The wildly fun plot and snappy execution of Bride of the Century gives so much fodder for discussion that the acting of the leads hasn’t been parsed as much. Lee Hong Ki is doing a fine job but lucked out on playing a great character in Choi Kang Joo – all the chaebol arrogance with plenty of quick-witted banter that isn’t denigrating plus an eye for a great girl when he sees one in Doo Rim. Plus he’s Lee Hong Ki, adorable and famous in his idol boy persona, it’s no wonder he’s garnering lots of attention for his BotC arrival on the acting scene. But it’s his leading lady Yang Jin Sung who I think steals the entire drama in terms of acting prowess. She is two completely different characters and neither the two shall meet, and even when she’s playing Doo Rim pretending to be Yi Kyung, you can tell it’s just Doo Rim putting on her best rich bitch impression but the real sweetheart underneath bops up all the time. But when Yang Jin Sung plays Yi Kyung, it’s all ice water in her veins and I get goosebumps just watching her. There are leading ladies who can’t even play ONE character properly, much less play two, and sometimes playing one pretending to be the other and vice-versa, and acing all of it.

I heart her so much even if at first glance she hasn’t the typical striking looks to catch my eye. Once she starts acting, she’s mesmerizing and I can’t look away. Eagle-eyed fans have even noticed that she’s method acting, she holds the chopstick completely differently when she’s Yi Kyung or Doo Rim. That’s impressive indeed. There are new spoilery stills out for the drama courtesy of her social media account. The picture above is of Yang Jin Sung holding the script for the final episode 16, and she also posted a picture of her wearing a yellow hanbok and revealed that she had a busy day playing four different characters. I don’t think anyone is worried this drama won’t have a happy ending, it’s more like how happy of an ending will we get to see, so Yang Jin Sung posting a picture of her cradling a sleeping toddler boy seems to point to “happy ending with a baby on top!” type of fanservice conclusion. There’s a leopard print sheet behind the baby’s head that matches Kang Joo’s bedding in his bedroom so I hope we get a family cuddling in bed type of sign off. As much as I have huge problems with Secret Garden‘s narrative, it delivered one of the most blatant but satisfying fanservice endings ever that included kids. Let’s hope BotC gives as much good stuff.