LEE JOON
GI
PORTRAYS
KIM HEE
WOO
A
TIME-TRAVELLING
HEARTBREAKER
IN
THE
MUCH-ANTICIPATED
SBS DRAMA
AGAIN MY
LIFE
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K-Drama audiences always expect romance in their television series even if the drama revolves around very serious topics. It’s no different with Lee Joon Gi’s fans who wonder about the romantic fate of Kim Hee Woo played by Lee and Kim Hee Ah played by Kim Ji Eun in SBS’s Again My Life. Those who have read the manga regret that romance is lacking in the top prosecutor’s life. Kim Hee Woo, who has been teleported back to the past is, unfortunately, a heartbreaker. A time-travelling heartbreaker. He has an urgent mission to accomplish so he avoids the entanglements of a romantic relationship. But, come April 2022, the audience might be astonished by the romantic outcome, courtesy of the romantic imagination of Director Han Chul Soo, Lee Byeong-heon (screen adaptation); Jay and Kim Yul (scriptwriters). Like the fictional Kim Hee Woo, the 40-year-old Lee Joon Gi also avoids romantic relationships. Referred to as a Male God by the Chinese media, Lee is a celluloid dream who is not allowed to have a romantic relationship, much less a marriage. In the manga, it’s strange that the three young ladies with the Kim surname –Kim Hee Ah, Kim Gyu Ri and Park (Kim) Han Mi are linked to Kim Hee Woo. Han Mi seems to have taken her mother’s family name, not her father’s. At least two of them, who are interested in him, have tried to pursue him but their attempts have not yielded any favourable results. In so far as the readers of the Again My Life manga can draw conclusions, Kim Hee Woo’s love life is sparse. If one could rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, it would be the lowest number.
KIM HEE WOO and KIM GYU RI 
The manga tells of a very demonstrative and romantic Park Seung Hyun who is hopelessly in love with Kim Gyu Ri. Passion overrides reason and he publicly declares his love for her at a university concert. Forced into responding in such a distasteful public situation, Kim Gyu Ri rejects him much to his chagrin.
 
Instead, Kim Gyu Ri has a thing for Kim Hee Woo, who, in turn, rejects her. She has probably been secretly in love with the gorgeous, intelligent and talented young man for some time. Who wouldn’t? Probably, lots of young ladies in school and at the university must be in love with him but have refrained from showing it. Kim Gyu Ri is not ordinary; she is bold, assertive, confident and aggressive. But, such traits don’t get her the guy of her dreams. He would not be distracted from his ultimate goal - trapping Jo Tae Sub.
Love at this stage for a girl is quite a delicate matter; telling a man she likes him puts her in a vulnerable position. Kim Hee Woo breathes old-fashioned values such as respect for women. He knows her intentions. Rejecting an ardent admirer in a gentlemanly way takes more than social skills. Kim Hee Woo has to put himself in her shoes and empathise with her. Compassion. Finesse. Emotional intelligence.
 
Kim Hee Woo has the larger picture in his mind. He avoids giving her a direct answer. But he doesn’t pussy-foot over it. His strategy is the narration of a heart-breaking story, the tale of General Gyebaek, about the cruelty of love, which drives home his point. Imagine his impassioned speech as he brings the tale to life.  
One can imagine the tears brimming in Kim Gyu Ri’s eyes. Does he feel uncomfortable, sorry and sad in the telling of General Gyebaek’s story?
A STORY WITHIN A STORY
It would be interesting to have A Story Within a Story, with Lee Joon Gi, dressed in traditional war clothes, in the role of General Gyebaek. Ferocious. Determined. Ruthless. Cruel.
KIM HEE WOO and KIM HEE AH
Young ladies like Kim Hee Ah who have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, may have many wiles and tricks up their sleeves when it comes to winning the heart of the object of their love. Kim Hee Ah seems to have set her sights on the handsome and talented Kim Hee Woo the moment she claps her eyes on him. Kim Hee Ah knows he is The One. He has melted her heart. She knows what she wants and makes sure he knows that she’s into him.
Rumoured to be a genius, she does not need assistance in her studies but strangely, she requests Kim Hee Woo for help with her assignment. At first, Kim Hee Woo is ignorant about her family background because in his previous life, Kim Hee Ah lived in the shadow of her wealthy father and 2 brothers.
  
The dinner they have together makes him realise her actual status in society. That night, a man stalks her while she walks home. Suspicious of the man, Kim Hee Woo wrestles him to the ground. Upon learning that the stalker is in fact her bodyguard, Kim Hee Woo suddenly recalls the funeral of the Chairman of the Chun Ha conglomerate in his previous life.
     
