Friday, February 28, 2014

TV Tip: When a Man Loves

Here's a Korean series that sounds fantastic, coming from Renee, a friend of Happy Catholic who I was lucky enough to meet in person a few months ago. She mentions that it is subtitled but I actually prefer that for foreign works because I like to hear how the original actors portray their characters.
It's a really well done Korean tv series playing on Netflix called 'When a Man Loves.' The 20 episodes cover one story arc.

The main character, Han Tae Sang, is a thug for a loan shark who turns his life around. The show is full of great Catholic themes like mercy, forgiveness, and redemption.

Tae Sang begins this journey when he goes to a used book store to collect on an overdue loan. While he's there, he begins reading 'Introduction to the Devout Life,' meets the proprietor's feisty daughter and begins to reflect on his life.

The bookstore and poetry play a large role in the story.

While the romance is what hooked me to begin with, when that soured, it was the bromance that kept me watching. I've never seen anything with such powerful and touching male relationships. This is where the show really excels and where the full meaning of the title, "When a Man Loves," comes into focus.

In order to understand the show, there are two things you have to know. One is that, while the heroine looks and acts like she is much younger, she is actually over twenty-five by the time the romance begins. The other thing is the Korean word, "hyung." It means "older brother" and is often used as an honorific between male friends. The older one receives respect and in return, cares for, mentors, and provides for the younger, as needed.
I really, really want to watch this one.

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