Thousands of Korean dramas (K-dramas) are watched by millions of people around the world with each new one easily topping the previous release and becoming a hit among its viewers. The drama “Crash Landing On You” has become one of the most-watched K-Dramas in February 2020 and has maintained popularity until today. Directed by Lee Jung Hyo, the South Korean series features Son Ye Jin as Yoon Se Ri, Hyun Bin as Ri Jung Hyuck, Seo Ji Hye as Seo Dan, and Kim Jung Hyun as Gu Seong Joon. Its first episode was released on December 14, 2019 via tvN in South Korea before becoming available in streaming services like Netflix worldwide.
Yoon Se Ri, a rich heiress who wants to put up her own business. Despite having a successful fashion business called ‘Seri’s Choice”, she was often involved in dating scandals. Acknowledged by her father, she prepares to take over their family business. However, she tests her new business product by paragliding as she lands in North Korea. Military officer Ri Jung Hyuck, who is incharge of covering the North Korea demarcation line, finds her and makes a decision to keep her safe and bring her back home. She made an agreement with them to work in helping her sneak out North Korea and go back to her hometown. Soon, they fall in love little by little. However, the Korean border tests how their love can last.
How this was filmed is astonishing. The actor and actresses are handsome and gorgeous as always, fitting their roles. The costumes are also excellent as we can see the differences of North and South Koreans. When Se Ri was still in North Korea, one can really see how the northern citizens live and dress. Each character made every viewer feel attached. Mostly everyone would fall in love with the main character, but the supporting characters in “Crash Landing On You” can make your heart beat ten times faster. Just like how Park Kwang Bum’s looks made anyone fall in love with him. There’s Kim Ju Meok, a North Korean soldier who was watching South Korean dramas. As well as Geum Eun Dong, another man from Jeong Hyeok’s troop who’s fascinated by using the briquette to grill meat, and Mr. Hong, who is Se-ri’s loyal assistant.
Not only how they look and act, but how they did their lines was incredible. The actors who acted as North Koreans did the northern dialect very well. The whole setting where they’re supposed to be in North Korea showed some certain aspects of the daily lives of North Koreans which was cool to see. It was not filmed in the north, but it was filmed in Jeju, a province in South Korea for the North Korea village. Fun fact, this was also filmed in Switzerland and Mongolia. The cinematography was excellent as well, when they focused the characters and made the rest blurr was good, so that the viewers could focus on them. The OST lineup, the music that enveloped the scenes in the drama made the best moments feel more heartfelt and memorable. Another thing is the curtains of the rich people in South Korea. Some say that they add laces on their windows, most rich South Koreans do this to show off their wealth. They even try showing differences of South and North just like when Se Ri was in the northern, they have no electricity at all, so they use candles to light up the room, and when some of the soldiers went to the south, they were amazed about lamps and anything with electricity. You can really see the differences of both regions.
Everything about this K-Drama can make viewers’ hearts flutter. The drama isn’t just some typical romance, yet it’s a romantic comedy or rom-com. Each episode made everyone feel lighthearted, having fun watching it, and full of kilig moments is what we call. The North Korean soldier and South Korean heiress gave that Romeo and Juliet vibe to it. For starters, It’s not like we see everyday a K-Drama between a North Korean and South Korean. In such Korean dramas featuring North Koreans, male North Koreans usually come off as coarse, contrasting with smooth-skinned and good looks of South Korean male leads. Usually the South Korean male makes the North Korean female fall in love with him. Most of them think that Northern women and Southern men are the most attractive pairing. The North Korean nationality generates “bad boy” vibes that appeal to female fans. Yet this is very interesting to see whether “Crash Landing With You” generates any shift in South Korean gender perceptions of North Koreans.
Whilst it can be labelled as a romance, the show also explores love and kindness between neighbours and fellow soldiers. The camaraderie between the soldiers in Ri Jeong Hyuk’s unit and how they look out for one another is one of my favorites. This gesture shows when Captain Ri’s fellow comrades come over to South Korea to marvel at the different types of instant ramen in the convenience store, to awe at the existence of instant rice and other things they haven’t experienced yet nor discovered in the South with Captain Ri and Se Ri’s guidance at some proportion of the series. The comrades also trying to blend into South Korea and failing epically is quite amusing, while still serving as a poignant highlight of the differences between the North and the South. It was endearing, but also bittersweet to hear the boys sighing in envy at the fact that the lights stay on at night in South Korea which just reveals how hard life is living in the North with the depiction of the series. Just showing scenes like these reveal more about the characters, often a side of a character that others don’t get to see and the differences between the life in the North and South. They also offer a little light comedic relief to round off each episode.
“Crash Landing On You” is an addicting series that easily makes someone feel good. There has been no dull moment happily witnessing how love blooms between a South Korean heiress and a North Korean army captain. The whole drama made every viewers’ heart flutter and fangirl or fanboy over the actors and actresses. Not all romantic comedy movies are the best, but this hit the spot. This drama even reached worldwide already, an accomplishment I’d say. “Crash Landing On You” is as funny as it's emotional to watch. The series balances out the humor and entertaining moments. Having exciting plots that keeps the audience tense and eager for the next episode. It’s successful in moving between light-hearted, comedic, serious and emotional scenes. The drama may not be entirely realistic, but it shows that love has no boundaries.
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