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Sungkyunkwan Scandal: Episode 1

Fresh and promising, I thought. I was trying not to hope too much for Sungkyunkwan Scandal, which premiered today (Monday, that is). We’ve got a lot of promising dramas coming up and I didn’t want to jinx myself by getting excited about them all.

So I’ve been wary about this “Joseon F4” business that takes the venerated historic establishment of Sungkyunkwan and turns it on its ear with a modern, fusion twist, replete with rich-boy cliques and gender-bending students (well, just the one). But the drama takes its own twist on the setup (although there are definitely some familiar clichés), and I find myself interested in how the story progresses.

(The pronunciation, in case you are wondering, is sung-gyoon-gwan. Soft s and g’s.)

Ratings-wise, Sungkyunkwan Scandal got off to a slow start with a 6.3%, which is a drop from Gumiho: Tale of the Fox’s Child‘s 12.9% finale last week. (MBC’s Dong Yi drew a 27.3%, and SBS’s Giant pulled in a 20.9.) I’m not surprised given the tough competition, but it is a disappointment, and it was expected to make a bigger splash. I think it’s got time to built an audience.

SONG OF THE DAY

Hot Potato – “진취적인 그녀” (That enterprising girl) [ Download ]

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LESSON 1 RECAP

We open with an establishing shot of Sungkyunkwan, which was founded in 1398 as the nation’s highest academic institution. It is still in existence, and in the time of this drama it is a prestigious school attended by the sons of noblemen.

Right away we see that this is no classical representation of the illustrious campus, instead imbued with a very modern flair. This drama takes liberties by reimagining the school with the spirit of a modern university, and that means slackerly students and rich boys with a sense of entitlement.

(You can see how the real Sungkyunkwan was offended by this drama’s loose depiction, but I think we’re all aware this is very much fictional.)

Moving away from the campus, we find one young man hurrying through the busy streets of the capital city. I don’t think it’s spoiling anything to say that this is a girl in disguise — KIM YOON-HEE (played by Park Min-young) — who accidentally bumps into a passerby on her way to the book rental shop. She doesn’t notice that she drops the manuscript she’s carrying, so when she arrives, ready to collect her pay for transcribing the book, she finds that it’s gone.

This sends the waiting scholar into a panic, as he needs the text for the upcoming civil service examination. Yoon-hee isn’t worried, though, and asks for a mere 30 minutes to fix the problem. Taking out her calligraphy brush, she gets to work writing — and lo and behold, she has memorized the whole text and reproduces it in its entirety.

Another scholar in the shop witnesses this: the languid and eternally bored GU YONG-HA (Song Joong-ki), who has a taste for the finer things in life and who invents little activities to keep himself amused. He flips through Yoon-hee’s newly transcribed book and proclaims it perfect.

Yong-ha then looks at Yoon-hee with added interest — perchance he has caught wind of her true gender?

She regroups from his scrutiny and demands her pay. While this work isn’t exactly criminal, it’s unethical in that the rich boys of the school have tasked the bookshop with completing their work for them, for pay.

Yoon-hee has a gift for this kind of literary work, but her talents are wasted because as a woman, she cannot pursue education. Instead she uses this skill to earn money for her family.

There is at least one student who is incorruptible, though he may be the only one. He is LEE SUN-JOON (Park Yoo-chun, aka Micky Yoochun), an upright (and uptight) scholar who is at the top of his class.

Sun-joon is intelligent and confident, and therefore looks with disdain upon the desperate superstitions of his peers. For instance, his classmate Wang sets up an elaborate plan involving splattered eggs in order to take ten strands of his hair. Why? So he can pass the upcoming civil service examination. He has collected hair from the most brilliant minds, and Sun-joon’s will make his good-luck talisman complete.

Sun-joon takes the clump of hair… and lets it fly off in the wind. He tells Wang that he’s depending on chance, not effort, and says coolly, “I don’t care if you hate me. However, I cannot tolerate you telling me I am wrong.”

Yeah, he’s THAT guy.

The bookshop owner (Hwang), wonders why Yoon-hee doesn’t take the state exam herself (er, himself), because her smarts are tops. We know why she can’t, but she gives a blase answer about earning money instead of contending with those privileged slackers.

Ah, that gives Hwang his opening: He leads Yoon-hee to a secret basement room, where transcribers are busy filling in answer sheets and cheat booklets. His attitude is that if the entire world is corrupt, might as well make some cash from it.

He makes the offer to Yoon-hee to join in this work, promising huge earnings. The work pays many times more than her current transcribing job, and if she sat for an exam in place of someone else, she could earn 100 nyang in a day, which is three year’s wages.

She turns him down flatly. Not only is it illegal, she’d be going aginst her own moral code, and “that’s not something a man ought to do.”

Once she’s in private, Yoon-hee lets down her hair and takes off her man’s garb. Donning a woman’s hanbok, she resumes her normal persona and heads home, where she finds trouble.

