Korean Drama - Heartstrings

This drama started showing in Korea on 29 June 2011 and replaces my favorite Korean drama "The Greatest Love". I plan to watch this drama online at (http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/heartstrings/) as it stars Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye from my favorite drama "You're Beautiful" and i already love all the pictures and videos promoting the drama. The pair are good friends in real life and it will be interesting to see them finally acting as a couple after Jung Yong Hwa's character in "You're Beautiful" failed to win the love of Park Shin Hye's character's.

From the very beginning of production, "Heartstrings" garnered a lot of attention due to the casting of hit drama "You're Beautiful" co-stars Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye. If Kang Shinwoo (Jung Yong Hwa) were in love with Go Minam (Park Shin Hye) in "You're Beautiful," things have been flipped around in "Heartstrings" and Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye) is in love with Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) in this new romance drama.

Along with Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye, So Yi Hyun, Song Chang Ui, Woori, and C.N. Blue's drummer Kang Min Hyuk are also acting in the drama. Actress So Yi Hyun plays Jung Yoon Soo, a beautiful ballet professor and Lee Shin’s (Jung Yong Hwa) first love. While Lee Shin is a snobby, prickly guitar prodigy whose life revolves around his music, he changes 180 degrees into a sweet and tender puppy when he’s in front of Yoon Soo. The drama has been pre-sold to eight countries including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and North America while talks in acquiring the rights to broadcast the show was still ongoing in several other places even before it premiered in Korea.

Park Sin-hye and Jung Yong-hwa from CN Blue spoke about acting together again on MBC TV drama "Heartstrings". Director Pyo Min-soo's new drama "Heartstrings" is about the lead characters' love and friendship based on an art university. It’s a family friendly drama that can be enjoyed by viewers of any age and director Pyo Min Soo is the mastermind behind sensational drama “Full House” (2004), starring Rain and Song Hye Kyo.

Park Sin-hye and Jeong Yong-hwa play the roles of Lee Kyu Won, the Korean zither prodigy and Lee Sin, the pretty boy band vocalist in the drama. It's been two years since 2009 SBS TV "You're Beautiful". Jeong Yong-hwa had a crush on Park Sin-hye in "You're Beautiful" which is also his debut drama. Their love never came true in the end.

Jeong Yong-hwa said, "I was the quiet type to stand back, watch and do everything for her. I thought it was a cool character as a man but felt frustrated when I missed the chance to tell her how I felt". He continued, "This time I have the role of Lee Sin who is a little bit a head of everything in terms of the crush and skills so I feel kind of good about myself and I'm curious about what will happen in the future.

Park Sin-hye said, "I was the receiving part previously but now I am the role who has to follow and respect Lee Sin enough to say that it's his revenge-plot".

"Heartstrings" is a mellow drama that draws the main characters' love and friendship in the background of an art school which has singing, dancing and culture. The drama is based on an Art University and is about those who run towards their dreams with sweat, tears and sweet love. Park Sin-hye completed the Lee Kyu Won look with a cute short hair cut and comfortable but trendy college clothing.

In the drama Park Sin-hye is a tough and lively girl as well as a gayageum (Korean zither with twelve strings) prodigy, Kyu-won. Actress Park Sin-hye is the 'campus goddess' for her fresh and innocent beauty. Jeong Yong-hwa is cold city guy and applied music and guitar prodigy Shin, who will be spreading out sweet love scenes with Park Sin-hye. “Heartstrings” is set in an arts and music university, where cold, haughty guitarist and band leader of "The Stupid" Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) and the bright, friendly gayageum prodigy Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye) meet and fall in love. The two will share a bickering, yet cute romance as a college campus couple who share a passion for music and love.  Complicating the relationships are Kyu Won’s affection for a music director (Song Chang Ui), and Shin’s unrequited love for a dance professor (So Yi Hyun).  Rounding the cast in support roles are CN Blue's drummer Kang Min Hyuk , Woori, and Lee Hyun Jin.

Rookie actress Woori has managed to give viewers goose bumps with her chilling performance as a psychopath high school student in drama “Crime Squad,” starring Song Il Kook. She returns to the small screen with "Heartstrings" as Han Hee Joo, a talented snobby college student who dreams of making it big as a musical actress.

Hee Joo’s competitive nature gets the best of her as she competes against Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye) for Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa), whom she had a crush on since high school, and the spot to perform at their school’s 100^th year anniversary concert.

Actress Woori stated, “Hee Joo is the type that practices day and night to be the best. She seems very selfish and conceited at first; but as you get to know her, you’ll see that she’s a hard worker. And she’ll pour her heart and soul to achieve her dreams.”

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Heartstrings.php#synopsi)
(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/heartstrings-jeong-yong-hwa-is-dominant-over-park-sin-hye-30650.html)
(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/heartstrings-excites-viewers-with-a-new-video-teaser)
(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/heartstrings-releases-4th-teaser)
(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/heartstrings-sold-to-eight-countries-before-its-premiere)
(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/heartstrings-releases-jung-yong-hwa-so-yi-hyun-teaser-stills)

“Heartstrings'”Park Shin Hye Sings C.N. Blue’s “I Will Forget You” (updated 21 July 2011)

Park Shin Hye's character, Gyu Won in Korean drama "Heartstrings", challenges herself to audition for the female lead role in the upcoming 100 Year Anniversary School Musical. In the 7th episode, former Broadway director Suk Hyun (Song Chang Ui) announces “love” as the theme for this year’s audition. After long thought, Gyu Won decides on “I Will Forget You” as her audition piece as it best described how she currently felt about Lee Shin (C.N. Blue’s Jung Yong Hwa).

