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Scripts and scenes from Wish Upon a Star

With no episodes of Wish Upon a Star airing this week (and such heated response at the unfortunate postponement), I tried to think of a way to get my fix despite the lack of new material. I tried to look for any interviews of the lead actors, but unfortunately, there are very few — the last I could find for Choi Jung-won and Kim Ji-hoon, for instance, were back in 2008. Shin Dong-wook has likewise kept a low profile, and Lee Kyun was in the army in addition to mostly having smaller roles (i.e., Hello Franceska).

I did manage to get my hands on the scripts for Episodes 1-12, however, and have uploaded them for your perusal: [ DOWNLOAD SCRIPTS FOR EPISODES 1-12 ]

In addition, I’ve excerpted a few of my favorite scenes below.

SONG OF THE DAY

Wish Upon a Star OST – “아마도” (Probably) by Jaycade [ Download ]

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I’ve never thought the acting was particularly spectacular in Wish Upon a Star, which I thought of as a mix of cute stars (and kids), amusing situations, and competent acting (from the main cast, at least; no need to waste breath discussing the dull Jung family). However, after reading through the scripts, I’m revising my opinion, because the cast deserves A LOT more credit for bringing their personal charm to the roles.

I say this because the scripts are quite spare. They don’t give a lot of direction, and contain almost no insight into inner motivations. They’re much less detailed than, say, the scripts of Coffee Prince, Que Sera Sera, or even Boys Before Flowers. And this means that the drama owes a lot more to the actors for its little funny beats, the wry expressions, the comic timing, and even the reaction shots.

Take, for instance, the following scene when Kang-ha first finds Pa-rang sleeping in his bed. It’s one of my favorite Kang-ha/Pa-rang interactions, and onscreen it’s hilarious:

EPISODE 7

Scene 5. Kang-ha’s room. (Morning)

Kang-ha opens his eyes, stretches, starts to rise. But there’s something at his feet, startling him as he gets up and approaches the foot of the bed.
Pa-rang is curled up in the blankets, asleep.

Kang-ha: (Incredulous, poking Pa-rang) “Hey. Hey?’
Pa-rang: (Squinting, opening his eyes)
Kang-ha: “Why are you sleeping here?”
Pa-rang: “I have a sleepwalking condition. Ajusshi, please understand.” (Burrows in the blankets)

Kang-ha stares blankly.

Isn’t it funny how something that is so simple on the page could be so appealing when put onscreen?

Following is another example. I think it’s actually funny on the page, but Kim Ji-hoon’s timing with his alternating smile-frown-smirk-grimace is what made this a laugh-out-loud moment in the episode:

This is the scene when Ju-hwang berates his brother for sleepwalking into Kang-ha’s bedroom.

Scene 54. Second floor. (Morning)

Kang-ha exits the room.

Ju-hwang (off-screen): “Hey you, why do you keep coming up here to sleep?”
Pa-rang (o.s.): “I don’t know either.”
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “It’s because you’re too comfortable. And it’s not just anyone’s room, it’s that ajusshi’s! Don’t you know you can’t do that? Don’t you know the saying that you’d better be careful where you lie down?”
Pa-rang (o.s.): “What does that mean?”
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “It means you’d better pay attention to a person’s character!”
Kang-ha: (What’s that kid saying? His feelings sour.)
Pa-rang (o.s.): “I think that ajusshi has a good character.”
Kang-ha: (That doesn’t feel so bad.)
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “That’s why you have no taste in people!”
Kang-ha: (His feelings sour again.)

 

EPISODE 10

Scene 60. Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha enters.

Kang-ha: “Night and day, she picks a fight.”

He starts to change his clothes. Pa-rang opens the door slightly.

Pa-rang: “Ajusshi?”
Kang-ha: “What is it?”
Pa-rang: “I’m not sleepwalking right now, but can I come in?”
Kang-ha: “Do what you want. Have you asked before coming in anyway?”
Pa-rang: (Approaching immediately) “Ajusshi?”
Kang-ha: “What is it?”
Pa-rang: “I’m not on your side because you bought us jajangmyun.”
Kang-ha: “Huh?”
Pa-rang: “It’s just, well, it’s just because I really like you. So you absolutely can’t be pushed aside by Tae-kyu hyung.” (Suddenly clenching his fist) “Fighting.” (Starting to run out, he turns back sharply) “Good night. Dream of my sister.” (He exits)

 

Scene 73. Jazz bar. (Night)

Kang-ha and Jun-ha drink. Stage is empty.
Kang-ha drinks indifferently. Sees Pal-gang walking down the staircase. Stiffens.
Just as Pal-gang descends the stairs, the lights turn off. Everyone stirs. They wonder, is it a blackout?
Pal-gang, startled, uses the wall to guide her as she descends.
Lights flick on onstage.
Pal-gang wonders what’s going on.
Tae-kyu wears a tuxedo (or event clothing). His two friends grab Pal-gang’s hands.

