That Winter, the Wind Blows

I love a melodrama that tells a story in the long mini-series format. In this regard, I have discovered some gems in some recent South Korean TV mini-series. The basic melodrama is the oft repeated formula: Boy meets Girl, Boy loses Girl, Boy gets Girl Back, and this may recur again. Human relations can be complex even if only the boy and girl are involved, but this complexity increases as more people are involved. If personality dynamics are properly depicted in a valid manner, and if the production is skillful, powerful emotions can be evoked in the viewer. In this way we can live many lifetimes through movies, in our one lifetime - greatly enriching our experience.

These South Korean productions (on Netflix streaming) are first class with excellent production and direction, some terrific casting and acting (particularly from some of the females who give some world class performances), brilliant musical accompaniment and staging. What makes these so good is the way they skillfully evoke deep emotion in the viewer. South Korean movie making is impressive.

However, the following caveats must be considered. They are subtitled and some people hate this. The South Korean cultural norms, values and sanctions may sometimes seems silly or old fashioned to the USA viewer. The families are close knit and decisions by an individual may be subject to family approval. Social distance is maintained where formal speech is used, and personal speech forms are reserved for close friends or family. There is a strong work ethic and community cooperation/unity - sometimes reminiscence of old Capra films.

Also, in order for the sometimes complicated sub-plots to work, people fail to communicate with each other as might be expected, keeping many in the dark as to what others are doing. This leads to misunderstandings and error judgments of some people which sometimes seems unlikely by USA cultural standards. The viewer may wonder at times why good but trusting people are so easily manipulated and deceived by bad and selfish people, but con artists do often succeed (just look at politicians for example). This poetic license of implausibility is needed to develop the story - just accept it even though unlikely at times. Taking these factors into account will help you become involved and emotionally engrossed. It was hard for me to quit watching at times so I binged watched.

I would rank these as follows but tastes differ and your rankings might not agree: 1 - 4 (hard to say which is best)

Shining Inheritance

When a Man Loves

That Winter, The Wind Blows

Secret Garden

5. Five Fingers

6. The Scent of a Woman

7. The Great Queen Seondeok

8. A Hundred Years Inheritance

9. Lie To me

10. Roof Top Prince

11. Dr. Jin

12. The Great Doctor

"That Winter...." is story of good and evil, a poignant story of love overcoming sociopathy (criminality and hate), nicely paced and developed, engrossing and involving thanks to great acting, music and production/direction. However, the ending is flawed because of what is left out, requiring the viewer to fill in the blanks. To help you fill in the blanks without any spoiling, let me offer this: The stabbing death only seems to be, the void of the scene is that the person was saved and lived, but this fact was concealed to call off those wanting the death. Without this info the ending seems perhaps strange.

Another reviewer unjustifiably denigrates this series.

First, this reviewer states a dislike for love melodramas preferring comedy. Such a preference can cause a negative prejudice toward "When Winter Comes...., and if you have this prejudice you can find fault with this one.

Second, if you have extremely strong feelings against incest you will be disturbed with any mild hints of mild and false incest as in this series, but there is no incest at all in this series. Psychologically, most people have instincts against incest, but some people lack such negative incest instincts and there are cases of happy incestuous relations that cause no harm whatsoever. Most cases are harmful, where trauma was induced by one of the partners who forced/coerced incest onto the other unwilling partner.

Third, the negative reviewer questions how the evil nanny (erroneously described as the "stepmother" by the negative reviewer)does harm to the girl yet later loves her greatly. Here you have to understand the evil-good character transition of the nanny who was initially hired to take care of the girl and sexually service the father. She was an outcast from her family and desperately needed the nanny job and thus degraded herself. She committed evil toward the girl in order to create a continuing need for employment as a nanny and be in a family. With time she comes to truly love the girl, and secure an important job in the company, and then becomes good rather than evil. Morality is a luxury - Dr. Arthur Wells. As this love and relationship developed over the years the nanny felt guilty but became devoted to the girl. We sometimes hurt the one we love, feel guilty, and become more loving as a result - it happens.

Fourth, the negative reviewer wonders how the hired hit man threatens to kill the other man in order to collect a debt for the hit man's gangster boss (who ordered the other man killed out of the gangster's jealousy over his girlfriend who was in love with the man to be killed, using the framed debt as an excuse). What is the problem in this for the negative reviewer? What is also overlooked in this is that the hit man has extra incentive to kill the other man since that man is blamed by the hit man for the death of someone the hit man loved. Did the negative reviewer really watch the series?

At first I was uncertain about this series. The two main characters were unlikeable - and many of the lesser ones too. But it is a tale of redemption and forgiveness as each has to forgive others for the wrongs done to them and find reasons to become better people themselves. Of course, this being a Korean drama, that process is not straight forward, with various twists and turns. And love plays a very significant part.