Her mother is being harassed by men who are here to collect on her loan. Payment is due today, and her mother begs for their understanding, promising to pay back the money somehow. The man is unmoved by her pleas.

Yoon-hee steps in and faces him with righteous indignation, asking if this is how he abuses all people who are poor and powerless. He leers at her with interest, and says chillingly that they need not worry, since he has not just found something “of value.”

He makes clear his threat: either Mom can settle her debt with money, or she can sell her daughter as repayment.

They are poor but respectable folk; the family has fallen on hard times with the double-whammy of having no Dad (long dead) and a sick younger brother, Yoon-shik. This debt has been incurred to pay for Yoon-shik’s medicine, and now Yoon-hee assures her family not to worry. In fact, work is picking up and she will be able to make enough to pay back their debt.

What wonderful coincidence that their debt just happens to be exactly how much the booklender offered to pay! 100 nyang now becomes a matter of saving her family rather than standing on her integrity (oh, that little ole thing?), so Yoon-hee decides to take the substitute exam after all.

The day of examination arrives. The education system of the day is characterized by exams, and the students must pass various kinds at different stages — in order to get into Sungkyunkwan, in order to earn the designation of scholar, and then to advance into government careers.

The school prepares the rites, led by one of the most influential students at Sungkyunkwan, HA IN-SOO (Jeon Tae-soo, aka Ha Ji-won’s little bro). He’s the student body president and son of the war minister — an ambitious, humorless sort who commands a clique of toadies.

The testing grounds are busy with preparations, and fierce competition breaks out among test-takers for seats (usually fought by representatives of the students who are sent ahead to claim the spots). All around are signs of corruption, with illegal substitute test-takers in place, students with cheat sheets, and bribes being negotiated.

A nervous Yoon-hee arrives at the testing site, supplied with a code phrase, a map of the seating, and a drawing of her contact (the hapless Wang). She finds the marked spot and cites her code phrase — to Sun-joon.

The subtitles let us know that Sun-joon’s reply is in Wang’s literary style, so Yoon-hee proceeds, going through her spiel to offer him the various “levels” of cheatery available.

She’s encouraged by his reaction, until he cites the reward for whistleblowers who catch cheaters. He raises his hand in the air and calls out to the test officials. Panicking, she reconsults her diagram and drawing, only to realize that she mistook Sun-joon, with a teeny dot on his upper lip, for Wang, with his huge mole. Uh-oh!

While the officials head over, Yoon-hee begs Sun-joon for mercy, hurriedly telling him of her difficult home conditions and her sick brother. For a moment he seems to take pity on her, but then he proceeds anyway, announcing that somebody is attempting to take the test through fraudulent means.

Yoon-hee bows her head in dismay, awaiting her punishment… until Sun-joon declares that all the scholars here are the wrongdoers, and the officials as well.

He accuses everyone of being part of the overall corruption, which meets with some resistance, naturally. However, the accused head minister (whom we saw taking bribes) recoils when he hears who Sun-joon is — he’s the son of a very high-ranking government minister.

His word carries weight, and with this kind of scrutiny being shined on the proceedings, the officials crack down on all the cheating, kicking out all transgressors and administering the test properly. This allows Yoon-hee to slip away unnoticed.

Sun-joon is first to finish, and takes his papers up to the officials. But to his own chagrin, the head scholar asks dryly if he’s involved in some newfangled cheating scheme of his own — the back of his robes have been marked by someone else’s brush.

Now we see that while Sun-joon had sat for his exam, Yoon-hee had sat directly behind him, writing on his clothing. (Here we have more proof that Yoon-hee is not only skilled with the brush but witty and literary to boot.) Her words made it sound like he had written them, commenting on the hypocrisy of the upper classes, asking why it is that one who sells writing to buy rice is a thief, and one who sells writing to buy power is a loyal citizen. It adds, “I am the biggest thief of all,” where “I” means Sun-joon.

This means that the entire test site bursts into laughter, at Sun-joon’s expense.

As Sun-joon storms out, he trips over a bit of string — it’s a cheating tactic by the real Wang, who is receiving Yoon-hee’s aid. She’s delivering cheat sheets from a distance.

Sun-joon confronts her, and she runs. A chase ensues as Yoon-hee races through crowded streets, finally barreling into a passerby who stops her. It’s Yong-ha, who catches her in his arms and looks down at her quizzically (and confirms his earlier hunch about her gender).

Sun-joon gets detained by the other students in the group — this is In-soo’s clique, which includes Yong-ha and a few bumbling lackeys. A few terse words are exchanged between Sun-joon and In-soo; the former is guided by his rigid sense of ethics and unintimidated by the others, while the latter is smart enough to realize Sun-joon’s strength and is threatened by it.

