After a few months of enjoying this enchanting romance, the SBS network drama came to an end, with a nice, warm ending as expected. “Where Stars Land” is the drama that offers us a love capable of melting the cold ice and tell the lively stories of employees and people transiting the Incheon airport.
This drama that generated great ratings and enamored the viewers, left the audience in great expectation with the episodes previous to the last ones. Because Lee Soo Yeon, presented a very deteriorated physical condition and he had a difficult decision to make. Would he stop using his device? also, the gang of criminals the director In Woo sent to kidnap him and hurt him, would he come out safe and sound? This was the introduction to the long-awaited ending. But first, let’s recap the story a bit.
Story
A man that wants to live a normal life but cannot be an ordinary man and a woman that wants to stand out and be finally recognized by the world. This is the story of Lee Soo Yeon and Han Yeo Reum, two opposed people whose love is destined to endure.
These two people start their story at the great airport of Incheon, they both start working together in the Passenger Services department. Although they have many differences, which is why they disagree so much at work. They both begin to cooperate in order to overcome the moments of tension and complications that arise at Incheon airport.
Lee Soo Yeon, a man very diligent in his job and who possesses an enormous strength, And Han Yeon Reum a very clumsy and reckless woman, gradually improve their relationship and accept the differences they have. As they get to know each other, the truth comes behind Lee Soo Yeon’s Unhuman strength and above all his greatest weakness.
Lee Soo Yeon is a man that cannot accept himself, because he has a disability and uses a not authorized prototype for his disability, after suffering a terrible accident while trying to save his brother Seo In Woo. Han Yeon Reum helps him to change his way of thinking. By offering him a pure and constant love Han Yeon Reum teaches Lee Soo Yeon another side of life that he did not know, allowing him to heal the wounds that both he and she have, since the life they have had has been very complicated but their union will allow them to learn the true meaning of loving.
This journey will not be easy, as they will have to overcome their greatest fears and accept themselves. Adapting to a life with a different perspective of theirs, where every day is a treasure and considering themselves valuable is important.
Review
While researching this drama, the first thing that hooked me on was the story. In my opinion, it gave new airs to so many traditional prototypes that we have had this year in the dramas. Then I liked the cast, Lee Je Hoon is a high-quality actor with a lot of experience and his role as Lee Soo Yeon promised to give us a lot to talk about, then there was Chae Soo Bin as Han Yeo Reum, it’s true that this actress does not have the popularity and experience that Park Shin Hye would have brought, but I was struck by the union of these actors in the drama.
Now, “Where Stars Land” is a melodrama, with an exciting romance loaded with fiction, the beginning of the story unfolded in an excellent way all the experiences of employees and passengers at Incheon Airport, giving us a great story to tell and making it the most entertaining for viewers.
Surely, on seeing this drama, many asked themselves, “is it so difficult to work at an airport?”, “are they all as entertaining as this one?”, and it is to be expected because the complications that were seen during the drama, range from very thick fog that prevents planes from landing, causing an entire disaster at the airport, to employees who are unjustly attacked by passengers and a superhuman that resolves everything with his unnatural strength and intelligence. The truth is that this drama made me see a new reality about airports.
This was one of the strongest elements that the drama possessed but as the story progressed, the drama focused on the romance of Lee Soo Yeon and Han Yeo Reum. An aspect that detracts the value of the drama, because even though this was a fantastic romance, the plot got stuck and was forced in some ways. For example, the matter about the plans to privatize the airport by director Kwon Hee Seung and Seo In Woo, one of the most entertaining elements of the drama but due to the delay in its development, it was completed in an easy and insignificant way.
Lee Soo Yeon and Han Yeo Reum were characters with a wide and interesting background, the big mistake of the drama was not taking the time to develop them, in both cases the acceptance and overcoming of them as individuals were forced. A problem that undoubtedly would have been corrected if it had been shown much sooner than just a few minutes in the final chapter, a fact that detracted the characters.
