Pretty Man: Is it really possible?

Nervous! Who me?

Mattei gets within touching distance and women lose the ability to think. Also, eat, sleep, read, write or speak in sentences with more than one syllable. It seems so far-fetched, and yet . . . I remember a restaurant waiter who served my table once. It must have been at least five years ago, but I've never forgotten him. Why? Because this guy was Beautiful with a capital Hubba, Hubba. He wasn't the ordinary level of good-looking. He rated off the charts. When he got near, I got flustered and couldn't make eye contact easily. It was the weirdest thing and it's never happened before or since. But because of that incident it helps me believe a guy like Dokko Mattei could exist.

That's not to say this drama is grounded in reality. But who cares when they give us such charming, oddball characters to laugh at for an hour? Their situations may be beyond belief, but their emotions feel true. Here are a few of the things I enjoyed in week 2 of Pretty Man:

Strike a Pose

Mattei's ability to Vogue it at a moment's notice cracks me up. He revels in the adoring glances women shoot his way and milks it for all it's worth. This sometimes leaves him stretched on a couch or broodily standing in the rain for hours at a time, but he must appear from his best angle, no matter what. You would expect to hate him for it, but this actually makes it all the more poignant when he drops the mask to do a little dance over his new car or dig in to a heaping plate of his favorite fried eggs.

Speaking of which, doesn't anybody feed this boy?

I just love the running gag of how Mattei enjoys the food Bo-tongie leaves him. First, he casts petty sneers at the homecooking. Then he daintily grabs his chopsticks and pokes around. And, finally, he shovels it into his mouth with all the finesse of a bulldozer. Is there a fat man inside him just itching to get out? How great would it be if they showed us his backstory was an overweight little boy being teased in school, until he hit a growth spurt and vowed never to go back. It would explain a lot, including his compulsion to always look good no matter what.

You can't fool me . . . can you?

This show excels at presenting ridiculous characters up front, and then explaining them little by little. How heartbreaking was Jaek-hee saving Mattei over herself, and then admitting she loved her money even more than him? And the electric fairy's handicapped parents who still worked because they wanted to help the less fortunate. Motivations are key. The writer knows that, and keeps giving us good reasons to forgive these morally bankrupt characters. Even the ice princesss, Yu-ra.

Don't get me wrong. I still think Yu-ra is eeeeevil . . . sorta. I mean how can you hate someone who just wants to go to her little girl's birthday party? The actress, Han Chae-young, is doing a great job painting some sympathetic colors into her black-hearted role. I still hate how she manipulates Mattei, but it's so much better when the villain actually has a believable reason for being the way she is. I forsee redemption in her future. Maybe she and her husband can get it right the second time around.

Two sides of the same wacked out coin

Can you imagine if these two defied the second-lead odds and got together? (It's never gonna happen, but just think about it.) They would have the weirdest, most hilarious, adorable children ever. I can just picture their family photos with Mom and Dad dressing everyone in hair hats and flower-printed cat suits. I enjoy their scenes so much, not only for their cute chemistry and wacky hijinks, but also the jealousy it instigates in Mattei.

Beauty and the Beast

I think we all know who the beast is in this equation. Honestly, Bo-tongie's all-consuming crush on Mattei seemed a little pathetic in the beginning. I'm happy to see that she recognizes when he's being a jerk and is not above pretend hitting him when he's not looking. She knows when he's being awful, but chooses him anyway. (It reminds me of Oh Ha-ni and Seung-jo in Playful Kiss.) And you can start to see that Mattei cares for her, as well. When she's hurt at the sock store, he not only tends to her, but also vehemently declares it's not her fault. Quite an accomplishment for such a self-centered egotist. I look forward to the day when he looks at his pixie stalker and sees her for the beauty she truly is.

So far, so good. Lots of questions left unanswered, including will Mattei get a new haircut for each romantic conquest? But we've got lots of time, and I'm enjoying the wacky ride.

Pretty Man = Pretty Good

Is THIS the face of a vegetarian?

I refuse to call this drama Bel Ami. (Might as well call it Bore Ami, for all the interest that title evokes.) So, for this blog, it’s still Pretty Man. And I’m relieved to say it’s pretty good.

Cue the Runway Music

JGS still has a voice that could melt the M&Ms right in your hand. We first meet his character, Dokko Mattei, as a rich, older woman tries to crawl right into his dress shirt, offering to buy him anything he wants. I was impressed that he turned it all down. Maybe this guy isn’t a gigolo, just a misunderstood pretty boy. Pfffft. Nope. He was just waiting until the price got high enough. Despite this MAJOR flaw, I still don’t hate him. We see brief glimpses of a tortured soul underneath the pink, pretty dust. And anyone who tears into a plate of spare ribs like him can’t be all bad.

Sweet Sixteen is all grown up

 

Bo-tongie’s babyface hides a surprisingly racy mind, as she’s turned on by everything from the muscular arms of the butcher to raw chicken in the freezer section. But nothing turns her on like Mattei Oppa. She’s not too bright, not too good, not too ambitious, but altogether hilarious. And her relationship with her equally dim brother looks ripe for comic fodder.

