《구가의 서》 / 《Gu Family Book》 is a K-drama starring Lee Seung Gi as “Choi Kang Chi” and Bae Suzy as “Dam Yeo Wool”. The series aired from 2013-04-08 to 2013-06-25 with a total of 24 episodes with 1 hour and 5 minutes running time each. The series tells the love story of a half-human / half-mythical-creature and a lord’s daughter as they fight for their feelings in a world afraid of mythical creatures.

High emotional impact. Amazing cast. Great music! A story we can always watch.

Synopsis

Choi Kang Chi is a half-human and half-mythical-creature who was adopted by the lord of the Hundred Years Inn. He was the son of Gu Wol Ryung, the guardian spirit of Jiri Mountain, and the human Yoon Seo Hwa.

Dam Yeo Wool is a martial arts master and daughter of the leader of a secret organization protecting the region. She was sent to the Hundred Years Inn to observe and protect its lord.

They met at the Hundred Years Inn, the most popular inn in the region, and fell in love with each other despite Choi Kang Chi being a half-human. When their world turned into chaos, it is up to Choi Kang Chi to put it back into order; and up to Dam Yeo Wool to ensure that Choi Kang Chi’s half-mythical-creature side does not get the best of him.

Story

There are two stories in this series, the first is the political rivalry; and the second is the relationship between the main leads.

The political rivalry story was well-written. There were always fresh “content” (if we can call it that) in every episode. They avoided repeating the same plot or reusing what was already “solved” in the previous episodes, while maintaining the overarching plot.

The story between Kang Chi Choi and Yeo Wool Dam was more than perfect. I loved how they did not dive into romantic scenes and dating game, otherwise it would’ve ruined the whole show. They carefully built-up the expectation and tension between the characters and perfectly used the intense emotions they captured from the audience at the right time, at the right moment.

The finale episode (ep. 24) was beyond perfection. While writing this review, I can still feel the impact and weight of this episode. Anyone can easily feel the emotions of both characters and the dialogues were realistic, what most people would say if they’re in the shoes of either of the characters.

Acting

Everyone successfully brought to life the characters they played. The seriousness, the anger, the laughter, and craziness were also reflected on their faces. Superb acting!

The main leads captured the hearts of the audience which made it easy to feel their characters, to think like their characters, to be their characters. The way they gave life to their characters was natural, we can feel their humanity.

Special mention to Suzy, if I am not mistaken this was only her third Main role in a TV series, the delivery of her lines and they way she showed us her character’s personality was at a veteran actor level. It wasn’t perfect, similar with Seung Gi, there were a few scenes which were awkward or maybe forced but both of them quickly recovered (even in the same scene).

Music

The best music/OST. Perfect timing, at the right place, at the right scene, at the right time. The songs were also memorable and easy to listen to. They also did not forget to lower down the background music a second or two before a dialogue, something often forgotten in many other shows.

Production

It was clear they gave a very good budget for this show. The texture and colours of their costumes and props were awesome on the screen. It helped in bringing-in the audience to live in the world of “Gu Family Book”.

Verdict

Highly recommended. 20 out of 10 stars. Very high in the re-watch list.

Great job!

Official trailer

OST