The Greatest Love (Korean Drama 2011)

Cast

• Cha Seung-won as Dokko Jin
• Gong Hyo-jin as Gu Ae-jung
• Yoon Kye-sang as Yoon Pil-joo
• Yoo In-na as Kang Se-ri

Plot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Love)

Gu Ae-jung was the most popular member of girl group Kukbo Sonyeo, literally meaning "National Treasure Girls," some 10 years ago, but fell from grace after becoming embroiled in scandals. She makes appearances on television programs to make out a living for her troublemaker father and brother. On the other hand Dokko Jin is the most beloved star in the nation, topping all kinds of popularity polls and appearing in many commercials, but has several character flaws. Ae-jung discovers a secret about Jin by chance and reveals it on a talk show, incurring his fury. However, their ill-fated relationship unfolds in an unexpected way as Jin falls for Ae-jung and tries to win her heart.

Kang Se-ri used to be in Kukbo Sonyeo with Ae-jung. But whereas Ae-jung was more famous in her heyday and Se-ri was a nobody, now every girl wants to be just like Kang Se-ri. She dated Dokko Jin for a short time, but despite their breakup, they keep up the pretense that they’re still dating to avoid negative publicity. Se-ri is also the host of popular TV dating show Couple Making Season 3.

Yoon Pil-joo is a well-mannered, thoughtful and caring doctor of Oriental medicine. He has no interest in celebrities and their outrageous lives. Under pressure from his mother, he agrees to appear on a TV dating show, but after finding out that Ae-jung will also be appearing on the same show, he becomes very eager to meet her. Fictional dating show Couple Making Season 3 is based on MBC’s real variety program We Got Married, where they throw celebrities into fake relationships for the cameras. The concept is a competition-based mat-seon program, essentially setting up people on blind dates for the purposes of finding a marriage partner. The major difference is that in Couple Making, celebrity ladies compete over a non-celebrity eligible bachelor who gives them roses to prevent their elimination (a la The Bachelor), which is how Yoon Pil-joo ends up as a contestant on the show.

-FURTHER REVISION WILL BE POST SOON-

Review

Dokko Jin - A 37 years old man who only think of himself. No one can blame him for that as he IS the most famous and influential star. He get what he wants. (If you live in Malaysia, he is in the same level as Dato Siti Nurhaliza. If you live in India, he is in the same level as Shah Rukh Khan. Well, you get where I'm going with this). During the highlight of the National Treasure Girls, he did a heart surgery. At that time, the surgeon was listening to 'Thump Thump', the girls famous song. So, every time he listen to that song, his heart beat faster. He think of it as love. (I do think it is real love. Only he doesn't realize it yet.) After founding out about it, he make a conclusion that he was hypnotize by that song, that he never really love Ae-jung. He stop chasing Ae-jung and decided to continue his life as before. The problem is, NOW Ae-jung have fallen for him and on her quest to pursue him.

Ae-jung - A 30 years old woman who lost her chance in being famous for a scandal she didn't even commit. She hated Dokko Jin, but, soon realize she's in love with him. The problem is, he has stop loving her. She wanted to pursue him, but, there are not even in the same level. It's either she climb to his level, or, he come down to her level.

Pil-joo - A doctor who met Ae-jung out of confusion. Ae-jung thought of him being a pimp and dump him with a glass of water. She realize her mistake afterward. He never look at Ae-jung as a celebrity. That's why he get connected to her fast. He want to shield Ae-jung from the harsh celebrity world. The problem is, Ae-jung is in love with Dokko Jin.

If you have watched Lie To Me and Secret Garden, you will find the uncanny resemblance between these two dramas. It start out as a lie that progress into a real relationship.

As the dramas progress, I have some question that I know you want to know the answers:

1. Why did National Treasure Girls disband?

Gu Ae-jung slapped Kang Se-ri.

She did that accidentally out of rage. Se-ri wanted to play a prank on her, but, instead the prank goes to Mi-na. The result of the prank caused Mi-na to loose her baby. Mi-na wanted to leave the group and settle with her boyfriend (he is from a famous boy-band). After loosing the baby, Mi-na plan didn't go well. Mi-na wanted to commit suicide. (I guess she was dumped by the boyfriend after she lost the baby).

Their ex-manager accused Ae-jung, not knowing the truth. Ae-jung took all the blame, not wanting to conflict the matter further.

(I feel bad for her. For 10 years she's been living as a nobody for a fault that is not even hers.)

2. What secrets does Gu Ae-jung know about Dokko Jin?

- Dokko Jin desperately want to act in a Hollywood movie that he even resorts to bribery. He didn't get the part because he can't speak English fluently. (He did however get the part, but, because he lied about being injured, he have to let go of the proposal).

- Dokko Jin hurts his eardrum while filming a flop movie Fighter. (This is the secret that Gu Ae-jung decided to share with the nation. The movie Fighter in the end become a box-office movie. Mainly because the fans are sympathy towards Dokko Jin for not being able to take part in the Hollywood movie because of his injury).

- When all the South Korean nation is supporting Park Tae Hwan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Tae_Hwan), Dokko Jin is the only one who didn't. Mainly because his commercial won't go on air if Park Tae Hwan wins gold medal.

3. Why does Dokko Jin hearts beat faster every time he hears Gu Ae-jung ring tone?

Remember that Gu Ae-jung used to be in a famous girls group. The ring tone is the group famous song. If you watch closely, you'll know that Dokko Jin used to have a heart operation. In the 1 episode, a doctor is doing a heart surgery. He was listening to the National Treasure Girls song at that time. I guess the patient is Dokko Jin and the song affect him somehow.