Here's a question viewers will ask: Is there romance in this C-drama remake? Did the original K-drama have romance?
A significant number of viewers will say there is no romance in the original K-drama. There are also a significant number of viewers of the original K-drama who say it's ultimately a journey of two very different people overcoming their personal hurdles and becoming friends to finally be free and resolve issues they each needed to tackle, resonating as a rare love story without romance (in the sense of romantic portrayals and tropes commonly expected by viewers for romance).
Here is the tvn Asia English commercial feature segment of over 6 minutes which aired on 18 March 2023 before the premiere of "My Mister", describing "My Mister": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMmSP2bUSw8
I quote from 2:56 onwards:
[ If romances with a large age-gap make you shout "OH!", add in Lee Sun-kyun and Lee Ji-eun aka IU to the factor will probably make you scream "Oh my god!" That's right! This pairing is the most unlikely and most exciting romantic duo in the history of Korean dramas. Lee Ji-eun plays a part-time worker in her 20s ridden in debt. She falls... ]
At 3:00 in the commercial feature I am sharing from tvn Asia, they inserted a caption stating "An intriguing age-gap romance between Lee Sun Kyun and IU". tvn Asia is operated by Warner Bros honouring a license agreement with CJ ENM, and CJ ENM is a major South Korean Entertainment and retail company.
How the C-drama remake differs from the K-drama original is something I'll enjoy watching to find out. There will definitely be understandable differences, given the cultural differences between China and Korea. 4 episodes in, I can see why the MLs in "My Mister" and "Loving Strangers" have differences in portrayal, given the domestic audiences. This production paid attention to certain details, and I'm happy that Zhang ZI Feng is at home in her role as Yu'an. Enjoyed the ending for episode 4 :)
For those asking about a love story or romance, I hope this helps.
I’m the one who’s struggling to watch this drama without comparing it to the original. I’ve finished watching…
I want good remakes (drama, film, etc) even if the original is very good or superb, because I get to have double the pleasure of immersing in similarities and differences (especially if I understand one or both of them language-and-culture-wise). Evaluating each drama on their own merits is one thing I can do and will enjoy. Making comparisons is another thing I will likely do, but not necessarily in a who-did-better manner.
I want to see how the slippers detail will be conveyed, if adapted completely here. I also want to know if we're going to get that magical 5 minutes in the final episode for the remake, as seen in the original. There are so many little details done well for the original. I'm keen to see how all this turns out for the remake, being faithful yet with certain differences.
Devdas the movie of 1955 versus 2002 remake is one I also enjoy. That Bengali romance novel has been adapted for film 20 times.
Since we've got Mark Chao and Zhang Zi Feng, I believe the pressure will be greatest on the screenwriters, as you've pointed out. Viewers will ultimately benefit from the efforts of two creative teams for two unique dramas, and what could be better than that? XD
I’m the one who’s struggling to watch this drama without comparing it to the original. I’ve finished watching…
People can compare whatever they want. Some will prefer one over the other, be it the remake or the original. Some people also cannot bring themselves to watch this remake now, because of how the first episode recalls certain details for them. Some people have never watched the original and are starting out from here. My post is to give some insight into the original K-drama and why it resonates with many viewers.
Everyone has their own conclusions. This page is for discussion, not gushing. But what isn't polite or fair is when someone goes around ramming their opinion as fact to other viewers as if one drama has to be a winner and the other drama is a loser, since only four episodes have aired.
What you're telling me is understandable. I respect your stance. Those who come to this drama after watching the original will usually make comparisons (it's a natural reaction). Remakes have it tough, especially when the original is very good or outstanding to begin with. My biggest concerns are the script and execution for this remake, because that's usually a fundamental determining factor.
I'll be finishing episodes 2 to 4 shortly after this, and I will also be able to have a preliminary conclusion.
The new poster is criminally bad. What is the deal with all these platforms using the most awful posters? The…
Too bad Youku won't give an updated version (simply altering the wording on it would be enough) of that official poster shared in 2023: https://kisskh.at/photos/2wQQKP_4
나의 아저씨 (My Ahjussi) ie "My Mister" is the original drama which now-airing "Loving Strangers" is an adaptation of.
What makes this 2018 drama of 16 episodes so special, resonating with many viewers inside and outside Korea?
Sometimes likened as the darker version of "Reply 1988" (that's a K-drama classic to watch with an OST to match: https://kisskh.at/13544-reply-1988) with different tones and themes, "My Mister" is generally described as 3 middle-aged men and a 20-year-old girl dealing with the hardships of life and helping each other in a painful transformational journey. It is initially very bleak to begin with, but that description does not do justice to a powerfully-nuanced kaleidoscope of experiences and interactions constituting the stories involving multiple people about the resilience, graceful devotion, and kindness of the human spirit centred around two leads.
Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun) and Ji-an (IU) are the pivotal leads which Mark Chao and Wendy Zhang Zi Feng assume in this drama as Jiang Jia Qi and Zhou Yu'an. The original leads turned in understated incredibly powerful performances of rawness alongside subtleties, and there are no better artists in C-Ent than these two to do justice to the C-drama remake of the K-drama original.
