Review of Gu Family Book

About

Genre - Romance/Comedy/Action/Fantasy

Airing Time - April - June 2013

Running Time - 60 minutes the episode

Episodes - 24

Rating - 15

Storyline

After their nobleman father is unfairly accused of being a traitor and killed, Yoon Seo-hwa, her younger brother Jung-yoon and their maid, Dam (Kim Bo-mi) are sent to a gisaeng house. Refusing to work as a gisaeng, Seo-hwa agrees after witnessing the brutal beating of her brother. It is soon announced that her first "patron" will be none other than Jo Gwan-woong, the same man who betrayed and killed her father.

Just before meeting him, Dam swaps clothes with her so she can run away in the middle of the night, while Dam is by Gwan-woong, who sends men to find Seo-hwa. Gu Wol-ryung, a mystical forest protector and gumiho, notices a disturbance in the forest and finds her unconscious. He falls in love with her and protects her from Gwan-woong's men by revealing his mystical powers. When Seo-hwa wakes up, she too falls in love with him and marries him after being told that both Dam and Jung-yoon were able to run away and are safe. In actuality, Jung-yoon had been hanged, whereas Dam had committed suicide. Wol-ryung, unable to tell her the truth, had lied to her and did not tell her that he was a gumiho.

Wol-ryung decides to become human in order to be with Seo-hwa. To do so, he must live 100 days without showing his true form to a human, without taking a life (animal or human), and must help anyone that needs aid. But if he fails, he'll lose any chance of ever becoming human, and will become a demon for the next thousand years. Wol-ryung successfully lives most of these days following these rules, but one day, Gwan-woong's men find Seo-hwa alone in the forest. Wol-ryung rushes to help her, and reveals his true form, massacring the soldiers. Seo-hwa, horrified, leaves him, who is later killed by the righteous soldier Dam Pyeong-joon, who had been told that the gumiho was murdering innocents. Seo-hwa soon discovers that she is pregnant with Wol-ryung's child and gives birth to a son. Realizing that the baby isn't a monster and truly regretting her betrayal to Wol-ryung, Seo-hwa entrusts the baby in the care of a monk, Sojung. She then confronts Gwan-woong, but is killed.

The infant is found in a basket by the river, and adopted by nobleman Park Mu-sol. He grows up as Choi Kang-chi, ostensibly the son of Lord Park's servant Choi, but raised as part of the Park family. Though Mu-sol's wife Lady Yoon never warmed up to him, Lord Park loves Kang-chi like his own son, and he is close to the siblings Tae-seo and Chung-jo, whom he loves even though she is betrothed to another. Kang-chi is notorious in the village as a troublemaker, but he is good-hearted and loyal, and beloved by the servants at the Hundred Year Inn, which the Park family runs.

However, Jo Gwan-woong returns to the village. He believes the wealthy Lord Park has hidden treasure inside the Hundred Year Inn, and in his scheme to take over the inn, Lord Park is killed defending Kang-chi. Gwan-woong throws Tae-seo and his mother in jail, and Chung-jo is sold to the gibang and convinced by the head gisaeng, Chun Soo-ryun, to survive and by using her beauty and wiles, someday gain power and revenge. After Kang-chi promises Lady Yoon that he will take care of the Park siblings, she makes a futile attempt to stab Gwan-woong and is killed. Meanwhile Gwan-woong becomes intrigued by Kang-chi and his seemingly super-human strength. He uses magic to place Tae-seo under a curse that makes him believe that it was Kang-chi who murdered his father and caused the family misfortune.

Dam Yeo-wool and Gon had been dispatched to the village by her father, now-martial arts master Dam Pyeong-joon, to investigate a series of murders they suspect Gwan-woong is responsible for. Yeo-wool runs into Kang-chi: because of the way she's dressed and her skill in martial arts and archery, he initially mistakes her for a man. Yeo-wool witnesses the events that befall the Park family, and instinctively helps Kang-chi when he is hunted by Gwan-woong's soldiers. During a fight, a soldier slices off Kang-chi's beaded bracelet, which was used to contain his powers. Kang-chi transforms into a half-human-half-beast and easily defeats his enemies. Sojung later tells Kang-chi the truth about his origins, including the mystical and elusive Gu Family Book, which holds the secret to becoming fully human.