Sun-joon resumes his pursuit, almost catching up to Yoon-hee. When he confronts a figure wearing a woman’s head covering, thinking it’s his quarry, the woman slaps him for his impertinence. It’s Yoon-hee, but because she is covered and speaks like a lady, Sun-joon stammers an apology, since it would never occur to him that Yoon-hee WAS a lady.

When she’s alone, Yoon-hee seems ashamed of herself for stooping to cheating, but that’s nothing compared to her feelings upon being found out by her mother. Her mother has found her materials and asks if she realizes the gravity of her crime if she were to be caught.

Her mother blames herself for not stopping her when Yoon-hee insisted she could take care of Yoon-shik’s medicine costs herself. But this is the end of the line — she must live as a woman now. She calls Yoon-hee’s writing talent “poison.”

Yoon-hee arrives at the home of the man her family owes, which turns out to be the war minister’s household, also home to In-soo and his spoiled sister, HA HYO-EUN (Seo Hyo-rim).

In a respectful tone, she addresses the lord of the house, saying she is here to “pay her respects” for his kindness. However, her words are very clever, as she says that his act will naturally attract people’s reproach, because people will say he used a high-interest loan to buy a young girl — she hopes that he will not be caught up in scandal because of her. She offers what coin she has, and promises to pay the rest.

The minister understands her words perfectly, interpreting them as a threat. She says no, all he has to fear is public sentiment. She knows the ancient Chinese war strategy that advises avoiding conflict if you know you’ll lose. This is her trying to avoid a fight.

Surprisingly, this makes him burst into laughter. He’s impressed that she knows military strategy and agrees that she is right; he should accept her repayment now, before public sentiment creates trouble.

But this is his own strategy at play, since obviously she can’t repay everything right now. Leering at her, he declares that he’ll have to make her his. He’ll send for her in three days.

As Yoon-hee leaves and walks along the crowded marketplace, feeling dejected, a thug comes along and snatches her money purse. She chases, catching up to him in an alley, and first demands, then pleads for her money back.

Matters escalate when they are joined by a whole gang of roughnecks — and the minister’s man.

In fear, Yoon-hee kneels before the men, begging for the money. She’s vastly outnumbered but makes a feeble attempt to fight back.

This is bound to end very badly for her, but the noise awakens someone sleeping nearby, who throws an apple that knocks the main aggressor aside. Looking every bit as rough-and-tumble as the gang, this mysterious guy drawls that he’d like to sleep in peace.

Although his identity technically remains hidden from us, we know this is MOON JAE-SHIN (Yoo Ah-in), another eventual Sungkyunkwan attendee, although you’d hardly be able to tell from the look of him.

A fight breaks out, and he swiftly dispatches the team of thugs with an impressive display of fighting prowess and acrobatics. After the fight ends, he tosses the money to Yoon-hee and heads out — at which point one guy makes one last attempt to attack from behind.

With his swift reflexes, Jae-shin simultaneously claps a hand over Yoon-hee’s eyes — to keep her from seeing what happens next — and clubs the attacker in the head. Hot damn he is sexy. (Yoo Ah-in, I knew you’d be my favorite!)

Yoon-hee thanks him profusely, but Jae-shin isn’t interested in her gratitude, nor does he accept her handkerchief to tend the cut on his arm. Instead, he tells her that the best way she can repay him is to not show up in front of him again.

Then he gives her some advice: “Don’t bow your head so easily. And don’t kneel to just anybody. That’ll become a habit, and once that’s a habit, it’s tough to fix.”

Meanwhile, Sun-joon has been trying his best to track down Yoon-hee, but his servant has been unable to find her (him).

He is called in to speak with his father (Kim Gab-soo), and it’s not hard to see how Sun-joon became the stickler he is. His father is respected, principled, and tough, and imparts some advice to his proud son. The whole world is waiting for him to misstep, and the most foolish man is the one who boasts of his own wisdom.

Sun-joon doesn’t want to hide his wisdom, because why should he? Dad answers that there’s nothing wrong with preserving his name and authority, but to remember his position and heritage.

Dad’s warning is right on the money, as In-soo’s team of idiots is busy plotting Sun-joon’s demise, wanting to put him in his place. Er, below his place, I guess. The dumb duo offer clumsy suggestions like hiring a gang of thugs, but In-soo looks to the cleverer Yong-ha for a solution. And sure enough, Yong-ha tears his attention away from his sexy comics long enough to offer up one possible plan.

Intent on tracking down Yoon-hee, Sun-joon goes around with a drawing of her (the male version). The reason he gives for his pursuit is that he has a “debt to repay,” which is supposed to sound ominous but could be read in more than one way. The booklender recognizes the drawing, but keeps quiet and denies knowing him.

Yoon-hee bursts in to the store to ask Hwang for help — she needs 100 nyang right away. She requests an advance for taking the next exam, but Hwang turns her down — everyone’s nervous from the last exam fiasco. So she turns to reverse psychology, sighing that perhaps this work wasn’t meant for her. In fact, she’ll have to reflect on her misdeeds and confess… and those confessions will probably include mention of this bookshop…

Faced with this unappealing prospect, Hwang caves. He can offer her 50 nyang up front, and tells her of a risky job she can do for him.

