The Painter of the Wind

Source: javabeans

The current drama landscape: An overview
September 28th, 2008 // by javabeans



It seems we suddenly have a ton of new dramas out, and I was starting to feel a bit lost. So here’s a brief overview of the dramas currently airing, some of which I’m following regularly and some that I haven’t committed to sticking with yet.

For the series I plan to keep watching, I’ll probably follow up with more in-depth posts, but for now I’m taking a general, overall look at the current lineup. (The two dramas pictured above, Kingdom of Wind and The Painter of Wind, are probably the two best series airing currently, but for different reasons.)

The Painter of Wind (SBS)



On the other hand, The Painter of Wind shows off an entirely different artistic sensibility in its delicacy. While Kingdom of the Wind is dark, Painter is picturesque, and finds itself in its details — the close shots of the moving paintbrush, the lingering look in a character’s eyes. It also boasts a lovely background score and a director who uses it to its best effect.

I wouldn’t be too quick to call Moon Geun-young revelatory in her performance as a woman masquerading as a man in order to receive art training — not yet — but I think we can expect good things from her as this series progresses. Like Yoon Eun-hye before her, she is almost too pretty to pass off as male, but actually does a credible job with mannerisms, line delivery, and deepened voice (especially considering how much more high-pitched her normal speaking voice is).

The thing that sets The Painter of Wind apart from most sageuks is that it doesn’t (appear to) have a political focus. While the court and politics are featured, the main plot of Painter isn’t dictated by power (comma, the acquisition of). It’s a character and relationship study.

Based on the first two episodes, it looks like the series is going to start off lighthearted — Episode 1 was surprisingly upbeat and funnier than I’d expected. I am guessing the series will progress into more emotionally fraught territory as we delve into these characters. Park Shin-yang lays out the development of the relationship that will flower between master and student in the opening voiceover, saying, “She was my student… my teacher… my friend… and my beloved.”

Verdict: Same deal as Kingdom. I plan to watch, but won’t be recapping. But if you feel up to the task, I’d be happy to give someone else a stab at it.