Idol I

Presentation

For more…

Overview

Synopsis

Maeng Se Na is a star lawyer known to take on criminal cases other attorneys avoid. She’s also secretly been a fan of idol Do Ra Ik for 11 years. One day, he’s suddenly accused of murder. So, Maeng Se Na takes on his case to defend.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

Idol I is such a compelling drama! I think there are 3 main reasons why I would definitely recommend the show. First, it highlights the downsides of celebrity. Do Ra Ik may be famous, rich and beloved by his fans, but he’s under a lot of pressure, struggles mentally and feels highly isolated and lonely. When he gets accused of murder, his world spirals out of control. Second, the slow-burn romance is absolutely fantastic. I loved how they took the time to build trust (and love) between Do Ra Ik and Maeng Se Na. As lawyer and client, they have each other’s back. But they also bring solace and comfort at a time when they’re at their lowest. Third, there’s a whole concept around justice and righting the wrongs that is embodied by Prosecutor Kwak. His evolution was honestly very well-done, as he went from being blinded by prejudice to seeking the actual truth. The music was great, Maeng Se Na as a fangirl was super credible (I just felt like I was seeing myself) and I desperately rooted for characters’ happiness. 100% recommended!

Analysis

• The downsides of celebrity
• Being a fangirl
• Righting the wrongs
• Mental health
• The slow-burn romance

The downsides of celebrity: The show does an excellent job at depicting the bad aspects of stardom that takes a toll on Do Ra Ik’s (Kim Jae Young) mental health. I would count 3 main factors of stress in the artist’s life. First, you have the pressure from his company: Goldi Entertainment. His CEO considers him his cash cow and thus forces him to work continuously. He packs his schedule with events to attend, shows on TV/radio, commercials to shoot, and a solo comeback to prepare just to make him visible to the public. The CEO is also trying hard to have him re-sign his contract, resorting to shady methods. He sees him as a product and not a person. Second, you have fans – and more specifically sasaeng (hardcore fans) – who want to know everything about their idol, trespass into his apartment, follow him around, etc… Topped with the media’s thirst for gossip, Do Ra Ik’s outings are constantly paired up with a feeling of insecurity and anxiety. Fans see him as a god, while media as clickbait. Finally, people around him are a cause of mental distress. His success as a solo artist wedged a wall between he and Gold Boys’ group members. They are envious of his success which is manifested by clashes within the group. Choi Jae Hee (Park Jeong Woo) is particularly at odds with Do Ra Ik and thus projects his anger towards him. At the beginning, they see Do Ra Ik as their only chance to survive in the industry. This discrepancy makes the group leader highly isolated and unable to communicate his fears with anyone. Even his girlfriend left him, criticizing that his love was not enough and that he was prioritizing his career over her. All in all, people around him see him as ‘Do Ra Ik, the idol‘ and not ‘Do Ra Ik, the person‘. All of these elements pressurize the male lead, making him unable to rest, not even to breathe. But Kang Woo Seong’s (Ahn Woo Yeon) murder and Do Ra Ik’s encounter with Maeng Se Na (Choi Sooyoung) give him a second chance at life. Despite the tragedy, it’s a real opportunity for Do Ra Ik to free himself from these shackles and get back on his feet.

Being a fangirl: Maeng Se Na is the best epitome of a fangirl. Long ago, Do Ra Ik brought her comfort and warmth, when she had hit rock bottom. Since then, she’s been following his debut, rooting for him from afar and supporting him as a fan. Maeng Se Na respects her artist, she loves his music and keeps a distance with the person she sees on stage. To her, ‘Do Ra Ik, the idol‘ is unapproachable. Her greatest strength is her capacity to distinguish both personae. As a fangirl, Do Ra Ik is a perfect illusion. But as a lawyer, she deals with ‘Do Ra Ik, the person‘. Though she takes on the case out of love for the artist at first, she becomes convinced that he’s innocent. So, she puts her passion aside to prioritize her client’s needs. Her dilemma reaches its peak when Do Ra Ik discovers that she’s his fan. He’s hurt because he believes Maeng Se Na defends the idol – and not him. This moment is particularly tough for Se Na. On the one hand, the lawyer in her knows Do Ra Ik is innocent and protects him with all her might. On the other hand, she can’t deny that she’s his fan because negating her past as a fan would mean negating a part of herself. She felt happiness, warmth and comfort as a fangirl. If she were to renounce her passion, it would mean letting go of her main source of joy throughout her life. Thankfully, Do Ra Ik understands that Maeng Se Na dissociates the idol from the person which allows him to forgive her. At the end, Maeng Se Na remains true to herself by combining her passion with her love for ‘Do Ra Ik, the person‘. She has the best of both worlds by dating him, but also going to his concerts as a random person and seeing him shine on stage. Do Ra Ik’s case also has a positive impact on fans, as they team up to protect their idols’ private lives a bit more. They keep a safe distance from their favorite artists to allow them to breathe and relax.

