Gomen, Aishteru – I’m sorry, I love you: Episode 1-2 Impressed!!

 

So this drama is a remake of the hit 2004 Korean drama Mianhada, Saranghanda (I’m sorry, I love you) starring So Ji sub, Im Soo jung, Jung Kyung ho. Just to remind you the drama’s a tragedy and by that I mean its genre’s tragedy. I may not remember each and everything about the story but I clearly remember bawling my eyes out and you did too, don’t lie! And if you haven’t watched the drama then its alright I haven’t watched every drama out there.

When I first heard about the remake, I didn’t want it to happen. We all know remakes are either a hit or a miss, so you can’t blame me (I still haven’t forgotten the remake of MARS). I soon forgot about it and then I accidentally stumbled on it. And now I’m happy to announce I actually liked what I saw. There are few changes here and there but the actual flavor is there with the Japanese touch. I like the changes and the story flows smoothly. Only four episodes are out and how many more to go?

Nagase Tomoya looks really good. Has he lost weight? I just love his hair style but his bangs need some cutting, poor guy can’t see because of them. His facial expressions and body language are on point and it’s because I’m fangirling but I can’t see any flaw in him. I especially love his smile.

I think I have seen rest of the cast but then I think I haven’t. This is what happens when you stay away from something. Gone are the good ol days when I used to watch Japanese dramas, sigh.

The story is being told in a flashback by Rinka and she doesn’t seem to have a vial or bottle (if you know what I mean). She visits a place in Korea but the person she wants to see is not there anymore. The person she longs for is Okazaki Ritsu/Ryuu/Chan. (what should I call him?) He once helped her and saved her life.

Ryuu is an orphan and he ran away from his adoptive parents. He lives in Korea and works for Ran (cameo by Lee Soo hyuk). Ran treats him like an older brother which doesn’t sit well with Ran’s other minions. Ryuu saves Ran’s life and gets a short end of the stick in return. He gets a bullet in his head and he won’t be able to live long (told ya, its tragedy). (In the K-version it’s the ex-girlfriend the hero saves if I’m not wrong)

With his life ticking away Ryuu decides to search for his birth mother. He thinks his mother abandoned him because she’s poor and wasn’t able to raise him. With only a ring, from his mother, he goes back to Japan. He records a video every day as a proof he’s once alive. (drama is making sure we don’t forget its tragedy)

He meets his childhood friend Wakana (in the K-version the girl is his sister and I would have liked it to stay that way) and is told she became mentally challenged after a car accident. Wakana’s a son Sakana (means fish) but she doesn’t know who the father is. Ryuu is protective of his friend and won’t let any harm come to her or her son.

On the journey to look for his birth mother, Ryuu meets a journalist who knows the truth. The journalist is asking for a punch to face but I’m holding it. A dying old man asked the journalist to keep it a secret. Which means the dying man, once a renowned maestro, is Ryuu’s father.

Ryuu finds out that his mother, Hyuga Reiko, is rich and was once a famous pianist and she’s a son, Satoru, and she dotes on him. She, of course, doesn’t recognize Ryuu and he decides to take revenge on her. Or he could have talked with her and showed her the ring or do some logical stuff but nah. There’s to be a drama in a drama for it to be called a drama. He decides to publish his relationship with Reiko but then takes a step back. He wants to know about her more. By the way Reiko’s way too harsh with her words. I feel we spent very little time with Ryuu and his work in Korea but…okay.

He also meets Rinka, the girl he saved in Korea and she’s hella delusional and thinks he came for her. She’s one-sided crush on Satoru, her childhood friend and she also works for him as manager?, and Ryuu knows that. He calls her bokechin (stupid/idiot) and she calls him Chan, she actually called him occhan (old man) and he asked her to call oniisan (brother) and then she decided on Chan. He gets the job through her at the Hyuga’s. He becomes Satoru’s bodyguard because he saves him.

Rinka’s father knows the truth. He’s the one who put the ring and charm on baby Ryuu and he recognizes Ryuu immediately by the ring and doesn’t want him near his daughter and slaps her for no reason. Guilty much?

Satoru the mama’s boy is physically weak. He’s a weak heart and over all, he looks timid. He’s also in a one-sided crush but with Toko a saxophone player. She’s a wild girl and like to enjoy life and is totally using Satoru’s affection for her. (wasn’t the boy and his mother movie stars in the K-version?)

The leads have 12-13 years age gap, at first, it made me uncomfortable but may be that’s how it’s supposed to be because Rinka calls Ryuu “occhan” old man.

So what do you think? Wanna join?

The drama has an amazing OST by Utada Hikaru called Forevermore and I can’t stop listening to it.

Here, the short version because the longer version was removed.