Below is a review from someone about "My Mister", sharing images and their thoughts about why "My Mister" as a drama and the lead characters are unforgettable, in the little details and scenarios (spoilers for the K-drama in the link below).
Lee Sun-kyun passed away on 27 December 2023. In "My Mister", his firmly gentle and doggedly persistent ability to open emotional doors and remind the viewer how the strength of kindness can truly melt and transform the most wounded hearts and souls will always be preserved... RIP.
What does it mean to be human? Is there hope in the bleakest of circumstances? How do we choose what to do, when we face cruelty and evil? What is a new beginning? How do you define a resolution? Jiang Jia Qi and Zhou Yu'an are supposed to show us what they discover, how they change, and why we want to be there for them. All it takes is one person who understands you, and the meaning of life becomes a melody you will never want to forsake or regret.
Enjoy "Loving Strangers"! This is not a competition between dramas or leads. Should this C-drama remake draw in new viewers curious about the original drama, that would be wonderful. Should the original K-drama make viewers curious about this C-drama adaptation, that's also wonderful. The bottom-line is to enjoy what you watch, perhaps share what you discover with fellow viewers in small and big details, and go with the flow.
For those finding it difficult to watch now due to emotional resonance of memories from the original K-drama? Each of us watches what we do, circumstances and moods playing significant parts. If you're not ready, come back another day when you want to do so. Have a great weekend!
casting is actually big/good. why r they not listed here.
Youku released all official stills, trailer and posters with less than 2 hours to airing only yesterday. As a result, multiple viewers have only been able to do edits yesterday. It takes time for the MDL staff vet everything, and they are probably not finished doing so because only some of the edits have gone through.
Back in the day, I was excited when I heard My Mister was getting a cdrama adaptation. Now, I don't know whether…
"My Mister" was a hit, yet some viewers didn't like certain things about the original.
Here's to hoping this remake adaptation is fundamentally faithful, also uniquely wonderful and resonates well. Screenplay and its execution also has to be good. The two leads here are known for being able to micro-emote well, and I'm excited to see what they bring. Should this drama gain new viewers and fans who also becomes curious about the original K-drama but never seen that and want to find out, I'd say it's a win-win situation for everyone :)
Youku is slated to start airing this drama today at 12 noon (less than 3 hours' time). But the official drama accounts on weibo and douyin is still zero for posts D: https://m.weibo.cn/status/5253229826804058
ETA: Yuchen has just shared the posts of trailer, poster and stills from the official weibo account less than 15 minutes ago (also Youku, really really disorganised on promos D:): https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752
Inoue is disgusting to the max. Desperately want him sent off from the island. Why does he have to be both smart…
The despicable chap is also happily kicking in episode 17. But wow, 17 episodes and so many epic moments, turbulent and touching, and tension to the max between various Japanese officers and ML. Hats off also to the actors as Oshima-san and Commander Fujita.
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A significant number of viewers will say there is no romance in the original K-drama. There are also a significant number of viewers of the original K-drama who say it's ultimately a journey of two very different people overcoming their personal hurdles and becoming friends to finally be free and resolve issues they each needed to tackle, resonating as a rare love story without romance (in the sense of romantic portrayals and tropes commonly expected by viewers for romance).
Here is the tvn Asia English commercial feature segment of over 6 minutes which aired on 18 March 2023 before the premiere of "My Mister", describing "My Mister": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMmSP2bUSw8
I quote from 2:56 onwards:
[ If romances with a large age-gap make you shout "OH!", add in Lee Sun-kyun and Lee Ji-eun aka IU to the factor will probably make you scream "Oh my god!" That's right! This pairing is the most unlikely and most exciting romantic duo in the history of Korean dramas. Lee Ji-eun plays a part-time worker in her 20s ridden in debt. She falls... ]
At 3:00 in the commercial feature I am sharing from tvn Asia, they inserted a caption stating "An intriguing age-gap romance between Lee Sun Kyun and IU". tvn Asia is operated by Warner Bros honouring a license agreement with CJ ENM, and CJ ENM is a major South Korean Entertainment and retail company.
How the C-drama remake differs from the K-drama original is something I'll enjoy watching to find out. There will definitely be understandable differences, given the cultural differences between China and Korea. 4 episodes in, I can see why the MLs in "My Mister" and "Loving Strangers" have differences in portrayal, given the domestic audiences. This production paid attention to certain details, and I'm happy that Zhang ZI Feng is at home in her role as Yu'an. Enjoyed the ending for episode 4 :)
For those asking about a love story or romance, I hope this helps.
I want to see how the slippers detail will be conveyed, if adapted completely here. I also want to know if we're going to get that magical 5 minutes in the final episode for the remake, as seen in the original. There are so many little details done well for the original. I'm keen to see how all this turns out for the remake, being faithful yet with certain differences.
