Thursday 13 January 2022

The Package Kdrama review

 


Drama name: The Package
Country: South Korea
Year: Oct- Nov 2017

Another one of the dramas I heard about when it aired but didn't watch it back then. Asked an online friend whether it was nice or not, she gave a half- hearted review saying yeah it is nice, nice scenery from France and that's about it. I made a note to watch it someday and am glad that I did! 

So,what's this drama about?

Yoon So So eloped to France during her college days despite her parents' disapproval. Her marriage didn't even last a year before the guy left her. So So did not return to Korea because she could not face her parents again after that hasty parting. She ended up working as a tour guide for a premium package one week tour of France while studying for her masters there. 

So So encounters the latest batch of tourists consisting of an elderly couple, young couple, a man and a younger girl and a single guy who was always causing trouble for her. The rest of the story goes on with the backstory of each tourist and also So So's fated love that was told by fortune tellers earlier. 


Overall thoughts

It is a very laid back type of drama with in depth exploration of characters. Each tourist has their own story to tell and the writer weaved it out beautifully within the drama. I didn't mind the female lead at first, but halfway through she got on my nerves but luckily the rest of the characters saved the show. 

Best parts of the drama

Definitely the places which the tour package visited... I can't remember all the places but it was fun travelling with them. The show really made you feel that you were part of the group touring France! 


The group of tourist itself.... Their chemistry together works well for this drama... 


Some photos taken was pretty funny too... Hope can try it someday! 


This part when they finally get to see Mona Lisa painting... haha!! At least I know what it looks like now in the Louvre! 


For those looking for romance, there are plenty of scenes between the two leads... 


Last but not least, Ma Ru's apartment back in Seoul... wow the interior is nice.... 


Special Mention

So So's boss in France... Haha, this guy made me laugh with his slick maneuverings when So So's brother kept pestering him for her location... 


Conclusion
 
The one week tour has finally come to an end... It was time to return to France... All the individual conflicts of each tourist has been somewhat resolved. The elderly man broke down in front of his wife, feeling vulnerable for once as he already knew that his wife had cancer and is dying. The wife also realised that her husband did care for her but not in the way she thought caring should be. 

The young couple having relationship issues also came clean with each other and decided to give it another go at their relationship. The man and younger girl turns out to be his daughter. Their father daughter relationship has gone deeper from before when he still treat her like a small child. The daughter also begun to accept that her father is going to marry again. 

Ma Ru and So So had a brief break up. So So didn't want to follow him back to Korea, she felt that she might be making the same mistake again. Meanwhile, Ma Ru heads back to Seoul to face his impending lawsuit from his company for being a whistleblower. 

The ending was kinda rushed and the writer just slapped everything together in the last episode. I'm not sure why it was cut short, possibly because of the low ratings of the drama in Korea. Ma Ru prepares to go against his company with the little proof that he had... The young couple guy made it big by creating an empty book about success (like what?) The group gathers again at the elderly couple's restaurant for a catch up except for Ma Ru. 

Ma Ru heads to Africa to try to find more proof that the company sent untested drugs there illegally and he meets So So again at the airport under the  "Angel's feet" poster. Haha, I know... like what again! Just a suggestion that he is indeed her fated love.  


It was disappointing. I expected more backstory of Ma Ru when he returned to Seoul to face the company and a better ending with So So. Perhaps it would have been a better ending with: 

1) Ma Ru cleared of his lawsuit and exposing the villainy of the pharmaceutical company... with the video making skills of the young girl, uploaded to social media... 

2) The older lady gets a new cancer drug that is working and she is making good progress with it 

3) So So reuniting with her family in person.. not over the phone! What the... 

4) Ma Ru meeting So So again at the Angels' feet poster possibly outside a travel agency in Seoul 

5) So So's boss taking over the next tour group consisting of the noisy ahjummas earlier! 

So yeah, I feel that would be a better ending... Haha... Alright, that's all for now. Thanks for reading. Until the next review, take care. 


*Image credits: Own screenshots, Google search* 

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