Yong-ha sees her emerging from the store and confronts the booklender, saying that he knows he’s harboring the kid that Sun-joon has been looking for. Exerting a little pressure of his own, Yong-ha has Hwang in a precarious position. Gulp.

Next, he meets with Sun-joon and offers to help him find that guy, which has Sun-joon suspicious. Why the offer of help?

Yong-ha cites florid stuff like collegiate fraternity and loyalty, then cuts to the chase: It’s not for any of those BS reasons. In fact, he’s only got one simple reason to help: “For fun.”

He’s interested in seeing how far Sun-joon pursues this matter, which will provide him entertainment. He offers one way to find Yoon-hee, but it’s dangerous, and requires one big sacrifice. Is he in?

The job requires Yoon-hee to smuggle a banned book to another contact. Because the government has forbidden the book, if she is caught in possession of it, she will face dire consequences. With that in mind, she nervously makes her way through the forest to her rendezvous point.

What she doesn’t know is that In-soo’s team has set this up, per Yong-ha’s plan. It’s actually a trap to frame the exalted Sun-joon with the banned book, and they’ve got the royal police force on alert to catch him in the act.

Not knowing this, the two parties meet in a dark shed, where they exchange the coded password.

Yoon-hee starts to make the hand-off, but to her surprise, Sun-joon grabs her wrist. Immediately, she thinks this is some sort of trick he’s playing in retaliation (and she still thinks he’s Wang), so she dashes outside. Sun-joon follows, asking, “Do you know how much I’ve been looking for you?”

I suspect he isn’t out to get her, but the sound of approaching policemen interrupts before he can explain. Yoon-hee assumes that he framed her with this scenario, and slaps him angrily.

Sun-joon grabs the book from her, then faces the first wave of officers, fighting them back rather impressively. However, he’s outnumbered by at least twenty to one, and turns to run.

But first, he shoves Yoon-hee down the hill to get her out of their way — although she doesn’t interpret it as a kind gesture — then takes off.

Elsewhere, In-soo’s clique toasts to Sun-joon’s imminent downfall. Yong-ha sighs in boredom that he thought Sun-joon would have put up more of a fight, almost disappointed to end it so quickly. Meanwhile, In-soo drinks in grim satisfaction.

Back in the forest, Yoon-hee grumbles at Sun-joon’s boorish behavior, not fully understanding the situation they’re in. Silently, Sun-joon grabs her and claps a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet, pulling her out of sight of the police who are scouring the forest for them.

They huddle behind a large boulder, just as the lead officer pauses. As he turns toward their hiding spot, Sun-joon pulls Yoon-hee closer to him to pull her out of sight, but in the midst of this tense moment, her heart starts to pound.

It’s partly the panic of the moment but there’s definitely some of that omg-hot-boy-holding-me awareness in there, and Yoon-hee struggles to pull back and gain some distance. But Sun-joon, ever aware of the danger lurking, refuses to slacken his grip and holds her tightly to himself.

 
COMMENTS

First off, the plot:

Sungkyunkwan Scandal has been compared to Boys Before Flowers (F4 at school) and a number of cross-dressing shows (Coffee Prince, Painter of the Wind, You’re Beautiful). There are enough similarities that the comparisons are understandable, such as the part where the girl is forced to cross-dress in order to pay a debt. No better way to justify an extreme premise than to saddle the heroine with a sick brother and poor family, right? That makes her sacrifice noble and admirable, rather than perplexing.

Despite those points of comparison, though, I found enough about Sungkyunkwan to be fresh and different that I wasn’t even thinking of any of those other shows while I was watching. In fact, I thought that if I had to pick a show that seemed most similar, I’d pick Tamra the Island for the tone. It’s not quite as jokesy, but it has some of that similar freshness and a darker undercurrent hinting at deeper story stuff down the pipeline. This, in my book, is a good thing.

Perhaps we’ll get more of an F4 vibe later when all of these characters are at school together, but right now I don’t see anything of Boys Before Flowers in this story (which, again, is a good thing). I am very pleased that not only do these characters not all know each other, they don’t even like each other, particularly with the curious sabotage going on between Yong-ha and Sun-joon.

And most of all, I love that two of the three main dudes already know that Yoon-hee is a girl. (Okay, Yong-ha doesn’t have concrete proof, but he pretty much knows the truth.) That gets some of the familiar territory off the table — those “Oh no, they think I’m a boy, isn’t this awkward!” moments are fun to watch, but by this point they’re old hat. I’m interested to see if this drama makes twists upon the familiar scenarios.

As for the acting:

As expected, Yoo Ah-in totally commands the screen when he’s on, and he was ON. He was the least-known of the four main actors, but I was sensing he’d be the sharpest and most charismatic — he has a really fantastic ability to be a chameleon, and his dark assassin role in Strongest Chil Woo proved he’d be able to take this careless rebel character and make him intriguing.

