Ao Leste do Paraíso (2008)

Honestly, I hesitated really long before I decided to watch this drama. It's not because of the story or the Actors, because Song Seungheon is my favourite Actor. I am hesitating when it comes to dramas with morte than 30 1 Hour Episodes, because there is very much makjang and they are too long. So I have a love-hate Relationship with them.
But I love Song Seungheon and I am a big Fan of many other Actors and Actresses who were in this drama. So I gave it a try, even though I was spoiled how it ends.

Story: The Story is amazing. A boy witnessed the death of his father and wants to take revenge of the Man who killed his father. The drama takes place over more than a few years, I think it were 30 years with some time jumps. A nurse swiches two babys and changes the Life and the future of two families. The older Brother lives only for his family, He gives up everything to gain power even the love of his life. He lives his life for his younger brother who wants to become a prosecuter and takes revenge by law. But their Life changes when the dark secret comes to light...What should he do? His younger brother is the child of his biggest enemy...

Acting/Cast: First of All, I am a fan of more than one of the Actors, so this could be long.
I want to begin with my most favourite Actor. Song Seungheon plays the oldest Son of Lee Kichul, who died when Lee Dongchul was five years old. Since the day his father died he lived only for the revenge and his family. He loves his younger Brother, Lee Dongwook, even when he learns about the truth. For his brother he would give all he has. His Life, his Luck, all he has. Song Seungheon is an amazing Actor. I don't know why he is often criticized for his performences. But in this, you can't criticize him, because his acting is that of one of the best Actors in Korea. From his first until his last Appearance he stands out with an amazing Acting. Yes, he is very attractive, but I love him because of his acting. And in EoE he shows us that he can act. His role is very difficult to play, I think. Because Lee Dongchul has a tough life. He had to be not only an older brother but also a father. Because of circumstances he can't hold his promise but he helps his family even though he is far away. His deep love for the daughter of his boss shows us is warm side outside his family. He is a good Man who is uneducated but intelligent and a very good businessman. He gives up his love because of his revenge and because he knows the two of them live in two different worlds. Song Seungheon made me cry very often, because of his intense acting. When he cried, I cried. And he cried a lot. But I am one of the woman who like men who can cry. I mean, why shouldn't men cry?? They are humans as well as women are. When he laughed, I laughed. He was the one who had to suffer the most and his acting showed it in an amazing way. I think I know why he got the Daesang for his performence.

His younger Brother Lee Dongwook was played by Yeon Jung Hoon. I know his as a villian in Mask and there was his acting brilliant. So I was wandering if he can act as a Man who loves his family and wants to get revenge on the murder of his father. All in All his Acting as a victim. I was impressed by his Acting and the characters development. I mean he suffered a lot, too. His character fighted the whole drama. He was tricked, he had a difficult time when his brother wasn't next to him, but he survived the Fight against his enemy who later turned out to be his real father. I was very impressed by the chemistry between these two brothers who loved eacht other. They give up everything for each other even though the find out they aren't related by blood.

Lee Dahae played Min Hyerin and was supposed to be the Main Actress in this drama who has a conflict between her affection for the two brothers. Honesty, I was a fan of her coupled up with Lee Dongchul because I wasn't a big Fan of the other female Lead. I hoped the two of them would end up with each other, but Lee Dahae quit the drama because of some reasons. So she wasn't able to appear until the end. Min Hyerin is a character who goes through a big change throughout the whole drama. She is the daughter of a businessman who owns a newspaper. Lee Dahae is one of the most talented Actresses out there. I liked her in nearly every drama I watched with her. She did a very good job and I was very sad, when she didn't appear anymore.

Lee Dongchuls Love Interest Gook Youngran was played by the (at that Time) rookie Actress Lee Yeonhee. I didn't liked a character because she was nerve wrecking. Her Acting was good, but not amazing and her character was...annoying. I don't understand why he would give up everything for a woman like her. But his Love for er was real and she loved him, too.

Park Haejin as Shin Myunghun had a very big development in his character. The whole time I hated him, until the second half. I pitied him because everyone hated him. He was in a very big pain. His Acting was very good, but nothing compared to his Acting in Bad Guys. But this drama was one of his first so I understand that.

Lastly, Han Jihye. She played Kim Jiyeon who is loved by Myunghoon and Dongwook but she only loves Dongwook. He Character development was the only one I disliked. She was nice at the beginning, but after years passes she wasn't pitiful but awful. I don't know why, but I hated her halfway.

The Family of the Lee Brothers were very nice, even thoug sometimes I hated the Mother. Lee Dongchuls Friends were okay, and the Veteran Actors lived up with my Expectations.

All in All, the Cast was very well picked. I am not one of the Viewers who are satisfied with the allround cast everytime, but here I was.

Music: The Soundtrack was wonderful. I liked the Songs very much.

Rewatch Value: Even though the drama is very long I think I will watch it again in the future, because the cast is really amazing and the story is very good. It has all. Romance, Action, Rivalry...

