Endless Love
CAST
NOTE: I watched this series in dubbed Mandarin, so I honestly do not have any idea how to spell the Korean names, and it is already second nature for me to spell them using Mandarin Pinyin, so I decided throughout the review, I will refer to them using pinyin.
SONG HYE KYO: Choi Eun-suh (Jenny)
Mandarin: Cui En Xi
SONG SEUNG HUN: Yun Jun-suh (Johnny)
Mandarin: Yin Jun Xi
WON BIN: Han Tae-sukh (Andrew Han)
Mandarin: Han Tai Xi
HAN CHAE YOUNG: Yun Shin-ae
Mandarin: Yin Xin Ai
HAN NA NA: Shin Yumi
Mandarin: Shen You Mei
CHOI WOO HYUK: Teenager Yun Jun-suh
Mandarin: Teenager Yin Jun Xi
MOON KUN YOUNG: Teenager Yun Eun-suh
Mandarin: Teenager Yin En Xi
LEE AE JUNG: Teenager Choi Shin-ae
Mandarin: Teenager Cui Xin Ai
INTRODUCTION
AUTUMN IN MY HEART, also known as "Endless Love", "The Fairy Tale of Autumn", or "Gaeul Dongwha", is, in my opinion, one of the most touching Korean series ever aired. Being a Korean series, I expected tears to come streaming down as I watched this series, but the intense love in this series is more than tearjerking. It is one of those series that captures your heart.
PLOT
The plot is quite full of substance, especially in the beginning, when En Xi and Xin Ai, two very different girls in the same class at high school, experience turbulent changes. Jun Xi and En Xi are two happy siblings, having grown up in a well-off Korean family. Xin Ai, however, has had an unhappy childhood. Her poor and strict single mother owns a run-down restaurant, while her good-for-nothing brother beats her up. Destiny has plans for En Xi and Xin Ai, however. The two girls share one thing in common: the same birthday. En Xi's parents soon find out, after blood samples, that En Xi and Xin Ai were switched at birth and Xin Ai is their true daughter. At first, their parents try to ignore the truth, but soon discover their devotion to their biological daughter, Xin Ai. They bring her home, but Jun Xi does not accept his new sister, having had a great relationship with his sister En Xi. Feeling rejected, En Xi decides to leave and join her biological mother. To run away from their problems, the Yin family decides to travel to America, leaving En Xi alone in Korea.
Years later, after En Xi (now played by Song Hye Kyo) is around 20, the Yin family returns from the States. Jun Xi (now played by Song Seung Hun) is currently an artist, engaged to his girlfriend Shen You Mei (Han Na Na). Meanwhile, En Xi works in a hotel. There, she becomes acquainted with Han Tai Xi (Won Bin), a wealthy, good-looking bachelor with an interest in En Xi. It so happens that Tai Xi is best friends with Jun Xi, who is back in Korea searching for his long lost "sister". Through Tai Xi, the two end up meeting, and soon discover their relationship is deeper than siblings. Their love, however, is not well-taken. Jun Xi's engagement to You Mei suffers, and Tai Xi, who has an interest in En Xi, feels heartbroken. Xin Ai (now played by Han Chae Young), has also returned to Korea with her MBA degree, but soon discovers En Xi has yet again stolen her spotlight. Additionally, Xin Ai has always liked Tai Xi, who is deeply in love with En Xi. The Yin parents are thrilled to see En Xi again, but disapprove of the relationship between En Xi and Jun Xi. The two elope, but soon return because of their responsibilities to their friends and family.
As fate would have it, one event changes everything. En Xi is diagnosed with leukemia, which she inherited from her deceased father.
PLOT ANALYSIS
The plot is touching and definitely something I adore, but the real substance is in the first three episodes. I love romance stories, and this was a good plot, but it was flawed.
The rest of the series seems to drag on with Jun Xi and En Xi's romance, which unfortunately never seems to show much...change. The same problems, the same people. The series was only 18 episodes, but with each episode timing almost an hour, it got a little tiring after a while to watch Jun Xi and En Xi for so long. Additionally, how do people who thought they were siblings for FOURTEEN years suddenly develop a love relationship? Sounds a little unlikely to me, as well as possibly disturbing.
If I had it my way, En Xi would have gone with Tai Xi, who showed the most dedication to her. Even after she rejected him constantly, he never gave up, and always worked in her best interests. Another problem was that the tragic love story was a bit overplayed. Tears are good, but they become annoying after you can hear the sound of some character bawling every two minutes. It was overworked a little.