Righting the wrongs: There are two storylines with the same setting, but different outcomes in the drama. The protagonists in the first case are Maeng Se Na’s and Kwak Byung Gyun (Jeong Jae Kwang)’s fathers. Long ago, Prosecutor Kwak designated Se Na’s father as the culprit of a murder. He made the evidence fit his statement and had him sentenced to prison. Though Se Na’s father claimed his innocence, his plea was ignored. This event pushed her to be a lawyer and she spent her life trying to clear her father’s name. In the present, Se Na is confronted with a similar situation. Do Ra Ik is pinned as Woo Seong’s murderer by the prosecution. Kwak Byung Gyun is the lead prosecutor. Following his father’s advice, he botches the investigation, focusing only on Do Ra Ik. By doing so, he expects to put him behind bars and become a star prosecutor, like his father did in the past. However, Maeng Se Na is here to put him onto the right path. Byung Gyun has a real moral dilemma on his hands. He can either stay true to his values or to his lineage. He chooses the former and goes against his father’s principles. This case changes his perception of justice. It’s not a tool that serves your personal interests, but an institution that aims at protecting victims. This means that you should not make evidence match your conclusion, but rather follow the trail of proof that leads to the conclusion. If Maeng Se Na had not intervened, Do Ra Ik would’ve been sent to jail, while the real murderer walked free. At the end of the drama, it seems like a burden has been lifted off Byung Gyun’s shoulders. Not only has Maeng Se Na proven Do Ra Ik’s innocence, but she’s also cleared her father’s name who’d been unjustly accused and changed a person.

Mental health: Do Ra Ik is not the only one who suffers from mental health issues in the drama. His ex-girlfriend, Hong Hye Joo (Choi Hee Jin), is also greatly unstable. She’s the illegitimate daughter of Imhwa Group. Due to that, her existence was concealed and she was often pushed aside by her father. Though she never lacked financially, Hye Joo didn’t receive a lot of love growing up. This developed into a real obsession that impacted her relationships. Whilst with Ra Ik, she constantly craved for affection, emphasizing that his love was not enough. She always wanted more which he couldn’t give. This eventually led to their breakup. But Hye Joo couldn’t accept the separation, though she precipitated it. She tried to get back with him because she missed his love and warmth, but he refused. On that tragic night, Woo Seong was in Ra Ik’s apartment, when Hye Joo suddenly presented herself in front of the door. She wanted to convince Do Ra Ik to give her a second chance, but Woo Seong dissuaded her from talking to him. Completely lost in her emotions, Hye Joo threatened to kill herself with a knife and ended up killing the band member. She then hid the crime and let Do Ra Ik be accused, while pretending to believe in his innocence. In the end, this murder case was motivated by love – obsessive love from Hye Joo and brotherly love from Woo Seong.

The slow-burn romance: The romance between Do Ra Ik and Maeng Se Na was slow-paced, but perfect to develop trust between them. Considering that Do Ra Ik is wary of everyone, this was a necessary step before he entrusted his heart to Se Na. She reaches out her hand first and they form a bond, first as lawyer and client, then as friends, and then as lovers. The evolution of their relationship is concomitant with the solving of Woo Seong’s murder. The closer they get to the truth, the more united they need to stand. The reveal of her being a fangirl arrived at the perfect time, considering that a romance based on lies would’ve eventually ended. Ra Ik and Se Na found, and still find comfort and solace in the other. They were both here to support each other when they were at the lowest point of their lives, hence the strong connection between them. Even at the end, I really appreciated that they took the time to show that they are enjoying their relationship and at the same time their respective careers and passions (as idol and fangirl). Their worlds collide as one for the better.