Heartstrings (2011)
Quick Take: Heartstrings (2011), starring Jung Young-hwa and Park Shin-hye. 9.5/10. 15 70-minute episodes.
Synopsis: Rivalry at a performing arts college results in a face-off between the Western Music majors and the Traditional Music majors. The rock band The Stupid wins the contest, at least partially because a string breaks on one of the traditional band’s instruments. As a result, Lee Gyu-won has to keep her word and for a month become the “slave” of the arrogant Stupid band leader, Lee Shin. (Mostly she fetches coffee.) She gradually becomes attracted to him, but Shin has a crush on the school’s dance professor, who is rekindling a relationship with an old flame. Amid significant emotional tension, they all have to work together on the school’s 100-year anniversary performance.
The plot involves rehearsing and presenting the anniversary show, two old relationships revisited, a couple of new relationships born, injury, sacrifice, a cut-throat rivalry, a grumpy grandpa, and some good songs.
Review: Heartstrings is a great choice for a light romance break between heavier fare. Because the story revolves around music, the sound track includes several good songs.
Both the leads are Kpop artists in their own right. Jung Young-hwa has released several albums as a solo artist, as well as performing with and writing songs for the group CNBLUE. He has also written and produced songs for other artists. He’s been doing tv drama since 2009.
Park Shin-hye has been acting since her early teens. She is particularly popular in Japan. She is best known for tv series Pinocchio (2014) and The Heirs (2013) and the zombie film #alive with Yoo Ah-in. After liking her in Heartstrings, my opinion of her acting in Alhambra (q.v.) remains unchanged. In Heartstrings, she played a cute teenager given to pouting and giggling. In Alhambra, her character is a serious young woman, struggling to support of her grandmother and two siblings. Pouting and giggling weren’t called for, and she didn’t seem to have much else to bring to the table.
Recommended.
Rewatchable - 5, Compelling - 5, Plot/ Story/Writing - 10, Acting/Casting - 10, Production - 10, Bonus - 5. Bonus points for the sound track.
Notes:
CNBLUE
Originally a four-member group, CNBLUE now has three members. (See Wikipedia entry, Burning Sun Scandal.). All three have appeared in K-dramas, including this one.
CNBLUE PLAYLIST
CNBLUE has been around since 2009, releasing songs in Korean, Japanese, and English. They are musicians rather than dancers. Check out their videos on You Tube, including I’m Sorry, Starting Over, Radio,Go Your Way, I Will Forget You, Love in the Rain, Catch Me, 99%, In My Head.