Review of "The Heirs", Korean Drama



After watching the whole drama, the final part awed me. I am wonder-struck by the story line and the ending. At first when I watched the first episode, it wasn't that great. Even the following episodes, 2 and 3 are strikingly similar to other previous dramas. The school part seems like a remake of "Boys Over Flowers". I felt like, oh, not again, another drama about high school. This drama is different from the ones I prefer, which have a twist of fantasy in it- the entrance of one soul to another body(Pure Love:49 days), the swapping of spirit between a boy and a girl(Secret Garden), the spirit of a young man in a old man's body(Big), a girl pretending to be a boy(You're Beautiful, Coffee Prince), a group of prehistoric warriors being teleported to modern time(Rooftop Prince). Yet, I enjoyed watching "The Heirs".

This drama has a mix of everything, love, hatred, rivalry, pain, and the most important, splashes of humor in between serious parts. It makes you get emotionally devoted, making you laugh and making you cry.

The setting is the usual: wealthy families but without sincerity and peace, broken families, lack of love in family members, rich dominating the poor, the large gap between two social status, highly romanticized prince in shining armor who will put his life on line for the girl he loves, the evil guy who is good in his heart, reunion of lost love and happy ever after ending.

The unique part is that there is rivalry between two half-brothers. One is born of the first wife, and the next from a mistress. The first brother becomes jealous and can't bear his father showing affection to younger brother. Due to that, the father shows lack of affection to younger one so that he won't break the heart of his older son. The woman who gave birth to the younger son can't live the life she wants because she is held as a mistress. She becomes aware that she can never find happiness being with someone else's husband, someone else's house. She herself lacks any identity. Then everything is intertwined in that single plot.

The main theme of this drama seems to be "Love is the greatest. It can't be compared to wealth, fame or any other thing." The lead character Kim Tan (Acted by Lee Min Ho), a rich heir falls in love with a poor girl, Cha Eun Sang (Acted by Park-Shin Hye). They have to go through so many obstacles because a love between a rich and poor isn't permitted. The guy's family strictly object in his love choice and pressure him to marry a rich heiress. But in the end, he doesn't give up on the girl he loves, he stays determined and proves that he will give up everything for her. His brother,Kim Won, a strict and serious business owner doesn't have much of a happy ending in his love life. He becomes too scared to muster up courage to marry the girl he loves because "business" and "money" always come first for him. He abandons his girlfriend because of her low social status, then ends up being unhappy and full of misery.

I always root for the second co-actor to have the girl he loves, but as usual, it never turns out that way. Choi Young Do, also falls for Cha Eun Sang, but she doesn't feel the same way about him. His tactics to get her ruined his chances. He trips her to hold her hand. He bullies her so that he can be with her. He is a troubled guy with an unfortunate childhood despite his family being wealthy. At first, he seems to be wicked and without feelings but we soon come to know the "good" part of him which is hidden inside. I feel that him and Cha Eun Sang would have made a better couple.

My favorite scene was the one at the hotel when they were all having lunch after their "camping" vacation. Kim Tan (an 18 year old, high school student), he is in love with his classmate, Cha Eun Sang. His rival, Choi Young Do picks on her to piss him off all the time and he also likes her. This time, Cha Eun Sang walks out of the cafeteria and Choi Young Do follows her out. Kim Tan can see from the glass windows that Choi Young Do is blocking her way. Then suddenly Choi Young Do swings Cha Eun Sang, and she almost falls into the swimming pool. He catches her at the right time. Then after few seconds, he lets go of her. She falls into the cold water. Choi Young Do tells her, Kim Tan will do the same to you, he'll pretend to grab you at first, then let you go, so don't fall for him. Cha Eun Sang screams at him "Why did you let me fall?" Choi Young Do smiles and says, "Sorry my hands slipped." Kim Tan hurries out in disbelief. He kicks Choi Young Do into the pool and says, "Sorry my foot slipped."

The other funny part was when Kim Tan's brother is happy because his younger brother got "50th" rank in class. Previously, Kim Tan was at "100th", the last rank.

I'll keep remembering those last lines in the final episode:
We may fall again, we may get on our knees but despite that, we go straight.

I would recommend this drama to Korean Drama lovers. It's totally a fun and exciting drama with wonderfully crafted story plot. And the actors/actresses are very good looking! :)

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