(Photo taken from Aisan Wiki)
Devilish Joy
Memory loss and jilted love await in the new K-Drama Devilish Joy.
Synopsis
Gong Ma Sung is a handsome, business savvy, and caring man. While on a business trip he meets a cute celebrity, Jo Ki Beum, who steals his heart within the few hours they spend together. He inadvertently discovers a conspiracy that is going to destroy her life forever. While on his way to save her he gets into a car accident that damages his ability to remember anything longer than a day. Flash forward three years Gong Ma Sung and Jo Ki Beaum cross paths again. Ma Sung can't understand why he remembers this crazy girl but continues to forget everything else. He seeks her out only to be met uncongenially.
Review
So, since this drama first aired about two weeks ago there is not much I can put into the synopsis or the short description without giving too much away. I will say, dear reader, that it has a fairly promising start. The first episode opened the story line beautifully. They introduced the characters well and with a certain charm that made me want to find out more about them.
I can't actually give the drama an honest rating yet. There has only been four episodes and while I've seen all of it, I still don't have enough information to rate it. Thus, my sticky notes are wide open with expectation. I will, however, give my opinion on the direction. On my sticky notes I wrote a 3/5 and that was my opinion on the the first episode itself. While the story proved promising the direction seemed to be a bit. . . well, corny. It fell on so many clichés. The editing was somewhat choppy and there were certain moments that I would have changed if I directed the scene. Scene's like the side by side almost meet where they each look in opposite directions like fate has just about unfolded itself I would have made things slightly different. Of course, I am not a director and am merely an amateur critic. The directing did get better as the episodes have gone on. I may graduate my rating as the series go on.
I will say that I got strong 50 First Dates vibe from this drama. I just keep waiting for the scene where Drew Barrymore is painting while singing her heart out to Wouldn't it be Nice. (SPOILER) Even the main Male lead's condition reminds me of ten seconds Tom. I loved the movie, so hopefully this won't let me down either.
I've read a few comments online and saw some people mentioned the main female lead's intelligence. While I agree that Joo Ki Beum's choice actions are not the best, to say that the character was stupid is doing the her an injustice. Yes, she is easily swayed and happens to get herself into situations, but that is not due to stupidity but a blind trust in people. She doesn't expect for anyone to hold any ill will toward her and because of that she trust people at their word. Now that blind trust is what causes her to both fall in love with the male lead and it is also what lands her in the situation that she's in three years later (where our story ultimately takes place). I feel that Song Ha Yoon plays her unique innocence wonderfully.
The first episode was something of a charmer the love story is so cute! It was such a breath of fresh air and they fell in love so quickly that I had to wonder what was going to happen. Call me a pessimist if you will, but things were going just way too well for me not to be suspicious. Then lo and behold something did happen. Most of the story takes place three years later, but the first episode is important because it sets the stage for the entire series. There are certain things that may require taking notice for later reference.
The main male lead's character is honestly pretty swoon worthy. Gong Ma Sung has this debonair and sweetness quality about him. He is very much the prince charming ready to rush in and save the day (that is if he isn't being annoyed). Just a word of caution, the character does change slightly after the first episode he becomes cranky and a little rude, but he is still pretty much prince charming material. Choi Jin Hyuk has this rich deep voice that just puts the cherry on top of the character's package as a whole.
In regards to the antagonist I am not quite sure who the main culprit is yet. There are two people at the moment that I am keeping out for and I am not sure if I should say it or not. I don't want to spoil anything. Well, i'll just say this (WARNING: skip if you seriously want no hint of a spoiler) I have my eye out for Ma Sung's aunt and Ki Beum's old manager. The aunt has something underneath her stony faced and controlling demeanor. On the other hand the old manager has this . . . well, for lack of a better word jackass (excuse my french) quality about him that I just can't shake off. Besides there is something fishy that happens in the first episode, which he is involved in that I can't stop thinking about.
Anyway, that's my opinion of the show thus far. Give it a chance if you can, it airs every Wednesday and Thursday. I watch it on Drama Fever which is free, but if you are not a member just know you'll have to wait a couple weeks before the new episodes will be available. That's all for today, leave me a comment about your reactions to this drama. Goodbye, and until next time, dear reader.