Deciding which to watch

[karened]

With 5 new kdramas premiering this week, I really didn't know which to watch. Not to mention that I had a bunch of 2009 dramas that I need to catch up with. So I decided to watch all the first (and maybe second) eps. I've just finished 공부의 신//God of Study. It's the k-remake of the jdorama Dragon Zakura.

Yeah, another k-remake. One after another, and seems like more to come. Mawang aka Maou (adapted from the novel, not remade), Boys Over Flower, The Man Who Can't Get Married, God Of Study, Itazura Na Kiss (upcoming?), Zettai Kareshi (upcoming?)...

Ever since BOF, I've been really unsure about k-remakes. They tend to add details to the original, usually because they are allocated at least 50% more drama time than the jdorama. Sometimes such details fill up gaps (in the sense that they add plot developments in areas the audience desires, eg more romance, not in the sense that they make up for loopholes in the original, which are very rare) but sometimes, they vandalise the simplicity of the original with unwelcomed plot twists.

 

So, it was with some hesitation that I started watching God of Study. As expected, the plot was similar to Dragon Zakura, with slight changes to the backgrounds and motivations of each character. It has been a long while since I finished Dragon Zakura, so I can't really remember its details. But based on what remained, I think the remake is at least 70% similar. For example:

• The first time Sakuragi (by Abe Hiroshi) goes to the school, he finds shreds of a test paper being thrown from an overhead bridge. That's when he first encounters Mizuno (by Nagasawa Masami), who was tearing up her test scripts. The first time Suk Ho (k-Sakuragi) goes to the school, he finds a huge piece of a torn test paper falling from above and sticking to his motorbike helmet. That's when he first encounters Pul Ip (k-Mizuno).
• The speech given by Suk Ho at the school assembly is very similar to that given by Sakuragi (See following point). This is the main scene of ep 1, and for it to be so similar is really uncomfortable.
• Many parts of the dialogue in God Of Study, scattered here and there, are exactly the same as that in Dragon Zakura. For example:

• Sakuragi: 5 (to enter Todai) this year, 10 next year, and in 5 years' time, 100.
• Ino-sensei: What's attractive about the school?
  Sakuragi: 100 students accepted into Todai.
  Ino-sensei: Other than figures?
  Sakuragi: Figures are evidence of competitiveness. Education is also a business.
• *Sakuragi goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
  *Suk Ho goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
  Sakuragi: Everyone looks like an idiot. You'll continue to lose throughout your entire life.
  Suk Ho: You're really a bunch of idiots. People who will be stepped over throughout their entire life.
  Students: Get down here. We'll kill you! *uproar* 
  Students: What? What did you say? Get down here. You won't?! You're asking for a beating. Get down here! *uproar*
  Sakuragi: Teachers are teachers, students are students. Listen to what others are saying till the end!
  Suk Ho: Shut your mouths and listen to me, you bunch of kids!
  Sakuragi: When I say lose, it means to be cheated. If you continue staying like this, you'll continue to be cheated for your entire life.
  Suk Ho: Having lived till now, do you know what it means to be stepped over, to fail? That means to be played  by others. That's you all. All of you are destined to be played by other till you die.
  Student: Cheated? Why? By who?
  Sakuragi: Our society has rules. You have to live following these rules. But these rules are written by smart people. In other words, what does that mean? These rules are all written by smart people who make use of them. Since dumb people won't understand them, they can be used to hide things. These rules will be used to serve those smart people who will make good use of them. For example, rules about taxes, salaries, insurances, allocations...
  Suk Ho: This society has rules. You can only live according to these rules. Who made these rules? It's the smart people. The law, education policies, land policies, tax, finance, capital allocation. It's all according to the wishes of the smart people who made these rules so that they can live comfortably.
  Sakuragi: The smart people will continue to make them incomprehensible. Dumb people will only have to try to understand them. You just think that it's bothersome trying to use your brains. So you'll continue to be cheated and pay a hefty price your entire life!
  Suk Ho: But for those that are to their disadvantage, they make them difficult and complex to confuse those dumb people so that they won't get a chance to understand. The smart people make use of these rules to live a well-off life. in contrast, you idiots who find using your brains a bother can only be played by smart people your entire life. And so in conclusion you'll be a failure.
  Students: It might be so, but it can't be helped!
  Student: Then what do you want us to do!?
  Sakuragi: The smart people will make use of the situation and cheat while the dumb people will continue to be cheated and lose. This is how the society works! So, if you don't want to be cheated, if you don't want to lose, study! I'll teach you a simple method. Go to Todai.  
  Suk Ho: If you guys don't want to be pushed off by rules created by those smart people, if you don't want to be played by them or to become a failure, there is only one method! Study. Only study. Study! Grit your teeth and study. Go to Chun Ha University! This is the only thing you can do now.
  Sakuragi: The special class will aim for the univeristy entrance exam. It'll unconditionally take in anyone who wants to study. But the only goal is Tokyo University. This year, 5 students will succeed. This is the turning point of your life. Insufficient people have no chance.
  Suk Ho: Byungmoon High School will set up a Chun Ha University special class from today onwards. It doesn't matter if your results are like chicken feathers or dog poop. All of you can do it. The Chun Ha University special class aims to have at least 5 students getting into Chun ha University this year. I don't need other universities. I just want Chun Ha University.
  *Yajima throws a basketball at Sakuragi, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Yajima.*
  *Baek Hyun throws a basketball at Sok Ho, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Baek Hyun.*
  Yajima: What's with Todai? You've been talking about Todai. You're noisy!
  *Sakuragi gets off the stage and picks up ball.*
  Sakuragi: Do you hate Todai?
  Yajima: Yeah, everyone here thinks so.
  Sakuragi: Me too.
  Yajima: Ah?
  Sakuragi: Those people who admire just the name Todai makes me puke. Those people who think that their life will be successful just because they entered Todai and those people who feel small once they learn that the person before them is from Todai are meaningless.
  Yajima: Then why are you asking us to go to Todai?
  Sakuragi: You won't understand that yet.
  Yajima: Ah?
  Sakuragi: Kids like you don't know a single thing about society. You don't know because your parents hide it from you. That you have such boundless possibilities.
  Baek Hyun: Chun Ha University? What kind of joke is that? Then what about you? Were you from Chun Ha University? Is Chun Ha University feeding you? Is Chun Ha University that good?
  Suk Ho: I wasn't from Chun Ha University. I don't like Chun Ha University. Those people who feel superior just because they were from Chun Ha University are garbage.
  *Suk Ho goes off the stage.*
  Suk Ho: Not worthy enough for us to talk about them. But your situation is different. If you want to use your dog head to achieve something in this society, you can only go to Chun Ha University.
  Baek Hyun: Dog head?
  Suk Ho: You all saw that banner hanging in front of the school. Why did you think of when you saw it? The banner that advocates cleaning up you garbage is evidence that you are all pests. All of you who can't even study or say a single word, and can only hide at one side, if you're not idiots, when what are you?! Why are you wasting your own talent instead of working hard? Why are you not doing anything and letting your brain stay empty?!
  *Sakuragi throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
  *Sakuragi succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar*
  Sakuragi: If you don't want to know of such a society, be the person who make rules. If you want to live your life without being cheated, study! Idiots and ugly people, go to Todai! 
  Suk Ho: Become the person who make rules! The turning point of your life is before your eyes.
  *Suk Ho picks up the basketball.*
  Suk Ho: Work hard and study! Go to Chun Ha University!
  *Suk Ho throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
  *Suk Ho succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar.*
• Ep 3 seems to be very similar to Dragon Zakura too. There's the white-haired teacher whom the lawyer introduces to the special class, and the focus on basic calculations. Even the part about answering Math questions being something like a sports!
• And some more that I can't really remember...lol 

As for character parallels, all 5 students from Dragon Zakura were preserved, except for the one that left the special class midway (Kobayashi). Plot aside, I think the acting in God Of Study is quite decent, and there're quite a lot of eye candy.

I tried watching Pasta, but despite the widespread love for the drama, I haven't found anything attractive. In fact, I feel like just rewatching MNIKSS! The other one, Wish Upon A Star, is barely passable based on the first 10 minutes, because of the lead female, though I think she'll improve once her parents' death forces her to become more responsible. As for Chuno.....ancient drama....so....maybe not.