Song Joong-ki is also very good, playing this bored hedonist type. He reminds me of the Valmont character in Dangerous Liaisons (or, for you younger folks out there, Sebastian in Cruel Intentions). Not quite as cruel, but he has a dark streak that I dig. I hope they play it out rather than cheering him up right away. I’ve been dying to see Song act in meatier roles for a while.

Park Min-young has been okay in past roles, but I wasn’t expecting too much of her. I think she held her own well, and although I won’t say she’s the best actress to do this type of role, I’m okay with her. For now.

Yoochun… erm… I wasn’t wowed, I’ll be honest. He wasn’t outright bad, and he’s not so weak that he drags the show down. But he wasn’t strong. He was a little flat, and yes, I realize that his character is supposed to be cold and supercilious. I think what I miss is the spark of charisma that the other characters have — his Sun-joon is a great character and I enjoy this setup where he’s cut himself off from everyone with his superior ways. But I wish he had a little more oomph — more emotion, more verve, more… energy. And that doesn’t mean he has to act OUT and BIG, but that he could stand to bring more passion to his acting.

Still, I think he has room to improve, and I actually like the chemistry between Sun-joon and Yoon-hee. I suspect that he wasn’t after her out of revenge (which is one way you can read his statement, “I’ll pay him back”) but out of some other reason.

Sageuk purists will probably be chafing at the liberties Sungkyunkwan Scandal takes, but frankly I’m much more drawn to the fusion stuff than the straight period pieces. Mostly because the fusion pieces allow for a sense of humor, and Sungkyunkwan knows when to play it light and free. I suspect that it will dip into some serious territory later — the seeds are being planted, that much is clear — but I hope the characters and concept are enough to keep the drama going.

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I am actually intrigued by this drama even before its broadcast.. I will definitely continue watching it. (For now..)

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Ooh, I had no idea it's broadcasting this week! Thanks for the recap. If it's good, maybe you'll recap this one?

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Yesterday I watch this drama via internet. It really interesting. Actually this is the drama I always wait to watch. Really great atmosphere and smile on night. I believe it takes time to build audience. However despite the rating still continue watching until finish.

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OMG i watched the first episode and i am hooked ...thnx for the recap...will read it now.

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Song Joong-ki is so pretty... omg

looks good, but i'm not ready to dive into saeguks just yet... maybe after MGiaG is done

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Park Min-young is so cute...

I really like her in I am Sam..

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While the Joseon F4 idea sounds interesting, I'm not familiar with any of the actors except for Yoo Ah-in, but he's not enough reason for me to invest any of my time on this drama as there are so many already taking up my time.

But I do wish them the best.

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i absolutely love song joong ki
he is excellent!

i dont like to compare but i really cant help it so im gonna have to forgive myself this one time XD

i remember everyone saying that ss501 kim hyun joong was also flat and could use more passion and facial expression, but he got really big, like soooo famous its no joke

perhaps yoochun is going in the same way? but i think in the long run, he will improve immensely. with hyunjoong, i can't see him improving since he is stereotyped in the same role (cool, cold, no facial expression). basically he's typecast, which is never good for a character who wants to grow.

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hj is big because BOF was big.

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agree with you, lee min ho and kim bum is more popular before, so I'm not surprised if BOF to be a huge drama..

of course, two other main actors also became famous..^^
cowry, i didn't mean to denigrate HJ, because HJ same as YC..they are newbie..^^
love good friends between HJ and YC..
i will support both of drama..^^

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i don't agree with all F4 member doesn't popular before, have your ever hear lee min ho and kim bum before BOF?
i am not at all

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have to disagree that HJ is big because of BOF is big. I think that because of SS501, HJ is more popular vs. the other 3 guys. His popularity came from his SS501 fans.

I think the Fans of Korean Music idols are more fanatic vs. the drama idols. That's why Kdrama producers nowadays always includes Idols from different popular idol groups like SUJU, Big Bang, SNSD, T'ara, etc. to draw in their fans. Take for example You're Beautiful - during the live concert taping of said drama, the fans were shouting Hong-ki's name more vs. JGS's name.

Though I agree that now HJ is now typecasted for accepting almost the same role of being cold and emotionless. Let's just see if his new director can draw in the right emotions from him. But hey, even if he can't act, his fans will not mind it at all, as long as they can see his cuteness on the screen =). I for one wouldn't mind =).

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I think Yoo Chun has a potential to be better in his acting. Let's wait until his character, Lee Soon Jun, gradually changes(from dry to outgoing) after hanging out with Kim Yoon Hee for a long time.

Among the 4, I think Joong Ki's acting was the best.

