Remarks and Observations Directed at the Clouds -- Crash Landing on You

Crash Landing on You   image: https://chingutotheworld.com/crash-landing-on-you-4th-highest-rating-in-tvn-history/

It’s been a bit of a struggle writing this review of Crash Landing on You. Why? Because I like it so much. It is perhaps my favorite TV show or movie of all time, if only because there are no actors in Crash Landing on You as bad as the actor who played Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables. So, because this show resonates with me, it is hard to know how much of what I see in it, you'll see as well. Still, I have to believe that most, though not all, people – who take the time to watch the first two episodes – will find it a very entertaining show, well worth their time. So, even if you take my ravings with a grain of salt, I think most of you will thank me for turning you on to this show. Feel free to let me know if I’m right or wrong.

In translation, Crash Landing on You is a pretty silly title. It is also known as Love’s Crash Landing and Crash Landing of Love. My working title would be From the South, With Love.

In the first episode we meet Yoon Se-ri, a wealthy South Korean entrepreneur and founder of a successful cosmetic company. Her father, the head of a vast conglomerate, has just been released from prison and intends to turn over the helm of his company to his heirs. (A disclaimer assures us that this is all fictional. It doesn’t resemble Samsung at all… move along.) Given Se-ri’s track record of success, and the fact that his sons leave much to be desired, he names Se-ri to the post, to their great dismay and anger. But before she can be officially named at the stockholders meeting, she goes hang gliding, and is carried away by a sudden windstorm and tornado, disappearing without a trace.

Yong Se-re and Captan Ri Jeong-hyeok   image:https://www.thailandtatler.com/style/chopard-steals-the-show-in-crash-landing-on-you

The tornado scene is rather silly, but I have to believe that it’s a wink and a nod to the tornado scene in Wizard of Oz. The director, Lee Jeong-hyo, called the show a “fantasy,” and I can’t help but see the parallels between it and the Wizard of Oz. Both Dorthy and Se-ri find themselves in a strange land, Dorthy, not in Kansas, and Se-re, not in South Korea. They both want to find a way home. And they both meet interesting characters along the way, some friendly and helpful, while others are ruthlessly dangerous.

 Captured   image: https://twitter.com/theaudreyjane/status/1229057269993590787

Se-ri wakes up the morning following the storm to find herself dangling from a tree in her hang gliding harness. There she is discovered by the North Korean army Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok, whose soldiers are patrolling the North/South border. He orders her to come down, and when she unhitches the harness to do so, she falls, or, as she later corrects him, “descends” into his arms, hence the title. While she manages to escape him and his soldiers, she fails to find her way back across the demilitarized zone to South Korea and ends up in a North Korean village early the next morning. There, she is about to be discovered by the cruel and corrupt Lt Col. Cho, of the dreaded State Security Bureau, whose custody she rightly belongs in. But Captain Ri, fearful of what might happen to her in their hands, saves her from discovery – thus putting his head, and those of his faithful group of subordinates, in the noose by doing so.

Si-re and Captain Ri's faithful crew   image:https://www.animetric.net/k-drama-faves-crash-landing-on-you-review.html

And that, briefly, is the first episode. It sets up the premise and stakes, but I don’t think that you get the full flavor and considerable charm of this show until you get into the second and subsequent episodes, which is why I suggest that you watch the first two episodes, before deciding if it is worth your time or not.

So what makes it so special for me? First, the writing by Park Ji-eun. She has written a number of very popular TV dramas, and is know for her realistic dialog. I think the dialog in this show is brilliant -- witty and clever, powerful and revealing in turn. Credit must also be given to the subtitle translators, as it’s brilliance comes across in their translations. The plot is intricate, involving intrigues on both sides of the divide. And throughout the story there is always an underlying tension of the dire consequences, should her true origins be discovered. Sometimes it is muted, while other times it becomes acute, with action scenes and some violence, but it’s not gratuitous. However, for me, I love the show for the characters Park Ji-eun has created. And not only the lead characters, but the supporting cast as well. There has to be at least two dozen characters that we come to know as the show progresses. Many have backstories that make them seem like real people, with real feelings, and concerns. They’re not just there to dress the set, or to deliver lines to the main characters. And since the story has a run time of 19 ½ hours, Park Ji-eun can and does use that run time to bring many characters to life.

