Friday, August 21, 2009

Love Or Money...

People nowadays are more practical than before. They try their best to put their lovelife into a certain balance that they are sure they can have control over, especially when love has completely taken over that "thumping contraption" inside their chests. There is even an overused cliche that no one can live on love alone.

So why do I thread on this issue? Well, rest assured that it's nothing personal, (pertaining to me of course.) It's just that an episode of a Korean drama series (Did We Really Love?) I've been watching made me ponder such things. ( Mind you, I'm glad I don't have the same problem the three main characters are having.) Here's an overview of what I mean...

Jae-Ho is a bonifided child of poverty. His father was a professor but had passed away early, leaving them with practically nothing. His mother abandoned him and his younger sister to finally escape the pressures of being a single young mom and poverty at an amusement park and has since then disappeared shortly after his father died. Since then he swore that he will do everything he can to get out of poverty. He works as a middleman selling crabs at wholesale prices to vendors at night to support himself through college and his younger sister.

At the university, Jae-Ho acts like he came from a rich family, wearing designer knock-offs and sporting a well maintained car that no one will ever guess that it was secondhand. He had excellent grades and had good academic standing at school that no one will ever think of him as an poor orphan. EVER. I'd say he's almost the PERFECT STUDENT, except that he has the reputation of being a SOCIAL CLIMBER. He had past relationships with rich girls that he'd once said one way or another that he'd marry... and what about love? It's completely out of the question. He'd drop a certain girl like a hot potato once he learns that the girl's family is not "financially endowed" anymore.

One one of his classes, he had himself set on the richest girl on his psychology class, Hyun-Soo. With her family, originally based in New Zealand, she considers herself some sort of an exchange student, studying in Korea. She really didn't like Jae-Ho's advances at her, because she first thought of him as arrogant and conceited. But as the story evolved, she eventually fell for him and became boyfriend/girlfriend, which had been Jae-Ho's intention all along, hoping that he'd marry into her rich family.

One day, Jae-Ho and his classmates were introduced to a new lecturer/professor in the middle of the semester, Shin-Hyung. Shin-Hyung is an only daughter from a middle class family of just average income and not someone you'd consider rich like Hyun-Soo. (Shin-Hyung's family is a long time friend of Hyun-Soo's family, so Hyun-Soo starts off staying with Shin-Hyung and her family in the series.)

Being a new graduate/just hired lecturer waiting for her Ph.D, Shin-Hyung was nervous of her first day teaching, so in her nervousness, he brought the wrong textbook to her psychology class. (Same class where Jae-Ho and Hyun-Soo attended) Jae-Ho, being arrogant and a smart-ass that he is made fun of the situation and sort of embarrassed Shin-Hyung in front of her class. (Little did Jae-Ho knew that he'd fall in love with Shin-Hyung because of the first and (later on) few instances that he'll embarrass her in front of the class.)

A little later in the series, Shin-Hyung gives the class a report assignment which will greatly affect the final grade for the whole semester. But with Jae-Ho juggling a busy work week at the time decides to resort on copying old psychology reports all kept in old boxes at the university's library. His professor, Shin-Hyung notices this and automatically gave him an F (for the first time in his whole life) on his report. But as it turned out almost all of his classmates did some form of copying or plagerism so Shin-Hyung ends up giving a make-up exam for all her students.

And because of this cheating incident, Shin-Hyung learns of Jae-Ho's real family and financial background, because at some point, Jae-Ho opens up to her (and literally begs her to reconsider giving him a failing grade.) about the truth, (after lying about it 2-3 times before.) and because of this they've became closer, causing Shin-Hyung to slowly fall for Jae-Ho.

Jae-Ho asked Shin-Hyung not to tell Hyun-Soo the truth regarding his financial status, who then had just became his girlfriend. But after Jae-Ho confessed to Shin-Hyung the truth, he then decides to dump Hyun-Soo to avoid her (Hyun-Soo) knowing of his real reason for courting her.

Hyun-Soo felt she had been used by Jae-Ho after dumping her for no good reason, ends up hurt but felt that she still loves Jae-ho and is intent on knowing the truth. She then learns of Jae-Ho and Shin-Hyung's newfound closseness with each other and gets angry at Shin-Hyung for being "too friendly" with Jae-Ho and swears that she'd get Jae-Ho back.

Jae-Ho and Shin-Hyung's closeness developed into love and this is the time when Jae-Ho's outlook in life completely changed as he chooses "Love" over" Money" by letting go of his ambition of marrying into the rich.

They remained so deeply in love despite problems that were just lurking about, set on toppling their relationship. (Shin-Hyung's parents don't approve of Jae-Ho, because he's an orphan and he's poor. The School board at the university where Shin-Hyung teach and Jae-Ho attend don't approve of the professor/student relationship, therefore, they're threatening to fire Shin-Hyung or expel Jae-Ho off the school.) Too bad, their sweet moments didn't last long because Jae-Ho then lost his job and could not find another job. To make matters worse, he later on loses his house because he couldn't pay his family's debt.


Jae-Ho then starts to ponder why he lost everything, while he was so happy with the woman he loves. He then thought that he wouldn't be in this situation if he only stuck with his plan of being with Hyun-Soo and marrying into her family for money instead of falling in love with Shin-Hyung. So in a desparate move to save his home and family, he goes to Hyun-Soo for help with an offer he couldn't refuse : Money in exchange for his hand and marriage!

Love or Money?

What would you choose?

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