“Instead of always feeling like people are targeting you, I want you to feel like they’re all amazed by your dance. ‘Trust me,’ ‘I’m different,’ ‘I’m genuine.’ I wish you would believe these words of mine. I wish that the more affectionate I am, the more thankful you’ll be.”
They say the best way to avoid getting your heart broken is to pretend that you don’t have one. If you act cold, shout at the tiniest mistakes, and shut people out, then maybe the tragedies will end. To open up and trust someone after this, however, is difficult. This theme of trust and learning to love again is at the heart of this week’s kdrama, Angel’s Last Mission: Love.
Summary
The KBS kdrama tells the story of a mischievous and optimistic angel, Kim Dan (Kim Myung Soo) who is nearing the end of his angel duties on Earth. On what was supposed to be his last day, he gets himself into trouble and the only way to redeem himself in the Eyes of God is to fulfil one final mission: to find true love for Lee Yeon Seo (Shin Hye Syn), a cold-hearted, emotionally distant ballerina who refuses to believe in love again. As the ballerina gets back into her ballet with her new-found eyesight, she must deal with the loss of the only person she had left to love.
A dark, fantasy romance, the kdrama deals with Yeon So’s healing process as she and Kim Dan fall in love. At the same time, it portrays the strong will of two individuals who not only have the problems of those behind Yeon So’s traumatic past to resolve, but also the uncertainty in what will happen after Kim Dan’s mission is at an end.
Production
Behind the drama is Choi Yoon Kyo, a writer whose only other work listed (via AsianWiki) is Lucky Romance. In this kdrama, the comical elements shine immediately. The couple’s bickering is delightful to watch in the beginning, and there is an irony in how the couple fall for each other.
However, the second half of production is where this kdrama begins to falter. Not only does Yeon So have to return to her role as a main dancer and expose her family’s behaviour, but she must also save her relationship with Dan from the wrath of God. The two problems appear to be too much for the kdrama to resolve, and it leaves the ending to be one that hasn’t been fully explained.
Cast
Both lead actors (Shin Hye Sun and Kim Myung Soo) have already defined themselves as actors. Shin Hye Syn recently acted in Thirty But 17, and Kim Myung Soo’s most recent drama was Ms. Hammurabi. This immediately leads to the assumption that both will excel in their roles in Angel’s Last Mission: Love, and after watching the drama, I can say that this assumption was correct. The way in which these two actors approached their characters makes you laugh, makes you cry – a lot, I might add – and most importantly, it makes you wish for their happy ending.
Saying this, the stand-out star of the kdrama is Yeon So’s cousin, Geum Ru Na, played by Gil Eun Hye. Despite the actress having a good filmography, it appears she is yet to have a lead role. However, she shines as a villain in Angel’s Last Mission: Love. Her emotions are clear and not overexaggerated, and although you hate her actions, you also feel sorry for her. I think, if given the opportunity, she could shine as a lead actress in the near future.
Verdict
If you need a reminder that love is real and always possible, then this is the kdrama to watch. The kdrama tests the boundaries of platonic love, familial love, and romantic love in order to find out what true love is. Although I may not completely agree with the definition of true love that Lee Yeon So and Kim Dan’s relationship has to offer, one cannot deny that their love is true to them.
You can watch Angel’s Last Mission: Love on Viki.
