Im Yoona is undoubtedly one of the brightest stars in South Korea. She is part of the highly successful K-pop girl group, Girls’ Generation (SNSD), endorsing many brands and also partaking in Korean dramas. When she first started gaining popularity in 2007, I scoffed. I saw nothing special in her and I thought the public was nuts for falling madly in love with her.
That was the case until I watched Prime Minister and I, a drama from 2013 under KBS, one of the three largest broadcasting stations in Korea.
Through that drama, I saw Yoona in a complete new light. It was the first and only drama I’ve seen from Yoona, and with somewhat of an indescribable reason, I fell in love with her.
I think part of the reason is that she picked a good role. Nam Da Jeong is a wonderful character with spunk, generosity, and a strong sense of justice. Although her mother died early, she grew up with a strong and positive mind. Because of that, she is able to relate to the three kids of the Prime Minister, Kwon Yul, whose mother also passed away. She treats them with understanding and respect because she knows just what it’s like to grow up without a mother.
However, one of the major flaws in Da Jeong’s character is that she is too wonderful. Although I was able to see some development throughout the drama, I don’t think she faced as many trials as a lead character should have. Arguably, the drama is titled “Prime Minister and I”, and Yul is the true main character. But for a good drama, all characters need to be dynamic and constantly changing. I think she experienced the most change through falling in love with Yul, as there were some ups and downs, and she was able to grow and mature. Unfortunately, I wasn’t convinced enough.
Yul, on the other hand, faced enough trials for me to buy it. Having to recover from losing his wife, guarding his new position as the Prime Minister, and realizing that he needed to mend his horrible relationship with his children, Yul transformed into a new man after 17 episodes.
Lee Beom Soo suits the role of Yul very well. He has the age for the part and his expressions are matured and comfortable, convincing without ever trying too hard. Unfortunately, as charismatic as he is, Yoona is the true winner in this drama for me. The camera captures her beautifully, never missing the twinkle in her eye or the warmth of her smile. She is by no means a great actress, but for a role that is fairly one-dimensional, Yoona sells it very well.
You may notice that I’ve only talked about the characters so far. There is a reason. The plot wasn’t memorable at all. Though I remembered the main plot elements (e.g. the contract marriage), the rest were a bit of a blur. I wouldn’t have been able to write this review if not for the fact that I recently re-watched this drama from episode 5 and on.
There is some chemistry between Da Jeong and Yul, but it is not explosive. There are some tensions in the plot, but I wasn’t driven to the edge of my seat. What kept me watching was Yoona’s magnetic aura and the touching development of relationships between characters.
Da Jeong’s father, who struggles with cancer and dementia, is charming in all the ways of a grandfather. His scenes with Da Jeong made me want to call home more often and to treat my parents better. Seeing Yul’s children and their father grow closer reminded me that familial relationships need just as much maintenance as romantic ones. I would talk more about some other relationships, but since this drama is so lacking of tension, I better not spoil it for those of you who want to have an opportunity to fall in love with Yoona.
Final Verdict
If you want to avoid binge-watching, this may be a good choice for you. You definitely won’t die from the “cliff-hangers”. Da Jeong’s character gives Yoona a real set of angel wings and a halo. She is an absolute beauty and this is a great drama for you to immerse yourself in the wonder that is Yoona.
I am in love with her too ??