Heartstrings

Heartstrings or You've Fallen for Me is the next Park Shin-hye drama I have viewed, shown two years prior to Heirs in 2011. Actually I was gearing towards Pinocchio next but Heartstrings had a pull.  I could have just clicked on  You're Beautiful or He's Handsome ( I have yet to master the intricacies of all these translations) first as Jung Yong Hwa (of CN Blue), the lead in Heartstrings is the melancholic second lead of You're Beautiful. Too right, this is to appease the fans suffering from a heartfelt second lead syndrome from You're Beautiful.  

I don't really re-watch the first seven episodes of Heartstrings as Lee Shin (Jung) is pining for the dancer professor.  Set in a creative arts university (or college?), Lee Shin and Lee Gyu Won (Park Shin-hye), look gorgeous together. His character plays the guitar and a leader and lead singer of a contemporary rock band, the campus hearthrob and she's a gayageum player and leads her own traditional music girl group. Her character also sings and is learning how to dance.  But IRL, Park Shin-hye is a kick-ass dancer who cooks well and does crafts in addition to playing the guitar and piano and cry on cue.  

Anyway, Heartstrings is lighter than light, fluffy fare. After episode seven, Lee Shin realised that his heart really belongs to Lee Gyu Won and becomes the Guy, that not even nasty made-up rumors could throttle his feelings for the Girl. Isn't that sweet?  He is so swoon worthy.  Lee Shin even sang a love song for his girl heard through the school audio system. He is such a pillar of strength for the talented heroine. 

However, the drawback are the kissing scenes, those opened-eyes, startled-reaction kisses from Lee Gyu Won.  Who invented those kind of kisses and scenes? Why would a pivotal scene become a laughing stock of a gif for years to come? Even the last kiss is so tame. It should be a good kiss or no kiss at all.  An emotional stare, heart-wrenching lines, a proper, reciprocated hug make a reel love story come to light. 

I love the PSH hairstyle here, short, curly-haired bob. Waif like. But the female lead's fashion of balloon skirts and grandma tops?  I don't know.  There are a lot of stylish garb for a summer drama.  I could see it on the dancer professor. The wardrobe BTS people just didn't think a little deeper for this leading lady. 

I hope the two leads would collaborate again, if not in acting, a duet in a CN Blue comeback album ( all the members are on mandatory enlistment) or a reunion concert for ANJELL? We have to wait a while but who knows.