ACTING
Song Hye Kyo as Cui En Xi
En Xi was the character nobody could hate, because of her niceness. And who would not pity a character like En Xi? Song Hye Kyo portrayed this vulnerability extremely well, with her silent tears and sad eyes. The problem, though, was that I felt she failed to illustrate the unique personality and charisma En Xi would need to survive after the Yin family left America. She was in a pretty bad situation, and the pitifulness she exhibits in this series makes me wonder if she actually survived those years. Perhaps this was more of the script's fault than Song Hye Kyo's, but the En Xi she created was too soft and almost unrealistically kind and perfect. The most annoying part were her never-ending apologies to Tai Xi, with whom I wished she would have been in the first place. However, kudos to Song Hye Kyo for her soft and romantic scenes, which were all very touching. As I said, with the series overall, I think she overdid the crying, but it was very believable. Her En Xi rather resembles Amelia Sedley of the novel "Vanity Fair", in my opinion (if anyone has read it). But, if the series wanted a kind, soft, warmhearted, pitiful En Xi, then Song Hye Kyo mastered it well. A final note: Song Hye Kyo was awesome in the hospital scenes, when she illustrates En Xi in pain.
Song Seung Hun as Yin Jun Xi
I am not exactly what people would call a Song Seung Hun fan. I usually find his performances rather bland - his co-stars tend to outshine him - and unfortunately, I had similar feelings about this series. I do wonder sometimes why they cast him as Jun Xi rather than Won Bin, because of his lack of chemistry with Song Hye Kyo. I agree with other reviewers that the two do seem more like brother and sister, especially when they are being cheerful and not crying their hearts out to each other. Song Seung Hun did have good body language, however, as his character was not a particularly talkative one. Yet, his acting does not steal the show. As always, I felt that he was mediocre.
Won Bin as Han Tai Xi
As assumed, Won Bin was my favorite performance in this series. I felt he honestly stole the show. His chemistry with Song Hye Kyo was perfect - I cried more during scenes when he was with her than Jun Xi/En Xi scenes. Tai Xi is a great man too, caring so deeply about En Xi and risking his own pride for her well-being. He is truly a real gentleman. Won Bin mastered this part very well too. Aside from the fact that he is too handsome for words, his acting is unparalleled in "Autumn if my Heart". I love how he cries - it is never overdone but still heartwrenching. Every emotion is depicted at the correct moment, from his joking smiles to his darkest moments when he is drunk. Awesome, awesome work from Won Bin.
Han Chae Young as Yin Xin Ai
This character was not a particularly nice one, but I suppose she had her reasons for being such an unlikable person. Han Chae Young has certainly evolved over the years - I am not sure if it was make-up, but she looks nice in photos, although she was not very beautiful as Xin Ai. Her acting sufficed, despite her unlikable character - most of her acting was quite flawless, and accurate for a character like Xin Ai. However, her acting was perhaps a bit stiff. I only wished she had done something to soften Xin Ai's character, and make her more likable in the eyes of the audience. Again, this is somewehat the script's fault.
Han Na Na as Shen You Mei
This character was very annoying, especially when she lied so Jun Xi would stay with her. She was even more pitiful than En Xi, because of how desparate she was, how she would commit suicide to get Jun Xi's attention. She lacks of the nobility that makes Tai Xi the knight in shining armour - You Mei is simply annoying. Han Na Na showed her weakness well enough, but I felt she did not give the character a wide range of emotions. It was mostly tears and sad/helpless looks.
Other Notes
The teenager actors were superb - especially the one who played En Xi.
Jun Xi's father, who mostly stays in the background for this series, did do a very good scene towards the end of the series, when he mourns over the fact that En Xi's leukemia is fatal. His tears are very realistic and touching. I thought his acting was dull until that moment.
En Xi's biological mother was equally good - she looked the part. Her excessive crying got annoying too, but that pretty much goes for the entire series.
SCENERY
As the series focuses on the season autumn, the scenery was an important part of it. Having seen Mainland productions in some of the most exquisite locations, I cannot necessary deem the scenery in this series breathtaking. It seemed a little limited to me, always focusing on the same few places. However, the scenery was beautiful, especially the scene towards the end of the theme song where En Xi and Jun Xi are riding their bicycles.
BEST SCENES
* When Tai Xi gives En Xi five reasons to get treated for her leukemia
* The watch incident between Xin Ai and En Xi - Xin Ai was such a horrible person in that scene, but it was very well-acted
* When En Xi's biological mother finds out her daughter has leukemia
* The ending
FINAL COMMENTS
I must stress again: I wish En Xi and Tai Xi had gotten together. They were meant to be.
Nevertheless, my own feelings on the plot aside, what a touching, sad story! It really shows how responsibility towards others affects our decisions in love, as well as life. Despite its possible faults, this series will be remembered in my heart.
It is truly the best Korean series ever - far surpasses any other Korean series I have seen, even "Jewel in the Palace". This may sound hypocritical, as I know I stressed the weaknesses a lot, but it is important that I do not forget the strengths. Love is a beautiful phenomena, and such love is beautifully portrayed in "Autumn in My Heart". This series was popular for a reason. Thus, the 4.5 rating.
