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| Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool (Image courtesy of Gu Family Book Facebook page) |
GU FAMILY BOOK is a series that viewers of all ages would enjoy watching. It is a romantic-comedy and action-fantasy with some bits of drama in one program. It tells the story of a young man Kang Chi who later discovers himself as a half human, half mythical creature. Each episode puts viewers at the edge of their seats, making them want for more and look forward to the next episode!
This TV series is written by Kang Eun-kyung, writer of popular drama King of Baking, Tak Gu, Glory Jane and Dalja’s Spring among others. Under the direction of Shin Woo-chul of another famous fantasy-drama series Secret Garden and Kim Jung-hyun of The Scent, Gu Family Book is a 24-episode series that started airing last April 8, 2013 on MBC.
The Monday-Tuesday night series stars Lee Seung Gi/Lee Seung Ki and Bae Suzy together with Lee Yoobi, Sung Joon, Yoo Yeon-seok, Choi Jin Hyuk and Lee Yeon Hee among others.
For its premiere, Gu Family Book posted between 11% and 13% ratings in nationwide and Seoul capital and progressed to become the leading program on its timeslot for many weeks. Its finale earned more than 18% and more than 22% ratings for nationwide and Seoul Capital, respectively.
What makes the series click to the viewers? For one, it has a powerhouse cast led by Lee Seung Gi and miss A's Suzy. The storyline runs back from the central character's parents, his own story and ends with his possible future.
Choi Jin Hyuk's nice character Gu Wol Ryeong in the first two episodes of the show has already piqued the interests of the viewers. He is a mythical being who guards Mt Jiri. He has lived for thousands of years when a woman named Yoon Seo Hwa, initially played by Lee Yeon Hee, stirs his sleeping heart. Gu Wol Ryeong's eagerness to save Yoon Seo Hwa from injustice is blocked by his monk friend So Jung who keeps reminding his more than a thousand-year-old friend that divine creatures are not allowed to intervene with humans.
Wol Ryeong follows the advise of his friend and keeps his distance from Yoon Seo Hwa. But it seems Fate has written something different for Wol Ryeong when he meets Yoon Seo Hwa in the middle of the forest. Wol Ryeong saves Yoon Seo Hwa from people running after her. He keeps her, falls in love with her and soon marries this noblewoman-turned-gisaeng that has stirred his heart. During the time Yoon Seo Hwa is with him, Wol Ryeong has never admitted about his real identity. For him, she doesn't need to know because he has taken the process of becoming human. But just ten days short of completing the process, Wol Ryeong violates the rules and fails to become human.
Authorities caught and separated Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa despite their pleas. Yoon Seo Hwa begs Wol Ryeong to help him but the latter was chained. Because of the circumstances, Wol Ryeong ends up transforming himself into his real identity - a gumiho. He kills all the guards blocking his path as he tries to save his wife. But his wife, trembling in fear, couldn't recognize him and even lost consciousness. Wol Ryeong didn't expect that his wife will later betray him to the people who were running after her. Worse, because he violated the rules in becoming human, he will turn into a thousand-year demon. But Wol Ryeong is a hopeless romantic. Even though he has a special dagger, which must be used to kill the person who will cause the mythical being to violate the rules - that is Yoon Seo Hwa, Wol Ryeong did not stab his wife. Rather, he professed how much he loves her while a sheriff thrusts his sword in Wol Ryeong. Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa are not aware that the latter is already pregnant. After Wol Ryeong died, Yoon Seo Hwa was saved and sent by the sheriff to the gisaeng house where she was taken cared of. Believing she is carrying a beast, Yoon Seo Hwa tries to kill the baby from the time it was in her womb at the gisaeng house, up to the moment she delivered the child at the cave of the Moonlight Garden in Mt. Jiri. Seeing a beautiful baby beside her, Yoon Seo Hwa weeps. She leaves his son under the care of monk So Jung, who was fetched by the magical blue lights as soon as the baby was born. Yoon Seo Hwa wants to avenge the death of her family a nd her husband. But she was "killed" by the assistant of his enemy Jo Kwan Woong in front of some Japanese visitors. Later, monk So Jung placed the baby in a crib and let it flow on the river. The crib was found by businessman Park Moo Sul, who, with the nice prodding of Monk So Jung, accepts the child. The child was named Choi Kang Chi. Then the colorful life of Choi Kang Chi begins.
Most of the characters in Gu Family Book are related to one another. Among them includes Gu Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa, the parents of Choi Kang Chi; Monk So Jung who is a friend of Wol Ryeong while Head Gisaeng Cheon Soo Ryun who assisted Yoon Seo Hwa, became mentors or guide of Choi Kang Chi later on.
