110822 Editorial Impressions of “Protect The Boss” and “Scent  Of  A Woman”

Earlier I posted my impressions of the first “Protect The Boss” and “Scent Of A Woman’ episodes. At the time, I kept them separate, but as time has gone on, I am beginning to see these two dramas as related one to another. We catch glimpses and inferences; images and cameos that link these two productions together as a part of the work of JYJ. The old saying,”You can’t keep a good man down” applies here because the sheer, raw talent of Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu are what is keeping them in the public eye despite the setbacks from their contract disputes. Even the negative things keep their names in the headlines, and that is a blessing. It means that they are constantly before us and producing excellent work that has to be acknowledged even by those who oppose them.

“Protect The Boss” continues to entertain with that underlying theme of corporate rivalry between the Cha male cousins. This rivalry presents itself as continually desiring and having to share goals and people. Somehow, I believe that they are going to have to realize that they will accomplish more together as allies than rivals. How their love lives will turn out is still hard to guess, but both of them deserve happiness. One element that disturbs me is the amount of violence displayed between parent and son, and subsequently between other characters in the drama. It is treated in a comical manner, but relays a subtle message. Also, the amount of maneuvering, backbiting, and intrique are social problems showcased in “Protect The Boss’, and also in ‘Scent of A Woman’.

“Scent Of A Woman” is one of the best Korean melodramas I have viewed. It has such realism, including the circumstances that bring Lee Yoon Jae to a place of desperation, and the fight of Kang Ji Wook against the old system of arranged marriages. There are so many layers to this drama there could have been three or four dramas produced with the available material.

We are finally seeing by Episode 9 the truth about Lee Yoon Jae’s cancer coming to light. Kang Ji Wook literally stands at the door of discovery of what has been motivating Lee Yoon Jae all this time. Will he be strong enough to withstand this new problem in their relationship on top of every other obstacle that has come their way?  Does Kang Ji Wook deserve to lose every family tie in pursuit of his relationship with Lee Yoon Jae. We will just have to wait and see how this all turns out. We may not get what we want, which would be freedom from cancer and therefore life for Lee Yoon Jae, and deliverance from a corporate world rife with inner intrigues and obligations for Kang Ji Wook, but we can hope for the best conclusion. Since we are all imaginative, we can make our own endings if this turns out negatively. The angst in this melodrama is palpable and touches the heart. We can all learn from watching this drama unfold.

Credit: Momma Cha @jyjfantalk.com

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