Review : I am Sam

[JonDoe]

Title : I am Sam
Starring : Yang Dong Geun - Jang Yi San(Dairaku in the Manga)
Park Min Young - Yu En Byul(Aya in the Manga)
Son Tae Young - Shin So Yi(Satsuki in the Manga)
Synopse : The sanitized drama adaptation of Japanese manga "Not in a textbook."

Review : This is an odd show. The producers are basically trying to create a youth-oriented school comedy out of an adult manga catering to adult men's fantasy about schoolgirls. Make no mistake, "I am Sam" is heavily sanitized and is indeed suitable for its intended target(highschool students and up), but why pick "Not in the textbook" in the first place? The plot follows the manga obviously, with the dumb teacher Yi San/Dairaku forced to live with the mob boss's only daughter, Eun Byul/Aya. The following changes are made to "sanitize" it.

1. Dairaku was entrusted in protecting Aya's virginity. Yi San is entrusted in getting failing Eun Byul safely graduate from highschool.
2. Dairaku is constantly tempted by Aya. Yi San has hots for the fellow teacher So Yi, but his "cohabitance" with Eun Byul is endangering his relationship.
3. Aya tempts Dairaku. Eun Byul's love for Yi San is portrayed as a puppy love.
4. Dairaku was an average Japanese man. Yi San is a borderline retard with zero sexual thoughts.
5. No sexual jokes what so ever in "I am Sam".

Even so, the school life portrayed in "I am Sam" is foreign and feels very Japanese, complete with kogal schoolgirl gangs and bikers. Yang Dong Geun, who always portrayed the outsider/gangster in his prior roles, seems uncomfortable in his retarded teacher role. Park Min Young, on the other hand, does a PG-13 version of Aya pretty well, with enough tempting while not actually crossing the line.

The verdict is "Skip it". But the manga fans are free to watch it.

[annaaa]

oh wow. thanks for this. i guess i should skip it then.