Do You Like Brahms – Full Review
Welcome to Do You Like Brahms – Full Review. This drama about 2 young musicians and the power of love and music to heal. Enjoy the read and feel free to leave a comment. If you haven’t watched this one yet, you might want to check out my unspoiled review with a simple summary and information here.
Do You Like Brahms?
♥ Aired: August 31- October 20, 2020
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: Viki
♥Genre: Romantic Drama
♥Starring: Park Eun Bin and Kim Min Jae
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The Story
“Do You Like Brahms” is about a group of students involved in an elite school of music at their university. A struggling 4th year violinist meets a successful pianist. Despite the large gap in their musical talent, the 2 have many things in common; most notable, a crush on someone they can never have. As they commiserate on their painful love experiences, a strong friendship and attraction develops and the process of healing begins.
The Leads
Park Eun Bin as Chae Song Ah
Chae Song Ah studied business in college, but her true love is playing the violin. So, after graduation, despite all of her friend’s and family’s objections, she re-enrolls in the university’s Music School. 7 years older than most of her peers and without the classical training and years of private lessons they have all taken for granted, she sits in last place, struggling to keep up. When she takes a summer intern position at a local music conservatory, she meets a famous pianist who is the same age as her. Immediately drawn to his quiet charm and overwhelming talent, she recognizes a kindred spirit by the scars he hides deep in his heart.
Song Ah is serious and determined, with a social ackwardness that is endearing. Life has been a constant struggle for her, as her love of music has warred with a lack of natural ability. As much as she is attracted to Joon Young, he also brings out her insecurties in music and love. Park Eun Bin did a wonderful job of showing that conflict of emotions. Some complained about the lack of chemistry between the leads, but I felt like it was an insightful portrayal of the conflict and confusion that can come with a first relationship.
Kim Min Jae as Park Joon Young
Park Joon Young is a natural pianist who has performed and competed his whole life, but takes no joy from it. Due to a father who has spent his whole life acting financially irresponsible, Joon Young can not even rest from his demanding career. He is also in love with his best friend’s girlfriend. The three of them have been friends since they were young, and Joon Young has buried his feelings for the sake of their friendship. Visiting the conservatory that has supported him financially throughout his music career, he keeps running into Song Ah. With each encounter, a friendship begins to bloom as they share their pains and struggles.
Joon Young is a soft-spoken musician who has spent his life sacrificing his happiness for others. In Song Ah, he finally sees an opportunity to chase his own happiness and finally find his voice. Kim Min Jae played this role beatifully, as a gentle spirit with with a tortured soul. His indecisiveness in life and love reflect the burdens he has carried his whole life. And when he shows his rare smile, it’s like you can sense the warmth through the screen.
The Love Triangles
Kim Sung Chul and Park Ji Hyun as Hon Hyun Ho and Lee Jung Kyung
Hon Hyun Ho and Lee Jung Kyung have been Joon Young’s best friends since they were young. Even though Hyun Ho and Jung Kyung have been dating for 10 years, Joon Young has always been in love with Jung Kyung. Jung Kyung has always known about Joon Young’s feelings, but has ignored them until now. So everyone is shocked when she breaks up with Hon Hyun and decides she is in love with Joon Young.
Jung Kyung is rich and selfish, and has never had a loving relationship with her family. A musical prodigy in her youth, Jung Kyung’s talent has ebbed and she is trying to come to terms with her future. Her interest in Joon Young seems more like an obsession over a shiny toy she wants and can’t have. Now that his interest has started to shift to Song Ah, she is desperate to gain back his attention.
Hyun Ho is a great character. He has been a devoted best friend and boyfriend, and has lived the last 10 years in blissful ignorance. Even after having his heart broken, he can’t help but step in when either of them are in trouble. His loyalty inability to hold a grudge are a big part of his charm. Unlike his friends, Hyun Ho’s is as grounded in his music career as he is in the rest of his life. He has the talent and freedom to pursue music in whatever way he decides.
Lee You Jin and Bae Da Bin as Yoon Dong Yoon and Kang Min Sung
Unlike the other love triangle, Yoon Dong Yoon and Kang Min Sung only dated for 100 days. They are not the power couple that Hyun Ho and Jung Kyung were. But Min Sung never got over Dong Yoon, and Song Ah can’t bear to hurt her friend by admitting her own feelings. To make matters worse, Dong Yoon shares Song Ah’s feelings, and when he finally confesses, Min Sung overhears.
Min Sung is a graduate student who loves studying. Song Ah has been her best friend for years. Most of her scenes involve her professing her love and crying because it isn’t returned. When she finds out about Song Ah and Dong Yoon’s feelings, she breaks off all contact and refuses to “forgive” them.
