Winter Sonata (2002)

Winter Sonata Ever since I became a K drama fan 13 years ago I've always always heard so much about it and the impact that this drama has brought to the world and how it set off the Hallyu Wave. I always wondered what's so special about it, I had some ideas about the story and some expectations (which weren't promising or exciting) I thought it is just another cliche melodrama and I was always told that it has absolutely no moment of happiness. Therefore I kept postponing it, till I actually came to Korea and went to Nami Island (where they mostly filmed this drama) and when I saw how beautiful the island is and when I saw how ppl from all around the world would go there just to see where the couples filmed their romantic scenes and take pictures and recall all those memories of the drama I realised that this is not just a drama its a beautiful memory to many many ppl and it is still engraved in their memories and heart and that it is something that made them and still makes them so happy so I said to myself I have to watch it!! and FINALLY I DID

Story:
I finished this drama in one night one day!! from the very 1st ep I got the feeling that it's definitely a special one and it is!! My expectations weren't as close as right this is NOT a cliche story it is not just melo sad story Winter Sonata is more than that its a journey it takes you with it and makes you feel you are living every moment with them you feel their pain and sorrow together and that snow it really remains in your head that whiteness that coldness it's simply just beautiful.

Acting:
The best part of this drama is the acting performance!! all of the cast the main lead who wouldn't love them I really believed every pain, tear sorrow, touch, longing...etc I believed everything they felt and felt it together with them I actually think that now I won't be able to see those two as actors anymore to me they are Joon Sang and Yu Jin I think it will take time for me to see them as normal ppl again.

I understand now why Bae Yong Jun is considered a legendary actor, the character he portrayed the man he presented I've never seen like him. Kang Joon Sang /Lee Min Hyung was a very classy man a true gentleman. When he falls in love he cares for the girl he loves without forcing anything on her, I loved how gentle and understanding he was. If there is a true gentleman this is the man.

Music:
I fell in love with it from the very 1st ep, it takes so much for me to actually like OST let alone fall in love with it. I came to realise now that all the classic shows really do have different level of music unlike nowadays shows the old ones do remain in my head and I never grow tired of them. WS is no difference it has a BEAUTIFUL OSTs my favourite is From The Beginning Till Now (the song itself makes me tear and I'm really really hard to tear up).

Overall?
If you are really a true drama fan for the sole purpose of being a drama fan then you know just as much as I do that your list is never complete without watching WS, I doubt that there is anyone there who hasn't heard of it and let me just tell you it DESERVES all the recognition it got it's ONE of a kind. To me it's definitely a REWATCHABLE one I just truly wish that I was from that generation when all the beautiful shows were made.

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I finally came around to watching this classic drama which helped in spreading the Hallyu wave. I put it off for a very long time because it didn't sound like a drama that I'd enjoy. However I gave it a chance and I found myself enjoying it.

This story is pretty good till the first 8 or 9 episodes. From then on it is a downward spiral. It has its moments though and the romance is lovely. At times this drama gave me a headache but it was a headache that I enjoyed lol. There is something addictive about melodramas and this is a similar case. There are all sorts of cliches possible used in this drama. This story has no depth and its characters are just meh. It is just one of those dramas where you can watch for the main leads in case you enjoy romance. The characters aren't that great and neither is the plot. Analyzing the plot will only make you hate the drama.

It was such a massive hit in those times and now I can see why. It has some amazing moments and has that pull factor which would make you want to turn on your TV screen every week. Like the other Endless Love series, this is also one which you can finish only after skipping a LOT. It gets hell repetitive in the second half and most of the episodes are just filler (like most dramas those days).

I love the music in it and the soundtrack is beautiful. Another reason to watch the drama would be the cinematography. If there were better HD cameras back then, it would be a feast for the eyes (much like Love Rain). I see a pattern in the way the writer writes her stories. It had a lot of moments which were reminiscent of Love Rain.

