I’m rather torn about the phenomenal success of You From Another Star. On one hand I like it enough and my quibbles rather inconsequential so its success doesn’t rankle me in the least. On the other hand this drama really is not all that good and it’s shaping up to be another The Moon Embraces the Sun where the success isn’t completely baffling but I wish it could be handed to a better written narrative. YFAS wrapped episode 8 today with the typical kiss right around the mid-way point of this drama, though with 20-episodes slated it’s a hair shy of being halfway done. My overall opinion is easy to sum up since the story is so limited and decidedly short on brain cells – YFAS is a fun and easy watch, buoyed by the goddess-like star power and acting charisma of Jeon Ji Hyun singlehandedly infusing energy into the story with such ferocity she makes up for everything else. That’s it. I like it but goodness I wish I got more out of it. This is the second drama in a row where I’ve been disappointed in Kim Soo Hyun, and this coming from someone who has been a fan since he started out playing the younger Go Soo in Will It Snow For Christmas and then loving him to pieces in Dream High forever and ever. To think I watched all of WISFC because he was so amazing in the childhood portion, and then DH was made meaningful because his Song Sam Dong was the heart and soul of it. If he overacted in MoonSun, then he’s underacting his pants off here in YFAS, leaving me wondering where the perfectly calibrated intensity went. The two leads do have chemistry except their love story is built up to be inoffensively easy to root for what with centuries and planets worth of angst. I end up watching YFAS with my mind and it never engages my drama soul, which is that fine line that separates like from love.
All of YFAS basically boils down to this: centuries old alien gets ready to beam back to his home world soon only to discover that fallen from grace top actress might be the reincarnation of his first love and now she’s in danger from a murderous sociopath. In 8-episodes I’ve felt like the plot has been plodding forward while the romance is oddly underwhelming. I love watching leads Song Yi and Min Joon interact and the drama wisely gives us tons of cohabitation interactions that are entertaining and wonderfully rendered. But I don’t feel the romance between them aside from the connection to her past life with him. The drama shows us they are meant to be without making me feel yet their falling in love connection in the present built up between them. They feel more like fun bickering friends than potential lovers. And its not in the chemistry part because they do have it, and in the kiss at the end of episode 8 there was the usual stirring in my heart because it was beautifully shot though the music in this drama continues to grate on my nerves. What keeps this drama humming along are fantastic ending sequences for every single episode. There hasn’t been an episode that hasn’t ended with a gasp worthy moment to keep the expectation high for the next episode to come along.
It’s hard for me to pinpoint why I feel so detached from the character of Do Min Joon and especially with Kim Soo Hyun’s performance. I think he’s a good actor but in danger of being over-rated so fast and so young after his awards for The Moon Embraces the Sun. He’s not doing a bad job here and he’s good looking enough as eye candy. I guess the problem is two-fold, the first being that Jeon Ji Hyun is earning her paycheck and then some in her balls-to-walls acting as Cheon Song Yi, putting to shame everyone around her and proving that she deserves her A-list movie star status. The second is that Kim Soo Hyun has shown me that he does much better playing character’s with open expressiveness and hasn’t the gravitas to sell Min Joon’s centuries old soul weariness. His character’s reservation and hauteur comes across as a kid trying to be a grown up. I like Min Joon but don’t feel like he’s the right actor to play Min Joon. It’s hard to fault him for anything though because it’s not like he doesn’t have the skills or isn’t doing his best. He has both but it’s not working for me is all. Then again, it’s also hard to find another K-actor or actress with as astronomical a rise as Kim Soo Hyun with his every project in the last three years turning to gold in ratings or box office. He’s like the male version of Han Hyo Joo‘s career, except a much much better actor than her.