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THX FOR THE RECAP JB-Unni
will u continue to recap this kdram? cuz i luv watching a show and rdg the recaps, it makes the kdram more special for me, ive been waiting for this to come out and its fun to watch. its funny how they dont like each other...at all....yet. its safe to say tht i like this show a lot but i have to stop myself frm squealing whenever song joong ki or yoo ah in r on screen :D

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not bad so far, but it's only the 1st ep.
i'm willing to give this one a try because of the plot.

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Song looks great in all pictures above. He's lovely and really can act!

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omg!!!

i thought jb wont be recapping this!!....thanks for your recap

now...off to read!!

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GAH! you are SO fast, JB. i don't know how you do it!!!

i want to watch this and then come back and read your recap!!

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i couldn't resist-i HAD to read your recap! hahah goodstuff! i really look forward to watching this first episode now!

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Thank you so much for the recap.I wasn't expecting it so it was a great surprise.I am in KD heaven this week with the 3 dramas.If only you can see me beaming ear to ear :-)

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Thanks for the recaps javabeans. i watched this through livestreaming and since i cannot really comprehend Korean (except for Gomapsunida), I can only assume what's happening.

You're right. I was thinking that it would have the BOF + YB vibe because of the pretty boys and the cross-dressing girl but the story offered a lot more. They tackled modern day issues such as corruption and I think they will address more in the future.

I will be honest. I watched it mainly for Park Yoochun but Yoo Ah In and Song Jong Ki were also perfect...Yoo Ah In catched my attention in the fight scene when he covered Park Min Young's eyes...and I can only say he's such a gentleman even with the rough exterior.

Thank you once again for this recap.

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Thank you so much for the recap, JB!! Out of all the new batch of dramas, this one had me the most intrigued. I know you've got both Gumiho & Playful Kiss to take up your attention, so I'm glad to get any insight into what the actual drama is like. So far, so good!

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Thank you for the recap. Was watching this drama but the English subtitles were practically nonexistent. "mother" is one of the words that was translated into English which I knew already. The rest of the dialog disappeared after the beginning and couldn't comprehend the rest of episode one.
So far, this drama doesn't grab me. It's not special. Hope it will improve.I agree that Yoo Ah-In 's character seemed the most intriguing, and you can tell he has the most presence. All the male actors are nice looking, but their characters are real boring. I hope that they will develop some interesting personalities to keep me wanting to watch more.

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YOO AH IN!!!

I absolutely love you!!

Thanks for the recap!

:)

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Thanks for recapping SKKS!

I absolutely loved the first episode even though I had little clue while watching as to what was going on. Your recap definitely made things a lot more interesting.

Initially, I watched for Yoochun and Joongki but now, I'm watching for all the actors and actresses because none of them disappoint. Yoochun's acting is a little stiff but I have hope and faith that he will loosen up as the story progresses (along with his character). As far as newbies or idol actors go, he's one of the better ones because he doesn't overact and the emotions he does display, he displays well. I do agree that he's missing that spark, that undercurrent beneath the beneath. However, Lee Sun Joon is a seemingly 2-dimensional character and as his personality is unraveled, so too will Yoochun's portrayal.

This drama truly is a gem and I hope more people will tune in.

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yes, i enjoyed the vibe very much and it's got me hooked.

the only Yoo Ah In i know is the one who did He Who Cant Marry and i loved his laid back sidekick role there but indeed he was the most impressive here in portraying that street-survivor character, it'll be fascinating to see how he gets into the Sungkyunkwan......

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wow..i wasnt expecting this but its a gr8 surprise...thank you so much!!....so are you going to be continuing with he recaps??.....i know you have a very full plat with PK and MGIAG and Joseon X files so i'm not expecting too much but as always it is and always will be awsome if u do!..tahnx again!!

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i should totally read what i post before i hit "submit comment"

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Ooh. i actually wasn't really keen based on what i knew about the show, but your recap has completely changed that! very eager to catch this drama now, and that is really not a good thing if playful kiss turns out to be good too. xD i'll have 4 dramas on my plate then!

thank you for the recap!! hope the show'll remain good enough for them to continue. xD

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Does Korea no longer focus on ratings from TNS? According to reports, it received ratings of 7.7% there.

As for the drama, so far so good! Thanks for the recap.

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i'm definitely following this drama. i think there is a lot of room for improvement and i want to see the actors grow into their roles. the ratings might be a disappointment now, but it never was a consideration on my part since drama appreciation is something very subjective and depends a lot on personal taste.

and yes, i am rooting for park yoochun! :-)

i hope you will continue with your recaps! thanks!

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"With his swift reflexes, Jae-shin simultaneously claps a hand over Yoon-hee’s eyes — to keep her from seeing what happens next — and clubs the attacker in the head. Hot damn he is sexy. (Yoo Ah-in, I knew you’d be my favorite!)"

YES. YES. YES.

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Yay, this recap is a nice surprise. I've been looking forward to Sungkyunkwan all week!