Pal-gang: “Wha– what are you doing?”

Tae-kyu’s friends take Pal-gang to the stage.

Pal-gang: “I– I can’t sing.”

Kang-ha’s expression seems to ask, What’s going on?
Jun-ha looks indifferent, but watches Kang-ha’s face closely.

Pal-gang: “I really can’t sing.”

Suddenly, Tae-kyu appears onstage playing guitar.
Pal-gang watches blankly.

Kang-ha: “What’s that kid doing?”
Jun-ha: “We’ll find out, I guess.”

Tae-kyu plays a gentle ballad. Kim Jang-hoon’s “My Profile”: “Call me your man, and when I first met you…

Pal-gang: “……”

Tae-kyu sings.
Meanwhile, Jae-young walks down the stairs.
Jae-young sees the stage and wonders what’s going on.
Tae-kyu finishes the song, puts the guitar away. Gets on his knee in front of Pal-gang. He takes out the ring case he’d prepared.

Pal-gang: “You…”

Not even aware of what he’s doing, Kang-ha stands.
Jun-ha doesn’t miss his expression.

Tae-kyu: “Jin Pal-gang. I’m foolish and I’m not confident that I’ll succeed, and I say stupid things every day. But I can say this with certainty. That in this moment, I’m not talking nonsense. And I’ll swear this — that because of you, I’ll become a better person. Because of you, I’ll improve. Because of you, I’ll grow stronger. So marry me.”

Pal-gang: “……”

Kang-ha watches with a hardened expression, turning his head.
Jun-ha watches Kang-ha. So does Jae-young.
Pal-gang becomes blank.
People start to shout, Accept! Accept!
Pal-gang doesn’t know what to do.
End episode.

 

EPISODE 12

Scene 35. Front yard. (Night)

Kang-ha sits lost in thoughts at the staircase.
Pal-gang emerges from the house carrying a trash bag.

Pal-gang: (Seeing Kang-ha) “Why are you sitting here?”
Kang-ha: “……”
Pal-gang: “Please go back inside, it’s cold.” (Starting to descend the stairs)
Kang-ha: (Grabs her arm)
Pal-gang: (Shuts her eyes)
Kang-ha: “I’m sorry.”
Pal-gang: “……” (Opening her eyes)
Kang-ha: “Last night… for making a mistake. And acting like I forgot.”
Pal-gang: “Why is that a big deal?”
Kang-ha: (Looking at her)
Pal-gang: “I know that last night, to you I was no different from
            a room salon girl sitting next to you.
            So don’t worry about it.”
            (Starting to walk down the steps)
Kang-ha: (Rising) “I may be a jerk but I’m not that bad!”
Pal-gang: (Watching him) “You’re making a mistake, Mr. Lawyer.”
Kang-ha: “……”
Pal-gang: “You should have just pretended you didn’t remember.”
            (Starting to walk on)
Kang-ha: “It bothers me.”
Pal-gang: (Stopping)
Kang-ha: “It just… bothers me. It gets on my nerves. Because of you.”
Pal-gang: “I’m sure it does. It’s natural that a strange housekeeper like
            me would get on our nerves.
            For just one more month…
            No, now there’s less than a month left.
            So even if it gets on your nerves, please put up with it till then.”
            (Walking on)
Kang-ha: “……”

Scene 36. In front of Kang-ha’s house. (Night)

Pal-gang comes out holding the trash bag, and leans against the wall.

Scene 37. Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha enters, leaning against the door, and shuts his eyes.

 

Are you noticing a pattern to which scenes I’m liking? To be fair, it’s not like Kang-ha/Pa-rang moments are the only interesting scenes, but they are the ones that made me most curious to see what the character was thinking. I’ve never thought Kim Ji-hoon was an especially strong actor, but in light of how little direction he is given in these scripts, I’m more impressed with the choices he’s made in balancing out Kang-ha’s outer gruffness with his vulnerability.

