Do You Like Brahms?

 

Do You Like Brahms? is a story about two protaganists who lost their way in pursuing their career in music and the journey of how they helped each other get over the hardship while also falling in love.

The drama steadily gain attention during the time of its airing and earning some rave reviews from viewers (and me), particularly on the actors going that extra mile in preparing themselves and learning the musical instruments their characters play.

Official Title: 브람스를 좋아하세요?

Genre: Music, romance

Broadcast network: SBS

Broadcast period: 31.08.2020 – 20.10.2020

Total Episodes: 16

Director: Jo Young Min

Plot Summary

Park Joon Young (Kim Min Jae) is an established and talented pianist whose fame is diminishing due to another rising star pianist. Moreover he has lost the joy in playing music because he’s performing non-stop without rest not out of love of piano playing but due to having to pay off his family’s debt.  Meanwhile Chae Song Ah (Park Eun Bin) is not especially talented but loves violin. Having pick up violin late, she is also feeling lost; facing an uncertain future as a violinist. Her confidence is hammered with each rejection letter from overseas music schools. However, Song Ah hasn’t lost her passion and love for violin, so she is trying to hang in there whilst volunteering as an intern as a event planner at the Kyung Hoo Cultural Foundation.

Having needed to complete his degree at Seo Ryung University, Joon Young decided to take a sabbatical year from work and focus on completing his final year. As he is always in debt, Joon Young does not own a piano and therefore practices piano when he can at the rehearsal room at Kyung Hoo.

Due to this, Joon Young and Song Ah meet again and they immediately leave more strong impressions on one another. Joon Young’s performance makes Song Ah feel small and insignificant whilst Joon Young resonated with Song Ah’s struggles. As they awkwardly became acquainted, their friendship blossom. For some strange reason, Joon Young, the quiet and introvert takes initiative in getting to know Song Ah and began to change.

Review

First of all, I just love a drama that can perfectly utilize and incorporate classical music into the story; inspiring and providing comfort to the characters (and us). My First Impression post, such genre hadn’t been very easy or successful; therefore, “Do You Like Brahms?” is especially precious. The drama didn’t start to draw me in until episode 2; however, looking back I believe it paved the path well in the introduction of the small, harsh and competitive classical music world in South Korea and the position where our protagonists, Chae Song Ah and Park Joon Young, were in the beginning.

Considering this being a debut work of Writer Ryu Bo Ri, she did really well, especially with the characterisation and growth of the heroine and hero. Ryu Bo Ri herself studied violin and business, even though the story is not based on herself, she understands the mechanics and drew her experience as a violin student and applied them in the script, making it as relatable as possible to real life. The more unfortunate bit is the secondary characters were not fleshed out as well as we hoped in helping us better understand their thoughts and actions. There were also a bit too much negative scenes from/of the professors. I don’t believe this necessary means the script was imperfect or unclear, but rather the short-coming was the cause of potential time-constraint and editing. Another thing I appreciated is the the story-telling did not falter, unlike most other Korean dramas that tend to falter and lost its purpose in the latter half of the series. The point and message Ryu Bo Ri wanted to convey had been crystal clear through to the end and she even mirrored some scenes from the past.

Ryu Bo Ri also mentioned in an interview if “Do You Like Brahms?” has a secondary title, it would be “To Find Happiness”. This is indeed very true. Song Ah and Joon Young are both very similar in nature—they are introvert and the considerate type who puts others before them. Therefore, other than seeing them facing difficulties and overcoming them and finding their dreams, it is also about them finding happiness by learning to care and put themselves before others.

Chae Song Ah is a really considerate, sweet and gentle girl and is also very stubborn and head strong. She isn’t spunky at all on the outside so we often have to endure watching her being belittled by people around her. Generally I dislike a meek female protagonist who doesn’t fight back but our Song Ah isn’t meek. She may let most people get away with it, but when it comes to fighting for what she wants, she does stand up and protect what’s hers. I have been so awed with Park Eun Bin’s portrayal in this drama. She did a fantastic job portraying that soft, gentle and vulnerable side of Song Ah and the determined, tough cookie on the inside. If this role was played by another, it wouldn’t have given the same effect and I don’t believe audiences would like this Song Ah as much. I seriously adore Eun Bin’s Song Ah so much that few times I think I almost had a girl crush; something that I have never had/felt before.

Park Joon Young is another character that’s hard not to love. Other than being a charismatic pianist, he is a lonely and unhappy soul who has been wandering around the world without a comfortable home he could return to. He isn’t obsessed with fame and remained humble. I love his quiet but gentle demeaner and him being that sweet, considerate guy from the very beginning. I love how he silently helped Song Ah several times. I love without having to say it out loud, both figured out and identified their similarities of their unrequitted love. I also love Joon Young is observant of Song Ah’s feelings and constantly give her support and comfort through his music, or just by being at her side. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that Joon Young imprinted on Song Ah some time as earlier as the ending scene in episode 2 when Song Ah asked him how he feels about what he performed for Director Nah’s dinner gathering.

I am thankful that the writer didn’t let Joon Young and Song Ah dwell on their past lovelines too much and focus on the development of their friendship to lovers. If I could choose, I would love to extend the push and pull/cutest stages where they were still flirting and getting to know each other. Those were the most enjoyable times, having to witness:

• their adorable interactions;

• Joon Young opening up about his tough times and share his feelings and thoughts;

• them cutely breaking out of their introverted shells into giving each other their best and brightest smiles, and those bonus dimples. SO. DAMN. CUTE.

They are a really sweet, beautiful and lovely couple. I really adore and love this pairing, most ardently. Because of them I experienced another “almost”. I also almost wanted to just be hell with my strictly no shipping rule and ship them. That was how good the on/off-screen chemistry between Park Eun Bin and Kim Min Jae is. Without them, there are no Song Ah or Joon Young.

This drama is both beautiful and poignant, carefully crafted the growing pains of Joon Young and Song Ah and document their growth and development separately and together throughout the series. I especially love the symbolism and musical notes metaphor, as well as the use of them as the episode titles. With the show ended last week, it’s really been a long time since I have last felt such emptiness. It’s definitely a feeling not felt for a long long time, considering there are still so many dramas on air keeping me preoccupied. Here I am, today, finding myself feeling lonely without a new episode of “Do You Like Brahms?” and missing Joon Young and Song Ah.