I know. I know. You probably have the same exact face as all my K-drama enthusiast friends when they find out that I haven't watched My Love From The Star yet—a look that says "WHYYYY??!!!" with a mix of horror and disbelief. I'm not even sure why I have never gotten around to watching this series despite its reputation of being a popular one starring two of the biggest Korean celebrities. Maybe it's because I was a little skeptical how a storyline of an alien falling in love with a human could be resolved in a believably happy ending. But My Love From The Star did. And perfectly so. Or maybe it's because Kim Soo Hyun recently visited Manila and it felt like a mortal sin not to watch this drama before going to his fan meeting. But finally, almost a decade after its release, I have finished this classic show. And here I am sharing my ~*feels*~ with you!
What is My Love From The Star all about?
For the rare humans (or should I say aliens? lol) like me who haven't watched this drama in 2022 or for those who need a refresher, My Love From The Star is about an alien, Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun), who gets stuck in planet Earth for 400 years. And just when he hears good news of a chance to go back to his home planet, he meets top Hallyu star, Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun), who happened to be his new (and noisy) next-door neighbor. Min Joon, who has vowed never to get involved in humans' lives, finds himself entangled with Song Yi and slowly caring for her.
The My Love From The Star cast members
1. Kim Soo Hyun as Do Min Joon
The character: Do Min Joon totally changed the way K-drama fans thought of aliens forever. He is handsome, intelligent, and has super-human abilities like enhanced vision, hearing, and speed. He can also teleport at a limited distance. Over the decades, he has practiced being a doctor, a banker, and several other professions. At present, he is a college professor and by coincidence (or is it fate?), Cheon Song Yi is also his student aside from being her neighbor. He's cool and aloof, but everything changes when he grows closer to Song Yi who brings out his protective side no matter how much he tries to appear indifferent.
The actor: Kim Soo Hyun is one of the highest-paid Korean actors with several hit dramas under his belt. He is known for his roles in Dream High, Moon Embracing The Sun, and It's Okay To Not Be Okay, to name a few. He also has several endorsements including one of the Philippines' famous fashion brands, Bench. He plays the role of aloof Do Min Joon perfectly with the right balance of calm and collected without being full of himself.
2. Jun Ji Hyun as Cheon Song Yi
The character: Cheon Song Yi might seem spoiled at first with her seemingly perfect celebrity life—after all, she's South Korea's top actress and is being chased by the son of a chaebol. But deep down she has family issues and is quite lonely. She's not so book-smart and her mistakes get blown up online which gains her a lot of hate comments. The public likes to feast on her private life. But through all those, Song Yi shows her courage and ability to stand up for herself no matter what. She's adorably funny and heartwarmingly vulnerable which makes her so endearing. Not even a cold-hearted alien will be able to resist her charms!
The actress: Like Cheon Song Yi, Jun Ji Hyun is a top Hallyu star with several successful film and television projects. She rose to fame with her role in My Sassy Girl and has been an acclaimed movie actress before starring in hit K-dramas like My Love From The Star, The Legend Of The Blue Sea, and most recently, Jirisan. She has won awards throughout her career including the Best Actress award from the 41st Korea Broadcasting Awards and the Grand Prize (Daesang) from SBS Drama Awards for her role in My Love From The Star.
3. Yoo In Na as Yoo Se Mi
The character: Yoo Se Mi started off with a meek and nice impression. She's Song Yi's closest friend and their friendship is publicly known. But Se Mi hides a festering insecurity and jealousy towards Song Yi, especially since the guy she has been in love with for the longest time only has eyes for her best friend.
The actress: Yoo In Na is a South Korean actress and radio DJ. Her first lead role was in the time-slip drama Queen In Hyun's Man or Queen And I (which is one of my top favorite dramas of all time, btw). She also starred in the popular dramas Goblin and Touch Your Heart. Recently, she was part of the main cast of Snowdrop.
4. Park Hae Jin as Lee Hee Kyung
The character: Lee Hee Kyung is Song Yi and Se Mi's childhood friend. He never gives up on Song Yi and was always rejected by her, yet he still remains by her side, not noticing that Se Mi has feelings for him all along.
The actor: Park Hae Jin has a long list of projects in his acting career. Aside from his role in My Love From The Star, he is also known for his roles in Doctor Stranger, Cheese In The Trap, and his latest work, From Now On, Showtime!. He is very popular in China where he starred in a few Chinese dramas and won awards.
What makes My Love From The Star unforgettable?
1. The (literally and figuratively) out-of-this-world plot.
Just the mere presence of an alien should have made this drama weird. But it wasn't. My Love From The Star was executed with just the right amount of romance, comedy, and fantasy that made the scenes believable even if the plot sounds crazy! And the icing on the cake? Yes, we all get that happy ending!
2. The hilarious moments.
And we have Cheon Song Yi to thank! Her antics are hilarious and she's not afraid to be herself. My favorite part was when she was trying to hide her feelings for Do Min Joon but just couldn't help wearing her heart on her sleeve. Sooo relatable! And when she realized that Do Min Joon doesn’t age so she tried so hard to keep her youth. It’s downright funny!
3. The epilogues showing Do Min Joon's perspective.
Most of the scenes are played out from Cheon Song Yi's perspective but it's exciting to see the exact same scenes through Do Min Joon's eyes and see a little bit of what he truly feels deep inside. We all know this classic snow kiss scene!
4. How the characters are connected to each other.
Even the second leads and the side characters are interwoven in the drama's story. They all have unique characteristics that make them stand out, too. One example is Lee Jae Kyung, Hee Kyung's brother, who seemed like the perfect rich gentleman but turned out to be sinister and quite scary. When he turns his ring, you know something bad is going to happen.
5. The spectacular character that is Cheon Song Yi.
She has as many layers as a drama character could get. The way Jun Ji Hyun portrayed Song Yi's strength and vulnerability made my heart squeeze each time. She's not perfect but her imperfections make her character even better. She's a little vain but she doesn't step on other people just to get her way. She acts tough but she has a soft heart. Hints of her loneliness come out when you least expect it, and you can't help but sympathize with her. It takes a great actress to be able to express all that. Jun Ji Hyun's performance was daesang-worthy, indeed.
Overall, My Love From The Star is a must-watch! If there's one thing I would change, though, it would be Do Min Joon's confession scene (the part where Song Yi was left alone on set at night, and he made all the lights turn on and then made Song Yi float towards him before going in for a kiss). I would have loved to see his calm exterior crack while confessing his feelings for Song Yi. And maybe I would love to see more of Do Min Joon pining for Cheon Song Yi towards the end when they were about to be separated. But maybe it's just me and my thirst for angst.
So, if you haven't watched this drama yet, now I'll be one of those asking WHY with a shocked face! And if you have, what are you waiting for? This is your sign to rewatch My Love From The Star right now!
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