6 Times Gong Hyo-jin was Lovable

I adore Gong Hyo-jin. She isn't the cutest or the youngest actress, but she's definitely one of the best. I love how almost every project she chooses turns out fantastic, and she has a knack of choosing the best heroines to play.

Sang Doo, Let's Go to School is the story of gigolo and single-father Cha Sang-doo. Once upon a time, he was just a high schooler in love with his best friend Choi Eun-hwan. His future was promising, until he accidently assaulted a person and went to prison for it. Now he has to seduce middle-aged women to find enough money to pay for his daughter's medical bills. After a second meeting with Eun-hwan, who he is still very much in love with, he finds that she's a high school teacher now and she's also engaged. With the help of her school's principal, Sang-doo ends up returning to school to finish his education, as well as to regain Eun-hwan's love. 

  I like how Gong Hyo-jin isn't afraid to choose unconventional drama. Whilst Eun-hwan wasn't anything special in comparison to the more complex Sang-doo, they complimented eachother well. Frankly, I enjoyed this far more than another drama Rain starred in, Full House, which was painfully simple compared to this sweet melodrama. It was a nice note for Gong Hyo-jin's early career. 

It's Okay, That's Love was one I loved for it's deeply realistic and damaged characters. It stars Jo In-sung as Jang Jae-yeol, a man who can only sleep in bathrooms after a traumatic childhood, who falls in love with Ji Hae-soo, a prickly woman with a sex phobia and anxiety issues. The couple were made to be together, but soon enough it comes to light that Jae-yeol has undiagnosed schizophrenia. A close friend of his is Han Kang-woo - a boy who, in reality, isn't actually there.

  Gong Hyo-jin has mentioned that her Hae-soo is a character with the closest personality to her own, which doesn't surprise me. Hae-soo was a difficult person, but completely lovable, and I'm so glad Gong took this gem of a show. The insight into mental health was unique and interesting, and the sprinkle of complicated and pleasant characters topped it off perfectly.

  

Master's Sun, which I've already done a review for, is a story about ghost-seeing insomniac Tae Gong-shil. She is terrified of the ghosts, and they often take advantage of this to make her fullfil their last wishes. When Gong-shil runs into Joo Joong-won, cold money-obsessed owner of Kingdom department store, she discovers that the ghosts around her dissapear when she touches him and becomes determined to cling to him. Although he initially doesn't believe her story and wants rid of her, they soon become the ultimate ghost-busting team.

  This one stands out from a lot of Gong's other works, as she usually chooses stronger women to play. Tae Gong-shil is, in my opinion, her cutest character. I wasn't sure how well she'd be able to pull off someone so meek and adorable, but as usual Gong Hyo-jin proved what a wonderful actress she is. Master's Sun just shows her versatility. Plus, she and So Ji-sub are explosive together.

Biscuit Teacher Star Candy is a nostalgic favourite of mine. Gong plays Na Bo-ri, who was expelled from her high school after getting into a fight and now wishes to return there as a teacher. But they'll only let her on one condition - she acts as a guard dog over Park Tae-in. He's a deeply lonely and rebellious teenager, and warms to Bo-ri, the only person who cares for him. It's no surprise when he falls in love with her. But Bo-ri loves someone else, Tae-in's uncle and her old art teacher, so the two of them get engaged. Thus begins Tae-in's torturous one-sided love for her.
  Honestly, it was Gong Yoo as heart-melting Park Tae-in who really shined in this project. Gong Hyo-jin, on the other hand, considers this project a slump in her career. Nevertheless, Gong chose another strong-minded, caring (if dense) heroine who I was happy to wait for. Biscuit Teacher Star Candy may not be anything new or unique, but it's a classic romantic-comedy I recommend time and time again.

Jealousy Incarnate hasn't even finished airing, and yet it's made this list. The incarnate of jealousy in question is Lee Hwa-shin, an arrogant reporter who has been the object of weather-forecaster Pyo Na-ri's affections for three years. He's spent most of this time in Thailand, and only now is he returning to the country, where he finds Na-ri is moving on - and falling fast for his best friend. Only now does he realise that he liked her attention more than he thought. Oh, and if his pride wasn't damaged enough already, he also finds out he has breast cancer.
  Pyo Na-ri was such an interesting character. The show is just over halfway through, and I'm amazed with how much her character has developed. Over the course of the series, she's become so confident in herself and she's so willing to risk her dignity to make her dreams come true. I honestly admire her, allthough not as much as I admire Gong Hyo-jin, who just brings her to life.

Watching Thank You was such a tearfest. It's the story of Min Gi-seo, a surgeon who's girlfriend asks him to correct a mistake of his befores she dies from cancer. Years ago, when she was just a medical intern, she accidently gave a young girl AIDS from a contaminated blood transfusion. He searches for this child, Lee Bom, and finds her living on Blue Island with her young mother, Lee Young-shin, and her mentally-ill grandfather. Soon enough he begins to care for these people, and when the people of the island find out that Bom has AIDS, he tries to defend them from the discrimination and abuse they recieve.
  Gong Hyo-jin was brave to pick up this project, it being Jang Hyuk's first drama in the aftermath of a scandal, but it just served to make them even more popular. She gave a heartwarming performance as an emotionally-strong single mother. The drama recieved good ratings, and for good reason. This may be Gong Hyo-jin's most memorable show yet.