I can see Clark Gable on Namgoongmin’s face

MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “Lover” (written by Hwang Jin-young, directed by Kim Sung-yong) took a break after the 10th episode aired on September 2. Part 1 will be completed and returned to Part 2, which consists of the remaining 10 episodes, in October.

Among the numerous topics, the 10th episode recorded its own highest ratings. According to Nielsen Korea’s tally, it reached 12.2% nationwide. At the same time, it was higher than SBS’s “Police Station and National Forensic Service next to the fire station” (6.5%), and JTBC’s Saturday-Sunday drama “Hiply” Analysts say that the narrative, sensuous directing, and actors’ passionate performance, which mixed comic and melodrama with the historical background of the disease, matched well.

Lovers was a rare ‘unusual’ historical drama in recent years. At first, it started with a comic. A cheerful tone, such as the movie “The Coronation” or “Pirate: A Bandit to the Sea.” From the introduction of the characters of male and female protagonists Yoo Gil-chae (An-jin) and Lee Jang-hyun (Namgung Min), such an atmosphere was felt. Gyusu Yu Gil-chae of the Four Grandfathers, who combines beauty and wit, is the main character who receives the attention of young scholars in Neunggun-ri village. Unlike traditional women’s images of the Joseon Dynasty, which were represented by “Joshin,” their ability to control the hearts of men with their natural love “push and pull skills” is more than normal. But his real heart is only on one person. This is Nam Yeon-jun (Lee Hak-ju), a well-known model student in the village and a Confucian scholar of Sungkyunkwan. The background of the times is only in the early 17th century, and it is not much different from the image of a modern woman with a clear and bold self-assertion. He is a character that has never been seen in a traditional historical drama.

One day, Lee Jang-hyun, a mysterious man who suddenly appeared in Neunggun-ri, takes a step further. He is obviously a gentleman wearing a hat and a robe, but he doesn’t seem to care much about his solemn face. mock the pretentiousness of the scholars, and be excessively knowledgeable in business-wise. In addition, what kind of nonsense is this to be a “non-marriageist” person who has never heard of or heard of. However, even for him, who looks worn and worn out, his pure love for his lover is curved. He falls in love after seeing through Yoo Gil-chae’s true value like “Fox.”

When romance is about to unfold in earnest, war clouds suddenly begin to flow. The Manchurian War (14th year of King Injo’s reign, 1636) breaks out, a humiliating moment in our history. From this point on, “Lover” is transformed into a grim war historical drama instead of comic or romance. The bright and bright screen quickly becomes dark and urgent. Orangutans invade and a procession of evacuation follows. The hardships of Yoo Gil-chae and his party heading to Ganghwado Island with their back to their hometown are indescribable. I get over the point of dying many times along the way. It would have been difficult to survive if Lee Jang-hyun, who is also good at martial arts, had not protected him. In fact, ‘silent’ Lee Jang-hyun would normally have chosen ‘business’ instead of confrontation with orangas. However, he is willing to take risks for his lover Yoo Gil-chae.

In the meantime, the stories of King Injo, Crown Prince Sohyeon, and high-ranking officials who fled to Namhansanseong Fortress are familiar. The king, who is afraid of the invasion of the orang, Crown Prince Sohyeon, who is taken hostage by the Qing Dynasty on behalf of the king, and the ministers of the court who are divided into coin and Cheoksa factions. Once again, I feel sorry for the scenes that seem to have moved the movie “Namhansanseong Fortress.” How can I forget the humiliation of Samjeon, in which the king bowed his head in front of King Taejong of the Qing Dynasty.

However, even in the brink of darkness, human life continues. After the war, Yoo Gil-chae and his party return to their hometown, and Lee Jang-hyun, who were active in the Qing Dynasty, also visits Neunggun-ri again. In the last 10 episodes of Part 1, Yoo Gil-chae and Lee Jang-hyun survived a terrible war and finally confirmed each other’s feelings. But the harsh fate changes the two again. Although there were many ups and downs, the creativity that transcends genres from comic romance to war, and the uniqueness of Yoo Gil-chae and Lee Jang-hyun’s strange love story that does not seem to be connected.