Pretty Man

3 out of 5 - I coulda' been a contenda'.

Pretty Man is a drama that follows the journey of Dok Go Ma Te (Jang Geun Suk) as he works to solve the mystery of his birth and claim his place as the son of a wealthy businessman. Dok Go Ma Te is established as a gold digger at the beginning of the drama. He uses his good looks to attract wealthy women, who then foot the bill for his lifestyle. He has a trusted sidekick in the form of Kim Bo Tong (IU). She has been in love with him since high school. With the help of Hong Yoo Ra (Han Chae Young), Ma Te sets out to "conquer" powerful woman and learn their secrets to success in order to prepare for his eventual reunion with his father - ultimately growing as a person and casting off his playboy ways.

Rating: 3 out  5
Recommendation:  It's not perfect but it is entertaining even as it fails to deliver a satisfying end. It's worth a watch.

I believe that this was a good and interesting concept for a drama but the execution left a little something to be desired - especially toward the end when the conclusion felt rushed. The relationship between Ma Te and Bo Tong also never felt quite genuine and it needed to in order for the characters to evolve. I chalk it up to poor chemistry between the actors. Their kiss in the last scene was as exciting as my train ride to work. Want to know what I do on the train? I sleep.

But it wasn't all bad! Jang Geun Suk held his own as Ma Te and added some complexity to a character that could have easily been a caricature. He took the role just seriously enough to make it interesting without losing the fun. Lee Jang Woo also stood out as the quirky and troubled Choi David. This is the second drama that I've seen with Lee Jang Woo and I continue to be impressed with him. Altogether, the drama was solid up until the last 3-4 episodes.

Most importantly, I want to applaud a silent star of this drama for putting in a strong performance week after week........Wait for it........ Jang Geun Suk's hair!! I have put together a photo montage of the hair in action. There's long and wavy, short and wavy, combed back, combed forward, swept to the side, and tousled. This is the hardest working hair on television. Do you have a favorite?

Shown in order of appearance....