Gyu Won sings emotionally and ends up tearing up mid-performance. Shin watches this teary confession nearby and appears to be slightly moved. A representative of JS Pictures stated, “Park Shin Hye was so into her character during the audition scene that she moved the rest of the cast and crew with her emotional performance.”

(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/park-shin-hye-to-sing-cnblues-i-will-forget-you-in-tonights-episode-of-heartstrings)

[Spoiler] "Heartstrings" Jeong Yong-hwa suddenly nice to Park Sin-hye?

Lee Sin's attitude to Lee Gyoo-won has changed 180 degrees.

MBC TV drama "Heartstrings" on the 20th showed Lee Sin's (Jeong Yong-hwa) complicated feelings for suddenly being concerned about Lee Gyoo-won (Park Sin-hye) without knowing it himself.

Just like Lee Gyoo-won's audition song, "Yes, I Will Forget", love went by and another love came along. Lee Gyoo-won and Lee Sin were in that song. In the place where Lee Sin erased Professor Jeong (So I-hyeon), came in Lee Gyoo-won.

Lee Gyoo-won declared giving up on her crush saying, "I won't care whatever you do" but she couldn't easily quit. Lee Sin soon discovered that and he didn't dislike it. As she turned around, he started becoming nicer and tortured her without torturing her. He followed her to the meat house and karaoke as well as she joined the dinner. Lee Sin was only looking at Lee Gyoo-won. He was the first to realize that she had an upset stomach. He thumped her back and gave up his bicycle to ride the bus home with her.

As Lee Gyoo-won was at risk of not being able to attend the auditions because of her grandfathers protest, Lee Sin got his sister Lee Jeong-hyeon (Moon Ga-yeong) to help her escape. Lee Gyoo-won didn't think of his sudden change in behavior as hope or love. However, she was confused at his enthusiasm. At the end of this episode, Lee Sin showed his feelings for her as he argued with Kim Seok-hyeon (Song Chang-ee) who wanted to take her home.

Netizens say, "This is the start of their love line", "Lee Sin is a bad guy. He only starts being nice when she says she's going to stop", "Seok-hyeon also seems to like Gyoo-won, does this make professor Jeong a fool?" and more.

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/spoiler-heartstrings-jeong-yong-hwa-suddenly-nice-to-park-sin-hye--31604.html)

(Source: http://news.nate.com/view/20110721n0247)

Thoughts On Korean Drama - Heartstrings (updated 28 July 2011)

I have started watching Korean drama "Heartstrings" and loves the music in the drama and the sweet love that is blooming between the main characters. The Pre-order sales on Part 1 of the soundtrack exploded before the official release on 13 July 2011. On July 12th, according to ‘Heartstrings’ officials, ‘Heartstrings’ OST Part 1 achieved 50,000 pre-orders. The album includes songs sung by the actors in the drama and additional background music that was used to express the emotions of the main characters. Jung Yong Hwa’s self composed song, “Because I Miss You,” which has been garnering high interest and love through various music sites is one of the highlights on the album.

Additionally, Jung Yonghwa’s “You’ve Fallen for Me“, Park Shin Hye’s “The Day We Fall in Love“, and Kang Min Hyuk’s “Star” are also all included on the album.

I also love female lead Park Shin Hye's acting and dressing in the drama. She has been wearing a variety of casual outfits in numerous scenes, looking cute and stylish each time.

(Source: http://www.allkpop.com/2011/07/heartstrings-ost-part-1-reaches-50000-pre-order-sales)
(Source: http://www.soompi.com/news/heartstrings-teases-with-jung-yong-hwas-tender-gaze)

Lucky - Jung Yong Hwa (updated 31 July 2011)

Lovely song by Jung Yong Hwa, its a pity he only sings the chorus.

Thoughts On Final Episode Of Korean Drama - Heartstrings (updated 29 August 2011)

I finished watching the last 2 episodes of "Heartstrings" this week although it ended last week in Korea as i was busy watching another Korean drama "Brilliant Legacy" which caught my attention after Channel U started showing it on TV. There has been negative reviews about "Heartstrings" online and its ratings were not good in Korea and some viewers feel that the drama started off quite well and showed potential midway but ended up getting boring in the last few episodes as there was not much excitement in the plot.

You can read this article which gave 3 reasons why the writer felt the drama was not appealing. I admit that "Heartstrings" did not fall into the categories of really fantastic and awesome dramas like recent dramas "The Greatest Love", "49 Days" or "Secret Garden" did as those dramas have alot of bittersweet romance between the main leads which endears the characters to viewer's hearts but i still enjoyed watching "Heartstring" for its simple and direct plot and i love the sweet romance between the main leads and feel that sometimes it is quite nice and relaxing to watch a drama without all the bittersweet and  complicated romance.

I love the scene in episode 14 where Jun Hee kept interrupting Hun Jun's mother from trying to reassure Hun Jun that her operation will go smoothly. He was so comical talking non-stop to the exasperation of Hun Jun's mother but he ended up cheering both of them with his endless and childlike chattering.

I love the song that Kyo Won performed with Gi Young and am listening to the drama OST while typing now :) This has been a relaxing and fun drama to watch and i love Park Shin Hye's dressing in the drama and the great chemistry she shares with Jung Yong Hwa in the drama. The cute bear handphone charms that both of them were using in the drama were also really cute and i'm sure some fans of the drama will be hoping to get their hands on them ;)

I also did a post previously about Park Shin Hye's dressing in the drama and her dressing has been more ladylike and mature as the drama progresses and i love her long dresses in the last few episodes which makes her look really lovely and womanly unlike the previous youthful and girlish image. I have included some pictures below:

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Heartstrings.php)
(Source: http://www.dramabeans.com)