Devdas the movie of 1955 versus 2002 remake is one I also enjoy. That Bengali romance novel has been adapted for film 20 times.
Since we've got Mark Chao and Zhang Zi Feng, I believe the pressure will be greatest on the screenwriters, as you've pointed out. Viewers will ultimately benefit from the efforts of two creative teams for two unique dramas, and what could be better than that? XD
Everyone has their own conclusions. This page is for discussion, not gushing. But what isn't polite or fair is when someone goes around ramming their opinion as fact to other viewers as if one drama has to be a winner and the other drama is a loser, since only four episodes have aired.
What you're telling me is understandable. I respect your stance. Those who come to this drama after watching the original will usually make comparisons (it's a natural reaction). Remakes have it tough, especially when the original is very good or outstanding to begin with. My biggest concerns are the script and execution for this remake, because that's usually a fundamental determining factor.
I'll be finishing episodes 2 to 4 shortly after this, and I will also be able to have a preliminary conclusion.
What makes this 2018 drama of 16 episodes so special, resonating with many viewers inside and outside Korea?
Sometimes likened as the darker version of "Reply 1988" (that's a K-drama classic to watch with an OST to match: https://kisskh.at/13544-reply-1988) with different tones and themes, "My Mister" is generally described as 3 middle-aged men and a 20-year-old girl dealing with the hardships of life and helping each other in a painful transformational journey. It is initially very bleak to begin with, but that description does not do justice to a powerfully-nuanced kaleidoscope of experiences and interactions constituting the stories involving multiple people about the resilience, graceful devotion, and kindness of the human spirit centred around two leads.
Dong-hoon (Lee Sun-kyun) and Ji-an (IU) are the pivotal leads which Mark Chao and Wendy Zhang Zi Feng assume in this drama as Jiang Jia Qi and Zhou Yu'an. The original leads turned in understated incredibly powerful performances of rawness alongside subtleties, and there are no better artists in C-Ent than these two to do justice to the C-drama remake of the K-drama original.
Below is a review from someone about "My Mister", sharing images and their thoughts about why "My Mister" as a drama and the lead characters are unforgettable, in the little details and scenarios (spoilers for the K-drama in the link below).
https://thefangirlverdict.com/2018/07/13/review-my-mister-my-ahjussi/
Lee Sun-kyun passed away on 27 December 2023. In "My Mister", his firmly gentle and doggedly persistent ability to open emotional doors and remind the viewer how the strength of kindness can truly melt and transform the most wounded hearts and souls will always be preserved... RIP.
What does it mean to be human? Is there hope in the bleakest of circumstances? How do we choose what to do, when we face cruelty and evil? What is a new beginning? How do you define a resolution? Jiang Jia Qi and Zhou Yu'an are supposed to show us what they discover, how they change, and why we want to be there for them. All it takes is one person who understands you, and the meaning of life becomes a melody you will never want to forsake or regret.
Enjoy "Loving Strangers"! This is not a competition between dramas or leads. Should this C-drama remake draw in new viewers curious about the original drama, that would be wonderful. Should the original K-drama make viewers curious about this C-drama adaptation, that's also wonderful. The bottom-line is to enjoy what you watch, perhaps share what you discover with fellow viewers in small and big details, and go with the flow.
For those finding it difficult to watch now due to emotional resonance of memories from the original K-drama? Each of us watches what we do, circumstances and moods playing significant parts. If you're not ready, come back another day when you want to do so. Have a great weekend!
Here's to hoping this remake adaptation is fundamentally faithful, also uniquely wonderful and resonates well. Screenplay and its execution also has to be good. The two leads here are known for being able to micro-emote well, and I'm excited to see what they bring. Should this drama gain new viewers and fans who also becomes curious about the original K-drama but never seen that and want to find out, I'd say it's a win-win situation for everyone :)
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu
Starring alongside Zhang Zi Feng, this C-drama remake of the K-drama hit "My Mister" will be very interesting :D
Initial airing schedule, trailers, posters and stills have been released and shared on MDL:
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781966
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752
Initial airing schedule, trailers, posters and stills have been released on the drama page:
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781966
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752
Initial airing schedule, trailers, posters and stills have been released on the drama page (and shared on MDL by Yuchen):
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781966
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu
Starring alongside Mark Chao, this C-drama remake of the K-drama hit "My Mister" will be very interesting :D
Initial airing schedule, trailers, posters and stills have been released on the drama page:
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781966
https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752
Somewhat annoyed with Youku, given official promos for this drama is so disorganised and last-minute.
WTF is a shared reaction by others, considering it is supposed to be broadcast online: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5253261301122634
It will definitely air today (Cnet youtubers are also waiting): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_IYlv6w-fw
15 videos (BTS, etc) hidden here by official Youku channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATwx1z00HsduYIzzE5P-Ok_OpQFrGiFG
ETA: Yuchen has just shared the posts of trailer, poster and stills from the official weibo account less than 15 minutes ago (also Youku, really really disorganised on promos D:): https://kisskh.at/748667-wo-de-da-shu#comment-24781752