Hard-hearted Hannah

 

Yu-ra remains a puzzle at the moment. But three things you can be sure of. The gal is gorgeous. Clever. And Eeeeeeeeeeevil. Did anyone else wonder if she’d smothered Mattei’s mother with a pillow? When teasers about the show were coming out, it looked like Mattei was going to seduce a flock of other women just to win her over with some weird bet. How much better is it that she holds the key to finding his long-lost father, and she’s openly manipulating him. *Shiver* She is one cold customer.

Is there a chill in the air?

 

Speaking of cold, this drama surprised me with its dark, jaded undertone. The candy colored action bounces around like a page from a comic book, then suddenly we’re knee deep in birth secrets, hidden chemotherapy, and emotional blackmail. It left me a little unsettled, but interested, all the same.

Too soon for sparks

 

Mattei and Bo-tongie spent very little time together in the first episode, so it’s hard to gauge their chemistry. But I liked them, and I think there were hints that Mattei cares for her. Like when he railed at her for wrapping herself in Saran. That seemed like the kind of angry you only get at the people close to you. Especially for the cold-as-ice playboy. It looks like the two will be working together in the upcoming episodes, so that should leave lots of room for romance to blossom. IU never seems to shy away from the skinship, unlike some of her fellow actresses *cough-Park Shin Hye-cough*. And she wasn’t afraid to take the initiative and plant a kiss on her much older, though completely adorable co-star Jo Jung-suk in You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin. Hopefully, we are in for some squee-worthy moments with the OTP.

I’m a little weirded out by Pretty Man, and yet strangely attracted. I hope Mattei shows genuine growth and emotional maturity as the show progresses. I bet Bo-tongie continues to crack me up. And I’d really, really like some smexy kisses (the ones with his Sugar Mama don’t count). Pretty please!

Waiting for Pretty Man

I used to avoid anything with Jang Geun-seok in it like the plague. I think it was the hair. (Which he just cut, by the way. Wooo-hooo!) Then I actually watched one of his dramas. Then another. And another. There’s something about this guy that jumps off the screen. So the news that he’s teaming with IU for the upcoming Pretty Man is welcome indeed.

In honor of his return to television, I thought I’d list a few things I liked in his last drama Love Rain. From what I hear, this tanked in Korea, but did well internationally, so you’ve probably already watched it. But in case you missed it, I’ll give you a tip for how to enjoy this story. Skip the first four episodes and any scene with just the parents. No, I’m serious. The older generation’s tale is weepy, maudlin and depressing throughout the series, and it closes with only a semi-happy ending. That doesn’t work for a happy-ever-after junkie like me. Their children’s modern love story begins in episode five and it has all the snap and crackle that their parents lacked. Focus on them, and you should enjoy this drama. Here are a few things that make the kiddies worth watching:

Diamond Snow

K-dramas recycle the same settings over and over. You know the ones: the Han River, street food vendors, amusement parks. But introducing our OTP in mid-winter Japan while they search for a famous snowy outlook that sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight . . . that’s different. In a really good way. It lends the story a kind of romantic mystique, and also provides a few good laughs as Jang Geun-seok’s character pathetically falls all over himself in the fluffy drifts.

Speaking of falling all over himself 

This playboy photographer’s nickname is Three-seconds, because that’s how long it takes him to pick up a girl. So how awesome is it when Yoona’s character turns it back on him, and uses his own line to reel him in. Believe me, this hero falls HARD. He basically makes an idiot of himself trying to look cool and act like he doesn’t care, all while following her around like a love-crazed puppy.

Registers, Schmegisters

The basic plot is as follows: Mom and Dad meet in the 70s. Fall in sweet, sentimental love. Are separated by the typically unbelievable K-drama misunderstanding, and go on to marry other people. Years later, his son and her daughter meet and form a much more volatile, passionate bond. Unbeknownst to them, the divorced dad and widowed mom meet up again and rekindle their relationship, deciding to tie the knot. This is where the trouble starts.

If you’re an American, you’re probably thinking, “What’s the big deal?” I’m no Korean law expert, but from what I read, a boy and girl who are listed as siblings in the family register when two adults marry are legally considered related. In their society, this makes Geun-seok and Yoona’s love taboo, both legally and culturally. (Don’t worry. It all works out in the end. Remember, I’m a happy-ever-after junkie.)

Cohabitation Hijinks 

Don’t we all love when our OTP are forced to share living space? But this drama goes one better. This couple’s apartment sports two bedrooms which are separated by a bookcase. The kind you can look right through and talk to each other. That’s right, nowhere to hide.

The Fountain Kiss

Even if you haven’t seen Love Rain, you’ve probably seen the fountain kiss on some sort of Youtube compilation. The colored water, the subtle, sexy love song playing in the background, and Jang Geun-seok’s technique all add up to a major squeeworthy moment. And it’s not the only one. There are quite a few cute kisses to enjoy in this drama.

Pretty Man starts this week, which they are now calling the more innocuous Bel Ami. *Sigh* Just doesn’t have the same ring, does it? Still, I have high hopes for an entertaining story and a few more tantalizing kisses that I can watch on Youtube when I’m bored. Fingers crossed!