First things first.
1. We all understood the reason for the title of the kdrama, right?
Park Joon Young: By the way, what kind of exam do you have to take to get into Kyunghoon Cultural Foundation?
Chae Song Ah: We had to write a proposal for a chamber music performance. I wrote about a performance program and a marketing proposal.
JY: That’s amazing.
SA: It’s something that anyone could write.
JY: If anyone could write it, would they all get in? What pieces did you use in your plan?
SA: It wasn’t anything special.
JY: You’re not allowed to say?
She hesitated.
Look: at this point, she knew next to nothing about JY, so she didn’t hesitate out of tact or out of consideration for his unrequited love. I believe she paused because she was afraid that she’d reveal something about herself. Her behavior tells me that she’s naturally secretive and reticent about her personal affairs.
SA: Brahms, Schumann, and Clara.
JY: (looking away) I guess your theme must have been about unattainable love.
SA: (firmly) No. It’s the friendship between the three of them. Do you like Brahms?
Then in a voiceover, SA said, “Why…(pause)… did I ask him that?… (pause)… then… (pause)… he answered me.”
This is an interesting voiceover because of the pauses. Viki subbed it as, “Why did I ask him that?…Then, he answered me.” From this Viki version, it appeared as if she was simply narrating a sequence of action: she first asked a question, and then he gave his answer.
However, Kissasian subbed it this way —
“Why did I ask him that… at that moment?… He answered me.”
In this version, it’s evident that she was reflecting upon this conversation. From an undetermined future, she was looking back at this fateful moment and wondered what made her ask him that particular question out of the blue.
In my opinion, she was probing him. That’s why she looked at him intently. There was more to that question than just being curious about his musical preference. I think she wanted to know how he felt about people who are “third wheels” like Brahms. Was he judgmental? Did he approve of Brahms’ life? Could he empathize with Brahms’ unrequited love? And more importantly, would he regard her as pathetic if he was to find out that she too worshiped someone from afar like Brahms?
Joon Young gave her a clear answer.
JY: No. I don’t like Brahms.
And here, there was double-speak. He didn’t like Brahms’ compositions, AND he didn’t like Brahms’ forestalled romance.
As soon as he gave her his answer, her friend Dong Yoon (DY) came out. And his friends, too.
SA: (voiceover) The person who Brahms loved all his life was Clara, the wife of Schumann, who was also his senior, his colleague, and his best friend. Clara was also a musician, and often played Brahms’ pieces, but her husband was always by her side. So Brahms who was always by Clara’s side lived alone all his life. I realized later that he never plays Brahms’ pieces.
lol. It’s easy to understand that we have, not one, but two love triangles.
For me, the title alludes to the differing stance the two leading characters have towards Brahms’ love affair with Clara. JY shuns the idea of following Brahms’ footsteps, and becoming entangled in a love triangle. He isn’t the type to play second fiddle so he does NOT like Brahms.
In contrast, Songhwa romanticizes the love triangle of the three musical friends in the same way she romanticizes her secret love DY whom her best friend loves as well. She’s been keeping a secret from her best friend that they both have fallen for the same guy.
2. I also suspect that a big part of her decision to pursue violin is attached to her feelings for DY.
Best friend: After graduating from Seoryeong University School of Business, the envy of all high school moms in the country, how does it feel to be the first line of students to gain acceptance into the School of Music at the age of 26?
DY: (interrupting) But most importantly, who was your violin teacher anyway?
SA: Thank you so much, teacher.
I thought this was intriguing. He was her violin teacher. Was he the reason she took up violin at such a late stage?
Best friend: Yoon Doon Yoon, if you actually taught her well, would she have needed to retake the exam four times?
DY: (gets teased by others)
Best friend: Song Ah.
SA: Hmmm?
Best friend: Are you happy?
SA: (she looks down, and then looks at the camera) Yes, I’m happy.
To me, her smile here appears as if she has a secret that makes her happy. There was more to this happiness than meets the eye.
The object of her smile is hinted at here, when her best friend presented her with a calendar.
Best friend: Surprise. Here’s a present.
SA: What’s this?
Best friend: It’s a calendar that starts on your birthday. I made it.
SA: Thank you. Ahhh. (sees their pic together with DY)
Best friend: Yoon Dong Yoon is the same as now.
SA: (looking at her friend) Hmm…You’re right. (glances to the side)
That side-eye of hers indicates that she totally disagreed with her friend’s remark that DY was still the same after all these years. However, she didn’t want her friend to know.
Best friend: (sighing) It’s been years since we broke up after dating for just 100 days, but why am I still fussing over YDY like this? (SA side-eyes again) Hey, if you tell him that I still like him or whatever, you’re dead.
