My Love From Another Star

Plot: My Love From Another Star is a 2014 South Korean drama produced for SBS. The main character is Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun), an alien that arrived on planet Earth 400 years ago. But, after staying behind to help a young window, he lost his chance to return to his home planet. It is now the year 2014 and he has an opportunity to return home in 3 months when a meteor shower passes by Earth. All he has to do is bide his time and wrap up his affairs quietly. His plans, though, are laid to waste when he crosses paths with actress Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun), who bears a striking resemblance to the widow he met 400 years earlier. As the pair develop feelings for each other, Do Min Joon is forced to come to terms with the meaning of life and the importance of love.

-1/2 heart because I don't like giving away all my hearts

Recommendation: This is a must watch and will probably top my list for the "best of" 2014 k-dramas. It really is the total package for a drama fanatic. There is plenty of romance, suspense, plot twists, and a very good looking cast of characters. It pushes the "supernatural" k-drama trend in a great direction with a well developed plot that doesn't rely on special effects and gimmicks. The cast as a whole is strong without any weak links. I really loved the contrast between the level headed Do Min Joon and the fiery actress Choi Song Yi - they struck a perfect balance together. The ending is also well rounded and thoughtful. The writers took it in a direction that I didn't anticipate so that was a nice surprise.



Other Thoughts (And Possible Spoilers): I am very late with this review, I know. In fact, I wrote it a few months ago but due to work/life/school commitments I never got around to finding images and/or creating graphics. But I swore to myself that this would be the next review I publish and since I'm between wrapping up a few other dramas it is a good time to get it done.

Maybe they can catch a Beethoven's Virus concert?

I'll start with one of the many things that made me happy about this drama. The writers gave Cheon Song Yi's other potential love interest, Lee Whi Kyung (Park Hae Jin), a more prominent and meaningful role. Typically, the "other" guy is just there to be an obstacle to the male and female lead. Outside of pursuing the girl, he has very little to do besides getting rejected. Now, Lee Whi Kyung certainly spends a lot of time and effort to pursue Cheon Song Yi, but, he evolves in each episode until the primary focus is on his relationship with his older brother and family. And, while he eventually does get rejected, it seems like less of a big deal.

No Do Min Joon No Cry

Jun Ji Hyun really shines in the role of Cheon Song Yi. I would even venture to say that she was better in this role than she was in the film My Sassy Girl. She has great comedic timing and is a big presence on the screen without being overbearing or annoying. I think her comedy skills are equivalent to a Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett. On the other hand, Kim Soo Hyun did a great job of being "alien" without being lifeless or completely unemotional (I know some will disagree with me on this one). There were a few scenes where he emotionally breaks down and they were all the more poignant because of the contrast with the character's normally level-headed and calm demeanor. Bonus! We get to hear him sing and it's lovely.