Jo Kwan Woong, the most wicked man in the series and the extreme antagonist, is the source of all misery of many pleasant characters from the first episode like Yoon Seo Hwa to the very last hour that has led to the tremendous grief of Choi Kang Chi.
Lead characters Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool are also related. They have a back story where Kang Chi saves Yeo Wool from an angry dog when they were kids. That early, a romantic relationship as well as a love triangle with Park Cheong Joo, Kang Chi's childhood sweetheart, already started.
Dam Yeo Wool's father, Sheriff Dam Pyeong Joon, who slew Wol Ryeong, will be one of the masters of Kang Chi.
This family-oriented program also provides some values that viewers can learn.
Fate and destiny. Gu Family Book reiterates that there is Someone more powerful than anyone that has even written each and everyone's destiny. No matter how powerful a person is, or no matter how much a person willfully tries to change something, if it is not destined to happen, it will never happen. Things will go according to one's fate.
Trust. The program tells the viewers the high value of trust - that it is earned and treasured by and from the people around you. And that betrayal will even costs one's fortune and worse, life. I think in the series trust is represented by its main characters holding hands - something you wouldn't do with a stranger.
Love. Gu Family Book reveals a similar personality of some characters. They are hopeless romantics and showcases unconditional love. Choi Kang Chi likes his childhood sweetheart Park Cheong Joo for a long time but soon finds himself falling in love with someone he thought was a man - Dam Yeo Wool, the only woman who accepted and love him for who he is, including his real identity as a divine creature. Both Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool have made some sacrifices for each other before finally admitting their love for one another. Characters Gon and Park Tae Seo also like Dam Yeo Wool while Cheong Joo likes Kang Chi. But seeing how much Yeo Wool and Kang Chi love one another, the two settled for a one-sided love while Cheong Joo still hopes to win his man over until the end. However, she failed. And who could forget the lovable, sweet, romantic and unforgettable character Wol Ryeong - the mythical being who resurrected from the dead to serve his punishment to become a thousand-year demon but ends up being a hopeless romantic when the only thing he remembers is the name and face of his true love despite the curse! His process of becoming a full-fledged evil being halts after the tears of his true love -whose name is the only thing Wol Ryeong remembers - roll down his skin. Wol Ryeong remembers Yoon Seo Hwa despite his curse! And guess what's the most heartbreaking part? It happened in the Moonlight Garden when Yoon Seo Hwa stabbed herself with a dagger after apologizing to her husband and telling him how much she loves him. Yoon Seo Hwa refused to let go of the dagger because she knows its the only way to freed Wol Ryeong from the curse. She said this is all her love can do. Seeing Wol Ryeong weep for his beloved wife is tearkjerking. What makes it more heartbreaking is when Wol Ryeong reveals that he doesn't hate his wife, he just missed her so much and he doesn't blame Seo Hwa, he just loved her so much. And for the nth time I've seen this part, it's really heartrending.
What has just been mentioned are just a few of some rich points of the series. Although it is a fantasy series, Gu Family Book has proven that it boasts a story well-deserved by viewers. Having a 24 episodes, Gu Family Book is rich in remarkable scenes including the first two episodes which tell the love story of Wol Ryeong and Seo Hwa; the meeting of Kang Chi and Yeo Wool under the crescent moon hanging above a peach tree; revelation of Kang Chi's real identity; Yeo Wool staying by Kang Chi's side; the accidental revelation of Yeo Wool's identity at the secret vault; Kang Chi and Wol Ryeong's fight over Yeo Wool; the young couple's almost two-minute hot kiss in the forest, the one mentioned earlier which is the death of Seo Hwa and the return of Wol Ryeong as a divine creature; and most of all the series' finale - which reveals the final three wishes of Dam Yeo Wool, Kang Chi's proposal, and Yeo Wool's passing plus Kang Chi with reincarnated Yeo Wool in the present time.
Gu Family has a number of theme songs that make the audience glued even more to the series. Accompanying these episodes are music and theme songs that heightens every scenes. Thus, making important scenes more memorable for the viewers.
Among the OSTs include “Spring Rain” (봄비) performed by Baek Ji Young, “My Eden” by Yisabel, “Love Hurts” (사랑이 아프다) by Lee Sang Gon, "Love is Blowing" (사랑이 불어온다)by Lee Jiyoung, "Best Wishes to You" (잘 있나요) by The One and Only You" (너 하나야) by 4Men.
Lead stars of the show also contributed in making the OSTs hit the music charts with Bae Suzy performing the heartbreaking “Don’t Forget Me" (나를 잊지말아요); Choi Jin Hyuk's soulful interpretation of "Best Wishes to You" gives justice to its acoustic version; and Choi Kang Chi himself, Lee Seung Gi, composed and performed the “The Last Word” (마지막 그 한마디), which has pop and piano versions.