SA: Why would I say that?
To be fair, there’s no easy way to tell your best friend that you’ve fallen in love with her ex/on-going love.
But what made me really doubt her desire to become a violinist was the scene with the child, curious about her violin.
Child: What’s this?
Mom: (apologizing for her daughter’s intrusion)
SA: It’s okay. This is a violin.
Child: Violin?
SA: Mmm. Vi-o-lin. Uh…(singing a nursery rhyme) A bunny dances, and a fox plays the violin. (pretends to play the bow of a violin) Do you know this? That’s what’s in there. (tapping case) Violin.
Child: Oh.
Ugh. Maybe it’s just me. But if a child asks me about an instrument that I *love* to play, I’d take it out of the case immediately, and display it with enthusiasm and pride. I’d be passionate about sharing my love for the violin.
Child: Unni.
SA: Mmm?
Child: Are you good at the violin?
SA: (just stares at the child without answering, like she was dumbstruck)
Child: Are you good?
SA: (stares at child, then looks down again) Mmm. (looks at the child) I like to play. A lot.
Again, that secret smile. This was similar to when her best friend asked her if she was happy in the beginning of the episode.
lol. She didn’t answer the question, though. The child asked as if she was good at playing the violin, and NOT if she liked playing the violin. She knows that she was unexceptional. She came in last, after all.
She probably doesn’t want to let DY down since he was the only one who supported her.
That’s why I say she isnt’ being honest about her love for the violin.
3. So why is Episode 1 called “Traumerie”?
We all know that its translation is “dreaming.” And here in this episode we see that reality had a rather cruel way of intruding and interrupting daydreams.
For instance, SA was happy that her dream of getting into music school came true. But in the next scene, her fantasy was cruelly dashed by the conductor who ejected her. It was supposed to be her debut, but her best friend couldn’t get a ticket, rain showered on her and her instrument, and when she arrived home, her mother and sister nagged her for her lack of job prospects.
As for JY, the festival showcased his talent but as he walked outside the concert hall, he had earful of reality, too, when he overheard a performance art director saying that he wasn’t the same pianist as he was several years ago. No artist wants to hear that his dream is fading away and that his best days are behind him.
And of course, his deepest dream is JungKyung, his best friend’s girlfriend.
Hence, the memory of their kiss disturbed him so much that he hid his cellphone (with the text from his friends) in his luggage and stowed the luggage away in the closet.
He got himself a new phone with a new number.
4. The Kyung Hoo dedication plaque said —
“She was a daughter, wife, and mother who received love, and a pianist who loved music more than anybody else. In memory of Jeong Kyung Seon 1964-2006”
Personally, I think this dedication threw shade at the late Mrs. Jeong. This isn’t complimentary at all. It was saying that she eschewed the love of her family: her mother, husband, and child, for her one true passion, music. As much as I understand that for some musicians, music is life, I think life without love ones is hell. Jeong Kyung Seon didn’t have her priorities straight.
5. Finally, an unfiltered comment about the actress, Park Eun Bin.
If I were to sketch IU in vivid colors on the sidewalk and pray for rain to wash out the sidewalk chalk, then I’m going to end with this actress portraying Songah. After watching her in “Ghost Detective” and now in this drama, I’realized that she frustrates me because she doesn’t have that spark in her to make her characters look alive and interesting. I can’t see charisma or stage presence. If you put her in a crowd of women, I’d be hard-pressed to identify her as the leading female material.
But I guess that’s why she fits this role as a milquetoast violinist in her final year in music school at a prestigious university. Her character Songah bothers me. I find it ludicrous that a 29-year-old, decent-looking woman, with a business degree already under her belt, could be so inept at marketing herself as a competent female adult.
Take for example when she barged in on him. Was she dumb or what? All she had to do was apologize and compliment him on his piano playing.
And this one.
Ugh! Wasn’t she just talking to him comfortably outside the restaurant? I roll my eyes whenever I see women like her with fake shyness. Such a sly act…
Anyway, she’s the reason I’m not going to continue with this kdrama.
As much as I like the male lead, Park Joon Young, I don’t want to waste 14 hours with this actress and her character when there are so many other good dramas out there right now.
😂 I don’t mind the actress. And it seems mindless enough for now so I am going to just watch it for fun. Although I may drop it because Park BoGum’s Record of Youth premieres tonight and for some strange reason I am drawn to it. From the trailers it looks like for the first time PBG is confident on screen. The only other drama I have watched him in is Moonlight drawn by clouds and the actress there outshone him. I found him earnest enough but he seemed to be trying too hard? Acting becomes forced when you “try too
hard”.