By the end I was very much on their side.

I would also like to mention the acting by the two leads. I have not seen In-Sung Jo before and initially found it easy to confuse his sneering character with the personality of the actor and so formed a dislike for him. But he portrays his character's transformation so very well and entirely won me round in the process.

I have seen Song Hye-Kyo before - in Descendants of the Sun - and was entirely unconvinced by her as an actress. So her acting here was a revelation for me. A sympathetic and moving performance.

That Winter the Wind Blows. KTV love story melodrama. 16 episodes. Early Spring 2013.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Story: This is the 2006 Korean movie 'Love Me Not' remade into a TV drama with a different cast, wherein a young heiress discovers that everyone around her is trying to take advantage of her newfound wealth. She's at a disadvantage in her fending for herself though, because she happens to be blind, suicidal, and has a brain tumor!. Yep!!! This would be a little hard to swallow if this weren't Korean melodrama, but it is, so you're just going to have to roll with it!

A con man with low morals and gambling debts quickly shows up to scheme the blind woman out of her money; he was (SPOILERS) friends with her actual long lost brother (who's now dead), so he assumes her brother's identity and gets to work trying to steal a fortune. The con man soon finds his new found "sister" is somewhat of a kindred spirit though, and he begins to pity her and quickly regrets what he's doing. Slowly but surely, he begins to truly want to care for her as the oppa she's always been missing, and then ultimately, he starts to fall in love with her.

If you've been around the block with these shows, you know where all this is headed; Can con man become a decent guy? Can blind woman find her reason to keep on living, if she doesn't die outright anyway? Can these two help each other heal over time, and perhaps eventually be together and find love and live happily ever after? Blah, blah, blah!

This particular series is primarily a simple slow burn romantic/tragic melodrama when you get down to it. I typically don't like these shows very much because they're usually relentlessly bleak and somber, and they're often quite boring to boot as a result. To be fair, I personally prefer romantic K-dramas that are more lighthearted & fun, or completely outrageous. This show plays it straight with its story for the most part, and although it tries to avoid being too tedious, it can be VERY slow moving at times (especially down the stretch).

The reasons for the two leads to fall in love are a bit sketchy, and, their love sometimes lead to being borderline creepy in an incestuous way. I've seen this semi-incest theme in a number of K-dramas over the years, and it never fails to rub me the wrong way. There's always some out/excuse/reason so that it's not actually incest, but it frequently comes across as just being plain "icky"!

Jo In-Sung plays the con man. He's got a nice charisma to him, and, he does pretty decent work here in the role he's given. Song Hye-Kyo plays the female lead. She's solid too (as usual), and she gets bonus points for having to portray a blind woman week after week. There's nothing wrong with either of their performances, but it's hard to really like either of their characters in the long run because of the nature of this show and the characters themselves. There's a few other primary supporting roles, the most prominent being the blind woman's caretaker/stepmother, and the mob henchman who the con man has to pay back. There's also your two secondary young pretty characters (played by Kim Bum & Eun-ji from APink ) who aren't really all that essential to the main plot in the scheme of things; they get the job done well enough in their subordinate parts, and they're arguably more likable than anybody else in this show by default.

There are some problems that hold this show back from being just better than average IMO. It has some really bad pacing issues as it progresses, and, several of the story lines & relationships don't really make a whole lot of sense as the plot unfolds, such as (SUPER SPOILERS): A) Evil stepmother actually truly loves blind girl and will be sad if she ever has to leave her? Wait! What?; B) Con man's gangster friend must kill con man if he doesn't pay off his debt by an exact date?...why?...his death would clearly benefit no one because you can't collect debts from a dead guy; the only reason this story angle exists is to serve as a contrivance for the con man to have a "made up" reason to face his own mortality (i.e. so he can supposedly better identify with the dying blind/tumor girl he's in love with); C) Can you operate on the blind/tumor girl or not?...make up your mind will you!; D) The con man's gangster friend also has stomach cancer and he's dying too, but he sort of wants to reconcile with the con man (or maybe kill him) over something that happened to a girl they both loved when they were younger?...why?...is any of this back story nonsense really necessary?; and on and on it goes.

This show is not overly terrible, and there are several things to like throughout, but I can't really recommend it as being anything more than just barely OK. It screamed to be only 10-12 episodes long (even though I realize that is unrealistic in this genre), and, it just hammers you with so much nonstop agony & misery that the central love story ultimately gets lost along the way. This mix of love, life, and loss should never be as difficult or complex (and depressing) as these shows tend to try to make you believe it is, and, the more these shows try to convince you otherwise, the worse things will inevitably get. There's a fine line between an epic sad love story saga versus an unenjoyable & overwrought emotional tale that's not all that coherent or cohesive. This is a perfect example of a show that is equal parts both!