For its premiere, Gu Family Book posted between 11% and 13% ratings in nationwide and Seoul capital and progressed to become the leading program on its timeslot for many weeks. Its finale earned more than 18% and more than 22% ratings for nationwide and Seoul Capital, respectively.
What makes the series click to the viewers? For one, it has a powerhouse cast led by Lee Seung Gi and miss A's Suzy. The storyline runs back from the central character's parents, his own story and ends with his possible future.
Choi Jin Hyuk's nice character Gu Wol Ryeong in the first two episodes of the show has already piqued the interests of the viewers. He is a mythical being who guards Mt Jiri. He has lived for thousands of years when a woman named Yoon Seo Hwa, initially played by Lee Yeon Hee, stirs his sleeping heart. Gu Wol Ryeong's eagerness to save Yoon Seo Hwa from injustice is blocked by his monk friend So Jung who keeps reminding his more than a thousand-year-old friend that divine creatures are not allowed to intervene with humans.
Wol Ryeong follows the advise of his friend and keeps his distance from Yoon Seo Hwa. But it seems Fate has written something different for Wol Ryeong when he meets Yoon Seo Hwa in the middle of the forest. Wol Ryeong saves Yoon Seo Hwa from people running after her. He keeps her, falls in love with her and soon marries this noblewoman-turned-gisaeng that has stirred his heart. During the time Yoon Seo Hwa is with him, Wol Ryeong has never admitted about his real identity. For him, she doesn't need to know because he has taken the process of becoming human. But just ten days short of completing the process, Wol Ryeong violates the rules and fails to become human.
Authorities caught and separated Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa despite their pleas. Yoon Seo Hwa begs Wol Ryeong to help him but the latter was chained. Because of the circumstances, Wol Ryeong ends up transforming himself into his real identity - a gumiho. He kills all the guards blocking his path as he tries to save his wife. But his wife, trembling in fear, couldn't recognize him and even lost consciousness. Wol Ryeong didn't expect that his wife will later betray him to the people who were running after her. Worse, because he violated the rules in becoming human, he will turn into a thousand-year demon. But Wol Ryeong is a hopeless romantic. Even though he has a special dagger, which must be used to kill the person who will cause the mythical being to violate the rules - that is Yoon Seo Hwa, Wol Ryeong did not stab his wife. Rather, he professed how much he loves her while a sheriff thrusts his sword in Wol Ryeong. Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa are not aware that the latter is already pregnant. After Wol Ryeong died, Yoon Seo Hwa was saved and sent by the sheriff to the gisaeng house where she was taken cared of. Believing she is carrying a beast, Yoon Seo Hwa tries to kill the baby from the time it was in her womb at the gisaeng house, up to the moment she delivered the child at the cave of the Moonlight Garden in Mt. Jiri. Seeing a beautiful baby beside her, Yoon Seo Hwa weeps. She leaves his son under the care of monk So Jung, who was fetched by the magical blue lights as soon as the baby was born. Yoon Seo Hwa wants to avenge the death of her family a nd her husband. But she was "killed" by the assistant of his enemy Jo Kwan Woong in front of some Japanese visitors. Later, monk So Jung placed the baby in a crib and let it flow on the river. The crib was found by businessman Park Moo Sul, who, with the nice prodding of Monk So Jung, accepts the child. The child was named Choi Kang Chi. Then the colorful life of Choi Kang Chi begins.
Most of the characters in Gu Family Book are related to one another. Among them includes Gu Wol Ryeong and Yoon Seo Hwa, the parents of Choi Kang Chi; Monk So Jung who is a friend of Wol Ryeong while Head Gisaeng Cheon Soo Ryun who assisted Yoon Seo Hwa, became mentors or guide of Choi Kang Chi later on.
Jo Kwan Woong, the most wicked man in the series and the extreme antagonist, is the source of all misery of many pleasant characters from the first episode like Yoon Seo Hwa to the very last hour that has led to the tremendous grief of Choi Kang Chi.
Lead characters Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool are also related. They have a back story where Kang Chi saves Yeo Wool from an angry dog when they were kids. That early, a romantic relationship as well as a love triangle with Park Cheong Joo, Kang Chi's childhood sweetheart, already started.
Dam Yeo Wool's father, Sheriff Dam Pyeong Joon, who slew Wol Ryeong, will be one of the masters of Kang Chi.
This family-oriented program also provides some values that viewers can learn.
Fate and destiny. Gu Family Book reiterates that there is Someone more powerful than anyone that has even written each and everyone's destiny. No matter how powerful a person is, or no matter how much a person willfully tries to change something, if it is not destined to happen, it will never happen. Things will go according to one's fate.