Fair enough and point taken. 😂 Thank you for the review. I’ve never seen Park Eun Bin in any dramas before so I’ll see this one. I’m staying for Min Jae. 😍
The thing that’s probably going to bother me the most is the two love triangles. Like yeah 1 is not enough.
@nrllee, I’m watching PBG too because it’s easy access in Netflix. I’m excited for it. ☺️
Me too @agdr03, I’m waiting for PBG on Netflix, coming this week in here.
If it’s possible to illustrate, I can imagine the two love triangles inside the Venn diagram (there’ll be no triangle but circle instead ha he). I heard that there’s relationship chart released before the airing and it can give a headache.
In a Venn diagram, one circle contains the first love triangle with SA’s friends and the other one contains the love triangle with JY’s friends. I haven’t tried drawing it but probably there’s a need to make another circle where there will be question mark as to who’s gonna end up with whom. It will be easier to understand using the Venn diagram how their relationships interact or get entangled with one another.
Yes.
I’m watching Park Bo Gum because there’s something awkward? odd? about this guy. (I can’t find the right word now, I’ve to drink coffee.) 😂 I didn’t mind it in Reply 1988, but he always reminded me of a ventriloquist’s dummy.
I also watched him in that variety show, “2 Days, 1 Night” and he was always smiling. I wanted him to show a dark side but he was angelic. That’s unnerving to watch because as you said, I wondered if he “was trying too hard.”
I’ll open a “Record of Youth” Open Thread later.
The second lead in Record of Youth seems to be that tall guy in Joseon Matchmakers kdrama with MinJae.
Lol. I laughed when SongAh’s mom said that she should take up music as a hobby. Truer words have never been spoken. 🙂 That’s why she dragged out her acceptance of that internship. She didn’t want her mom and her sister proven correct that she was better suited for a business/management track than a musical career. She just doesn’t have talent and that field is so competitive, even prodigies like JY have to struggle.
As for falling in love with her best friend’s ex that she still loves?? Ugh. I don’t like to watch that sort of drama. I’ll have to side with her “Best Friend Forever” there. Her BFF would feel betrayed that after all those years, she was keeping that secret from her.
How are you? 😊
Yes it’s our tall Joseon matchmaker guy, Byeon Woo Seok. He’s an eye candy I’m looking forward to as well 😍
I have to agree with the hobby because as a parent of course I’d rather she does the business career because she did excel in it but to replace it with a career in music at her age of 29, yeah it’s very hard. 🙁
Yes, let’s see what happens with the best friends when the cat is let out of the bag. 😬
@Eureka, I see it in a Venn diagram yes. The relationship and the two triangles are set up already so let’s see where it will take us. I’m sure there’s not going to be any more surprises there. 😄
I’ll see you at the Record Of Youth thread then ok? 😊
Thanks in advance Queen! 🙇🏻♀️☺️
I watched this one episode last weekend with sn, after I dropped Into The Ring. Nope, I still has a rom-com draught for the n-th years it seems. This one reminded me so much of Spring Waltz, an old drama with Han Hyo Joo, the one falling for the famous pianist there.
“Do you like Brahms?” is like a question to CSA/PJY from PJY/CSA, “Do you like me?” Because obviously Brahms is the two of them 😆 in those love triangles.
Time to check out Park So Dam. I also have some reluctance in watching PBG. The only drama of his that I am currently watching is R88, and that is done for science😅.
The cake in the beginning scene said 2017 if I remember correctly. So she’s a senior now without any job/career prospect after graduation. Ugh! And I’m sorry for making the college kids lurking here panic, but if I were her mother, I’d go ballistic too. 😂😂 What the heck?
Seriously, in this hyper-competitive world we live in, if I were a student I’d be worried if I didn’t have at least one offer in the FALL of senior year. 🙂 I’m not supposed to wait till spring time (or a couple of months before grad) to look for a job. Employers typically would start recruiting and interviewing in the fall of the previous year, and they would have their spots filled by winter/early spring. 🤦♀️ The early bird does catch the worm.
As mean as the mom was (i.e., bringing up the classical music when she was a kid), she was right to worry about SA’s future. SA still lived with them, and she was incapable of supporting herself at 29 years old. 🤪
True, I mean after graduation she went on to learn music and she’s only doing internship now. The Mom’s right because it feels like she really didn’t think this through. 😬
Let’s see what will happen to the career that she chose because she loves to play the violin. ☺️
O I forgot R88 😂. Yes I watched him in that too but he was…wooden. But Taek was like that so it was okay. And too good to be true but knowing Shin likes to cast actors who are just playing themselves in the drama, it fits PBG. He’s just so eager to please. And because of that he doesn’t feel “real”. Lots of cameos in RoY. Apparently your favorite daughter is making a cameo too! Kim HyeYoon.