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Haven't watched the second half yet, but, JB, you know I'm waiting for
YOO! AH! IN! :D
Come to me... :P

As always, a big THANK YOU! :D

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thanks for the recap...

What I'm curious about is that who is the guy with hong-gil-dong type of glasses in the examination area? He is being shoot several times or is he just a passer by?

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I've been thinking about the recap esp the part about yoochun's acting. i agree w/ javabeans that he's a bit stiff i also feel like he's a bit too focused on the pronunciation? i dont know how to speak korean, but that's just my opinion of what i heard.

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mmm ... i think i might watch this drama for Yoo Ah In and Song Joong Ki. their characters sound interesting and i like what i can see of them in the caps. i hope the 'flatness' of that Yoo Chun guy will not be too overwhelming as to make me lose interest in the drama.

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owh i see..
you do not like Yoochun because he was new in acting or your actor yoo ah in and so jong ki is not the lead main actor..I can understand about it ..^^

but don't immediately assume bad about yc's acting, you know? he new in the world of K-Drama ( and its just 1st eps) ..I think his acting is pretty good for a new actor ..

Do not compare yc's acting with so jong ki and yoo ah in because they are seniors in acting..
ok think about it again.... ^^

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uh what's with all the assumptions? PrincelyLuna never said that he/she dislike YC or like YAI&SJK. he/she is commenting based on javabeans's opinion (that YAI &SJK are holding their own and YC is a bit flat). PrincelyLuna never even compared YAI&SJK with YC, so idk where you're getting this. he/she is merely saying that he/she will give this drama try because YAI&SJK's characters (emphasis on characters, not the actors playing the characters) are interesting to him/her.

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cool :) Just wondering, but who's the OTP/love triangle?

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Yoocun-Joongki-Ah In... :lol:

But in all seriousness, I think it will be:

Yoochun-MinYoung-Joong Ki.

MinYoung-Yoochun-Haerim.

Yoochun-Minyoung-Haerim dad(?)

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i think it will be...^^

Yoochun-MinYoung-Joong ki,

Yoochun-Minyoung-Ah in, or

MinYoung-Yoochun-Haerim

lets looking forward.. :)

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I think Ah in will continue to protect Min Young, therefore the triangle will be between YC-MY-Ah In. Joong-Ki might fall for the 2nd lead actress (the adorable Hyo rim) and he should remain to be the pain in the ass of the 2 leads (YC & MY).

I'm glad that though JK can already lead a kdrama of his own, he still accepted this role. It's quite meaty for him =)

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Thanks so much for the recap!
Because this is a sageuk, I did need some help understanding a few things, and I was pleasantly surprised to see this when I visited Dramabeans.
Thanks so much and I hope I'll continue to see these recaps!

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I wasn't looking forward to this drama AT ALL. But now that I've sensed there's a dark streak in the show from your review? Yeah, I'm in.

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i clicked on the title ready to defend one of my dongbang boys from bashers, since i've been a full-fledged dbsk fan - although i'd back down if constructive criticisms were given. and constructive criticisms it were. so i'll strip away my fangirl persona and switch to a kdrama addict.

i was hesitant to hear that YC is doing a drama, eventho he's the most potential as an actor out of his bandmembers [both current and former!] I think this Sunjoon role fits him and i hope he improves more that people will appreciate his efforts. like always, i'll be watching this series when it's all subbed and done. i'd be checking the recaps though, so looking forward to it.

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im with you gala..^^

please do not say anythink bad everyone for Yoochun's acting .. -.- '
Because the drama is not over, ok?

Give him a chance in acting ..
what's wrong with an idol changed over the profession to become an actor?
it is not wrong at all..

outline, he is new in acting ..
and i like so jong ki and yoo ah in too and i think they are a good friends..^^

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I agree. Also I try to refrain from judging newcomers on the first episode for the reason that it is the first thing they shot and have yet the chance to address any problems and improve. I tried to wait a few episodes before I judge since by then they have had the opportunity to see some of their work and see things that need work.

Waiting for subs but couldn't help reading the recap,seems like I will enjoy this drama . Plus how can you go wrong with Joong-ki really?

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I read your comment over and over again..
but I still do not understand what you are questioned in the last words..cowry if im too slow..
anythink wrong in my comment about jong ki?
please, explain it again.. ^^

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hapacalgirl isn't addressing you (or anyone) w/ that last question.

and i agree with Aya. it's not the first thing YC has acted in before. he's done many banjun dramas, vacation, and dating on earth, so he's not a noob at all when it comes to acting.

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this is DEF not the first thing YC was in as an actor and he's by no means new to the entertainment world

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I just remembered that Song Joong-Ki is a student at Sungkyungwan University as a management major although he's currently on leave Other fellow university students are Lee Min-Jung (although she's graduated) and Moon Geun-Young.

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Wow interesting.
Looking forward to this series.

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Just watched this episode. I wasn't very excited and had little expectations of the show, just wanted to look at Soon joong ki's face :D

But i'm definitely enjoying the show, i'm just fearing that it might turn into some draggy way too twisted love triangle.

