Nice Guy 착한남자 is the thirty-eighth drama I've finished. This drama is also known by its full name, No Such Thing As Nice Guys 세상 어디에도 없는 차칸남자. Nice Guy brings together Song Joong Ki and Lee Kwang Soo who were on the main cast of the popular variety show, Running Man. Both actors built up a very good friendship on the show. As a result, many fans and I were looking forward to seeing their acting chemistry in a drama series. Nice Guy also stars Park Si Yeon, who I previously seen in My Girl. Nice Guy's main female lead is Moon Chae Won. Although I had not seen any of Moon Chae Won's previous works, I was eager to see her talent as an actress.
Kang Maroo (Song Joong Ki) is a bright and promising medical student. After coming home to take care of his sick, younger sister, Maroo receives a call from Han Jaehee (Park Si Yeon). Maroo and Jaehee grew up in a poor neighborhood. Jaehee dreams of becoming a top news reporter in order to escape poverty. When Maroo hears her frantic voice, Maroo abandons his sick sister to run to Jaehee's aid. When Maroo arrives a motel room, he finds out Jaehee has killed a man. Since the death was caused by an act of self-defense, Maru suggests that Jaehee turn herself in. Jaehee absolutely refuses, wanting to choose death instead. Having been in love with her for thirteen years, Maroo ultimately decides to give up his dream of becoming a doctor in order to save Jaehee. Maroo takes the blame and is sent to prison for five years. Six years later, Maroo learns that Jaehee has become the mistress of the President of Taesan Group. Feeling betrayed for giving up everything in his life for Jaehee, Maroo decides to seek revenge on Jaehee. Maroo meets Seo Eungi (Moon Chae Won), who is the heiress to Taesan Group. She despises her new stepmother, Jaehee, who is no more than five years older than herself. Maroo chooses to take revenge on Jaehee by seducing Eungi. Even when Eungi learns about Maroo's past relationship with Jaehee, Eungi decides that she doesn't care about it. Maroo is slowly falling for Eungi, despite continuing to have strong feelings for his first love, Jaehee. Maroo decides to cut his ties with Eungi. Distraught, Eungi is caught in a car accident and loses her memories. Maroo decides to help Eungi regain her memories despite knowing the possible consequences that would come from Eungi recovering her memories.
Nice Guy is quite a sad melodrama. Maru's revenge plot in Nice Guy reminded me of a few previous dramas I watched. It felt like a combination of Resurrection, A Love to Kill and Stairway to Heaven. Jaehee is one of the most tragic characters I've ever seen in a drama. From start to finish, she has a self-destructing personality coupled with a strong ambition. Given her character's background, it is very easy to see why Jaehee acts the way she does. While I watched Nice Guy, I hated her character but felt sympathetic at the same time. A lot of credit should go to Park Si Yeon for her portrayal of Han Jaehee. As hateful of a character Jaehee is, Jaehee is the driving force for the entire drama. I felt the contrast between Jaehee and Jaegil is very interesting. In Jaehee's case, she is willing to do anything to enter the wealthy class even if it meant doing something corrupt and morally wrong. However, Jaegil removed himself from his family register so that he takes no connection to his father's corrupt ways. Jaegil would rather live in poverty if it meant he could live an honest life. I really enjoyed the side story between Kang Choco and Park Jaegil. This side plot contrasts the love triangle between Maroo, Jaehee and Eungi. To be honest, if the side story about Choco and Jaegil wasn't featured in this drama, I felt Nice Guy may have been too depressing to watch.
Nice Guy's soundtrack features a few songs, but are good ones. The first track is "Love is like a Snowflake 사랑은 눈꽃처럼" sung by JYJ's Junsu. One of my favorites is "Nice Girl 착한 여자". This song is sung by Lee Soo Young who is one of my favorite ballad artists. Jo Eun's "Good Person 좋은 사람입니다" is a really good ballad track as well. Song Joong Ki contributes to the soundtrack as well with "Really 정말". I noticed something very interesting during the scene with Choco and Jaegil at the sauna. The background song was the duet "All for You" remade by Seo In Guk and Jung Eun Ji for Reply 1997. Since Reply 1997 was the last drama I saw, as well as one of my all-time favorites, I couldn't help but smile when the song suddenly came up.
I highly recommend watching Nice Guy. The story and the chemistry between all the actors is fantastic. I also liked how the drama was quickly set up in one episode. As a result, the drama can use the remaining episodes to develop the story rather than introduce the story. After watching a number of dramas, I feel this is characteristic is very important to how the plot is divided up into episodes. I began to watch Nice Guy because I was a Running Man fan of Song Joong Ki and Lee Kwang Soo. By the end of the series, my favorite actor was Moon Chae Won. Her acting skills is amazing and she's stunningly beautiful too. I'm honestly looking forward to watching her star in other dramas.