The manga tells us that Kim Hee Woo has been notified about his military enlistment. He is critical of the young scions of wealthy and influential families who try to escape military service. Pulling strings to help their sons evade national duty demonstrates parental failure.
  
The question posed is: Can those who have not done their military duties take pride in becoming national leaders?
Military life is a milestone in Kim Hee Woo's life. On the day he leaves for military duty, Kim Hee Ah rushes up to him to bid him farewell. She has only known about the enlistment the night before. Nice girls of the previous era seldom have the temerity to throw themselves at boys they like but Kim Hee Ah is radically different. She looks achingly at Kim Hee Woo and asks shyly, ‘Can I wait for you until you come back?’ The implication is crystal clear; she likes him and wants to stake her territory. Being the daughter of the Chairman of the Chun Ha conglomerate has its advantages but Kim Hee Woo is unimpressed. Men like Kim Hee Woo are probably experienced in handling romantic matters. Having lived another life previously, he knows that a romantic relationship, however desirable, stands in the way of accomplishing his mission. Kim Hee Woo would not dilly-dally in making it clear about his unavailability. Woe to pussy-footing. He could easily summon the arsenal of skills he has honed to fend off amorous pursuers.
But, he is taken by surprise by her question. He must have faltered at first. But, upon recovering from his shock, he has no compunction about telling her that a romantic relationship between them is impossible. He sums things up, ‘You know better than me that this will not work out.’
The spoiled young lady, with aristocratic airs and used to having her own way, is unaccustomed to rejection. She mistakenly thinks he despises her because of her complicated and messy family background. Losing control of herself, she screams and curses at him, ‘Go rot in the army forever.’ She certainly does have a sense of drama. It is an impossible dream to make him commit to her. It must have been quite a poignant scene.
None would be surprised if he is embarrassed by her hysterical outburst. But, the prosecutor, who was hot-headed in his previous life, is now cool-headed, patient and in control of himself. Kim Hee Ah has demonstrated the prickly side of her character. From an outsider’s perspective, it is hilarious. Although the charming young man couldn’t be rattled by her strong-arm tactics, he probably wasn’t above using tricks to placate her. To clear the air, Kim Hee Woo might have just laughed the whole thing off as a joke to save her face.
The question is, ‘Would Kim Hee Woo sacrifice his skyrocketing career as the Most Favoured Prosecutor in the future for the sake of love?’ As soon as he becomes a prosecutor, he would make a name for himself as ‘The Epitome of the Honest Ideal Prosecutor’ and ride the wave of popularity in the prosecution and political world. He would have to remain aloof and rise above the trivialities of the world. He has an important mission to accomplish.
Had she pressed him further, she might be singed, like a moth to a flame.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE William Shakespeare
 
When her tycoon father passes away, Kim Hee Woo is there for her. It speaks volumes about the way he feels about her but he is not demonstrative and does not wear his emotions on his sleeves. It must have been troubling to both of them.
KIM HEE WOO and PARK (KIM) HAN MI
Is it possible that Park (Kim) Han Mi has also harboured strong feelings for Kim Hee Woo ever since he encouraged her to study again so that she could be a university student? He had even offered to be her instructor. For a girl who has been deprived of fatherly love and concern, the young man’s kind act, which is highly welcome, has a great and enduring effect on her.            She is not aware that the shrewd and astute Kim Hee Woo is using her to get more information about her father. While on the one hand, Kim Hee Woo may seem manipulative, on the other hand, perhaps he truly cares about her well-being. Tyrannized by Kim Seok Hoon, her overbearing evil father, Park (Kim) Han Mi, his illegitimate daughter, is reduced to a psychological wreck. Her father compels her to live under the radar so that his extra-marital affair would not be exposed. Kim Seok Hoon also tries to force her into a marriage with an unsuitable mate but Kim Hee Woo extricates her from the sticky situation. In a dog-eat-dog world, you can tell who your good friends are – they are the ones who help you when you’re down and keep on encouraging you. Kim Hee Woo is an endangered species. To Han Mi, Kim Hee Woo is her hero, her knight in shining armour. She might adore him but she couldn’t measure up to him. Probably, out of deference to Kim Hee Woo’s superior status and character, she never reveals her true feelings to him.
 
Again My Life, which centres on the celebration of life, youths and the building of a moral compass when young (work ethics, honesty, diligence, integrity, responsibility, accountability, et cetera), the important things in life (such as family, friends, love, purpose, education, passion and time), and the things of national importance (law, justice and law enforcement, financial stability and economic development) will premiere in early 2022. It should be watched by all particularly, young people together with their families.
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