Watching May Queen harkens back to the days of yore when K-dramas were chock full of amazing coincidences, outlandish plot contrivances, and painfully overwrought emotional entanglements. Despite knowing I am watching something truly dumb, I’m enjoying the delicious nuggets of angst between the three leads Chang Hee, Hae Joo, and Kang San. I read an interview with Jae Hee where he discusses how his character is going to get pulled through the wringer but will have some sort of reversal of fortune at the end, which totally got my hopes up again that there is a possibility this drama won’t follow the original construct of Hae Joo losing her first love Chang Hee and ending up with Kang San. I’m totally getting Beautiful Days vibes from this drama, where in BD Lee Byung Hun was supposed to be the first love and Choi Ji Woo was to end up with Ryu Shi Won, except as the story progressed the audience totally fell for the initial pairing and that ended up being the OTP since the drama was live filmed and the writers decided to go with what was working. If I were to take the temperature of the audience, it looks split evenly between SanJoo shippers and ChangJoo shippers, which is pretty impressive since Kim Jae Won by far has the larger fanbase. I’m purely on Team Chang Hee because of his character alone – I love how these two kids fell in love during the kid portion and how their love is so fraught with elder generation pitfalls but they are just innocent and pure victims who would be together but for things beyond their control. I was worried the earlier scenes between them were a tad too chaste, but in the preview for episode 14 we get a ChangJoo KISS IN THE POURING RAIN. It’s so hot I almost combusted on the preview alone. Tomorrow can’t come fast enough. Even if my ship sinks, I will enjoy it to the fullest until then.
Credit for the screencap and preview video courtesy of @Shirley via Soompi May Queen thread. In episode 13, Chang Hee learns that his daddy tried to off young Hae Joo and moves out, desperately trying to keep her safe and finding a way for them to be together. Hae Joo and Kang San continue to be adorable and carefee together, with him teaching her ship building design techniques. I know between the two men San is definitely the saner choice since he comes with zero baggage other than a predilection to be a giant flirt, but my heart is totally rooting for the pairing that comes with baggage because I want them to rise above it all and make their own happiness together.
Watching Jae Hee and Han Ji Hye together brings back all sorts of memories… Delightful Girl Choon Hyang and Sweet 18 were the first Korean dramas I ever watched.
Aw man Koala you’re practically making me watch this show now, and I’m already backlogged with soooo many ! Real Life, le sigh 🙁
Screw sanity and common sense…i’m totally team Chang Hee here…and I’m also praying for a reversal of the intended OTP….and if that doesnt happen. i’m just going to pretend it did
I am so there with you. I’m wish I can say I’m out the moment my OTP breaks up, but there is always the hope the drama upends convention and have then find a way to reconcile.
too bad they wont end up together!
I am Team Kang San, mainly because he is the only character I am not finding boring. I would not be happy if I stuck out watching 50+ episodes only to have HJH end up with someone else. I mean, if they choose to do so, they should let us know so I can drop the drama already because there is pretty much nothing else in it that interests me.
I love Jae Hee but Chang Hee – no. Bored.
I don’t really think Beautiful Days comparison is valid – not because of the outcome (because with a long drama like this who knows – though if they do marry Chang Hee off to In Hwa, it would be hard for him to end up with the heroine per drama laws, so if they want to change the story they should do it prior to that) but because BD is actually a good melodrama. With much worse hair though 🙂
I AM FOREVER KANG SAN TEAM TOOO!!!
I’ll kill the writer if Hae Joo not end up with my san oppa
me too…
I’m team Kang San..hahaha..I also think a lot of people will kill the writer if the ending not happen for SanJoo pair..because like you said Kim Jae Won have larger fanbase..If i didn’t wrong.,Last Year award on August.,Kim Jae Won grab no 3 most popular actor behind Park Yoo Chun and Jang Geun Suk…even LMH and LSG lost to him..I also love Jae Hee..but us already know this type of story sometime can be predicted which couple will be together at the end..
Haha, I’m totally the opposite here. I find Kang San adorable but utterly boring. I don’t get how he pines for Hae Joo for 15 years. Really? At least Chang Hee and Hae Joo were dating and totally in love for each other. I would rather Kang San have happily moved on only to re-fall for adult Hae Joo, because there wasn’t enough between their childhood parts for that amount of unrequited love on his part. One reason I love CH-HJ so was that they were the OTP in the childhood section and I really felt how much they grew to love each other. Kang San was always the third wheel. Anyways, I’m sure chances are your ship will sail so I’m happy at least someone out there is happy with it. My sadness will be to bring others happiness. 😀
Maybe they can alternate on odd-even days, so both of us can be happy? 🙂
I agree KS having a torch for her for 15 years makes no sense (though I don’t think he’s been pining and weeping – it’s more meeting her rekindled whatever fondness he had) but then I think pretty much every last part of this plot makes no sense – don’t get me started on lost baby drama. It makes Five Fingers seem like a study in realism! I think my preference for Kang San is basically because he looks like he’s charming and has a ton fun (and KJW makes the most amusing faces), while everyone else is stuck in the Ye Olde Melodrama mode. Or maybe it’s my not-so-inner KJW fangirl coming out.