Jeon Ji Hyun is just superb as Song Yi. Period. She is fire and ice and vulnerability and arrogance all wrapped into the heart of a girl in the body of a woman. She puts every other actor and actress in YFAS to shame in comparison to her acting and pitch perfect grasp of Song Yi. Poor Yoo In Na is like living a meta nightmare where her character in the drama Se Mi is overshadowed by Song Yi just like she is overshadowed by Jeon Ji Hyun in YFAS. I actually like Park Hae Jin‘s performance as dunderhead lovesick swain Hwi Kyung more as he’s displayed a better execution of his character than Kim Soo Hyun is doing as Min Joon. He has all the attributes as one of those clingy second male leads yet he’s earnestly endearing in his one-track love for Song Yi. The only other notable scene-stealing performance comes courtesy as the well-cast Shin Sung Rok as creepy villain Jae Kyung. Too bad his motivations and the whole murder mystery an attempted murdering is so poorly orchestrated and accompanied by the usual dun-dun-dun plotting. What works best in YFAS is the Song Yi-Min Joon interactions devoid of any alien powers or people wanting to hurt Song Yi. When they are just bickering, eating, and cautiously getting to know one another, that is when YFAS floats above its mundane orchestration and becomes enchantingly magical. Bonus points also go to Min Joon’s super-human powers being displayed in fun ways in the story from teleporting hijinks to literally being Superman to his Song Yi’s Lois Lane.
When Min Joon dropped from the sky and literally stopped a careening car from going off a cliff, who can possibly not clap like a trained seal and squee with glee over such a hero saving heroine moment. Too bad the villainous plotting to keep putting Song Yi in danger make me chortle and roll my eyes.
I actually think YFAS has the potential to switch on my “love this drama” button. It hasn’t done so yet but then my love for Kim Soo Hyun is strong. I confess to continually wanting to start recapping it hoping each new episode will trigger my itchy writing fingers but it just hasn’t. This is as most as I have to say about this drama so far but I’ll continue to watch each week and hopefully it’ll at least stay as easy to watch as now if not actually become much better.
Final kiss scene in episode 8:
h=445
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lol our thinking about KSH playing the part of MIN JOON in this particular drama is completely different (and it is okay). May be I don't analyse all the details and just go with the flow. I have been loving him here as much as I did in MTETS. To me he has portrayed the character DMJ very well. I have been absolutely loving this drama mainly because of the two main characters.
I absolutely adore this drama and would love to read your recap. I was wondering why you did not recap this drama and until I read this post. Well, I just hope that the next episodes will be successful to switch on your 'love this drama' button.
OMG I'm glad I'm not the only one. I like a lot of things about this drama, but what keeps me from loving it is because I'm weirdly very underwhelmed by Kim Soo Hyun..
I don't know why but I totally feel the same, it's like I have all my favorite ingredients right before me, but they are uncooked or I don't know they just don't mesh well together? I mean, on the paper, I should love this, yet I don't and I keep on putting all the episodes in a folder, hoping for the best. That said INR3 is coming (and I'm watching and loving to pieces PMI, the surprisingly perfect rom-com) so I bet I'll be busy obsessing over that very soon ^^
I think I might be disagreeing with every single point you make in this post... *lol*
hehe me too. except for the Han Hyo Joo part cos I think she's almost always overacting.
but JJH really aced SongYi.
Me too and I'll leave it at that.
Well I feel the same way as you do Miss Julia :) I love Do Min Joon and I think KSH is doing a great job and this coming from someone who has watched all his other dramas and been meh about him. (maybe I'm just a contrary person)
What I do agree with Miss Koala is that Jeon Ji Hyun is wonderful as Song Yi :) just amazing.
I love this drama to bits. I don't know what's the complain about.
Yup yup, KSH is rocking his role (as he did in TMTETS imo). He plays Do Min Joon with a perfect balance of restraint yet you can see his desire to start feeling those human emotions. I love those moments when he tries to keep away but just can't.
I do agree with the fact that Jeon Ji Hyun is killing her role. She does it so well and even when she is doing and saying those bratty things you can't help but root for her. Her comedic acting is GOLD as well. Gotta love her
Love the little parodies that are built into this drama as well.
This show is honestly one of the most entertaining dramas I've seen in ages. I hope its second half will not disappoint me
I strongly agree with your comment. KSH so far has never let down the people who admire him for his superb acting whatever role it may be. He can adapt really well to his character and what he showed in YFAS is simply what is expected. I hope Kim Soo Hyun will always consider excellent stories. He's been recognized for being an outstanding actor already so KSH must be careful in choosing his future projects. As his fan I don't think that he is overrated. He's absolutely outstanding in all his roles.
It really kills me that YFAS has better rating than Miss Korea, but again, I never understood korean people taste (in general) like the weird super overated MTETS, such a BORING, gosh! But I also agree, it's not that bad and it easy to spend 2 hours a week on these two beautiful people.
