"Couple or Trouble", A Romantic Comedy Korean Drama Series

Last week, I just finished watching a romantic comedy Korean drama series that consists 16 episodes which is entitled, “Couple or Trouble”. It was aired in Korea from October 14, 2006 to December 3, 2006 through MBC network. This series was based on a 1987 American movie called Overboard, starred by Goldie Hawn. For Han Ye Seul and Oh Ji Ho, their roles in this series were their first leading roles. It was a big hit in its homeland, South Korea because it collected four MBC Drama Awards in 2006. Han and Oh were named Best Couple. Couple or Trouble took the award for Best Drama and Han Ye Seul took home the Excellence Award. Both Han and Oh were also given the Popularity Award.

The story is about a very rich woman, Anna (Han Ye Seul) who's totally rude, feisty, and audacious American-bred heiress who can never be satisfied. She used to bully everyone, including her husband. When Anna came back to Korea, she was caught up in rain and her car was trapped in a mud. Fortunately, Jang Chul Soo (Oh Ji Ho), who was driving back home, saw and helped her with a price. Jang let Anna stay in his car to lessen the weight and avoid in getting wet from the heavy rain. When she saw some blood in his vehicle with a dead body, she clobbered him with a shovel in his face and left him on the road, unpaid. In fact, she never knew it was a mannequin and a red paint. Jang searched for Anna to collect her debt.

Jang lives with the three children left behind by his late brother, who raised him like a father. He is the owner of Buheung E&C, a small-time construction company whose sign reads, “General Construction, Architecture, and Interior Design Co.” In reality, his company handles such trivial and menial projects as building neighborhood fences, setting up plastic greenhouses, renovating bathrooms and kitchens, and installing heaters.

One day, Anna's favorite cat named Princess lost in the road and by mistake fell into Jang’s hands. Jang had no idea who's the owner of the cat and sold it in small value in a pet shop. Anna suspected Jang for the disappearance of her cat and she was mad when later she found out that her $10,000 cat was sold by Jang in a small amount.

After that scene, they met again when her yacht’s bathroom developed a spot of trouble and employed some tool man; however, she never knew it was Jang who’ll fix the problem. Anna was displeased with Jang's work and they had an argument which makes her throw his tools overboard, kicked him into the water and left him unpaid again. Jang was mad, plotted his revenge and they became sworn enemies.

Later, after a quarrel with Billy Park (Kim Sung Min) that threatens to end their marriage, she herself gets drunkenly pitched overboard and suffered to a bad case of amnesia. Jang found her in the hospital and suddenly learned that she had no idea who she is. Jang plotted his revenge by telling Anna that she was his girlfriend and took her home. His idea was to make Anna his maid to pay off what she owes him for the yacht repairs and the loss of tools in the sea. Even though, Anna had absolutely no idea of what her past was, she had a fuzzy idea that she wasn't that close to him.

While Anna stayed in Jang's house, he made her do all the household chores. But as a rich woman, she never knew about any job and makes a mess on every household duty she was assigned to. Thus, the sequence of comedic errors is lengthy and entertaining.

In the middle of the story, I enjoyed more, watching her crazy moronic mannerisms which is really fun to watch. Believe it or not, she became charming after a while and I thought I needed to have my head check for liking this mean person, Anna.

In the end, they both gave in to their feelings for each other but not before Anna learned what it was like to love and care for others. She learned that wealth is meaningless when you have nobody to share with. After she regains her memory, the scene where she orders black sauce noodles bid to recapture some of the memorable times she shared with Jang at the dilapidated home and the eateries they went to, that brought tears to her eyes. I believe it was a great scene that tugged at the viewer's heartstrings.

Two people as different as night and day, who would never even cross paths under normal circumstances, come together in an outrageous situation and are eventually reborn as a fantastic couple. Once two persons have been stroked by Cupid's arrow of love, there's no turning back. Love was nicely played out when Anna develops some deep feelings for Jang. Of course, what would a show be if there’s no love element in it? Jang also fell for her, even though he resisted the relentless feelings for as long as he could.

The story is quite different because most of Korean drama series often end up in tragedy. I’m sure you’ll enjoy watching this series and will bring a smile to your face as you recall the funny scenes that are sprinkled all over the 16 episodes.