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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, June 5, 2009

Focus is on modern Korean women


By Jeff Chung

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Yo Ho-Jung portrays Oh Sul-Ran on "Dare to Love."

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As women in South Korea have become more independent and empowered, new dynamics have changed the institution of marriage. This is reflected in "Dare to Love," a new series that revolves around the individual issues of four sisters who are close and supportive, despite having very different personalities and lifestyles. More generally, the series also looks at relationships between men and women in Korea today.

Views on marriage in Korea have changed dramatically, especially for women. In the past, thoughts on marriage revolved around the fantasy of a perfect life, but today's views of marriage are more practical, based on reality. For some couples, love is not everlasting, and many end up living together even when they aren't in love. Divorce, once shunned by society, is now more common, and divorcées face less stigma, even when they decide to remarry. Some women refuse to marry because they no longer believe in the institution, but still want children. "Dare to Love" explores all these issues through the four sisters' individual stories:

• First daughter: Poong-ran. Poong-ran married for love but found out her husband wasn't what she was looking for when he turns out to be a miser who gets on her nerves by being picky about every little thing. A novelist, Poong-ran ends up working with an old school friend, Lee Yong Ha, on a new book and wonders if he is better for her than her husband. Many couples face the issue of extramarital affairs, but is it considered cheating when women meet men because they share a mental bond? Poong-ran's bond with her co-worker is not emotional, but he's someone she can talk to, not about the stress in life or private family matters but simply about other things in life. So does this constitute an extramarital affair?

• Second daughter: Sul-ran.

The perfectionist married the man her parents told her to, only to find out later her husband has taken another woman from overseas as his new wife while doing volunteer work abroad. Through the second daughter, views of divorce and remarriage are reflected in this drama, as well as the issue of foreign brides.

• Third daughter: Gum-ran.

Gum-ran represents the "Miss Moms" in Korea who chose not to marry and have children through adoption or artificial insemination. There are those who support this new group of women and those who speak out against them for the sake of the children. Gum-ran doesn't believe in marriage and has a daughter via artificial insemination and names her Jang-mi. But when Jang-mi turns 6, she is diagnosed with leukemia and needs to find her biological father for a bone-marrow transplant. The father turns out to be someone Gum-ran knows. The story touches on social pressures this new breed of Miss Mom faces.

• Fourth daughter: Bong-sun.

This is a story about first loves. Bong-sun, unlike her sisters, takes after her father and is not very attractive. Even her name is quite funny. But she doesn't have insecurities. She believes there are more average-looking women than good-looking women. The many average-looking women who end up with good men give hope to other average women. Bong-sun meets a good-looking barista at a cafe. They start a beautiful relationship.

"Dare to Love" replaces "Glass Castle" on Sunday nights, with two episodes played back to back.

THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'THE FAMILY OF HONOR'

Episodes 53 and 54 (last episode)
Tonight at 7:45:
Gang-suk is proven innocent. Hyun-gyu asks Chun-gab permission to date Hye-joo. Joo-jeong finds out that Man-gi isn't actually related to the Ha family by blood.
Tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.: Man-gi tells everyone about the Ha family's secret. Soo-young adopts a child, Dan-ah gives birth to twins. Everyone is happy.

'DARE TO LOVE'

Episodes 1 and 2
Sunday at 6:45 p.m.:
The four sisters are introduced. Gum-ran is the prettiest and causes the most problems. She brought an illegitimate daughter home from the United States. They're trying to figure out a way to tell their mother.
Sunday at 7:45 p.m.: Gum-ran's mom finds out about Jang-mi. And she introduces Jang-mi's father to her parents. Soo-nam buys a convertible. Bong-sun can't go through with a surgery.

'PRINCESS JAMYUNG'

Episodes 14 and 15
Monday at 7:45 p.m.:
Puku (Jamyung) wants to go to Nakrang to find her parents, but her teacher Hogok stops her. Song Maeseolsu is pregnant. Afraid for her life, Maeseolsu runs away from the palace. King Daemushin is furious and orders Hodong to capture her.
Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.: Maeseolsu goes to Yeorang (Hodong's aunt) for help. Yeorang helps her escape, but they're caught by Hodong. Lahee is installed as crown princess of Nakrang. Hodong arrives in Dongmohyun, where Jamyung is, as the envoy of Goguryeo.

'CAIN AND ABEL'

Episodes 17 and 18
Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.:
Sun-woo is outraged that Seo-yeon found about everything. Sun-woo tells Seo-yeon the truth, and Seo-yeon has hard time dealing with the truth. Cho-in finds out the truth behind his parents' death.
Thursday at 7:45 p.m.: Cho-in gives Sun-woo a last chance to give up on his neurosurgery center before the board meeting starts, but Sun-woo refuses. But during the meeting, Cho-in learns Choe Chi-soo is with Young-ji. To make matters worse, Cho-in is arrested for the murder of Choi Bok-guen.