I do agree that MTETS is overrated but while I was in the moment and watching, it was really entertaining and I find myself engrossed. That could be why it was so popular in Korea. People don't tend to over analyse if they enjoy something. However a month or two later, I was left wondering why I liked it as much as I did (other than the fact that I love Kim Soo Hyun to death since his stint as Sam Dong in DH). It was really puzzling since TPH, my favourite love story set in josean era, was heaps better.
I agree that JJH is AMAZING in this role. But I also think it's because she's got more to work with in terms of her character. She's allowed to be the crazy actress and doesn't have to worry about pretending to be someone. On the other hand, I think KSH's character is bland-er, uptight and confused which can come off as underwhelming. Although it's definitely not a drama where I'm salivating for the next episode (except in this last episode, the last scene!) I am excited whenever I see it's been completely subbed. I definitely don't think it's overhyped and I'm interested in how it's going to be played out--whether he's going to go home, or stay on earth, how people are going to deal with an alien, and the rest of the older brother's crazy murder spree, and why he's even doing it. We still don't know right? That storyline is dragging a little bit.
Aw, sad face you're not loving this drama as much as I am.
I can agree that this is not my favorite portrayal of Kim soo Hyun and that the boy does well when he plays characters that requires alot of expression and intense emoting. I do think he gets the job done as old soul-grumpy min joon, so itd be out of
Character for him to give us his usual acting style for this kinda role.
but yea, jeon ji Hyun is seriously killing her role and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses while portaying a heroine that's so fascinating to watch.
I don't think its as overhyped internationally as it is domestically, though.
I like this kind of romance and perhaps it hasn't quite pulled your heartstrings the way its pulled mine, but I feel it revving up full force.
I 1000% agree with you, I feel like you're in my brain lol. I get why the murderer subplot is necessary but jeez, it rides on ridiculous coincidences and the villian himself is rather laughable and one-dimensional (though I think the actor is trying his best despite this). I love Song Yi and I really loved the comedy early on, but that's about it. It's really not a bad show, and I totally get why it's popular. But while I like it the switch hasn't flipped for me yet either and it's mainly bc of KSH, who seems quite wooden at times. He isn't conveying this jaded cynicism that his character supposedly possesses. We are told all these things, but I don't feel it from KSH himself, while Jeon Ji Hyun owns Song Yi's vulnerability etc (she conveys it so well imo).
I fangirled KSH so much after Dream High and thought he had alot of potential as an actor, but he hasn't capitalised on it over the past few years imo. Maybe he just needs the right project, maybe he needs to challenge himself more. Idk.
I feel exactly the same as you Koala! I enjoyed YFAS but don't love it. Agree thay JJH is fantastic in it.
On the other hand, I really like Miss Korea, it has more heart, more stakes and purpose and LYH is stellar. I also like the romantic undercurrent between the OTP.
I didn't watch a raw episode since My Girlfriend is a Gumiho... and then I liked the Foxy Liar... waw almost 4 years... I barely watched I can hear your voice last year ...a December Marathon. 2013 didn't impressed me in kdramaland and I was eager to regain my kdrama love. Moon That embraces the Sun... was kinda ok...and all the way I was what the hell they are seeing in this drama, but here I love the story overall but couldn't point exactly what doesn't drive me to obsession and Koala pointed exactly ... Do Min Joon could do a little better as grandma in a body of a handsome boy toy and the villain is ripoff of Luthor (Superman) or Joker(Batman) comics... His minions are caricatures. I was never a KSH fan therefore I'm not disappointed even a little bit. TOP 3 highlights for me:
1. Break the porcelain antiques of your neighbor: aka break the good Chinese porcelain of your grandmother. Film the reaction.In HD.
2. I was in a few accidents. You don't really have time to cry for help - it happens in a split second
3. Pillow fight..and Do Min Joon "Abugiii" at Lawyer Jang
4. Little brother looks like Lee Min Ho except the eyes
5. SeMi confession
Somehow I like SeMi: she is the underdog and a bit manipulating, yet I'm in her shoes as in I'm a nice person at work while inside I'm boiling like a volcano. If I turn into CSY ppl think I'm crazy, therefore I need my work persona. My CSY is one of my bosses - she reacts like her. I can't argue with her therefore I prefer to be "nice". Usually I say "yes" and after that I do as I like it. She can't take a no for an answer without throwing her temper at me.