This drama is a mindless angst-fest. If you enjoy angst, watch this. Or if like me- you want to see what the hype was about you can check this out. This sadly leaves no room for rewatching but I am still glad I watched this drama.

I wanted to dock off a point for its ending but I can't rate it any lower. I hate the ending. It's probably one of the worst endings ever but overall I just can't hate this drama nor can I give it any lesser than 8. It wouldn't be fair since since I enjoyed a lot of its makjang moments.

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Loved this show!

Just finished watching Winter Sonata on Viki.

For the uninitiated, this is the second chapter of the 4 part Endless Love Anthology series (Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Summer Sense, and Spring Waltz). I've only seen part 1 and now part 2. Both K-Dramas launched Hallyu and are excellent.

A character-driven melodrama about an ill-fated romance and the strain it puts on the main and supporting characters. The theme of the story is the idea that the sins of the parents fall on their children. I like how the first half takes its time to show how the romance develops while the second half is a rollercoaster with many twists and turns. It will be a journey, but I implore you to hang on until the final episode, which I found satisfying for this type of story.

The excellent soundtrack features one memorable tear-jerking ballad after another. The writing, directing and acting was excellent, especially in the second half. The fashion in this show is also notable.

Hard to believe this came out 20 years ago, but I see why it was such a big hit back then as it is an emotional journey you won't forget once you've seen it. It is worthy of all the praise it gets and receives my highest recommendation.

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Winter Sonata is a beautiful drama that touches the theme of the first love, the first kiss, which is never forgotten. Beautifully set in a beautiful winter, snowy white, the color of innocence. Bae's role has two aspects: it is like Yin and Yang: distrust, bitterness, sadness, desire to form a family and a stable home (Jun-Sang) versus joy, confidence, and nonchalance (Min Hyung). The drama presents three symbols of this first love: winter, Polaris and the puzzle. The white Korean winter is the favorite season of the protagonists, innocent as the first love that so beautifully characterizes. In winter, Christmas and New Year coincide, especially the new year, which is always a new beginning, whether good or bad. Polaris represents Jun Sang, who despite being lost to Yu Jin for 10 years, since his "death", until he finds him again and does not lose him again. When the chain is broken, it symbolizes the little time that will separate to never again be left. The puzzle represents Yu Jin, which is the lost piece of Jun Sang, and without which he can not be happy. Contrary to what many people think, Jun-Sang is not totally blind at the end of the drama, but he is a "Legal Blind" and we realize this when we watch the scene years later, where his friends have a daughter and they receive Yu Jin, after her return from her studies in Paris and we see him from behind, watching the scene. The total blind cannot hold their eyes, while the legal blind sees little, but they can see, so he continues to wear his glasses. The healing process of Jun-Sang is slow and painful and is presented in the Anime that was made a few years later. It is a drama that everyone who loves Korean dramas must see. All love, pure and innocent.

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I loved the first half of the drama, towards the end I was dying of boredom. Except for the last episode, which I enjoyed (I dislike K-drama endings where the epilogues are stretched out to an average of episode and a half, not the case for this drama).
I never skip scenes, and after watching the whole drama let me tell you: starting from the middle, feel free to skip. This being said, I love the beautiful love story.
The leads (and the rest) lack in the personality department, even though the chemistry is there.
The OST is beautiful, classical music and a lot of piano, but the lack of action in the drama, makes it a constant battle against sleep.
Love challenged with a never-ending train of formidable obsticles.

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CONTAINS SPOILERS

*content warning for SA* This show is often referred to as a classic and I was interested to watch it. I was literally stunned that nowhere on the Internet has anyone talked about an attempted rape that not only isn't seen as problematic, but is repeatedly ignored as the victim is practically forced to be with her assistant by every character in the show. I'm worried flabbergasted that there is no discussion of this plot line and how literally horrific it is for anyone who might be curious about why this show is so beloved. I did finish it in an attempt to understand, but following the most terrifying gaslighting I've seen a character experience with a made up incest story line and an ending where love can't conquer getting the next flight, this is truly more horror than romance.

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