Se-ri with the village ladies   Image: https://www.soompi.com/article/1383215wpp/supporting-actors-and-exciting-cameos-that-helped-bring-crash-landing-on-you-to-life

The other thing that makes the writing great, is that she pays attention to details – to the little things, the quirks, vanities, fears, and ambitions of the characters are sketched in with a hundred clever incidents, filled with little details in the settings, the scenes, and the everyday dialogues.

The actors, one and all, are wonderful. Son Ye-jin who plays Yoon Se-ri, is simply outstanding in the role. She was very good in Something in the Rain – she won awards for that role – but the character she plays here has so much more…. Is it agency the word I’m looking for? Se-ri is smart, witty, kind, and yet vulnerable. She has faced adversity before, and once again rises to the many occasions in the story. Not only can Son Ye-jin play this role with effortless charm, but she can say so much with just a look. Plus there is great chemistry between her, and Captain Ri, played by Hyun Bin, despite him having to play the strong, silent type.

Son Ye-jin     imagehttps://mydramalist.com/people/293-son-ye-jin

And lastly, the production values. I don’t know how close the real North Korea is to the North Korea in this show, but it probably doesn’t matter. The settings are all well selected and shot beautifully. I’m no expert on cinematography, but I can’t help but be impressed by how creatively and expressively the scenes are filmed. Parasite, a South Korean film won the Best Film Oscar award in 2020, and though I haven’t seen it, I’m not surprised it did, after watching these Korean TV show. They know the art. If I have one complaint, it is that, like on all the Korean shows I watched, the background music sometimes escapes from the background, and can overshadow the scene. But that’s a minor gripe.

Yoon Se-ri and Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok   image:https://www.seoultravelpass.com/en/products/514-drama-shooting-site-crash-landing-on-you-one-day-tour-by-cosmojin

I should note here, that at the end of each episode they start showing stills from the episode, with the theme music. THIS IS USUALLY NOT THE END OF THE EPISODE. I discovered that many of the episodes have a “post-credit” scene after this montage which add deft little touches to the episode, or fill in bits of the backstory of our main characters. I didn’t know this the first time we watched it, and I don’t think we missed anything important my not seeing them, but you’ll want to see them, so don’t leave early.

I’ve watched a lot of good shows from China, Taiwan, and Korea. Many of them are very good, all have been entertaining. But Crash Landing on You, lands just a little above the best of them. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t be entertained by it. Of course, you have to read the subtitles if you don’t speak Korean, but I find that I really like reading subtitles. It draws you into the show because you are not only watching, but reading the dialog as the rest of the story – the action and scenery is shown to you. And, well, Korean is a very expressive language tonally – especially the way women speak it, so you'll not miss anything by reading the English translation. So, all in all, I think this show is a gem. And I have to admit that I’ve already watched it for a second time – and will watch it again, if not again.

Let me know what you think of it! Enjoy! (And stay safe!)

Se-ri    image: https://www.hancinema.net/hancinema-s-news-chungju-confirms-shooting-location-for-crash-landing-on-you-137446.html

Postscript: One last thought. Perhaps why this show resonates with me is that it is about friendship. Prior to landing in North Korea, Se-ri is a workaholic, estranged from her family, has few if any real friends. During her stay in North Korea, not only does she fall in love, but finds bonds of friendship with Captain Ri’s four soldier friends and the ladies of the village – and this growing friendship is shown in various scenes throughout the show. She escapes North Korea, a changed, and better person for it.