It is not exaggerated to say “My Dearest” wouldn’t have been this popular without Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin
The story of “My Dearest” is not new and diverse, especially the events that took place in Shenyang after the Qing invasion of Joseon. It revolves around Gil-chae (Ahn Eun-jin) enduring various hardships after getting taken to Shenyang due to the false accusation of being a fleeing Joseon slave, and the process of Jang-hyun (Namkoong Min) rescuing her after learning the facts.
Of course, there are dramatic moments when Princess Gakhwa of the Qing dynasty falls in love with Jang-hyun but Jang-hyun’s heart towards Gil-chae doesn’t change. The main narrative is not much different from a love triangle. In addition, the story development in Part 2 is also slower with longer romantic scenes. Gil-chae and Jang-hyun could have had several chances to encounter each other while Gil-chae was sold as a slave, but other scenes were added to intentionally create a delay in their meeting and stimulate dramatic tension for their meeting in the end.
As such, “My Dearest” is definitely not a fast and new drama, but strangely, it has created a high level of immersion. Despite the slow developments, viewers don’t feel bored at all. Rather, Jang-hyun and Gil-chae’s story actually made an intense emotional connection, making viewers feel deeply sad when the characters part ways but surprised and pleased when the two reunite.
This is possible because of the overwhelming emotional narratives of Jang-hyun and Gil-chae while events from Joseon to Shenyang unfold. All the viewers are immersed in Jang-hyun’s complex emotions. Although Gil-chae has already married Goo Jung-moo (Ji Seung-hyun), he still misses her and feels angry after finding out that she was brought to Shenyang as a slave and has been suffering various hardships. The scene where he repeatedly shouts “Why?” and explodes with frustration leaves a strong lingering impression in viewers’ hearts.
Similarly, when Gil-chae says, “You can live without me but…”, after Jang-hyun asks her why she abandons him, Jang-hyun’s emotions once again pile up and he reacts intensely, saying “Why did you think that? Why did you think I could live without you?”. This scene also leaves a similar impression. Despite his calm expressions, Jang-hyun’s words were enough to make viewers understand how many times he has overcome life-threatening situations to fight for Gil-chae.
Ahn Eun-jin’s performance has also doubled the impact of the emotional scenes. After learning that it was Jang-hyun who saved her, Gil-chae cannot stop herself from crying heavily. Through “My Dearest”, Ahn Eun-jin has successfully proved that her acting spectrum has expanded a lot, especially improvements in her eye acting. The actress perfectly portrayed the emotional changes of Gil-chae in both desperate and happy moments.
While the spectacular events in the war continue, Jang-hyun and Gil-chae’s emotional lines help connect the whole story. The more viewers watch the drama, the more they become immersed in the story. This has been made possible thanks to Namkoong Min and Ahn Eun-jin.
Source: Daum