Summary: Skip this show and watch the movie 'Love Me Not' instead; you won't miss anything and you'll save yourself 14 hours.

Bottom Line: 6 out of 10 stars.

How does one admit that s/he spent over 16 hrs watching a show about how a con man poses as a wealthy blind woman's brother & ends up falling in love with her? This is utterly ridiculous. The plot summary is ridiculous. What's more ridiculous is that I cried through at least nine episodes. Part of me felt I myself was inside a scene from a comedy. Looks like the joke's on me.

I'll have to accept that I appreciate art with my heart much more than my head. If one can roll with the premise, it's a more pleasurable experience Thus, romance addicts will hop on this cathartic roller coaster & love the ride. Be warned, though, mostly everyone else will hate this.

Between 🤧, thoughts jumped to the front of my brain, like: "Hey, this is more ridiculous than a General Hospital, Peyton Place, & Dynasty doing a Reunion-Funny-Raccoon-Video-Holiday-Extravaganza!"🎉 Or, "This could be one of the most absurd plot lines ever." As it turns out, this is nothing! Who knew the following plots were being inflicted on the public? Luke & Laura save the world from being frozen. Or, how'bout it was all a dream... a dog's dream. Then there's Timmy, the doll that came to life along with Precious, the obsessive orangutan nurse. Don't get me started on Being John Malchevich, which is really good, but can't be explained. Therefore, TWTWB isn't so bad. I've decided to not be embarrassed for loving it, and it's not the only Kdramas that prompt similar thoughts.

TWTWB is the story of Oh Young & Oh Soo. She is born into one of Korea's dukedoms (her father is a CEO). Her parents had a nasty divorce, ending with her mother leaving the house & taking her brother, Oh Soo. Age 7 at the time, Oh Young longed for them, but she never saw them again.

There's 2 Oh Soos, & they end up friends: Oh Young's brother, born into modern day royalty, & the /other/ Oh Soo, who had been abandoned under a tree at birth. Oh Soo is a grown street kid, sometimes thug, always a gambler, & usually a con man. When the Ohs finally come looking for the long lost son, he has been dead a year. At the same time, the still living Oh Soo suddenly owes a debt to a mob boss that, in the words of 'The Boss', "no honest man can pay." So when the family lawyer comes tapping around, Soo jumps at the golden opportunity to make connections with these "well-🎯ff" targets.

This sets up a line of obstacles that he & his friends-and-abettors must navigate with thriller style machinations. The irony is that while Oh Soo believes he's moving into that house with his eyes open, ready to plot his course & exit monied & worry-free, he actually went there blind & ended up snaring himself.

TWTWB is a show about isolation, family, lousy or absent parents, dignity, responsibility, telling oneself the truth, & honor. Most of all, it's about forgiveness. The players have a roulette wheel of hurts, slights & other grievances laid out in a circular fire squad formation. Almost every character needs to forgive another in this series. Young's list is by far the longest. The person that forgives can go on to heal. Maybe it isn't possible to pardon somebody out of selfish motives, but the party that gets the most benefit when forgiveness occurs is the one that does the forgiving. As the aphorism goes: Dwelling on hate & anger is like drinking poison & expecting the other person to get sick. TWTWB also underscores that once a person has passed, we must live a little hollowed out if we've missed the chance to attempt reconciliation.

There's nothing novel about the plot's arc: Poor, but smart street thug with a heart of gold, meets innocent, poor-little-rich-girl. Over time, his evil agenda evaporates as love blooms. The journey that matters more than whether it's redundant. Human existence is redundant. What matters most is how they tell the story, and they do it well.

The slow pace mirrors Oh Young's pace. She must proceed methodically & feel everything out prior to stepping forward. The director wants the viewer to FEEL the actors' emotions. It seems that half of the series is extreme close-ups. That, along with the cello music, is a direct send up to the lauded Ingmar Bergman. When we don't hear the cello or the chimes, there is a thrumming beat to the soundtrack that's intended to build tension. Every episode adds to the taut atmosphere. Given the long close-up takes, the actors are nothing short of sensational showing a range of emotions hidden under poker faces. It should excite lovers of the craft.

Young, who went blind shortly after the siblings separated, was completely cloistered while growing up. She knows nothing of the world or most human interaction, yet she's grown to not trust anyone. Locked away, she's too vulnerable & naive to be left alone. Yet she is very, very alone. Her money blinds everyone around her to her humanity.