That is worrying indeed for a 29 y.o. What’s up with 29 y.o. problematic characters this year? Is this a new trend?🤪
Why didn’t they just make her fresh from college? And PJY will be a bit older, which is ok. Then we won’t have to deal with another indecisive 29 y.o.🤣
I know, right? She’s 29 years old.
I’d understand her issue better if she was 19 years old, even 24 years old. But at 29??!!
I would have asked her to pay rent for her bedroom when she turned 25 to “push” her out of the house. Of course, I would have saved her “rent” fee so she could use the money for start-up when she actually looked for her own place to stay. But she needed to be independent.
And I question her passion for the music. If she really was THAT determined to play the violin during her lunch break, why would she flee like a frightened deer when she saw JY?? She confronted the conductor, didn’t she?
Personally, though, I don’t agree with that confrontation. I know the writer wants to show that she has guts and all, so I ignored it. But if I had been one of the orchestra members, I would have been annoyed with her. The rehearsal time is limited. There’s never enough time to go over the pieces with the conductor. But there she was kicking up a fuss for a good 5 minutes, disrupting the mood, and taking away practice time from the rest of the orchestra. Grrrrr. It was a good thing that the guest soloist, Minjae’s character, was written to be a kind artist. Temperamental artists would have been displeased.
I don’t know if this has been mentioned by @snow flower or anybody else, but the the piano piece played by JY is Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor.
link:
https://youtu.be/4nfdJ-lk81g
I like Yuja Wang’s interpretation; it doesn’t sound mechanical; it’s expressive without sounding exaggerated. She “enunciates” each note so they’re clear as if I can the musical notes in front of my eyes. She also has excellent technique (love the arch of her hands, too) and commanding presence on stage.
The theme of the second movement may sound familiar to some of us here because Eric Carmen “borrowed” it for his 1970s hit song, “All by Myself.” Scroll to 12:00 to see what I mean. lol.
But 33:00 might sound familiar too for you.
@packmule3, you have high standards and that’s why we trust you and relish your perspectives. I’m going to keep watching Brahms for a while because I can personally relate to a Walter Mitty-type female who is slow to realise what she is actually good at. 🤓. Also I’m shallow and like Min Jae’s voice.
I didn’t think Song-ah was faking shyness, but was flustered because she had been looking forward to practicing in private for a change, but instead encountered a man whose talents she admired. I’m pretty sure she didn’t want him to hear her practice. 🤭 I believe she does lack self-confidence because she is still learning. I compare her to XY in CYLS, who was still learning at a new job but thought she was a hot-shot initially. My hope is that by the end she can have enough confidence to play the way she wants, even if it’s not her job.
I’m looking forward to PBG’s new drama. Was he a model for a while in real life? I thought he fit the Taek character in R1988 perfectly as an awkward genius nerd type.
I love MinJae’s voice, too.
But I already suffered through “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency” for him with that insufferable leading of his. (see the theme there? Suffering?? lol) so no, I’m skipping this one.
I think she’s fake. And the primary reason she’s fake is because she can’t admit to the whole world that she has this great LOVE for her best friend’s ex. She has to keep her real emotion hidden. And that fakery and pretense spill over to the rest of her life.
She can’t be an authentic person because of that secret, and it shows in her music playing. Musicians, like any artists, have to bare their soul, and she can’t do that as long as she holds back her real feelings out of fear that her best friend would get angry at her (rightly so). And since this is kdrama, she’ll gain that confidence to play with her whole heart once she confesses her feelings for DY, the world be damned. It’s like arrested development for her.
I agree with #packmule3 that PBG leaves something to be desired. I stopped watching Encounter because I found him too sweet. I think it has something to do with his teeth when he smiles. On the other hand, he was fine on Hyori’s Bed and Breakfast because he seemed real. I’m going to watch Youth because of Park So Dam-lived her in Cinderella and the Four Knights and Parasite.