Trust. The program tells the viewers the high value of trust - that it is earned and treasured by and from the people around you. And that betrayal will even costs one's fortune and worse, life. I think in the series trust is represented by its main characters holding hands - something you wouldn't do with a stranger.
Love. Gu Family Book reveals a similar personality of some characters. They are hopeless romantics and showcases unconditional love. Choi Kang Chi likes his childhood sweetheart Park Cheong Joo for a long time but soon finds himself falling in love with someone he thought was a man - Dam Yeo Wool, the only woman who accepted and love him for who he is, including his real identity as a divine creature. Both Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool have made some sacrifices for each other before finally admitting their love for one another. Characters Gon and Park Tae Seo also like Dam Yeo Wool while Cheong Joo likes Kang Chi. But seeing how much Yeo Wool and Kang Chi love one another, the two settled for a one-sided love while Cheong Joo still hopes to win his man over until the end. However, she failed. And who could forget the lovable, sweet, romantic and unforgettable character Wol Ryeong - the mythical being who resurrected from the dead to serve his punishment to become a thousand-year demon but ends up being a hopeless romantic when the only thing he remembers is the name and face of his true love despite the curse! His process of becoming a full-fledged evil being halts after the tears of his true love -whose name is the only thing Wol Ryeong remembers - roll down his skin. Wol Ryeong remembers Yoon Seo Hwa despite his curse! And guess what's the most heartbreaking part? It happened in the Moonlight Garden when Yoon Seo Hwa stabbed herself with a dagger after apologizing to her husband and telling him how much she loves him. Yoon Seo Hwa refused to let go of the dagger because she knows its the only way to freed Wol Ryeong from the curse. She said this is all her love can do. Seeing Wol Ryeong weep for his beloved wife is tearkjerking. What makes it more heartbreaking is when Wol Ryeong reveals that he doesn't hate his wife, he just missed her so much and he doesn't blame Seo Hwa, he just loved her so much. And for the nth time I've seen this part, it's really heartrending.
What has just been mentioned are just a few of some rich points of the series. Although it is a fantasy series, Gu Family Book has proven that it boasts a story well-deserved by viewers. Having a 24 episodes, Gu Family Book is rich in remarkable scenes including the first two episodes which tell the love story of Wol Ryeong and Seo Hwa; the meeting of Kang Chi and Yeo Wool under the crescent moon hanging above a peach tree; revelation of Kang Chi's real identity; Yeo Wool staying by Kang Chi's side; the accidental revelation of Yeo Wool's identity at the secret vault; Kang Chi and Wol Ryeong's fight over Yeo Wool; the young couple's almost two-minute hot kiss in the forest, the one mentioned earlier which is the death of Seo Hwa and the return of Wol Ryeong as a divine creature; and most of all the series' finale - which reveals the final three wishes of Dam Yeo Wool, Kang Chi's proposal, and Yeo Wool's passing plus Kang Chi with reincarnated Yeo Wool in the present time.
Gu Family has a number of theme songs that make the audience glued even more to the series. Accompanying these episodes are music and theme songs that heightens every scenes. Thus, making important scenes more memorable for the viewers.
Among the OSTs include “Spring Rain” (봄비) performed by Baek Ji Young, “My Eden” by Yisabel, “Love Hurts” (사랑이 아프다) by Lee Sang Gon, "Love is Blowing" (사랑이 불어온다)by Lee Jiyoung, "Best Wishes to You" (잘 있나요) by The One and Only You" (너 하나야) by 4Men.
Lead stars of the show also contributed in making the OSTs hit the music charts with Bae Suzy performing the heartbreaking “Don’t Forget Me" (나를 잊지말아요); Choi Jin Hyuk's soulful interpretation of "Best Wishes to You" gives justice to its acoustic version; and Choi Kang Chi himself, Lee Seung Gi, composed and performed the “The Last Word” (마지막 그 한마디), which has pop and piano versions.
Gu Family Book (Guga-ui Seo) is also known as Kang Chi, the Beginning, Gu Family’s Secret, The Writings of Nine Houses, Book of the House of Gu and The Fox Family Book. It is currently airing in the Philippines over ABS-CBN and in Indonesia over Indosiar.
Hello. This is A.K.I.A. Talking…
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review of Gu Family Book 구가의 서! I enjoyed it a lot.
I added it to my collection of reviews for the show. The show has now an average score of 78%.
I personally never seen it so I have no opinion.
Here is a link to the page if you would like to give it a look:
http://www.akiatalking.com/2014/12/gu-family-book-2013-db-reviews.html
Thanks again for the review. If you want to do something with my blog, please contact me.