into the Sun/Sad Sonata)
Han Jung-suh: Choi Ji Woo (Winter Ballad/Beautiful Days)
Han Tae-hwa: Shin Hyun Joon (Wedding Dress)
Han Yuri: Kim Tae Hee (Love Story in Harvard)
Tae Mira (Tae-hwa & Yuri's mom, actress): Lee Hui Hyang (Beautiful Days/Secret)
Han Su-ha (Jung-suh's dad, architect): Ha Jae Young (Glass Slipper/Beautiful Days)
Min Suh-hyun (Song-ju's mom): Kim Ji Sook
Han Pil-su (Tae-hwa & Yuri's dad): Jung Han Yong
Cha Song-ju (as a child): Baek Sung Hyun (Sweet Bear/Damo)
Han Jung-suh (as a child): Park Shin Hye (Doctors / Memories of Alhambra)
Han Tae-hwa (as a child): Lee Wan (Snow White)
Synopsis
This series tells a poignant tale about two childhood friends, Han Jung suh and Cha Soong Ju. While growing up, the two developed a friendship like no other. Things turned to awry when Jung Suh’s father remarries... Mira brings along her two children, Han Yu ri and Han Tae Hwa to Jung Suh’s life. Jung Suh welcomed the new additions in her family with open arms. All is in well until Mira finally settled in. She mistreats Jung Suh, depriving her of the motherly love Jung Suh yearns. Han Tae Hwa and Han Yuri made Jung Suh’s life a living hell. Han Yuri is envious of the life Jung Suh is having and vows to take everything away from Jung Suh. Han Tae Hwa suddenly begins to see a new light after an altercation with his mother. Jung Suh has showered him with the much needed affection. Jung Suh was Tae Hwa’s first love. Years have passed and the news of Song Ju’s arrival reached Jung Suh. On her way to meet Tae Hwa, she met an accident which had changed her life dramatically. Song Ju was devastated of the loss. With no recollection of her past, she is taken in by Han Chul Su (who really is Han Tae Hwa) and his father. 5 years had passed; Jung Suh and Song Ju are reunited again, but this time…
Comments
One of the most tragic series I've seen (first being Autumn Story).Coincidentally, this is the fourth series that I’ve seen Choi Ji Woo in it (The first being Winter Sonata, then Beautiful Days, and then Jin Shil [though wasn’t able to finish this series].). The whole thing was really dragging, though there are some moments wherein you’re really into the pacing of the story (I didn’t dare to fast forward it! What a miracle...) Other than that, if you’re looking for a tearjerker series, then this is the series for you. Warning: Bring a lot of tissue. (Although, in my case, I wasn’t really drawn to crying... is not the crying type of person). I can’t picture a single episode that hasn’t any crying on it (down to the final episode)
.
What I don't like about this series
Song Ju and his thugs... aww...come on man, you don't need those thugs to follow the whole time, you know. You’re a big man and you can take care of yourself (but the again, he looks kind of cool whenever he walks alongside his "henchmen"
Dragging moments... almost all the time there were dragging moments... (Well, I might say that this is not as dragging as WINTER sonata, the fact, that I fast forwarded the series most of the time)
Beautiful Days syndrome (It’s good though because Beautiful Days has a happy ending). The house, the dad, the stepmom! Really, they could have cast different characters, though I have to say that I’m hands down to the gal whose portraying Mira (she can be bitchy at the same time be sweet…Such a versatile actor! Although she’s kind of old)
The father (why do you put up with such a pathetic character?) He’s really clueless about the things that are happening to his own daughter. He pretty much listens to what his mistress is saying to him rather than believing his own daughter. What kind of a father has he been to Jung Suh...? Really, I don’t see him support his own daughter... not once in the series.
Jung Suh: For not getting her own place. How dumb is she to still put up with her step mom, who has done nothing but make her life miserable.
Overacting... You don't have to cry like that! I know that your character is in deep pain... but you don't have to cry as if everything bad seems to befall on you... (Come on… her crying was really annoyingly... with the sounds...)
The doctors: Be realistic. A real doctor will still give hope to its patients (even at the final stages of the disease).
Storyline: Aww come on. Another series that has amnesia, cancer, evil stepmother and stepsister on it. I have seen this kind of stories more than once already (let’s see there’s Autumn in My Heart, Beautiful Days,.. not to mention some of American Movies that I have seen).Wish they could modify this.. Add a little twist.
What I like about this series
Song ju (Kwon Sang Woo) (definitely!) Enough said. Well, this man can act (or so I thought). I deeply empathized with his character.. All the sacrifices he has to make for the woman he loves (like he’s willing to give up everything he had owned just for the woman he loves)
The soundtrack: Added feature to the series. The music blends well with the series.
Storyline: Although the story is quite similar to the other Korean drama. I still I like how the story unfolds. This series has been beautifully executed.
The script: I like the dialogue between the characters (The subtitlers really have done a good job in providing subtitles... I mean the dialogue was beautifully written)
Han Tae Hwa... how he would risked everything for the woman he loves. Was really touched when Tae Hwa was writing a letter to Jung Suh on how he’s happy in France (he’s looking out for her, so that she won’t worry) where in fact, twas the opposite.(he was really preparing for his suicide, just so he can donate her corneas to the girl) I wish I had as a friend, a husband or a brother. Too bad he has to live such a tragic life.
Comments
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