Summer Scent (TV Series 2003) Poster

(2003)

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8/10
Korean jewel Son Ye-jin stars in a decent KBS drama
cp36229 June 2006
I normally dislike these ridiculous "Hallyu" (Korean Wave) dramas because of their over-the-top melodramatic nature, but I just finished viewing the final installment of "Summer Scent" starring Son Ye-jin in the female lead and I'd be lying if I said that I was not completely captured by the sight of Miss Son's impossibly lovely facade. One look at those soft, ideally feminine Asian facial features and one moment of listening to her alluring female voice was all it took to melt me. I'm glad that one of the local Korean-language cable TV channels here in my part of the Eastern United States decided to broadcast this series, for I may never have discovered her otherwise. The drama itself is probably average or somewhat above average -- it revolves around a love triangle involving Shim Hye-won (Miss Son), a young woman who received a heart transplant and who struggles to emerge out of a sickly childhood to live a normal life and experience the normal range of human experiences and emotions, such as true love. Someone get the tissue boxes ready, 'cause tears are gonna be a-flowin' on both sides of the screen.

What may set this drama apart is the beautiful rustic South Korean scenery in which some key scenes are set and the wide range of stunning appearances that Son Ye-jin adopts throughout this drama. She's a pretty and energetic schoolgirl one minute, a sweet young maiden in conservative dress wandering in the woods the next, and a darling bride-to-be at yet another instance. The combination of breathtaking natural scenery and youthful smashing girl can indeed be a potent and poignant one from a cinematographic point of view. The musical score of the series is somewhat impressive, I must say, and merges harmoniously with the theme of the drama and the scenes in which the music is played. Even when the action in the series becomes dull, redundant, and excessively emotional, the mere chance to gaze at Miss Son washes away all other concerns about the drama. If you want to see what a comely and pleasant goddess from the Orient should look like, check out "Summer Scent" and fixate on the uber-attractive Son Ye-jin as Shim Hye-won for all 20 episodes. You won't regret it -- she's the "purdiest" li'l thing this humble Southern boy has ever seen.
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7/10
Turgid miniseries saved by some amazing acting
Xiayu8 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Yeo-leum-hyang-ki, also known as Summer Scent, is a 20 esp mini-series from South Korea.

Basic plot: A young woman, Hye-won, has a life-saving heart transplant after many years of failing health. After her recovery, her personality begins to change, and she develops a passion for life and an optimism that was denied her prior to the operation. She is involved with a young man, Jung-jae, who has been her sweetheart since high school, and things are looking good for her.

A young man, Min-woo, loses the love of his life, Eun-hye, in a car accident on what appears to be his wedding day. Unable to get over her, he leaves the country to study architecture in Italy. A couple of years later, he returns to Seoul to try and pick up the threads of his life.

Fate intervenes. The two have a chance meeting on a nearby island when Hye-won, there to photograph wild flowers (she is a florist) is injured in a fall, and Min-woo hears her calls for help. Because she cannot walk properly, the two end up stranded there by approaching night and bad weather. They are forced to spend the night in a hut. They find they have a lot in common, a situation further exacerbated by the fact that Hye-won is strikingly similar to his dead girlfriend, from the words she uses when speaking, to her tastes and even the thoughts she expresses. Min-woo is both freaked out by and drawn to her. Hye-won in turn feels her heart beat painfully just by being near him.

You can just about guess the rest. Of course, they fall in love. And of course, Hye-won's donor turns out to be Eun-hye. Therein lies the drama: neither party knows the history of the other, but it is discovered bit by bit, and exploited and used as leverage by Jung-jae, and also Jung-jae's sister, who has a wild and unreciprocated crush on Min-woo.

Several themes are explored. And explored. And explored. To whit: Is the change in Hye-won's personality the result of her having a new lease on life after the transplant, or is it because she has taken on the traits of the donor? Does Min-woo love her for herself, or because she reminds him so much of someone he loved and lost? Does she, Hye-won, love him, or is it Eun-hye loving him through her, and she's just the body? Is her will her own, and does she even have a 'self' any more? And what of the long-time boyfriend who wants to marry her and will not give her up no matter what? And the sister who schemes to break them up?

Stretched over twenty episodes, it becomes at times woefully repetitive. Supporting characters have little more to do than eat, connive and advance the plot. So why watch it?

Two reasons: Son Ye-jin as Shim Hye-won, and Song Seung-heon as Yoo Min-woo. They are a match made in TV drama heaven. She is meltingly lovely and he is impossibly handsome. They bring a surprising depth to characters that could've been unbearable in lesser hands. Watching Song Seung-heon's eyes run the gamut from disbelief to fear to unbearable longing as he hears Hye-won speaking words he has heard before but coming from a different mouth, is a marvel of subtlety and beauty. This from the guy who made 'He Was Cool'!! Watch it and be stunned.
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6/10
A love square to end all love squares
phd_travel1 March 2020
Son Ye Jin's early melodrama is partly worth watching for her sweetness. The scenery is pretty with an alpine resort, a beach hotel and tea fields. The down side is the story isn't enough for 20 episodes. The obstacles are a bit contrived and frustrating. It's just breaking an engagement not a marriage. Felt for the man she was engaged to. Liked the way the sister said it as it was. Still why can't the 2 siblings just move on? The first part is watchable but the last third is frustratingly repetitive.

The lead actors are good and obviously destined for better roles. Fans of them will want to see it though. Song Seung Heon sports dyed permed hair. Son Ye Jin is pretty and sweet here. Although things start out fairly interesting with the hike and romantic overnight, and it is tense at first to see if their love gets found out. The formula of the love square gets after a while.

Repetitive but melodic score. Overuse of Schubert's Serenade.
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7/10
The series is good and has beautiful melodies
alxaa-790703 March 2024
The series is good and has beautiful melodies. It is true that it is not as strong as the first part, Autumn in My Heart, and the second part, Winter Songs, but it is beautiful, emotional, and warms the heart, as usual in the Four Seasons series.

The main heroine, Son Ye-jin, is very beautiful, has very innocent features, and her acting performance is absolutely amazing.

I also enjoyed the music very much, and the rural visual scenes are excellent.

Son Ye-jin was very impressive in all her scenes in the series. She had a strong presence in front of the camera and had a clear impact on the viewer, so I now hope to watch all of her work.
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5/10
Sadly Disappointing
KyleTaylorLucas26 January 2024
I watched it for her but ended up falling for him. Song Seung-heon was heartbreakingly authentic and beautiful. Now, I can't wait to see more of his work. While I loved Son JeJin in her much later films, "Crashlanding on You" and "Something in the Rain" (rewatched numerous times), this early work from 20 years ago wasn't a favorite.

And the brother and sister had me shouting and calling not nice names. The continuing betrayal by practically every character except for Min Woo is at first devastating and then unbelievable.

The scenery is often lush and gorgeous. I want to live there.

The storyline while moving in the first half becomes sappy and unbelievable, but I stayed with this too long series for the beautiful and compelling performance of Song Seung-heon.
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