After waiting for what feels like forever, So Ji Sub and Shin Min Ah‘s new drama, Oh My Venus, has finally started airing and since I can’t say no to anything with So Ji Sub in it, I had to start watching it. Of course it took all of 2 seconds of So Ji Sub screen time to convince me I wanted to keep watching this drama but I wasn’t quite as convinced it was one I wanted to review. And yet, here I sit, writing this first review which means something had to have happened along the way to convince me this was one worth my time. The question is, what was it?
In all honesty, I’m not exactly sure what it is about Oh My Venus that’s compelling me to write this review. I spent the entire first episode wondering why I was watching a drama that made me feel completely awful about myself. Yeah, that whole overweight thing is something I’ve been fighting my entire life and it’s never once been an easy battle so watching Kang Joo Eun being constantly picked on about her weight hit a bit of a sore spot. It’s sad to see just how awful this poor girl is being treated for no other reason than that she’s not the size of a toothpick. Actually, it’s a whole lot more than sad. It’s infuriating. Are those of us who don’t wear a size 2 really deserving of the hate and malice of the entire world!?! Personally I don’t think so but that seems to be the case in this story.
It took me a while to get over the fact Joo Eun was going to be treated as pond scum for the majority of this drama, simply because she’s not the gorgeous beauty she was in her youth. In all honesty, I’m not really sure I’m completely over this. I mean who doesn’t change as they age? We all do, in one way or another, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less of a person. Joo Eun certainly doesn’t have anything in her life to be ashamed of. At least not that we know of at this point in the story. What we do know is she was once hailed as the local beauty and she had brains to boot. She graduated high school, college, law school and is now a practicing lawyer. So far, I have yet to see anything about her life that she should feel ashamed of so why is she acting like she’s committed some heinous crime against the universe? Because she’s gained weight? Please!
As bothered as I am by the world at large acting like Joo Eun needs to apologize for existing there are a few redeeming factors that have already calmed my initial irritation. The first comes in the form of an adorable trainer/manager by the name of Henry. Okay, so really his name is Kim Ji Yong but all I see when he’s on-screen is ridiculously adorable Henry, which isn’t a bad thing. It actually makes it really easy for me to love Ji Yong. (As if that was going to be a problem…) The moment Ji Yong and Joo Eun met on the plane, I knew I liked him. He was sweet and cute and he didn’t look at Joo Eun and say “OMG! I’m sitting next to this troll!?!” Instead he was kind and courteous and he spoke to Joo Eun as if they were going to be BFFs and not once has his sweetness been tainted by any of the usual fat repulsion so often demonstrated by others.
Even Kim Young Ho, as heroic as he is, has had his moments of “Eww! Get her away!” Granted, they haven’t been as strong as others and he’s done his best to push those feelings of repulsion aside but they were still apparent, from time to time. What redeems Young Ho, at least in my eyes, is the fact that he’s willing to come to Joo Eun’s rescue, multiple times, without expecting anything in return. Well, not much anyway. He did use her condition on the airplane to get him out of meeting his family’s henchmen/security team…. Whatever you want to call them… But that wasn’t asking much and she really did need to be checked out at the hospital so it was more like he was taking advantage of a situation than actually taking advantage of her.
It’s obvious Young Ho has some serious family issues that are going to have to be dealt with as this story progresses and I’m gonna guess something it going to come up with Joo Eun’s family as well but what that will entail is difficult to know just yet. I supposed it’s possible the only issues Joo Eun will have to deal with are an awful ex-best friend and a jerk of an ex-boyfriend, but who knows? What we do know is Young Ho is avoiding his family and it would seem, quite possibly, he’s avoiding his position within the family company. Was he really an active director in the U.S.? It’s hard to say. It’s possible he shirked all responsibility while he was in the States but we don’t know much for sure. What we do know is he’s made a name for himself as a personal trainer who can work miracles and Joo Eun’s going to ask him to work a miracle for her. The question is, what’s it going to take for him to say yes? He’s already admitted to having a soft spot for those who are hurting or in danger. Is Joo Eun’s case pathetic enough on its own or will something happen in the next two episodes that will convince him to help her?
