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Original Soompi post
https://forums.soompi.com/en/topic/406699-current-drama-2017-2018-money-flower-%EB%8F%88-%EA%BD%83-two-episodes-every-saturday-2045-kst/?do=findComment&comment=20985777
Original Article
http://m.entermedia.co.kr/news_view.html?idx=7603
Have you seen a drama as sensual as Money Flower recently?
Money Flower, a popular drama with good reasons
When I first heard the title, ” Money Flower “, I had a misunderstanding about the drama. It was a drama that I could easily miss. Saturday night at 9 p.m. is MBC drama’s prime time slot. Even the prime time was considered a bit shallow, rather than brilliant. In this time slot, previously they aired ‘Pots of Gold’, ‘Jang Bo-ri is Here!’ and ‘You Are Too’. It was a time slot which I could easily imagine what kind of dramas were on the air.
Moreover, the material of ‘Money Flower’ is not significantly different from those broadcast at that time. Again, there is a chaebol and a birth secret involved. The only difference is that the person with a birth secret is a male, and a heavy-weight actor named Jang Hyuk appearing as the incarnation of revenge. However, Jang Hyuk’s appearance alone did not necessarily mean that I have high expectations for the work. However, there was a raw curiosity to see what character this good-looking and atmospheric actor can introduce to a drama within this time slot.
In ‘Money Flower’ which is nearing its finale, not only is Kang Pil-joo (played by Jang Hyuk) not damaged, but he has even grown more beautiful. The drama is about Kang Pil-joo’s work on building a block of a revenge play, and at the same time, a detailed description of the secret face of a male protagonist who hides his bloodline of the chaebol.
There are many interesting dramas, but fascinating ones are rare.
How charming is a man with a secret? And how awesome are the moments when the man retaliates the bullying snobbish people with his own ability? Here, Jang Hyuk’s particular weight falls like a drop of an espresso, and ‘Money Flower’ proves that a male lead role in a revenge story can be so beautiful and atmospheric.
No, in fact, it is not only Kang Pil-joo, played by Jang Hyuk who is attractive. The drama is one of the most fascinating drama I have seen in a long time. There are many interesting dramas, but fascinating ones are rare. Even at some point of time, the title of ‘Money Flower’ which I had thought was appropriate for a comic book, is read differently.
In fact, the title of the drama contains all the messages that the story contains. And you would agree with this if you are watching the drama. The people from a huge chaebol who are lead by the fragrance of the flowers that stem from money. But one day, as the flowers are falling, the humans are swayed according to the direction of the money, or according to the character of Kang pil-joo who is shaking his flow of money.
Perhaps the word ‘Money Flower ’ and the atmosphere it represents can been seen in a single character – Jung Mal-ran (Lee Mi-sook). She who stays on in Cheong-A group even after her husband’s death, has a beautiful face to match her desires. Her efforts to put her son, Jang Seung-jo, into the chairman position, who is not even related to the family, are appalling. But I can’t take my eyes off the Jung Mal-ran all the time when I was watching ‘Money Flower’. And actress Lee Mi-sook characterizes the relentlessness and greed of the character that was so fascinating. Having had to play comical characters and the role of the protaganist’s mother at one point, she succeeded in showing her own charm once again through this drama.
In addition, although ‘Money Flower’ shows the typical process of bloodshed through the fight for money, it contains an unseen power. It is because I do not miss the unique classical and elegant atmosphere of this drama. The story is provocative, but the drama itself is static. Although the reversals are repeated, they are as graceful as a ballerina’s rotation. As such, viewers feel as if they appreciate a modern tragedy centered not on the usual melodrama, but it is on money.
Moreover, I have never seen a more sensual drama than ‘Money Flower’ recently. There are no provocative or awkward skin exposures in this drama. However, the drama dramatically increases the tension between people and their situations to a sensual level. In the relationship between Kang Pil-joo (Jang Hyuk) and Na Mo-hyun (Park Se-young), there is no sensual feeling. There is only a lyrical tragedy like the romance that didn’t work out between them.
However, much sensual tension flows between Kang Pil-joo and Jang Boo-cheon, as well as that between Kang Pil-joo and Jung Mal-ran. They want each other, but they doubt one another, they steal each other’s secrets, and they dream of destroying them someday. In the meantime, the feeling of desire is aroused, and sometimes the suspense of the desire is captured as a classical or elaborate sexy performance. Especially, the ending scene of the 20th episode of ‘Money Flower’ which is the best part of the production. At the moment when a tense situation seems to be Kang Pil-joo leaning in to kiss Jung Mal-ran, it was really a scene of Kang Pil-joo confessing that he is Jang Eun-cheon, the bloodline of the chaebol group.
As such, ‘Money Flower’ has done an excellent job of cooking using the most popular ingredients. It shows an impressive sense of balance between calm and tension. In addition, the stellar performances of the actors also boosted it. So, it is natural for it to capture both the ratings and quality.