Ladies and Gentleman I present "To the Beautiful You"

To the Beautiful You.  What to the beautiful me?  What are you giving me?  Are you toasting me?  What is it exactly?  Sometimes, drama titles just leave me wondering what they actually mean, but once I get over that, I just sit back relax and try to enjoy it.

To the Beautiful You is the K-drama adaptation of that wonderful J-drama Hana Kimi.  Hana Kimi is one of my favourite J-dramas, so as is always the case with any adaptation, I sometimes get a nagging feeling that I wont like how the new one will go.  To the Beautiful You falls into the disappointment category.

As for as this K-drama goes, I think its approach to the drama was a valiant effort.  Some of the same basic premises existed, but as a whole it felt like a completely different drama and to be perfectly honest, I am glad they chose to create a completely different drama.  f it felt like they were copying the Japanese version too much, I wouldn't be too happy. Therefore, I tried to approach this drama without thinking too much about the version that I already know.  However, it was unavoidable that I would.

The thing about this version is that it wasn't something that grabbed me.  It was lighthearted, funny, sweet and cute, but while most K-dramas that I watch end with cliff hangers that leave me cussing and screaming at my computer screen, To the Beautiful You did not do that.  In fact, if I missed an episode here and there, and didn't watch it as soon as it aired didn't matter.  I knew it would still be there and that there was no need to rush.  At first, I wondered if it was because I knew the Hana Kimi plot, but I don't think so, since Boys Over Flowers Korean version had me at the edge of my seat screaming to know more, even though that too covered much of the same story line as the Japanese Hana Yori Dango.  I think it had something to do with the absurdity element missing from this dramas story line.  In the J-drama version, the constant wars between the three dorms, led by their eccentric dorm leaders added multiple layers of idiocy and comic relief to the drama.  The K-drama completely removed that element, and I think the drama suffered enormously because of it.  Anyway, enough of my ramblings, let's move on to the review.

Welcome to Genie High.  Wait a minute.  Is this a shout out to Girls Generation?  *shakes head quizzically then sighs*  Moving on, Genie High is a private school for Korea's top male sports competitors.  No matter what sport you are interested in, there is something for you at Genie High.  Enter Goo Jae Hee (Sulli) she is clearly a girl, because we would have to be blind to consider her a boy, but apparently in K-dramaland wearing boys clothes makes you a boy, so those around her think that she is a boy.  Ok let's role with is dramaland, no matter how unlikely.  

Anyhow, they are at the school gates when a celebrity van arrives and a swarm of female fans attack the van.  They are trying to get a glimpse of Kang Tae Joon (Mi Ho).  He is a famous high jumper who, regardless of the fact that he no longer jumps competitively, is still the most popular boy competitor in the school.  The van successfully enters the school as does Jae Hee.

Lo and behold, Jae Hee is Tae Joon's new room mate.  Ah, dramaland and its need for close proximity between characters for any progress to be made.  We get a flashback to an earlier stage in Jae Hee's life in the US, where she was still a girl (although a rather despondent looking one), we don't know why, but suddenly we see another shot of her cutting her hair off while another girl tells her that this is too extreme.  Jae Hee's reply is that this is something she must do.  Ok, then.  I guess they are trying to create mystery.

So, why is Jae Hee cross dressing?   She's on a one woman mission (forget that she's dressed as a man on this mission) to get Kang Tae Joon to jump again.  As the story unfolds we learn that Tae Joon inspired Jae Hee when she was having a rough time adapting to life in the US.  Seeing him successfully high jump gave her the motivation to find her own niche and she ended up a track athlete.  How is that a good reason for travelling half way around the world to dress up as a boy, I don't know, but in her mind it was justification enough.

Tae Joon's personality throughout the drama goes from cold and unapproachable to friendly and adorable.  He obviously had just given up on the sport more because of the loss of his mother more than an actual dislike for competiting.  Thanks to Jae Hee, he removes himself from the aloof ivory tower that he created and joins the lowly human race and the sport that he loves.  Simple, sweet and predictable.  

The side characters are just as uncomplicated and easy to read as the main characters. Male second lead Cha Eun Gyul (Lee Hyun Woo) is bubbly, happy, comic and cute.  He says what he needs to say and seems to enjoy his life as a high school student.  His life gets more complicated as he befriends Jae Hee and slowly starts to fall in love with her, the only problem is that he thinks she's a boy, so the inevitable, "does this mean I am gay?" question pops up.

As for female second lead Seol Ha Na (Kim Ji Won), she is the typical diva who needs all attention, with a personality that just screams "You are supposed to dislike me, so dislike me."  She has been friends with Tae Joon for years and also has a major crush on him.  Alas, she has already officially been "friend zoned" and no matter how hard she tries to push down that barrier she can't.  Alas, because its a K-drama she will continue to push and push at that brick wall just to irritate me, you and anyone else who watches this drama. *sigh*  

Ironically, my favourite character of this drama has absolutely no lines.  All that was required from this character was to look pretty and listen.  It was the dog Sangchu.  How cool is it to name a dog "lettuce"/  Hehehe.  What can I say, that dog is so cute and fluffy that if I was in Korea, I would probably attempt to steal it.  HAHA.  My favourite character being a dog kind of says it all, about how I feel about To the Beautiful You.

Even though most of this drama was too lighthearted for me too attached to it, some elements of the plot did irritate me.  Sometimes, I felt that tense story lines could be drawn out a bit longer.  A problem or conflict would arise and by the end of the episode or the following episode it would be resolved.  It all seemed like they were just glancing over situations, so that another one could be created.  I suppose to extend these situations longer would be outside of this dramas genre, but still it would've added more meat to the story.

Additionally, I just found the character of Jae Hee completely stupid and irritating.  If I don't like a female lead, the drama kind of goes downhill for me doesn't it.  NO ONE IS THAT OBLIVIOUS.  How can she not realise that Tae Joon has discovered her secret for so long?  She is not very good at pretending to be a boy, what with dropping tampons and feminine undies in front of him, among other things, not to mention that there is a complete shift in Tae Joon's treatment of her when he discovers that she's a gir.  I mean it doesn't take a genius to realise that.  But, then again expecting simple logic to work for Jae Hee is a stretch, since she is after all the girl who pretends to be a boy to help a guy she's never met high jump again.  She works out things in her own unique way. 

So, in summation what can I say about To the Beautiful You? Predictable?  Yes.  Cute and cuddly?  Yes.  Worth watching? To that I say maybe.  Why?  Even though it's not particularly original or appealing, it still has a great OST and nice visuals.  Also, sometimes you need a break from all the intense melodrama and angst that make up K-dramaland.  So, if you're not looking for great and breath taking acting or an extreme plot give it a go.  It is clear that for the majority of actors, they are now getting their foot into the acting world, which results in a lot of stiff movements and facial expressions.  Of course, if you are a fan of SHINee and f(x) you won't mind this drama since Mi Ho and Sulli are the leads.  I mean if the picture to the right isn't  fan service I don't know what else could be.

To the Beautiful You, therefore gets two and a half stars on the Bel Scale. 

According to Bel: Up to you to decide.