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I actually watched this drama for Yoo Ah-in. He's one mighty fine actor, it's a pity that he's not the main lead.

The first episode is a bit of a disappointment for me, but it doesn't mean that it's bad, or i will give up on this drama. It's only the first ep. to begin with.

Joong-ki is so darn pretty. He beats the heck out of the girl in team of beauty. Lol.
As expected, Yoo Ah-in is just super in his role. He owns the screen every single time.

Micky.... hmmm.. I'll give him more chances to prove his acting ability. it's a bit too early to judge anything

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Thank you for the recap.....Just happy to read anything from your site......

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the first episode was effing good O_O
it was so artistic and fresh, i LOVE this drama already LOL
and ofc, the actors, i thought all of them did really well (:

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BIG Thanx For JavaBeans for recap..^^

i think, I'm still here until the recap for SKKS drama finished..looking forward..

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big ups on the recap, jb! THANK YOUUU!!!

do you know yet if you'll be continuing it til the end? (i mean, your usual caveat in mind, of course) :)

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All right, I finished the ep and...Dayum, Yoo Ah In!
Not only is he electric on screen, but I'm quite intriqued by his character. His advice on not bowing too quickly seemed to ring a little too close to home for Moon Jae Shin. I'm sure more will be revealed as the politics come into greater play. And it's great that there are also fantastic veterans playing those roles - Kim Gab Soo, Ahn Nae Sang, Jo Seong Ha... The darker aspects of the politics will be a nice counterbalance to the lighter fluff of the romance.

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uh, Yoo Ah-in!!! <3

"Playful kiss" is coming!! *excited. ^^

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Hi javabeans,Maybe you should add this info :

AGB Ratings

Nationwide : 6.3

Daecheon : 7.8
Daegu/Gumi : 6.8
Kwangju : 6.4

No data for Seoul,Quite obvious it's very low.

Source : http://www.siminilbo.co.kr/article.aspx?cat_code=01050000N&article_id=20100831162400285

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I've been waiting for this drama for ever because it's a comeback drama of one of my favorite actors, Yoo Ah-in! And thank you soooo much to javabeans for providing recaps. I wouldn't be able to fully enjoy this drama for a while or at least until the subs come out.
While I'm waiting for the episode to download, I will give a small idea of what I've been hearing. For the acting, I'm glad people are watching this and agreeing to how awesome Yoo Ah-in acts. He's been diving himself into more "artistic" roles in the past. Seeing him in a more popular drama is definitely a plus. Everyone can now see how awesome he is.
For Song Joong-ki, well, I haven't really seen him act before so this will be the first time for me. Though his character does fit his dandy boy image a lot.
Now for Mickey Yoochun aka Park Yoochun. Many are questioning his casting into the main lead role which is very risque, considering this is his first time acting. And the fact that his acting was bland? Well, I guess that's what his character is. But I'm pretty sure things will progress, hopefully somewhat like You're Beautiful where Jang Geun-suk's character at first is cold but later we saw a more quirky side of him. From what I see, Yoo-chun definitely has room for improvement. I mean, there are like 15 or so episodes to go right?
Well, I'm hoping all the best for this drama. It has a high probability of being a hot mess like Boys Over Flowers but isn't that what makes it so much fun?

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I watched the first epi after JB's recap...have to agree with her appraisal of the general acting...however, this being a first epi will wait a little before i judge....this drama reminds me of YB and Butterfly lovers (a very well known chinese love story..esp since both involves gender-bending students)....so far it's not spectacular or instantly engaging...but has good potential to be a nice enjoyable drama...hope it doesn't disappoint.

I'm particularly interested in Yong-Ha and Jae-Shin...let's hope for Micky's sake this doesn't turn out to be the kind of drama I would root for the 2nd or 3rd leads...

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AAAAAAAAHH IN !!! I've been a fan of his since Antique Bakery. He's really someone to watch out for along w/ Song Joonki who nailed his role the 1st time he showed up on screen here.
Yoochun, not bad, he's a newbie so I'll wait & see before I say something.
PMY...uhmmm, I expected more because she's been acting longer but there was just no oomph! I agree w/ you javabeans, can't help think someone could have done it better. I just wish she can be at par w/ Joonki & Yoo because her character is as colorful.

Thank You for the recap :)
happy viewing later y'all :)

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Yoochun's acting is as hard as a rock!

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LOL.. u just cracked me up..

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Thank you for the recap!!! Since I have no idea when I'll be able to actually watch it at this moment with so much work piling up, your recap is the saving grace for me.

As for Yoochun, all I'm expecting is to be able to gaze him for full 60 minutes twice a week. Please just show up for me.

SJK,YAI can cover for acting. Sorry, I'm so hopeless when it comes to JYJ...

Looking forward to being able to sit down and watch this sometime soon.

Thank you JB again.

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