Dong Yoon is also a talented musician who gave up playing to make and repair instruments. He gave Song Ah private lesson’s when she was auditioning for the music school. He is a cheerful character who is known and liked by everyone. When he finally gets the courage to confess his feelings to Song Ah he already suspects that it is too late after watching her with Joon Young. He accepts her rejection and continues to be a friend to Song Ah and Min Sung.
Things I Liked
♥ Brahms/Clara/Shumann Story
The concept of using a real life love story as a back drop for this drama was unique and interesting. In the beginning, Joon Young refuses to play Brahms because he believes all of his music is about his unrequited love for Clara Shumann. Song Ah sees the story from a different perspective. To her, Brahms’ music reflected an unbreakable friendship. Those descriptions reflect both characters’ views of life. And I loved that, in the end, Joon Young was able to play Brahms again, with his friends Jung Kyung and Hyun Ho. That performance brought the whole story full circle and represents Joon Young’s growth and change of perspective.
The Mood
There is a mood that is portrayed through this whole drama. It reminds me of the feelings I got while watching “When the Weather is Fine”. The subtle colors and the subdued actions all paint a picture for this drama, and I loved the OST. The mash up of classical music and some really moving contemporary songs set a perfect feeling. It is a warm, slow-moving story that puts your mind at ease. Some do find this mood boring, but for me it is calming and rewarding.
Fun Geometry
I don’t think this may be the first drama I have watched that started with 2 love triangles that merge and cause a third. It was a unique scenario that gave an interesting tension to the whole show. Also, it made it very rewarding when our leads, who had both suffered being the odd person out in their own triangles, got to be the center of their own.
Things I Didn’t Like
Joon Young’s Dad
The character of Joon Young’s dad was a weird one for me. I don’t remember ever having a character in a drama that you never see and yet is the focus of so much of the plot. He could almost be seen as one of the villians, and yet there is so much we don’t know. Not only what he looks like, but how and why he has been such a financial burden on his son. Why show the mother but never the father? I don’t really get it. It seems like they could have told the story without an invisible father. To me, it would make more sense to just have the mother fulfill that role, since we do see her.
Kang Min Sung
First, let me be clear. I am not talking about the actress Bae Da Bin; I just didn’t like the character of Min Sung. I found her to be self-absorbed and petty. Most of her scenes with Song Ah are spent talking about herself and her struggles. She doesn’t seem to care about what Song Ah might be going through. Also, it seemed unfair for her to get so mad at Song Ah and Dong Yoon when all they really did was ignore their own feelings for her sake. Neither one of them did anything wrong and they didn’t deserve her harsh treatment. It is true that in the end she got over it and managed to move on, but she held on to it much longer than the situation merited.
Teachers Went Unpunished
Many fans complain that kdramas often let the villians get away with their actions, with very little recourse, but this one got to me. There didn’t seem to be a single teacher in that university that didn’t take advantage of their students. As a whole, they were terrrible people and in the end nothing changed. I would have liked to see at least one of them get their comeuppance.
The Ending
This drama ended on a strong note for me. Most of the stories are tied up nicely. For Dong Yoon and Min Sung, that was a tenuous friendship, which is really the best they could hope for since they hadn’t been in an actual romantic relationship in a long time. Hyun Ho comes home to play in a show with Joon Young and Jung Kyung, which is a double happy ending. The friendship has been restored and peace has been declared. But even more exciting, is the hint that Hyun Ho and Jung Kyung are also on their way to a reconciliation. Jung Kyung is her best self when she is with Hyun Ho, so I was happy to see their relationship back on track.
For our leads, good things are happening. I was a little sad to see that Song Ah had given up the violin completely, but I think she found peace in embracing her true natural talent. She is working as a manager for Joon Young, planning his travel and performances. She seems happy and in her element. And with Song Ah by his side, Joon Young has finally found happiness through his music. It is no longer a lonely, isolated existence.
Should I Watch
This is another slow moving drama. Like the classical music that paints the soundtrack, it is beautiful and poignant, but also serious in theme. “Do You Like Brahms” is not a lighthearted rom-com. Some people have complained that it was depressing and frustrating. I don’t agree. But it is a love story about 2 introverted musicians, who carry the scars of life, meeting and learning how to relate to each other. Love is seldom completely smooth sailing, and this drama never forgets that life and love are complicated and heartbreaking, at times. If you love classical music or melodramatic love stories, this is a good drama for you. But if you get bored by slow moving plots and romances, you probably should take a pass. I give “Do You Like Brahms” an 8 out of 10 ramen.
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