I’ll be the first to admit that for anyone who’s ever suffered any sort of insecurities about their weight or looks, this drama is going to be a bit painful to watch. Or maybe that’s just me. I have an overly sympathetic heart and it feels way more than it probably should so it could be I’m just being too sensitive. It’s certainly possible. Even so, I enjoyed these first two episodes and I’m looking forward to seeing where this story goes. I have a feeling it’s going to be one of those stories where the fat girl works her butt off and becomes skinny and beautiful and suddenly the whole world loves her again and life is rosey-posey once again but I’m hoping there’s more to it than that. Life can be just as rosey-posey when you’re plus sized as when you’re not so I hope this story doesn’t dwell too much on the outside appearance and instead focuses on what really matters. *fingers crossed*
So tell me, what did you think of these first two episodes of Oh My Venus? Did you like them? Are you intrigued by the characters? Are you curious to see how this story plays out? You know I always love hearing from you so be sure to let me know what you’re thinking by leaving me a comment below!
Absolutely there with you. The conflicting feeling of this show are probably going to be a bigger roller coaster than the actual plot is intended to be. As much as I wish for her to find comfort and happiness in her own skin, as she is at the start, you are probably correct in your assessment that it’ll be the typical “fat girl works her butt off and becomes skinny and beautiful and suddenly the whole world loves her again and life is rosey-posey once again.” Thankfully, the characters are charming and all that eye-candy is hard to ignore. My goodness, did they serve up a nice platter of eye candy! Wowza!
I agree too in regards to conflicting feelings about the premise of this drama, namely one can’t be truly happy unless thin. So yeah, it’s going to be “fat girl works her butt off and becomes skinny and beautiful and suddenly the whole world loves her again and life is rosey-posey once again.” What’s really bothering me is that I really don’t find Joo eun fat. Yes, her face is a bit round, but I’m not seeing the weight. Shin Mina’s “fat makeup” seems to come and go so that most of the time the she just looks like a girl with a round face. I do like the fact that the show is having her lose weight for health reasons and not just cosmetic reasons since it looks like her weight/bad eating habits caused her collapse on the plane. But I do like the characters and the chemistry between the leads keeps me coming back.
That’s how I feel about Joo Eun too. Yes, she’s a bit overweight but not extremely so. Obviously it’s enough to cause her some health issues and those should definitely be addressed. If preserving her health is the reason she decides to lose weight, then good for her. However, if it’s just to get thin and get revenge on those who’ve been mean to her, then I’m not going to be happy. No one should ever seek such massive change for the sake of someone else. If she’s ever going to reach a healthy weight goal, she’s going to have to do it because she wants it, not because someone else thinks it’s where she should be. I sincerely hope that’s her motivation but really, it’s hard to tell where things are going to go at the moment. I guess I’ll just have to keep watching and find out.
I’m a little worried about this drama, but am hoping for the best. I hope it won’t be a drama where they preach that being skinny is the solution to all of your problems. I want Joo Eun to be healthy, which she does not seem to currently be. I think she’s adorable and don’t understand the fuss. They just have her in ugly clothes and oversized glasses. When they were joking about hurting their backs by carrying her or acting like two grown body builders couldn’t lift her on the plane, I felt a little sick to my stomach. I hope that was just the set up to the story and that we will see less of that.
Henry plays a role similar to his character in “Persevere, Goo Hae Ra”, which I find rather charming. He’s a little bit crazy, but seems to look past appearance and genuinely care about people. He doesn’t fit the mold for reserved Korean men, that’s for sure. I like how quick he is to strike up a conversation and hug a friend (that’s definitely an American thing). He also gave up his seat in first class for a pregnant woman!! I just want to give that boy a high five. 😉
I am looking forward to finding out more of the back story on the other characters. there is an awful lot of mystery surrounding the athletic trio. We haven’t learned much about Kim Young-Ho’s family, we know nothing about Sung Hoon, and I don’t understand how Im Woo-Shik is connected to Kim Young Ho’s family business.
Let’s hope this focuses on character and health rather than a shallow view of beauty. It has definitely grabbed my attention (since several of my dramas ended and I am looking for something new). Let’s hope it holds my attention.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are feeling better.