Choi Jung-won has also done well balancing out Pal-gang’s inner fears and turmoil with her outer pluckiness, and the above scene is an example where she brings a lot more to the character than what’s given to her.

Scene 43: Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha sits on his bed, lost in thought, when the door opens. Pa-rang enters, half-asleep.

Kang-ha: (Pulling aside the blankets as Pa-rang calmly lays down on the bed, patting Pa-rang’s hair) “What kind of people were your mother and father?”

Pa-rang sleeps, unaware of the world.

Kang-ha: “If I was the child of parents like yours…
            …I wouldn’t have turned out like this, would I?”
Pa-rang: “…….”
Kang-ha: (Lying by Pa-rang’s side)
            “See, I…
            If I ever showed my feelings… I was always punished.
            So at some point… I stopped showing them.”

He closes his eyes.

Fade out.

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awww.....gimme my fix now! boo.

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ommg you dont now how much i love you for this i was hoping to drag the 2 eps on through the week because im on half term holidays!! i was soo bored!!
im saved!!
kamsamnida!!

man i love scene 35 for some reason !!

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I miss those darn kids. All five of them!

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Ooo weeeee!!
Merci beaucoup Javabeans!
I heartily approve of ANY Kim Ji Hoon fanservice, yeshuh pleajuh!

Love the opening of this sweet ballad and then you see Pa-rang's cutesy lil' face in the 2nd pic. Awww!!

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i miss this series this week so much as SBS pre empted this coz of the Olympics but thnx a bunch Javabeans for this article & clips.
i love the actors & i've been a big fan of Shin dong wook since his Cloud Stairs days and Soulmate! I like the lawyer guy too!

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I love those scenes you shared, but additionally, i also love the scene when Pal-Gang kept on forgetting the originial intention of talking to Kang-Ha (the music room scene + Kang Ha talked too much scene). Those scenes are just wonderful...especially when Jun-Ha was surprised that Kang-Ha even allowed Pal-Gang into the music room... :)

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These are some of my fav scences especially the last one. One of the sweetest scenes ever. It almost made me cry. I Just love these characters especially the kids and the two leads. cant wait to watch the next episode

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Geez, I don't know what to do with myself. I want to see the next episodes soo bad. It's my release from my chemistry classes, what to do, what to do....

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Thank you for the quick fix to my obsession! Please Father Time, let Monday come quickly!
I'm loving the Winter Olympic though. Go Team USA!

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Annyeong,

As you say MyMyMai, Monday please come quickly...to wait really kills me...sob..sob...Kamsamida for the scenes...Awesome recap.....

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thanks jb =)
that was very interesting
i can't wait till next week!!!

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just because i don't know where else to vent out my frustration because monday is coming at a crawl, i can't wait for wish upon a star!!!!
it really is frustrating i just want to cry.. TT.TT

and kang-ha's looking fly in the picture up there, lol! hehehe...

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I love watching the Olympics, especially the emotionally manipulative "background" stories! How great was the feature on Canada's Golden Boy Alexandre Bilodeau and his brother?

Having said that, I'm really anticipating the next episodes of Wish Upon a Star. Thanks javabeans for this outstanding post that relives some of the BEST moments we've enjoyed so far.

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I'm just wondering if Kim Ji Hoon, ever make a Movie?
i know he make some music videos though.

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It's really nice drama. I fall in love with the children, they are amazing. They make this drama interesting and keep me continue watching, if not because of them I stop watching from the first episode cause I 'm not a fan of the lead actress n actor. Thanks God, I continue n find this drama is interesting n gradually like the lead actress and actor.
For me, the most memorable moment is the last episode, the last scene when Pal Gang changed the sheet and Kang Ha looked at her from behind..woww..the stare of him made me melttttt..can't wait to see the next episode

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Thanks a million JB..it's a miserable week...
i was sooo devastated when i found out there were no episodes for this week...it killed me...
this post comforted me alot....
nostalgia...

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The main lead guy was hot. That the best reason to watch this drama, and I can't think of anything else. Plot is so-so, kids were not that cute as in other shows and ill-mannered, and the stupidness of the lead girl went beyond any common sense. Just her taking the infant baby without food, diapers, etc with her and going with him through the freezing night in snowing mountains just because she was looking for some lady says a lot!

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my first thought after watching this drama: "who cares about kang ha and pal gang. i'm here to watch kang ha and pa rang."
my cutie little pa rang <3

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