Magic [매직]

Magic [매직]

Pronounced:
mae-jik
Starring:
Kang Dong-Won (1% of Anything; Duelist), Kim Hyo-Jin (Ice Girl/ She’s Back), Yang Jin-Woo (Peculiar Woman Peculiar Man), Eom Ji-Won (Into the Storm)
Directed by:
Hong Chang-Wook; Go Kyeong-Hee
Produced by:
Ju Dong-Min (Guardian Angel, We Are Dating Now, Sunlight Pouring Down)
Written by:
Yoon Seong-Hee (We Are Dating Now; Beautiful Days, Shooting Star)
Dates Airing:
August 28, 2004 – October 17, 2004
Time Airing:
Saturday & Sunday 9:45 PM
Episodes:
16
Genre:
Melodrama/ Romance
Official Website:
[Korean]
Related links:
DVD

Synopsis
Kang-Jae (Kang Dong-Won) is sexy, charasmatic and ambitious, with dreams of becoming a famous magician. Like a true magician, the once poor and desperate Kang-Jae successfully transforms himself into a modern-day prince charming, through his courtship with Yeon-Jin (Eom Ji-Won), a beautiful and wealthy woman hampered by a weak body, and his mentorship with a dedicated magician who is resented by his own son Seon-Mo (Yang Jin-Woo).
But even Kang-Jae is vulnerable to being exposed when true love beckons. Yeon-Jin’s younger sister, Dan-Hee (Kim Hyo-Jin), who is playful and sweet despite growing up in Yeon-Jin’s family as an adopted daughter, likes Kang-Jae. When Dan-Hee reunites with Do-Young, whom she believes to be her long-lost biological brother, the secret behind Do-Young’s true identity slowly leads to another secret that will reveal the real Kang-Jae beneath the magic and Dan-Hee must find the strength in her to resolve the damage before them.

Review
From the pictures and press releases, this seemed like yet another trendy drama featuring beautiful young talents, but a few episodes into the drama, you realize this is a gem of a story. Barely 16 episodes long, but somehow the writer packs in strong humanism through poignant dialogues contrasting the love that one shares with a sibling with the passion between lovers, and even the confusing love that you may have towards an enemy.
The strong script and great acting are plus points of the drama. Kang Dong-Won is the irresistible ‘bad guy’, Eom Ji-Won plays the innocent but obsessive ‘quiet woman’, Kim Hyo-Jin is the loveable ‘innocent girl’ and Yang Jin-Woo rounds up the quartet as the grounded and protective ‘dependable guy’. The result is a complete story showing us how love changes you no matter who you are.  By the end of the drama, we see a transformation in each of the characters as love matures them into who they are destined to be.  It’s the stuff you expect from 50-episode dramas, not a mini-series such as this.  You’ll definitely need a box of tissues and don’t be surprised if you find yourself in deep thinking mode after the drama ends. My only complaint about the drama is the abrupt ending, but this was still a surprise find and I encourage others to give this underrated drama a try.
Rating:
9

Credits:
*edited by moogles