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Long but great work

It was quite long but I stuck thru the end. My only complaint is that my favorite actor Song Seung Heon dies in this drama as well. I watched Autumn's Tale and it broke my heart with the ending as well. I just recently started watching his work and hope that other dramas that I will be watching has a different ending. It was heartbreaking to see his character always getting beat up. I found myself crying during those times and definitely at the end. Effecting my emotions the way this drama did is a testament to the great work of the actors and the story line.
I will be watching the list of Song Seung Heon's work hoping for a happy ending for his characters . Great work Song Seung Heon. I am not sure why the ratings are not higher. The drama was entertaining and kept me interested through the end.

Leia Mais

Best drama

One of the first kdramas I ever watched and truly one of the best dramas ever imo <3 The writing and acting are topnotch every single actor will blow your mind away! Yeon jung hoon owned my entire heart throughout the drama his acting was beyond this world <3 Dong Wook was my favorite character from beginning to end. his eyes spoke all emotions and I was impressed episode after episode <3
The OSTs of this drama are truly one and only after 6 years, I still listen to them. They will forever be my favorite songs forever <3
I have noticed most people are confused about the message of this drama, which I have just come to realize after a couple of years! --> You are the only person who decides what to do in life.. to be good or evil.. your actions cannot be blamed on blood or anything else..
[may contain spoilers]
Myung Hun was one of the most disgusting characters and I could never bring myself to like him not even a little (although many people did shockingly) after all the evil he chose to do and especially after the rape scene.. But the second he realizes who he is, he becomes super selfless! Dong Wook, on the other hand, was one of the kindest characters. He was a hero! He held his promise to his hyung, fought evil, helped the poor, became a political prisoner and was tortured and so on... compared to Myung Hun, he was an absolute angel yet people started hating him nearing the end when he realizes who his blood is. He does some mean stuff after he realizes who his father is (which is understandable and anyone would lose their minds I believe.. he was raised to hate him!) but he eventually gets his sanity back when it was too late:,(
In summary, you can't blame the blood running thru your veins for your actions. For almost the entire drama, though DW had the "evil blood" in him, he was one of the sweetest characters and etc.

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Bad...

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I came into this expecting something similar to "Giant (2010)" but ended up getting a flashy action and a lousy over-dramatic fuss. This the type of drama were you get 20 quick flashy shaky camera edits before an action is taken. Lackluster action despite having a massive budget. It seems the number of episodes was predetermined before finalizing the story/writing, this is why we got a handful of nothingness. What do you expect from the writing department when they had internal issues midway through. Even the lead actress dropped out halfway through. Even the other female lead had a significant screen time reduction.

The drama had one of the cringest last scene epilogue out there. The awkwardness as they were sitting around the table, I could feel it piercing through my bones. Can't help but feel this was a waste of big cast. Classic Korean society normalizing rape with no consequences, even more favorable for the rapist. My expectations and interest were nullified when that happened. All the relationships sucked, romantic and non-romantic ones. By the end, I couldn't care less what happens to who. One finale remark, if they want to commit to the route they choose, then there should've been more deaths!

Leia Mais

I found this to be a compelling drama. The acting varies from okay to good, and above. Nobody gives an embarrassing performance, although there are sequences which the writers should have been embarrassed by. It also features more kidnapping sequences than I have seen in any other drama or movies. One character gets kidnapped at least three times. But It had some powerful moments too. The characters are well done, and the story even allows some minor ones to have a little bit of spotlight. One character, who I found to be the most interesting of the young people in the drama leaves about 3/3rd's of the way through.( Note. According to Wikipedia, she left because her storyline was reduced). But then they bring in another character, who is quickly forgotten about.
There are 2 standout performances in this drama for me.
Lee Mi Sook. and Yoo Dong Geun.

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I always ask myself, how much more can this drama make me cry, and it makes me shed one more tear from time to time.

Quality is superb. Music is good.

The romance is amazing and doesn’t get over with it but it is slow, and frustrating in a good way. Unlike usually, it keeps pulling at my strings when I think that the games are over…. The love is painful.

When I think about watching the rest of the drama my head hurts, I’m not sure if I can do it. My heart feels weak. And it’s tiring
What should I do with my weak heart? I love watching melodrama but my heart is weak, it can’t handle it. I am just at episode 30 and it hurts so much.

I should’ve known that I was in for a very cruel ride.
I had no appetite because of the withdrawal from the drama

I tried watching something light but out of all places it had to have a scene in a casino and a scene by the sea.
I can’t stand any similar scenaries, because I can remember painful things from the drama.
I had so many triggers
Dark scenes - no. Ocean and nature - no. Silence - no. Sad - no. Sweet - no. Serious - no. Gambling - no. Dialect - no. 19 - no. Soup - no. Square hairline no. Pretty women no. Smile no. Music - no genre works. Chorus of a song - no. Historical - no. Drama, melodrama, family, action - no. The actors - no. Nothing is left.

This is unfair. Why do I have t go to sleep thinking of it, dream of it, and wake up thinking of it. Thoughts that never came earlier occur.
The drama was very cruel. Everyone’s words were harsh and sharp enough to cut, everyone’s!! Every single character, no exception (except the sweet Gi Soon).

Although this was just a 25-30 episodes watch, it felt a LOT longer. It was exhausting. but I enjoyed it while watching. what a masochist I am…

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