As for the cast’s performances, above all Lee Je Hoon stood out, this charismatic actor, captivated the screen with his performance. His character was very atypical of what is normal for him, he showed what almost looked like a superpower when he used his right arm. He has super strength, he doesn’t feel pain and its magnetized, I immediately thought of Iron Man, but no, behind that superman was hiding a man who has trouble living and questions his existence, a person that was given another chance to live.
But highlighting his human quality and being a good man, whenever people needed him, he immediately rushed to help them. Which consequently drew attention to his mysterious abilities. And this was what deprived him of being able to live the life he desired, being judged and preventing him from enjoying a simple life. Lee Je Hoon conveyed all these characteristics and emotions during his performance. Applause for him.
Regarding the end of the drama and his character, he said: “I was able to film with a grateful mentality thanks to viewers who sympathized with Lee Soo Yeon’s situation and emotions and loved this drama. I hope that this drama will be an opportunity to think about society’s injurious perspective on disabilities,” he added: “All the time I filmed ‘Where Stars Land,’ it felt like I was in a beautiful fairy tale. I will not forget this time where I completed ‘Where Stars Land’ with a wonderful doctor, writer, and all the staff members”.
His co-star Chae Soo Bin as Han Yeo Reum, a character who I would have liked her past to know her better. This is not her fault and the truth is that she was completely tender, just as her character asked. She made a shining chemistry with Lee Je Hoon, a tenderness and warmth that imprinted the character perfectly and melted the cold emotions of Lee Soo Yeon. And in each step to deepen their romance they managed to eclipse the spectators.
Chae Soo Bin, who touched viewers with her thoughtful love for Lee Soo Yeon, said: “I met the character of Han Yeo Reum in the hot summer and had a lot of fun, and it feels weird now that winter is coming. I think I’ll feel affection every time I come to the airport. The staff, director, writer, and actors worked hard. The filming period was full of passion and happiness”.
This romance was the strongest element that ultimately kept the drama, its comings, and goings in the relationship and that uncertainty of knowing if they would actually end up together in the end, kept the interest.
Other members of the cast also had a successful participation, among them are Kim Ji Soo as Yang Seo Koon, a mature woman, flooded with work and who had a special bond with Lee Soo Yeon. Her character gave a touch of humanity to Soo Yeon character and the performance of the actress was perfect.
In addition, the second leading couple, Kim Kyung Nam as Oh Dae Ki and Lee Soo Kyung as Na Young Joo, were the most beautiful personal security that there can be. Their relationship spanned the screen very little time, I wish it had been the opposite, but while they were, they showed a great chemistry and made us sigh with their approaches. Another of the characters I liked was Han Yeo Reum’s faithful best friend, Ro Woon as Go Eun Sub, he always illuminated the screen with his physical attraction and his unrequited love mistreated our hearts.
Both expressed final words about their characters. Kim Kyung Nam said of Oh Dae Gi, “The memory of walking around Incheon Airport wearing a uniform will stay in my mind for a long time even after the drama is over,” the actor said. “I am sad now for having to say goodbye to the staff and actors I became close to”.
Lee Soo Kyung shared: “I am grateful for more people than I expected for supporting the romance of Oh Dae Gi and Na Young Joo. I was happy to meet good actors and staff. I think it will be a drama that I think about every fall”.
The soundtrack “Where Stars Land OST”, is not one of my favorites, anyway, it is not bad at all and it has very nice themes that set the drama well, my favorites are Chung Ha – Its You, OWHEN -Mystic World and Yoo Yeon Jung (WJSN) – Stay With You.
“Where Stars Land” has a very beautiful love story backed by the brilliant performances of its two protagonists Lee Je Hoon and Chae Soo Bin, who gave us a romance next to their respective stories, very entertaining to watch.
So if you want to fall in love, to go out, come back, get together, break up, wait, fail, repeat… don’t miss the story where many of our life’s journeys can be made, and that’s right at Incheon airport, an airport that will eclipse you with its services and love.