I started Brahms and am reminded of a good book about a young woman who also has career issues-Free Food For Millionaires by Min Jin Lee who wrote Pachinko(also a great read). It’s by a Korean American author who was formerly an attorney who changed careers to write and she writes here about the immigrant experience in America-where for native Americans it is not so unusual to change careers but for Koreans career paths seem to be more set. There are several character arcs in the book but the main character makes decisions like Songah. In Millionaires you see that businesses, especially prestigious investment banks only recruit from certain ivy league schools, are misogynistic and are not above using connections in recruitment. So, in Brahms, you see how unusual our character’s position really is. Brahms also seems to show how limited music is as a career. But business is no panacea for women either as pointed out in numerous moons dramasd and even in Misaeng. So, my initial take on Brahms-S is already screwed no matter her career path. So apart from the live triangles am looking forward to seeing how S manages her career path and what the bias is of the writer here.
Anyway, hope people stay safe in the typhoon and COVID crises.
Yay for Rachmaninov 2! There is a story behind this concerto. I don’t know if it is going to be mentioned later in the drama. Rachmaninov was a child/teen prodigy, so there was a lot of pressure on him to live up to his brilliant potential. So when the performance of his First Symphony did not go too well and the critics disliked the work, he fell into a deep depression. He did seek help from a hypnotist (I am not sure if there were psychoanalysts in Russia c. 1900) and the therapy helped him. The Piano Concerto No. 2 was Rachmaninov’s comeback and it has been one of the most enduring and popular piano concertos. The work is dedicated to the hypnotist.
I don’t think she’s fake but lonely. She can’t share her passion with someone. Her friend is here but she doesn’t really understand, her family is against her choice, the other students showed they were not really confortale with her not being able to ask her about her futur plans. One person understands her and he’s the ex of her best friend. But she’s still following her dream.
Personally, I love Park Eun Bin. She’s a great actress and she was incredible in Age of Youth 2, playing this crazy character who understands her trauma by investigating the past of her friend.
I like KMJ but he always acts the same kind of roles.
@SnowFlower thanks for that story about Rachmaninov. That sounds like the second female lead. Child prodigy and everyone expected great things for her but she hasn’t delivered and is in a bit of a slump now.
Thank you @Snowflower. I know little about classical music.
@Sayaris, I think she is an outsider and hopes to make up for lost time, but isn’t yet confident with her music. I agree with you that she is lonely for the reasons you wrote.
How could it be a Kdrama without a love triangle and resultant silent longing? For now, I’m staying for music and voice.
@packmule3, I will probably sulk for a long while if things pan out exactly as you predict. 😄😒☹️ Is that last one the big bottom lip sulking emoji?
I see that I’m not alone in having difficulty watching the sweet Park Bo Gum. I liked him well enough in Reply 1988 but not since. Something about him looks (as @nrllee says) unreal. The word ‘plastic-ky’ comes to mind when I see him, poor chap.
@Eureka, it may only be me who got a headache from the relationship chart. 🤦🏼♀️
@GB, perhaps we need to see him with a bit of stubble, messy hair or circles under his eyes. Even his face cut was like an accessory. Did I miss it, or did PBG not publish a military haircut as most do? If he didn’t, it must have been embarrassingly awful. WDH’s actually looked good, IMO.
The FL is very natural and subtle. I haven’t seen her in other things but understand that her acting is praised. Let’s hope for an even showing from the leads. 🤞🏻
Oops, my last comment should be under the Record of Youth thread. Apologies!!!🤦🏼♀️🤭😬
Well SA’s feelings for DY were discovered by JY already by episode 3 and JY comforted her by playing the piano, was it Moonlight Concerto? Sorry I’m not sure which one. 😬
I thought it was nasty of JK to wear the ring that bf gave only to leave it in the restroom afterwards. 😒 He saw that she wasn’t wearing it by practice time.
Anyway I’m liking that JY and SA are starting to be comfortable with each other. They’re opening up more now about their life.
I’m liking the music and ost of this drama too so it’s good because I’m not into classical stuff but I’m really liking it. 😊
Thanks for that YouTube link of Yuja Wang. I was wowed! 🙌🏻☺️
😌 It’s gone depressing this drama from seeing JY smile to seeing SA doubt JY. But I guess I can’t blame her but still I thought he’s done enough things for her not to lose confidence in him. 😌
Oh I’m seeing 2 Do You Like Brahms along the titles of the dramas that’s listed on the blog. Do you see it too? Not sure if it’s just my phone? Please check when you can. Thank you. ☺️
You’re right!
I’ll delete the one with the question mark. Let me get my laptop.
Thanks.
You’re welcome 😉
Done!
For the first time I think since watching a drama, I’m ok with JY and SA’s break up. 🙍🏻♀️
I’m glad to see a happy ending for JY and SA. 😊 Even JK and HN looks like they will have a new start.
I’ll miss KMJ’s smiles and his voice. 🥰 I hope to see him again in another drama but not too melancholy like this, I hope. 😊