Their relationship is adorable. It is as beautiful as it is increasingly uncomfortable as the show continues. He can't take his eyes off of her. Under his nurturing she opens up like a flower. He seems more & more reluctant to go through with his plans. He starts to deflect his agenda and, rather, work on unlocking some of the mysteries in Young's life. Winter is representative of Young's life: A very cold & very long winter. Soo's the warm wind. He blows in and shakes everything up. Soo makes the chimes ring.

Soo & the boys from the street are shown to have limited options in life. At the end of the show, Soo loses all interest in making any excuses, valid or not. He & BFF Jin grew up next to Moo-chul who has a complicated relationship with Soo over a past tragedy and has given Soo 💯 days to pay off his debt. Moo-chul may not like Soo, but he sticks to his word, despite being pressured to act earlier. Mr. Kim, the mob boss, is juxtaposed with all of the neighborhood boys. They have a code of conduct, but Mr. Kim respects nothing but his own image. While he likely knows Soo didn't steal his money, he demands repayment anyway, because he's jealous of Soo. Everybody is making deals & promises throughout the show, but Mr. Kim has no intention of keeping his word. Moo-chul may have been contracted to kill Soo, but everyone seems to understand it's just business, and nobody thinks he's lying about anything. It makes for good watching.

Soo is compared to the people around Young. We see that most of the condescending snobs are worse than he is. Young is the center of the wheel that everything turns on. The people around her may seem to care about her, but the money always undermines relationships & corrupts everything. Yes, Soo came to defraud her, but he ends up guiding her to the land of the living. He may have been abandoned at birth, but Young, born to "privilege," was treated even worse, as Soo was taken in by a loving family. The people around Young claim to love her, but from one perspective, they are the #true con artists. Her life has been pain. She is secluded in that secret room, with despair & self-pity infecting the space. She'd given up, out of exhaustion, by the time Soo arrived. She wants to die. Soo is next to Young because he wants to live! These opposite forces draw them together, swirling around each other, as fate tries to bring balance & promote growth.

Now to the Uh-Ohs. There's some /near insulting/ logical gaps & pitfalls. Several things make no sense at all. They did such a nice job with many elements, but some of the mistakes are astounding, given the context. This is a no spoilers review; few examples are possible. One of the worst things that occurs is related to revelations about one character. This person turns out to be delusional & dangerous. It's wildly inappropriate that this person is permitted to linger around. The flaws are severe enough that I can't go higher than a 7 rating. The cropped ending is too brief & klutzy, which is an issue with many Kdramas. Yet, it still is probably in the re-watcher category. I miss them already. Besides, Kim Bum, as Soo's BFF, has never looked more adorable. His parents, who raised Soo, are the only good parents in the show (even Secretary Wang has problems with her dad).

The portentous soundtrack amplifies Soo's (and the viewer's) dread of that fateful day; Young will learn the truth someday. We learn just how sweet & pure she is & how desperate she is to be loved. If you're like me, you'll also tear up from around episode 6, give or take, until the end. Flush out those tear ducts.

Soo was utterly transformed by his time with Young. From doing anything to survive, he now knows what he wants to /live/ for. He makes amends, he shows appreciation for those that looked out for him. He's left his room, joined his family & is open to caring for others. His face radiates a beautiful peace, tinged with underlying sadness. He has accepted truth into his life, particularly the truth about himself. That's even more useful than loving oneself. No excuses. Soo refused to make any excuses. That's not easy. How many of us can do that? He says he wants to pay for his mistakes. It's a touchstone at the gate of the path to redemption.

In the end, the cold winter yields to a warm & blossomed spring🌱🌷🌱. The path of redemption & healing is complete. Love Isn't Blind After All.

QUOTES📢

Things end up as you believe.

Certain times are so heavy and long certain times feel so lite and short and at times the two are interchangeable at worst they perish for good...

IMHO〰🖍

📣7.5 🎭8 💓8 🦋6 🤔6⚡5.5 🎨8 🎵8 🔚8

Age 15+

Re📺? I intend to

〰Bad intentions turned upside down: Crazy Love-7.8, Familiar Wife-8.5, The Golden Spoon-8.1, Call It Love-8.4, Anna-8.1

〰Romance junkies only: My Secret Romance-7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks), Boys Over Flowers-8 ~ melodrama to the max, The Bride of Habaek-7, Heirs-7.3, Something in them Rain-9, C: Well-Intended Love-7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine, When I Fly Towards You-7.8, Wait, My Youth-8.4, A Little Thing Called First Love-8.5.

I mainly liked the lead roles here. Specially the actor. Anyway the overall drama was beautiful the love and all. Beautiful cinematography . Worth a try.