Gu Family Book

After a long time, yet another Korean series that didn't disappoint. Sure, it had its flaws – staring contests, lots of tears, lines that left me "stunned" and moments where I was bored, or how else to put it – what was just flashing by on the screen didn't interest me enough to keep me interested the entire time. But it had its own great charm too. The clichés and kitsch fit into the story with an elegance that surprised me. I laughed, I cried, I was tense, I was impatient. It was almost like I was experiencing the series myself... :-P I found the OST to be the same as the Korean series counterparts – like slow dirges that fit the mood (I'm not complaining). The relationship between the main characters was very beautiful, I enjoyed every moment with them. Plus Gon added beautiful shape to it, this trio just took me in. At times I was worried that it would fall into the typical formula, but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't. However, I suffered through half of the last episode – I couldn't help but find it awful. It was also immediately clear to me that, given all the circumstances, this was how it was going to end, and lo and behold, I wasn't wrong. Which wouldn't have mattered all that much; after all, for me it's probably the second best ending the writers could have come up with. I enjoyed it. If you want to be entertained, disturbed, hooked, and moved, take it with all ten fingers. A strong 4 stars. [BEGIN SPOILER] As for the series being fulfilled or unfulfilled, i.e. becoming human and finding the Gu family book. I think the creators fulfilled that flawlessly. Maybe not as blatantly, but it's there. In the last episode, Kang Chi asks the Admiral if he thinks the book really exists. And he replies that if he believes it does, then it does. Only his love interest is no longer there, so he doesn't want to believe in the book – he said himself that he'll wait for someone else to spend his life with. To me, the book of Gu is nothing material, no book. It's just a 100% belief that "I don't want to be immortal anymore, I want to spend my life and die with this woman". And the 100-day ritual is there just to confirm and seal his conviction. I think everyone in the Gu family carries the book around (sort of like a genetic genealogy). At least, that's how I see it when I think about it. [END SPOILER] (26/06/2013)

24 episodes have slipped by, and I guess I'll be searching in vain for a replacement. Gu Family Book is without a second thought one of the best doramas I've ever seen. And I'm willing to bet that nothing will top it this year. The combination of Seung-gi Lee and Suzy would never have occurred to me, but they worked incredibly well together. Suzy is a great main character who never bored me for a moment. Seung-gi Lee in the role of Kang Chia is exactly the kind of performance I think suits him best. And then there are the other amazing characters. Like the naval commander Yi Sun-sin and the charismatic brothel madame. There's also Gon, who is played by an actor I don't usually like, but I was happy with him here. And I can't forget our amazing, good and bad dad. The development of the plot kept surprising me. And because there were so many stories, I wasn't bored for a moment (and I mean that literally). The soundtrack here wasn't just one pretty song and twenty more to serve as background. There are several of very nice songs here. I'm thrilled with the ending, which some didn't like very much. I couldn't have imagined a better one. It will stay in my head like this for a long time. 5 stars. (29/06/2013)