Drama Review: Friends

Friends
Number of Episodes: 4
Main Cast: Won Bin, Fukada Kyoko, Lee Dong Gun, Park Hye Jin
Koreanwiz Link: http://www.koreanwiz.org/at/drama-friends.html

This 2002 MBC drama was a joint production between MBC and the Japanese station TBS. The drama opens in Hong Kong, where Korean college student Kim Ji Hun (played by Won Bin) is taking a break from his studies to explore Hong Kong and work on his films. He has a goal of becoming a movie director, but it is soon clear that he is facing big pressure to return to his hometown where his very traditional Korean family expects him to take over the family business. While in Hong Kong, he meets Asai Tomoko, a Japanese girl on vacation who mistakes him for the purse snatcher that took her purse. Once the misunderstanding is cleared up, a relationship develops in their short time together, but alas, the vacation ends, and they must separate. However, with email and a little help from Ji Hun’s Japanese speaking roommate, they are able to keep in contact with each other.

The drama centers on the love story between Tomoko and Jin Hun and how they must overcome the challenges of both a long-distance relationship as well as dating someone from a different country. However, a big part of the drama is the growth of each character individually. Despite wanting to purse his dreams of making movies, Ji Hun must first come to terms with his responsibility to his family. In Japan, Tomoko is a high school graduate working at a dead-end job in a department store. Unlike Ji Hun, she lacks any kind of dream at all. In addition, her mother is a successful business woman, and Tomoko feels guilt that she can’t match her mother’s accomplishments. Her mother is aware of her daughter’s struggle and longs to support her, but is afraid to push too hard. At first, Tomoko wants to learn about Korea for Ji Hun, but eventually, her love for Korea and learning the Korean language ends up fueling her own dreams. For me, one of the most moving parts of the drama is watching Tomoko blossom and seeing the growth of her relationship with her mother.

Visually, this drama is loaded with wonderful scenery of Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. The fall scenery filmed in Seoul is beautiful, and the scenes of Ji Hun’s military training are intense. Also, because of Ji Hun’s family, the drama gives a glimpse into more traditional Korean culture. Again, I really loved the way Tomoko’s character fell in love with Korea. To me, her character is a glimpse of what it will be like if my children would ever choose to immerse themselves in their birth country and live in Korea. I highly recommend this short drama.

I’ve seen this drama loaded on youtube with subtitles, but this could always change! For now, here is the link to part 1 of episode one. If you run this, you will see the other episodes in the "related links."

Ep1 (part 1 of 6) uploaded by h0pezz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-9DKIjA9S4&mode=related&search=

This can also be downloaded at:

http://www.silentregrets.com/dramas/friends-2002/