I am actually shocked at how not good this drama is. Giant got bogged down in the second half (IMO) but was was overall fairly solid throughout, and East of Eden might have really gone insane by the end, but it always entertained me. This just makes me want to extract the trio and plunk them into a romcom instead.
This a foul play, CH did not tell KS that he is still in contact with HJ, when KS asked him.
CH is just sneaky as his father, like father like son… coward
Not watching MQ or for that matter any K-drama right now but wanted to chime in that I’m so glad for Jae Hee that this one’s doing well. Yayyy! I discovered him last year and he was such a delight in Delightful girl.
yay, I havent even thought that the writers would ever let them kiss. yay, so happy. hope it ll be a good one. not the one where hae joo pushes him back, when he was starting to kiss her. 😀 come on girl, you were waiting for this kiss for 15years 😉 agreed koala, the romantic scene of HJ and CH when they were young was too real, so that no space was left for young KS. even when they grew up, they’re just like an old married couple, knowing each other so deep without words. even though worst case they will stick to the script ending up KS and Hj, I wish CH wouldnt be forced to become evil, since he is justnot that type when we saw CH him up to now. also hopimg for him to ha ea happy life. I dont like KS. he is selfish& a playboy. he doesnt even try to help CH and HJ as a friend with advices. he is an opportunist who tries to sneak HJ from CH. and dont blame Ch for not telling him where hJ was,since CH wanted to keep it all in secret out of worries about his father. KS could have gone earlier to korea n search for HJ, if he really wanted it.sry no offense. CH and HJ pure love forever
I completely agree with everything you said. I don’t think its unrealistic for HJ to eventually find happiness with KS, but everything from childhood until now shows us that the true OTP is CH-HJ, but they are a doomed OTP is all.
am with ChanJoo hip as well………….yippeeeeeee for that kiss!!!!
Oh whoa I just saw something more disturbing.Is that the underage sister sleeping with the jerk?
Good luck with your pairing Ms Koala and everyone.I am with the Kangjoo pairing all the way.And yes even though I am a Jae Hee fan and watched his last drama.He has much better chemistry with the female lead here.Who knew?I am so surprised.
After i watched the preview, i was like o.o
What happened to te younger sister! She was so adorable when she was a kid! She is so spoiled and annoying the heck out of me! She better not sleep with that jerk for money! Tooo disturbing! Smh tsk tsk shame on her and that evil guy!
I am joining Sanjoo shipper… due, I believe they will fell in love but it will take time hopefully not too long… If they do not get together at end.. I will bring my pitchfork and fire to writernim house.. Koala Unni, you should do a compare of all the interaction of both OTP on every episode pretty please…:) Oh, and does anyone know if there will be NG ost out yet…. Also, I would’ve love Koala Unni pretty please recap May Queen due to your poor dongseng (me) is really behind of May Queen (Nice Guy got caught up ;)… )
jomo and Mtoh my dear where u and mistyish..
So much unnecessary things in the past 4 episodes. All fillers D=. So this kiss better be a kiss-kiss.
I’m still on both ships, but ep 13 has provided excellent accommodation on S.S San-e oppa. Haha. I can go on forever with jokes I only will understand.
Oh and mad respect for Haejoo’s stepmother. She owned ep 13.
(Am I the only one that flinches whenever anyone says “oppa”? I blame gangnam style. Everytime I hear oppa, I hear Psy’s voice say “op-op-oppan gangnam style.” But Don’t they say the word Oppa so many times in this drama?) <- Just rambling.
Beautiful Days is my all time favorite. I was watching it again last week…..The racing along the beach holding hands scene was so epic! I think Beautiful Days is the forefather of all Korean dramas.
I don’t know what ship I am on. I really like ChangJoo couple so for now, I’m leaning towards that. But if he goes all evil, then, I may change LOL. Sanjoo is kinda winning me over, but it’s slow. That better be a good kiss!! 🙂 Sometimes previews can be deceiving.
I watched the preview 3 times..just to be sure CH kissed HJ..you never know the writer might change their story and let HJ and CH together after so much problems they went through..just like FOTG..how the second lead totally took over the main OTP..just because everyone was in love with the 2nd lead.The writer heard the cry of the audience..I want to see more to decide which team to stand for..because I like the serious and cold CH and love the warmed and playful KS..Still didn’t get the loving chemistry..from both OTPs..Because I guess CH and KS didn’t make fall for them ..I normally put myself as the main lead..and see which hero attract me most but I think CH had a head start.The Evil IM with a the 2nd sister hate the cheeky girl..I guess that will happen during episode 10..how the writer going to tackle this.. is quite interesting..can’t wait for tomorrow…Thanks Ockoala love when you write about May Queen because no one is recapping it..luckily VIKI is subbed very well..thanks to them I watched it without seeing it raw.
http://bloomingbird.wordpress.com/
She’s recapping 🙂