Kang-chi is rescued from a death sentence and taken under the wing of Yi Sun-sin, a naval commander. Yi Sun-sin, Master Dam, and the late Lord Park were part of a secret group protecting the Joseon nation against foreign invasion. Yi places Kang-chi in the martial arts school run by Master Dam, and there he is trained physically and mentally and learns to control his transformations. Kang-chi and Yeo-wool gradually fall in love. But several obstacles remain in their way: the continuing villainy of Gwan-woong; the knowledge that it was Yeo-wool's father who killed Kang-chi's father; the reappearance of Wol-ryung, who has turned into a soul- demon with no memories who can only be killed by his son; and Sojung's warning that Yeo-wool is fated to die if she stays by the side of the man she meets beneath the peach blossom tree under a crescent moon, which is none other than Kang-chi himself.

Cast

Lee Seung Gi as Choi Kang Chi

Bae Suzy as Dam Yeo Wool

Lee Sung Jae as Jo Gwan Woong

Sung Joon as Gon

Yoo Yeon Seok as Park Tae Seo

Lee Yu Bi as Park Chung Jo

Jo Sung Ha as Dam Pyeong Joon

Jung Hye Young as Chun Soo Ryun

Yoo Dong Geun as Yi Sun Sin

Choi Jin Hyuk as Gu Wol Ryung

Lee Yeon Hee as Yoon Seo Hwa (ep. 1-2, 21)

Yoon Se Ah as Yoon Seo Hwa (ep. 14-21)

Kim Hee Won as So jung

Uhm Hyo Sup as Park Mu Sol

Lee Do Kyung as Teacher Gong Dal

Jo Jae Yoon as Bong Chul

Kim Dong Kyun as Choi

Jin Kyung as Yeo Joo

Kim Gi Bang as Eok Man

Kim Sung Hoon as Wol Dae

Son Ga Young as Wol Sun

Kim Hee Jung as Lady Yoon

Devid Lee McInnis as Kageshima

Song Young Kyu as Pil Mok

Park Joo Hyung as Han Noh

Nam Hyun Joo as chief maid at the gibang

Lee David as Yoon Jung Yoon

Kim Bo Mi as Dam

Personal Opinion

I'm not a big fan of historical dramas, but I must say that this one is one of the best dramas I've ever watched. The reason I watched it, even though I don't like historical dramas, is because it was highly recommented. I didn't regret watching it though.

This drama hit right on spot for the 3th place on my top 10. Which means I had to erase a drama from the list. It was a hard to choose, but in the end Devil Beside You was cut off of the list to make room for Gu Family Book.

I have no complain about the plot or the actors. Everything was acted and edited really well and I really enjoyed watching it. I must say that the character Lee Seung Gi is playing...I seriously love that kind of personality. Playful and childish, but loyal and serious at the same time. Lee Seung Gi really plays the role well.

For my favorite scene...there was a lot. But I'll choose one that stood out. Even though this is a kiss scene, it's not because of the kiss I chose it as my favorite. In this scene Yeo Wool is chased by Wol Ryung, but protected by Kang Chi. And right before Wol Ryung strikes, Kang Chi yells at him that Yeo Wool is his woman, meaning Wol Ryung can not touch her. Wol Ryung then remembers the past, when he tried to protect Seo Hwa. Both Wol Ryung and Yeo Wool gets surprised of what Kang Chi says. Wol Ryung then disappears and Kang Chi turns to Yeo Wool to hug her. When they part, Kang Chi then kisses her. What touches me the most is not the kiss, but what Kang Chi yells at his father, stating that Yeo Wool is his woman. Something about that scene just touches me.

For my least favorite scene, it must be when Yeo Wool dies. One of Jo Gwan Woong's men aims for Kang Chi, but Yeo Wool steps in between and takes the shot. Kang Chi freaks out and almost kills the man. Yeo Wool is then treated and makes three wishes to Kang Chi. Sadly I only remember two of them...Her last wish was to take a walk with Kang Chi. The sit by a lake, shares a kiss and Yeo Wool then dies in Kang Chi's arms. It was a really sad scene.

My rating for this drama

Check out the trailer :D

Thanks for reading my review of Gu Family Book :) Remember is you have any movie or drama you can recomment, feel free to tell me about it and I shall add it to my list :)