Convincing plot key to supernatural drama

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Convincing plot key to supernatural drama

Posted : 2015-04-06 16:17

Updated : 2015-04-06 17:59

Scenes from "The Girl Who Sees Smells" / Courtesy of SBS

By Kwon Ji-youn

An unusual but dynamic blend of romance, suspense and comedy has heightened expectations for SBS's new drama "The Girl Who Sees Smells," the first episode of which aired on April 1 when it came third in total audience share with 5.6 percent of the viewership.

Though broadcasters KBS and MBC are also airing equally intriguing dramas that focus on single moms and school violence, SBS's new production starring Park Yu-chun and Shin Se-kyung boasts an appeal curiously reminiscent of the broadcaster's 2014 hit series "My Love from the Star."

The verdict is in _ for a drama series featuring supernatural events to succeed, the plot must be compelling, the actors convincing and the computer graphics reasonable. "The Girl Who Sees Smells" does just that.

This particular drama tells the story of a young woman who, with a cop, launches a probe into the so-called "barcode" serial murder case. This woman, portrayed by Shin, has miraculously survived a "barcode" murder herself and has since gained the ability to see smells.

The production, like "My Love from the Star," boasts an all-star line-up. Park, former TVXQ member and current JYJ member, has been building his acting career with appearances in "Sungkyunkwan Scandal," "Miss Ripley" and "Three Days," among others. But this drama's true headliner is Shin, notorious for her depressing _ almost distressing _ roles. In "The Girl," Shin takes on the role of an aspiring comedian, a bundle of energy with an optimistic and buoyant charm. Fans and viewers are welcoming Shin's liberation from the needy, charitable character she typically evokes.

As the series is based on a webtoon of the same name, fans and industry experts alike worried how the producers would give shape to smells, but the computer graphics used were far from tacky.

Shin's character Cho-rim observes scents that resemble fragments or clouds of light. Such digitally synthesized visuals aren't excessive, nor do they take away from the plot. Shin's acting also plays an important role in convincing viewers of her extrasensory gift.

"Casting Shin as Oh Cho-rim was a foolproof choice," the original author of the webtoon posted on his Twitter.

This is unlike a digitally synthesized gorilla that appeared in the broadcaster's "Hyde, Jekyll and Me." Viewers grumbled that the production crew's clumsy attempt at computer graphics only discredited and distracted from the plot.

And this is all on top of a well-conceived comical story that revolves around a series of murders.

The recipe to a successful drama hinged on supernatural events is adding layers of genres. Park, a cop, seeks in Shin a partner who will help him find the person responsible for his sister's death. To work in homicide, Park must first find the culprit behind the barcode murder case. Actress Park Han-byul makes a cameo appearance as a fashion model and one of the victims.

Shin, on the other hand, seeks in Park a comedy partner for her gig. Their attempt at comedy in the second episode wasn't at all amateurish, and the humor makes Park's cop character more identifiable and familiar.

Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun's "My Love from the Star" also featured a man with supernatural capabilities who has traveled to Earth from another planet. With suspense and romance serving as a mold for what could have been an impractical storyline, the drama gave hallyu (Korean wave) a boost when the SBS series' video-on-demand (VOD) viewership reached 3 billion on iQiyi, a Chinese video platform.

"I Can Hear Your Voice" starring Lee Jong-suk and Lee Bo-young told the story of a man who can read minds. The plot for this SBS drama also focused on a murder case.

jykwon@koreatimes.co.kr